Chapter 4833

The arrival of the Punisher improved Hampton's situation? The answer is yes. When people feel panicked, they need a strong backbone. Even if this person was once their enemy, as long as he is willing to step up and lead the team, humanity can always find comfort and courage in the crowd.

Not long after Frank left the manor, the power was gradually restored. However, Hampton remained sealed off by supernatural phenomena, so neither FBI helicopters nor military helicopters could get in. Although S. H. I. E. L. D. had some methods to break through the supernatural blockade, they had been slacking off, their attitude on the phone was very good, but the actual measures were probably just Nick calling to remind Coulson to keep an eye on Natasha and have her drink less.

After the snow stopped, Steve went out for a walk, came back, frowned tightly, and sat at the dining table without speaking. Bucky served him a bowl of oatmeal porridge, but Steve only glanced at the porridge and then said: "Thank you, but I have no appetite."

"Natasha made borscht." Bucky sniffed, as if he smelled the aroma: "You'll definitely like that; I'll serve you a bowl later."

Steve looked toward the kitchen, but did not see Natasha. He asked curiously: "Where did she cook it?"

"In the backyard." Bucky said, "She built a fire there and set up a pot. It's as if making Russian food in the ice and snow is the only way it's authentic."

"I think she might just find the gas stove flame too small." Steve stated the truth, "She always likes to throw the whole pot into the fire."

"You seem a bit unhappy." Bucky said, "Don't hide it from me, Steve. You know you can't hide anything from me."

"I'm uneasy about that Frank." Steve said worriedly, "He went out less than half an hour ago and killed someone, and... he directly broke his neck. He is absolutely a dangerous person, truly too violent."

Bucky opened his mouth, then said: "What did that person do?"

"Don't misunderstand." Bucky defended himself, "I'm not saying such extreme violent means are right. But you also know that Hampton doesn't have many good people; normally they're not quite sane, and now they're probably even crazier."

"That person jumped out to oppose Frank, saying this violent madman would kill them all. Then he grabbed his neck, pressed him to the ground, and broke his spine with his foot. This really is..."

Steve still didn't say those adjectives out loud: "Rationally, I understand he needs to establish authority; otherwise, it would be impossible to straighten out this bunch of rich people. But at worst, just shoot that guy; this method is too cruel."

Bucky knew that if the spine is broken, it depends on where it breaks. If the neck is directly broken, the pain might be less. Otherwise, at minimum it's paralysis.

In this situation, a paralyzed person almost cannot survive. If no one attends to them, they will likely die of dehydration or hypothermia, and will also lose bowel and bladder control, which is very undignified, and they will definitely suffer when they die.

The Winter Soldier cannot avoid killing people. In fact, Captain America also doesn't have a strict no-killing principle, after all, both are soldiers who have been on the battlefield. However, both of them believe that killing should be a quick shot to the head, giving a quick end is enough; deliberately torturing others is truly unnecessary, even if they are enemies.

Bucky walked over to Steve's side, sat down, put his arm around his shoulder, and then said: "There are too many people in this world who don't get along with us, but we have to cooperate with them at certain necessary moments. We can fully express our dissatisfaction with their behavior, but it's better not to think about changing them."

Steve turned his head to look at Bucky, couldn't help but admit Bucky's words hit the point. Now Steve's dilemma is whether to stop Frank. So he asked: "Why?"

"Actually, you also know the answer." Bucky sighed and said, "We cannot change any adult. We can argue with him, temporarily stop him, but we can never truly change him, nor even convince him."

Bucky tilted his head, looked at Steve and said: "For some things, we can only seek common ground while reserving differences, right?"

"The key is, whether I should define such cruel behavior as evil." Steve frowned and said, "This boundary is very blurry; I need to think about it carefully."

"Have you thought about why Shiler didn't let you go?" Bucky stood up, walked to the condiment cabinet, picked up the white sugar, pinched the sugar jar with his fingers, held his bowl of porridge with his palm, and sat opposite Steve.

"You are Captain America, very good at uniting people, most suited to stand up as a hero in this situation. But he never considered you from beginning to end."

Steve's frown tightened further. Bucky took a sip of porridge and said: "It's because good people can't deal with these people. If you insist on holding to the goodness底线, they will dare to climb on your face."

"If you step forward and say you want to help them, when facing provocateurs, choosing to explain kindly, or to tolerate and ignore them, they will immediately step on your head."

"Even, if you shoot that person dead, they won't really feel afraid. They will keep testing, wanting to see where your底线 is. Once they find out you actually don't want to kill them, and are even a rational, clear-minded good person, they will absolutely not listen to you, but will insist on making you listen to them."

"Only Frank Castle, this kind of extreme violence advocate madman, can make them obey. He broke that guy's spine just to prolong his death time, so everyone can see how much he suffers, immediately showing his底线 to those people—anyone who talks too much, what awaits them will be hell."

Steve's frown eased slightly. Actually, his experiences in Hampton when he was young were fully sufficient to prove Bucky was right. These people lack sympathy and shame, and even reverence is insufficient. Their attitude toward threats from anyone toward them is either "you don't dare" or "you don't deserve."

They have considerable confidence in the class barriers they have built up. For years they have lived in comfort and privilege, so even if they suddenly fall into disaster, they will not immediately change their mindset, thinking they have fallen from hunter to prey, but still hold onto their lofty attitude, living by past logic. Unless thoroughly crushed, they will not learn a lesson.

What actually moved Steve the most was actually Bucky's question. If one wanted to send people to help these people, to help them build psychological defenses against terrifying hallucinations, why couldn't Captain America do it?

The answer is that Captain America is a universally known good person, and moreover too good. And in the eyes of these people in Hampton, good people should be held at gunpoint. Captain America, this kind of extremely good person, should not even make a sound if shot several times. Steve cannot establish prestige among these people; on the contrary, Frank's kind of reckless violent madman can.

Thinking of this, Steve sighed deeply. I thought that after so many years, his moral底线 had become somewhat flexible, able to blend in well with Shiler and them. Now it seems he's still far off. Even if Shiler told him to do this, he himself would think it's right, but he just can't get past that mental barrier.

So what exactly is wrong with him? Steve shifted the topic to Frank: "What made him become like this?"

"His family was murdered in a revenge killing." Coulson walked over, holding a bowl of steaming borscht. He gently blew on it, sucked a sip from the rim of the bowl, then said, "During a picnic in the park, he witnessed the mafia's lynching; apart from him, everyone in his family was silenced."

Steve twitched his mouth, also unable to say anything. This is simply an undeserved disaster. So-called madness and violence also depend on who you compare with. As far as he knows, the neighboring Joker's "bad day" seems not that bad either. The Punisher actually can still be a rational normal person, with normal logic and clear speech, although his treatment of enemies is somewhat cruel, but it doesn't amount to indiscriminate killing of innocents, which is already not bad.

Steve quickly convinced himself, took a sip of the bland oatmeal porridge, his facial expression like he had been punched. He lowered his head to look at his bowl, then said: "This bowl of porridge tastes like food from the American Civil War era. Why are we drinking this?"

"Healthy diet." Coulson touched his own belly, the golden apple can adjust the body to its best state, but it's not always effective. Recently he has exercised a little less, so he has gained quite a bit of weight.

"I am a modified person." Steve showed no interest in the oatmeal porridge. He stood up and walked toward the back door. The rich aroma drifted over, Greedy and Natasha each held a large bowl of borscht, sitting under the eaves of the manor, drinking until their bodies steamed.

"You're eating delicious food here, while inside there's only oatmeal porridge." Steve pretended to complain, "I also want soup."

Greedy also served him a large bowl. Steve also held the bowl and sat down, took a sip, then smacked his lips: "Still not authentic. This stuff must be stewed with the luncheon meat cans from Soviet military rations, stewed a bit longer, until the vegetable fibers completely rot into fibers and the meat is also cooked into paste, so you don't even need to chew a sip, and it still steams in the stomach..."

Natasha's eyes lit up immediately: "Indeed, we two still have common topics, we can't play with those kids at all."

"Is Tony basically unable to drink this stuff?" Steve laughed, "Last time he bit into a black rye biscuit and vomited for over ten minutes."

"That can't be blamed on him, I also can't swallow that stuff." Natasha shook her head and said, "Even if you pile up two finger-widths of cheese, you can barely swallow it. Gulping a mouthful of vodka can't be swallowed down."

"But if it's soaked in the vegetable soup, it's different." Steve took another big sip of soup, white vapor coming from his mouth and nose, "I will always remember the bowl of sour cream soup with black rye biscuit chunks I drank in Rostock, it was too delicious."

"Right," Natasha held up her soup bowl and looked at Greedy, "What are you stirring in the basement? Won't you be playing with corpses again?"

"What does 'again' mean?" Greedy lowered his head to drink soup, "He's just doing some medical research, while also preparing for the housewarming party."

"Sounds like he intends to use corpses as the main dish." Steve shivered, "... He wouldn't?"

"Say it again, humans are not tasty, and I don't eat humans." Greedy emphasized, "But, you guys won't think that just based on a few murder cases and several corpses, you can scare those people, right?"

Steve's hand paused: "Then what's your high opinion?"

Greedy blew on the vegetable soup: "You'll find out when the time comes."