Icefield Standoff, Black Wolf Unleashed

Beneath Siberia's permafrost, the atmosphere in Hydra's secret base was as cold and biting as the icefields outside. Dr. Dragovich's eyes burned with fanatical fire as he stared fixedly at the rapidly changing data on the main control screen. Inside the cryogenic chamber, the frost covering Bucky Barnes's body was melting rapidly, while the life-sign monitoring curve abruptly shifted from steady to violently fluctuating.

"Inject the serum! Max power to the neural connectors! Suppress his mental resistance!" Dragovich growled into the microphone, his voice trembling slightly with excitement and tension.

Several researchers in protective suits worked nervously. A viscous black liquid, gleaming with an ominous dark radiance, was slowly injected into Bucky's carotid artery through a precision syringe. At the same time, several electrode patches on his head lit up with blinding light. Powerful currents mixed with specific mental interference frequencies forcibly assaulted his brain.

"Urgh—!!!"

Inside the cryogenic chamber, Bucky let out a pained groan even in his unconscious state, his body convulsing violently! Green veins instantly bulged and spread beneath his skin, but it was not Hulk's kind of green—it was a deeper shade, closer to inky black! His muscles swelled uncontrollably, stretching the once-snug restraints until they creaked!

Even more terrifyingly, his metal left arm seemed to come alive. The metal plates on its surface opened, closed, and writhed like scales, producing a teeth-grating sound of friction. Sharper claws extended from his fingertips, gleaming with an energetic sheen!

"Brainwave frequency changing! Subconscious resistance is being forcibly overwritten! Physical functions rising sharply! Warning! Energy levels are about to exceed the safety threshold!" The assistant stared at the redlined data on the screen, his voice filled with fear.

"Shut up! Continue!" Dragovich roared, his face twisted in morbid ecstasy. "Look! The birth of the perfect weapon! Beyond the Winter Soldier... the Black Wolf!"

Outside the base, urgent footsteps broke through the thick snow. Relying on his extraordinary physique and willpower, Captain America Steve Rogers crossed the icefields at a speed far beyond that of an ordinary person. Following the vague coordinates Natasha had provided, he finally found the extremely concealed entrance—a lift platform disguised as a rockslide.

He did not wait for S.H.I.E.L.D.'s follow-up support. The unease in his heart urged him to act immediately. He pried open the control panel with his shield, tore out the wires, and barely managed to activate the elevator using his knowledge of Hydra base layouts.

Rumble...

The lift platform slowly descended, revealing a cold metal passageway below. Steve gripped his shield tightly and leaped in warily.

The passageway was silent, with only emergency lights casting a dim green glow. The air reeked of disinfectant and some... indescribable, unsettlingly sweet, bloody smell.

Steve's heart kept sinking. His super-soldier senses allowed him to catch subtler details—the faint sounds of painful groaning from deep within the base, along with something... like the suppressed growl of a beast!

"Bucky..." he murmured, quickening his pace as he rushed toward the area where the life signals were most concentrated.

Inside Thunder Temple.

"Warning! A high-intensity, highly dangerous biological energy eruption has been detected inside the Siberia base! The energy signature is a 95% match for 'Winter Soldier' Bucky Barnes, but the intensity has increased by 437%, mixed with unknown berserk substances and psychic energy!" Remy's alarm sounded.

On the holographic screen, the glowing point representing Bucky's life signal flashed frantically. Its color rapidly shifted from stable green to dangerous crimson, and it continued to darken toward an almost black shade!

"Captain America Steve Rogers's life signal has also been detected inside the base. He is rapidly approaching the energy eruption source!"

Lin Ye's gaze sharpened. Things had indeed developed in the worst possible direction!

"Monitor it in real time! Prepare for remote transport to the base perimeter!" he ordered at once. Steve probably could not handle this situation alone.

Deep within the base, in the main laboratory.

Outside the massive observation window, Dragovich and his assistants watched the changes inside with tense expressions.

The lid of the cryogenic chamber had already been shattered by the tremendous force inside! Bucky... or rather, the former Bucky, was slowly rising from the broken chamber.

He seemed to have grown several inches taller, his entire body packed with muscles twisted to an almost inhuman degree. His skin had taken on an unhealthy bluish-black hue with a metallic sheen. Those ice-blue eyes, once filled with confusion and pain, now held nothing but pure, frenzied bloodlust, their pupils narrowed into two cold vertical slits! His mouth hung slightly open, revealing teeth that had become sharp as he emitted a low, beastlike rumble.

Most striking of all was his metal left arm, which had now changed completely! No longer cold machinery, it was covered by a flowing black substance resembling living metal. The claws at his fingertips were like Death's scythes, gleaming with spectral energy!

"Black Wolf..." Dragovich stared obsessively at his "masterpiece" and unconsciously took a step toward the observation window.

At that very instant—

The Black Wolf inside the laboratory suddenly turned his head, those icy vertical pupils instantly locking onto Dragovich outside the window!

ROAR!!!

A savage roar that sounded nothing like a human shattered the remaining observation glass! The Black Wolf smashed through the reinforced window, scattering shards everywhere as he shot out like a cannonball! He was unbelievably fast!

"No! Control..." The ecstasy on Dragovich's face instantly turned to absolute terror. He only managed to utter a few words—

Swish!

A streak of black light flashed!

Dragovich's head separated from his body in an instant, his face still frozen in disbelief. Blood erupted from his severed neck like a fountain!

The nearby assistants and guards were frightened out of their wits. They screamed and scattered in all directions, but the Black Wolf was faster! His figure became streaks of deadly black lightning inside the laboratory. Every swing of his claws brought a spray of blood and severed limbs!

In mere seconds, the main laboratory became a bloody slaughterhouse! Only the Black Wolf remained standing amid the pool of blood, throwing back his head and releasing a bone-chilling roar of release!

At that moment, the laboratory doors were violently smashed open!

"Bucky! No!"

Steve Rogers had arrived just in time to witness the bloody scene. Looking at that familiar yet unfamiliar figure, like something that had crawled out of hell, his heart instantly sank to the bottom! But he did not retreat. He raised his shield and blocked the exit, trying to awaken his friend's consciousness.

"Bucky! Look at me! It's me! Steve!"

The Black Wolf's roar abruptly stopped. He slowly turned around, those cold vertical pupils focusing on Steve. It seemed... that name had stirred an incredibly faint fragment of memory deep within him, buried beneath the frenzy.

He tilted his head, a puzzled yet dangerous rumble coming from his throat as he advanced toward Steve step by step. Blood dripped from his claws onto the cold floor, making soft tapping sounds.

"Bucky... stop... please..." Steve slowly backed away, trying to soothe him with words. Yet he gripped his shield tightly, his body taut and ready for battle. He could feel it—the Bucky before him was more dangerous than ever before!

The Black Wolf seemed to lose patience. That trace of confusion was instantly swallowed by a greater surge of frenzy! He suddenly let out a shriek, turning into a streak of black light as his claws lunged straight for Steve's heart! He was far faster than he had ever been as the Winter Soldier!

Steve's pupils contracted as he instinctively raised his shield to block!

CLANG!!!!

A deafening impact rang out! Steve felt an unimaginable force slam into his shield. It was as if he had been struck by a speeding train, and he flew backward uncontrollably before smashing hard into the metal wall behind him! The wall instantly caved in!

"Cough!" Steve spat out blood, his arm wracked with pain and numbness, his eyes full of shock! Bucky's strength had become terrifying!

Having landed a blow, the Black Wolf did not pause. He pounced again! His claws came tearing through the air with a shrill howl!

Steve gritted his teeth and rolled away with all his strength! The claws left several deep gouges where he had been standing moments earlier!

He tried to counterattack, smashing the edge of his shield toward the Black Wolf's joints, but his opponent's speed and reactions were absurdly fast. The Black Wolf easily dodged, then slashed the shield with a backhanded claw, sending sparks flying. The immense force drove Steve back once more!

He was completely suppressed! In strength, speed, and battle instincts alike, the Black Wolf now surpassed Captain America in every way!

"Bucky! Wake up!" Steve shouted futilely as he struggled to block and evade, several bloody wounds already marking his body. He knew that if this continued, he would surely die—and Bucky would fall beyond redemption forever!

A flash of lightning appeared outside the base, and Lin Ye emerged. The Mind Network instantly pierced through layer upon layer of obstructions, clearly "seeing" the one-sided, bloody battle inside the base.

"Too late. He really did go berserk." Lin Ye frowned deeply. He could sense that Bucky, in his Black Wolf state, possessed an extremely unstable and destructive energy level. And within his energy signature was even a faint, bizarre fluctuation belonging to one of the Inheritors' secret arts!

"Remy, analyze the source of the abnormal fluctuation in his energy!"

"Analysis in progress. Unknown psychic interference frequencies and biological berserk serum components detected, along with faint residual Shadow Dimension energy? It may be connected to an unfinished Inheritors technology..."

Shadow Dimension? Lin Ye remembered the old man at the monastery and his methods. It seemed the Inheritors had indeed tampered with Bucky, and it might involve far more than just the Black Wolf serum!

He could not wait any longer!

Lin Ye transformed into a bolt of lightning, ignoring the base's layered defenses as he passed directly through its walls and sped toward the center of the battle!

Inside the laboratory, the Black Wolf had completely gained the upper hand. He had forced Steve into a corner, his claws swinging down with deadly pressure! Steve raised his shield to withstand it, but anyone could see that he was nearly at his limit!

At that critical moment—

Crack!

A blazing white bolt of lightning, like the sword of divine judgment, struck fiercely between the Black Wolf and Steve! Violent thunder energy exploded in an instant, forcibly separating the two!

The Black Wolf staggered back from the blast of lightning, letting out an enraged roar as he warily looked toward its source.

Steve finally had a chance to catch his breath and stared toward the doorway in shock.

As the lightning faded, Lin Ye's figure slowly emerged, dangerous arcs of electricity dancing around his body. His cold gaze was fixed on the Black Wolf.

"Captain, fall back." Lin Ye's voice was calm, but carried unquestionable authority. "He can't understand you right now. We need to calm him down first."

The three sides faced off, and the situation was on the verge of exploding!

(End of Chapter 41)