Chapter 26: Crisis in 48 Hours!
Hodge moved like a human bulldozer, carrying a large metal equipment box over seven feet tall in front of him as a shield.
Reaching the street, he shoved the box forward with tremendous force. With his superhuman strength, the box hurtled into the opposite corner like a speeding car smashing into a wall.
The two Hydra operatives, never having witnessed anything like this, barely escaped with their lives. One of them, struggling to stand, felt a sharp pain in his face and instantly lost consciousness.
Hodge had ripped off the car door and casually hurled it at the operative's face. With his current strength, the man's skull was crushed, and he was clearly beyond saving.
Blood splattered everywhere, and Hodge seemed to become even more excited, vaulting over the car in front of him and charging at the other operative with his bare hands.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The operative fired three shots, but due to the darkness, two missed, and only one grazed Hodge's shoulder. Wounded, Hodge became even more frenzied. He moved with lightning speed, closing the distance in an instant.
Crack!
He viciously snapped the operative's wrist, then grabbed his head and slammed it against the pavement.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
After several brutal blows, the operative's skull shattered, his brains splattered across the concrete—he was dead beyond any doubt.
"Hah..."
Hodge stood up, licking his lips with a sadistic grin, still savoring the satisfaction. The serpentine markings on his body became even more pronounced, but because of the darkness, no one could see them clearly.
Perhaps it was just his imagination, but after his rampage, Hodge felt a strange unease, as if his strength was draining. He shook his head, dismissing the feeling, and carefully examined himself but found nothing obviously wrong.
Professor Erskine, though unharmed, didn't seem particularly relieved. The rage and bloodlust displayed by Hodge terrified him. His malice was completely different from Schmidt's—it appeared purer, more primal and direct.
"Agent Carter, take me back!" Professor Erskine said nothing more, quickly getting into another vehicle.
As dawn broke, he returned to his temporary apartment. Opening the door, he saw Mason, who hadn't slept all night and whose eyes were bloodshot.
"Hodge's enhancement was successful?!" Mason asked urgently.
"How did you know?" Professor Erskine was astonished. He'd only learned of the last-minute schedule change when they'd taken him to the lab.
Mason let out a long sigh—this was truly terrible news.
The change in the delivery mission made him realize things had drastically shifted. Combined with the clarity of the mission text, he'd guessed that Hodge had most likely completed the serum injection and become Captain Black Serpent.
That's why this delivery mission now had a countdown.
NOTE: The courier must complete this delivery mission within 48 hours. Failure to make a selection within the time limit will be considered mission failure. The courier will permanently lose access to the Dimensional Express Company, be stripped of all rewards and memories, and be expelled from the mission world!
Below was a bright red countdown! Every disappearing second stabbed at Mason's nerves.
He only had 48 hours left, and now it seemed handing the shield over to Hodge was the only option. But remembering the murderous intent in Hodge's eyes during yesterday's fight, Mason suspected that if he appeared before Hodge now, he'd be brutally tortured to death.
"You didn't come back all night—something must have happened. I really couldn't think of any other explanation."
"The timeline was moved up. Hodge has already been injected with the enhancement serum and become the first super soldier." Professor Erskine didn't dwell on the question and quickly explained.
"I originally planned to secretly smuggle the serum out of the laboratory and transform you into a super soldier before the Strategic Scientific Reserve conducted their experiments, but unfortunately all of that was disrupted."
Mason hadn't expected that Professor Erskine's plan would align with his own thinking.
Since he couldn't enhance through official channels, he'd find a way to steal the serum from the lab. Once the enhancement was complete, he could hand the shield over to Steve, and his mission would be accomplished.
Unlike in the movies, Professor Erskine's series of experiences had completely eroded his faith in the Allied Strategic Scientific Reserve, prompting him to seek alternative solutions.
"Things happened so suddenly, I couldn't extract the enhancement serum from the lab. Tomorrow—tomorrow night—let's meet here, and I'll give you the serum."
"But the serum alone isn't enough. I need the complete circuitry and the special vita-ray apparatus provided by Stark Industries," Professor Erskine analyzed methodically.
"The device used to enhance Hodge..."
"The energy overload damaged the equipment beyond quick repair, and as a covert experimental facility, it's difficult to get in and out. Bringing someone in unnoticed and completing the experiment is extremely difficult."
"I need your help."
"Find Howard Stark. He designed the enhancement chamber. I know industrial geniuses like him—every design is a point of pride for them. Stark Industries must have a prototype of the enhancement chamber!"
"Once we locate the prototype, we can begin the enhancement experiments!"
Mason's spirits lifted. With 48 hours remaining, if things went smoothly, he could completely transform Steve into Captain America and then deliver him the shield!
"No problem, leave this to me. Even if I have to kidnap the guy, I'll get Howard's enhancement chamber!" Mason said confidently.
"Be careful these next few days. The enhanced Hodge is extremely violent, and he seems to harbor tremendous hatred toward you. If you encounter him alone, I'm afraid he'll..." Professor Erskine warned.
Mason's face darkened.
He hadn't expected that, amplified by the enhancement serum, Hodge's hatred for him had reached a point of homicidal obsession—a desire to literally tear him apart.
Damn it, if he'd known this would happen, should he have just swallowed his pride before that bastard?
However, Mason also had his dignity—at this point, he simply couldn't bring himself to grovel before Hodge. There are
always things in this world more important than survival.
"Furthermore, what I injected into Hodge wasn't the genuine serum, but an incomplete formula. This serum affects the recipient's strength when their emotions fluctuate dramatically, and requires continuous injections periodically, otherwise their strength will decline drastically."
"So the longer time passes, the more Hodge's strength will deteriorate, which works more to our advantage!"
Mason looked at the articulate Professor Erskine before him. Having escaped Schmidt's control, Professor Erskine was clearly not just some naive scientist obsessed with technology.
However, what Professor Erskine didn't know was that time was critical—Mason only had less than 48 hours remaining!
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