Marvel: The Villain

Chapter 323 Twice

Steve had managed to dive into a crater before the explosion, using his shield to cover his head. However, the intensity of the blast far exceeded his expectations. His specialized armor took severe damage, and Steve was knocked unconscious instantly.

Buried deep beneath the soil, the oxygen in the air slowly began to run out. By a stroke of luck, the oxygen supply component in his helmet remained functional; otherwise, he would have died of asphyxiation long ago.

Though he had narrowly escaped death, his current situation was far from optimistic. The rescue team immediately transported him to the Helicarrier for emergency treatment. Fury personally visited the medical bay to check on his status, but the doctor’s preliminary findings caused his heart to sink.

Steve was catastrophically injured and had missed the critical window for emergency intervention. Even if they spared no expense, the best-case scenario was a persistent vegetative state.

Hearing the doctor’s verdict, Fury found it difficult to accept. Steve Rogers truly led a life of relentless misfortune. As a young man, he was bullied for his frailty. He finally joined the Super Soldier program and became Captain America, only to crash into the Arctic ice months later—making him sixty years late for a dance with his beloved.

When he was finally pulled from the ice and reborn, he ran straight into the Joker organization at the height of its power. Before he could even enjoy the conveniences of modern technology, he was crippled by Alex, and two women he loved died because of him. Later, with Stark’s help, he stood again, only to spend his days numbing his pain with alcohol.

Yet, when Earth faced its greatest crisis, he conquered his demons and bravely stepped forward. Now, he was left as a vegetable. To call his life tragic was an understatement.

Unwilling to accept this, Fury asked, "Is there no other way? Even something risky."

"Risky..." The doctor thought for a moment and steeled himself. "If we inject him with the Hulk Serum, there might be a glimmer of hope."

The Hulk Serum could rapidly repair damaged tissue and strengthen cells—even without a full transformation, the subject’s strength would far exceed a normal human’s. But the risks were astronomical. SHIELD’s research on the serum was still in its infancy, nowhere near the rapid progress made by the Joker organization. And even the Joker organization had sacrificed countless test subjects to produce their 100 Hulk Warriors.

An injection could mean rebirth, but it was far more likely to mean certain death. Most importantly, Steve was fading fast; there was no time for debate.

Fury asked, "You say there’s a glimmer of hope. Exactly how much?"

The doctor was honest: "Less than one percent."

With odds that low, they were gambling with Steve’s very life.

"I authorize it. Go prepare," Fury said after a long struggle. He ultimately agreed to the injection. As for the outcome, it was in the hands of fate.

"Director." An agent ran up to him.

"What is it?"

"The search and rescue operation is over... no other life signs were found."

Fury felt as if he’d been struck by lightning. Even though he had prepared himself mentally, hearing the death sentence pronounced made it no easier to bear. The war was won, but some wouldn’t be around to enjoy the victory.

Fury stood there in silence for a long, long time.

The sun rose, bathing the world in light. When the inhabitants of Earth woke up, they found the world had changed completely.

Aliens had invaded! New York was the main battlefield! The death toll exceeded one hundred thousand!

My God! It wasn’t April Fool’s Day! Had the news anchors lost their minds?

But soon, photos from the scene in New York began to go viral. The hideous corpses of aliens. The gnarled wreckage of the Leviathans. And a New York that looked like it had survived a nuclear war. The images were undeniable. No matter how much the world’s citizens doubted, they had to accept the reality.

Ever since humans began observing the stars, the topic of aliens had been a constant source of speculation—from the Air Force spotting UFOs to the FBI finding bodies, to the classic abducted and forced to mate tabloid stories. Humans were always curious about their cosmic neighbors.

Now, that curiosity was satisfied—Earth had welcomed its first extraterrestrial guests. Except no one expected them to be invaders. Their first gift to Earth was the destruction of New York and the deaths of hundreds of thousands. The dream of a peaceful, mutually beneficial relationship with alien civilizations was shattered into dust.

Fear began to grip the world. If there were other advanced civilizations out there, what if they wanted to invade too? It was a question without an answer: to be lagging is to be beaten.

Fortunately, the U.S. government had set a precedent. Despite the heavy cost of lives, the first war between Earth and an alien civilization ended in victory.

Victory in war is a great way to distract from internal conflict. Almost instantly, the angry youths who had been protesting the government’s incompetence vanished. In their place, massive crowds took to the streets carrying banners praising the nation and the administration.

This victory was crucial. It caused American national pride to skyrocket. Some radicals even began talking about colonizing other planets. With the public so supportive, the federal government leaned into it.

The President, along with high-ranking military and government officials, held a press conference to reveal the untold secrets of the war. It could be summarized in one sentence: American technology is the best in the universe; alien civilizations are nothing to fear.

With the leadership endorsing this narrative, the masses were sent into a frenzy. While the bodies of a hundred thousand people were still cold, they had already begun to party night and day. They were happy, and the President’s administration was happy. With this level of popularity and approval, the next election was a guaranteed win.

Washington, D.C. Cemetery.

Thor, Tony, Bruce, and Fury stood together, with several senior SHIELD agents behind them. As the greatest heroes of the war, not a single smile could be seen on their faces. They were all dressed in black, standing before a brand-new headstone.

The inscription read: Natasha Romanoff.

There was no body in the grave, only a few sets of her clothes. After SHIELD stopped searching, a ground rescue team spent another two days and nights scouring the area, but all they found was a single molar.

After the chaplain spoke, they took turns laying flowers and then simply stood there in a heavy, wordless silence.

After an unknown amount of time, Banner’s composure broke. With a look of pure agony, he turned and left the cemetery. To fall in love twice and lose both women to such horrific deaths was a blow too great for him to bear.

The others snapped out of their mourning. Fury, unwilling to stay in this place of sorrow any longer, motioned for Tony and Thor to go elsewhere to clear their heads.

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