IMUC-CHAPTER 44: THE BATTLE APPROACHES
The night passed quickly.
Early the next morning, Kyle was awakened by a communication soldier who informed him that Colonel had issued orders for him to report directly to the underground command center.
Without wasting any time, Kyle quickly freshened up and had Venom wrap around his body, transforming into a black Combat Uniform. He strapped on the carbon-sodium steel sword and made his way toward the underground passage.
When he arrived at the entrance of the brightly lit command room, Kyle was surprised to find Steve, dressed in his Captain Combat Uniform, already present there.
And it wasn't just the two of them as Colonel had mentioned. Howard, Agent Carter, Fury, the Colonel himself, as well as a dozen intelligence analysts, were all in attendance. The seats around the command table were nearly filled.
"With such a grand setup, it seems like we've received some very important intelligence from the professor," Kyle commented as he walked into the command room.
"Good to see you, Major Kyle!" The intelligence personnel greeted Kyle with respectful expressions and saluted him.
Howard shook his head and chuckled, "Man, why are you so slow? We were just waiting for you for this operation briefing."
"I thought you, the war maniac, would at least be the first to present here," Fury said with a smile, revealing a row of white teeth on his dark face.
"Kyle, over here." Steve waved continuously, signaling him to take the empty seat beside him.
Agent Carter remained silent, sitting in her seat as if still angry about last night. However, upon seeing Kyle's arrival, the seriousness on her cold and elegant face relaxed a bit.
The Colonel, the officer in charge, gestured with his hand in front of the strategic map, urging Kyle to take his seat. "I was just about to explain the intelligence we have obtained. You're not late, so find a seat quickly."
Kyle nodded and briefly waved to acknowledge the people he knew, then sat in the empty seat next to Steve. Regardless of the circumstances, Kyle's presence alone eased the tense atmosphere in the underground command room.
The strained expressions of the people present also relaxed, and for some inexplicable reason, they also felt reassured.
This was the exclusive charm symbolizing the power of the American hero. It wasn't just an inflated reputation but was built upon his actual combat achievements and the number of enemies he had eliminated.
"Let's get to the point," The Colonel cleared his throat and solemnly said, "Late last night, our intelligence personnel obtained highly urgent information from the professor who recently joined the Hydra organization."
"The founder of Hydra, Johann Schmidt, also known as Red Skull, has strategic objectives beyond occupying European territory. He intends to destroy half the planet and then rule the entire world!"
Upon hearing this alarming information, most of the people in the command room furrowed their brows.
"This madman should be locked up in a mental institution. He really thinks he's a god," Agent Carter snorted.
Fury murmured thoughtfully, "That's just too crazy. This might be the root cause of why the German forces no longer want to cooperate with Hydra."
Howard frowned and said, "We can't just let him be. Schmidt possesses power far beyond our imagination, and the energy weapons are the best evidence of that."
Kyle nodded in agreement. After all, he knew better than anyone else what Red Skull had in his possession.
The Tesseract! Carrying the Space Stone, which held the secrets of cosmic laws, its basic usage alone was sufficient to generate infinite energy. And the explosive power of the Cube Fragment was unparalleled by conventional bombs.
The Colonel raised his voice and said with a solemn expression on his face, "We have received even more important information: Schmidt plans to fly to the United States today. Once he crosses the Atlantic, it will take him less than an hour to level the entire East Coast! From the United States as the starting point, he intends to expand his attack to half the world!"
"How much time do we have left?" Kyle asked straightforwardly.
Colonel quickly replied, "Less than twelve hours."
"That should be enough," Kyle nodded confidently.
Colonel shook his head and said, "The biggest problem now is the final Hydra base. It's different from the factory bases you attacked before. It's located below five hundred feet in the Alps, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack."
"I have an idea," Steve, who had remained silent, spoke up. "If we send our troops directly, Schmidt will definitely seal off the entrance to the base and escape. So, we need to send someone to lure them into opening the entrance to the Hydra base alone. Our forces can then launch a surprise attack during that opportunity."
"Then I'll go," Kyle shrugged indifferently, his survival skills were beyond extraordinary. Even if he stormed the Hydra base alone, he was confident he could come out unscathed.
"No," Steve vetoed, looking at Kyle. "You're skilled in offense, it would be more suitable for you to lead the troops in an external assault. Besides, won't your presence alone scare Schmidt away?"
The last sentence was clearly meant as a teasing remark, but everyone in the command room didn't deny it. Instead, they nodded in agreement, understanding the truth behind it.
The German Executioner, the battlefield butcher, the hero symbolizing American power, the devil with a ruthless demeanor— Kyle's imposing presence on the battlefield was no less intimidating than a fully armed and well-trained army. Sending such a man to lure the enemy?
They must be joking!
The Colonel, half-jokingly and half-seriously, said, "To be honest, if I were Schmidt and saw Major Kyle storming into the base, I'd choose to run away."
"Don't portray me as some kind of monstrous freak," Kyle crossed his arms and glanced at them coldly.
"I proposed the plan, so let me go," Steve stood up, resolute. "As Captain America, I'll act as a lone bait, drawing out the Hydra organization for an attack. Therefore, I'm the only suitable candidate."
As Kyle looked at Steve, who exuded determination and righteousness, an unbidden adjective came to his mind: I am carrying the strongest shield, and I will endure the most brutal beatings.
"The situation is very urgent, and we can't delay any longer. The plan is set! Soldiers and Personals from all the bases will coordinate with the two of you in the assault—"
After the Colonel finished speaking, he slapped his palm firmly on the table, expressing his unwavering determination as he spoke. "So let's start moving! Let's hunt down and destroy the final Hydra base and send this madman Schmidt to hell!"
Three hours later, near the Alps.
The midday sun was bright and plentiful, and the snow in the forest against the mountains glimmered with dazzling light.
"Vroom! Vroom!"
A burst of explosive engine noise suddenly resounded in the quiet surrounding as Steve, carrying his shield, rode a motorcycle swiftly through the snowy forest trail.
His hands tightly gripped the handlebars as he accelerated, the motorcycle's tail emitting blue flames and exhaust, crushing the snow and branches under its wheels. With full horsepower, he charged alone toward the main entrance of the Hydra base.
"Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh—"
These sounds, however, came from behind Steve. It was the sound of more than a dozen enemy motorcycles closely following, chasing after him like relentless shadows.
"The fish is hooked." On a snowy mountain beside the forest, Kyle coldly watched the motorcycle chase in the woods, resembling a hunter preparing for the hunt, patiently waiting for the impending battle.
The Venom Combat Uniform he wore subtly conveyed its own excitement, fueled by the host's excitement.
(End of Chapter)
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