After listening to Agent Carter, Arthur quickly got the gist of the whole situation.
Basically, it started with a surprise attack from the enemy, which made the United States scramble to come up with a plan to strike back. They put together a team to raid the enemy's base directly, but because they rushed it, they weren't fully prepared.
So, the first plan flopped, leading them to come up with a second one – a decapitation strike. If they pulled it off, it would throw the enemy into chaos, giving the troops a chance to swoop in and take out the enemy's base. That would leave the surprise attack force isolated and easy to deal with.
Even if the decapitation strike didn't work, just injuring the enemy's leader would be a big win for the troops.
As for why they didn't use the decapitation team from the start, Arthur wasn't sure. There could be a bunch of reasons. War is messy, and every decision involves human factors like personal interests and the overall situation.
After thinking it over, Arthur spoke up, "Since we have people on the inside, why didn't we just storm in directly instead of planning this whole decapitation thing?"
Agent Carter explained, "Well, if too many people use our route, the enemy will notice. And by the time they figure it out, it might be too late."
Arthur couldn't help but chuckle at the explanation. Was it just because they were in a rush, or was there a flaw in their thinking?
But right now, Arthur didn't care about the details. The outcome was good, and that's what mattered.
They regrouped with their allies and waited for updates from the soldiers and the sergeant. Eventually, Agent Carter decided it was time to retreat. Arthur didn't argue. If their comrades hadn't shown up, it didn't necessarily mean something went wrong. The first wave of troops had already launched their attack, distracting the enemy. So, the risk to those who stayed back was lower now.
Moreover, even if something had happened, waiting here would be pointless. This was the reason for Agent Carter's immediate decision to retreat, and Arthur had no reason to refuse.
As they left, some of their allies joined them. After a brief exchange with Agent Carter, they saluted and headed back to camp.
Arthur wasn't sure what he was going to do next, and he didn't have much to say.
Watching their ally leave amid explosions from the camp, Arthur felt an odd urge to laugh.
This morning, he was just a regular guy, chilling at home, drinking cola, and binging movies and games. And now…
In the afternoon and evening, what had he been through?
"Life... is pretty wild," Arthur mumbled to himself.
"Stay with us!" Agent Carter called out, and Arthur hurried to catch up. He could ponder the meaning of life later; right now, he just wanted to find a place to crash and get some shut-eye.
...
...
Opening his eyes, Arthur found the room dimly lit, and he glanced out the window to see the sun setting behind the mountains.
Arthur licked his lips, feeling hungry.
He and Agent Carter had made it back to camp around four in the morning. Upon their return, they headed straight to the command center. However, Arthur found himself struggling to stay awake, and before he knew it, he was assigned to catch some shut-eye right there.
Now, it seemed like he had slept through the entire day.
As he stood up, lazily stretching his limbs, a surge of energy coursed through his body. Feeling invigorated, he couldn't resist playfully mimicking movie characters, throwing a few punches into the air.
Just then, the door creaked open, and Agent Carter strolled in, carrying two cans of canned food. Seeing Arthur so lively and in various poses, she couldn't help but chuckle, "Feeling like a martial arts master, huh?"
Arthur blushed deeply.
Despite graduating from high school years ago, he didn't expect to feel embarrassed by his occasional childish antics in front of someone from another country.
"You've been out cold all day; it's time to get some food in you," Agent Carter said, noticing Arthur's awkward expression. She approached and handed over the cans, saying, "Can't have our hero going hungry, can we?"
"Hero?" Arthur rubbed his nose, feeling like the title didn't quite fit.
"Absolutely, a hero," Agent Carter affirmed. "Your role in last night's mission was pivotal. You took down the enemy commander, saving many of our comrades!"
Arthur neither confirmed nor denied, recalling that when he had taken out the guy last night, he had no clue about the commander's importance.
It was a moment of pure coincidence!
There had been no time to strategize last night; he had been too exhausted.
Reflecting on his actions now, there had been a string of fortunate events!
Who would've thought the enemy commander would be holed up in a regular tent with minimal security?
Arthur's risky move to the ordnance depot and the sudden, daring idea that came to him at the end could only be described as crazy.
In fact, if it hadn't been for the enemy officer unexpectedly tasking Arthur with relaying orders, it wouldn't have been as smooth for him to make his escape.
The ambush by the first wave of troops, the sergeant and soldiers setting that fire... All of it, combined, had been the key to successfully completing the mission last night and making a clean getaway.
Without all these strokes of luck, Arthur felt his "hero" status would have been short-lived.
"Do you remember what I mentioned earlier?" Agent Carter suddenly interjected.
"About what?" Arthur inquired, teasingly, "Not about love, I hope?"
"We can delve into matters of the heart later if you'd like. But for now, I'd rather discuss the 'Super Soldier Plan' with you," Agent Carter said with a resigned smile. "Though it seems you've completely forgotten about it by now."
(End of this chapter)
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