That night, the four of them discussed until late.
The next day, Steve followed Agent Carter to the secret laboratory.
Lying in the spacious enhancement chamber, Steve's frail body squirmed slightly with unease.
"Comfortable?" Chen Mo asked, standing beside Steve.
"A bit big, Master." Seeing Chen Mo, Steve visibly relaxed.
"Soon you'll feel it's too small," Chen Mo said with a mysterious smile.
"Remember, no matter what, you must endure," Chen Mo sternly instructed. The improved serum had stronger effects, but the pain from the enhancement would also be greater.
"I will, Master," Steve nodded firmly. He had finally gotten this opportunity and would not give up.
After clearing out unrelated personnel, the doctor picked up the microphone.
"Ladies and gentlemen,"
"Today marks the first step on our path to peace."
"First, we will perform a series of minimally invasive injections,"
"Injecting the serum into the muscle groups."
"After the serum is injected, it will trigger rapid cellular changes,"
"Followed by growth stimulation,"
"Then the subject will be exposed to Vita-Rays."
…
As Dr. Erskine explained, the experiment began. After the serum injection, the enhancement chamber closed, and the Vita-Ray exposure started. Intense white light shone from the chamber's window.
As the ray intensity increased, Steve began to scream in pain uncontrollably.
Seeing this, Agent Carter anxiously shouted, "Turn it off!"
"Steve!" Dr. Erskine banged on the chamber, calling out. Seeing no response from Steve, the doctor quickly shouted, "Turn it back, Mr. Stark, turn it off!"
Howard was about to turn off the rays when Steve suddenly screamed.
"No!"
"Don't turn it off!"
"I can take it!"
Howard paused and looked at Dr. Erskine, who then looked at Chen Mo.
Chen Mo nodded affirmatively, "He can do it."
Hearing this, the doctor nodded to Howard, who then slowly turned the switch to maximum.
As the white light from the window grew brighter and more dazzling, everyone lowered their heads and shielded their eyes.
Soon, the equipment emitted sparks and white smoke, and finally, everything stopped. The intense light gradually faded, and the enhancement chamber stood quietly with no movement.
"Mr. Stark," the doctor signaled Howard to open the chamber.
Under the anxious gaze of everyone, the enhancement chamber slowly opened, revealing a tall, muscular figure.
The experiment was a success. Steve had transformed from a frail, small man into a tall, strong super soldier.
"I did it, Master," Steve said weakly, the immense pain from the enhancement process almost overwhelming him.
"We did it!" Chen Mo said, helping Steve out of the chamber. He couldn't help but feel excited. The new enhancement serum, developed with his assistance, had made Steve even taller and stronger than in the movie, proving the new serum's superior strength, which was undoubtedly his achievement.
"Yes, we did it!" Dr. Erskine was surprisingly calm, while Howard was more excited. "You really did it!"
Peggy Carter quickly stepped forward, looking at Steve's bare, muscular upper body, which glistened under the lights. Feeling a mix of admiration and confusion, she asked, "How do you feel?"
"Taller," Steve replied weakly, still feeling the effects of the process.
Usually decisive and valiant, Agent Carter found herself acting like a shy girl. She couldn't help but touch Steve's developed chest muscles. "You do look taller."
As everyone was immersed in the excitement of success, a Hydra spy who had infiltrated the lab suddenly detonated a bomb, seizing the only remaining super soldier serum and shooting Dr. Erskine.
Having just gained superhuman strength, Steve watched helplessly as Dr. Erskine, the man who had created him, was shot and killed. Enraged, he got up and chased after the spy.
The Hydra spy fought his way out, killing several guards and the antique shop owner guarding the secret lab. With the help of an accomplice, he escaped by car.
Agent Carter, the first to give chase, used her precise marksmanship to shoot the driver in the head, causing the car to crash into the roadside.
The Hydra spy quickly got out of the car, hijacked a nearby taxi, and drove straight at Carter.
Carter remained calm, aiming her gun. Just as the car was about to hit her, Steve rushed over, grabbing Carter and pulling her out of the way.
"I had him in my sights!" Carter shouted angrily.
If Steve hadn't tackled her, she would have hit the spy with her last shot, though she would have been hit by the car.
"Sorry," Steve said quickly, getting up to continue the chase.
After a dramatic pursuit, the chase ended at the dock. The Hydra spy, attempting to escape in a hidden single-person submarine, was pulled out by Captain America, who broke the hatch and threw him onto the shore.
Realizing he couldn't escape, the Hydra spy shouted, "Hail Hydra!" and committed suicide by poisoning himself.
Chen Mo glanced at the shattered serum in the corner and quietly left his hiding place.
With Dr. Erskine's death and the loss of the serum, the super-soldier program came to a halt and was eventually shelved.
The spy chase in New York made headlines, bringing Steve widespread fame. Senator Brandt took advantage of this, using his power to pull Steve from the lab.
They packaged Steve as an American hero, using him to promote war bonds, film propaganda movies, and tour the country, making Captain America's name known nationwide.
Meanwhile, at a secret base of the Strategic Scientific Reserve, the supposedly dead Dr. Erskine sat calmly at a conference table. Besides Colonel Phillips, Agent Carter, and Chen Mo, Howard Stark was also present.
"Are we really not going to tell Steve?" the cold and beautiful Agent Carter asked reluctantly.
"He will know, but not now," Chen Mo said with a sigh. "Alright, let's get down to business."
The night before the experiment, after Chen Mo and Dr. Erskine explained the situation, the colonel and Carter realized the potential dangers of the super-soldier program. If the experiment succeeded, many powerful figures, possibly even the president, would desperately want this power. At that point, it would be difficult for Colonel Phillips alone to protect the serum.
If the serum fell into the hands of ambitious individuals, the consequences would be catastrophic. An invincible army of super soldiers could shake the entire world.
If the enhanced individuals were not carefully selected, bullies, criminals, and terrorists could gain this power, leading to uncontrollable super soldiers causing chaos and destruction, with countless civilians potentially losing their lives.
Therefore, the serum must not be handed over. This world-changing power had to be controlled by righteous individuals.
Ultimately, they decided to follow Chen Mo's suggestion and have Dr. Erskine fake his death during the experiment to end the super-soldier program.
To prevent any accidents, Colonel Phillips even arranged for a "spy" himself. If Hydra didn't act, this "spy" would complete their plan.
As a genius inventor and a key member of the Strategic Scientific Reserve, Howard Stark's abilities were unquestionable, and he could be fully trusted. Carter had spoken to him before the experiment, and he agreed with their plan and was willing to join.
As for Steve, Chen Mo knew this simple-hearted kid couldn't hide things well and would easily give away the secret. So, they decided to keep him in the dark to mislead the politicians.
In a few months, after gaining enough fame, Steve would rejoin the Strategic Scientific Reserve, and everything would fall into place without arousing suspicion.
After the storm passed, the five of them gathered again.