Bearing the Burden

The titanium-alloy doors of the training room closed silently, and Steve's footsteps gradually faded away. 2B's mechanical pupils contracted slightly as she turned to look at Chen Tian, her artificial eyelashes casting fragmented shadows in the morning light.

"Master," she said with a trace of hesitation, "was this kind of psychological pressure... too cruel for Captain Rogers?"

Chen Tian did not answer immediately. He walked to the smart glass and watched the morning mist over the Pacific Ocean gradually dissipate. Sunlight cast sharp shadows across the contours of his face.

"2B, activate the highest-level shielding protocol." His voice was low. "Cut off every surveillance system, including JARVIS."

A stream of data flashed through 2B's pupils. She raised her slender arm, and faint blue energy ripples spread from her fingertips. The entire training room was instantly enveloped in an invisible force field, as though even the air had frozen.

"Shielding complete," she confirmed softly. "This is now a completely sealed information black hole."

Chen Tian turned around. The azure glow in his eyes gradually faded, replaced by a rare weariness. He walked to the sofa and sat down, unconsciously rubbing the rim of his coffee cup.

"Do you think I really wanted to treat Steve like this?" His voice suddenly became very soft. "That stubborn old Popsicle..."

2B silently walked to his side, her mechanical fingers gently resting on his shoulder. Her movements were tender, even the pressure calculated to perfection.

"But this time is different." Chen Tian suddenly looked up, determination flashing in his eyes. "Do you know what the Winter Soldier did? He killed Tony's parents." His voice was as low as muffled thunder. "And Tony is still in the dark."

2B's pupils abruptly contracted, data streaming rapidly through her eyes. "Master, you mean..."

"This operation has two objectives." Chen Tian leaned back against the sofa with his eyes closed. "Stopping the spread of the Scepter is only one of them. More importantly... I have to personally put an end to Bucky Barnes."

The air in the training room seemed to freeze. 2B's mechanical core let out a faint hum. "But if Captain Steve..."

"I should have done it in Washington District!" Chen Tian suddenly slammed a fist into the sofa's armrest, instantly denting its metal surface. "If Corvus Glaive and Proxima hadn't held me up..." His voice was full of frustration. "After dealing with them, I had no choice but to retrieve the Tesseract first. I was only a few minutes too late, and that murderer got away!"

2B's body trembled slightly. She finally understood why her master had been so furious. "So that was why I held back..."

Chen Tian waved a hand and brought up a holographic image of Arbitrator Tower. "Think about what would happen if Tony learned the truth. Right now, he's full of ambition. He hasn't gone through the life-or-death ordeal of carrying a nuclear missile into space. Once he learns the truth about his parents' murder..."

The projection switched to a virtual simulation: Tony, enraged, broke with Steve; conflict erupted within the Arbitrators; global media outlets reported on it like mad...

"The entire world would laugh at the Arbitrators." Chen Tian's voice was icy and piercing. "Right after Steve praised us on a live global news broadcast."

2B's mechanical fingers unconsciously tightened. "Then why not tell Captain Rogers directly..."

"Because that antique would definitely choose to protect his 'good brother.'" Chen Tian shook his head mockingly. "Just like he did in Washington District." He turned toward a satellite image of Sokovia. "I won't miss again this time. Whether Bucky has been awakened or not, he has to die."

2B was silent for a long time before suddenly raising her head. "Master, if that is the case, why let Captain Rogers take part in the Sokovia operation?"

A cold smile touched Chen Tian's lips. "Because if he learns about the dangers of the Mind Scepter now, he'll take it more seriously in the future." He rose to his feet, the energy circuits on his tactical suit lighting up with a deep blue glow. "Your mission is to draw Steve away and eliminate Hydra in Sokovia. As for me..." Killing intent flashed in his eyes. "I'll deal with Bucky myself."

2B's mechanical core suddenly accelerated. "But if... if Captain Rogers sees you kill Bucky..."

"Then let him see it." Chen Tian sneered. "If it truly comes to that, I'll leave the Arbitrators. Steve will hate me to the bone, but..." His voice suddenly became meaningful. "He'll care more about Tony. After all, now he knows Bucky murdered Tony's parents."

Chen Tian chuckled softly. "Steve thinks I don't know, but I know every image recorded by his nanotech suit."

Chen Tian's voice grew even quieter. "If Steve can bear so much for Bucky, why can't I, as Tony's friend, bear it for him?"

Morning light shone through the smart glass, stretching their shadows long. At the boundary between light and shadow, Chen Tian's profile looked especially cold. "Prepare to depart. This time, before anyone finds out, we're ending all of this completely."

2B's mechanical pupils trembled slightly, data silently flickering at the bottom of her eyes. Her slender fingers unconsciously twisted the hem of her skirt, while the servo motors beneath her artificial skin emitted an almost inaudible hum.

"Master..." Her voice was lower than usual, carrying a faint electronic distortion. "If only I had been more decisive then..."

Chen Tian suddenly turned around and pulled 2B into his arms. The girl's silver hair brushed against his chin, carrying the scent of jasmine.

"Silly girl." Chen Tian chuckled as he rubbed the top of her head, his fingertips brushing past her ear. "Did you forget? The freedom I taught you means you have the right to make any choice. Besides, who do you think your master is? This little trouble..."

2B suddenly wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face in Chen Tian's chest. Her voice was muffled. "But what you have to bear isn't just Captain Rogers' hatred. You might also lose your position in the Arbitrators..."

"Hey! Am I interrupting something?"

The training room's automatic doors slid open, and Tony strolled in wearing a silk bathrobe, holding a steaming cup of coffee.

He deliberately covered his eyes in an exaggerated manner, though the gaps between his fingers were wide open. "Good Lord, should I set an alarm for JARVIS? Something like, 'Don't enter the training room before seven in the morning, or you'll see things you shouldn't'?"

2B let go as if shocked by electricity and quickly retreated behind Chen Tian. Her cooling fans emitted a soft whir, and her artificial skin took on a faint pink hue.

"Shut up, Stark." Chen Tian grabbed a cushion from the sofa and threw it at him. "JARVIS sent the group chat that video of you hugging the toilet and puking last night."

Tony nimbly dodged the cushion without spilling a drop of coffee. "That was an artistic performance! I was reenacting a classic scene from The Hangover!"

He leaned toward 2B and winked teasingly. "Seriously, sweetheart, if you want to change masters, my lab has a complete set of mechanical maintenance equipment..."

Chen Tian lunged forward, grabbed Tony around the neck, and started messing up his hair. "Don't even think about it! 2B belongs to me alone!"

"Easy! This hairstyle is worth a million!" Tony struggled and shouted, his coffee cup tilting dangerously. "2B! Hurry up and stop your abusive master!"

2B stood where she was, watching the two men wrestling together, and the corners of her lips unconsciously lifted. Her cooling system finally returned to normal, and the data streams in her pupils became calm and orderly.

"Master," she reminded him softly, "the aircraft is ready. It can take off in three to five minutes."

Chen Tian released Tony and casually straightened his rumpled collar. Tony suddenly noticed the aircraft warm-up program displayed on the tactical panel, and one eyebrow rose. "Wait, where are you going?"

"Out," Chen Tian said, snatching Tony's coffee and taking a sip. "There's a place that might help me become stronger..."

Tony's eyes widened dramatically. "What? Now?" He began counting on his fingers. "Tomorrow, there's an interview with The Wall Street Journal. The day after tomorrow is the UN Global Defense Plan conference. The day after that, there's also..."

"Exactly." Chen Tian smiled and patted Tony on the shoulder. "So I'll leave those to you, Supreme Commander of the Arbitrators."

Tony spread his hands dramatically. "Hey! You can't just dump this mess on me! The last time I dealt with those politicians alone, JARVIS said my swear-word vocabulary increased by 37%!"

"More precisely, 38.6%, Mr. Stark," 2B added softly from the side.

Tony rolled his eyes. "See? Even the mechanical girl is starting to mock me." He suddenly leaned close to Chen Tian and lowered his voice. "Seriously, are you going off to do something dangerous again? Last time you said you were 'just going to take a look,' and you nearly wiped New Mexico off the map."

Chen Tian smiled without answering and stuffed the empty coffee cup back into Tony's hand.

"Master," 2B reminded him softly, "the aircraft has completed warm-up and can depart at any time."

Tony looked at the pair's unspoken coordination and sighed dramatically. "Fine, fine. Just remember to come back early. I booked that Turkish barbecue place from Washington District..." He gave 2B a meaningful look. "I'll bring Pepper, and you bring 2B."

"Hey, Tony! Don't you know the Turkish barbecue places you recommend are always terrible?"

Tony shrugged. "I just wanted to try it."

Chen Tian curled his lip. "Then you and Pepper can try it yourselves." With that, he turned and left the training room.

The moment the doors closed, Tony's voice carried after him. "Chen Tian! I bought that barbecue place! I guarantee it won't taste bad!"

Chen Tian raised a middle finger behind his back at Tony and left with 2B.

"Is that barbecue really that bad?" Tony unconsciously picked up the coffee cup. "Shit! How did that guy drink all my coffee?!"

On the aircraft platform, the biting morning wind carried the scent of aviation fuel straight at them.

As Chen Tian stepped onto the boarding ramp, his tactical boots rang crisply against the metal steps.

Through the cockpit's bulletproof glass, Steve could be seen in full gear, lowering his head as he adjusted the fastening mechanism for his Vibranium shield.

"Take over the control system." Chen Tian barely moved his lips, his voice so quiet that only 2B's audio receivers could catch it. "Block JARVIS for the entire trip."

2B nodded almost imperceptibly, a blue glimmer of data flowing through her silver hair. As she stepped onto the boarding ramp, the airflow lifted the hem of her skirt, revealing the weapons strapped to her thigh.

Inside the cockpit, Steve looked up, his blue eyes still carrying lingering complicated emotions. "I thought you weren't coming." His voice was lower than usual, his knuckles unconsciously tapping an old World War II marching rhythm against the shield's rim.

"How could we not?" Chen Tian casually took the co-pilot's seat, his fingers entering a string of encrypted codes into the control panel. "This is your first secret Arbitrator operation with me."

2B silently slid into the pilot's seat, her slender fingers stretching across the controls. The instant her fingertips touched the interface, the cockpit lights abruptly turned dark blue, and the holographic projector cast dense encrypted symbols across the cabin.

"Quantum encryption channel established." Her mechanical pupils narrowed into thin lines. "All communications will be relayed through the seventh-generation firewall. Estimated shielding efficiency: 99.97%."

Steve frowned at the suddenly altered control interface. "This is...?"

"A newly developed Ghost Protocol." Chen Tian fastened his seat belt without changing expression. "The Hydra base in Sokovia may be monitoring our communications frequency."

Before the thirty-meter-high floor-to-ceiling windows of the training room, Tony's bathrobe fluttered in the air conditioning. Holding a freshly poured coffee, he raised a middle finger at the Quinjet as its hatch closed, its anti-glare glass reflecting the smile at the corner of his lips.

Chen Tian saw the gesture through the porthole and returned it with the same hand sign. As his fingers dropped, the aircraft's engines suddenly roared, its vector nozzles blasting out azure plasma streams.

"2B, play Black Ice." Chen Tian suddenly said. "Let our old Popsicle relax a little."

As the electronic intro with mechanical synths began, Chen Tian muttered in a voice only 2B could hear, "Damn it, Tony's rubbing off on me... Before I transmigrated, I only listened to Ado and Reol..."

The corner of 2B's mouth rose almost imperceptibly. "Hasn't Mr. Stark also started playing games because of your influence?"

"Hold on tight, old Popsicle." Chen Tian gripped the armrest amid the violent shaking. "2B's flying style is far more exciting than JARVIS's."

Before he had finished speaking, the Quinjet shot upward at an almost vertical angle. Steve's shield slammed into the cabin wall with a clang, and he had to grab the emergency handle above him to avoid being thrown from his seat.

2B's silver hair danced in the high-gravity environment, like a waterfall woven from liquid metal. Tactical map projections flowed through her pupils as a three-dimensional model of Sokovia rapidly formed across her irises.

"Estimated arrival in target airspace: forty-seven minutes." Her voice was calm in stark contrast to the aircraft's violent climb. "Captain Rogers is advised to begin equipping his high-altitude parachute module."

Steve gritted his teeth and tightened his seat belt to its limit. "Do you usually... take off... like this?" Every word was torn apart by the violent turbulence.

Chen Tian grinned, showing his canine teeth. "Only when I'm in a good mood." He turned to look out the porthole. The clouds were receding like a tide, and the blue horizon was beginning to curve. "Get ready for a thirty-thousand-foot party, Captain."

2B smiled as she said over comms, "Master, you're starting to sound more and more like Mr. Stark..."

Below them, Arbitrator Tower's glass curtain walls reflected the sunrise like a melting brick of gold. Tony was long out of sight, but Chen Tian knew that the arms dealer who always talked tough was surely still standing by the window, until the aircraft's contrail completely vanished into the sky.

2B suddenly tilted her head, a strand of silver hair falling across Chen Tian's shoulder. "Master, Captain Steve's vital signs are fluctuating abnormally."

"Relax, old soldier." Chen Tian pulled an oxygen mask from beneath his seat and tossed it to Steve. "This is only the beginning." His gaze passed through the trembling cabin wall toward the gradually emerging outline of Europe. "Once we reach Sokovia, the real show begins."

As the aircraft pierced the stratosphere, tiny ice crystals formed on the portholes. Those glittering particles sparkled in the sunlight like diamond dust scattered across blue velvet—beautiful, yet fleeting.

Black Ice's drumbeats intertwined with the engines' roar, composing an unconventional soundtrack for this dangerous journey.

Tony stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows of Arbitrator Tower, the hem of his bathrobe gently swaying in the indoor circulation breeze. He watched the Quinjet gradually disappear into the clouds, the coffee cup in his hand already empty.

"JARVIS," Tony suddenly said in a serious voice, "track the aircraft's real-time position."

"I'm sorry, sir," JARVIS replied with a trace of electronic apology. "Mr. Chen appears to have activated some sort of new shielding system. All signals from the aircraft have disappeared."

Tony's brow furrowed even deeper. "When did it start?"

"According to the data logs, the shielding system was activated thirty-seven seconds before takeoff." JARVIS paused. "Interestingly, this encryption method is highly similar to the technology previously used in the training room."

Tony abruptly turned around. "The training room? When did that happen?"

"In the six minutes and twelve seconds before you entered the training room, it also entered a completely shielded state." Confusion was rare in JARVIS's tone. "I was unable to even confirm how many people were inside at the time."

Tony's fingers unconsciously tapped the rim of his coffee cup, producing crisp sounds. Sunlight shone through the glass onto his face, but it could not dispel the gloom in his eyes.

Tony's fingers rapidly moved across the console, his voice carrying suppressed agitation. "JARVIS, bring up the training room surveillance records from before it was shielded."

"Sir, this is very strange..." JARVIS's electronic voice fluctuated unusually. "All relevant records have been manually altered, and the data integrity verification has failed. I cannot restore the original footage."

Tony's fingers froze in midair, and the liquid in his coffee cup trembled faintly. "Altered?" he repeated quietly, frowning. "Even your system could be bypassed?"

"More accurately, someone used encryption methods with a higher clearance level than my security protocols." JARVIS sounded somewhat confused. "This technological style... closely resembles Miss 2B's work."

Tony set the coffee cup heavily on the console, metal and glass colliding with a crisp sound. He turned to look out the window. The aircraft had long vanished from the horizon, leaving only a few contrails scattered by the morning wind.

"Sir, Miss Potts is calling," JARVIS suddenly reminded him. "She says the media briefing begins at eight."

Tony irritably ran a hand through his hair. "Tell her I'll be right—"

"Tony?" Pepper's voice came through the communicator, carrying a trace of helplessness. "The Arbitrators' media briefing starts at eight. Don't tell me you forgot again?"

Tony swiped across the holographic display, his brow tightly furrowed. "Of course I remember, honey. It's just..." He paused. "Chen Tian took 2B and flew off in an aircraft. Even JARVIS can't track their signal."

The other end of the communicator fell silent for several seconds.

"Tony," Pepper's voice suddenly softened, "do you trust Chen Tian?"

Tony answered almost without thinking. "Of course."

"Then why worry?" Pepper laughed softly. "If you trust him, you should believe he has a reason for doing this."

Tony paused, then his signature roguish smile appeared. "You're right, sweetheart. I'll head out now. I promise I'll be in front of the cameras on time."

"That's the Tony Stark I know." Pepper's voice held a smile. "Remember to wear a tie. You have a BBC interview today."

"Yes, ma'am, CEO." Tony gave an exaggerated salute, even though Pepper could not see it. "Love you."

After ending the call, Tony's expression relaxed a little. He walked toward the elevator, his bathrobe swaying lightly behind him.

"JARVIS," he said as the elevator doors closed, "keep searching for Chen Tian's signal. Notify me immediately if you find even the slightest trace."

"Global scanning program activated, sir," JARVIS replied. "Would you like me to prepare the armor?"

Tony shook his head. "No." He paused, then added, "But... tune up all the armors anyway, just in case."

Sunlight spilled through the laboratory glass. Tony stood before the workbench, looking at the gleam reflected by the Mark-Eclipse armor. He reached out and lightly touched the reactor on his chest, murmuring to himself:

"Chen Tian, you bastard had better know what you're doing."

But this time, there was less anxiety in his tone and more trust.