One-Day Countdown!

At that moment, Yutong walked back, holding an enemy satellite communicator. A tiny green light was flashing on it, clearly indicating that someone was trying to establish contact.

"Boss, this is the communicator from the enemy commander." Yutong handed it over.

Kyle took it with one hand and connected the call without hesitation.

The man on the other end immediately growled impatiently once the connection went through. "What the hell are you doing? Why are you dragging your feet? Have you dealt with Steve Rogers yet?"

Kyle swept his gaze around. The armed personnel surrounding the three of them had all become corpses sprawled across the ground.

When he received no answer, the man sharply sensed that something was wrong and asked in a low voice, "Who are you? Who answered the call?"

Kyle’s lips curled upward as he said indifferently into the communicator, "One day left."

The moment he finished speaking, he exerted a little force with his hand. Sparks flew from the communicator as it shattered and exploded.

"Let’s go. We’re heading back first."

Kyle brushed the fragments from his hand and gave the next order.

It was time for the century-spanning grudge between him and Hydra to come to an end in New York.

New York, beside S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, inside a luxurious duplex villa.

It was deep into the night. The third-floor hall was unlit, and beneath the dim yellow glow of a small desk lamp, only two men sat facing each other on the sofas.

One of them was a middle-aged man with neatly combed blond hair and a sharp suit, carrying the calm, seasoned bearing of someone long accustomed to power.

Yet at that moment, a bead of cold sweat appeared on his forehead, slid down his face, and dripped from his chin onto his expensive trousers.

Pierce blankly lowered the communicator. His face was bloodlessly pale, his brows tightly furrowed as his mind raced.

He could never mistake that young man’s voice. It had to be him—the number one enemy of Hydra.

"If he was there, then the hundreds of armed troops I sent to deal with Captain Steve must have already been wiped out."

Pierce’s heart bled, while fear rose from within and flooded his entire body. What did he mean by saying there was one day left? Did he know everything? Was he going to make his move in one day?

He had directly and plainly stated that he would act in a day, yet the pressure it created was still endless.

Because he was the Symbol of Peace. That alone was enough!

"Nick Fury is already dead, and that man has probably discovered my true identity. There’s no turning this around anymore…"

As Pierce anxiously considered a solution, the other man seated on the sofa opposite him remained silent.

The man’s hair hung loose around his face. He wore a long-sleeved leather jacket, and his entire left arm was mechanical, faintly reflecting a metallic gleam. A dark red five-pointed star was marked on his shoulder.

As if recalling something, Pierce stared directly at the silent man and asked, "Right. Winter Soldier, you must answer me honestly. If you faced Kyle, what were your odds of winning?"

"Kyle…?" Hearing that name, the Winter Soldier raised his head, and a faint ripple appeared in his dead, icy eyes.

After a long silence, the Winter Soldier said coldly, "If I faced him, I would have no chance of winning."

"As expected."

Pierce’s expression instead became calm. If the Winter Soldier had said he could stop the Symbol of Peace, that would have been truly shocking.

The Winter Soldier could at most be used against Steve. Against an enemy on Kyle’s level, ordinary methods were nowhere near enough.

"Time is too tight. We have to get the Helicarrier into the sky before tomorrow morning. As for Kyle…" Pierce steeled himself.

"Who’s there?!" The Winter Soldier’s ears twitched. He abruptly rose to his feet and cast a chilling gaze toward the entrance of the hall.

At some point, a mere one-meter-tall "person" had appeared there. Wrapped head to toe in a black cloak, its figure and face hidden from view, it simply stood at the door and silently watched them.

Pierce said coldly, "What is that thing? Get rid of it!"

Without waiting for an order, the Winter Soldier had already moved, crossing roughly ten meters at superhuman speed.

He leaped directly above the dwarf, clenched his mechanical left fist, and slammed it down.

Bang!

His fist struck the smooth floor of the hall. Under several tons of impact, the tiles instantly cracked and shattered like a spiderweb.

The Winter Soldier’s eyes narrowed. He had actually missed, and he had not seen the other party dodge or leave any trace.

An instant before his fist could hit the dwarf, the dwarf had vanished into thin air without warning!

"Behind you!" Pierce cried out in shock.

Hearing that, while still in midair, the Winter Soldier used the left fist that had been his main attacking arm to brace against the ground. He twisted sharply at the waist and whipped one leg backward like lightning.

That kick could send even a car flying several meters!

Whoosh—

At the critical moment, the cloaked dwarf vanished into thin air, and the Winter Soldier’s attack missed once again.

Before Pierce could react, he only saw a black blur flash past. The cloaked dwarf was already sitting on the sofa in front of him.

"If you attack again, I’ll kill this guy."

The cloaked dwarf spoke in an aged, hoarse voice, pointing a finger at Pierce.

Naturally, the Winter Soldier would not heed the threat and was about to charge forward, but Pierce hurriedly waved to stop him. "Winter Soldier, stop!"

The Winter Soldier stiffly halted, standing in the hall like a statue.

Pierce looked at the cloaked dwarf and asked with both respect and apprehension, "This old gentleman…"

"Cut the nonsense. You only need to know that I’m here to help you." The cloaked dwarf interrupted him.

"Help me?" Pierce was somewhat bewildered.

The cloaked dwarf spoke casually. "Aren’t you planning to deal with the Symbol of Peace tomorrow? I’ll help you hold him off."

"You, hold off the Symbol of Peace?" Pierce took a deep breath and asked, suspicious yet unable to hide his excitement, "May I ask how I should address you?"

The cloaked dwarf answered seriously, "Me? Call me Little Ancestor!"

Emperor Building, underground conference hall.

A secret temporary meeting was being held here, organized by Kyle. Those invited included Hulk Banner, Iron Man Tony, Colonel Ross, and Thunderbolt General.

Other than the Karl family, these were the most reliable and capable—or influential—outsiders Kyle could currently gather.

Kyle lightly tapped the tabletop with his fingers and said calmly, "Vis has already explained the specifics to you one by one. The relevant information will not be sent to you until tomorrow morning. You only need to complete the tasks assigned to you."

Tony sighed. "Godfather, this is way too over-the-top…"

"It truly is a grand undertaking." Ross deeply agreed. Looking toward Thunderbolt General, he said after a moment of thought, "Our military will provide the greatest assistance possible, but this is something we have to do without the senators and the president knowing. Mobilizing the army on a large scale is obviously not feasible."

Thunderbolt General nodded.

"You only need to provide support. Your military won’t be the main force." Kyle smiled faintly.

"Then who can serve as the main force?" Ross asked curiously.

"Am I not enough?" Bruce pointed at his own nose.

Everyone fell silent.

Indeed, Hulk alone could defeat an elite army, but he was simply too prone to losing control.

"Don’t worry. I naturally have a main force." Kyle spoke with calm certainty.

"After tomorrow, Hydra’s century-old foundation will be erased from Earth. It will never be able to rise again."