At Steve's command, several agents immediately raised their firearms and unleashed a flurry of bullets at Daniel!
Dak-dak-dak-dak-dak—!
A dense hail of bullets instantly poured out!
Daniel rolled behind a metal crate, simultaneously pulling out a Honeycomb Tech Smoke Grenade from his game inventory and tossing it precisely at their feet.
Pssh!
A thick cloud of white smoke instantly erupted, quickly filling the entire corridor and enveloping the Hydra Captain and his team.
This smoke was specially formulated; those inside couldn't see anything. Even Steve's frantic attempts to fan the smoke away with his shield were useless.
Having lost their target, the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents stopped firing and warily scanned their surroundings.
"Aargh!!"
Suddenly, a hand reached out of the smoke, dragging one agent inside, followed by a brief, muffled scream from within the fog.
The others jumped in fright, frantically looking around.
"Aargh!!"
Another shout, and a second agent vanished into the smoke without warning.
Does he have to be so terrifying!
Even the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, under mental control, couldn't help but feel a surge of panic.
They tried to fight back, but they couldn't find Daniel and could only disappear into the smoke one after another.
Before long, only Steve remained standing.
He wasn't panicked, though. He kept his shield raised, staring around with a composed, focused gaze.
Bang!!
Suddenly, Steve violently slammed his shield forward and to the right. A fist precisely smashed into the shield's surface, creating a dull impact sound.
Almost simultaneously, he spun around, launching a fierce sweep-kick toward the source of the attack!
Daniel lightly retreated, evading the kick.
The smoke was now dissipating. Daniel looked seriously at Steve and said, "Surrender now, you Evil Captain America!"
"F**k you!"
Steve returned the friendly greeting and simultaneously hurled his shield. It flew out with a whistling sound, smashing toward Daniel.
A white light flashed in Daniel's hand, instantly coalescing into a dazzling Magical Longsword, which he used to parry the shield.
"What a sturdy light tube!"
Steve couldn't help but exclaim in admiration at the sight.
"It's a sword!"
Daniel retorted, his wrist swiftly flipping. The magic sword sliced out several sharp arcs of light, consecutively striking the opponent.
However, Steve raised his shield and calmly blocked Daniel's attacks. All the force vanished the moment it hit the shield.
Steve's shield was crafted from special materials, giving it the property of kinetic energy absorption. Even a drop from dozens of stories high could have its kinetic energy fully absorbed by the shield.
As for why Steve didn't jump out of the plane back then, only he knew the reason.
Wielding his signature weapon, Steve's strength surged. He was remarkably skilled with the shield, which he flung out. It ricocheted off the walls and floor, was blocked by Daniel's magic sword, and then rebounded back into his hand on an incredibly tricky trajectory.
Daniel complained, "Who made this broken game? Does this physics engine look reasonable to you?"
Seeing that his attacks were being perfectly defended by Steve, Daniel decisively switched from offense to defense, holding his magic sword to charge power.
Seeing this, Steve didn't hesitate to counter-attack with his shield.
Just as the shield was about to strike, Daniel sharply raised his magic sword to block.
"Parry!"
Boom—!
The magic sword and shield collided fiercely, emitting a crisp and peculiar hum.
Steve instantly felt a strange and powerful recoil force transmit through the shield. It completely bypassed the shield's kinetic energy absorption property, sending him staggering backward uncontrollably, his body momentarily locked in a stunned state.
How is that possible!?
Doesn't my shield absorb kinetic energy?
Steve was utterly shocked; the scene before him was truly outside his realm of understanding.
Thud!!
Daniel seized the opening, delivering a heavy left front kick squarely to Steve's chest!
Steve immediately lost his balance and was sent flying backward, tumbling several times on the floor.
He had just managed to struggle out of the stunned state when he saw Daniel sprinting toward him, raising his fist and smashing it down without mercy!
Smash!
Steve couldn't put up a defense in time and was squarely hit in the face by Daniel's fist, instantly seeing stars and feeling dizzy.
However, Daniel didn't stop his assault.
He used his knee to pin Steve's shield-holding arm down and raised his fist to strike again.
"Steve, snap out of it!"
Smash!
"Steve, don't let evil overcome you!"
Smash!
"Steve, don't forget the righteousness in your heart!"
Smash!
"Steve, don't... Forget it, I can't keep this up!"
Smash!
Daniel landed over a dozen punches like a rainstorm, and Steve finally couldn't endure it anymore and passed out.
"He passed out just like that?"
Daniel shook his hand, which still yearned for action, a hint of regret in his voice.
Then, his gaze fell upon the circular shield with the star emblem in Steve's hand. Instinctively, he reached out to pick it up.
[Captain America's Shield]
[Description: This shield is the symbol of Captain America. It is stained with the will of Steve Rogers. Possessing it will make you the embodiment of American justice, fighting for courage and righteousness. Even a person with malicious intent will be subtly reformed, gradually becoming the justice-upholding Captain America.]
Daniel quickly withdrew his hand.
How terrifying! It was actually a mind-polluting piece of equipment.
Daniel couldn't imagine himself holding this shield, wearing the Star-Spangled uniform, raising the flag of justice, and shouting about freedom.
Never mind, never mind. It's best not to touch this thing.
But leaving it just sitting there seemed a bit wasteful.
Daniel stared at the conspicuous star on the shield. A daring idea suddenly popped into his mind, and he casually pulled a can of spray paint from his game inventory.
Not long after, Steve slowly regained consciousness from his daze.
As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw Daniel squatting beside him, staring intensely.
"Evil Captain America! So you were playing possum! Take this punch!"
Daniel assumed a self-righteous expression, clenching his fist and swinging it again.
"Wait, I'm conscious now!"
Steve quickly spoke up. The fist stopped barely an inch from his nose. If he had spoken half a second slower, that punch would have landed squarely again.
Daniel squinted, full of suspicion: "How do you prove it? How do I know you're not acting again?"
"It's Nick Fury!"
Steve immediately explained: "He knows all the details of the Avenger Initiative. That day, he brought Loki to me and had Loki control me. They also controlled a group of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, ordering us to sneak onto the Helicarrier and sabotage it at the right moment to buy time for their next move."
"And blowing up the Carrier's engine and attacking Dr. Banner to force him to turn into the Hulk to create chaos—all those were Nick Fury's ideas, all meant to tie up S.H.I.E.L.D.'s operational capacity."
Daniel was stunned by the revelation.
He had originally thought Loki was in charge of everything, but he never expected Nick Fury to be strategizing behind the scenes.
Did Nick Fury completely unleash himself and sprint toward a path of villainy after being mind-controlled?
Oh, wait, he was always dark.
Daniel couldn't help but sigh: "That Evil Black Egg! He truly has an endless supply of bad ideas!"
Steve wholeheartedly agreed.
If it weren't for Nick Fury, he wouldn't have been controlled. He was right all along; that Black Egg definitely didn't look like a good person.
"Alright, I believe you!"
Daniel reached out and helped Steve up. In truth, he already knew Steve was conscious. He explained verbally, "Steve, hitting you earlier was just for show; it was absolutely not personal. So please don't take it personally."
Steve rubbed his still-aching cheek, feeling that it was absolutely personal.
"Right, why did you look and act that way after being controlled? Was that Nick Fury's idea too?" Daniel asked.
Steve shook his head: "I was constantly resisting Loki's mind control. Because my resistance was so fierce, Loki simply twisted a part of my personality before imposing control. Believe me, none of those things I said earlier were what I truly meant."
Daniel patted his shoulder sympathetically: "It's fine. I recorded the entire thing for you."
Steve: "..."
After standing up, he suddenly felt something odd in his hand.
Looking down, he saw that the conspicuous star emblem on the shield had completely changed. It was now colored red and black, with a hideous, evil skull logo in the center, resembling a twisted octopus.
Steve was intimately familiar with that image!
It was the symbol of his lifelong enemy, Hydra!
Steve: "???"
He looked up at Daniel, who looked completely innocent: "Don't look at me. I have no idea what happened. It just turned into that while you were unconscious. This could very well be another one of Nick Fury's bad ideas, making us believe you're Captain Hydra, so that even when you wake up, you can't clear your name."
Steve was half-skeptical, but this really did fit his stereotype of Nick Fury, so he accepted the explanation.
That evil Black Egg!
Daniel said sincerely: "Don't worry, I have complete faith in you. I believe you're not Captain Hydra."
"Thank you for your trust."
Steve was a little moved. He never expected Daniel to trust him so much.
Even as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, seeing the Hydra symbol didn't cause any suspicion. This level of trust was comparable to Bucky and Carter.
Steve forcefully rubbed the glaring symbol with his thumb, but found the paint exceptionally durable and impossible to wipe off. He had no choice but to find a piece of cloth to cover it.
If anyone else saw it, he really would be unable to clear his name, just as Daniel had said.
"Uh, is there anything to eat?" Steve asked sheepishly.
Daniel was puzzled: "You haven't eaten?"
Steve shook his head: "I haven't eaten or drunk anything for almost two days. Nick Fury was worried that sleeping would affect the control and that eating/drinking would delay the mission, so he forbade me from taking any sustenance."
Daniel listened with wide eyes.
Nick Fury really had become a slave driver now!
"I have something to eat here, want some?"
Daniel pulled out a dark, square block and handed it to Steve.
"What is it?" Steve asked curiously.
"A protein block, a delicacy from the Snowpiercer train. It has over ten times the protein content of beef."
Steve didn't think twice. He took it and started munching.
"It's pretty good. It just has a strange texture and taste."
"Glad you like it."
Next, Daniel got some rope and tied Steve up. As he tied him, he explained, "Don't overthink it; this is just to save face and keep the others reassured."
Steve understood and didn't resist, allowing Daniel to bind him tightly. However, he vaguely felt the knotting method was familiar, like something he had seen years ago in a magazine on his bedside table.
With the loss of Steve, the central figure, the chaotic situation within the Helicarrier was quickly brought under control by S.H.I.E.L.D. With Coulson's help, Tony successfully repaired the Helicarrier's engines, averting a crash crisis.
Daniel brought Steve back to the command center and reported to Hill: "I have successfully apprehended Nick Fury's evil subordinate, Captain America."
Steve: "..."
Hill visibly relaxed: "Agent Daniel, you've done a very good job."
[Mission 'Loki's Secret Invasion' Settlement Complete!]
[Received Rewards: 1500 EXP, 30 S.H.I.E.L.D. Reputation, Item 'Chocolate', Item 'S-Bullet']
[Item: Chocolate (Has a certain damage effect against ghost-type targets. Use chocolate to hit ghosts)]
[Item: S-Bullet (For a period after use, your firearm can shoot bullets simultaneously at multiple angles)]
"Tortoise Shell Bondage?"
Tony, the experienced driver, immediately recognized the rope knot on Steve, quickly pulling out his phone to take a picture.
Though his Iron Man armor had a recording function, there was nothing more amusing than teasing someone face-to-face.
Steve: "..."
Afterward, Steve proactively revealed everything to the group.
Everyone finally understood that this was all a conspiracy orchestrated by Nick Fury and others.
Unknowingly, everyone had been influenced by Daniel, unconsciously viewing Nick Fury as the core of the incident.
It couldn't be helped; Nick Fury's presence was just too overwhelming.
In contrast, Loki, the true mastermind, looked more like a puppet emperor pushed to the forefront by Nick Fury, his presence barely felt.
"Since Nick Fury was privy to the Avenger Initiative, does that mean there could still be his people among us?"
Tony's words instantly ratcheted up the tension.
Everyone subconsciously looked at each other. The air was thick with silent suspicion. For a moment, it felt like the Dark Forest theory had come alive.
Evidently, this was also part of Nick Fury's plan.
Even with Steve subdued, he could use the lack of trust among the team members to cause the group's disintegration.
That evil Black Egg!
Daniel naturally couldn't let him succeed. He stated with conviction: "Don't worry, I've already checked. Besides Steve, there are no other moles among us."
Tony raised an eyebrow, sharply countering: "What if you are the mole? How do you prove you're clean?"
Daniel nodded, pulling a cleaver from his coat: "You're right. I truly missed something. I almost let you, the mole, slip away."
Tony: "..."
Alright, this guy seems fine.
"I think we should focus on Nick... ahem, I mean, Loki. What exactly is his goal?"
Steve timely brought the conversation back on track. Now that he was free from control, he stopped coasting and took on the role of a leader to guide the others.
It was just a bit strange that the leader was currently tied up.
"Loki didn't reveal anything to you?" Natasha asked.
"No, he never revealed the complete plan to anyone."
Tony interjected: "It can't be anything good. Either way, as long as we locate the Tesseract, we'll find Loki."
Bruce added: "My algorithm has started working. It will take some time to pinpoint the Tesseract's location."
The group exchanged opinions and ultimately agreed that the most crucial task was to first find the whereabouts of the Tesseract.
Sensing the good atmosphere, Daniel took the opportunity to propose: "Since that's the case, why don't we form a new team?"
Bruce was confused: "Don't we already have the Avengers?"
Daniel shook his head: "No, you guys are the Avengers. That doesn't include me. If I'm joining, we obviously need a new team name. I have a suggestion. How about we call ourselves the Justice League?"
Tony's mouth twitched: "The copyright fees for that name won't be cheap, and we don't have a big oaf who likes wearing his underwear outside his pants."
In this world, DC Comics was a famous comic company, so Tony naturally knew what the Justice League was.
Daniel was flexible and immediately suggested a new idea: "Then how about the Kick-The-Black-Egg-Hard Alliance?"
"I agree to that one."
Tony immediately raised his hand. His impression of Nick Fury was never good.
Steve didn't say anything but silently nodded.
He and Tony had reached a high consensus regarding their opinion of Nick Fury.
"Uh, I'm fine with it."
Bruce, seeing the situation, also expressed his consent.
As for Natasha's opinion, it was no longer important.
[You have created the 'Kick-The-Black-Egg-Hard Alliance' squad]
[NPC Tony Stark has joined your team]
[NPC Steve Rogers has joined your team]
[...]
The next moment, the notifications for the members joining the team sounded in Daniel's mind.
Daniel immediately opened their individual panels. Just like with Blade, a more detailed profile was displayed.
[NPC: Tony Stark (Iron Man)]
[Race: Human]
[Attributes: Strength 12, Agility 11, Constitution 8, Spirit 18 (Base attributes, excluding special attributes like Intelligence)]
[Equipment: Mark VII Iron Man Suit]
[Affection: 80]
Currently, Tony's affection was the highest among everyone, allowing Daniel to view his attribute panel.
Teacher Tony's body is a bit weak.
Daniel tried clicking the equipment section, but it still showed that it couldn't be unequipped. The system prompted that Affection was insufficient.
It seemed he needed to further increase his affection level before he could manipulate his teammates' equipment.
He inwardly lamented the missed opportunity and then checked the equipment of the others. Aside from Steve's shield, most of the equipment didn't have many highlights.
However, one piece of Bruce's equipment was particularly conspicuous.
[Indestructible Underwear (Limited to Bruce's Use)]
Seeing this item, Daniel suddenly understood.
No wonder the Hulk's pants always remained intact after such intense fighting! That was the reason!