"What just happened?"
"Come on, let's go inside and see!"
Upon hearing the gunshot, the other four robbers at the entrance rushed into the hall, where they found their leader unconscious on the floor. Steve was already upon them like a cheetah, moving swiftly.
After more than sixty years in cryostasis, Steve's physical condition was not stagnant. His body's cells had been optimized during hibernation, bringing his Super Soldier Physique to its peak.
His senses, strength, physique, speed, reflexes – everything was nearly ten times that of an ordinary human!
In a burst of inhuman speed, a cap flew off from his head.
Steve didn't pay it any mind. When he got close, he used both his hands and feet to employ sharp, decisive combat techniques.
In just a few seconds, the remaining four robbers couldn't even fire a single shot before they were completely overpowered. They cried out in agony as they knelt on the ground, their firearms falling to the ground one after another.
Only then did the cap gently fall to the ground from the air.
"In the war, you'd have died on the battlefield a long time ago. Please appreciate this era of peace!" Steve scolded with annoyance, kicking the last robber in the stomach.
The robber spat out blood and was flung several meters, crashing into the ground by the entrance, sliding and rolling to a halt at the base of a stone statue.
"Really," Steve clapped his hands clean, then picked up his cap from the ground.
As he looked up, he saw a somewhat resigned Kyle, along with surprised onlookers in the hall. It seemed he had accidentally revealed his identity.
"Kyle," Steve started to speak but then stopped, smacking himself on the forehead in self-reproach.
This was not good; both their identities were exposed.
Kyle sensed the scorching gazes behind him and took a few steps forward, passing Steve, and said coldly, "Aren't you leaving? Quickly!"
"Oh, right!" Steve snapped back to attention and followed him as they exited the memorial.
They arrived quickly and left quickly, leaving behind a collection of robbers strewn across the ground, battered and unconscious.
"If I'm not mistaken, that seemed to be Captain America just now, right?!"
"He looked exactly like in the movies. If you're wrong, I must be too..."
"Wait, he seemed to call that guy 'Kyle'!"
"Could it be..."
Inside the memorial hall, the people exchanged glances, and after a brief silence, they all rushed enthusiastically toward the exit.
The unfortunate robbers on the ground were subjected to a second round of attacks.
Two motorcycles continued on their way, merging with the flow of traffic on the city's main road, moving away from the bustling and noisy war memorial behind them.
"It's a good thing you reacted quickly. If the crowd had been trapped, it would have been troublesome to get out," Steve said with a wry smile.
"You get used to it," Kyle shrugged, calmly stating, "In the 21st century, people, once they've eaten their fill and had enough to drink, are filled with dirty and wicked thoughts, while the good folks are obsessed with the gossip on the information networks."
He added, "I bet by tomorrow morning, your return, as well as our appearance at the war memorial, will spread throughout the entire United States."
"At least it's not a bad thing," Steve sighed in relief.
"It's hard to say," Kyle shook his head. Who knew if the new media would add words like 'shocking,' 'secret rendezvous,' or 'close friends' in their headlines.
Speaking of close friends...
Kyle revved his engine, the cylinders roaring. He overtook Steve and said softly, "You've been to all the places you wanted to. Now, I'll take you somewhere else."
With that, he sped off on his motorcycle, leading the way out of the city with Steve close behind.
It was late at night, and two motorcycles tore through a secluded forest path, breaking the silence and darkness of the woods. They came to a stop in the courtyard of the estate, their headlights glaring on the wooden steps leading up to the main building.
"Kyle, where are we?" Steve questioned, looking around with surprise. Suddenly, his expression changed as two sniper rifle red dots landed on him.
Simultaneously, a shadow darted out of the darkness, rapidly approaching.
Just as Steve tensed up, Kyle lightly clapped his hands and said in a cold tone, "It's alright, he is with me."
The red targeting dots disappeared as he finished speaking.
At the same time, a middle-aged man in a butler's uniform rushed forward, dropped to one knee, and respectfully said to Kyle, "Carl Family estate's butler, Edmund, greets the head of the family!"
Kyle nodded in acknowledgment, dismounted his motorcycle, and gazed up at the well-lit castle. He whispered, "This place hasn't changed at all."
"That's right," The butler said as he stood up, sighing. "Since you left Earth and this place became the family's old estate, Lady Lucy wouldn't allow us to alter anything. Even the trees around and the chairs inside are exactly the same as sixty years ago."
"You've done a great job looking after this place. Returning to the family's base, you can receive ten years of Infinity Formula free of charge," Kyle said calmly.
"Thank you, Head of the Family!" The butler exclaimed with joy.
Ten years' worth of Infinity Formula was equivalent to several lifetimes' worth of contributions for anyone below the Black Card Tier.
"Take us to the old warehouse," Kyle continued.
"Of course. Follow me, please," the butler said, leading Kyle and Steve to the back of the main building, where the old warehouse was located.
The doors of the old warehouse were secured with iron chains and old locks, and the door was covered in spiderwebs and dust.
"As per your orders, the warehouse has not been opened or used for many years," the butler explained.
"Very well," Kyle nodded.
Steve was puzzled. "Kyle, what are we doing in this warehouse?"
"Do you remember Bucky?" Kyle asked in return.
Steve shivered, his face contorted in pain. "How could I forget him? He fell into a snowy ravine while saving me!"
As the realization hit him, he asked anxiously, "Why are you suddenly bringing him up? Could it be..."
"That's right, Bucky is still alive," Kyle nodded firmly and then kicked the warehouse door.
He used only half his strength, but due to the door's extreme age and decay, the entire door, including the lock, broke off and flew into the warehouse, kicking up a cloud of dust.
"You say Bucky is still alive?!" Steve was stunned, his eyes filled with excitement and joy.
"That's right. Not long after the war, I encountered him at the Soviet Red Room..."
Kyle turned on the basement's lights as he walked into the warehouse, narrating the events of how Bucky was preserved in cryostasis.
At that time, they had no other choice.
Bucky's mind was clouded due to brainwashing, and he couldn't control his body. To prevent him from being used as a weapon, he was preserved in the cryo-chamber. Kyle had a special chamber built in the basement of the old warehouse where Bucky had been frozen, waiting for the day he would be awakened.
Only Kyle and Howard knew about this; not even the Carl Family members were aware that there was a live person frozen in the basement of the warehouse.
Today, it was time to awaken him.
Kyle stopped in front of the basement door. It was a sealed iron door that even a small bomb wouldn't open; it could only be opened from the inside.
"It's much more convenient with the Sling Ring."
Kyle shook his head, extending his right hand, coated entirely with Venom liquid, transforming it into a dark hammer.
He aimed the hammer at the sealed iron door and struck it with a powerful blow.
Violent Demolition!
(End of this chapter)