No excuse, I was just too tired. I overslept.
I slept for almost twenty hours.
They've already stood at attention, ready to take the beating.
This chapter just doesn't feel right; it doesn't capture the sense of helplessness and breakdown the captain is trying to convey.
A gentle breeze blew across the farm meadow, and the soft sunlight bathed the scene, washing away the blood and smoke that had filled the dreamlike landscape.
Tony was still mired in extreme exhaustion and heaviness. He slumped on the grass, his back soaked in cold sweat, and his breathing was still trembling.
Lynn stepped forward slowly, bent down and reached out to firmly support Tony's arm and back, gently but firmly helping him to his feet. She then walked step by step to the folding recliner that had been prepared in advance and carefully laid him down.
He straightened up, looked down at the listless Tony, a faint, gentle smile in his eyes, and quietly waited for the other to fully recover.
Tony was still not fully recovered. His left hand was unconsciously pressed tightly against his chest, his knuckles turning white. The despairing images of the annihilation of his entire army, the tragic death of his best friend, and Lynn's resentful death in the illusion were branded into his mind like a brand, weighing heavily on his chest and making him tremble.
After a long while, he slowly raised his eyes, his gaze complex, a mixture of guilt, lingering fear, and helplessness. He stared intently at Lynn in front of him, his voice hoarse and dry, carrying an undisguised weariness. "I know what you want me to learn, and I understand your intentions."
"But Lynn, that was a really ruthless move of yours."
As he finished speaking, he turned his head, his gaze sweeping over the group of people still with their eyes closed, deeply immersed in the illusion, on the open ground. The lingering fear in his eyes remained as he continued softly, "I understand your intention."
"At first, I was full of ambition, always wanting to take on the responsibility of world peace and the safety of everyone. But as time went by, I gradually became content with the present and lost my initial sense of urgency and crisis."
"My arrogance, my wishful thinking, and the lingering unease and fear in my heart have never disappeared; I've just selectively ignored them. This was always a ticking time bomb."
Tony slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, the arrogance and conceit that had once fading from his eyes and brows.
As he finished speaking, he unusually showed a hint of resignation, looking at Lynn with a pleading tone tinged with helplessness. "But next time, could you be a little gentler?"
Lynn remained calm, showing no sign of leniency. "Letting you experience despair in a fantasy world is much gentler than letting you experience tragedy in reality."
We cannot avoid all crises, nor can we resolve all conflicts in the world. We cannot solve all problems, but we must always strive to solve them.
He looked down at the dejected Tony and said frankly, "Perhaps it's because of my presence that you've become complacent and slack off. But you must understand that I myself am also an unstable entity."
"What if their abilities go berserk next time? No one can solve the danger forever. You can't put all your hopes on someone else."
"Gambling always results in losses. Even if there's only a one in ten thousand chance of things spiraling out of control, we must plan ahead."
Seeing Tony's pale face and colorless lips, looking utterly exhausted and on the verge of collapse, Lynn ultimately softened her tone and didn't press the matter further.
"Alright, let's not say anything more now."
He chuckled helplessly, his tone softening slightly, "You should get some rest. The way you look, it feels like you're about to be cremated any second now."
"Seeing that you withstood the illusion and weren't completely defeated, I know Wanda controlled the intensity just right and didn't go too far. Rest and recover here; I'll go check on the others."
After saying that, Lynn didn't linger. He turned around and walked back to Wanda's side, standing quietly on the grass. His gaze calmly swept over the group of Avengers were trapped in the illusion, patiently waiting for the next person to break free from the Extremis of their subconscious.
At the same time, Steve Rogers ' consciousness fell into a hallucination.
The fresh mountain breezes have all vanished, replaced by the murky air of the 1940s, the lingering smoke of battle, and the solemn atmosphere unique to the old military camp.
The scene shifted instantly; the peaceful farmland was no longer before him, but the Camp Lehigh of the Strategic Scientific Reserve of New Jersey during World War II. The old barracks stood in neat rows, soldiers hurried about, their expressions tense, and the sounds of orders being relayed mingled together, instantly pulling Steve into a bygone era.
The sudden scene change startled Steve slightly, causing him to momentarily lose focus. He instinctively stopped in his tracks, quickly scanning his surroundings and rapidly assessing the situation.
"Team leader!"
A clear, familiar female voice suddenly rang out from behind, carrying a hint of urgency.
Peggy Carter jogged up to him, her sharp agent uniform revealing a clean-cut, intelligent look, her eyes carrying the urgency of wartime. "Why are you still standing here in a daze? Your commando team is fully assembled, everyone is waiting for you to lead the team. The mission is urgent, there's no time to waste."
The familiar faces, the familiar scenes, the familiar voices instantly dispelled the last shred of doubt in Steve's heart.
He suppressed his inner turmoil, no longer hesitating, and bent down to pick up the shield beside him. He nodded and said in a deep voice, "I understand, I'll go now."
Following closely in Peggy's footsteps, Steve quickly arrived at the military camp assembly area.
The Howling Commandos was fully equipped and ready to go, their weapons in perfect order, their military posture upright, and their eyes resolute, their fighting spirit palpable. On the high platform ahead, General Chester Phillips stood tall, his uniform crisp, his face solemn, giving his soldiers a final pre-battle pep talk.
"Listen up, everyone!" General Phillips's sharp gaze swept over every soldier below, his voice booming and resounding, penetrating the entire camp, " Hydra's last secret base is entrenched deep in the Snowy Alps, and they possess an ultimate weapon capable of destroying everything!"
"There is no turning back, no alternative plan for the actions to come!"
"The captain will launch a feint attack from the front, creating a large-scale disturbance to draw the attention of the enemy's entire main force. All of you, secretly infiltrate from the rear cliff face. Your objective is to seize the Tesseract and completely destroy Hydra!"
His tone suddenly became more serious. "We have less than 24 hours left! Once the weapons are successfully activated, the entire East Coast of the United States will be wiped off the map! Tens of millions of civilians will perish instantly!"
"This is no ordinary battle; it is a do-or-die fight to defend our homeland and the lives of hundreds of millions of people! You can only succeed; failure is not an option! There is no retreat, no compromise!"
"Do you understand?"
"Clear!!"
The entire team roared in unison, their voices echoing across the wilderness, their fighting spirit soaring to the heavens.
Phillips looked at Steve, who was quickly returning to the team, and said solemnly, "The captain is in position, everyone is fully equipped, let's depart immediately! To fight for our country, we have no hesitation!"
Steve raised his hand to straighten his shield, his eyes resolute, and said in a deep voice, "Let's go!"
The scene shifts rapidly, with light and shadow changing, and the setting instantly transforms into the depths of the Snowy Alps.
Snow blankets the mountains, the wind howls and chills to the bone, and the icy cliffs are steep and precipitous. Amidst the swirling clouds and mist, a massive, hidden Hydra Base lies quietly nestled in the heart of the snow-covered mountains. The cold, reinforced concrete buildings are embedded in the mountainside, heavily guarded and fraught with hidden danger.
The cold wind howled, and snow fell all around.
Steve led his team on a night raid, traversing icy mountains and arriving at their battle position on time. As planned, he charged forward alone, shielding the base from all the surrounding firepower.
Machine gun fire gushed forth, a dense barrage of bullets raining down on the Vibranium Shield, sending sparks flying and scattering snow and ice around them. Steve moved steadily, enduring the suppression, tearing through the enemy lines step by step, drawing all the base's defenders to the front lines.
Enemy soldiers surrounded him layer by layer, launching repeated attacks and bombarding him with energy weapons and firearms. However, Steve relied on his superb fighting skills, tenacious physique, and absolute tactical prowess to fight his way through the hail of bullets, breaking through enemy lines and advancing at close range.
On the main battlefield, flames soared into the sky, smoke filled the air, and the sounds of battle echoed through the snow-capped mountains and valleys.
Just as the battle reached a stalemate, a precise signal came from the cliff behind them, and the entire Howling Commandos successfully broke into the base, launching a pincer attack that instantly disrupted Hydra's defenses.
Under attack from both sides, the base's defenders suffered a series of defeats, and their defenses completely collapsed. After a fierce battle, the assault team successfully seized control of the base's core and reclaimed the Tesseract.
The azure Tesseract floated silently above the instrument panel, its energy flowing gently, and the crisis was temporarily averted.
Standing in the wrecked base lobby, Steve breathed a slight sigh of relief, his tense nerves calming down a bit. He wiped the gunpowder and dust from his face, quickly adjusted his tactical deployment, and planned to ambush the Red Skull, waiting for his return to completely eliminate Hydra's last threat.
Just then, a sudden, sharp static crackled through the communication headset, jarring and abrupt.
Steve immediately pressed the call button. The communications soldier's hurried, panicked voice came through rapidly, each word chilling. "Captain! Emergency! The base has been attacked! It's the Hydra force, personally led by Red Skull! They bypassed your route and launched a direct assault on Camp Lehigh! The entire camp is suffering heavy casualties! We..."
Sizzle--!
A piercing electrical noise suddenly rang out, instantly cutting off all communications.
Steve repeatedly pressed the communicator and kept adjusting the frequency, but all he could hear in the headphones was a dead electrical noise; he could no longer receive any signals or messages.
An unease surged within him, gripping his heart tightly.
Without the slightest hesitation, Steve immediately gave the order in a deep, urgent voice. "Everyone assemble! Take the Tesseract and head back immediately! Hurry!"
He dared not delay for a moment, leading his team back at full speed. They traveled through wind and snow, praying silently in their hearts that the garrison could be held, that everyone would be safe, and that the peaceful military camp and familiar faces would not all disappear.
But reality ultimately shattered all those hopes.
When Steve led his team back to the Camp Lehigh, they were met with a scene of utter devastation.
The once orderly and vibrant military camp was completely reduced to a sea of fire. The raging flames consumed all the barracks and facilities, and thick smoke obscured the sky. The ground was littered with the corpses of soldiers, and blood soaked the soil and grass. The ruins were everywhere, a scene of devastation, death, and sorrow.
The sounds of fighting, shouting, and gunfire all faded away, leaving only the crackling of burning flames and the mournful howl of the wind through the ruins.
Steve's pupils contracted sharply, his whole body went cold, and his heart felt as if it were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, a suffocating despair engulfing him.
His mind went blank for a moment, and he instinctively rushed into the burning ruins like a madman, ignoring the scorching flames and falling building materials, searching desperately for that familiar figure.
" Peggy! Peggy!"
He roared and shouted, his voice hoarse and broken, echoing repeatedly in the empty and desolate ruins, but he received no response.
He traversed the inferno, trod over the ruins, and pushed aside layers of rubble, finally finding the figure he had longed for on the defensive frontline outside the base.
Peggy Carter lay silently amidst the blood and ashes, her clothes torn, her breath faint, long since devoid of her former vitality.
Steve felt a sudden, sharp pain in his heart. He rushed forward, carefully bent down, and gently pulled her soft body into his arms. His movements were so gentle, as if he were afraid of disturbing her, and his fingertips trembled uncontrollably.
" Peggy, hold on, I'm back. I'll take you out of here." His voice trembled, filled with an unprecedented panic, as he whispered repeatedly, "Don't sleep, look at me."
Perhaps hearing his voice, Peggy in her arms slowly opened her heavy eyes. Her vision was blurry, but she managed to focus on Steve's face with difficulty. She raised her weak hand and gently touched his cheek with her fingertips, feeling the warmth and coolness of his skin.
His breath was weak and labored, each word uttered with effort, yet gentle and clear. " Steve... you've done your best..."
"This isn't your fault... it was our miscalculation... we didn't expect him to launch a last-ditch counterattack..."
You've done... enough...
Before he could finish speaking, the hand that had been gently stroking his cheek slowly lost its strength, fell limply, and crashed heavily into the dust on the ground.
His eyes closed gently, and his last breath vanished completely.
The warmth in my arms gradually cooled, and the world fell into a deathly silence.
Steve stood frozen in place, holding the completely silent person in his arms. His blood was frozen, his mind was blank, and extreme regret, pain, helplessness, and despair instantly engulfed him.
He reclaimed the Tesseract and destroyed the Hydra Base, but he lost everything—his regrets and the rest of his life.
He and his commandos quickly gathered the remaining surviving soldiers, transferring the wounded and survivors to the still intact barracks, trying their best to clean up the mess and stabilize the situation. But just as he had barely managed to calm himself down and prepare to regroup, a new piece of bad news suddenly arrived.
The emergency communication pierced through the snowstorm, delivering the final blow that completely crushed him; New York and its surrounding areas were wiped off the map entirely.
Utter despair, like a raging tsunami, completely overwhelmed Steve's mind, pushing him to the brink of total mental collapse.
Just as his will was about to completely collapse and be swallowed by darkness, the sea of fire, ruins, rubble, and blood-red world before him began to shatter and slowly crumble.
The crimson light and shadows transformed into tiny, scarlet fragments, vanishing rapidly like dust in the wind. The smoke and fire of the 1940s, the regrets and sorrows, all faded away, the light reversed, and the scene was reset.
The warm morning light, the gentle evening breeze, and the lush green grass came into view once again.
Steve Rogers finally broke free from the illusion and returned to reality.
He snapped back to his senses, his body swaying violently out of control. He tried to push himself up, but his arms trembled uncontrollably. He could only barely steady himself by using his other hand to support himself on the ground and slowly sit up.
Compared to Tony, his face was even paler and more unsightly, devoid of any color. His brows and eyes were filled with an inescapable weariness, sorrow, and vicissitude, while deep within his eyes lay an unyielding compassion and melancholy. It was the extreme exhaustion that came from the complete tearing apart of obsessions and regrets buried deep in his heart for decades.
He slowly raised his eyes, quietly looking at Lynn in front of him, his voice low and hoarse. "I finally understand completely what loss truly feels like."
"Throughout my life, I have always been bound and coerced. I have upheld my responsibilities, my justice, and my mission, believing that as long as I am brave enough, resilient enough, and willing to give enough, I can protect everything and safeguard everyone."
"But I've come to realize that courage is never invincible, and resilience is not omnipotent. Even heroes have their limits, and even the most steadfast perseverance will ultimately lead to regret."
"I've always been obsessed with my mission and my responsibility, and I've gradually forgotten that I'm also human. I can be powerless, I can make mistakes, and I can give my all but get nothing in return. I've been swept along by my identity and bound by justice for half my life, and I almost lost what I should have cherished most and neglected the people I should have protected most."
"Thank you, Lynn. This illusion has helped me understand a lot of things."
"It made me see my limitations, recognize the capriciousness of fate, and learn to cherish the present. It made me understand that being a hero is not synonymous with perfection, and perseverance should not be a self-imposed shackle. Hold on to your true self, cherish what you love, accept powerlessness, and respect the unknown."
As soon as he finished speaking, Steve pushed himself up from the ground and slowly stood up. His posture was still upright, but he had lost some of his usual rigid fortitude and gained a more relaxed and profound composure.
He slowly walked to Lynn's side and stood side by side on the grass, his gaze complex and unsettling as he quietly watched the crowd still trapped in their subconscious illusions and struggling in the open space.
A gentle breeze stirred, ruffling his hair and the hem of his clothes. After a long silence, he lowered his voice, a hint of helplessness mixed with a serious joke, and murmured softly:
"While I sincerely thank you for everything you've done, I still hope that for the rest of your life, you won't end up in my hands."