The Death Knell

"Schmidt sent his men to take away the product of my research, and he injected himself with the drug called the super soldier serum."

The doctor said helplessly. He felt that this was his mistake, and maybe he shouldn't have invented it in the first place. But now that it was a done deal, he could only try his best to make up for this mistake.

Steve nodded slightly, although he couldn't understand the reason: "That thing really made him stronger?"

The doctor adjusted his glasses, hesitated for a few seconds, and then nodded and admitted: "Yes, but that thing also has side effects. The serum formula at that time was not perfect, and the most important thing is the person who receives the injection."

"people?"

"Yes, the serum will strengthen all aspects of the human body, so good people will become better, and bad people...become worse." The doctor scratched his bald head and explained the principles of his research product to Steve. .

The super soldier serum not only affects the human body, but also affects the mind and brain. For example, it amplifies a person's ambition and nature, and makes people feel omnipotent after possessing power.

Steve probably understood, but the doctor didn't finish what he said. He waited quietly, and the two looked at each other in the quiet barracks, thinking.

"That's why you were chosen. If you choose a strong person, you may lose respect for strength because of the innate familiarity with it. A thin person will be more aware of the value of strength and the possession of strength." The final…mercy.”

The doctor thought for a moment and finally said the word. He didn't know if it was the right way to say it in English, but he knew Steve could understand what he meant.

Steve thought for a moment and looked up at the doctor with firm eyes.

"Thanks, I think I understand."

Dr. Erskine laughed. He pointed to the suitcase over there and motioned for Steve to take the wine glass on top. He opened the wine he brought and poured some into both glasses.

The brown-red wine and the cup made a crisp clashing sound, exuding a color like blood under the yellow barracks lights.

The doctor took a glass of wine and pointed at Steve's chest: "Promise me, no matter what happens tomorrow, keep your current heart. You don't have to be a good soldier, but you have to be a good person."

Steve smiled, yes, he was indeed not sure about becoming a qualified soldier, because he couldn't even raise the rifle properly now.

But he has the confidence to be a good person. Both his father and Mr. Wilson have taught him to be an upright person, which is what he wants to do.

He raised the glass in his hand and gestured to Dr. Erskine: "Here's to the little weakling."

Dr. Erskine understood that Steve was talking about himself. He would not forget his state of mind when he was weak and would not change just because he had power.

The doctor smiled and clinked glasses with him: "Respect the weak."

However, when the two of them were smiling and about to drink, the doctor suddenly took away Steve's wine glass.

"God, what am I doing? You have a physical examination scheduled for tomorrow. You can't drink tonight."

Steve shrugged. He recognized the bottle of wine. It was a product of Wilson Enterprises. It was aged in 1925 cellars and came from the past Prohibition era.

He didn't think it was anything. Although he was young at that time, his father also drank, and Uncle Tom next door also drank. Many people bought wine privately.

Steve is not superstitious about the law. He has his own knowledge and concepts. He measures everything with his simple morals and values.

Drinking and selling alcohol is not wrong. Enjoying consumer goods is a right that every human being should have. Prohibition is wrong for laws that suppress human nature.

But since the doctor said that I will have another physical examination tomorrow, I won’t drink it.

He shrugged and said to the doctor with a look of regret: "Okay, let's drink together when this is over."

"Why later?" The doctor looked at him puzzledly, put the wine in the two glasses together, shook the glasses, and smelled intoxicatedly: "I have no plans for tomorrow, I want to drink now."

Dun, dun, dun...

Both of them solved their doubts, and the subsequent conversation seemed much more casual. They talked happily about the legion and their past lives.

None of them noticed that not far outside the window, Nick Fury quietly turned and left. His mission was to 'protect' Dr. Erskine. It was he and Red who brought the doctor back from Germany, and the doctor once worked for the Nazis. , he still needs 'protection'.

This time he was transferred back from France specifically for this task.

.....................

On the third day, Steve got into the Legion's car early in the morning. Peggy Carter was waiting for him in the car. They needed to return to New York for the transformation experiment.

The entire operation requires a large amount of electricity, and Philadelphia's power grid is clearly not up to the task.

Although the black car was not as luxurious as Su Ming's car, it was much smoother than the truck Steve took to the military camp.

Along the way, Steve looked at the scenery outside the window with interest. He seemed to be particularly curious about every tree and every flower.

In fact, he was still a little nervous. He didn't know what his fate would be, and whether the unique serum would turn him into a muscular madman.

Everything was unknown, so he could only focus on anything that could distract him.

Peggy looked at him helplessly, feeling that he was really too honest. He kept chattering about things outside the window along the way. Aren't the people in the carriage worthy of him taking a look?

The car returned to Brooklyn, a place where Steve had lived before and which he was very familiar with.

As the vehicle moved forward, he kept pointing his finger at the glass and said to Agent Carter beside him: "I was beaten in that alley...and that parking lot...and... There’s a back entrance to that restaurant…”

Carter pursed her lips. In order to calm Steve's mood, she could only forcefully chat: "Is there any way you can stop yourself from escaping?"

Steve didn't notice the strangeness of the atmosphere. He shook his head and said very seriously: "Once you start running away, they won't let you stop. You have to stand up and fight back against them."

Carter's beautiful lips raised a smile: "I probably understand how you feel. Every door is closed in front of you."

She herself is like this. This era is full of all kinds of discrimination, racial discrimination, sexism, and origin discrimination. According to traditional concepts, women like her should not appear in the army.

Steve lowered his head and rubbed his fingers as if they were dirty.

"I just don't understand, why would you want to join the army?" He thought for a moment and felt that his statement might easily cause misunderstanding, and then added: "You are a beautiful lady... woman, uh, woman Agent is not a woman, well, you are beautiful..."

The picture became darker and darker. Peggy turned her head and stared at him with sharp eyes, and then shook her head helplessly.

"You don't know how to talk to women, do you?"

Steve smiled bitterly and scratched his head: "I think this is the longest conversation I have ever had along the way."

Carter's eyes flashed with joy, but she hid it well. She turned her head slightly, not wanting Steve to see the smile on her face.

She had met many men in the military camp, but none of them were as special as Steve. She actually liked him very much. In just a few days, this little man's personality charm deeply attracted her.

Whether a person is strong enough does not depend on how much he can carry on the street, but on how much he can carry in life.

Peggy Carter, who was born in England, has seen too many mediocre faces hidden under the faces of gentlemen. She is not interested in those men, but only Steve's fresh and fresh feeling makes her very comfortable.

Now that she knew he didn't have a girlfriend, she was actually very happy.

Steve still lowered his head and did not see Carter's expression. He talked about his past calmly: "Girls will not line up to dance with a consumption man."

"If you say so, he must be able to dance." Carter looked at him with concern, and these words made her feel a little distressed.

Steve smiled, and he could tell Peggy's concern from her tone: "Actually, I haven't thought that much over the years, I've just been waiting."

"What are you waiting for?" Peggy asked him curiously, her big eyes full of tenderness.

"Waiting for a suitable dance partner." Steve looked at her and answered very calmly.

Carter smiled, she liked the answer.