The flames were still licking the ceiling, black smoke and Mars leaping upwards like burnt mosquito coils. Ye Mo stood still, the residual warmth of the flames still lingering in his palm, but they weren't leaping around as wildly as before. He looked down at his palm; the skin was charred in a ring, but the Regeneration backlash was pressing down, and new flesh was pushing out layer by layer, making him wince in pain.
"Don't burn our own people," he muttered under his breath, as if reminding the flames, or perhaps negotiating with the system.
Captain America retreated from the edge of the fire line, his shield worn and riddled with bullet holes and burn marks. He wiped his face, which was covered in soot, revealing only his eyes. He glanced at the corner encircled by the wall of fire, where the Hydra agents huddled together, some clutching their heads, others kneeling on the ground, their guns long gone, unable to even crawl—the intense heat had turned their protective suits into a griddle of iron.
" Bucky!" Captain America suddenly spoke, his voice not loud, but exceptionally clear in the silence, "Count the remaining enemies."
On the high platform, Bucky's robotic arm emitted a soft click, and the white smoke from the vent dissipated. He didn't answer, but lightly flicked his finger across the scope, his gaze sweeping over each fallen body to ensure no enemy fire had escaped. The sniper rifle was firmly mounted, its muzzle slightly adjusted, ready to fire a follow-up shot at any moment.
Black Widow crouched in the right-hand corridor, her tactical dagger tucked back into her waistband, a black terminal now in her hand. She swiped the screen rapidly, her brow furrowing deeper. "There's an encrypted data packet. Decoding it," she said, then looked up at Captain America. "They're not here for a direct assault; they're here to deliver a message."
Emma Frost leaned against the broken wall on the second floor, feeling as if her bones had been removed, and slowly slid down the wall to the ground. Her eyes were closed, her fingertips still trembling slightly; her mental strength, though weak, was not broken. She whispered, "Three people... There are still lingering commands in my mind, like a timed alarm clock, about to ring."
Upon hearing this, Ye Mo immediately raised his hand, and two fist-sized fireballs re-condensed in his palm. This time, there was no fire dragon or explosion; he simply held them quietly, like holding two bowls of freshly boiled instant noodles.
"Then don't make them clock in on time." He said, taking two steps forward and flicking his arm, sending a fireball flying.
The first one slammed into the back of the bunker, exploding with a deafening roar. The heatwave ripped off a steel plate, and the agent hiding underneath tumbled out, his face covered in soot, frantically trying to get up. The second one hit the ventilation shaft precisely, instantly melting and deforming the metal grille, blocking the last gap that could allow someone to squeeze through.
"It's sealed off." Ye Mo took a breath, his legs feeling a little weak, but he didn't sit down. "This place is an oven now; nobody's going to sneak out for a cold drink."
Captain America nodded, slung his shield over his shoulder, and strode into the center of the fire. His steps were steady, each one landing on the charred bricks with a slight cracking sound. He walked up to the agent who had surrendered first, knelt down, and removed the man's gas mask.
The man's face turned pale, and his lips trembled. "We were just following orders... sent by headquarters... someone will be there to meet us at L-7..."
"I know," Captain America said calmly, "You've been used as pawns."
He stood up, turned around and glanced at Ye Mo: "The rest is up to you."
Ye Mo grinned. "I love cleaning up the mess, especially when someone else has caused trouble."
He took a deep breath and raised his hands again, this time not to attack, but to control. The flames no longer spewed out violently, but spread slowly along the wall, like red paint being applied to a wall, encircling it in circles. The fire was low, but dense, and the temperature was even higher—this was a technique he had figured out in the previous battle: not seeking power, but only to seal off the enemy.
A ring of firewalls took shape, completely sealing off the interior of the ruins. The air became even more stuffy, and breathing carried a burnt smell.
" Emma Frost!" Ye Mo exclaimed, "How much longer can we hold on?"
Emma Frost didn't open her eyes, her voice weak. "Three seconds... five seconds at most... don't make me see too many people's brains."
"That's enough." Ye Mo nodded, then turned and gestured to Bucky.
Bucky immediately understood, his robotic arm making slight adjustments, and the scope locked onto three enemies who were still in a semi-standing position. These people were wearing reinforced exoskeletons, and their chest lights were still on, clearly indicating that they were the remaining command nodes.
"Let's do it," Ye Mo said.
Emma Frost suddenly opened her eyes, her pupils turning silvery-white, and her mental energy pierced out like needles. The three enemies froze simultaneously, their eyes unfocused, their movements halted, as if they had been put on pause.
"Now!" Ye Mo roared.
Bucky pulled the trigger.
The first shot shot down the heavy machine gunner's weapon;
The second shot severed the communication antenna;
The third shot hit the power core precisely.
"Bang--Boom!"
A small fireball exploded on the back of the exoskeleton, and the man immediately knelt down, his armor smoking. Before the other two could react, Black Widow flanked them, one taking down with a chokehold, and the other with a dagger pressed against his carotid artery, too afraid to move.
"Behave yourself," Black Widow said coldly, casually removing the magazines and communicator from his body.
The battlefield situation has been completely reversed.
Captain America, along with Bucky and Black Widow, formed a triangle assault team and began clearing cover one by one. He charged at the front, his shield slamming into a collapsed shelf, sending the hidden agent flying. The agent screamed as he tried to draw his gun, but Bucky knocked him unconscious with the butt of his rifle.
Black Widow followed closely behind, her movements swift and efficient, completing the body search, disarming, and handcuffing in one smooth motion. She dragged the last prisoner to an open area, clapped her hands, and said, "All done."
Ye Mo stood at the edge of the wall of fire, his hands hanging down, the flames extinguished. He felt the heat within his body had almost completely dissipated, replaced by waves of cold, as if he had just run three thousand meters and then been doused with a bucket of ice water. The Regeneration backlash was still gnawing at his ribs, and his fire abilities were cooling down, but he did not collapse.
He looked up into the darkness at the end of the corridor.
It was still dark there; you couldn't see anything beyond thirty meters, only the howling of the wind blowing through the broken window.
"Who's next?" he murmured.
Captain America walked back, glanced at him, and asked, "Are you alright?"
"It has to work whether it's impossible or not." Ye Mo smiled. "I'm not Iron Man, am I going to order takeout from an armored vehicle?"
"You're more energy-efficient than him." Captain America rarely joked, then turned to the team, "Everyone, maintain formation. Bucky, stand guard on the high ground. Black Widow, check the terminal data. Emma Frost, continue scanning. Ye Mo —you keep an eye on the fire."
"Understood," Ye Mo replied, turning to face the wall of fire.
He raised his hand, flicked his fingertips, and a thin serpent of fire shot up from the ground, circled the base of the wall, and confirmed there were no blind spots. The flame control was much more stable than before; at least it wouldn't burn the cables anymore.
Black Widow sat in the right aisle, her terminal screen flashing blue. She swiped rapidly, then suddenly stopped. "Found it. ' Scavengers Protocol ' countdown: seven hours. Target: S.H.I.E.L.D.'s three major hubs. Once activated, all command authority will be transferred."
"The mole hasn't been caught yet." Emma Frost leaned against the wall, her voice weak. "L-7 post... there's still residual signal... like a heartbeat... one beat after another..."
Ye Mo narrowed his eyes. "Then let's wait for it to jump again."
He stood still, his gaze sweeping across the battlefield. The prisoners were huddled together in a corner, their path blocked by a wall of fire; no one dared to move. Captain America paced in the middle, checking his equipment. Bucky stood on the high platform, his gun always pointed forward. Black Widow looked down at the data, her fingers constantly sliding. Emma Frost sat with her eyes closed, her fingers trembling slightly as she continued scanning.
Everything is under control.
The dawn of victory is indeed just around the corner.
But Ye Mo knew that this was the time when things were most likely to go wrong.
He flexed his wrists; the new skin on his palms was still itchy. His fire abilities hadn't fully recovered, and the Regeneration backlash hadn't subsided, but he had to hold on. He couldn't fall, at least not now.
"Hey, Captain," he suddenly spoke, "If anyone tries to surrender later, remember to ask for the password first. Don't let it be another fake surrender."
Captain America turned to look at him. "You set the password."
Ye Mo thought for a moment, then grinned. "Just say—'Does the cafeteria have braised pork today?'"
"..." Captain America paused for two seconds, then said, "Okay, this one."
In the distance, Bucky's sniper scope rotated slightly, the muzzle locked onto the dark corridor.
Black Widow closed the terminal and gripped the dagger tightly.
Emma Frost's eyelashes trembled slightly, as if she sensed something.
Ye Mo stood at the edge of the firelight, his hands half-raised, and two faint flames reappeared in his palms.
The wind blew in through the broken window, making the flames flicker.
His shadow was stretched long, lying across the scorched ground like a drawn sword.