Chapter 219. Experiment (Part1)

"For me, Rogers is suitable."

Dr Erskine was extremely determined, and the experience with Schmidt told him that the Super Soldier Serum wouldn't only improve the physical quality of the user but also amplify the user's mindset.

For Dio, he was a little uneasy, feeling that what the other party wasn't as simple as it seemed.

If Ryan knew what Dr Erskine was thinking, he would definitely raise his hands in agreement.

What followed was not beyond expectations, and with a dummy grenade test, Steve managed to prove his worth. At least, it gave Dr Erskine a reason to convince Colonel Phillips.

"All right, soldiers. You have fully demonstrated your ability in this week's training. Unfortunately, we only need one of the best soldiers as a super soldier candidate." Colonel Phillips's eyes swept across the line in front of him. He paused on Dio, then turned to the skinny Steve and shouted, "Rogers, step out!"

At this moment, Colonel Phillips still thought that Dio was the most suitable candidate. Unfortunately, Dr Erskine insisted, and he couldn't help it.

Colonel Phillips's words caused an uproar in the team, and even Steve himself was a little unconvinced.

Having a silent look at Steve beside him, Ryan felt it necessary to say something and assert his presence, "Sir, I disagree! "

Looking closely at Colonel Phillips, Ryan made a dissatisfied look, "In training, I was above Steve in every category, so why was he the Super Soldier candidate? "

Not only was Colonel Phillips frowning at Ryan's question, but Steve also raised his eyebrows, wondering if Colonel Phillips had made a mistake. As Dio had said, during the whole week of training, even the average soldier, not to mention Dio, had done much better than him.

"Soldier, tell me where this is?"

To that, Colonel Phillips didn't reply. Until everything worked out, the Super Soldier program was still under wraps and not something that could be disclosed to a Private like Dio, even if he himself was far more favourable towards Dio than Steve, who stood beside him.

"107th Infantry, Sir!"

"Then you know who's in charge, right? This is an order, soldier! "

"Yes, Sir."

Steve stood beside Dio and witnessed the conversations between him and Colonel Phillips. He opened his mouth and wanted to say something.

"Dio ..."

"I don't need you to feel sorry for me, Steve. I'll personally prove to you how wrong the Colonel's choice really is."

However, when confronted with Steve's behaviour, Ryan cut his words off while wearing Dio's cold expression.

...

With the selection for Project Rebirth done, the soldiers of the new barracks were sent to other places, perhaps to other combat units or to other departments of the Strategic Scientific Reserve. Ryan also received a notice to go to other units. That night, the entire barrack was empty, with only Steve alone in the empty barracks, who passed the time reading a book.

Knock knock --

With a short knock on the door, Dr Erskine poked his head in the doorway. He was carrying a bottle of brandy and two glasses and asked, "May I?"

"Yeah."

Steve closed the book in his hand, turned to the doctor and answered.

Although he was identified as a candidate for Project Rebirth, he did not know much about the project and was more or less at a loss in his mind.

The doctor strode to Steve and placed the glass on the suitcase beside the bed, "Can't sleep?"

"I got the jitters, I guess," Steve answered.

Taking a seat on the bed opposite Steve, Dr Erskine's expression blurred in the dim light as he looked at the soldier in front of him, then said, "Me, too."

Steve placed the book aside, turned to look at the face of the doctor in front of him, and asked, "Can I ask you a question? … Why me? Not Dio." To this day, Steve remains somewhat in disbelief that he was able to beat Dio to become a candidate for Project Rebirth.

He even felt that if he had been the one executing this plan, he would have chosen Dio instead of a scrawny guy with skinny arms and legs like him.

In the face of Steve's question, Dr Erskine's face showed hesitation. He looked down at the bottle he was carrying, and after a long silence, he slowly spoke in a low but sad tone, "You know, this is from Augsburg, my city."

"So many people forget that the first country the Nazis invaded was their own. You know, after the last war, my people struggled. They felt weak. They felt small..."

As a defeated country in World War I, Germany suffered huge losses but also sowed deep hatred. Originally, this hatred would have stayed buried without a single spark; however, apparently, this wasn't the case. Taking a silent breath, Dr Erskine then said.

"And then Hitler came along, with the marching, the big show, and the flags, making speeches everywhere, inciting and inspiring, arousing the fury of the people with his banner. The next thing you know, everything was out of control and Nazis swept across Germany."

Pushing up the glasses on his face, Dr Erskine tried to calm himself down.

"Then he heard about me and my work. He finds me and says, 'You can make us strong.' Well, I was not interested. So, he sent me to the head of Hydra, his research division. A brilliant Scientist by the name of Johann Schmidt. Now, Schmidt is a member of the inner circle, and he is ambitious."

The information from Dr Erskine was so shocking that Steve couldn't digest it all at once. He frowned and tried to take it all in. He speculated that the so-called Project Rebirth might have been set up to fight against Hydra.

"He and Hitler share a passion for occult power and Teutonic myth. I even know an archaeology professor who was once hunted by Adolf's forces in their search for the 'Ark of the Covenant', which ultimately failed, although it did represent Hitler's ambitions. Hitler used his fantasies to inspire his followers. But for Schmidt, it is not fantasy. For him, it is real. He has become convinced that there is a great power hidden on the earth, left here by the gods, waiting to be seized by a superior man... So, when he hears about my formula and what it can do, he cannot resist. Schmidt must become that superior man."

The room became quiet, and Steve's thoughts had long since drifted into it, along with the Doctor's introduction.

"Schmidt coercively snatched my super soldier serum and injected it into himself."

With Dr Erskine's introduction, Steve also understood the experiment he was about to face, but at the moment, he was still concerned about the results of Schmidt's injection more than anything else, "Did he become stronger?"

With a silent nod, Dr Erskine added, "Yes, but there were other side effects. The serum was not ready. But more importantly, the man."

"The serum amplifies everything that is inside, so... good becomes great. Bad becomes worse." With the injection Steve was about to face, Dr Erskine blatantly mentioned the serum.

In fact, this was one of the main reasons why Ryan avoided the Super Soldier Serum. The effect of this serum wasn't that strong, but there were many side effects. Even the so-called 'perfect' Steve had a personality change due to the side effects of the serum.

"That's why I chose you over Brando. Because Brando, as a strong man, who has known power all his life, may lose respect for that power. But a weak man knows the value of strength. And knows... compassion."

The doctor thought for a moment and finally uttered the words.