The Captain's head was full of black lines. He had originally come with a grateful heart to thank these two people.
Why did their words instantly make him feel the urge to smash their faces with his shield?
Taking a deep breath, he filtered their words.
"Thank you! Thank you both for everything you've done for me!"
The Captain sat down beside them and said solemnly.
"For God's sake, Captain, you should put more heart into it. At the very least, come over and give us each a hug or something. Do you know how much effort it took to get these World War II decorations and costumes? I practically cleared out half a warehouse of props from a friend's film company," Blake said with a smile this time, not giving the Captain a hard time.
"I think you should take a break and travel the world with Peggy. Really take the time to see it. If you need, I can arrange a trip for you both to Asgard," Blake added.
"Wherever the two of us go, it doesn't matter, but let's wait a while. Right now, Peggy and Natasha are organizing some intelligence. Guess what they found? Traces of Hydra," the Captain said with an unusually serious expression as he faced his destined nemesis.
"Listen to me, Captain. You two should travel the world. Leave Hydra to me. We're the Avengers, remember? We've defeated alien invaders. Hydra? They're nothing more than flies to us now, certainly not a real threat!"
"Exactly, Captain. Our enemies are up there!" Tony pointed to the stars above.
Compared to the Captain, Tony had even greater respect for Peggy Carter, the woman who, alongside his father, co-founded S.H.I.E.L.D.
Stark Industries had recently purchased a massive cruise ship for luxurious world tours. Tony had reserved the most exclusive luxury suite package for the Captain and Peggy.
In the end, under the persuasion of both Blake and Tony, the Captain temporarily set aside his work and chose to travel the world with Peggy.
The truth was, the intelligence had only hinted at Hydra's presence and lacked concrete evidence. Otherwise, the Captain wouldn't have rested until Hydra was dismantled.
After seeing off the Captain and Peggy, Blake heaved a sigh of relief.
In his mind, everything else could change, but Hydra was something he had deliberately left untouched for a long time.
It was all for the eventual appearance of Scarlet Witch. He couldn't afford any unexpected changes at the last moment.
...
Wakanda, which had demonstrated its strength to the world during the Chitauri invasion, had recently become the focus of global attention.
This once-isolated nation, which previously had no foreign institutions within its borders, was now flooded with requests from almost every powerful country to establish embassies and send scientific delegations.
The number of tourists visiting Wakanda had multiplied exponentially, drawn by its growing reputation.
Lately, the Old King had been so busy that he hardly had time to rest.
Just dealing with the influx of tourists—managing their food, lodging, and other necessities—was a massive challenge, not to mention the expansion of transportation infrastructure, airport construction, and accommodating airlines from around the globe.
Wakanda has no fear of war, but the sudden increase in administrative tasks is a significant challenge for this ancient nation that has functioned as a tribal society for centuries. Even though their technology surpasses the rest of human civilization by many years, adapting to modern governance remains difficult.
"If I had known it would be like this, I should have been better prepared to face the whole world!"
The Old King, who hadn't shared breakfast with his son in a long time, finally found a rare moment to complain as they ate together.
Black Panther smiled slightly. For someone as young as him, opening Wakanda to the world was a dream come true.
"But isn't this a fleeting opportunity? While the world owes us a favor, we should solidify relationships with major powers and offer just enough technological benefits to balance the various global forces. Isn't that the right move?"
"T'Challa, you must remember, these are merely necessary political strategies. The real guarantee of our security lies in the Avengers—or rather, Blake. That man harbors terrifying power capable of challenging the entire world."
"That's why this ally is someone you need to pay special attention to. He will be both a support and a partner. In a few days, Blake and the others will visit. Prepare yourself; I want you to join the Avengers!"
T'Challa was overjoyed. Compared to being a dutiful king handling mundane affairs, he much preferred the freedom of a warrior's life.
But he dared not show his excitement, instead calmly asking, "What about domestic matters? Didn't you want me to gain experience managing them?"
"Things are different now, my child! Now that we're open to the world, we need various talents, especially in administration. While I'm still able, I will send some reliable young people abroad to learn management skills so that you'll have professional and loyal help in the future."
"As for you, there are only two things you need to focus on: maintain your role as an Avenger and safeguard our vibranium. With that, everything will be fine."
---
Wakanda began engaging with Blake, and to Blake's surprise, even though he had sent Captain America on vacation, destiny still led the Captain to cross paths with his nemesis.
Traveling aboard a massive luxury cruise ship, Captain America and Peggy Carter crossed the Atlantic Ocean. They stopped in Europe for a few days to revisit old battlefields and the places they once spent time together decades ago.
The cruise then sailed southward, offering them a taste of African culture before entering the Indian Ocean.
On a deck corner near a restaurant, two white men were hiding, smoking cigarettes.
"The target has been located—it's right in the middle of the Indian Ocean. This ship conveniently has emergency escape yachts for those wealthy folks staying in the luxury suites. We can use one to approach them and pose as stranded tourists!"
The two men were discussing an audacious but highly illicit plan, completely unaware that Captain America was quietly standing nearby, eavesdropping.
Their voices gradually lowered, but the Captain still caught snippets like "S.H.I.E.L.D.," "Lemurian Star," and "hijack."
That was enough for him to piece together their intentions.
In the middle of the Indian Ocean, a ship bearing the name *Lemurian Star* and the S.H.I.E.L.D. insignia was cruising slowly.
This ship was a mobile satellite launch vessel, one of Hydra's assets meant to deploy their Insight Satellites as part of their nefarious "Insight Plan."
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