My dad was transferred to another hospital today, and I also need to deliver some things to my grandma who is also hospitalized. I'm really overwhelmed.
I uploaded this chapter as soon as I finished writing it.
I haven't had time to reread and check it carefully yet. If there are any problems, please leave a comment and I will revise it as soon as I have time.
Thank you all for your understanding and support! Orz
Everyone rose at the same time, their pent-up fatigue from the past few days completely washed away by their soaring fighting spirit. Each person's goal was crystal clear: to tear apart the hypocritical mask of S.H.I.E.L.D.., shatter Hydra's decades-long lurking conspiracy, and completely end the Project Insight Carnage that was about to engulf the entire world.
Everyone immediately split up and headed to their respective battlefields.
At the final verification meeting of the Project Insight, all four members of the World Security Council were present, including Senator Hawley from Europe, who was Natasha's chosen replacement target.
In a hidden alleyway outside the Triskelion, Natasha silently intercepted Congressman Hawley, who was heading to the meeting alone. Without any unnecessary words, she precisely locked his wrist, gripped his shoulder, and pressed his neck. The entire set of movements was fluid and flawless, and in just two seconds, she decisively knocked him unconscious.
She quickly placed the unconscious senator in a secluded corner, raised her hand to cover it with an electrostatic veil, and in the shimmering light, her appearance instantly transformed, perfectly replicating Senator Hawley's look. Dressed in formal parliamentary attire, her demeanor was dignified and aloof, shedding the Black Widow's fierce and murderous aura, and she appeared to be a high-ranking and powerful member of the World Security Council.
After tidying her clothes and demeanor, Natasha calmly walked out of the alley and got into a black official car bearing the exclusive logo of the World Security Council. The car was bulletproof, and its license plate and access privileges were all top-of-the-line, making it the highest-spec official vehicle exclusively used by S.H.I.E.L.D..
The security Sentry and access control systems stationed along the way scanned the senators' identities and permissions without any obstruction, and all raised their hands to let them pass. The car drove smoothly all the way into the heavily guarded S.H.I.E.L.D.. Triskelion building and came to a steady stop in the exclusive parking area of the top-floor council chamber.
Having changed clothes and perfectly disguised her identity, Natasha calmly got out of the car. Facing the agents and security personnel passing by, she remained composed and exuded a calm aura. Under the pretext of supervising Project Insight, she ignored the layers of questioning and went straight to Alexander Pierce's top-floor private office.
At the same time, undercurrents were already swirling inside the Triskelion.
Hill and Coulson had already infiltrated headquarters beforehand. Taking advantage of their familiarity with the building's layout and security vulnerabilities, they bypassed patrol teams and silently infiltrated the building's core communications room. The room was filled with sophisticated instruments and encrypted terminals, with layers of firewalls and access restrictions, making it the central lifeline for S.H.I.E.L.D..'s global broadcasting and information transmission.
Coulson stood guard nearby, while Hill quickly sat down, his fingers flying across the keyboard, precisely cracking Hydra's recently redeployed encrypted backend, breaking through layers of access barriers, and clearing all signal blocking programs. Simultaneously, he debugged the broadcast link, opening up the entire building, all floors, field access channels, and office areas to ensure full signal coverage without dead zones.
Within minutes, the two worked in perfect harmony and completely took over S.H.I.E.L.D..'s official global broadcasting system.
"The link is established, the signal is ready throughout the building, and we can start broadcasting at any time," Hill reported in a deep voice, his fingertip hovering over the confirmation button, awaiting further instructions.
The next second, Steve's deep, steady voice resounded throughout the entire Triskelion through the communication terminal, penetrating every office, every corridor, and every equipment room, clearly reaching the ears of all the agents and civilian staff on duty.
"Attention all Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., this is Steve Rogers."
"You should all know me. You've heard countless things about me these past few days, and many of you have even personally participated in the hunt for me."
"I don't want to explain anything, I'm just here to tell you all the truth behind our being wanted across the internet and on the run, a truth you've never heard of."
" The S.H.I.E.L.D.. of today is no longer the righteous organization that protects peace and the people as you perceive it. Decades ago, it was completely infiltrated and secretly devoured by the remnants of Hydra."
"Alexander Pierce, who currently holds the highest power in S.H.I.E.L.D.., advances Project Insight, and controls the overall situation, is the supreme leader of Hydra who has been lurking there until now."
"Currently, the assault teams, agents, and core personnel of Project Insight stationed at Triskelion are mostly Hydra spies. I don't know who the enemy is around you; perhaps the colleague standing next to you right now is a traitor who has been hiding for decades."
"They've been patiently planning for decades, and they're just one step away from completing this task."
"The attack on Nick Fury is just the beginning. Once Project Insight is activated, they can precisely hunt down anyone in the world who opposes or hinders them."
"I know that uncovering the truth and resisting tyranny is difficult. The price of freedom has always been incredibly high."
"Even if I'm the only one left, I will do everything in my power to stop it. But I still believe that the many righteous and principled agents present will see through the darkness and stand on the right side."
His calm yet powerful voice, devoid of any incitement, simply stated the cold, hard truth, yet instantly shattered the psychological defenses of countless people.
The entire Triskelion instantly descended into unprecedented chaos.
The lower-level clerical staff were filled with fear, putting down their work and looking around, whispering among themselves. An atmosphere of panic quickly spread, and many people got up to evacuate the building, but were blocked by layers of security access control. The ordinary loyal agents were bewildered and incredulous. Decades of faith and understanding collapsed. Looking at their colleagues whom they had worked with day and night, endless suspicion arose in their hearts. Everyone was in danger and dared not trust anyone.
Meanwhile, the Hydra agents lurking in the crowd instantly revealed their ruthless nature, drawing their weapons and attempting to forcibly cut off the broadcast signal and regain control. In an instant, suspicion and conflict erupted throughout the building.
In his private office on the top floor, Pierce listened to the entire broadcast without showing any sign of rage or loss of composure; instead, a cold, chilling smile slowly appeared on his face.
"A futile, death throes."
Pierce chuckled coldly, his expression icy. He turned to the security team waiting at the door and ordered in a deep voice, "Control all the councilors in the room. No one is allowed to move or communicate. Notify the motherships to berth and initiate the takeoff procedure ahead of schedule. All three Helicarrier, take off immediately."
He had already made thorough preparations. As long as the Project Insight was successfully launched, all resistance, all truths, and all public opinion would become meaningless empty talk. By controlling the Project Insight, he could completely control the world order.
The office's floor-to-ceiling windows offer a wide view, clearly showing three massive, silver-gray second-generation Helicarrier in the giant dock outside. Their engines glow with a faint blue light, their anti-gravity devices gradually activate, their fuselages tremble slowly, and they slowly detach from their underwater berths, ascending into the sky.
Standing in a secluded corridor outside the building, Steve witnessed the mothership take off. His expression darkened, and he no longer hesitated.
" Sam, move out."
With a simple four words, the two acted swiftly and decisively. Without further hesitation, they turned and charged towards the aircraft carrier berthing and maintenance passageway on the ground floor of the building, preparing for a direct assault to complete the chip replacement.
In his top-floor office, Pierce watched the Helicarrier steadily ascend outside the window, his mind set on victory. His tense nerves relaxed completely. He turned to the several security councilors under his control, his tone dripping with sarcasm and mockery, a blatant provocation.
"The order, trust, and justice you upheld have ultimately become worthless. From this day forward, I will set the rules of the world."
Just as he relaxed his guard and all the security agents focused their attention on the captured senator, Natasha, who had been sitting quietly and pretending to be calm, suddenly launched an attack.
She suddenly darted out, her movements so fast they left only a blur, without making a sound. A Hydra agent standing guard nearby didn't even have time to raise his gun or react before Natasha closed in, her forearm striking the man's throat with pinpoint accuracy.
A short, dull thud rang out, and the agent's eyes rolled back suddenly. All the strength drained from his body, and he collapsed limply to the ground, unconscious without uttering a single cry for help.
In a flash, Natasha snatched the gun from the man's waist, flicked her wrist, and pointed the muzzle steadily at Pierce's head. Her movements were swift, precise, and deadly, without the slightest hesitation.
The situation reversed instantly.
Meanwhile, in the berth area on the ground floor of the building, Steve and Sam had successfully broken through the outer defenses and arrived at the docking area of Helicarrier. Without exchanging any words, the two immediately split up.
Sam deployed his Falcon wingsuit, the mechanical wings slicing through the air with a sharp whistling sound as he soared into the sky. He nimbly weaved between the two motherships, avoiding sporadic defensive fire, and was the first to board the second Helicarrier. He was already familiar with the structure of the aircraft, and skillfully broke through the outer security defenses, entered the core computing bay, accurately located the chip slot, and successfully replaced the original Hunter computing chip.
On the other side, Steve used the momentum to jump and land steadily on the deck of Mothership One. Holding his shield, he blocked all the strafing fire along the way, charged forward, and eliminated all the Hydra agents left in the cabin, completing the chip replacement work on Mothership One as quickly as possible.
With the two motherships successfully deployed, only the third mothership remained. By this time, all three motherships had ascended to a height of several hundred meters, getting closer and closer to their designated launch altitude, leaving them with very little time.
Steve stood on the open deck of Mothership One, the wind howling fiercely, making his clothes flutter. He looked up at Mothership Three steadily climbing in the distance and immediately raised his hand to call out to Sam was circling overhead waiting for orders.
" Sam, take me to Mothership Three!"
"Receive!"
Sam immediately changed direction, his wingsuit spinning at full speed, and swooped down to Steve's side, hovering steadily in the air. Steve used the momentum to jump, landing precisely on the back of Sam's wingsuit.
The two soared into the sky, heading at full speed towards the last Helicarrier. Along the way, several Hydra small fighter jets scrambled to intercept them, unleashing a barrage of fire in an attempt to halt their advance.
Sam skillfully maneuvered his wingsuit to dodge attacks, while simultaneously activating his onboard weapons to precisely lock onto an oncoming small fighter jet. A single burst of firepower shattered the enemy aircraft in mid-air, sending it flying into a shower of debris.
After clearing away the obstacles in their path, the two successfully arrived above the No. 3 mothership.
"You go first, I'll support you from the air!" Sam shouted.
Steve nodded in agreement, and without hesitation, he leaped into the air, landing steadily on the empty deck of the third mothership. He then turned and rushed rapidly toward the core computing module inside the ship.
But just as he landed, a sharp, piercing sound suddenly came from the sky behind him.
A small, high-speed fighter jet, entirely black and with a sharp design, swooped down, its sharp airflow carrying it directly at Sam, who was waiting in the air. The jet was extremely fast, with maneuverability far exceeding that of conventional enemy aircraft, and arrived on the battlefield in an instant, carrying an extremely strong sense of oppression.
Sam's expression hardened. He immediately abandoned his plan to provide air support, maneuvered his wingsuit around to face the attacking fighter directly.
The fighter jet's canopy suddenly popped open, and a nimble, black figure leaped out, relying solely on his physical explosive power to hurtle straight towards Sam through the air, without any flight equipment.
Winter Soldier.
The black combat suit was form-fitting and sleek; his eyes were devoid of emotion; and his silver mechanical arm gleamed with a chilling light in the high-altitude wind, exuding a formidable aura.
The two instantly became entangled in combat, and the battle erupted in an instant.
The Winter Soldier's fighting skills are fierce and deadly, his attacks ruthless and unpredictable, his strength and speed both at their peak, every punch and every charge carrying overwhelming destructive power. Sam relied on the mobility of his wingsuit to constantly dodge, pull, and wait for an opportunity to counterattack, but his opponent's combat experience and close-range explosive power far exceeded his expectations.
In just a few rounds, Sam was at a disadvantage and was completely suppressed. The Winter Soldier delivered a powerful blow with his mechanical arm, completely destroying the wings of Sam's wingsuit.
Click--
A sharp, piercing sound of mechanical shattering rang out as the sturdy, high-tech wingsuit instantly broke and deformed, its power system failing completely and rendering it unable to maintain high-altitude flight.
Despite the excruciating pain in his back, Sam deployed his parachute and landed safely on the rooftop platform of the building below. He looked up at the third mothership high in the sky and whispered a battle report into his communicator.
"Captain, the enemy's fighting strength is extremely high. My wingsuit is damaged, and I can no longer provide aerial support. I've already landed on the ground. I'm returning to the building to assist Hill and Coulson in quelling the internal rebellion. This is your responsibility."
Steve's steady, concise voice came through the communicator.
Upon receiving the feedback, Sam didn't linger. He turned and rushed into the building, throwing himself into the battle to eliminate the remaining Hydra forces and quell the rebellion.
At this moment, the No. 3 Helicarrier was still steadily climbing, getting closer and closer to the critical launch altitude of 3,000 feet.
Steve dared not delay for a moment, his steps quickening as he sprinted along the narrow, deep equipment corridor. The interior of the ship was spacious and oppressive, the metal walls isolating all external sounds, leaving only the sound of his steady, hurried footsteps echoing in the corridor, the atmosphere deathly still and tense.
After passing through layers of equipment, the core computing module was right in front of us, and the chip slots were already in sight. Just a few more steps were needed to completely bring the Project Insight to a close.
Just as he was about to step into the computing module, a series of unhurried and steady footsteps suddenly came from the depths of the passage.
The footsteps were extremely light, yet carried an immense sense of pressure.
Steve's movements abruptly halted, his muscles tensing instantly as a profound sense of familiarity and inexplicable panic surged within him.
In the dim, interlaced light, a tall and agile figure slowly emerged from the shadows of the passageway.
The Winter Soldier stood in the center of the corridor, his silver mechanical arm hanging naturally at his sides, his five fingers slightly clenched, gleaming with a cold metallic luster. His Black Sky eyes were devoid of any emotion, fixed intently on Steve Rogers ahead, filled with pure killing intent and a chilling sense of unfamiliarity.
The moment their eyes met, Steve's pupils contracted sharply, and his blood seemed to freeze instantly.
Even through the mask, even with the other person's cold and unfamiliar aura and the chilling killing intent emanating from them, he recognized that unforgettable figure at a glance.
Bucky Barnes.
His dearest friend, whom he had searched for, longed for, and yearned for for years, was now standing right in front of him.
But this long-awaited reunion was devoid of joy and warmth; it was filled only with a cold confrontation and a relentless killing intent.
In an instant, all of Lynn's instructions over the phone exploded in Steve's mind like a thunderclap.
--You will meet someone you've been longing for.
--When you meet them, don't be soft-hearted, don't confront them, don't waste words, just knock them out with all your might and take them away.
Don't be foolish and get beaten up. If you hesitate, you'll miss your only chance to save someone.
All previous doubts, anxieties, and confusion vanished at this moment.
It turns out that person was Bucky.
The biting wind rushed in through the hatch, ruffling Steve's clothes. His grip on the shield tightened slightly, and an endless mix of bitterness, struggle, and pain welled up inside him.
On one side are childhood friends who have shared life and death, and on the other side is a Carnage about to sweep the globe.
His only choice was to heed Lynn's advice, set aside all personal feelings, and go all out to subdue Bucky, end the crisis, and bring back his old friend.
In the deathly silent passage, the two faced off from afar, the most brutal battle before the end was about to erupt.