I Created a Sanctuary in Marvel

Chapter 197 Captain America Awakens, Hydra's Moves

Steve Rogers’ consciousness rose from the long darkness.

He opened his eyes.

The light shines softly from the concealed light strips, so evenly distributed it doesn't seem like natural light.

Seventy years of slumber did not erase the warriors' instincts.

Captain America didn't even sit up completely; he rolled off the bed and landed in a half-squatting position, his muscles tense, his gaze quickly sweeping across the entire room.

The interior is decorated in a standard American style, with closed floor-to-ceiling windows and doors that appear to be solid wood but have metallic edges.

The radio was still ringing, broadcasting the match date —

trap.

This was the first judgment in his mind.

Without hesitation, he sprang towards the door like a spring.

The door lock was electronic, but he didn't even try to open it.

With a reinforced body and perfect power-generating technique, the solid wood door, along with its frame, cracked outwards.

A piercing alarm sounded instantly. The corridor was pure white, and the smooth floor reflected the light from the overhead lights.

Several men in black uniforms rushed out from around the corner, carrying weapons he had never seen before—no obvious barrels, only glowing blue ports.

"Captain Rogers, please calm down—"

One of them shouted.

Steve didn't stop.

He charged forward, and the instant the other man raised his gun, he ducked and slid, delivering a precise chop to one man's wrist.

The weapon slipped from his hand, but another shot had already arrived. A blue beam of electricity grazed his shoulder, while the person behind him was struck by the current and collapsed to the ground.

It's not a bullet; it's a non-lethal weapon.

This realization heightened Steve's vigilance to the highest level, after all, there were still clues about the Super Soldier Serum in his body, and these people wanted to capture him alive.

He used the momentum to roll over, grabbed the weapon on the ground, and used the butt of the gun to knock out the second agent.

The movements were fluid and seamless, without the slightest hesitation.

In the monitoring room, Nick Fury stared at the screen with his one eye, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Quick reaction, accurate tactical judgment, and perfect fighting skills."

"Sir, should we activate Level 2 lockdown?"

Maria Hill, who was beside him, quickly reported the data.

"Need not."

"Let him run. I want to see what this living legend can do."

Fury raised his hand.

Steve is running through the maze.

The building is ridiculously large, with a bizarrely complex structure, and is filled with automatic doors and surveillance cameras.

He shook off three groups of pursuers, grabbed a black coat to cover his hospital gown, and finally found a ventilation duct leading to the outside of the building.

When Steve jumped down from the vent and landed in an alley, the sight before him completely stunned him.

The streets were bustling with traffic, and the cars were so streamlined that they looked like illustrations from a science fiction magazine.

Sunlight reflected off the glass curtain walls of the high-rise buildings, and some screens were playing animated videos with incredibly clear images.

People were dressed in strange styles and bright colors, and almost everyone was looking down at the small, glowing boards in their hands.

Steve felt a wave of dizziness and forced himself to calm down.

He needs information.

Lots and lots of information.

Top floor office of S.H.I.E.L.D. Tri-Wing headquarters.

Nick Fury turned off the monitor and turned to look at the large screen behind him.

The above is the initial list of Avengers members, including Wanda and Pietro, a total of six people.

"The time is almost ripe."

"Frey said in a low voice."

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"The Avengers plan—the Council won't agree to it. Especially after the Destroyer attack, they prefer to strengthen conventional defenses rather than assemble a superhuman team."

Hill stood behind him.

"The council doesn't understand."

Fury's one eye was fixed on the newly updated information about Thor on the screen.

"The threats we face are escalating. Asgardian gods, alien technology, supernatural forces—conventional defenses?"

"When that three-meter-tall iron behemoth opened fire in Manhattan, our missiles couldn't even scratch its surface."

"We need a team that can deal with unconventional threats."

Fury's finger swiped across the screen.

"These people are problems on their own, but together they may be the best shield for the earth."

Hill paused for a moment: "But there's a risk in bringing them together. Their personalities—could potentially ignite each other."

"That's my job."

"I'm activating the preparatory protocol. I need to see Rogers within 24 hours and gently ask him to come back."

Fury closed the file.

"Yes, sir."

After Hill left, Fury stood alone in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the Potomac River.

His reflection was on the glass, and his single eye appeared particularly deep in the shadows.

The same building, on a higher floor.

Alexander Pierce sat in his lavish office.

But at this moment, the former director of S.H.I.E.L.D. and current minister of the World Security Council showed no gentle expression.

Two videos were playing on the screen in front of him: one showing the Destroyer armor wreaking havoc in Manhattan, and the other showing satellite images of the energy readings on the Rainbow Bridge in Asgard, peaking at the planetary level.

It also includes scenes of Wanda and Pietro fighting against the Destroyer armor.

"This must be the unknown squad Nick has in his hands; they're so young!"

"A superpowered person?"

"Nick is accelerating his plans."

"He wants to build an uncontrollable superpower."

Pierce’s voice was calm, but the rhythm of his fingers tapping lightly on the table betrayed his anxiety.

"This disrupted our schedule."

A voice responded from the shadows of the office.

That was Agent Sitwell, ostensibly a Level 6 analyst at S.H.I.E.L.D., but actually a mid-level core member of Hydra within S.H.I.E.L.D.

"upset?"

"On the contrary, this gave us an opportunity."

"Nick's attention is now entirely focused on those superheroes, so internal surveillance will naturally be relaxed. Moreover—the Council is still shaken by the Destroyer incident, making it a good time to push forward with Project Insight."

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Pierce smiled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.

"But Fury won't agree."

"He will definitely discover the true purpose of the Sky Carrier."

Sitwell said.

"So we need him—to temporarily leave his post."

"Is the Winter Soldier in position?"

Pierce pulled up a personnel file with a picture of the Winter Soldier on it.

"Ready to deploy, sir. Activate at any time."

Pierce was silent for a moment.

He and Nick Fury worked together for over two decades, and in some ways, they were even friends.

But Hydra's grand cause takes precedence over all personal feelings.

"The Destroyer's attack proves one thing: there are forces in this world that we cannot comprehend."

"Gods, aliens, superpowered individuals—they are uncontrollable, unpredictable, and the greatest threat to order."

"The insight plan must be implemented ahead of schedule. We need to master the ability to eliminate those destabilizing factors before Nick brings them into the team."

Pierce's voice grew colder.

He turned off the screen and took an old-fashioned Hydra badge from the drawer; the metal gleamed coldly under the light.

"Notify all divisions that the plan is entering an accelerated phase. The construction progress of the Sky Carrier is 40% ahead of schedule, and testing access for the Zola Algorithm is being delegated to Level 3. As for Nick—"

"Arrange an accident. When he makes contact with that Captain America."

Pierston paused.

"Should we get rid of Rogers?"

"No, Captain America is an icon, a living symbol. Killing him would draw unnecessary attention."

"But Nick is different. His death could be explained as revenge from past enemies, or—assassination by alien forces."

"The key is to let the captain witness Nick's assassination firsthand. That will bring his sense of insecurity about the world to its peak, making him more receptive to the offer to join a protective organization."

Pierce's plan was meticulous and ruthless.

"And after Nicolás died."

"As his closest comrade-in-arms and former superior, you would naturally become the liaison, and even—the controller, of the Avengers."

Sitwell continued the conversation.

Pierce did not deny it.

He put the Hydra badge back in the drawer and locked it.

"This world needs order, Sitwell. An era of chaos is coming, and we must be prepared."

"Either we control the future, or the future devours us. There is no middle ground."

He looked out the window and saw a S.H.I.E.L.D. helicopter landing in the distance.

Times Square, New York.

Steve Rogers stood in the throng of people, looking up at the news on the giant screen.

Every news item seems to come from another world.

He felt a deep sense of alienation.

As he was pondering this, a black sedan silently pulled up beside him.

The car window rolled down, revealing a woman in the driver's seat with neat short hair and sharp eyes.

"Captain Rogers."

"Chief Fury wants to see you. He said—you may have many questions."

Natasha Romanov's tone was polite and professional.

Steve watched her warily, his muscles tensing up again.

"Relax, I'm not here to arrest you."

"I just wanted to provide you with a safe place to talk."

Natasha opened the car door.

Steve looked in the direction she indicated.

Across the street, two men in trench coats were pretending to look at their phones, but the angle was clearly wrong.

In a coffee shop further away, people were observing this area with binoculars.

Without further hesitation, he opened the car door and sat in the passenger seat.

The car merged into traffic, Natasha skillfully maneuvering the steering wheel. "Welcome to the 21st century, Captain. I think you've already noticed—the world has become a little different."

"A little?"

"The world I knew—seems to have completely disappeared."

Steve smiled wryly as he looked out the window at the fleeting street scene.

"But it needs you."

"It may be needed now more than it was in 1945."

Natasha's voice turned serious.

The car drove toward the Brooklyn Bridge.

Three blocks behind them, another gray sedan maintained a precise distance, its tracking device transmitting its real-time location back to an encrypted channel.

"Target approaching the designated area. Winter Soldier, take your positions."

"Remember, only kill Nick Fury. Captain America must live to see the whole thing."

On the other end of the channel, Alexander Pierce looked at the moving dots on the map and pressed the communication button.

"Are they going to make a move so soon?"

Ye Feng looked up and gazed into the distance.

"Go protect Nick Fury, he can't die yet."

Wanda and Pietro, who were standing beside him, immediately nodded in agreement.

Having worked with Nick Fury many times, they were quite satisfied with this partner.

As for Ye Feng, it was purely because he still needed Nick Fury as an intermediary to legitimately gain control of the Avengers.

The Avengers haven't been officially formed yet, so Nick Fury can't die.