Explosion, flames, scorching airflow.
The entire block was instantly turned into a sea of fire.
The Torchbearer escaped from underground, and the sealed canister became a super bomb.
The Professor had made some adjustments, though he couldn't stop the government from taking away his 'child,' as the project funding came from the government, and the 'product' naturally belonged to the government too.
The Professor considered the Torchbearer his child, and felt that he was too lonely underground, so he left him a special headset that transmitted sound through skull vibrations, allowing him to speak to the Synthetics from outside.
During these days, the Professor told him many things about the outside world, the people outside, and the situation of the world.
The Torchbearer also possessed human-like intelligence, just his mind was still immature.
Upon learning all this, he became even more eager to see for himself everything the Professor had described.
So beautiful, with animals, plants, blue sky and white clouds, he wanted to see it all.
His self-awareness resurfaced as his understanding of the world grew.
Neither the Professor nor Old Luo in the White House realized that the ability of this Synthetic was not actually fire, but radiation energy.
Fire and high temperature were just external manifestations of the energy; after all, being engulfed in flames wouldn't allow one to fly in the sky.
The Synthetic knew he had power hidden within him, a power that could free him from this dark place, so he did not hesitate to use it.
The powerful energy explosion in the confined space brought misfortune to the block, akin to a ground-penetrating bomb with a cement casing on the outside.
Large fragments and burning embers swept everything around like a storm of flames, instantly destroying buildings within a few kilometers.
The Torchbearer escaped.
Looking at the crying and fallen people around him, he felt confused and at a loss.
Everything around was just red, with darkness above.
It was nothing like what the Professor had told him.
The people groaned in pain, their eyes filled with disgust and fear as they looked at him; he never imagined he could have such an impact on the outside.
He fled, turning into a meteor, fleeing aimlessly into the sky.
The Professor never taught him what to do in such a situation, and the headset had been damaged by the flames, so he could only follow his instincts to avoid people's gazes.
......
Minutes later, Dr. Holloway drove to the site of the explosion.
He couldn't sleep at all.
Picking up and putting down two revolvers, a special sense of duty compelled him to seek justice, yet the realities of life held him back.
Just as he hesitated, he heard an explosion outside the window, turning his head to see the sky dyed red with flames.
His duty as a doctor instantly compelled him to grab his coat and drive to the scene of the disaster.
He was stunned by what he saw.
Corpses, severed limbs, blazing fires.
The entire street seemed bombed, and those still alive were thrown into chaos, helplessly crying out in the suffocating, smoke-filled night, different from anything he had ever heard.
In the past, those needing his help lay quietly in beds, with nurses informing him of the situation.
"Doctor, please get started; the patient has acute internal bleeding and is losing blood pressure and pulse; we've used some certain medication..."
But now, it was different; those needing help rolled and screamed in filthy places, their words painfully simple.
"Help!"
Dr. Holloway shrugged off his coat, rolled up his shirt sleeves, and raced into the burning site.
Leaping over debris and embers, breaking through the barricade of smoke, searching for those in need, his expression became resolute and calm.
He rescued people trapped under collapsed buildings, provided first aid to those poisoned by smoke, and helped a mother and daughter fend off looters during the disaster.
His father once served as the Prison Director of a New York State prison, where some inmates, trying to gain favor, taught young Holloway combat techniques, as he idolized Western heroes and showed great interest in fighting skills.
Without needing his father's repayment to the inmates, young Holloway studied the law and inmates' files and quickly helped wrongfully accused inmates escape their predicaments, even appealing against disputed charges.
He was actually a genius lawyer and detective, a talent that revealed itself well before his medical aptitude.
The inmates liked him, calling him a 'little Avenging Angel,' because he truly helped them get sentence reductions.
But now, it had been over twenty years since he had laid hands on anyone, and dealing with a few hooligans left him slightly injured, a small knife cutting into his ribs.
He lost track of time, but he knew he couldn't stop; exhaustion and pain were mere normal physical reactions.
At dawn, the smoke, fire, and fighting left him in utter disarray, his shirt reduced to rags, but the people were saved.
Not everyone, but he had done his best.
And those who survived called him—a hero.
After the National Guard took over the scene, he bade farewell and returned home.
Covered in the smell of smoke and fire, he stepped onto a luxurious carpet with his filthy feet and walked straight to the study. Taking out the mask from the box left by the Dual Gun Hero, he had made up his mind.
..................
The next day's newspapers, as expected by Su Ming, had headlines filled with news about Captain America.
Originally just a private, Steve was promoted to captain after the trial's success, but without any commanding power, just a titular promotion.
From then on, he was Captain America.
However, Steve was feeling deeply troubled.
Dr. Erskine had been abducted, and the serum was all gone; even though he had become a super soldier, Deathstroke easily escaped from him. What exactly was that glowing little ball?
Analyzing his opponent, with only one eye on Deathstroke's mask, Steve first doubted Mr. Wilson, thinking he might be missing an eye.
But he quickly became remorseful, knowing there were many one-eyed people in New York, even beggars on the street, with many sailors being one-eyed too.
If New York was like that, what about the entire United States? Deathstroke might not even be American, and perhaps the mask deliberately had one eye missing to mislead others.
Moreover, Mr. Wilson, blessed by God, was a Saint with visibly ageless looks, and his past deeds proved him to be a good man; both he and Baki owed too much to him.
Steve felt deeply guilty for suspecting him, seeking God's forgiveness while silently blaming himself.
Next time he met Mr. Wilson, he would candidly confess his suspicions and sincerely apologize; otherwise, even God might disapprove.
Aside from this, Steve felt low for not being on the battlefield; even Peggy's comfort failed to lift his spirits.
Because he knew the experiment's aim had failed, Colonel Philip would not let him go to the battlefield.
Philip and the military indeed thought so.
They needed a vast army of super soldiers, ideally a hundred thousand or a million, with Steve being just the first prototype.
With this army, the United States could defeat Xiaohuzi, defeat Little Japan, defeat any enemy on Earth, leaving only America's voice in the world.
But now that beautiful dream was shattered.
Steve was just one person, and his displayed power wasn't enough to determine the outcome of a war with millions involved.
The military's plans wouldn't stop due to a single setback, so the SSS project was shelved as they set their sights on preparing 'Project Weapon II,' probably using ancient Indian magic to enhance humans or something.
But that now had nothing to do with the Strategic Science Corps, and Steve, like other prototypes, would be indefinitely shelved.
If Steve were not a person but merely a gun, they would surely put him in a box with a secret code, preserving it in some Washington warehouse forever.
And Deathstroke had left no clue; every time he appeared, it seemed like he suddenly popped up in the city, only to vanish instantly.
Deathstroke was indeed a fully-fledged super soldier, but from another perspective, it also proved that his display was similarly incapable of dictating a war's course.
Maybe the SSS project was wrong from the start; perhaps America shouldn't have competed with Germany in this area.
Steve's request to go to the battlefield was denied by Colonel Philip, leaving him in confusion, but then Congressman Brandt, who's political survival instinct was extremely strong, appeared.
To clear himself of political connections with the German spies, he needed Captain America to campaign for war bonds, a good way to redeem himself.
But after just a few days of selling, an elderly man with a Russian-sounding name and a large team of lawyers sought him out, representing Wilson Enterprises, declaring violations by him and the New York State Government, presenting full legal documentation and notices.
"What do you want?" The Congressman was helpless; this was his last shot at saving his political life.
The old man, smiling, touched his hair: "Simple, let's discuss a joint promotional method for Captain America and Wilson's products..."