It was already morning when Agent Hill, with a mournful expression, took Nick Fury's body from the "morgue."
Steve only knew that Fury needed to "die," but he didn't know what the arrangements were afterward.
However, it now appeared that Agent Hill, the movie queen, was Fury's chosen pawn.
While Steve's serious face resolved many issues, he was not an actor by any means.
So when Natasha asked him, "Why did Fury go to you?" she immediately sensed something was off.
"I don't know."
"...You can't even lie."
"Captain, they're calling you back to headquarters."
Captain Rumlow relayed S.H.I.E.L.D.'s orders, and after Steve agreed, a faint smile crept up on Natasha's lips.
"Just being serious isn't enough. You need... a bit of confusion."
Natasha turned and left.
"Stay safe. I'll find you."
...
Steve watched Natasha's "slightly trembling with anger" figure disappear and took a deep breath. He carefully recalled the feeling he had when he had just woken up from his slumber.
Soon, a hint of profound confusion crawled into his azure pupils.
...
Steve's confused and angry state prompted Pierce to make a firm decision and take immediate action.
While Steve was annihilating the Special Forces team in the elevator, leaping off the building with his shield, and destroying a fighter jet with his flying shield...
Oaks was dealing with Bucky's situation.
In the top-secret laboratory of the Nature Guardian, Oaks was using Nature magic to sense Bucky's mental condition as he lay on the operating table.
"Skoll, has he been like this since he arrived?"
"Yes, Master. After coming to the laboratory, he didn't resist and remained silent the whole time, as if he had shut down."
Skoll used a word it had just learned, causing Oaks to look at it with surprise.
"Shut down? Well, that's quite fitting."
In Oaks' perception, Bucky's vital signs, although not as strong as Steve's, exceeded those of an ordinary person.
After all, he had survived the fall from the cliff thanks to the inferior version of the serum developed by HYDRA. He was injected with the inferior serum when he was captured by HYDRA.
After that, Bucky was injected with serum for the second time and underwent modification and brainwashing by Dr. Zola, becoming the super assassin known as the "Winter Soldier"... at least one of them.
Oaks had sent Skoll to help Steve precisely for this reason—to allow Steve to do what he needed to do without any worries.
At the same time, it would permanently eliminate a potential threat.
But soon, Oaks discovered that things were not that simple.
"The control chip... It's always been a hidden danger.
If we remove it, it requires extremely precise surgery. But even Wakanda can't do it right now..."
If it were any other part of the body, Oaks could simply use restorative magic to sustain the body's vitality, remove the chip, and then restore the damaged area.
But now the HYDRA control chip was in his brain. No matter how powerful the restoration magic was, Oaks wasn't confident about repairing the damaged brain cells without causing any consciousness or memory damage.
"Marlon, analyze the input methods for the chip."
"Scan complete. In addition to remote writing, commands can also be obtained by intercepting biological electrical signals from the host's auditory system and directly stimulating the brain to achieve control effects.
It's a conventional type, but the commands cannot be decrypted without detaching from the host."
Marlon quickly determined the chip's operating method in Bucky's brain, without spending much time.
"Two modes, remote and manual. So that's why there's a control passphrase..."
Oaks stroked his chin and a slight smile formed at the corner of his mouth.
"In that case, we can shield it from the brain's bioelectrical signal environment. It can be done."
Since they couldn't remove it for now, they would render it ineffective.
Using nature magic, they could construct a small shielding barrier to isolate the chip from the brain's cognitive system, achieving the desired effect.
Similar to the magic shielding barrier that previously blocked the USB locator system, only on a smaller scale.
However, miniaturizing magic was not as difficult as technology. Oaks was confident he could do it.
"Sir, I've intercepted a Level 1 combat readiness order from S.H.I.E.L.D. They've issued a nationwide manhunt for Captain Steve Rogers."
Marlon reported the current situation to Oaks, who was preparing to take action.
"The reason given is his refusal to provide the cause of Director Nick Fury's death.
However, they're only internally pursuing him for now, and the information is confidential. There's an encrypted internal call from Captain Steve Rogers."
"Patch it through."
Oaks paused his spellcasting and heard Steve's urgent voice:
"Oaks, I'm with Natasha now, and she says she knows Bucky's identity— he's a former Soviet assassin known as the 'Winter Soldier.'
She had been hit by... the untraceable bullet he shot, made in the former Soviet Union!"
"Understood. Your current mission is to disappear for a few hours. I've already decrypted the location indicated by the USB drive and will send the information to your phone."
Oaks checked the time, hesitated for a moment, and decided to speak:
"Furthermore, if you haven't mistaken him, this 'Winter Soldier' is indeed your friend, Sergeant Barnes..."
"I can't be mistaken!"
Steve's resolute voice came through the earpiece.
"And Bucky clearly recognizes me! Oaks, how is Bucky? Can he... can he..."
"Steve, in that case, I'll refer to him as Sergeant Barnes.
There are very obvious signs of external stimulation in his brain, and it has happened numerous times. It means he has undergone thorough brainwashing, to the extent that there's even an implanted mental controller in his brain.
Additionally, his body has undergone modifications. Although not as perfect as the super soldier serum you received, it greatly enhances his physical abilities.
His arm is not a problem; our Oak Tree Technology Company specializes in mechanical prosthetics.
However, his memories have been erased before and are currently in a chaotic state—probably triggered by seeing you. It's hard to imagine that the organization behind a super assassin with a mental controller in his brain wouldn't try to retrieve him.
I suggest Sergeant Barnes stays with me. I will use healing spells to help stabilize his mind. Through subsequent contact with you, his memories should gradually recover.
Moreover, I have a way to temporarily address the control chip in his brain."
"Really!"
Steve's voice was filled with surprise and gratitude.
"Thank you, Oaks... Besides Peggy, Bucky is the most important person to me. And you've helped me once again."
"You're one of us, an esteemed member of the Benevolence Society ..."
Oaks chuckled.
"After I finish up here, I will head to New Jersey, your nostalgic place, Captain."
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