The Savior of American Comics? I'm the Subspace Evil God!

Chapters 595, 1106, and 1107: The Death of Captain America (Part 2)

"Sir, this is bad! The bailiffs seem to have spotted the Winter Soldier, and they've already engaged in combat. The situation looks like it's getting out of control..."

Brock Rumlow watched the intense gunfight that had just erupted on the street corner in the distance, and saw the Daily Bugle's cameraman not far in front of him, who seemed to have a premonition and had already pointed his camera at that area. He finally realized the seriousness of the situation.

Clearly, someone wants to pin the blame for Hydra's killing of Captain America on them.

Although they had originally planned to do this, the feeling of being suddenly tricked at a crucial moment and forced to be exposed to the spotlight prematurely made him feel extremely uncomfortable and deeply threatened.

A brief silence fell over the communicator again, as Alexander Pierce seemed to be quickly weighing the pros and cons of the next instruction.

A moment later, his voice rang out again: "Don't worry about the Winter Soldier for now. If he can't shake off the pursuers on his own, then he's simply outmatched and has to pay the price. Anyway, we have five spare Winter Soldiers that we can activate at any time..."

"The most important thing now is to confirm that Steve Rogers is definitely dead. Now that things have come to this point, we can't afford to let him have any chance of survival, otherwise it will seriously affect our grand plan!"

“I understand.” A cold glint flashed in Brock Rumlow’s eyes as he ended the communication and glanced at the lifeless Captain America on the ground.

Although he had just confirmed that the other man's pulse had disappeared, as Alexander Pierce said, a more precise medical death determination, or even an on-site autopsy, was needed to confirm that the man was truly dead.

Just then, a figure staggered through the chaotic crowd and the agents maintaining order, and pounced on Captain America's body.

It was Sharon Carter.

She was dressed in casual clothes, her face was deathly pale, her lips trembled uncontrollably, and her usually calm and wise eyes were now filled with shock and uncontrollable grief.

"Captain Rumlow, please, please let me go with you to take Captain Rogers to the hospital?"

Although her voice sounded somewhat choked, there was no hint of hesitation in her gaze toward Brock Rumlow, as if she were not asking for his permission but rather informing him.

Brock Rumlow frowned and glanced at the other man, but didn't say anything more.

Sharon Carter, as the new Agent 13 within S.H.I.E.L.D. who inherited the title from the previous generation, is no lower in rank than him and does indeed possess such authority and supervisory responsibilities.

If he refuses the other party now, it could very likely cause some unnecessary trouble.

Since she's offering to come along, then so be it... If Captain America isn't really dead, we can just take her out too later!
Brock Rumlow then nodded slightly and gave a wink to his men.

Several special forces members immediately understood and gently lifted Captain America's gradually cooling body onto the waiting stretcher, then carefully transferred it into the ambulance flashing its blinding blue lights.

Throughout the entire process, Sharon Carter's gaze never left the figure whose chest was stained with blood.

Ambulances sped wildly through the streets of Washington, D.C., with sirens blaring, heading for the nearest hospital.

Inside the carriage, the smell of disinfectant mixed with the heavy stench of blood created a nauseating atmosphere of despair.

Sharon Carter held Captain America's once powerful but now increasingly cold and stiff hand tightly.

Captain America's body temperature was rapidly dropping, and his skin had turned a terrifying grayish-white due to excessive blood loss.

She looked at the handsome face on the stretcher, a face with sharp features that had brought hope and confidence to countless people. But now his eyes were closed, a trace of congealed blood remained on his lips, and he showed no signs of life. Her eyes involuntarily reddened.

Tears finally welled up uncontrollably, streaming down her pale yet delicate cheeks and dripping onto their clasped hands, icy cold.

“Captain…please…don’t die…don’t leave like this…” Sharon Carter murmured, her voice trembling with deep despair and helplessness.

It was as if such calls and prayers might help her pull Captain America's soul back from the clutches of death.

Her thoughts drifted uncontrollably back to the distant past.

Although she didn't spend much time with Captain America, her understanding and feelings for him were exceptionally complex.

She could hardly remember how old she was when she first saw her aunt Peggy Carter, the stern and decisive woman who was usually so stern, sitting alone in a rocking chair, clutching a faded old photograph, silently weeping, in her old-fashioned home.

From that day on, she became somewhat curious about the blond man in the photo, who was wearing an old-fashioned military uniform and had a sunny smile.

However, as a child at the time, she couldn't understand why her aunt enjoyed watching those boring war documentaries so much, and why she would burst into tears every time she saw that man in a photo.

As she grew older, as she began to peruse the thick historical archives and read about the legends of the Howling Commandos, and watched the images of that man leading the charge on the battlefield in the photos on the screen, she gradually began to understand the man named "Steve Rogers".

But at that time, my understanding was more based on amazement at his legendary life and admiration for his heroism, like looking up at a distant star.

It wasn't until a few years ago, in the corridor of S.H.I.E.L.D., that she finally saw the man her aunt had been longing for for nearly seventy years.

He had just awakened from his icy slumber, his eyes filled with a bewilderment that was completely out of touch with this new era, yet they possessed a clarity and steadfastness that other men of this time had long lost.

Subsequently, she witnessed firsthand the extraordinary courage, outstanding leadership, and almost obstinate adherence to justice and kindness that the other party displayed in one global crisis after another.

She finally understood why a strong woman like her aunt loved this man so deeply.

Because he is not just a super soldier, but also a symbol and an icon.

Even though his soul was tempered by war and frozen for seventy years, it was never tainted in the slightest.

No matter when or where, you can still see the pure kindness and integrity that comes from the depths of his deep blue eyes.

It was a unique light that had almost disappeared in this complex and gloomy world.

And so, from that moment on, she too, like her aunt Peggy Carter, fell hopelessly and silently in love with this "centenarian" from the last century, whose soul was incredibly young.

Even though she knew this relationship was destined to have no happy ending. Aunt Peggy would always hold a place in that man's heart, and times had long since changed.

But in her view, being able to know him, understand him, and silently protect him... all of this was worthwhile!
However, she never imagined that fate would be so cruel.

She was powerless to stop the man from falling in front of her and watching his life slip through her fingers.

This excruciating pain far surpassed any injury suffered during previous training or missions.

Sharon Carter finally couldn't bear it any longer and collapsed helplessly onto Captain America's cold, blood-soaked chest. The grief she had suppressed for so long burst forth like a flood, turning into waves of heart-wrenching, desperate sobs that echoed through the speeding ambulance.

……

A dozen minutes later, in the Daily Bugle's live broadcast room, John Jameson, with a solemn expression and a serious tone, said:

"Dear viewers, following verification and feedback from our reporters on the front lines, more reliable information regarding the horrific shooting incident that occurred in front of the Supreme Court has been confirmed..."

"First of all, it is with a heavy heart that we confirm that just minutes ago, Mr. Steve Rogers, the Captain America, who was rushed to a nearby hospital, was pronounced dead at the scene by the hospital due to a fatal gunshot wound to the heart!"

The background music in the live stream became somber and mournful.

The screen then displayed a heroic photo of Captain America during his lifetime, creating a stark contrast with the news of his death.

"Currently, our reporters on the front lines are at the Supreme Court, anxiously awaiting an official statement from the police and relevant departments regarding this horrific shooting incident..."

John Jameson abruptly changed the subject, his voice rising sharply, filled with clear doubt and accusation, "However, according to multiple sources, the suspect who allegedly shot and killed Captain America remains at large and his whereabouts are unknown!"

"This inevitably raises the most severe questions about the professionalism and efficiency of the Washington police, especially S.H.I.E.L.D., which is responsible for maintaining global supernatural and special security matters!"

The camera zooms in, revealing John Jameson's face filled with anguish: "Especially S.H.I.E.L.D., during the entire process of Captain America, this great warrior who can be called the symbol of the nation's free will, being shot, what substantive protective measures did their escorting team take besides forming a circle?!"

"I can't help but ask, did they have the necessary counter-sniper plans in place before the escort?"

"More importantly, what were the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents doing when the suspect engaged in a fierce gun battle with the police in the street and then managed to escape from the police encirclement?"

Were they simply stunned by the sudden attack? Or... did it on purpose, intentionally letting the killer escape?!

The last sentence was utterly devastating, blatantly planting a seed of doubt in the public's mind.

Immediately afterwards, as if enjoying the spectacle even more, John Jameson's face changed to one of righteous indignation, and he passionately announced:

"Given that our reporter inadvertently captured the entire moment of the shooting on camera, as well as the entire process of the gunfight between the suspect and the police in the street, in order to uphold justice, help the police solve the case as soon as possible, and reveal the truth..."

I have decided that during the upcoming prime time, high-definition footage of the shooting and the ensuing gunfight will be broadcast repeatedly on all live channels and platforms of the Daily Bugle, so that everyone can see the perpetrator's face and expose the evil to the light of day!

As soon as he finished speaking, the live stream switched to playing two carefully edited and highly impactful videos on a loop.

First paragraph: A close-up shot clearly captures the moment when Captain America is shot in the chest, his body jolts violently, and he falls heavily to the ground.

The second segment features clearer footage showing Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier, engaging in a fierce firefight with a large number of marshals in the street, fighting and retreating.

The opponent's signature metal left arm, the cold face revealed beneath the tactical scarf that had somehow slipped down, his precise and deadly marksmanship, and the scene of him successfully escaping the pursuit and disappearing around the street corner were repeatedly played, slowed down, and shown in close-up.

This was like pouring a ladle of cold water into a boiling oil pan; the millions of viewers who had gathered in the Daily Bugle's live stream because of Captain America's assassination attempt instantly erupted into chaos.

Countless comments, bullet screen messages, and social media posts swept across the internet like a tsunami.

And almost all the criticisms were directed at S.H.I.E.L.D.!
"Damn it, are all those S.H.I.E.L.D. agents useless? They're paid by taxpayers, and they can't even protect Captain Rogers. What's the point of having this useless organization?!"

"It was intentional, absolutely intentional... S.H.I.E.L.D. must have deliberately watched Captain Rogers get killed. Look at the video, the moment the gun went off, those agents didn't immediately rush to protect Captain Rogers with their bodies; instead, they seemed to be lining up and watching?!"

"That's right, the gunman might even be from S.H.I.E.L.D.... Otherwise, why didn't they help the officers at the scene apprehend him immediately? With their equipment and training, how could they not stop someone?"

"LeBron, you're awesome! Do you have any more explosive insider information?"

"Yes, what is the real reason Captain Rogers was suddenly arrested and brought before the Supreme Court? This meticulously planned shooting might be related to this!"

"What the person upstairs said makes sense. Otherwise, I really can't understand why a hero like Captain Rogers would be assassinated so precisely. There must be some shocking conspiracy behind this that we don't know about!"

"Maybe Captain Rogers discovered some shady, evil plan that S.H.I.E.L.D. was secretly plotting, which is why he was killed to silence him... This organization isn't a protector of humanity at all; it's a cancer, it's truly despicable!!"

"Disband S.H.I.E.L.D. and seek justice for Captain Rogers!"

"We have a right to know the truth; we must thoroughly investigate S.H.I.E.L.D...."

"Captain Rogers... Waaah, I can't believe he's gone..."

The online outcry grew louder and louder, reaching a peak in disgust, suspicion, and distrust of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Captain America's death ignited long-standing doubts and fears among the public regarding this vast and mysterious organization.

Various conspiracy theories have been rampant, and the seemingly incompetent or even suspicious performance of S.H.I.E.L.D. in this incident has further solidified their negative image in the minds of many.

The grief of the fallen hero and the anger towards S.H.I.E.L.D. intertwined in everyone's hearts, quickly forming a storm of online discussion that was enough to influence the new landscape.

(End of this chapter)