"So…" Rogers lifted his head. "We won?"
"That's right." Shen He nodded. "I'm not an American, but in terms of the war's outcome, all the anti-fascist nations of the world won. …How do you feel right now? I mean mentally—any dizziness, nausea, or anything uncomfortable?"
"I'm fine." Rogers shook his head slightly.
His soldier's training allowed him to recover quickly from prolonged unconsciousness, but waking up in an unfamiliar place still left him a bit uneasy.
"In that case, come with me. Just a few simple tests." Shen He smiled and pointed toward the door. "Once we confirm everything is fine, you can be discharged."
"Alright." Rogers stood up. "Thank you."
Outside was a corridor, the air thick with the smell of disinfectant, with nurses walking back and forth—faces of all kinds.
"We're an international private organization called Chaldea. You may not have heard of us, but we're quite capable." Shen He led the way. "Originally, the commission we received was to search for the remains of a hero. But when we unexpectedly discovered you were still alive, everyone was thrilled—especially your fans. So we decided to cover all your medical expenses and treat you free of charge."
"Thank you…"
Following Shen He out of the building, Rogers realized this was a rather large facility, with many buildings inside the walls.
And right in front of the main building was the front gate. Outside, traffic moved busily—no different from the New York he knew. A crowd was pressed against the gate holding signs; when they saw him, they broke into excited commotion.
"Those are your fans." Shen He sounded a bit helpless. "Just about every day they gather there. Honestly, it's unsafe, and it disturbs other patients. So we only allow a representative to come inside. Look—he's here. You should say a few words to him."
Just as Shen He said, a middle-aged man wearing a shirt printed with Captain America's emblem walked over, his expression full of excitement.
"Hello, Captain. I'm Coulson." Coulson grasped Rogers' hand tightly. "I never imagined I'd meet you under circumstances like this. May I hug you? To thank you for everything you've done for this country—and for us."
"Of course. Thank you for not giving up on me."
Rogers still wasn't entirely comfortable, but he stepped forward and gave Coulson a hug.
"You'll never disappoint us," Coulson said, beaming.
"Alright, Coulson—you'll be seeing your idol discharged very soon." Shen He winked at him. "Mr. Rogers, this way."
"…Um, Doctor?"
Rogers took two quick steps to catch up, unsure how to address him.
"Shen He. I'm Chinese. I manage the American branch of the company. If you find the pronunciation difficult, just call me Shen or He." Shen He gave a simple introduction.
"Alright, Mr. Shen… I was wondering—could I get in touch with some people? I… had an appointment."Rogers actually looked a little nervous.
Shen He stopped walking, turned back, and sighed softly."If you mean Ms. Carter… she's already married."
"…"
Rogers seemed stunned by the abrupt news. He opened his mouth but could not say anything.
"I've heard your story. It's very moving." Shen He placed a hand gently on Rogers' shoulder. "But you can't blame her. All of us believed you had died in the war. It took Ms. Carter a very long time to pull herself out of her grief. In fact… we didn't tell her you were still alive. Her health hasn't been very good recently."
"I… I just…"
Rogers staggered back a few steps, his mind suddenly a mess.
"Are you alright, Mr. Rogers?" Shen He asked with genuine concern.
"I'm fine… Let's just do the tests."
Rogers began to realize that although he had survived… he had also lost many things—things extremely important to him.
"After you're discharged, you can decide for yourself whether you want to see her."
Shen He nodded slightly and led him to another building. On the thick metal door was a symbol: a crescent moon wrapped in straw. Inside, gunshots echoed from time to time, snapping Rogers out of his thoughts and putting him slightly on guard.
"This is one of Chaldea's training facilities." Shen He pushed the door open.
As he said, inside was a massive training hall where many people were practicing shooting, combat, and various weapons.
Rogers watched them closely, noticing that what they trained was real killing technique—not mere exercise or hobby.
"The war… didn't it end already?" Rogers caught a familiar, battlefield-like chill in their hardened eyes.
"For ordinary people, yes." Shen He nodded, then shook his head. "Most countries and regions of the world are in a peaceful era. But even though war is over, fighting continues. There will always be people who try to destroy this hard-won peace. They hide in the world's dark corners, and Chaldea's main job is to find them—and eliminate them."
"So, you're actually mercenaries?" Rogers scanned the room. "Are they all soldiers?"
"No one here is a soldier, Mr. Rogers." Shen He smiled and handed him a pair of gloves. "And neither are you—you're retired. In fact, our organization's full name is the Human Order Protection Agency. We prefer the term 'guardians'… Have you thought about it? What you'll do with your life now? I mean… the ordinary life of a retired man."
"…"Rogers took the gloves, stunned by the question. After a moment, he shook his head. "I don't know."
In the past, Rogers had joined the war out of patriotism and the desire to help others. His duties were simple: swing his fists and shield, and defeat the enemy. But now the war was over, his old lover Carter was married, his best friend sacrificed—he no longer knew what he could do.
"Well, ordinary life isn't so bad. And you're still a hero—you have honor and the admiration of the people." Shen He shrugged. "Alright then, let's begin the tests."
BOOM—!
The moment he finished speaking, a massive explosion shook the entire building.
"Maximum alert! Maximum alert! Enemy invasion! Enemy invasion! All personnel, retrieve weapons and engage at will!"A cold female voice echoed through every corner of the facility.
Everyone around them instantly sprang into motion, each heading to their designated tasks.The walls of the training hall slid open, revealing racks of neatly arranged weapons, and in an instant, the sharp clatter of rounds being chambered filled the entire space.
-----------------------
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