One Hundred Percent, Superman Template

A week later, Luke and Rogers left the Caspian Training Camp and got into a sedan heading for New York.

As for the recruits still in training, they were reserves.

If the serum injection succeeded, everyone would have a chance to become a Super Soldier.

"I never thought I'd end up back in Brooklyn, after all that wandering!"

Rogers remarked with emotion.

He sat beside Luke, his gaze passing through the car window at the familiar buildings receding behind them.

"So the Colonel was right—luck always favors fools."

Luke joked.

When Rogers learned he'd been chosen as the test subject for the Super Soldier program, he'd rushed to share the news with Luke, only to find Colonel Phillips in the barracks. The latter had shot Rogers a look of pure disdain and uttered that very line.

"This isn't luck! I owe it all to you and Dr. Erskine! Without your help, I never would've made it this far."

Rogers said earnestly.

He'd heard from Colonel Phillips that it was Luke who'd recommended him to Dr. Erskine. Though Rogers wasn't good at expressing his feelings, he kept that gratitude buried deep.

"If you were a woman, I might accept that thanks."

Luke made a disgusted face and teased, "See that block, that alley, and that parking lot back there? Those were your old 'battlefields'!"

Rogers lowered his head with an awkward smile.

His habit of meddling in other people's business had gotten him beaten up plenty of times. The "battlefields" Luke mentioned were just the places where he'd been pummeled before.

"Why didn't you run?"

Carter, who was driving up front, spoke up.

She was their escort this time, tasked with safely delivering Luke and Rogers to their destination.

"If I ran once, I'd keep running forever! If I stand up and fight back, one day I'll have a chance to take them down!"

Rogers spoke from the heart, his sincere tone moving Carter slightly.

Dr. Erskine hadn't chosen him without reason—at the very least, that courage was commendable.

"Being looked down on in a certain field—I know that feeling well."

Carter seemed stirred by the memory, speaking more than usual.

On most days at the Caspian Training Camp, this female officer was like an iceberg, keeping everyone at a distance. Even the notorious ladies' man Howard Stark had suffered repeated defeats, unable to even score a dinner invitation.

"Miss Carter, I don't understand why you joined the army. You're a beautiful woman..."

Rogers glanced at Carter and launched into a painfully clueless straight-man speech—unaware that she hated nothing more than being told she was too pretty for spy work.

Carter had a strong personality and never believed her abilities were inferior to any man's.

Seeing Rogers about to anger his future girlfriend, Luke quickly stepped in to smooth things over. "How much longer until we get there?"

"Soon."

Carter shot Rogers a cold glare, snorted, and fell silent.

The latter looked completely innocent, having no idea what he'd said wrong.

"Rogers, your flirting skills are the worst I've ever seen!"

Luke shook his head and lowered his voice.

The rest of the drive passed in silence.

About twenty minutes later, they reached their destination.

The three got out of the car and pushed open the door of an antique shop.

That's right—this was the secret base of the Strategic Scientific Reserve.

Carter exchanged a recognition code with an old woman, then led Luke and Rogers into the back room.

"What a cliché design."

Luke watched the bookshelf-laden racks slide open to both sides and couldn't help but want to complain.

Inside the base, every door was guarded by fully armed soldiers.

From time to time, researchers in white lab coats walked past carrying documents.

Rogers, seeing this kind of setup for the first time, felt a bit nervous.

He looked at Luke walking beside him.

The man's face was calm, his demeanor composed.

"As expected of Luke!"

Rogers thought to himself.

In truth, Luke's real emotions were far from as calm as his appearance suggested.

From Brooklyn, step by step, he had made his way to the secret base of the Strategic Scientific Reserve, about to receive the serum injection.

This was no easy feat.

"For the sake of a cheat, I've really gone all out."

The three of them descended to the bottom floor, where two metal instruments stood in the center. Dr. Erskine and Howard Stark were deep in conversation.

Colonel Phillips and the attending Senator remained in the control room on the second floor.

Everyone was filled with anticipation, eager to witness a miracle!

"Let's begin."

Dr. Erskine said to the two of them.

Luke and Rogers exchanged a glance, then removed their garrison caps and took off their jackets.

The contrast between their physiques was stark.

The former could be called strong and muscular, with clear definition, while the latter was as thin as a bundle of dry twigs.

The surrounding researchers couldn't help shaking their heads, doubting whether Rogers could even survive the serum injection.

"It's fine, you can do it!"

Luke pressed a hand on Rogers' shoulder, as if injecting courage into him.

Without Captain America, he'd really have to debut as an idol and sell war bonds!

Seeing Rogers nod in agreement, Luke shifted his gaze to the metal instruments in front of him, their sides bristling with complex wires and cables.

The man in charge of operating the machines was Howard Stark, with his two small mustaches.

He was busy at the control panel, preparing for the serum injection.

This genius scientist, who used patriotism as a banner to curry favor with high-ranking military officials, was also one of the participants in this project.

Click!

A flash of light!

A staff member from the military's propaganda department snapped a photo of Luke and Rogers standing together.

This was a historic moment worth commemorating!

"It's about to begin!"

Erskine cleared out the unnecessary personnel, leaving only Howard Stark and the other researchers.

"You'll both succeed!"

The doctor said earnestly.

He had originally planned to choose only one person to create a single super soldier.

But Luke's outstanding performance and sincere attitude had shaken Erskine's original decision.

So, he and Colonel Phillips each compromised.

They decided to let both men receive the serum and become super soldiers.

In the latter's words, "At least one of them will succeed."

"First comes a series of micro-injections, delivering the serum into the muscle groups. Once this step is complete, it will trigger drastic changes in the cells..."

Dr. Erskine patiently explained the process, and then the shells of the two metal instruments placed side by side slowly closed shut.

Luke was plunged into darkness, unable to see a single ray of light from the outside world. He could only hear the voices of Dr. Erskine and Howard Stark.

The cold needle pierced his skin, and the serum was steadily pushed into his body, merging with countless cells.

"It doesn't seem to feel like much..."

Luke had been somewhat worried that the process of receiving the Super Soldier Serum would be excruciatingly painful.

At least in his memory, Rogers had screamed himself hoarse and nearly died on the spot.

"Start the instruments!"

Luke heard Dr. Erskine's voice.

The metal instruments, connected to cables, conducted a crackling surge of strong current.

A burst of white light exploded!

"Fuck!"

Luke instantly felt a tearing pain, as if his muscle fibers were being ripped into countless strands.

His entire body felt like it was splitting apart!

It wasn't just physical; the mental stimulation was equally unbearable.

But the maddening, agonizing pain lasted only a fleeting moment.

Then, as if absorbed, it vanished.

100%

On his retina, clear data emerged.

The progress bar, stagnant for so long, finally loaded completely.

Player identity detected

Gift package being distributed

Distribution successful

Please check

Lines of information flowed out.

Then, a faint white light flickered to life.

A massive stream of data cascaded down like a waterfall, forming a character panel—

Host: Luke (Luke Cahill)

Loaded Template: None

Abilities: None

Reputation: None

Mission List: Not yet unlocked

"..."

Luke stared blankly.

So after all that effort, he just got a panel with nothing on it?

"Forget it, let's open the gift package first!"

Luke, familiar with the drill, tapped into his mental space.

Open!

With a flicker of thought, a golden radiance burst forth.

Countless character images flooded his mind.

"Golden Superman..."

"Silver Superman..."

"Mechanical Superman..."

"Quantum Superman..."

"Ultraman..."

"Superboy-Prime..."

"..."

Various forms of Superman Templates unfolded before Luke's eyes.

Superman Template detected. Load?

"Yes!"

Overwrite skin?

"Uh... no!"

Loading successful

Luke opened the character panel again—

Host: Luke (Luke Cahill)

Loaded Template: Superman (LV1)

Abilities: Stellar Energy (Passive), Bio-Force Field (Passive)

Reputation: None

Mission List: Not yet unlocked

Then, lines of specific physical data surged into his brain like a tide.