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HawkEye looked at the empty room on either side and swallowed hard, his throat tight with unease.
All of this had completely overturned his understanding of reality.
It was as if someone had crafted a living world by hand, only to wake you up suddenly and tell you it was all a dream.
Yet, this dream was vividly clear and real!
The tension, fear, shock, and the existence that had once seemed so absolute.
"It's incredible!"
"What kind of monster is that man named Jackson Chen?"
The Thunder God beside him exhaled heavily.
"No matter who he is, this time we lost, and we lost completely!"
"If blowing up the base last time was his way of greeting us..."
"Then this was his first real move against us."
"I've got a feeling we'll cross paths again, but Steve..."
He sighed deeply, and everyone followed his gaze toward Captain America.
The image of Captain America on the screen continued to capture the attention of people all over the world.
The man, recently freed from madness, now stood with a face full of disbelief, his steps slow and deliberate.
In the dim light and flying dust, Captain America resembled an old black-and-white photograph.
"Thud—"
"Thud—"
His footsteps were heavy and slow as he walked step by step into what was once known as the vault.
His bloodshot eyes widened as he ran his hand along the smooth, hard wall.
As if he was trying to confirm its reality.
With every slow movement, the corners of his mouth twisted further into a bitter expression.
"Hah..."
"Hah-hah-hah..."
His murmurs were intermittent, his bitter smile still present.
Finally, after moving through two rooms, a burst of wild laughter erupted from Steve.
He waved his shield and began tapping it frantically against the wall while laughing uncontrollably.
"Hahahahaha! Fake! It's all fake!"
"Criminals, innocents, games, exchanges, hahahaha..."
"Jackson Chen... Jackson Chen!"
"Come on! Didn't you make me choose?"
"I'm a murderer, I'm righteous... Come, come!"
"Hahahahaha!"
"Fake... it's all fake."
Captain America's voice grew weaker and weaker until, finally, his eyes glazed over, the corners of his mouth twitching uncontrollably before he collapsed heavily to the ground.
The Avengers looked at Captain America in horror, as did the eyes of the entire world.
Everyone understood.
Captain America—Steve Rogers—was completely destroyed.
It wasn't his body that had fallen, but his spirit.
He no longer deserved the title of superhero.
...
...
Eventually, Captain America was taken back to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters.
The Avengers had scattered, each needing time to recover.
The mental strain of what happened to Captain America was simply too overwhelming.
Inside a room at Stark Industries, Iron Man tried his hardest to maintain his composure.
He began reviewing everything that had happened today, desperate to find any clue that might lead them to an explanation.
He was convinced that no matter how careful Jackson Chen had been, he must have left a trace behind.
Iron Man's eyes locked onto the image on the wall.
It was a recording from his suit.
But somehow, Jackson Chen's mocking smile kept flashing in his mind.
This enigmatic man had become an obsession for the Avengers.
Those cunning eyes, that cold smile, and the relaxed, almost lazy tone, had all been burned into their memory, etched deeply into their bones.
They would remember him until their dying breath.
Countless images flashed before Iron Man's eyes.
"Wait, Jarvis!"
Suddenly, his pupils contracted, and he nearly shouted as he instructed Jarvis to pause the image.
In the dark, ruined underground, a thin Indian man stood behind Captain America.
Blood still stained his clothes.
If Iron Man recalled correctly, before they entered, aside from Captain America, the only other person under the rubble was this thin man and Steve!
A chill ran down Iron Man's spine, and a sense of dread welled up.
His voice was dry: "Jarvis, start from here. Focus the camera on that man and slow it down, double the frame rate!"
As his command took effect, the scene began to move again.
Light from the mountainside ruins shone on Captain America, illuminating him like a spotlight. Meanwhile, the thin man behind him flickered in and out of sight, like a ghost.
Amidst the swirling dust, the man seemed to give Iron Man a long, deliberate look.
Just that glance sent Iron Man into an icy panic.
He knew he would never forget those eyes.
Iron Man gripped the edge of the couch tightly, his whole body trembling.
In the picture, Black Widow gently lifts the thin man and slowly crosses the space where Captain America stands.
The tension on the man's face, once consumed by fear and relief, gradually fades away.
A strange smile starts to form on that honest and weathered face.
The corners of his mouth rise slightly, as if mocking something with deliberate intent.
Then, at an unhurried pace, the man slowly points toward Iron Man's direction and smiles.
The curve of his mouth—almost identical to that of the man who blew up the Avengers' base the first time!
At that moment, Iron Man felt an intense chill run down his spine, his entire body gripped by an eerie sensation.
That man—the one they had relentlessly been trying to capture—had been hiding in the rubble all along!
He was the man with the Indian accent, standing behind Captain America in the shadows of the dimly lit space!
"Sizzle!!"
No wonder Iron Man couldn't trace Jackson Chen's communication signals!
Because Jackson had never been using a communication device!
Captain America had been facing Jackson Chen's pre-arranged video all along!
Just like the recordings in the two secret rooms!
That man understood human nature so well, he had even accounted for that brief moment when Captain America gave in and compromised!
And there Jackson was, concealed behind Captain America, wearing the triumphant smile of a victor, watching everything unfold like a puppet master!
He watched it all, as an artist might admire his masterpiece over and over again!
Jackson Chen had even personally come down and handed Captain America the so-called bomb remote control!
At that moment, Iron Man's shock reached a peak beyond comprehension!
His mind went blank.
What kind of monster were they truly up against?
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