Chapter 371: New and Good (Part 2)

In a Hydra base at the bottom of Lake Michigan, Peter was busy in front of a computer. The cold light shone on his mask. Through the mask, one could see his serious and earnest expression, because he had just discovered a lot of data on human experimentation plans here.

But after experiencing many things, Peter was already able to restrain his sad emotions and focus on business. He operated in front of the computer for a long time. Steve crossed the fallen tables and chairs with his shield and asked him, "Did you find it? Where did the researchers go?"

Peter shook his head. He looked at the screen and said, "They destroyed most of the data before leaving. The data I restored is only a very small part, and it's even more impossible to leave their whereabouts in the computer."

"What about the monitoring equipment?"

"The data has all been destroyed. I'm trying to restore it." Peter said while staring at the screen. Data flowed in his eyes. After a while, the screen flashed. Steve asked, "How is it?"

"Only a very small part was restored. How many clues there are depends on luck." Peter finally tapped the keyboard, and a picture appeared on the screen.

It looked like a camera in a cleaning room, but the door was opened a small crack, so it could film the situation outside. Perhaps because of this, this monitoring screen was not cleared but was preserved. There came faint dialogue sounds, seemingly someone talking on the phone.

Steve stepped forward and said to Peter, "Pause, repeat this sentence."

Peter pressed it, setting this audio to repeat. The two of them listened for a long time, barely identifying a few words from those blurry sounds,

"Evacuation... Security plan... and 'Doctor'?" Steve narrowed his eyes and said, "It seems that before we broke through here, they contacted another group of Hydra and then transferred to other strongholds."

"But the few strongholds around have long been destroyed by us. Where else can they hide?" Peter asked with some confusion,

Steve explained to him: "Hydra is a secret organization. They often set up very many secure strongholds to cope with searches by various forces."

"These strongholds are nested layer by layer. Everyone doesn't know where all the secure strongholds are. Although we and Stark have destroyed almost all the strongholds, it's hard to guarantee that there might be more secret strongholds hidden under the water..."

Peter took a deep breath and said, "So, we've been busy for half a day, and they ran away?"

"You have to learn to accept it. Actually, most combat missions are doing useless work, but this is all to lay the foundation for the final victory." Steve stepped forward, hugged Peter's shoulder, turned to look into his eyes, and said, "Cunning enemies can only be rampant for a while, only we will achieve final success."

The next day, they found another laboratory, still underground. Hydra hid very many secret bases below the ground, which were pulled out in a series by the Avengers led by Captain America, like pulling potatoes.

With a "boom," Spider-Man smashed open the last door. Inside was a control room common to Hydra bases, but it was already empty.

Peter took a deep breath. He lifted his shoulders. Steve, who was following closely behind him, said in a low voice, "This is not right. One or two bases and strongholds could be said to be them hearing the wind and transferring in advance, but the important personnel of several consecutive strongholds have all run away..."

Ma Te walked in and said, "If there are no accidents, there is a secure stronghold hidden very deep. All the important personnel who escaped should have gathered there. We must find its location."

"Do you still remember the name we heard last time?" Steve looked at Peter, touching his chin and saying, "The person who arranged for them to evacuate seems to be called 'Doctor' or 'PhD'."

"With all due respect, Steve, you've been a bit stubborn lately." Ma Te walked up to Steve and said, "As long as we can fight criminals, we can cooperate with anyone, including Stark. Even if we have disputes on methods with him, the road is the same after all. We should have joined forces long ago."

Peter also persuaded: "Actually, you two don't have any fundamental contradictions, Captain. Even if your tempers don't match, maybe that's just because you don't understand each other. I always believe that people who harbor justice will always become friends."

Steve shook his head and said, "I don't hate Stark. I just feel that fighting Hydra is my duty, but I won't force anyone to take this responsibility for me."

"Similarly, I don't know why he suddenly wanted to do this, but I must tell him that this is not a child's game. It's not a cause that can be completed by his sudden hot-headedness or three-minute enthusiasm."

"But..." Steve's tone changed: "His behavior recently has indeed proven to me that he really wants to fight Hydra."

"In the previous period, he has already achieved no small achievements. I think it's time to gather all forces and eradicate them completely."

"It's good that you've thought it through." Ma Te nodded and said. He had to admit that Captain America was indeed a noble person, and he was also a good friend—steady, enlightened, and good at listening to other people's opinions.

"I'll go to the computer here again to flip through it, see if there is any data, and then we will go back to find Mr. Stark and ask him if he can find a way to dig out where that secret secure stronghold is."

Saying this, Peter turned and walked to the console. As soon as he walked there, he said with some confusion, "Hmm? Why does the system here seem a bit different from the others?"

Steve, who was checking paper documents, turned his head and asked him, "Where is it different? Is there anything special?"

"It seems to have a unique encryption system here, and there is a special password lock to open. This is very complicated, so they didn't have time to destroy it before leaving. Let me see..."

"My God, it's another damn human experiment. What is this?... Winter Soldier Project? My God! How can they..."

As Peter exclaimed repeatedly, Steve and Ma Te both walked over. Peter introduced to them: "A very old encryption system is sealed here. Because the way to open it is very complicated and it doesn't attract attention, those evacuated agents might not have been able to take care of it..."

"But I feel that this should be quite important. So I just decrypted a part of the data and found that it mentioned a human experiment plan called 'Winter Soldier Project'..."

"They want to create perfect emotionless warriors, so they implant brainwashing modules into people's brains and transform their bodies. After implanting a part of the machinery into the human body, they send them to assassinate important figures."

"I said long ago that Hydra's evil is like an iceberg under the water. What we see is always just a very small corner." Steve sighed and then said, "Seal this data."

"By the way, is there a list of test subjects? If we can find the families of these poor victims, we can also send them a pension. I'll pay."

Peter lowered his head and fiddled with the computer, then said, "List... list... found it. Oh! My God! It's a bit damaged! Only the first half is left, only up to the surname starting with the letter G. Do you want to come over and take a look? Captain?"

Steve didn't want to go over at first, but he remembered his comrades who had been cruelly killed by Hydra. Regardless, they were all victims, and Steve wanted to pray for them for a few sentences.

So he walked over, just glanced at the list slightly, and made a cross on his chest. Just then, he suddenly saw the part at the very top of the list, the surname starting with the letter B.

"Barnes?" Steve narrowed his eyes with some confusion. Peter asked, "What? What's wrong with him?"

"... Nothing, just that a friend of mine also has this surname. By the way, can you see their names?"

【First Cause of All Worlds】

"Oh, the names are folded up." Peter said, walked up, and clicked on the screen. All the names were displayed. And at this time, Steve stared at the screen and said, "James Barnes?! Bucky..."

"Is there any data on this person?!" Steve suddenly grabbed Peter's shoulder. Peter was pinched a bit painfully. He saw Steve's somewhat excited expression and asked, "Are you alright? Captain?"

Steve suddenly reacted. He put down his arm, his fingers trembling a bit, and said, "... It's nothing. Can you help me find the data on this person? He might be a comrade of mine from before..."

"Alright, let me see... James Buchanan Barnes, specific source not indicated, but it shows he participated in the Winter Soldier transformation project and installed a mechanical arm on his broken arm..."

Steve suddenly revealed a surprised expression and said, "That's right! Bucky's arm should have been broken! It's him! It must be him!"

But soon, some dejected expressions climbed onto his face. He said, "These victims are probably all... damn Hydra, Bucky must have suffered a lot of torture. I will definitely eradicate them!"

"You mean, this person named Barnes might be your comrade from before?" Peter asked him, and then he started operating the computer again, saying, "He might not be dead, Captain. The data shows that they injected a special agent into this group of people participating in human experiments to improve their cell activity and lifespan."

"And they mentioned a weapon sealing principle, seemingly sealing these people in a certain base and only enabling them when necessary."

Steve turned his head and stared intently at Peter, asking, "Really? Can he really live so long?"

"Look, here is the detailed report of that agent. According to the molecular formula of its composition, I feel that this agent will be very effective. It should be able to increase human cell activity and lifespan by several times. If he didn't die in battle, he should still be alive..."

Steve immediately picked up his shield and walked out. Peter chased after him and said, "Captain! Captain! Where are you going?"

"I'm going to find that base. I'm going to save my friend!"

Ma Te walked up and stopped him, saying, "Steve, calm down. Have you forgotten our previous encounters?"

"Several bases are empty. If we can't find out where that secure stronghold is, the researchers who participated in this project might still transfer with important data, and you will never find your friend!"

Steve hammered his shield fiercely. His chest heaved violently for a few times. A few minutes later, he finally recovered his calm and said, "Let's go, we'll go find Stark."

About an hour later, the members of the Avengers appeared in the lab of Stark Tower. Steve could clearly see that when Stark heard the name Barnes, his brows wrinkled fiercely. Steve narrowed his eyes and asked, "Have you heard news about him?"

Stark denied it and said, "I haven't. I have no interest in you or your friends."

"Mr. Stark, can you help us find clues about that secure stronghold? Although I can invade their control system, most of the data has been destroyed by them. What can be restored is only a very small part..."

Peter shook his head and sighed, saying, "It seems that my technology still needs to be strengthened."

Stark walked over, pulled Peter over, hugged his shoulder, and said, "I said long ago that you should come to my side and not mix with these ignorant people. Come over, let's study their control system..."

Peter was pulled away by Stark. Steve was still standing in place. He was full of anxiety, but dissatisfied with Stark's attitude.

Steve couldn't read minds. He didn't know that Stark was deliberately giving him a hard time precisely because of Barnes. If Steve hadn't mentioned this name, Stark would definitely have accepted his request for cooperation.

The reason was simple: Stark's recent actions to eradicate Hydra were also not going well. ===== CHAPTER 372 =====