Chapter 207

These bugs and miniature cameras were what Steve had just found in his own house.

Judging from the placement and angles of the bugs and cameras, it was easy to determine that Steve's every move within this house was being monitored from every angle, without a single blind spot.

Even the most private place—the bathroom—wasn't spared.

These were just the ones Steve managed to find. As for those hidden too well to be discovered, who knew how many more bugs and cameras were still around.

God only knows how many bugs and cameras S.H.I.E.L.D. had hidden within every nook and cranny of this house.

Just thinking about how he had been living under someone's surveillance all this time filled even the usually cheerful Captain America with extreme dissatisfaction and fury.

Originally, after waking up from the long ice-bound slumber, Steve still held a favorable impression of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Fury, who rescued him from under the icy sea. But now...

All that goodwill had rapidly faded away in the midst of his anger and dissatisfaction.

After all, nobody likes their privacy being invaded.

Especially such a comprehensive, all-encompassing invasion.

"Knock, knock, knock..."

Just as Steve placed all the bugs and cameras he found on the table before him, a knock sounded from outside his door.

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Meanwhile.

Fury, who had just returned from Alexander Pierce's place and successfully convinced him to postpone the "Insight Project," received a call from Agent Sharon Carter, the one he had arranged to monitor Steve Rogers' every move.

"Director, the Captain has discovered our surveillance. He just came back and found a lot of bugs and cameras throughout his house. And as time goes on, that number is only increasing..."

The moment Fury answered the call, Agent Sharon's somewhat panicked voice reached his ears.

"What..."

Fury had barely managed to settle things with Pierce and was just beginning to relax when yet another troublesome issue emerged.

Though his mood was quite terrible, Fury forced himself to calm down and instructed Sharon to recount the entire situation from beginning to end.

After listening to Sharon's report, Fury's expression darkened.

"Damn it."

Everything had been perfectly fine just the day before, so why did Steve suddenly decide to search his house today?

Although the house where the Captain was staying had been arranged by S.H.I.E.L.D. long ago.

Surveillance agents were stationed all around him, above, below, in front, and behind, monitoring his every move.

But all of this was unknown to Rogers!

After all, on the surface, this house was something Steve found himself using money provided by S.H.I.E.L.D. through a real estate agent.

As for the bugs and cameras, even if he planned to look for them, it should've been done right after moving in, not several days later when he suddenly decided to search for them.

How did he find out about them?

Could it be that someone secretly tipped him off?

But who would that be?

Of course, it was already too late to dwell on such things.

After a few seconds of silence, Fury spoke to the panicked and anxious Agent Sharon on the other end of the line, "Calm down, Agent Sharon. We installed those bugs and cameras only to better understand and protect the Captain."

"Although we might have overstepped, as long as we sincerely explain and apologize, I believe the Captain will understand."

"As his neighbor, I'm leaving the task of explaining this mission to you, Sharon."

"I trust you will handle it well, Agent Sharon..."

"Oh, and if necessary, you can reveal your identity to the Captain."

Having assigned the troublesome task of explaining to the Captain to Agent Sharon, Fury was somewhat helpless.

But this was also the most suitable solution at the moment.

Sharon Carter was Peggy Carter's niece.

As long as she revealed her identity, given the Captain's past relationship with Peggy, he wouldn't make things difficult for Sharon even if he was upset.

And once Sharon revealed her identity, Fury could use Peggy Carter's connection to deflect the Captain's dissatisfaction with S.H.I.E.L.D.

After all, Peggy Carter was one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s founders.

However, if he did this, the planned meeting between the Captain and Peggy Carter would have to be brought forward.

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On the other side.

Upon hearing the knock on his door, the muscles under Steve's clothes instantly tightened.

Only after placing his hand on his vibranium shield did Steve finally respond, "Who's there?"

"Captain, it's me, your neighbor Sharon. Also, Agent Sharon Carter from S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Fury sent me to explain..."

Sharon... She's also a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent?

Thinking of the cheerful young nurse who used to greet him, Steve Rogers' impression of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Fury worsened even further.

After a moment of silence.

Steve picked up his vibranium shield and cautiously approached the door.

Through the peephole, he saw that Sharon was the only one outside. After some hesitation, he finally opened the door.

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Meanwhile.

Having "temporarily" dealt with the Whiplash that was hunting Tony Stark, Eren stood before the door leading to the basement, signaling the Oddball to open it.

When the basement door finally opened.

The scene within the basement made Eren's face change.

Tony Stark lay unconscious at the entrance of the basement, a silver handgun fallen beside him.

Judging by the scene.

Tony had been guarding the entrance with a gun before passing out.

And deeper within the basement.

Happy, whose back was drenched in blood, lay sprawled on a cleaned laboratory table like a corpse.

If not for the slight rise and fall of his chest, anyone would've thought he was already dead.

But Eren's attention was not on Happy or Tony at all.

With a slight push of his toes...

Eren moved like a gust of wind, quickly appearing beside the unconscious Pepper lying near the laboratory table.

It seemed that she had hit her head when she fell unconscious, as there was a large bump swelling on her forehead. But even so, she was still tightly clutching a bottle of medical alcohol and a roll of gauze.

Seeing the bump on Pepper's forehead, Eren frowned slightly and mentally connected with the Angel's Staff, performing a Primary Holy Light Healing on her forehead.

The next moment.

A soft, milky-white ball of light gathered in Eren's palm.

Once the Holy Light fully formed, Eren pressed the glowing sphere onto Pepper's forehead.

Under the healing power of the Holy Light, the purplish-red bump on Pepper's forehead quickly faded away at a speed visible to the naked eye.

After healing Pepper's forehead, the remaining Holy Light energy transformed into a gentle warmth that spread from her forehead throughout her entire body.

The soothing warmth flowed through Pepper's body, gradually repairing the damage caused by her years of overworking to clean up Stark's various reckless messes.

Although Pepper appeared to be exceptionally efficient and capable, her body had always been in a state of suboptimal health due to constant overwork.

As the last trace of Holy Light's radiance dissipated, Pepper, whose body had just been partially restored from years of hidden damage, gradually woke up amidst a comforting warmth.

"You're awake, Aunt Pepper!"

Seeing Pepper open her eyes again, Eren let out a sigh of relief.

Then, he helped her up from the cold floor.

After getting up from the icy ground with Eren's assistance, Pepper, looking a bit dazed, asked, "Just now... what happened to me?"

Although she was awake, Pepper had no memory of what just occurred.

She only remembered taking medical alcohol and bandages from the emergency kit, intending to clean Happy's wounds, before everything went dark, and she passed out.

As for how she fainted, she had absolutely no recollection.

Eren shook his head and said, "I don't know either. I finished dealing with the guy chasing you and Tony, and when I opened the basement, I saw all three of you unconscious."

"Just now, you even hit your head and got a big, purplish-red bump on your forehead."

"Huh?"

Hearing this, Pepper's face changed slightly as she instinctively reached up to feel her forehead.

But other than her smooth, delicate skin, she couldn't find the bump Eren mentioned.

Seeing the puzzled look in Pepper's eyes, Eren chuckled.

"Don't worry. I already healed that bump on your forehead with Holy Light Healing."

"Is that so?"

Recalling the gentle, warm sensation she felt when she first woke up, a flash of realization crossed Pepper's eyes.

The warmth she experienced just now must have been what Eren referred to as Holy Light Healing!

Having just witnessed Tony's severe back wounds heal almost instantly in Eren's hands, Pepper no longer doubted his healing abilities.

But still, this power was truly amazing!

As she shook her head and marveled inwardly, Pepper's gaze happened to catch sight of Happy sprawled across the cold laboratory table, his back soaked with blood.

Pepper immediately remembered the injured person beside her and quickly grabbed Eren's arm.

"Eren, Happy was also hurt by that madman's whip earlier. Can you heal him too?"

Faced with Pepper's request.

Eren shook his head. "Sorry, Aunt Pepper. I've already used up all my Holy Light energy healing you and Tony Stark. To use Holy Light Healing again, I'll need to wait until tomorrow when my Holy Light energy has recovered..."

"Besides, rather than waiting here for my energy to recover, it's better to send him to the nearest hospital for treatment as soon as possible."

Eren still had one Advanced Holy Light Healing left, but he didn't intend to use it on Happy.

He had already examined Happy's injuries. Although his back was soaked with blood, most of it was just superficial wounds.

His injuries were more about large areas of abrasion than the terrifying wounds inflicted by the energy whips.

The only issue was that the abrasions covered a large area, making them look worse than they actually were.

Such injuries could easily be healed by a Medium Holy Light Healing, but using his Angel's Staff, which could only refresh its advanced healing ability once a month, would be a tremendous waste.

Eren had already consumed his Primary Holy Light Healing and Medium Holy Light Healing for today. He wasn't about to waste his last life-saving ability.

Of course.

The main reason was that Eren wasn't all that familiar with Happy.

If the injured person had been Pepper or Gwen, Eren probably wouldn't have hesitated to help.

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"I see."

After hearing Eren's explanation, Pepper glanced apologetically at Happy.

If Eren hadn't healed her forehead injury just now, then maybe he could have healed Happy.

But that thought only briefly passed through her mind.

For Eren to instinctively choose to heal her first, Pepper couldn't help but feel touched despite saying nothing.

After gathering her thoughts.

Pepper said to Eren, "Since you've already dealt with that madman chasing us, then we just need to wait for the police to arrive."

"I'll start bandaging Happy's wounds to prevent him from losing too much blood. Eren, you go and wake Tony up."

"Alright, Aunt Pepper!"

While Pepper picked up her tools and began bandaging Happy's wounds, Eren walked over to Tony and tried to wake him up.

However, compared to Pepper, Eren's method of waking Tony up was much less gentle.

After several hard slaps to Tony's face failed to wake him up, Eren simply filled a basin with cold water from a nearby tap and poured it directly over Stark's head.

The icy, bone-chilling sensation instantly jolted the drenched Tony awake from unconsciousness.

(End of Chapter)

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