Chapter 235. Castle

"Blown to pieces?"

A look of regret passed over Colonel Phillips' face as he heard Bucky's reply.

As a military leader, he didn't really care whether the power of Stone Mask was evil or not. But, as he told Dr Erskine before, kindness can't win battles, only strength.

"Sir, we've found some tracks!"

Just then, a soldier came in and reported.

Hearing that, Steve subconsciously turned his head.

Colonel Phillips' gaze swept over a somewhat agitated Steve before he opened his mouth and gestured to the soldier, "Go ahead."

"According to our search of the villages near the Hydra base, we found a clue about the target's appearance from the villagers of a remote settlement. From what they said, a blonde-haired, white-skinned man was in the town for a short time a few days ago."

"It's him, Dio!"

Steve said without thinking.

"Have the men follow the trail and keep gathering information."

After barking a command to the soldier, Colonel Phillips turned his head to Steve and said, "It's just a clue. We aren't sure whether it really is Dio. After all, he was hit by a shell. Even if he isn't dead, he won't recover that quickly."

"No, he might be able to."

Thinking of the monster-like recovery Dio had displayed in front of them, Bucky couldn't help but say, "When he was fighting Steve, it looked like he could heal by absorbing other people's blood and life force."

"Sir, ordinary soldiers have no chance of winning against Dio, who has turned into a vampire."

Steve spoke up and volunteered to Colonel Phillips, "Since Dio is a member of the team I made, I should be the one responsible for bringing him back."

"No."

Without thinking, Colonel Phillips refused Steve's request. He frowned and replied, "Our first priority is still Johann Schmidt. Leave Dio to someone else." Compared to Hydra, Dio's actions certainly angered and disappointed Colonel Phillips, but it wasn't the pressing issue at the moment.

"Sir, Dio ..." Steve uneasily added.

Because of the encounter, Steve was well aware of the fact that Dio was no longer an ordinary human being and that ordinary attacks couldn't damage him in the slightest.

"Captain, this is an order."

Interrupting Steve's explanation, Colonel Phillips stood up and said, "This is a critical moment for the war, and your previous actions are starting to wear Schmidt down. We have to hold on to this advantage. The slightest slip could change an otherwise favourable situation."

There was a pause in Colonel Phillips's voice before a hint of his feelings as an ordinary man was revealed, "I am well aware of what happened to Dio. In fact, I'm as regretful as you are that it happened. Dio was an excellent soldier, and I had a lot of expectations of him, but obviously, he didn't live up to them." At this point, Colonel Phillips once again collected the emotion on his face and reassumed his tough demeanour, "So, I hope, Captain, that you won't disappoint me and the people fighting on our side, as Dio has done."

"...."

Colonel Phillips's words silenced Steve.

...

"It should be around here."

Tilting his head and gazing at the towering old castle in front of him, Ryan halted his steps. He had a satisfied smile on his face.

According to the residents of the settlement, the castle was originally the residence of a baron who, with the outbreak of the war, moved south with his family and was never heard from again. With the departure of the owner's family, the castle, which had been quite neat and tidy, was abandoned.

And gradually became deserted.

"This should be the perfect place for Steve and Dio's final battle."

For vampires, an old castle was a perfect dwelling, especially since Ryan walked all the way up here while looking like [Dio Brando]. Ryan left enough clues for Steve to 'encounter' him here.

With his mind made up, Ryan then went up to the old castle.

...

"What?! None of the soldiers came back?!"

In one of the tents on the front line temporary base, Colonel Phillips's expression turned ugly as he listened to a report from his subordinate.

In order to solve the Dio matter, Colonel Phillips sent a team of soldiers to track him down, all of whom were combat-experienced soldiers who wouldn't lose against Hydra's soldiers. Unfortunately, the whole team was wiped out in a seemingly simple mission.

"How is that possible? "

Bowing his head and muttering something, Colonel Phillips was clearly a little overwhelmed by the outcome.

"Are you sure they Dio attacked them? Not a Hydra ambush?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Maybe, they were caught up in something..." Hearing the affirmative answer from his subordinate, Colonel Phillips rubbed his wrinkled eyes. This Dio matter had gone a little beyond his expectations. He had to consider the information that Steve and Bucky had mentioned before.

There were a few seconds of silence before Colonel Phillips finally issued a difficult order, "Tell the rest of the men to retreat for now."

The forces on their side were stretched thin right now, and they couldn't afford to waste more manpower on Dio in vain.

It looked like this matter had to wait until Hydra was taken care of.

At this moment, Colonel Phillips made a difficult decision, but he didn't notice the flash of a burly figure at the entrance of the tent.

...

Late that night, Steve buckled his shield behind his back and glanced back at the base behind him.

According to the orders Colonel Phillips had issued, he shouldn't be here.

However, thinking of Dio and those soldiers, Steve couldn't keep turning a blind eye.

He couldn't let the situation go on like this. He had recruited Dio into his team, so he felt that it was his responsibility to sort it out.

Taking a deep breath, he turned and straddled his motorcycle.

"I knew you'd do this."

Stepping on the gas, a familiar voice suddenly came from behind him.

Turning around, Steve saw Bucky emerge from the shadows in full gear, staring at him.

"Bucky."

A look of surprise spread across Steve's face as he looked at his best friend, who caught him.

"I'm also a member of the team. Why would I let you go visit Dio on your own? "

His best friend's appearance naturally moved Steve, but when he thought about what Dio could do, he spoke to him with a serious tone, "Bucky, we both know what Dio can do after he became a vampire."

"I know, that's why I came prepared."

Holding up the oddly shaped weapon in his hand, Bucky replied in a deep tone.

...

"At last."

Holding a glass of red wine, Dio sat on the balcony on the castle's second floor, looking out into the distance.

On the ground floor, the team of soldiers sent by Colonel Phillips was firmly tied up in the hall. They were good fighters, but unfortunately, they encountered Dio and were easily dealt with.

Sitting up high, Dio saw Steve and Bucky both appear from a distance, riding their motorcycles. He couldn't help but smile.

The [Golden Pocket Watch]'s time-travelling ability was reaching its limit. If Steve didn't come to him, Dio was going to go find him himself.

Steve stopped the motorcycle as he arrived at the castle. He took the shield off his back, turned his head towards Bucky and gave a slight nod.

The two men looked at each other before cautiously stepping inside the old castle.

"These are the guys Colonel Phillips sent."

The first thing Steve saw when he stepped inside the castle was the soldiers tied up on the ground floor.

Seeing that, Steve didn't rush up to rescue them. Instead, he raised the shield in his hand with a wary look and took a step back.

Dio placed these people here too blatantly; it was obviously a trap.

Sure enough, just as Steve had imagined, a figure descended from the sky the moment he stepped back and landed in front of the two men. He grinned and revealed the sharp teeth in his mouth.

"Careful, Bucky."

Looking at the vampire in front of him, Steve frowned and reminded Bucky.

"I don't think we only need to be careful of that guy in front of us."

Raising the M1 semi-automatic carbine in his hand and firing a few rounds at the soldiers in the hall, Bucky looked at the crowd who stood up and hissed at them and replied as he smiled bitterly.

A look of regret passed over Steve's face at first sight.

He never thought that Dio would turn these soldiers into vampires.

Without Bucky's warning, Steve would probably have stepped into Dio's trap after taking care of the attacking vampire in front of him. There were a lot of vampires. Even if he was now a super soldier, he couldn't possibly resist all of them on his own for too long.

"I don't think this is going to be easy."

Tightening the shield in his hand, Steve looked at the vampires who were approaching and surrounding them and spoke to Bucky.

"It never is. "