Equipment

After Colonel Phillips sent Steve back to rest, he summoned Agent Carter and Howard. Once the two arrived, Han Lin briefed them on the day's battle.

Han Lin mainly felt that there was absolutely no need for him to keep fighting head-on like this.

Seeing Agent Carter look around after entering, Han Lin teased, "Steve went back already. If you want to see him, I can head back later, or ask the colonel to lend us a bed."

Agent Carter blushed and shot Han Lin a huge glare. "Who knows what you're talking about!"

The colonel and Howard burst into hearty laughter.

After thinking for a moment, Han Lin said, "Howard, how is the combat suit I asked you to make coming along?"

"I've more or less figured out the bulletproof combat suit you requested. Give me another day or two, and I can make it. But ordinary people might find it restrictive in combat. I made a set for you and Steve. As for everyone else, I'm increasing production of my own bulletproof vests. Before long, the frontline troops will be equipped with them," Howard replied at once.

Han Lin was somewhat delighted. "No rush, I still have time. How is your research on the mini-submarine coming along? I brought back three giant tanks today. Study them when you have time and see if there's anything we can learn from them. If there is, install it on our frontline equipment as soon as possible."

"Because I feel that if I weren't on the battlefield, our firepower would be far inferior to theirs. We need to level out their firepower advantage."

Howard nodded. "I'll do it as soon as possible. I already have some ideas for the mini-submarine. As for the tanks, I'll need to study them first. After all, they're something we have as well, so it won't be like the mini-submarine, where we had no clue where to begin."

"Oh, right. Prepare two motorcycles and some location markers for me." Han Lin turned to Colonel Phillips. "Colonel, I'll help you stabilize this front over the next few days. Once things settle down here, I'll go deep behind enemy lines. I'll create chaos in their rear so you can control the front more effectively. I'll leave markers with activation signals at every stronghold I capture behind enemy lines. Send troops to clean up the battlefield."

Colonel Phillips hesitated. "Isn't that too dangerous? Going deep behind enemy lines alone will draw Hydra's attention. If they try to capture you, we won't be able to support you."

Han Lin shook his head at Colonel Phillips. "Fighting head-on like this feels like a waste to me, because Steve and I can lead troops deep behind enemy lines and split into two groups to quickly sweep through their strongholds. That's what we need to do now.

"I'm waiting for Howard's suit. Once it's finished, I think Steve and Carter should stay here and continue expanding our gains, while I launch raids behind enemy lines. That would be more effective. There isn't much time left. Schmidt is preparing a major plan. I couldn't see it clearly, but I need to weaken his strength as soon as possible.

"Steve needs to become Captain America. Only if he wins on the main battlefield can Congressman Brand in the rear sell more government bonds and buy more military supplies."

Everyone fell silent. They all knew that Han Lin was doing this to eliminate Hydra's research departments as quickly as possible. Only then could the balance of the war shift.

Back in his room, Han Lin opened his panel and saw that his name was followed by (Experience: 1730/8000).

Han Lin had the skill Rapid Learning (experience gained from killing enemies +25%), but it had never triggered before, and the experience stat had never appeared. So he had guessed that he might gain experience from killing enemies.

He had been on the battlefield all day and had not had time to check. Now that he saw the experience stat, he roughly understood the path ahead. The enhancement points gained after leveling up could be used to improve his speed and other attributes. Many enemies awaited Han Lin in the future.

Two days later, Han Lin and Steve arrived at Howard's laboratory. Over those two days, Han Lin had come to feel just how worthless human lives could be. It showed in the growth of his experience: from 1730 to 4552. More than three hundred enemy soldiers had died at Han Lin's hands. Like a harvester on the battlefield, he had pushed the front forward five kilometers, leaving the opposing Hydra forces unable to resist.

Han Lin had originally planned to take the enemy camp in the rear today, but he received word from Howard telling him to come collect his equipment. So he brought Steve over to try it out, and also so Steve could receive that shield early.

After greeting Howard, Han Lin looked at the two specially made combat suits before him and shot Steve an amused glance. One was black, the other blue. Needless to say, Han Lin's was black, while Steve's was a heroic uniform modeled after the American flag.

"Steve, hurry up and put on your uniform. Let me see the future Captain America!" Han Lin's joking remark was remembered by Agent Carter, who later had Congressman Brand promote Steve under that name.

Once the two put on their specially made bulletproof suits, Han Lin looked at his all-black reflection in the mirror. His need for nighttime raids had been met.

The suit was based on Howard's new bulletproof vest, with bulletproof steel plates added over several vital areas, along with a reinforced helmet and faceplate. At around fifty pounds, Han Lin could wear it without effort. It was just a little awkward, but he should get used to it after a couple of days. Han Lin had said he did not need any holsters or the like.

Steve's, on the other hand, came fully equipped: grenade loops, a holster, ammunition pouches, and flashy colors that left Steve standing there awkwardly. Han Lin found the shield in Howard's lab and tossed it to Steve. "You'll like it. It belongs to you now."

"No, no, that isn't finished yet." Howard hurriedly waved his hands to stop him.

"What material is it made of?" Han Lin asked, while Steve examined it from the side.

Han Lin knew that the shield in the movie was incredibly powerful. Not only was it indestructible, but it could neutralize any attack and prevent even the slightest harm from reaching the person behind it. In the Avengers, Steve had taken Thor's full-powered hammer strike with it and emerged unharmed. That made Han Lin deeply interested in the shield's material.

"Sound-Absorbing Steel. It's stronger than steel, but only one-third the weight," Howard answered helplessly. "Most importantly, it can neutralize attacks."

"It belongs to Steve, truly. It symbolizes an era!" Han Lin subtly hinted at something, though Steve was the only one present who did not understand.

The shield was round, roughly seventy centimeters in diameter. Held in front of the body, it could protect the entire upper half. With just a slight bend at the waist, it could protect the head as well. With this shield on the battlefield, Steve's survivability and combat ability would both greatly increase. Combined with Howard's new suit, Han Lin felt that Steve would be unstoppable.

"Then why not mass-produce it and equip the whole army?" Steve asked.

He slid the shield onto his left arm and gave it a swing. It felt natural in his hand, and he nodded in great satisfaction.

"This material is extremely rare on Earth. The one in your hands is the only one of its kind," Howard said, watching helplessly as Steve claimed his beloved collectible. He wanted to object, but did not dare say a word.

"You made it?" Han Lin asked, looking at Howard's pained expression.

At that, Howard blushed a little. "Dr. Myron MacLain made it. He's an incredibly talented materials scientist. During an experiment, he accidentally mixed Vibranium, iron, and an unknown substance together, creating this shield. But afterward, he was never able to reproduce the process." Howard shook his head regretfully after speaking.

Han Lin knew that Wakanda possessed extraordinary reserves of Vibranium, but this Sound-Absorbing Steel was one of a kind. If he had the chance, Han Lin wanted to meet Dr. Myron MacLain.

"Where is Dr. MacLain now?"

"New York. He's trying to create this super alloy again, but Vibranium is extremely difficult to obtain. Limited by the available experimental materials, he hasn't made much progress," Howard said. He was very familiar with Dr. MacLain. The two often worked together, so he knew his situation well.