After Steve rescued the prisoners, he and Peggy spent a long time alone together. Although they didn't break the final barrier, they both understood each other's feelings without saying it out loud.
Hearing Steve say such bold and affectionate words in front of so many people made even the usually composed Peggy blush slightly.
Chen Mo and the Colonel exchanged a smile, full of satisfaction, while Howard widened his eyes, looking at Steve as if he were an alien.
Is this the shy, introverted boy I knew? Didn't he used to blush just talking to girls? What happened?
Howard naturally wouldn't know how much effort Chen Mo, as a mentor, put into Steve's lifelong happiness. He had been meticulously planning for a long time.
Chen Mo had already prepared Steve in advance. Even if Peggy hadn't asked, Chen Mo would have helped her ask. Otherwise, if they waited for the two to develop on their own, who knows if they would have gotten together by the time Chen Mo left.
It must be said that Chen Mo's care for Steve was unparalleled, and Steve never let him down.
Steve's simple and straightforward words made Peggy blush, but she quickly raised her head, looking directly at Steve with eyes full of love.
Chen Mo nodded secretly, satisfied! Soon, Peggy underwent the enhancement process. The modified serum was relatively mild and didn't require exposure to life rays; she just needed to lie down and get the injection. The pain during the enhancement process could be endured by anyone with a bit of willpower, except for Howard, of course.
Peggy gritted her teeth and endured the enhancement without complaining, and slowly got up from the experimental chair, covered in sweat. Steve quickly stepped forward to support her.
Peggy gave him an annoyed look but didn't refuse his help.
After the enhancement, Peggy's appearance changed slightly. She became more agile but not bulky, with beautiful muscle lines, resembling a valiant and sexy female warrior.
Peggy examined her fit body and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She smiled at Steve and said, "Sorry to disappoint you."
Steve, however, seemed to revert to the shy boy Howard remembered, standing there not knowing what to say.
Peggy gave Steve an annoyed look, shook off his hand, and went back to her room to change clothes, but a beautiful smile appeared on her lips.
Chen Mo shook his head secretly, realizing he had been too optimistic. Steve was completely clueless in this area, and solving his lifelong happiness would be a long journey.
After Peggy's successful enhancement, Chen Mo didn't let Colonel Phillips undergo the process immediately. Like Dr. Erskine, the serum's effects were more pronounced in older people.
If the Colonel underwent enhancement now, his appearance would revert to that of a forty-year-old, revealing the secret to everyone.
So, Chen Mo advised the Colonel to wait until retirement for the enhancement, suggesting he continue as the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. behind the scenes.
"Does that mean I can't retire?" Colonel Phillips asked with a stern face.
"I'm afraid so. You shouldn't consider retirement for the next few decades," Chen Mo replied, making the Colonel glare at him. He had planned to retire and enjoy a leisurely life, but now that was impossible.
However, the idea of becoming younger seemed appealing, even if he had to wait a few more years. The Colonel grudgingly accepted Chen Mo's explanation about the serum.
The serum wouldn't grant immortality but would significantly extend life and allow for cryogenic freezing, theoretically enabling indefinite life.
Chen Mo suggested that after their enhancements, they could fake their deaths and hide within S.H.I.E.L.D., taking turns overseeing its operations while the others remained in cryogenic stasis.
The Colonel agreed with Chen Mo's plan. After retirement, he would need to fake his death to undergo enhancement. Others would also need to find opportunities to fake their deaths as they wouldn't age visibly over the next few decades.
At that time, S.H.I.E.L.D. will be full of talent, with all departments well-established. In a stable situation, there will be no need for these old guys to watch over it together.
They can be frozen as Chen Mo suggested, taking turns to be thawed. This way, with these elders taking turns to oversee, there will be no worry about S.H.I.E.L.D. being taken over by those with ulterior motives, ensuring that they always uphold S.H.I.E.L.D.'s core principles and don't go astray.
Of course, Steve and Peggy will be counted as a pair, as they can't be separated.
The changes and plans for S.H.I.E.L.D. are not known to outsiders. What is well-known is that Captain America and the special operations commander went deep behind enemy lines, rescued hundreds of Allied prisoners from a Hydra base, and successfully destroyed the base.
Taking this opportunity, the Strategic Scientific Reserve recalled Steve to join the special operations team to deal with the re-emerging Hydra forces.
Steve was originally a member of the Strategic Scientific Reserve and was temporarily seconded by Senator Brandt. They had the right to recall him at any time, especially after Steve proved his abilities on the battlefield. Returning to the Strategic Scientific Reserve and joining the special operations team to fight Hydra became a logical step.
At this point, sending him back to stage performances or movies would be unacceptable to both the government and the public.
Senator Brandt felt like he had raised someone else's duck only to have it taken back. Fortunately, he had gained a lot of credit from Steve, accumulating a significant amount of political achievements, which balanced his mind.
He also knew that it was no longer possible to use Steve as before; this duck had learned to fly.
Steve officially joined the special operations team. The survivors of the 107th regiment performed excellently in this operation. After fighting the powerful Hydra army, their morale soared, and their combat power increased. They were full of respect and gratitude towards Chen Mo and Steve, with no issues of loyalty. After coordination by the Colonel, they were incorporated into the special operations team, under Steve's command.
Steve became the true Captain America and named his team the Howling Commandos!