Before Setting Out, Get Some Good Gear First

The lights in the briefing room came back on. For a moment, no one spoke; only the tap-tap of Dugan's fingers against the table could be heard. Everyone wore complicated expressions—shock, doubt, and a spark of excitement that had been ignited.

Hydra. Energy weapons. Super soldiers. Those words were like boulders crashing into the hearts of these battle-hardened veterans, stirring up no small amount of turmoil.

Logan was the first to break the silence. He rose from his chair, cracking his knuckles, his face carrying a mixture of impatience and bloodlust. "Cut the crap. When do we leave? Where do we kill?"

He did not care whether it was Hydra or some eight-legged monster, nor did he care about Captain America or the President of the United States. He only cared about one thing: whether the enemy was tough enough, whether they could give him a satisfying kill. The sight of Hydra soldiers being blasted into ashes by energy weapons in the film had not frightened him. Instead, it had awakened the savagery in his bones.

Dugan gave him an approving glance, clearly appreciating such a simple and direct attitude. "Easy, Logan. Brute force alone won't be enough against Hydra." He pointed toward the door. "Come on. I'll show you your new home first, then we'll pick up some good gear. Get some proper rest tonight. At dawn tomorrow, we move out."

Their so-called "new home" was a barracks with one large communal sleeping area. More than a dozen cot beds were arranged neatly in two rows, their blankets folded into tidy squares. Compared to the foxholes they had dug on the front lines, this was practically heaven.

The moment they entered the barracks, the atmosphere relaxed considerably. The members who had barely spoken before began introducing themselves.

The Black man who played the harmonica was Gabe Jones, a technical specialist proficient with all kinds of machinery. The bespectacled Japanese American was Jimmy Morita, an explosives expert. The Frenchman with the pipe was Jacques Dernier, skilled in infiltration and poisoning. Every one of them had a specialty.

Chu Hang had been the sort of person who could chat with anyone back in his previous life at the company. He took the initiative to greet everyone and offer cigarettes, and before long, he had gotten friendly with the group. He knew these people would become comrades who could entrust their backs to one another in the future. Building good relationships with them could only help.

Only Logan, upon entering, claimed the bed in the farthest corner. He tossed his battered leather jacket onto the pillow and began wiping down his military knife, radiating an unmistakable aura of "keep your distance."

Chu Hang did not bother trying to force his way in. He knew Logan's temperament too well. The man was a lone wolf; getting him to blend into a group would be harder than making him quit cigars. Still, it did not matter. As long as they were on the battlefield, Logan knew who his own people were.

While chatting and joking with Gabe and the others, he quietly calculated his own problem.

Four days.

His copying ability still needed four days to cool down. The mission would begin tomorrow morning.

That gap in timing was absolutely fatal.

In other words, for at least four days after the mission began, he had to make sure both he and Captain America stayed alive. During that time, he also had to create an opportunity to "accidentally" come into contact with the Captain.

That would not be easy. He could guess with his toes what kind of deathtrap a Hydra base would be. In the movie, Bucky had fallen off a cliff there. Chu Hang had no intention of following in his footsteps.

"Hey, Chu!" Jimmy Morita pushed up his glasses and leaned closer curiously. "I heard from Commander Dugan that you and Logan are... well, really hard to kill. Is that true?"

Chu Hang knew what he wanted to ask. Smiling, he pointed at the uniform still marked with bullet holes and bloodstains. "On the battlefield, it's just good luck."

Of course, he could not say it was because of his Healing Factor, so he gave him a vague answer. Fortunately, everyone here was sharp. Seeing that he did not want to elaborate, they did not press him further.

After the group made a racket for a while, Dugan led them to the base armory.

The instant they entered the heavy iron door, the cold scent of metal and gun oil hit them head-on. Chu Hang's eyes immediately lit up.

This armory was far more impressive than the small warehouse at his previous unit. The walls were covered with all kinds of firearms, from Thompson Submachine Guns to M1 Garand Rifles. Rows of grenades, explosives, and ammunition of every caliber sat on the tables, arranged neatly and gleaming with a cold sheen under the lights.

An old man who looked like a quartermaster handed them a list. "Standard issue: one submachine gun, one pistol, and four grenade magazines per person. Choose for yourselves."

Logan could not even be bothered to look. He took two Colt M1911 Pistols straight off the wall and tucked them into his waistband, then stuffed a large handful of bullets into his pockets. He also casually pocketed several cigars, and that was that. To him, his own pair of claws was more useful than any weapon.

The others also began choosing weapons that suited them.

Chu Hang, however, did not move. He stood where he was, quickly recalling the plot of Captain America: The First Avenger.

Where was that Hydra factory where the Captain went to rescue people again? It seemed to be somewhere in the mountains of Austria, freezing cold. The factory's interior was also complicated, with plenty of platforms and walkways at different elevations.

With that thought, an idea came to him.

He walked up to the quartermaster with an especially sincere smile. "Sir, besides these, can I request a few other things?"

The quartermaster raised his eyelids. "Talk."

"I want the thickest cold-weather underwear you have, wool if possible. I also need a set of climbing grapples and at least fifty feet of rope. Oh, and do you have any high-calorie ration biscuits and chocolate? The more, the better," Chu Hang said in one breath.

The moment he said that, the entire armory fell silent. Everyone looked at him as if he were some kind of monster.

Dugan frowned. "Chu, what do you need all that for? We're raiding a factory, not going on a winter mountain excursion."

Chu Hang had already prepared his excuse. He scratched his head, putting on a slightly embarrassed expression. "Sir, it's experience from my earlier battles. The place we're going is behind enemy lines. No one can say what the exact conditions will be. If it ends up being some mountain ravine and it's freezing, wearing more layers can't hurt. If we freeze stiff, we won't be able to fight. As for the rope and grapples, they're even more useful. Climbing a wall, getting down a drop, or hauling wounded brothers out of a pit—we could use them for all of that."

He paused, then added, "High-calorie food is even more important. No one knows how long this mission might last. If we get trapped, having something to eat means we can hold out longer. I've seen brothers with my own eyes who weren't shot dead—they starved to death."

His reasoning was sound, all based on a veteran's practical combat experience. No one could find a flaw in it.

After hearing him out, Dugan fell silent. He looked at Chu Hang, his eyes gaining a trace of scrutiny and approval. He had thought this Eastern kid was, like Logan, merely a fearless brute. He had not expected him to be so meticulous, considering things more thoroughly than Dugan himself, the commander.

"You've got a point." Dugan nodded and said to the quartermaster, "Give everyone a set, as he suggested."

Then he turned back to Chu Hang. "Anything else?"

Chu Hang's eyes shifted as he remembered the armor worn by those Hydra soldiers in the movie, armor that bullets could not penetrate. He pointed at a type of sticky explosive on the table. "Sir, can we get more of this C2 Plastic Explosive? I have a feeling this stuff will work better than grenades against metal cans."

This even made Jimmy Morita, the explosives expert, look at him in a new light.

Once they had collected all their equipment, everyone looked like a mobile fortress, covered in all manner of gear.

Logan looked thoroughly displeased at the thick clothes and extra equipment that had been forcibly piled onto him. "Troublesome," he muttered.

Chu Hang, however, was completely satisfied. He knew that everything he had requested would be tremendously useful in the coming mission, perhaps even life-saving at critical moments. This was not just for himself, but for the entire squad. After all, his strength alone was limited. The more teammates who survived, the higher their odds of success, and the better his chance of copying Captain America's abilities.

With everything ready, Dugan gathered them in front of a C-47 transport plane. Its massive propellers had already begun to turn slowly, producing a deep rumble.

"Target: Klausberg, Austria. Hydra's weapons research and development factory." Dugan pointed to a red dot on the map and issued the final order. "Our mission is to infiltrate the factory perimeter, create chaos, and draw the enemy's attention, creating an opening for the Captain's infiltration and rescue operation. Remember, we're the bait, and we're also the backup. Understood?"

"Understood!" everyone answered in unison.

"Board the plane!"

One by one, the team members walked up the transport plane's boarding ramp. Chu Hang was the last to board. He looked back at the brightly lit base, then raised his eyes to the pitch-black night sky.

He took a deep breath. The air was cold, carrying the heavy smell of aviation fuel.

He could feel his heartbeat accelerating and his blood warming. This was not fear, but an indescribable excitement.

He was finally about to take part in this magnificent era himself.

The plane jolted violently, then slowly rose into the air and flew toward the unknown darkness. Chu Hang found a seat and closed his eyes.

In his mind, that cold countdown continued to tick away at an unhurried pace.

[Remaining cooldown time: 3 days, 9 hours, 46 minutes...]