Capítulo 34: MD-Chapter 34 A Midlife Crisis?
The sentiment that youth is wonderful didn't need Dr. Erskine's articulation for Arthur to understand. Yet, Arthur was curious about the connection between the two seemingly disjointed statements the doctor made.
Observing Dr. Erskine— who was drunk, bleary-eyed, swaying, and visibly dejected— Arthur wondered if the man was experiencing a midlife crisis.
Arthur poured him a glass of water before asking. "What's wrong? Did your new boyfriend dump you?"
Arthur couldn't pinpoint when his interactions with Dr. Erskine had become so irreverent. It wasn't a matter of disrespect; in fact, he deeply respected the knowledgeable and kind-hearted doctor. However, Erskine's penchant for jokes had gradually influenced Arthur's own mannerisms.
"Yeah, it's all Dr. Erskine's fault, not mine," Arthur reassured himself.
Dr. Erskine, however, seemed in no mood for jokes tonight. He looked at Arthur seriously, despite his inebriation. "Arthur, do you think the Super Soldier Project should truly exist?"
Arthur was taken aback. "Why do you ask?"
"I don't know," Erskine replied, shaking his head. "I don't even know what I'm thinking. This question suddenly planted itself in my mind, like a nail. It seems to undermine my entire life's work."
"I've devoted everything to making the Super Soldier serum a reality," He continued, raising a finger. "And now, all the theoretical work is nearly perfect. Only one thing remains: finding the right candidate. But now, I'm doubting myself. Isn't it absurd?"
Arthur didn't find it absurd; he was more perplexed by this uncharacteristic departure from what he remembered of Erskine from the movies. Erskine, what are you up to now? Despite his internal tsukkomi, Arthur empathized with the doctor's dilemma.
What would happen if the Super Soldier serum became a reality? What if Dr. Erskine could witness its long-term consequences? In a world where the serum existed, would everyone become a superhuman? The thought of a world filled with muscle-bound warriors made Arthur shiver. Was Dr. Erskine also worried about this?
Shaking off his speculative thoughts, Arthur realized that his overactive imagination was not helpful now. Just as he was about to speak, Dr. Erskine stood up. "It's okay. I can handle it. Really..."
Dr. Erskine smiled at Arthur, his eyes reflecting a sense of relief Arthur couldn't fully comprehend. "Do what you need to do. If the world is already a hell, there's no need to fear creating a powerful demon to overthrow it. Even if the future is filled with such demons, no one else will suffer."
Looking at Arthur, he added, "If it were you... how wonderful that would be. But fortunately, we have another choice. I hope what I create is not a demon. I don't want this world to fall into ruin."
After saying this, Dr. Erskine patted Arthur on the shoulder and left the room.
Arthur stood there for a while, sensing that Dr. Erskine's mental state wasn't entirely stable. "I've heard of prenatal depression... is the birth of a scientific breakthrough really akin to giving birth? Does it also come with depression?"
Scratching his head, Arthur pondered the doctor's analogy in silence. He understood Dr. Erskine's fear but felt powerless to help. Ultimately, it was a personal struggle that the doctor had to overcome on his own.
As a scientist, Dr. Erskine knew his responsibilities well. However, he was acutely aware of the profound impact his work might have on the world. In the short term, it offered hope, but in the long run... it could very well lead to despair.
Arthur was ruminating over this when another knock on his door interrupted his thoughts. It seemed like tonight was unusually busy, with everyone wanting to have a heart-to-heart with him. He opened the door and nearly fled in panic.
Agent Carter!
"What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost," Agent Carter observed Arthur's pale face with confusion.
Arthur couldn't very well admit that it was her presence that unnerved him. "I've been feeling a bit hypoglycemic lately," he lied.
"Aren't you going to invite me in?"
Agent Carter glanced at Arthur, who was blocking the doorway. With a sigh, Arthur stepped aside, allowing her to enter.
He had considered contacting Agent Carter about Lindsay's latest intel, but now that she was here, he couldn't help but feel that the word "trouble" was practically written across her pretty face, blinking in ominous red letters.
At that moment, he wished his golden finger wasn't just a Disassembler but a danger alert system that would let him run at the first sign of trouble.
"Oh, Arthur, your room is a mess. And why does it smell like alcohol? Have you been drinking?" Agent Carter's sharp eyes scrutinized him.
Arthur raised his hands defensively. "It's not what you think. A middle-aged man having a midlife crisis left behind the alcohol smell."
Before he could elaborate, Agent Carter cut him off, looking slightly miffed. "Why didn't you invite me to drink?"
"I'll definitely invite you next time," Arthur muttered, his mouth twitching into a forced smile. "Yeah, it's messy. Uh, make yourself at home."
"Sure, I'll sit," She said before perching on the edge of his bed and fixing her gaze on him.
Arthur and Agent Carter locked eyes in a silent standoff.
Finally, Agent Carter broke the silence with a frustrated sigh. "Why do I always feel like I'm unwelcome here?"
"You're overthinking it!" Arthur quickly shook his head, though internally he was screaming, "You are not just unwelcome, but very, very unwelcome!"
"Interrogation of Lindsay has yielded substantial results," Agent Carter announced, her eyes narrowing at him.
"Already? That was fast," Arthur exclaimed, genuinely surprised.
"We have you to thank for the new interrogation methods you taught Howard," She said, her tone tinged with danger.
Arthur coughed nervously. "So, what's the news?"
"The bad news is that your telegram has already been sent. We couldn't intercept it. Your name is very likely sitting on Schmidt's desk as we speak," She revealed.
Arthur felt a chill run down his spine. He muttered, "Great, just what I needed."
...
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Capítulo 35: MD-Chapter 35 A New Feature?
In every sense of the world, this was not good news.
However, when Arthur heard Agent Carter's words, he remained calm.
It was akin to a prisoner awaiting a death sentence. The anxiety builds during the wait, but when the judgment finally comes, a strange peace settles in.
Accepting it or not, it didn't change the reality.
Exhaling softly, Arthur shrugged and sat down in his chair. "Is there anything else besides my situation?"
"We've compiled a list."
Agent Carter said, "Colonel Phillips hopes that during your 'free' time, you can join me in rounding up these individuals."
"Is each one as tough as Lindsay?"
"Not necessarily... but if we don't act soon, once Lindsay's case gets out, they might all flee."
Arthur nodded. This time, he didn't refuse.
Since Hydra clearly wouldn't let him go, there was no point in avoiding the inevitable. If it was a confrontation they wanted, then let it begin here and now!
And he could gain something from it.
Weapons, equipment— anything that could enhance his strength was welcome.
After discussing this, neither of them spoke.
They fell into an awkward silence, each looking at the other.
It was uncomfortable. Agent Carter stared at Arthur for three seconds, and Arthur averted his gaze.
Agent Carter stood up. "I should be going."
"Yeah, let me see you out."
They walked from the room to the door before Arthur said. "Goodbye."
"...You're such a jerk!"
Agent Carter glared at Arthur, turned, and walked away briskly.
Back in the room, Arthur blinked. "At least it wasn't a rejection, right? Being called a jerk is better than nothing, after all."
---
The next morning, Arthur received some good news.
The Disassembler had upgraded!
Summoning the Disassembler, he saw it still appeared worn and battered, as if waiting to be recycled.
The only difference was its name— it had changed from Novice Intermediate Disassembler to Novice Advanced Disassembler!
What this meant, Arthur wasn't sure.
He remembered the agent he had caught watching Dr. Erskine and the two Walther P38 pistols stored in the Disassembler that he hadn't yet disassembled.
Might as well give it a try...
"Disassemble 'Walther P38 Handgun *2'?"
"Huh?" Arthur was surprised. He could disassemble two at once?
This was good news; it would save a lot of time.
Choosing 'Yes,' he waited about ten seconds.
**Announcement!**
**Equipment disassembled!**
**Beginner Handgun Shooting Experience*13**
**Damaged Battle Soul*2**
**Fragmented Energy Residue*3**
**Disassembler Experience +2**
**Disassembly complete. Would you like to extract at once?**
Arthur didn't extract immediately. He blinked, carefully reading the notification, noticing something called 'Fragmented Energy Residue,' then scratched his head.
"What on earth is this?"
After extracting the items, Arthur discarded the books and Battle Souls, leaving him with three tiny fragments.
These fragments were irregularly shaped, with sharp edges, and they fluctuated as if they were not in a stable state.
Arthur examined them for a long time but couldn't figure out what they were. Were these some kind of bonus from the Disassembler upgrade?
He tried tapping one with his finger, and immediately, a shiver ran through his entire body!
It was as if an electric current had surged through him, coursing from head to toe.
Then, it vanished without a trace!
"What the hell?"
Arthur looked at his hand— and found that there was nothing there.
He closed his eyes to sense anything different— still nothing.
He then tried a dramatic gesture, snapping his fingers like Thanos, but nothing happened.
"Alright, maybe snapping away half the universe was a bit ambitious, but at least a spark or something? What's the deal with this energy residue? And if it's fragmented, is there a complete version somewhere? Can a complete version even be called residue?"
After venting his frustration, Arthur silently accepted that nothing had changed for now.
Still, there was a glimmer of hope. If the Disassembler could now produce fragmented energy residue, what might it create in the future?
Arthur felt a strange surge of confidence.
A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.
Arthur opened it to find Dr. Erskine standing there, looking a bit hungover. "Hey, after breakfast, want to join me for a walk?"
"I thought my glorious life would involve strolling with beautiful women?"
"No, no beautiful women, just one old man, and you don't have the right to refuse."
Dr. Erskine chuckled heartily, a stark contrast to his demeanor the previous night.
"What choice do I have?"
Arthur grabbed his gear and followed Dr. Erskine out the door.
After breakfast, they drove away from the camp, heading to the recruitment center.
The moment Arthur realized their destination, he knew what Dr. Erskine had planned.
Sure enough, when a skinny, pale young man entered the recruitment center, Dr. Erskine perked up.
"Look! He's here!"
Arthur couldn't muster any enthusiasm, having spent the entire day with Dr. Erskine waiting for this guy.
"Great, now's your chance to shine, Doctor. Go on, show him your charisma and make him follow your every command."
"I'm on it."
Excited, Dr. Erskine didn't catch Arthur's sarcastic tone.
With Arthur chuckling, the doctor waited for the medical officer to leave the examination room, then stepped inside.
Arthur shrugged, having no intention of following. He wasn't keen on meeting the 'young' Captain.
After stretching his legs, he leaned against the wall, contemplating his complicated life.
Not long after, maybe ten minutes later, the young Captain emerged, looking thrilled.
"Feeling good?"
Seeing his expression, Arthur couldn't help but ask.
"Absolutely, buddy!" The young Captain glanced at Arthur, smiling. "I've never felt this fulfilled!"
"…"
As Arthur pondered this, Dr. Erskine walked out. "We should get going!"
As they left, the doctor whispered to Arthur, "I'm more convinced than ever. He's the perfect candidate!"
Arthur hesitated before replying, "So… did you two have a heart-to-heart?"
"Huh?" The doctor looked confused.
Arthur playfully clapped his hands three times.
**(End of Chapter)**
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