Why Didn't We Use Lasers from the Start?

Sizzle~~ Sizzle~~~ Sizzle~~~~

To avoid causing unpredictable damage to this plane, which had been frozen in the ice for decades, through traditional cutting tools, S.H.I.E.L.D. had specifically brought in portable laser cutters.

In almost the blink of an eye, the laser had finished cutting. It was so fast that Jack thought it had stopped working on the spot after one second because of Antarctica's bitter cold.

When the round hatch, encased in ice, fell away, Jack asked in confusion, "If lasers can cut through ice this quickly, why didn't we use this thing from the beginning?"

Coulson: "..."

Ward: "..."

The many S.H.I.E.L.D. agents: "..."

An agent who was clearly from the research department said timidly, "That's because we need to protect Antarctica's ecosystem..."

"To hell with protecting the environment. Then we should've waited until all of Antarctica's ice melted before considering looking for this plane!"

Jack shot the other man an irritated sidelong glance. If he had known S.H.I.E.L.D. had brought laser cutters, he would have used them to cut through the Antarctic ice long ago.

Instead of wasting two precious weeks here with mechanical drills.

It would have been one thing if his Evil Points had not changed, but because of an inexplicable increase followed by a decrease, they had dropped straight to negative one hundred and fifty thousand.

If he did not get back to New York and do something evil soon, by this month's settlement date, the only four skills Jack currently had would leave him.

So...

"What are you all standing around for?! Get to work!!!"

"Let's see what's inside the plane!!!"

Jack's irritable voice immediately sent the agents into motion as they prepared to enter the aircraft.

While putting on his protective suit after receiving a gas mask, Jack inwardly complained about S.H.I.E.L.D.'s overly cautious way of doing things.

What danger could there possibly be in this godforsaken place where the temperature stayed below freezing all year round?

But as someone within S.H.I.E.L.D. and also a Hydra lackey, Jack did not dare contradict Fury over something like this.

After changing clothes, the group entered the plane. Once they cleared away the snow outside the ice, Captain America's shield gleamed beneath their lights. Looking farther up, they saw a handsome man with his eyes tightly shut. There was even still a trace of color in his face!

"This Super-Soldier Serum is way too insane..."

"A scrawny weakling gets one shot, spends decades frozen beneath Antarctica's ice like a popsicle, wakes up successfully, and can even take a palm strike from Thanos head-on. It's making me want to dig up someone's grave..."

Just as Jack was about to tell someone to carry this "ice lump" up, Coulson, who always wore a friendly expression, suddenly stopped him. He shoved his phone into Jack's hand at lightning speed, then disdainfully chased everyone away before they could touch Captain America.

Then he leaned close to the old popsicle himself, removed his gas mask, struck a dashing pose, and smiled so broadly that his face resembled a blooming old chrysanthemum. His eyes held nothing but fervor and the adoration of a fanboy.

Jack: "I forgot someone is a die-hard Captain America fan..."

After twitching his lips and taking a cross-century photo of Coulson with his idol, Jack gestured for everyone to start moving the ice.

But at that very moment, Coulson stopped Jack again. He shouted in utter shock, "Wait! Something's wrong! His skin... Get the research department over here! Captain America... he seems to still be alive!!!"

The moment those words came out, the entire scene erupted.

When everyone had seen the shield and Captain America, they had collectively assumed he was dead. Other than their excitement at being the first to see Captain America's body, they had managed to maintain basic composure and professionalism.

But... Captain America was alive?

He had been frozen beneath the ice for decades, and he was still alive???

That was insane!

Everyone present simultaneously sucked in Antarctica's subzero air. The chill that shot straight into their brains made them cry out in disbelief.

To be honest, Jack had wanted to play along with them for a moment, but news that Captain America was alive was, to him, no different from the fact that his deputy Marian was actually very interested in women.

He had known it countless times over before transmigrating, so he simply could not force himself to be "surprised."

"Ah~ Knowing so many secrets and things that will happen in the future, yet having to pretend to be surprised with all of you... being the future Homelander is so exhausting~"

"Wait, if I wake Captain America up right now..."

After considering it, Jack decided that nothing should happen after Captain America woke up, given his personality. He dismissed the idea of "accidentally" smashing the ice at this time.

Then, once the research department arrived and officially confirmed that Captain America was still alive, Jack finally "acted shocked" along with everyone else.

There was naturally no need to elaborate on what followed.

They had only been searching for the Tesseract, yet Captain America turned out to be alive. Fury immediately arranged a global S.H.I.E.L.D. emergency delivery and flew Captain America and the Tesseract back to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s New York headquarters.

Almost all of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s higher-ups who could appear in public gathered together at this special moment.

As a temporary Level Two agent, Jack naturally had no qualifications to attend the high-level meeting. After returning to headquarters, he went straight back to his office.

When Jack returned to the office he had been separated from for over two weeks and pulled open the door, he saw Marian in his chair, making out with another woman.

Jack's arrival interrupted their kiss.

After taking a step back and confirming that his name was indeed still written on the office plaque, Jack strode inside, dropped onto the sofa, and said to the two women, "It's fine, don't mind me being here. I'll just watch and keep quiet. Of course, if you're willing to be more explicit, I'll appreciate everything that happens next through the eyes of art."

Marian immediately snorted. "Hmph! You think I'd let you take advantage of that? Aren't you impressive, Level Two Agent? Who gave you permission to casually enter her office without your superior's approval?"

"Temporary Level Two. In another five months and fifteen days, I'll be your superior again. So are you sure you want to pick a fight with me while you have the chance?"

Jack's gaze swept over Marian. His Evil Gaze, which seemed to be filled with malice at every moment, made Marian, who had only been teasing him, feel somewhat uncomfortable.

Speaking of Jack's eyes, Marian did not know when they had suddenly changed.

The old Jack's eyes had been full of warmth and determination. At first glance, he seemed like the kind of person with an unshakable will and a very kind nature.

But this gaze now...

Something was seriously wrong...

As the person in S.H.I.E.L.D. most familiar with Jack, Marian had spent the past two weeks wanting to talk to him about it.

Now that he was back, he had even caught her secretly making out with someone.

No time like the present...

"Jack, I think we need to have a talk."

"Hm?"

Countless little question marks appeared above Jack's head.

He had only been teasing her. They had traded verbal jabs like this plenty of times over the past three years.

Why was she suddenly being so serious?

Could she be about to say that one night when he got drunk, she had suddenly made a move on him and gotten pregnant with little Jack???

Don't mess with me!

I'm still young!