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Whether it was a car accident or a terrorist attack, as long as the danger wasn't directed at him, he always felt an irresistible urge to observe the chaos.
With that thought in mind, Reid didn't hesitate. He started the car and drove toward the commotion up ahead.
But as he got closer, he began hearing other noises.
"Help... someone help!"
Cries for help!
For a brief moment, Reid hesitated. But then it hit him—this was an opportunity. Alfred wasn't just the loyal butler of the Wayne family; he was also a retired soldier with a strong sense of justice.
If someone was truly in danger and he stepped in to help, wouldn't that boost his role-playing progress?
With that thought, Reid brushed off the last bit of hesitation. He started the car and quickly drove toward the source of the cries for help.
However, what unfolded before him left him utterly stunned.
The scene was all too familiar: a man with long, unkempt hair-likely untouched for a decade-sporting a metal arm, was dragging an older man out of a car. Adding to the unsettling image was the unmistakable Stark Industries logo on the vehicle.
This... wasn't this the scene where the Winter Soldier kills Tony Stark's parents?
Was his starting village boss the Winter Soldier? And he was supposed to face him as Alfred? How was Alfred, a butler, supposed to take down the Winter Soldier?
While Reid was still frozen in shock, the Winter Soldier noticed him. Realizing there was now a witness to his actions, he released the injured Howard Stark. Without hesitation, he drew his handgun and aimed it directly at Alfred.
'Not good! He's going to shoot!'
Bang!
The moment the Winter Soldier pulled the trigger, Alfred's instincts kicked in. Reid's body moved on its own, slamming the car door open and using it as cover to avoid the incoming bullet.
The shot shattered the car window, but Reid managed to roll out of the way just in time, narrowly avoiding the deadly attack.
But it wasn't over. The Winter Soldier, a Hydra assassin with impeccable marksmanship, kept his gun trained on Reid, firing relentlessly with precise aim. The muzzle never strayed far from Reid's position, each pull of the trigger forcing him into desperate evasive maneuvers.
'Danger! Danger! Danger!'
Reid's mind screamed as the assassin closed in, step by step. The relentless barrage left him no choice but to roll behind the car for cover, barely evading the specialized handgun's deadly rounds.
'Had I known it was the Winter Soldier, I wouldn't have gotten involved!' Reid grumbled internally.
Regret began to creep into his thoughts. Alfred was formidable for a regular human, but at the end of the day, he was still just that—a regular human. Like Batman, he excelled at tactical thinking and preparation, but in a chaotic, street-level fight against someone like the Winter Soldier? The odds weren't in his favor.
Sure, there existed a version of Alfred in a parallel world who once turned Gotham City into a stage, orchestrating a Joker versus Batman game with his eccentric young master. But even that performance showcased Alfred's intellect more than his combat prowess.
When it came to raw fighting ability, Alfred couldn't be considered outstanding.
But now, Reid had no other choice. Gently twisting the handle of the cane he held, he revealed the hidden weapon within—a concealed rapier, his only means of defense.
At the same time, Reid noticed that under the relentless gunfire of the Winter Soldier, the car door he had slammed open earlier had now fallen to the ground.
A plan began to form in his mind. As he crouched behind the car, he started counting the bullets fired from the Winter Soldier's handgun.
'9... 10... 11... 12... Now!'
The moment the twelfth shot rang out, Reid burst out from behind the car. In one hand, he held the rapier disguised as a cane, and with the other, he effortlessly lifted the fallen car door as an improvised shield.
However, when Reid looked at the Winter Soldier, he was once again stunned.
The assassin had already tossed his empty pistol into the air with his left hand while smoothly pulling out a spare magazine. At the same time, his right hand retrieved a second handgun, which was now pointed squarely at Reid, ready to fire.
Reid's heart sank. 'Are you kidding me? This guy dual-wields?!'
"....."