Steve slapped the dashboard, somewhat helplessly sitting in the pilot's seat, gripping the control stick tightly with one hand, trying with all his might to change the direction of the plane, while the other hand tuned the communication device, attempting to contact the Strategic Science Corps.
His face was a patch of blue and purple, with blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, but he had defeated Schmidt and fulfilled Dr. Erskine's wish.
The Red Skull was disintegrated upon contact with the Cosmic Rubik's Cube.
Just a flash of blue light, and Schmidt vanished. Captain America didn't know the principle behind it, but the Red Skull should be dead, right?
Immediately following, the Cosmic Rubik's Cube seemed to generate high heat, burning through layers of deck, falling into the sea.
But the crisis wasn't resolved; this giant aircraft loaded with doomsday weapons was navigating toward New York on a predetermined instrumentation.
If it crashes in New York, the entire city will be razed to the ground.
Steve had never flown a plane before, he could only try to pull the control stick hard, attempting to change the plane's direction.
"Can anyone hear me? This is Captain Rogers, can anyone hear me?"
Outside the cockpit, there was nothing to be seen, only the boundless sea, he didn't know if he had really managed to turn the plane around.
The communicator was filled with intermittent static, but soon it gradually became clearer.
"Steve? Is that you? Are you alright?"
Peggy's voice came from the other end of the communicator.
"Great, Schmidt is dead."
Peggy turned to look at Colonel Philip, they were currently in the Red Skull's base, the SSR had occupied it, and the communication tower used now belonged to the Red Skull.
Hearing that the Red Skull was dead, the Colonel also relaxed, a smile spread across his aging face.
But Peggy didn't relax; she continued to press on, "What about the plane?"
Steve licked his lips, revealing a bitter smile, though he tried to keep his voice steady.
"This is a bit difficult to explain."
"Tell me your current coordinates, I'll find you a place to land safely." Peggy immediately understood; she was smart.
Sparks burst from the dashboard in front of the control stick, Steve tilted his head to dodge.
What coordinates? During the fight with Schmidt just now, the entire instrument system, except the altimeter, had all gone to waste.
"There's no way to land safely, I can only make a forced landing."
Hearing this, Baki beside him showed a worried expression, Steve had jumped onto the Red Skull's plane at the last moment, but only a Super Soldier could achieve that.
Baki hadn't boarded, and at the moment, he wished he could be with Steve, or replace Steve on that plane.
Peggy didn't give up; she gestured to the communication officer beside her, "Hold on, we'll contact Howard immediately, he knows what to do."
Another explosion occurred behind Steve, from an unknown place, the fire in the cockpit was spreading, presumably due to a fuel problem.
"It's too late, it's almost lost total control, moreover, its locked target is New York, just like a kamikaze attack." Steve tore off his hood, wiped away the sweat on his eyelids, making a joke, "I'm trying to see if this plane can wash with water."
Peggy covered her mouth; she knew the kind of predicament Steve was in; he was on a giant missile.
Her voice already had a hint of tears, "No, don't do this, we'll figure something out."
"Right now, I'm the only one here, if I hesitate, many will die." Steve took a deep breath, looked ahead, as the smell of burning filled the air, "Peggy, this is my choice."
He took out the pocket watch secretly hiding Peggy's photo from his belt, opened it, and placed it next to the altimeter, gazing at her face.
Then he pulled the control stick hard with all his might, and prayed that the directional device could be of some use.
Maybe the previous explosion had an effect, the plane indeed slightly changed direction, but the auto-navigation was also working, the plane always tried to return to its original route.
Steve wasn't discouraged; as long as he could prevent New York's destruction, he could sit here forever, holding onto this thing.
But the fuel was leaking, the plane was losing altitude, he was about to crash.
"Peggy?"
"...I'm here."
"We promised to dance." Steve vaguely saw the white coastline ahead.
"Yes, next Wednesday, at the Stork Club."
Tears flowed from Peggy's eyes, but she strived to maintain a tone without any crying, instead answering in an expectant manner.
"It's a deal."
Steve saw more icy fields; he knew this deserted place might be the best choice.
Peggy wiped her tears away, "Eight o'clock in the evening, I'll wait for you, don't be late."
"You know I haven't learned how to dance yet."
Steve calmly said, trying to lighten the mood.
But in the Red Skull's lair, Colonel Philip couldn't listen anymore; he turned and left. A hero's sacrifice, he didn't want to witness it.
Though Steve disobeyed orders regularly, he was the best soldier the Colonel had ever known.
Bakie wanted to say a few words to Steve, but seeing Peggy crying so hard, holding back was all he could do, though he too shed tears.
He began to resent himself for not having the power or being there when his brother needed him.
Peggy didn't notice the commotion behind her, her entire focus was on the small microphone, "I'll teach you, but only there."
Steve watched as the ice field grew in front of him, almost occupying his entire view, yet he showed no fear.
"Then we should have the band play slower songs; I don't want to step on your..."
The communication suddenly cut off.
"Steve? Steve? Steve!"
Peggy screamed, frantically adjusting the communication device, only to find that there was nothing wrong with the equipment.
She felt a sharp pain in her heart, her vision went black, and she fainted onto the control console.
Baki also wobbled but still stood firm. He tearfully supported Peggy and gently laid her on the ground.
Steve sacrificed himself; he lost his best friend.
Colonel Philip walked in with the medics from outside; he hadn't gone far.
He took off his hat and led everyone in a salute in an unknown direction, mourning the departure of a hero.
Moments later, he lowered his arm, inhaled deeply, and in a slightly hoarse voice, spoke with Baki.
"Sergeant Barnes."
"Colonel."
"Today, we've lost a good friend, but those who are alive must live better to prove his sacrifice wasn't in vain."
Baki shook his head, took off his glasses, and wiped them: "When I needed Steve, he could break through the line of hundreds of thousands of enemies to save me, but when he needed me? I could only stand here dazed…"
The Colonel was speechless and could only sigh.
But there's only one Captain America; who could help him?
The command tower fell silent as everyone mourned the Captain.
Just then, a soldier suddenly exclaimed: "Colonel, there's a reaction on the radar; a massive object is rapidly approaching from the sky."
"What? Is it a missile?" The Colonel donned his hat and immediately went into combat mode.
"No, it's much bigger, just like… just like the plane that flew away earlier!"
The Colonel was shocked and uncertain; could Hydra have another doomsday weapon, coming to destroy the base and eliminate evidence?
"Where is it now?"
"Very fast, Colonel, just 200 kilometers from us, that's the limit of Hydra's ground radar detection range, but now… it's right above us…"
"What?! Prepare for combat! Air raid sirens!"
Baki grabbed his assault rifle fiercely and dashed out of the room, while Peggy was jolted awake by the alarm.
As a special agent, responding to alarms is almost instinctive.
But after waking up, she took a moment to confirm the situation and quickly remembered Steve, her sadness naturally welled up.
Yet, at this moment, she noticed Colonel Philip and the others were staring up with their mouths agape as if witnessing something unbelievable.
What could SSR find unbelievable?
She moved closer to the tower's glass, her tear-blurred face suddenly displaying an incredulous expression.
A black and yellow figure, holding a massive plane with both arms, was descending slowly onto the runway from high above.
The human body is so small, the steel monster so large, yet clearly, a human had carried that powerless giant beast back.
The stark contrast and incomprehensible reality stimulated everyone's nerves, some even doubting it was an illusion, slapping themselves repeatedly.
A strong wind lifted a black cape; like a god, he gently set the huge plane down on the ground, and everyone distinctly felt the ground tremble slightly.
It was not an illusion.
The plane was battered, covered in scorched black marks, but now it dripped wetly.
"I'm asking you, did you people with no public ethics throw trash into the Arctic?"
Deathstroke clapped his hands, as if completing a trivial task, and with a metallic-sounding voice, questioned the soldiers around him.
The soldiers who had been beaten by him in the past didn't have the courage to answer.
............
Su Ming had actually been trailing far behind the plane; no one could see him hiding in the clouds.
When the Cosmic Rubik's Cube fell, he dove underwater to retrieve it, yet that blasted thing also sent him into outer space like the Red Skull.
It forced him to fly back, managing to catch the whole plane before Captain America crashed.
Though the catch was a bit rough, Steve slammed into the instrument panel and was knocked unconscious by the electricity.
Many know Sea King can lift submarines, but few know Symbiote can do it too.
In comic settings, Symbiote family generally has a power level of 7, meaning they can lift over 1,000 tons.
Though sometimes the host is too weak, making them unable to perform, encountering a strong host makes the number almost limitless.
Su Ming usually doesn't prefer using brute force to solve problems. Battles between people aren't about comparing numerical values.
If I can lift 100 tons and you can only lift 50 tons, and I think I'm definitely stronger, then I'm not far from death.
Tactics and strategy are key, and Marvel World's hidden setting states that comedic characters are stronger.
Is Thanos strong?
In some aspects, he's decent, at least his stats are high.
But Squirrel Sister ran out to the supermarket to grab discounted toilet paper, just happened to meet Thanos invading Earth, she knocked the road-blocking Thanos unconscious with one punch, and hurried home to the toilet.
Thanos also isn't a match for that scoundrel Wade, who stubbornly restrains him, 'If you don't kill me, I'll kill you; if you kill me, I'll go sleep with Death, see if that bothers you?'
Also, 'Cleaner,' 'Incomprehensible People,' when comedic, their strength has no limit.
The Cleaner swept away the whole cosmos while cleaning and wiped out all the strong with a mop.
Incomprehensible Person is even worse; he can imitate any character, break walls, transform into a Transcender and Life Court, but often turns into Chucky or Iron Arm Astro Boy.
One-Punch Man? He can turn into; Super Saiyan? Also can; The Three Pristine Ones, God, even the blindly foolish Asatros, any entity that exists in human imagination, he can become.
He even ran to the DC World and brought over the Troublemaker, taking advantage of the Troublemaker's unfamiliarity with Marvel's setting, he pranked him heavily.
Su Ming's style in Marvel World leans toward comedic, because he knows Marvel's setting, he makes himself funny, which invisibly strengthens him, and the world tends to favor him more.
Whereas DC is just the opposite; the funniest Barry often makes sacrifices to the heavens, while the darkest Batman is infinitely strong.
In this situation, Su Ming mimicked Superman lifting the plane and started with a cold joke, feeling stronger once again.