"???"
Hao Shuai's words left Steve stunned for quite a while before he asked uncertainly, "The Bucky you mentioned—is he the Bucky I'm thinking of?"
"Right. The Bucky I mean is your good buddy Bucky." Hao Shuai gave him a serious smile.
At Hao Shuai's confirmation, Steve's eyes immediately lit up with excitement. In a low voice, he asked, "Bucky's still alive? Where is he now?"
Hao Shuai looked at Cap, who could barely contain his excitement, and gave him an odd smile.
Steve really was devoted to his buddy. He never stopped thinking about Bucky, who'd been missing for so long.
But Hao Shuai understood Cap. Now that Steve had Peggy by his side and had regained his youth, Bucky was probably his only remaining regret.
"I was just about to tell you."
Hao Shuai patted Steve on the shoulder, signaling him to stay calm, then said softly, "According to my investigation, Bucky is with Baron Strucker, one of Hydra's leaders."
"Wait~~" Steve suddenly interrupted him. "You said Hydra? The Hydra from the Second World War?"
"That's right. That very Hydra."
"Wasn't it already wiped out? Didn't it vanish after its leader, Red Skull, disappeared?" Cap asked in confusion.
"On the surface, it disappeared, but in reality..." Hao Shuai briefly explained how Hydra had come back from the dead through Operation Paperclip and gone into hiding within S.H.I.E.L.D.
"Cut off one head, and two more shall take its place!" Steve murmured Hydra's slogan, then said, "No, I have to tell Nick Fury about this."
With that, Steve started for the door.
To be safe, he hadn't considered contacting him by phone.
"Steve, stay calm!" Hao Shuai grabbed Cap and explained, "I already sent Cyclops some information about Hydra a while ago. I imagine he's got his hands full right