In every sense of the world, this was not good news.
However, when Arthur heard Agent Carter's words, he remained calm.
It was akin to a prisoner awaiting a death sentence. The anxiety builds during the wait, but when the judgment finally comes, a strange peace settles in.
Accepting it or not, it didn't change the reality.
Exhaling softly, Arthur shrugged and sat down in his chair. "Is there anything else besides my situation?"
"We've compiled a list."
Agent Carter said, "Colonel Phillips hopes that during your 'free' time, you can join me in rounding up these individuals."
"Is each one as tough as Lindsay?"
"Not necessarily... but if we don't act soon, once Lindsay's case gets out, they might all flee."
Arthur nodded. This time, he didn't refuse.
Since Hydra clearly wouldn't let him go, there was no point in avoiding the inevitable. If it was a confrontation they wanted, then let it begin here and now!
And he could gain something from it.
Weapons, equipment— anything that could enhance his strength was welcome.
After discussing this, neither of them spoke.
They fell into an awkward silence, each looking at the other.
It was uncomfortable. Agent Carter stared at Arthur for three seconds, and Arthur averted his gaze.
Agent Carter stood up. "I should be going."
"Yeah, let me see you out."
They walked from the room to the door before Arthur said. "Goodbye."
"...You're such a jerk!"
Agent Carter glared at Arthur, turned, and walked away briskly.
Back in the room, Arthur blinked. "At least it wasn't a rejection, right? Being called a jerk is better than nothing, after all."
---
The next morning, Arthur received some good news.
The Disassembler had upgraded!
Summoning the Disassembler, he saw it still appeared worn and battered, as if waiting to be recycled.
The only difference was its name— it had changed from Novice Intermediate Disassembler to Novice Advanced Disassembler!
What this meant, Arthur wasn't sure.
He remembered the agent he had caught watching Dr. Erskine and the two Walther P38 pistols stored in the Disassembler that he hadn't yet disassembled.
Might as well give it a try...
"Disassemble 'Walther P38 Handgun *2'?"
"Huh?" Arthur was surprised. He could disassemble two at once?
This was good news; it would save a lot of time.
Choosing 'Yes,' he waited about ten seconds.
**Announcement!**
**Equipment disassembled!**
**Beginner Handgun Shooting Experience*13**
**Damaged Battle Soul*2**
**Fragmented Energy Residue*3**
**Disassembler Experience +2**
**Disassembly complete. Would you like to extract at once?**
Arthur didn't extract immediately. He blinked, carefully reading the notification, noticing something called 'Fragmented Energy Residue,' then scratched his head.
"What on earth is this?"
After extracting the items, Arthur discarded the books and Battle Souls, leaving him with three tiny fragments.
These fragments were irregularly shaped, with sharp edges, and they fluctuated as if they were not in a stable state.
Arthur examined them for a long time but couldn't figure out what they were. Were these some kind of bonus from the Disassembler upgrade?
He tried tapping one with his finger, and immediately, a shiver ran through his entire body!
It was as if an electric current had surged through him, coursing from head to toe.
Then, it vanished without a trace!
"What the hell?"
Arthur looked at his hand— and found that there was nothing there.
He closed his eyes to sense anything different— still nothing.
He then tried a dramatic gesture, snapping his fingers like Thanos, but nothing happened.
"Alright, maybe snapping away half the universe was a bit ambitious, but at least a spark or something? What's the deal with this energy residue? And if it's fragmented, is there a complete version somewhere? Can a complete version even be called residue?"
After venting his frustration, Arthur silently accepted that nothing had changed for now.
Still, there was a glimmer of hope. If the Disassembler could now produce fragmented energy residue, what might it create in the future?
Arthur felt a strange surge of confidence.
A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.
Arthur opened it to find Dr. Erskine standing there, looking a bit hungover. "Hey, after breakfast, want to join me for a walk?"
"I thought my glorious life would involve strolling with beautiful women?"
"No, no beautiful women, just one old man, and you don't have the right to refuse."
Dr. Erskine chuckled heartily, a stark contrast to his demeanor the previous night.
"What choice do I have?"
Arthur grabbed his gear and followed Dr. Erskine out the door.
After breakfast, they drove away from the camp, heading to the recruitment center.
The moment Arthur realized their destination, he knew what Dr. Erskine had planned.
Sure enough, when a skinny, pale young man entered the recruitment center, Dr. Erskine perked up.
"Look! He's here!"
Arthur couldn't muster any enthusiasm, having spent the entire day with Dr. Erskine waiting for this guy.
"Great, now's your chance to shine, Doctor. Go on, show him your charisma and make him follow your every command."
"I'm on it."
Excited, Dr. Erskine didn't catch Arthur's sarcastic tone.
With Arthur chuckling, the doctor waited for the medical officer to leave the examination room, then stepped inside.
Arthur shrugged, having no intention of following. He wasn't keen on meeting the 'young' Captain.
After stretching his legs, he leaned against the wall, contemplating his complicated life.
Not long after, maybe ten minutes later, the young Captain emerged, looking thrilled.
"Feeling good?"
Seeing his expression, Arthur couldn't help but ask.
"Absolutely, buddy!" The young Captain glanced at Arthur, smiling. "I've never felt this fulfilled!"
"…"
As Arthur pondered this, Dr. Erskine walked out. "We should get going!"
As they left, the doctor whispered to Arthur, "I'm more convinced than ever. He's the perfect candidate!"
Arthur hesitated before replying, "So… did you two have a heart-to-heart?"
"Huh?" The doctor looked confused.
Arthur playfully clapped his hands three times.
**(End of Chapter)**
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