Meanwhile, Wang Ye, who had disappeared, returned to Hydra headquarters at Mlaide through the spatial portal.
Although he didn't personally witness his apprentice Steve bawling like a child over his "death," Wang Ye could easily imagine the scene. This staged death was a perfect conclusion for now; there was still much he needed to accomplish, verify, and implement.
Returning through the portal, Wang Ye found himself back in his office, leisurely settling into the soft chair behind his desk.
Jon, his adjutant, stood respectfully behind him. In front of them, Dr. Zola nervously clutched a report as thick as a brick, trembling slightly under the gaze of Wang Ye, who had been absent for over a year.
"Dr. Zola, long time no see. You seem to have grown taller!" Wang Ye teased with a faint smile.
"Thanks to the super serum you brought back, I adjusted its formula and enhanced myself. The results are quite remarkable," Dr. Zola replied, lowering his head to avoid eye contact with Wang Ye.
"Hmm, I can see that. The Type I serum also performed well in the field tests at the Alpine base. I'm satisfied with the results. How's the progress on subsequent serum research?" Wang Ye asked, sipping from a glass of red wine that Jon had poured.
"The next-generation serum has progressed to Type VI, but we've hit a bottleneck that may take some time to overcome. The current serum is highly efficient; it only requires intravenous injection and adapts within minutes, with no significant changes to body size and a completely painless process," Zola explained, pulling a detailed experimental data report from his stack and handing it to Wang Ye.
Wang Ye examined the data and nodded approvingly.
Meanwhile, Steve skillfully, albeit clumsily, piloted the Valkyrie bomber back to the Hydra base in the Alps. Exhausted and pale, he staggered out of the plane with the Cosmic Cube wrapped tightly in a thick canvas.
Agent Carter rushed over to support him, taking the cube and passing it to Howard Stark, who was standing nearby.
"Master, he…" Steve began, his eyes red and brimming with tears. Before he could finish his sentence, his body gave out, and he fainted.
Major Phillips quickly scooped him up and sprinted toward the base plaza, shouting, "Medic! Medic!"
At a hospital in Brooklyn, Steve slowly opened his eyes, finding himself in a hospital bed. The first thing he saw was Agent Carter asleep by his side. Though still mourning, he felt slightly calmer.
Even the slightest movement from Steve—perhaps even a soft exhale—startled the ever-alert Carter awake. Upon seeing him conscious, her face lit up with relief.
"You're finally awake! You've been unconscious for eight hours. Don't be too sad about your master. Howard has examined the strange cube you brought back. It possesses mysterious powers, and since you only saw Wang Ye vanish, there's a chance he's still alive!"
Steve rubbed his sore eyes and nodded. "Master will be fine."
"I have something for you," Carter said, retrieving a letter from her bag.
The envelope read: To My Beloved Apprentice, Steve Rogers.
Seeing Wang Ye's familiar handwriting, Steve's tears welled up again as he opened the letter and read:
To Steve,
If you're reading this, it means I'm no longer here.
I deeply regret that I won't be able to attend your wedding with Carter. Let me congratulate you in advance: may you have a happy marriage, eternal love, and plenty of children!
I trust S.H.I.E.L.D. will thrive with you two at its helm. Don't grieve my departure; instead, remember: do not erect a tombstone for me.
I will return. And if I see my own tombstone, you can bet my golden baseball bat will have a serious talk with your behind!
Yours truly,
Wang Ye
The letter ended there, clearly written long before any unexpected events occurred.
"Steve, the best thing we can do now is manage S.H.I.E.L.D. well and wait for him to return," Carter said, her voice heavy with emotion as she looked at Steve's grieving expression.
"Yes, S.H.I.E.L.D. is his legacy. Even though he always complained about how tiring paperwork was, he meticulously handled every document. Let's wait for him together, and in the meantime, carry his vision forward!"
Steve wiped away his tears and gave Carter a bittersweet smile.
Wang Ye's Plan
In the leader's office atop Hydra Tower, Wang Ye sat smoking a cigar, his mind focused on the now-stabilized projection of another world.
As before, the projection displayed the apocalyptic scenes of the Resident Evil world: hordes of zombies wandered through devastated cities, the landscape a nightmarish vision of hell.
In the center of a desolate street stood Alice, her blonde hair and red dress striking against the chaos as she coldly surveyed the destruction.
Wang Ye rubbed his chin, recalling details about this world. "The Resident Evil world isn't inherently too dangerous, but I have no idea at which point in time I might arrive. The omnipresent virus is a big unknown. Better safe than sorry."
Pressing a button on his desk communicator, Wang Ye instructed, "Jon, tell Dr. Zola to come see me."
Moments later, Zola rushed into the office, adjusting his glasses. "You called for me, sir?"
"Do we have any oxygen-supplied protective suits in stock that can block external gases?"
After careful consideration, Wang Ye decided it was worth being overly cautious. Any breach of the virus could cause catastrophic consequences. While he could isolate himself spatially, he planned to bring a team along. Protective suits were a must.
"Yes, we've developed two thousand such suits. Each is equipped with ten oxygen blocks, each capable of supplying breathable air for 1,000 hours. The suits also feature temperature regulation, constant pressure, and a built-in circulation system to ensure drinking-grade water quality," Zola explained.
"Excellent. Take me to the sealed lab to inspect them."
(End of Chapter)
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