Capítulo 35: 351-355
On the winding road outside Lithuania, a Mercedes G65 and a Ferrari 458 were moving forward one after the other at extremely high speeds.
Sitting in the car were Captain and Mark along with their group, of course, except for Quicksilver.
After using the spatial teleportation gate to arrive at the teleportation node in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, the only transportation vehicles left in the node base were these two cars. There wasn't even a quinjet. It can only be said that as a country located at the center of Europe, Lithuania's presence is truly low.
There was no other way; their entire team consisted of eight people, and with one car that could only seat two people, they had to reluctantly make do with Quicksilver following behind the car to reach their destination. After all, he was the fastest.
"Bucky, how many minutes until we reach our destination?" Sitting in the co-pilot seat of the Mercedes G65, Captain looked at Bucky who was driving attentively and asked with an anxious tone he couldn't hide.
"Getting closer. Based on the landing time of the plane Green Goblin took, he should have arrived here about forty minutes before us. The internal passages of Hydra's base here are labyrinthine and dimly lit.
He wants to locate the large-scale biochemical gas emitter and transport that behemoth out from the inside. It's going to take some time. We should be able to catch up," Bucky responded.
Upon hearing Bucky's reply, Captain nodded, his worry and seriousness did not diminish even a bit as he continued to look ahead at the road that seemed endless.
Soon, the road they were driving on began to change, transitioning from asphalt to a rural dirt path, and eventually almost no road at all. Mark and Natasha, seated in the Ferrari 458, were being tossed around.
Natasha obediently took her feet off the center console in front and fastened her seatbelt. Mark, on the other hand, endured the bumps from the ground while heaved a sigh, "This sports car that I contributed, it's definitely going to be scrapped now. If I had known, I wouldn't have shown off and brought an off-road vehicle."
Despite his complaints, Mark was well aware that they were not far from their destination at this point.
Sure enough, they hadn't been driving on this bumpy road for long before Bucky, who was leading the way, brought the car to a steady stop.
"We're here. That hill ahead is the entrance to the underground base."
Before them stood an artificial hill blending seamlessly with the surrounding environment. After decades of natural erosion, it was hard to discern any signs of human intervention.
If it weren't for Bucky telling them that this was Hydra's former base, they definitely wouldn't have thought that an apparently ordinary hill could hold such an unusual secret.
However, these camouflage disguises might deceive others, but not Mark. With his informational vision ability, Mark had already noticed the oddity of this hill at first glance. Moreover, from the various traces left on the ground, it seemed they might have arrived a step too late.
"Bucky, you keep leading the way. We need to go in quickly and confirm if Green Goblin got what he wanted. Based on the footprints and other traces he left on the ground, he's been in and out.
We might have just missed him. If he didn't come back empty-handed or mistook the target device, then we're in for a big problem!"
...
"Coulson, S.H.I.E.L.D's servers have just received a file sent by Mark. It reports a very serious threat event."
At the Triskelion headquarters of S.H.I.E.L.D., Melinda May, a Level 8 agent who had once worked undercover alongside Mark, was reporting to the current Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., Coulson,
Due to her exceptional performance during her time working alongside Mark, and the shortage of personnel after the reconstruction of S.H.I.E.L.D., she had been promoted to a Level 9 agent within S.H.I.E.L.D.
It can be said that her authority was second only to Director Coulson within all of S.H.I.E.L.D., and it was precisely because of this that she had the permission to directly access files sent by Mark.
Furthermore, there seemed to be an indistinct romantic sentiment between Melinda and Coulson. Their office romance was in an ambiguous stage, and Coulson's trust in Melinda was certainly extraordinary.
After listening to Melinda's report on the contents of the file sent by Mark, Coulson couldn't help but frown, "We're in big trouble!"
At S.H.I.E.L.D., the current situation was one of distress due to the warning message sent by Mark. Although every piece of information and evidence mentioned in the file confirmed the credibility of the threat event Mark had pointed out.
However, the sole and also the most significant issue lay in the fact that all this information and evidence were rooted in speculation from a former brainwashed killing machine of Hydra.
In other words, even though the threat posed by this event was indeed high, even enough to trouble someone as substantial as Coulson, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., it wasn't enough for Coulson to merely believe in Mark's deductions.
To involve the entirety of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s resources, Coulson needed to convince the members of the World Security Council.
This was what truly gave Coulson a headache. Given the Avengers' current lack of credibility with the council members, Mark's proposed course of action, made under his name, would undoubtedly be met with refusal.
But if they simply followed the council's resolution and took no action, and if Green Goblin indeed turned the entirety of Europe into a living hell, then Coulson couldn't ignore the voice within himself that pursued justice, peace, and upheld Captain's ideals.
"May, submit the file to the council members, applying for S.H.I.E.L.D's authorization to act. Also, let's prepare for both scenarios. Inform Skye and others if they're willing to reform the team and work with me.
If the council ultimately rejects our application, we may have to provide support in a personal capacity. However, that might lead to us being pursued and hunted."
...
Now facing the potentially dire crisis Green Goblin might unleash, besides Mark's Avengers' small team, there was also Coulson's team of agents, working together to deal with this incident.
However, for Mark's team, Coulson's team was currently a distant source of help. After entering the interior of the Hydra base beneath the hill, Mark's team eventually confirmed a disappointing piece of news: the large-scale biochemical gas emitter sealed within this base had already been taken away by Green Goblin.
Not only that, due to the remote location of this Hydra base and the lack of surveillance cameras in the vicinity, Mark's team lost Green Goblin's trail and whereabouts.
Their operation had indeed fallen into a dilemma, and they were in a highly passive position. Unless Green Goblin voluntarily revealed his location, they had no idea what his next step would be.
In this situation, let alone the newcomers like Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, even Captain and Natasha who were seasoned crisis handlers, felt the complexity of the situation and were filled with extreme anxiety.
Only Mark alone, at this moment, could maintain a calm and composed state.
Regarding the elimination and concealment of his own trail, it had to be said that Green Goblin was truly cunning. He physically isolated himself, severing all connections of his electronic devices with the internet and communication networks.
Even with his existing, and arguably the most advanced technological means on Earth, Mark couldn't pinpoint Green Goblin's location.
However, there was a reason why Mark could remain so composed was because apart from scientific methods, Mark harbored a secret ace up his sleeve that not even his biological father, Tony Stark, knew about—magic!
The concealment from his Avengers comrades, even his dearest ones, prevented Green Goblin from having any way of knowing about Mark's profound mastery of magic.
Even if Green Goblin found out, facing an invisible and intangible network of magic, being a novice in magic, he had no way to defend against Mark's magical abilities.
While all the members were racking their brains over Green Goblin, Mark once again entered a soul projection state. Similar to how he previously located Tony and Rhodey, he used the ubiquitous dark energy fluctuations in space to search for Green Goblin's trail.
In order to obtain more precise location information, Mark even had Baymax connect his soul to the vast Veshanti's magic network that covered the entire Earth, thus enhancing his mental strength.
Covering the scope of the entire Vilnius and expanding his mental energy without reservation, Mark quickly pinpointed Green Goblin's current location.
"Get in the car, head to the Vilnius TV Tower. Green Goblin took the emitter there!"
Mark didn't offer any explanations. He just hurriedly said this and pulled Natasha back into the car, starting the engine.
However, the trust and understanding among the Avengers should never be doubted. This was the bond accumulated through long-term cooperation and companionship.
Even without any explanation, feeling the conviction in Mark's words, Captain immediately led the remaining few to get into the car and followed Mark toward the direction of the road.
"Pietro, Captain, you both have the fastest speed among us. I suggest you two go ahead and stop Green Goblin from completing his plan. If you can succeed, great. Even if you can't, it will buy us some time."
"Alright, Pietro and I will go ahead and buy you some time," Captain agreed with Mark's proposal with a nod.
Without asking Bucky, who was driving, to stop or slow down, Captain immediately unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the car door, jumping out.
With a push of his right hand and a forward roll, he dissipated the inertia of his movement. After regaining his balance, Captain wasted no time and smoothly accelerated, catching up with Quicksilver who had slowed down ahead of him. Together, they sprinted towards the Vilnius TV Tower's direction.
The Vilnius TV Tower was a landmark in Vilnius, and also the tallest building in the country, standing at a height of 326.5 meters.
Mark could guess some of the reasons why Green Goblin chose the Vilnius TV Tower as the final step to execute his plan. First, compared to the open and defenseless wilderness, the Vilnius TV Tower was a vertical structure that was easy to defend and difficult to attack. For Green Goblin, who was obviously outnumbered, it was indeed a good choice.
Second, leveraging the height of the Vilnius TV Tower itself would save a lot of time for the emitter to reach the required altitude. Even in a dire situation, initiating the device on-site would ensure there was enough height to complete the entire release process, enabling Green Goblin's biochemical weapon to cover the entire continent of Europe.
Green Goblin's meticulous and rigorous planning, combined with his formidable execution abilities, made his plan impeccable from start to finish, with no apparent weaknesses.
Sitting in the driver's seat of the Ferrari, all Mark could do was pray that Captain and the others would arrive in time to stop Green Goblin. Otherwise, even if he revealed his trump card of magic, he had to prevent Green Goblin's plan from succeeding.
Mark's plan was that if they truly couldn't stop Green Goblin from activating the emitter in time, he would use a spatial portal to appear next to the emitter at the last moment and then transport the entire device into the Mirror Dimension to lock it away.
...
"Pietro, we can already see the shadow of the Vilnius TV Tower ahead. Let's proceed through the river channel, aiming to arrive a step ahead!"
On the roads of Vilnius, as Captain and Quicksilver continued moving forward, they were getting closer to the location of the TV tower in the city center.
Due to Vilnius's flat terrain and well-preserved medieval architecture, there were no obstacles to block the view of the tower, which stood as the tallest building. Thus, even from a distance, Captain and Quicksilver could already see the Vilnius TV Tower.
However, as they got closer to the city center, the road became busier with vehicles and pedestrians, making it challenging to maintain high-speed travel.
In order to increase their speed and avoid causing harm to ordinary civilians due to sonic booms generated by supersonic speeds, Captain suggested changing their route and taking to the waterways.
With their speed, even on the river, they could run at high speed using the tension of the water's surface, just like walking on solid ground, without the fear of falling into the water.
Conveniently, Vilnius was located at the confluence of the Vilnia River and the Neris River, both of which flowed through the city, creating a high-speed route leading to their destination, the Vilnius TV Tower.
Given the environmental constraints and feeling of being restricted while running, he readily agreed to Captain's suggestion. After nodding in agreement, without waiting for Captain's response, he excitedly changed direction, heading into the river.
As a result, the residents on both sides of the Vilnia River witnessed a bizarre scene: on the previously calm and waveless river, suddenly, a loud sound echoed, followed by curious residents peering through their windows and they saw two white lines resembling giant dragons emerging on the water's surface.
Water splashed high into the air, rising nearly ten meters above the river's surface, only to fall back onto the water. This continuous phenomenon progressed toward the direction of the TV tower, resembling two playful dragons frolicking on the water's surface, truly awe-inspiring.
Utilizing this shortcut on the river's surface saved them a considerable amount of time. Captain and Quicksilver finally reached the base of the TV tower. Being in close proximity allowed them to observe that the Vilnius TV Tower was even more spectacular up close than it had appeared from a distance.
Resembling a mythical pillar that shot straight into the heavens, the tower made them wish they could tour it leisurely if the situation weren't so urgent.
At the base of the tower, Captain quickly rushed into the tower to investigate the situation. As expected, Green Goblin had already sabotaged the elevator and stairs leading to the top. Thankfully, he hadn't harmed the tower's staff; he had simply trapped them inside, preventing them from leaving.
For Captain and Quicksilver, in order to reach the location where Green Goblin was setting up the large-scale emitter, their only option, apart from flying straight up, was to climb along the exterior walls of the building.
"We should have brought Falcon or Mark with us. Both of their equipment allows for flight and could carry us up. Now, we have no choice but to rely on our own hands and feet to climb up," said Captain as he emerged from the ground floor lobby, looking somewhat helpless while gazing up at the 326.5-meter-tall tower.
However, Quicksilver had a different idea. Playing by the rules wasn't his style. Rather than adhering to a grounded climb as Captain suggested, he'd rather challenge himself and push beyond conventional limits.
Looking up at the tower's tip, which had already disappeared into the clouds, a slight smirk formed on Quicksilver's lips. He turned to Captain and said, "That's not necessarily true. Maybe there's a shortcut this time as well?"
With that, Quicksilver started stepping backward, increasing the distance between him and the TV tower.
Captain quickly understood Quicksilver's plan. He intended to use his speed to attempt to break through the pull of gravity and rush straight to the top of the TV tower.
If this attempt succeeds, it will undoubtedly save them a significant amount of time, and in their current situation, time is everything.
After retreating nearly 100 meters, Quicksilver finally came to a stop. Then, under Captain's watchful gaze, he began an accelerating sprint and reached his maximum speed at the moment he reached the base of the tower. He lifted his foot and pushed off, using momentum to start running along the nearly vertical exterior of the building, heading upwards.
However, surpassing a vertical height of over 300 meters and attempting to reach the summit through sprinting was not an easy task. Quicksilver's speed was already impressive, but ultimately, he only reached approximately halfway up the TV tower.
Due to the tower's design with an elevated observation platform interruption, after reaching this point, Quicksilver experienced unnecessary energy consumption, leading to his ultimate failure.
Losing his initial momentum and having no leverage for propulsion in midair, Quicksilver could only succumb to the pull of gravity and fall downward.
Thud—twist!
Quicksilver fell to the ground heavily, like a projectile, creating a semicircular deep crater upon impact. If he hadn't switched to his vibranium nano-battle suit mid-air, this straight fall would have turned even Quicksilver, an enhanced individual, into minced meat.
Although he was fortunate not to be turned into minced meat, Quicksilver emerged from the crater with a somewhat downcast mood, "I thought I could make it to the top."
He pouted slightly; despite his reluctance to accept it, Quicksilver had to face the reality that he still had over half the distance to the tower's peak to cover. He swallowed the bitter pill of failure.
However, just as Quicksilver was feeling a bit dejected, Captain, having witnessed Quicksilver's failed attempt, had a glint in his eye, as if he had discovered a rare treasure.
"No, Pietro! You haven't failed; in fact, failure is the mother of success! I believe I've found a shortcut to quickly reach the summit…"
"Shortcut? Captain, what idea do you have? Tell me quickly!"
Seeing Quicksilver's initially downcast mood turn excited upon hearing that Captain had found a shortcut to reaching the top quickly, he instantly appeared next to Captain. His eyes were filled with hopeful anticipation as he looked at Captain and asked.
Seeing Quicksilver's eager expression, Captain shook his head helplessly, but he didn't tease him. He directly spoke, "If you were to climb along the exterior wall on your own, restricted by its design and height, you would only be able to reach the middle section of the TV tower at most.
But what if we relayed each other? In the first half, you'll use your absolute speed advantage to take me along, dashing to the observation platform in the middle of the tower. In the latter half, I'll rely on the maneuverability and burst power of my Flash suit to bypass the platform's obstruction and continue sprinting upwards.
By doing this, I have a good chance of making it to the top. Even though you'll be left at the base, at least one of us can take action against Green Goblin ahead of time. This method is the best choice we can make right now, compared to both of us being stuck on the ground."
Quicksilver nodded without hesitation, agreeing to Captain's plan. They didn't have much time to hesitate now, and apart from this method, they didn't have a better alternative.
If they delayed too long during their climb, allowing Green Goblin to complete his plan, then everything would be lost.
Quicksilver carried Captain on his back and began retreating once more, back towards the base of the TV tower. This time, he retreated even further than the first time, covering a distance of over 200 meters.
Fortunately, the area around the Vilnius TV tower was relatively flat and open, allowing Quicksilver to get ample sprinting distance. Sensing that the distance between him and the tower was just about right, Quicksilver tapped Captain's back and adjusted his balance before sprinting.
Sprinting with someone on his back compared to sprinting alone was undoubtedly a very different experience. If he didn't carefully sense the change in his center of gravity, adjust his stance and approach to exerting force, there was a risk of losing balance during the ascent and falling vertically as if in free fall.
For them, with time being extremely tight, they couldn't afford the time loss that such a failure would bring. Therefore, Quicksilver abandoned his usual carelessness and focused meticulously on adjusting his own state before starting.
"Captain, I'm ready to go. Hold on tight to me. When I reach my limit, I'll give you a signal. Be prepared to rush towards the tower's peak directly. Don't worry about me!"
"Alright!" Captain leaned against Quicksilver's back and gave him a firm pat on the shoulder without saying more.
At times like this, words were useless. All he could do was place complete trust in Quicksilver, firmly anchor himself, and be ready for the relay sprint.
Huff, huff, huff!
After taking a series of deep breaths, Quicksilver finally completed both physical and mental adjustments and preparations. He steadfastly gazed at the target ahead, deeply inhaling a breath into his lungs. Then, with a sudden burst of force from his legs, he shot forward like an arrow released from its bowstring.
Although this time Quicksilver was carrying Captain, who was wearing his suit, and their combined weight posed greater resistance, driven by a surge of determination, his sprinting speed was actually higher than the first time. In fact, he left behind a series of afterimages, making it difficult to distinguish reality from illusion.
With a devilish stride, in the blink of an eye, Quicksilver had arrived at the base of the TV tower while carrying Captain. Having gained experience from his previous solo ascent, he optimized his force and movements this time, striving for the smooth and more efficient climbing technique.
Due to Quicksilver's pursuit of perfection in each step, when he reached the biggest obstacle—the observation platform—with the combined weight of two people, he actually saved nearly a fifth of the time compared to the previous attempt.
Considering Quicksilver's speed, even a single second could feel incredibly lengthy to him. So, a one-fifth improvement in time was certainly no easy feat.
Yet, Quicksilver barely had time to revel in his breakthrough performance because he was about to face the major hurdle that had previously stopped him from reaching the top.
If he could overcome the platform's obstruction and advance further upwards, it would significantly increase their chances of success. But if he were to fail again at this point, Green Goblin's plan would likely succeed.
Quicksilver focused his attention on the TV tower's observation platform ahead. His mind was in a heightened state of alertness, treating the challenge before him with utmost seriousness. Despite this, his inner state was remarkably tranquil, almost devoid of ripples.
This calmness was a reflection of how completely Quicksilver had immersed himself in this mission. He had no spare mental capacity to dwell on past failures or the possibility of failure again. In his eyes, there was only one thing, one goal: to give it his all and carry Captain past this obstacle.
When they were just two or three steps away from the observation platform, Quicksilver seized the moment, controlling his strength. With a light tap of his toes, he and Captain gently disengaged from the TV tower's outer wall.
At this point, they were entirely airborne. A slight mishap would lead to a direct fall downwards, another failed attempt.
Yet, an unprecedented sense of confidence bloomed within Quicksilver. He could feel that his leap was executed perfectly, with seamless coordination of timing and force.
Using the distance gained from this leap, along with the momentum driving their ascent, when Quicksilver's shoe sole barely touched the wall, he lightly tapped his toes, repeatedly performing the maneuver. The very obstacle that had previously stymied him was now entirely overcome.
Having overcome this obstacle, Quicksilver finally revealed an excited smile. Even though every step of his process could be described as flawless, after passing the elevated platform, the kinetic energy from his earlier sprint had been entirely depleted. It was nearly impossible for him to approach any higher using his abilities alone.
"Captain, my task is done. It's up to you now. Go for it!"
..... .... ....
The tension that had been sustained suddenly loosened. Only now did Quicksilver truly feel the fatigue that had accumulated in his body during this short period. He felt utterly drained, as if his energy had been sapped.
Nevertheless, he gritted his teeth, taking two more steps forward before passing the "relay baton" to Captain.
Seeing Quicksilver on the verge of exhaustion, Captain released his firm grip on Quicksilver's shoulder. Seizing the opportune moment when Quicksilver's speed had peaked, Captain somersaulted forward from behind Quicksilver as if they were performing a coordinated maneuver.
As agreed upon earlier, Captain paid no mind to Quicksilver's loss of momentum and subsequent fall. With the nanotech vibranium suit providing protection, a fall from a higher place wouldn't cause any harm. Thus, without concern, Captain not only released his grip but also kicked off Quicksilver's body, using the action to gain momentum for himself and adjust his balance.
Experiencing this unexpected "boost," Quicksilver plummeted to the ground at high speed. Yet, he displayed no complaints or displeasure. He quickly climbed out of the resulting pit and turned his attention to Captain's progress on the wall.
At this point, Captain was wearing the Flash's suit, which was fully engaged in its high-speed mode. Unlike Quicksilver, who relied on his own abilities to achieve super speed, Captain was entirely dependent on the equipment developed by Mark.
Due to the suit's magnetic levitation wheel design, it had no friction. Therefore, in terms of acceleration and burst speed, it had an advantage over Quicksilver. This is also the reason why Captain proposed this plan. He didn't need a long sprint to attain a high initial velocity; instead, he could run a distance along the nearly vertical wall.
Whether this distance would be sufficient for Captain to complete his ascent depended on his performance…
"Faster, a little faster! Just one final step to go!"
Gazing intensely at the tower tip, Captain exerted all his strength to take the last step toward reaching the summit.
Having overcome the sole obstacle of the elevated platform, the path ahead was clear. With his relentless sprint, Captain was on the verge of completing his ascent.
However, this last small step was also the most challenging. Having lost the forward momentum, Captain had to rely on his core strength to regain his balance. He transitioned from a parallel to the ground state and managed to grasp the edge of the tower's rooftop platform.
Snap!
Feeling his hand finally grip the platform's edge, Captain securely hung just outside the tower's pinnacle. Finally exhaling, he knew his efforts were not in vain, thanks to Quicksilver.
With this handhold as a pivot point, Captain's enhanced physique made it easy for him to flip over and climb onto the tower's rooftop platform.
This platform was actually a part of the lightning rod at the top of the tower, designed for maintenance workers to access the tower's top.
Looking up from this position, the location where the lightning rod used to be was now replaced by a mushroom-shaped metal device. A distance of almost ten meters separated him from this apparatus.
"It seems this thing is the large-scale bioweapon gas emitter device that Bucky mentioned."
Although it was his first time seeing the device's true form, Captain recognized it immediately. However, the person who placed the release device at the highest point, the Green Goblin, was nowhere to be found.
Logically, the Green Goblin should be guarding the device or at least stationed on this platform to prevent anyone from approaching the device and thwarting his plan.
Yet, Green Goblin, who is considered by all the Avengers to be the most thoughtful and logically minded, has left the release device so carelessly in this location was far from Captain's expectations. This even made him somewhat suspicious, wondering if the Green Goblin had set up traps in the surroundings.
However, regardless of what might lie ahead, he only had one choice: to overcome all obstacles and approach the device.
Taking out a set of equipment from his capsule, he swung the iron claw with the attached rope in his hand and flung it upward. The grappling hook latched onto the base of the release device.
He gave the rope a firm tug, ensuring its secure attachment. With both hands gripping the rope and his feet suspended, Captain began climbing using the strength of his arms.
The climbing process went smoothly, without the traps or tricks Captain had imagined. Yet, the smoother it went, the more uneasy he felt.
The Green Goblin had meticulously orchestrated this elaborate scheme, even manipulating both him and Tony. It seemed improbable that the Green Goblin would make such a careless mistake at this critical juncture...
There were only two possibilities for his easy approach to the release device atop the tower. One, the Green Goblin had set an ambush at the final location, hoping to catch him off guard and ensnare him. Two, this place wasn't the actual execution site for the Green Goblin's ultimate plan. Even this release device might be a decoy to divert their attention.
"Mark's judgment has never been wrong. If Mark's judgment is correct, then the Green Goblin must have some sort of contingency plan in place at this final location. I need to be cautious in how I handle this."
With this thought in mind, Captain kept his mental guard up, prepared for any ambush the Green Goblin might have set. However, once again, the unexpected happened. Even after climbing onto the base of the release device, he encountered no traps or ambushes.
Frowning, Captain stared at the central control computer on the release device, pondering what the Green Goblin's plan might be.
At that moment, a cold and manic laughter, one Captain found all too familiar, suddenly echoed in his ears.
"Hi~ Hi~ Hi~ Hi! Reunited with the Avengers once again. I have always been very sure that you'd find me here, because I know you better than anyone else in this world.
This video segment was pre-recorded by me and stored in the central control computer. It only plays when the gravimetric sensor inside the base of the release device is triggered.
Let me guess, who has successfully made it here now?"
"Darn it!"
The instant Green Goblin's voice rang out, Captain's heart sank. His initial reaction was that he had fallen into Green Goblin's trap once again. This emitter was undoubtedly a decoy set up by him to divert their attention and lure them.
Gazing at the central computer screen before him, Captain's face cooled as he watched the detestable visage of Green Goblin in the video. He even felt an impulse to throw a punch at the screen.
However, he refrained from doing so. Instead, he quickly calmed himself, using his own willpower to block out the continuous interference of Green Goblin's voice and images. He began to focus on the developments so far, all the clues and information they had gathered.
Firstly, Green Goblin was meticulous and cunning. Every action he took in his plan, even the seemingly innocuous video scenes crafted for taunting and showing off, must have specific objectives behind them.
Secondly, Green Goblin was adept at manipulating emotions and playing with people's hearts. Even he, who considered himself a master of emotional control, had almost lost control of his anger when he heard Green Goblin's arrogant and provocative tone in the video. Despite it being just a video, he felt the urge to punch Green Goblin's face on the screen.
Coupled with the fact that Green Goblin had successfully stirred up tensions between him and Tony before, leading to their internal conflict and rift, in the aspect of manipulating minds, Green Goblin's scheming had surpassed even enhancers like the Scarlet Witch, who possessed the power of mental control.
After understanding these two points, when facing Green Goblin's provocation in the video, Captain had already become composed, keeping his cool. He began to analyze the video, speculating about the hidden motives behind Green Goblin's recording.
"Previously, Bucky once deduced through recalling past memories that Green Goblin's target was a large-scale biochemical gas emitter left by Hydra in Lithuania.
Our confidence in the accuracy of this assumption was because Green Goblin indeed appeared in Lithuania and was captured in the information network by T'Challa's comrades.
Now it seems that this information is likely the smoke screen that Green Goblin released to deceive our focus. Just as Green Goblin mentioned in the video, he is perhaps the one who knows every member of the Avengers best in the entire world.
Thinking along these lines, the fact that Green Goblin, who has been hiding his tracks all along, suddenly had his location locked onto by us is very suspicious.
Even more baffling is the fact that with such a thorough understanding of every member of the Avengers, Green Goblin voluntarily exposed his own location. It's obvious that he intends to lure us to Lithuania.
With Green Goblin's character of wanting to display all the crimes he has committed in front of us and flaunt them, our arrival is certainly part of his plan. The real purpose of luring us here is to ultimately achieve the goal he has schemed for in our presence.
So, although we fell into Green Goblin's trap by coming to Lithuania, it indeed confirms the indispensable role of the large-scale biochemical gas emitter in Green Goblin's plan.
Later, the information Mark provided about Green Goblin being located at the Vilnius TV Tower, although I don't know how Mark confirmed this information, what can be certain is that, at the time, Green Goblin didn't leave behind any guiding clues.
So, in this regard, the information Mark determined at the time is actually more reliable in terms of credibility and authenticity than the information we directly obtained from Green Goblin.
Thus, the conclusion becomes clear. Green Goblin speculated that we had a high probability of determining his location and coming here, so he left behind this video in order to disguise his true intentions here. He concealed his presence and sought to blur our thinking, diverting our attention."
Thinking of this, Captain suddenly began to seriously scan his surroundings, hoping to find traces of Green Goblin hidden nearby. If he truly cared about the situation of the emitter at the tower's apex, he would certainly be positioned where he could have a good view of the situation here.
Moreover, this location must be sufficiently close to enable Green Goblin to reach the emitter's position quickly when needed.
As he looked down from the top of the TV tower, Captain continuously searched for hiding spots that met these two criteria.
However, this time, he had truly made a mistake in the light of the lamp; he fell into the trap of subjective thinking. The position of Green Goblin that Mark locked onto through the magical network was undoubtedly accurate. Captain's own analysis also suggested that Green Goblin was surely near the TV tower.
But Captain's focus on the ground was completely off-target; he forgot that Green Goblin could fly using his jet glider.
Just as he was conducting a carpet-style search of the TV tower's ground, looking for any sign of Green Goblin, in the sky above, within a shroud of clouds and mist, Green Goblin fixed his cold gaze on Captain.
These clouds and mist weren't formed naturally; they were modifications made by Green Goblin using a stage fog generator. This was to invisibly hide his own form while keeping an eye on the situation at the apex where the emitter was located.
He had put in a great deal of effort to transport the massive and weighty large-scale biochemical gas emitter to the top of the Vilnius TV Tower and secure it. His purpose aligned with Mark's deduction—to take advantage of the elevated position.
He had completed all the preliminary preparations, testing the emitter's circuits and control systems, adjusting the components, injecting the regenerative serum—everything was ready.
Now, all that remained was for the high-energy capacitors inside the emitter to finish charging. Once that was done, the device would be able to initiate on its own, releasing the regenerative serum throughout the entire continent of Europe, marking the completion of the first step of his ultimate revenge plan.
However, he hadn't anticipated that Captain and Quicksilver would actually break away from the team, arrive ahead of schedule to thwart his plan, and successfully coordinate to reach the top of the TV tower.
This immediately put him in a passive situation because Green Goblin was well aware that, if it came down to a contest of pure strength, his chances of winning against any member of the Avengers wouldn't be higher than fifty percent.
And when facing an opponent like Captain, whose equipment and experience far surpassed his own as a top-tier combatant, the probability of victory became even more faint.
Thus, he chose to conceal himself and employ psychological warfare tactics to confuse Captain, provoke his emotions, and cloud his judgment.
Unfortunately, this plan didn't succeed, as it wasn't tailored specifically to Captain's personality, leading to inevitable flaws during its execution.
At this point, Green Goblin was prepared. Once Captain attempted to disrupt the activation mechanism of the emitter, he would immediately reveal himself to divert Captain's attention.
...
After a careful search, Captain couldn't find Green Goblin's hiding spot, so he shifted his focus to the massive biochemical gas emitter in front of him.
The integrated control computer on the emitter's console displayed that the biochemical weapon storage compartment was fully loaded, indicating that Green Goblin had indeed manipulated this part. It meant that the emitter was a crucial element in his ultimate plan.
Beside the storage capacity data was a status report indicating that the charging progress had reached 95%, with three and a half minutes remaining until the automatic activation of the device.
Seeing this data, Captain immediately frowned. He didn't know what kind of biochemical weapon Green Goblin had injected into the storage or what effect it would produce.
All he knew was that he had three and a half minutes to stop Green Goblin from completing his plan. The immediate priority was to halt the device's activation and properly handle the biochemical weapon within.
However, dealing with such advanced technology was a challenge. Even decades-old high-tech devices were unfamiliar to him, a relic who had been asleep for over seventy years.
He had only one method at his disposal, which was brute-force decryption. But if mishandled, it could potentially lead to a leakage of the biochemical weapon at this location, over three hundred meters high with strong air currents—an enormous predicament.
Faced with this situation, the only option was to seek outside help for a solution.
He established communication with Mark, who was on his way here. "Mark, how long until you reach the Vilnius TV Tower?"
"At least another three and a half minutes. What's going on? How's the situation on your end?" Mark responded.
Three and a half minutes! The timing was the same. However, by the time Mark would arrive, the emitter would have finished charging and initiated its self-start sequence. There wouldn't be any spare time for handling it.
"I haven't found Green Goblin's whereabouts, but I've located the emitter. However, the emitter has been loaded with the biochemical weapon prepared by Green Goblin and is currently in a charging state.
According to the control computer screen, once the charging is complete, the device will initiate on its own and release the biochemical gas from its internal storage.
We have less than three and a half minutes left until the charging is finished, so there's no time to wait for you to arrive and handle it. That's why I need your guidance right now on how to safely shut down this device."
"No sign of Green Goblin?" On Mark's end, the impending activation of the emitter wasn't too surprising. This had already been deduced from the intelligence they had gathered.
But what perplexed Mark, much like Captain, was that Green Goblin wasn't personally guarding the emitter at this crucial moment.
Impossible! Green Goblin must be hiding in some concealed corner. The results he perceived through the magical network couldn't be wrong.
So, analyzing the existing information provided by Captain, there was only one possible explanation for Captain not finding Green Goblin's trace: Green Goblin was in the final step of his plan, which was also the most critical step, and he didn't have enough time to complete all the tasks.
Because he had let Captain and Quicksilver act separately, using their speed advantage to reach the Vilnius TV Tower ahead of time, catching Green Goblin off guard and preventing him from completing his plan. This forced him to hide once again and observe from the shadows.
With these thoughts, Mark didn't rush to deal with the threat posed by the emitter. Instead, he reminded Captain, "Captain, you need to be extremely cautious. Green Goblin must be lurking near the emitter, waiting for a moment when you let your guard down to launch a sudden attack.
Right now, you're the only one who can handle this crisis. Be careful, don't rush due to the time pressure. Moreover, this control system designed by Hydra using electronic technology from the last century, I can easily breach it. You have more than enough time in three minutes. Don't panic."
"Now, listen to my commands. I will help you handle the emitter issue safely.
Step one: Take out any electronic device around you that can connect to the mobile communication network.
Step two: Find the data cable in the control computer and connect the cable end to the data interface of your communication device.
The last step: Just watch the show."
Upon hearing Mark's instructions, Captain didn't ask further questions or doubt it. While remaining vigilant to his surroundings, he meticulously followed Mark's steps and completed the operation.
The instructions Mark provided were essentially for Captain to use his mobile device as a wireless network card, connecting it to the emitter's central control system, allowing it to access the internet.
As long as this device was connected to the network, with the help of Baymax's powerful abilities, it could directly disable the entire system, safely shut down the startup program, and render the device completely useless.
Swoosh!
Just as Captain followed Mark's guidance to locate the data cable on the emitter's central control computer and prepared to connect it to the communication device, a throwing knife shot towards his finger.
Clang!
Being well-prepared, Captain wasn't caught off guard by this surprise attack. The evaded throwing knife could only helplessly strike the base of the emitter connected to the TV tower.
However, while Captain managed to dodge the knife attack, he was forced to halt his actions, wasting a few seconds.
Based on the angle from which the throwing knife was launched, Captain traced its trajectory and looked up at the sky. Yet, apart from the blue sky and white clouds, he couldn't find a trace of Green Goblin.
This left Captain both deeply perplexed and he did not dare to continue focusing on stopping the emitter's activation. While open threats are easier to evade, hidden ones are harder to guard against. At this moment, Green Goblin was precisely utilizing this psychological tactic to buy time.
"Where is he? Where is Green Goblin hiding?" Anxious, Captain watched as every second passed, unable to take further action, growing increasingly distressed.
At that very moment, a phrase Mark had once said suddenly echoed in Captain's mind: "After eliminating all other possibilities, whatever remains, however unreasonable it may seem, must be the truth!"
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