Acquiring the Power of Transformation and Fusion!

Since Captain America had died in battle, the government and citizens of the U.S. had begun to mythologize him. In their eyes, he represented the face of the country. If Captain America were to be contained and recruited into the Foundation, it wouldn't just be a slap in the face for the U.S. government—it w

The political significance behind Captain America was simply too immense, especially now that he was regarded as a "saint." If it had been any other anomaly, Fury might have tolerated it, but when it came to

Without much hesitation, Fury immediately called an emergency meeting with the upper echelon of S.H.I.E.L.D. Had the Foundation not intervened, Fury would have discreetly sent his most trusted operatives to retrieve Captain America. But with the Foundation now involved, he was left with no choice but to gather all of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s resources for the mission. Still, Fury worried whether S.H.I.E.L.D. would even stand a chance against the Foundation.

When Pierce learned that Captain America might still be alive, merely frozen, his heart raced wildly. It wasn't admiration that caused his reaction; within S.H.I.E.L.D., Hydra had few who actually liked Captain America. In fact, many outright despised him, considering his fame was built on Hydra's destruction.

What was Captain America's greatest achievement? Wasn't it his defeat of the evil Hydra?

After thorough discussion, this daunting mission was handed over to Sharon Carter and Brock Rumlow, who were to lead 200 armed agents to the Arctic Circle. To ensure success, Fury even pulled Hawkeye from his current mission to join the operation. With Sharon, Rumlow, and Hawkeye on the team, S.H.I.E.L.D. was deploying its top-tier combat forces.

Just in case things got out of control, Fury prepared for the worst. If the situation became unsalvageable, he would involve the military. He knew that the military would be very interested in Captain America, who was not only the face of recruitment but also a carrier of the Super Soldier Serum. Whether for pride or profit, the military would spare no effort to seize Captain America.

...

Upon reaching the skies above the Elizabeth Islands, Ethan and Tony boarded an anti-gravity aircraft.

"An anti-gravity plane?" Tony stood in front of the aircraft, too tired even to muster a proper retort. At this point, nothing from the Foundation surprised him. Even if they pulled out a spaceship, Tony wouldn't bat an eye. After all, with the Foundation, anything was possible.

The aircraft wasn't large, only able to accommodate four people. Following the navigation map provided by the containment object, Ethan and Tony quickly arrived at their destination: a small igloo, barely over a meter high. As they approached, a deafening roar erupted from inside the igloo.

A massive polar bear, about five meters tall, burst out. Its fur was over 50 centimeters long, and its size was double that of an average polar bear. What was most striking were its prominent tusks. Seeing this unique creature, Ethan knew he had come to the right place. This polar bear had clearly been modified by SCP-040, the "Evolutionary Child."

Tony, staring at the ferocious-looking bear, quipped, "How did this thing even fit into that tiny igloo?"

Ethan didn't respond to Tony's sarcastic question. Activating both his "Aura of Joy" and "Childlike Affinity," Ethan spoke gently to the bear, "I mean no harm. I've come to take your master with me. You know he doesn't belong here."

"Let them in, Big White," a soft voice called from inside the igloo.

The massive bear glared at Ethan before grudgingly stepping aside, revealing the entrance to the igloo. Ethan smiled and walked in, paying no mind to the bear's attitude. Tony tried to follow but was blocked by the bear.

The bear allowed the first human to pass because of his unique aura and because his master seemed fond of him. But the second, armor-clad stranger? Not a chance. What if he frightened the master? So, the bear naturally refused Tony entry.

"Discrimination. That's blatant discrimination," Tony muttered, frustrated by the bear's refusal. He almost wanted to challenge the creature then and there.

The bear, sensing Tony's anger, sneered with an almost human-like expression. Want to fight? The bear pounded the ground with its paws, and the earth trembled. A massive figure, composed of several giant blocks of ice, rose from the ground—a towering elemental creature over ten meters tall.

Tony gulped nervously. He had seen footage of the Hulk battling massive beasts, but this thing was on par with those monsters. "Fine, fine. I won't go in," Tony pouted, his curiosity about the anomaly inside the igloo growing stronger.

Meanwhile, inside the igloo, Ethan saw a small figure buried in a white fur ball: SCP-040, the Evolutionary Child.

"Hello, big brother. My name is Wendy!" The containment object—who called herself Wendy—looked at Ethan with bright, hopeful eyes.

"Are you here to save me or hurt me?" Wendy asked innocently after introducing herself.

Ethan softened his expression and responded gently, "Of course, I'm here to help. You know this place isn't suitable for you. Would you like to come with me?"

"Really?" Wendy's strange, bright eyes stared expectantly at Ethan.

"Yes, really. Would you come with me?"

Wendy hesitated, then replied, "Wendy doesn't like other kids. They bully Wendy. Wendy prefers the friends she created. They treat her well. If I follow you, can I not be forced to make friends with the others?"

"Of course," Ethan assured her with a warm smile.

"Okay, then Wendy will come with you," Wendy said with determination.

And so, thanks to his "Childlike Affinity" aura, Ethan easily persuaded Wendy to come with him voluntarily—not to be contained but to be protected. After all, who could harbor ill intentions toward a bright-eyed girl like her?

Ding! Congratulations, host, on successfully containing SCP-040, the Evolutionary Child.

Ding! Congratulations, host, on acquiring the Power of Transformation (Host can modify other living beings, but cannot exceed his understanding; the process consumes mental energy).

Ding! Congratulations, host, on acquiring the Power of Fusion (Host can fuse living beings with other living beings or objects; the process consumes mental energy).

Ding! Congratulations, host, on receiving SCP-040's full trust and affection (You are now her most trusted and favorite person).

Ding! Congratulations, host, on acquiring two Affection Upgrade Cards.

Listening to the system notifications, Ethan gazed at the young girl before him with a newfound fondness. Strong, harmless, and easy to contain. The rewards for containing her were quite generous, too. Who wouldn't like a containment object like her?

Carefully, Ethan lifted the fur-covered Wendy. His movements were gentle; after all, Wendy was delicate, and her body was unlike that of a regular child.

"Are we leaving now?" Wendy asked while nestled in Ethan's arms.

"Yes, this place is too cold for you to stay," Ethan replied.

"Can we bring Big White, Little Ice, and the others with us?"

"Sure, but are you sure that massive ice block outside won't melt when we leave?" Ethan teased.

"Nope!" Wendy responded confidently. "Little Ice's composition is part diamond, so it won't melt from temperature changes."

"Then we're good to go." Ethan nodded, still marveling at how these creatures were born from the girl's imagination.

As they were about to leave, Wendy timidly asked, "Can I kill the bad guys before we go?"

Ethan, momentarily taken aback, chuckled and asked, "Where are these bad guys, Wendy? I can help you deal with them."

Wendy pointed north, explaining that some vicious people had attacked Big White, injuring him despite his lack of retaliation.

Ethan pondered. Strong enemies in the Arctic he didn't know about? This sounded like another perfect opportunity to contain more anomalies. His interest piqued, he decided to check it out.