Black Widow nodded thoughtfully. At that moment, she seemed to understand something—but another question soon followed.
"So Captain America's unchanging appearance wasn't caused by the Super Soldier Serum?"
"It was because he was frozen for seventy years?"
Director Nick Fury considered this carefully, then shook his head.
"No, Natasha. You're mistaken."
"In the end, it all comes back to the Super Soldier Serum."
"In my view, Captain America's freezing was essentially the same as a cryogenic pod in science fiction."
"Today, cryogenic technology isn't unheard of in advanced scientific research across the world."
"But the biggest obstacle is this: the human body cannot remain viable under prolonged ultra-low temperatures, nor can ice crystal formation inside cells be prevented."
"That's why every mammal experiment has failed so far."
"This is a technical limitation. Perhaps HYDRA once used similar methods on the Winter Soldier, Bucky. They achieved groundbreaking results in this field."
"Other organizations, however, remain baffled."
"The reason Captain America was able to avoid cellular damage during freezing lies here."
"I believe this is largely due to the Super Soldier Serum injected into him."
"It fundamentally altered his physical structure—allowing him to remain unchanged even after seventy years in ice."
Black Widow suddenly realized something.
She understood now.
As a woman, she instinctively desired eternal youth.
New thoughts surfaced in her mind.
It seemed that Dr. Erskine's Super Soldier Serum might have had replicas.
During Captain America's era, there had been a Black man who was injected with a similar substance.
She wondered what had become of him.
Stark Tower
Tony looked slightly disappointed.
He had assumed Captain America and his best friend Bucky would appear together.
Who would have thought—
Captain America was still frozen beneath the ice.
He wasn't someone born within the last seventy years.
Perhaps they would see Captain America himself someday.
But that would have to wait.
Before Tony could meet him, S.H.I.E.L.D. would rescue him from the ice first.
Still—
That didn't help Tony at all.
All he wanted was revenge on Bucky—from beginning to end.
Unless Captain America was hunted down for saving Bucky—
He would never get the chance to see him.
Otherwise—
Even if he dug Captain America out of the ice himself, it would mean nothing.
HYDRA was the real focus.
After all—
Bucky was the Winter Soldier.
He was already part of HYDRA.
If Captain America destroyed HYDRA's base—
Bucky should emerge with him.
Tony downed another bottle of alcohol.
Gulp. Gulp. Gulp.
"Burp."
He stared back at the screen.
Behind the Military Camp
Several people looked bored.
"So… according to the original records, I'd have to wait seventy years to see you again."
"Oh, right—I remember. Before that, I was killed by your dear friend Bucky."
Howard's tone carried the weight of time and change.
Agent Carter sighed softly.
"If that day truly comes, Steve, we'll be separated for seventy years."
"By the time we meet again, I might be an old woman lying in a hospital bed."
"I don't even know how I'd face you then."
Seeing their gloom, Captain America felt uneasy.
But after thinking it over—
He decided it wasn't inevitable.
Clap! Clap!
He clapped his hands.
"Hey, why are you so depressed? The things on the screen haven't happened yet."
"That means we can still change the future!"
"Howard, didn't you say Bucky would kill you?"
"Fine—then I'll go find Bucky in a few days and remind him every night before he sleeps."
"And before that—"
"During the train battle against HYDRA, I'll protect him."
"I'll even stop him from joining that fight."
"That way, Bucky won't be brainwashed into becoming the Winter Soldier who kills you."
"What do you think, Howard?"
Howard nodded.
Clearly, he agreed.
Seeing this, Captain America turned to Carter.
A trace of tenderness flashed in his eyes.
"Carter… aren't you worried about the age gap when we meet again?"
"Then let me promise you this."
"I swear—I will never abandon you and crash a plane into the ice alone."
"I swear I'll live a good life with you, and we'll spend the next seventy years together."
Carter's eyes, red moments ago, now overflowed with tears and laughter.
"Really? Then promise me one more thing."
"Next Saturday at exactly eight o'clock, you must dance with me at the Stork Club."
"And don't be late."
Captain America smiled.
"Yes. I will."
None of the three knew—
As Captain America spoke—
The future quietly changed.
On the sacred tree of the multiverse—
A new branch had grown.
The screen flickered.
A new title appeared.
[Classic Scene 6: New Mission]
[Inside an empty boxing gym.]
A dull, heavy sound echoed through the space.
Captain America punched the sandbag again and again, venting his tangled emotions.
The death of a close friend.
Separation from loved ones.
Arriving alone in a world seventy years later.
Meeting a Black man—who should have been picking cotton in the South—
Yet now stood as his superior.
What kind of world is this?
Bang!
With the final blow—
The sandbag flew five meters away.
Sand spilled everywhere.
Captain America breathed heavily.
At that moment—
Nick Fury's voice came from behind him.
Nick Fury:"Can't sleep?"
Captain America wrapped his hands in white bandages, still uneasy about answering to a Black superior.
Captain America:"Are you here to discuss a mission, sir?"
Fury walked toward him.
Nick Fury:"Yes."
Captain America:"You want me to return to this world?"
Nick Fury:"Not just that."
"You're going to save it."
Captain—