The intense pain jolted the Hydra captain awake, and he let out an agonizingly realistic scream.
"My arm! You… devil!" he yelled in pain, realizing his predicament almost immediately.
Russell nudged the captain over with his foot, pressing his boot firmly against his chest, his grin both smug and terrifying.
"Now I ask, you answer," Russell said, his tone menacing. "Answer well, and I might let you live. Lie, and I'll show you what a real devil can do."
Steve's face contorted with pain, and he spat out through gritted teeth, "And if I tell you… can I live?"
Russell nodded, his expression sincere. "I'm not a villain like you. I keep my word."
He leaned in closer. "Besides, do you have a choice? Refuse, and I'll make sure Elios has a snack out of your legs."
Steve trembled at the thought. He knew that if the time monster devoured him, even his soul would be obliterated.
"Fine!" he replied, desperate. "But remember your word."
Russell nodded approvingly and began his interrogation. "How big is the Void?"
Steve shook his head quickly. "No one knows! It's like no planet I've ever seen—endless, with fake sunlight in the sky."
Some kind of pocket dimension, Russell mused, making a mental note. After a moment, he pressed on. "And what about the factions here? I'll verify it all, so don't try to deceive me."
Steve's face twitched—he'd considered leading Russell into a trap, but he dared not risk it now. He took a deep breath and answered honestly.
"There's a group of Deadpools in the forest across the plain—filthy, no one likes going there. Further ahead, by the lake, there's a gathering of mutants, some ordinary humans too. On the right, there's a black-market trading spot in the valley. Farther in that direction is an abandoned city, where Loki and his people have set up their base. The idiots even elected a 'president.'"
He glanced left, his face paling. "And if you go deeper in the plain to the left, there's a bald psycho over there—a real killer. We all avoid that place unless we're suicidal."
Russell processed the information, recognizing the "bald psycho" as Cassandra. Definitely not heading there yet, he thought. He had to prioritize, and the Loki base seemed safer.
But he wanted more. His eyes burned with intensity as he leaned closer. "Anything else? You didn't leave anything out, did you?"
The Hydra captain flinched at Russell's menacing gaze and stammered, "M-my base is in a cave under a dry riverbed, about ten kilometers from here. And I have three teammates—Peter Parker, Tony Stark, and the Kamar-Taj wizard Mordo."
Russell's eyes narrowed at the familiar names, suspecting these were twisted versions of the heroes he knew. They were likely as sinister as this Hydra captain.
Spider-Man's agility and spider-sense, Iron Man's tech skills, Mordo's magic— it was a tempting combination to acquire. But he knew better than to rush in unprepared.
One step at a time, Russell thought. No point risking everything now.
He looked down at the Hydra captain, his face now openly malevolent.
Realizing what was coming, Steve's eyes widened in horror. "You lied to me!" he shouted. "You're no hero—you're just as evil as—"
Russell's face darkened as he cut him off, his voice laced with icy disdain. "Hero?" He chuckled coldly. "In this twisted Marvel world, I couldn't care less about being a hero."
Without another word, he stepped forward, crushing the Hydra captain's neck beneath his boot, silencing him forever.
Just then, the system's prompt echoed in Russell's mind:
[Entry Plunder Completed!]
[Advanced Elite Combat (Green)]
You now possess peak human combat skills, including mastery over most firearms and weapons.
[Super Serum - Special (Green)]
A mix of Hydra's super-soldier formula and the Allies' Super Soldier Serum, boosting physical strength and endurance.
Combined with the Extremis Virus, your heat limit now increases from 1800°C to 2600°C.
Russell grinned, feeling the power surge through him. This is just the beginning.
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