Su Zhan gazed down at Arclight's unconscious form, her body sprawled across the cracked pavement. The aftermath of their confrontation still lingered in the air, a faint tremor echoing from her last seismic shockwave. He felt a strange sense of disappointment. The fight had not brought the satisfaction he expected. Instead, it left him with a hollow ache, as though he had just swatted away a bothersome insect rather than faced a worthy opponent.
He took a breath and called out to the system, "System, is the mission completed?"
"If the main world task is completed, there will be a prompt," the system replied in its familiar, mechanical voice.
Su Zhan nodded, understanding. Since he had not received any notification, it meant the mission was still ongoing. He considered the situation: the Winter Soldier had escaped, aided by Callisto and Arclight. The mission had become far more complicated than he'd anticipated. What was supposed to be a straightforward task now involved Magneto's mutants and Hydra's assassins, all vying for their own interests.
"It's getting more and more interesting," Su Zhan muttered, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "I thought this would be a simple delivery, but it seems the universe has other plans."
He closed his eyes and activated his positioning ability, searching for Nick Fury. The director of S.H.I.E.L.D. was many things—paranoid, secretive, and at times infuriating—but he was also a survivor. After parting ways with Su Zhan, Fury had managed to evade his pursuers with a series of clever maneuvers. He had abandoned his car, slipped through back alleys, and doubled back on his own trail more than once. Now, Su Zhan could sense him holed up in the apartment building of Steve Rogers—Captain America himself.
Su Zhan could not help but be impressed. "No way," he murmured. "The only person Fury can truly trust now is Steve Rogers. At least Steve is impossible to corrupt. There's no way he could be Hydra."
He decided not to chase after Callisto. The mission came first. He could always track down Callisto or the Winter Soldier later, and he was prepared to confront Magneto if necessary. For now, his priority was to ensure Fury's safety and complete the mission.
With a thought, Su Zhan teleported to the apartment building where Steve Rogers lived. The city was quiet in the late afternoon, the sun casting long shadows across the sidewalk. He paused at the entrance, curiosity flickering in his eyes. Who else might come for Fury? In the original timeline, it was the Winter Soldier who made the attempt, leading to his first dramatic confrontation with Captain America. Su Zhan remembered the iconic scene: Steve hurling his shield, the Winter Soldier catching it with a single, gloved hand. That moment had always seemed symbolic to him—a passing of the torch, a hint at the Winter Soldier's future as Captain America.
But now, the Winter Soldier was gone. So who would come for Fury?
As Su Zhan pondered this, a gentle voice called out from behind him. "Excuse me, could you let me pass?"
He stepped aside and turned to see a woman in a white T-shirt, her arms full with a laundry basket. She smiled warmly, her eyes bright with curiosity and kindness. "I haven't seen you before. Are you new here? Who are you looking for?"
Su Zhan smiled back, relaxing his posture. "I can only speak in Chinese, no English," he replied in Mandarin.
Her eyes lit up with recognition, and she switched to Mandarin with a shy smile. "Chinese? Hi, are you new here?"
Su Zhan was pleasantly surprised by her accent. "That's a pretty good greeting," he said, grinning.
She blushed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I don't know much, just a few words. My name is Sharon Carter. I live here. Can I help you with something?"
"My name is Su Zhan. Actually, I'm here to see Steve, but I think he hasn't come back yet. Would it be alright if I waited at your place for a while?" Su Zhan asked, his tone polite but direct.
Sharon hesitated, considering his request. "Are you a friend of Steve's?" she asked.
Su Zhan nodded. "You could say that."
She smiled, her wariness fading. "Alright, come on up."
"Thank you," Su Zhan said, following her up the stairs.
As they climbed, Su Zhan watched Sharon with a subtle smile. He knew exactly who she was—Agent 13 of S.H.I.E.L.D., the niece of Peggy Carter. She had been assigned to monitor Steve Rogers after his awakening, her skills as a fighter and linguist making her an ideal undercover agent. In the comics, Sharon Carter was a pivotal figure, once even ordered to shoot Captain America himself. Though Steve had survived, the event had left a deep mark on both of their lives.
After the chaos of his earlier encounters with Arclight and Killing Matt, Su Zhan found Sharon's presence oddly soothing. It was as if the world had been briefly cleansed, the noise and violence replaced by a quiet, domestic calm.
Maybe Natasha was right, he thought. My "collection" really is getting out of hand.
He wondered if Sharon could sense his gaze. She seemed aware of his attention, glancing back at him as they reached her door. Even if he tried not to stare, he could not help but be drawn to her.
Sharon unlocked the door and gestured him inside. "Please, come in. Sorry for the mess—I've been busy with work and haven't had time to tidy up."
Su Zhan looked around, taking in the neat, minimalist decor. "No need to apologize. It's much cleaner than you let on. Thank you for inviting me in."
Sharon smiled and set her laundry basket aside. "Please, have a seat. I'll just put these away."
Su Zhan settled onto the sofa, letting his senses expand. With his enhanced hearing, he could pick up the faint sound of breathing and a steady heartbeat coming from the apartment next door. That had to be Nick Fury, lying low and waiting for the storm to pass.
It was a wise move. There were few people Fury could trust now, and Steve Rogers was one of them. Su Zhan decided not to reveal himself unless absolutely necessary. He would rather wait here with Sharon, keeping an eye on the situation from a comfortable vantage point.
Sharon returned from the bedroom and poured Su Zhan a glass of water, sitting down beside him. "So, what do you do for work?" he asked, making conversation.
"I'm a nurse," she replied modestly.
"An angel in white," Su Zhan said with a smile. "You're so beautiful, I bet you have plenty of admirers."
Sharon laughed and shook her head. "Not really. Work keeps me busy, and I haven't had much time for anything else. Right now, my job comes first."
"Work matters, but so does your personal life," Su Zhan said gently. "Even nurses, agents, and superheroes need a little love."
Sharon blushed, caught off guard by his directness. "You're joking, right? That's a bit sudden."
"Is it?" Su Zhan grinned. "Maybe it's abrupt, but sometimes you just have to take a chance."
She looked at him, her expression softening. "We just met. Isn't it a little soon for this kind of talk?"
Su Zhan shrugged, his gaze steady. "Maybe. But I have a feeling you've heard of me before. You know who I am, don't you?"
Sharon's eyes widened in surprise. She realized then that Su Zhan was not just another brute who thinks with his lower body. He was someone who knew the game, someone whose reputation preceded him.
The air between them shifted from lighthearted positivity to a subtle tension, as if something unspoken lingered just beneath the surface.