SSR has quite a talent for digging underground tunnels; the area here has been transformed into a semi-permanent fortification, with many people walking back and forth inside.
Su Ming saw Nick Fury cleaning, carrying a mop that was darker than his complexion, just passing by.
The ventilation here isn't great, filled with various tobacco smells, feeling like crawling into a chimney. Many clerks and strategists briskly walked around, the dim lighting making everything appear old.
They found Howard, this mad scientist, busy again with his unreliable inventions, fitting bulletproof steel plates onto a motorcycle, ending up heavier than a tank.
He was delighted to see Su Ming, expressing that he is a loyal user of Wilson Enterprises' products and that the self-heating cream pot is simply a genius invention.
So, the group went to the officers' dining room, where Su Ming pretended to take out prepared drinks from his coat.
Just as they were enjoying wine and canned foods, someone came to report to Colonel Philip that the 107th Regiment in the southern part of Arden Forest had been surrounded and annihilated by the German Army.
"Crack!"
The wine glass fell to the ground.
Steve immediately felt unsettled; that was Baki's unit!
He promptly asked the Colonel to go through special channels to see if he could obtain a list of the deceased, and the Colonel knew Steve had a good friend, generously agreed.
After checking the list several times, they found Sergeant Barnes' name wasn't on it; he was probably captured by the Germans.
Steve intended to rescue Baki, but Colonel Philip disagreed; although they knew a POW camp, it was deep behind German lines, too dangerous, impossible to return from.
The two parted unhappily, Steve grabbed his shield and left.
Su Ming stroked his chin; was it starting now? Pity about the good wine, didn't even finish it.
With the Colonel and Steve gone, only Peggy, Su Ming, and Howard remained at the table.
Howard seemed a bit embarrassed, realizing SSR was having an internal dispute.
"Ah, oh..."
Peggy apologized, looking at the two: "Sorry, Steve has been in a bad mood lately; many of his comrades have been sacrificed, and the Colonel is unwilling to let Steve take risks because of this."
Su Ming's expression remained calm; he finished his drink and refilled his glass: "It's okay, you should go check on him, but if you need an airplane, use mine."
Peggy left, confused.
Things remained the same; Peggy couldn't persuade Steve; instead, she was convinced to help him disobey orders and head behind German lines.
Only then did Peggy realize what Mr. Wilson meant by using the airplane.
"Did he foresee this so early? It seems I still don't know Steve deeply enough..."
These thoughts lingered in Peggy's mind.
Steve now had two choices: board Howard's plane or Slade's plane.
He thought about Howard's lab continuously exploding, and that rotten guy always trying to flirt with nurses; it didn't seem reliable...
So that night, Su Ming took him and Peggy flying over the forest.
Sitting on the airplane, hearing the engine roaring, Steve and Peggy chatted sporadically.
But they noticed Mr. Wilson seemed very relaxed.
Not only were there no parachutes and seatbelts in use, but he held the control stick with one hand, smoked a cigar with the other, and occasionally flicked ashes into an old can beside him.
Like going for a weekend drive to the countryside.
They didn't know what to say; clearly a tense, somber atmosphere, yet felt hard to stay tense?
The transport plane, much larger target than Howard's original small aircraft, halfway through, was spotted by German anti-air guns.
Steve only saw, amidst the night, thick black smoke streams exploding nearby, yet not a single shrapnel hit the plane.
Anti-air guns of this era used timed fuses, hoping to explode at a specific altitude to strike targets with shrapnel; but how could such primitive tools possibly hit Su Ming?
The flight altitude and direction shifted erratically, the plane trembled drunkenly in the air, leaving the German forces below bewildered.
"What is this? An aerial circus?"
Unable to hit them, and revealing their anti-air position, it invited heavy artillery bombardment from the US Army.
Watching Steve and Peggy tightly clinging due to the aircraft's swerving, Su Ming showed a fatherly, satisfied smile; his transport plane indeed lacked seatbelts.
That's right, who would win the battle for Steve, Peggy or Baki, is truly intriguing...
"German night fighters, hold tight!"
Su Ming suddenly shouted; before letting Steve see if the fighters truly existed, he quickly maneuvered, pulling a triple barrel roll.
From the darkness behind, shy cries from Peggy and Steve echoed.
...............
Su Ming's intentions were good, but the outcome wasn't favorable.
When Steve jumped from the plane door, his chest bore a stain of Peggy's vomit.
Peggy felt mortified enough to wish for death, but Steve generously comforted her.
"Now that we've seen each other's worst sides, it's always good to know a bit more about each other."
Agent Carter was touched, and even though Steve had jumped down quite a while ago, she still seemed to be lowering her head, playing with her fingers and stealthily laughing.
"Back to the United States? Lorin misses you."
Su Ming interrupted her imagination, reminding her with his words.
"No, sir, we're going back to the frontline SSR Command." Peggy tugged at the corner of her mouth; she was a soldier, defying orders was one thing, but returning to the United States now would be desertion, wouldn't it?
"It's alright, isn't the commanding officer in the Ardennes Region General Patton? I'm acquainted with him, no need to mind Colonel Philip's opinion."
Su Ming deliberately exhibited the behaviors of an unrestrained big capitalist, as if to say, I have money, so who cares?
Peggy already knew Deathstroke was a mercenary, so Su Ming had to present himself in the opposite direction. Most people would think mercenaries work for money, so Su Ming's current identity perfectly clears any suspicion.
"Thank you, Mr. Wilson, but I have to return to the battlefield."
Peggy said firmly as ever, knowing she might face penalties, but she was willing to bear them.
"Suit yourself, I'll back you up." Su Ming shrugged, casually dodging the anti-aircraft fire.
Su Ming considered himself a mercenary because he wished everything he did would have returns. Without returns, wouldn't that make him a masked vigilante?
The mercenary relationship is the cornerstone of modern society, one could say nearly everyone could be seen as a mercenary.
Someone is an accountant on Wall Street, flipping ledgers and typing on machines daily. They're also the capitalists' mercenaries because the marketplace is like a battlefield, equally ruthless.
Someone is a doctor, technically still employed; the operating table is their battlefield.
Workers, farmers, anyone involved with money could be seen as employed.
Labor in exchange for reward is the essence of employment, for which people are willing to do what others can't or don't want to do.
It's just that the Marvel World is full of masked vigilantes, as if these guys don't need to eat, willing to work without benefits...
That's just great, Su Ming likes people like that.
Last time, he even settled bills for Wade and Cable, but look at Holloway and Monac, did they ever ask for money?
Deadpool and his buddies still lack high ideological awareness, huh.
Speaking of which, hasn't Batman's account with DC been settled yet? Hmm...
.............
A few days later, just when Philip was about to send Peggy to a military tribunal, Steve returned with Bucky and a group of captives.
They carried various Hydra weapons, and even drove several Energy Tanks back.
Under the leadership of Captain America, they traversed the entire Ardennes Region, breaking through the encirclement of the German Army, accomplishing the nearly impossible task.
Peggy gazed intently at Steve, watching him carry the Pentagram Shield at the forefront of the team, with an expression of admiration.
Su Ming was also pleased. After all, he had come all this way mainly to hear Howard's views on Cosmic Rubik's Cube weapons...
So in the following days, Steve formed a new Roaring Assault Team, with Dum Dum Bullet Dugan and others rescued from Hydra Prison joining the troop.
Of course, Bucky was also there. This was the Roaring Assault Team Su Ming was familiar with, though he wondered how long the Braised Egg would have to clean. Maybe the end was near?
Su Ming mingled with Howard, observing his research on Hydra weapons.
There were many things he couldn't quite understand, but no matter, he could memorize it and report back to the Adjutant later.
Being locked out of one's own technology wasn't an issue, as one could steal others', especially when legitimately attending as an SSR sponsor.
Over the months, Captain America led the Roaring Assault Team to various battles, clashing with Red Skull and Dr. Zola, mainly because they'd captured Bucky.
They even tied Bucky to a small bed to torture him; Steve couldn't just let that slide.
................
One day, while Su Ming was observing Howard's experiments, he suddenly overheard some whispers that Dr. Zola's whereabouts had been discovered, and Captain America had already taken people out.
Su Ming raised an eyebrow and told Howard, "I'm going to rest now. You should let the nurses have a day off too; last night was too noisy."
Howard, wearing round protective goggles, was cutting the armor plates of a Hydra Tank with an electric welder, showing a smug smile.
"You'll have to ask if the girls agree, they just won't leave me alone."
Su Ming snorted through his nose, "If you weren't rich, only a fool would bother with a tech freak like you."
Having become friends with Su Ming, Howard didn't refute, acknowledging that's just how society is: "You're also rich; you can just as easily have parties every day."
"You don't get it, Howard. What's fun about women? I've been over that for ages." Su Ming said disdainfully, pulling a small suitcase from under the table - or technically, from a Spatial Bag - placing it on Howard's experimental table: "This is the real fun. I'll show you after a nap."
With that said, Su Ming slipped away. He had to rush over immediately to rescue Bucky.
Being the Winter Soldier?
There are plenty of Winter Soldiers, but there's only one Bucky.
Howard pushed up his protective goggles and opened the case, glancing at the small cubes inside with no idea what was fun about them.