Chapter 24: Captain America Is The Bad Guy?

Jiang Chen stood still for a moment, staring down at the little girl, who barely reached his waist. His mind briefly wandered back to the intense battle with Captain America. Amidst the chaos, he had completely forgotten about her presence.

She's still here? Jiang Chen thought, surprised. Captain America had promised to save her, hadn't he? But instead, he'd taken off without her, leaving the girl behind as if she didn't matter.

What kind of superhero does that?

Jiang Chen shook his head, incredulous. It seemed so out of character for someone like Captain America. Jiang Chen began to question the so-called "morality" that Cap seemed to stand for.

Before Jiang Chen could process the situation further, the little girl's soft, trembling voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Big brother... can you... can you take me home?" Her small body quivered as she looked up at him with hopeful eyes, though her fear was still apparent.

Take her home? Jiang Chen frowned. Where even is that? He had no idea where she lived or where to even start. He scanned the surroundings. The place looked utterly desolate, like something out of a ghost story. There wasn't a soul around for miles. The pitch-black road stretched into the distance with only a single, flickering streetlight casting long, eerie shadows.

This is really not my problem, Jiang Chen thought. He wanted to get back to New York, and dragging a kid along wasn't part of the plan. Plus, this wasn't an ordinary little girl. She was an Extremis adaptation—a dangerous, unpredictable force in her own right.

But before Jiang Chen could dismiss her, the girl's voice broke through again, even more desperate this time. "Big brother, please... Just take me to New York City. I can find my mother by myself…"

Jiang Chen glanced down at her. Tears welled up in her big, innocent eyes, and despite her fear, she clung to the hope that Jiang Chen would help her. He let out a long sigh, feeling an internal battle waging inside him. Why do I feel bad?

"Your family lives in New York?" Jiang Chen asked, raising an eyebrow.

The little girl nodded eagerly, her face lighting up with hope as though she had finally found someone she could trust.

"But what about that old man in the blue tights?" Jiang Chen asked, scratching his chin. "He came to save you, didn't he? Why didn't you go with him?"

The little girl shook her head vigorously, her face filled with fear. "That uncle is so fierce… He didn't even listen. He just started fighting right away. I tried to tell him, but he wouldn't listen…"

She trembled as she spoke, reliving the terrifying moments when Captain America had shown up. Jiang Chen chuckled softly, shaking his head.

"Captain America, huh? The people's hero? Yeah, I get it… not so much of a good guy when you're on the other end of his shield." He muttered to himself, "Seems like the masses can see through the act."

The little girl blinked up at him, confused.

"Yep," Jiang Chen nodded decisively. "Captain America is just a bad guy." His tone was sarcastic, but there was a flicker of truth behind the words.

Then, he leaned down and smiled faintly at her. "But you do know that I'm a villain too, right? Aren't you scared of me?"

The little girl shook her head. "No, big brother… you're not a bad guy. You even gave me a burger." Her voice was soft, filled with trust. She continued, "And… we're the same, aren't we? We both breathe fire."

At that, Jiang Chen's eyebrows shot up. The girl was right. Both of them had been altered by the Extremis virus, sharing the same fiery ability.

She pointed at herself and then at Jiang Chen. "We're the same."

Jiang Chen studied her for a moment. Her shoes were worn down, her clothes tattered. She had clearly been wandering for a long time, trying to find her way home. Her small, fragile frame trembled slightly, but her eyes were full of determination.

"I've been walking for so long… my shoes and clothes are all broken… I just want to go home," she pleaded softly.

Jiang Chen sighed. I guess I'm heading to New York anyway, he thought. What's the harm in bringing her along?

"Alright," Jiang Chen finally said, "but let's get one thing straight. I'll take you to New York, but that's it. After that, you're on your own."

The little girl nodded vigorously, her face lighting up with relief and joy. Despite the ordeal she had been through, her spirits lifted instantly.

Jiang Chen couldn't help but feel a twinge of satisfaction seeing her like this, though he quickly shook it off. Don't get soft now, he reminded himself.

With that, Jiang Chen began walking, the little girl trailing closely behind him as they made their way down the dark, desolate road, heading toward the bright lights of New York City.