Next week, Luke and Rogers left Camp Lehigh and boarded a car for New York.

As for the trained recruits, they became reserve soldiers.

If the serum injection is successful, everyone has a chance to become a super soldier.

"I never thought we would be back in Brooklyn so soon!"

Rogers lamented.

He sat next to Luke, looking through the window, gazing at the familiar buildings.

"So, the Colonel was right, fortune favors the foolish. "

Luke joked.

When Rogers learned that he had been selected as a test subject for the super soldier, he couldn't wait to find Luke to share it, only to see Colonel Phillips in the barracks.

The latter, with a look of disgust, glanced at Rogers and uttered this phrase. 

Remembering that incident, Rogers didn’t feel bad but rather had an earnest expression, "This isn't good luck! It's all thanks to you and Dr. Erskine! I couldn't have made it this far without your help."

He heard from Colonel Phillips that Luke had recommended him to Dr. Erskine on his own initiative.

Although Rogers wasn't very good at expressing his emotions, he remembered this gratitude in his heart.

"If you were a woman, I might have accepted your ‘gratitude’.”

Luke made a disgusted face and snickered, "See that block, that alley, and the parking lot out there, those are your old 'battlefields'!"

Rogers lowered his head and smiled awkwardly.

He had been beaten a lot because he couldn't get rid of his nosy habit.

These 'battlefields' were actually the places where he had been beaten before.

"Did you have something against running away?"

Carter, who was sitting in the front and driving, asked.

She was the entourage this time and was responsible for getting Luke and Rogers safely to their destination.

"You start running, they'll never let you stop! If you stand up and fight back, you will have the opportunity to defeat them one day!"

Rogers spoke of his inner feelings, and Carter was a bit moved by his sincere tone.

Dr. Erskine didn’t choose him for no reason. At least this courage is worthy of praise.

"Being underestimated is something I have often experienced. "

Carter seemed to be drawn by the idea and said a few more words in a rare moment.

On normal days in Camp Lehigh, this female officer was like an iceberg, keeping people away.

Even the notorious playboy Howard Stark, would be careful around her. So far, not one dinner invitation was accepted.

"Miss Carter, I don't understand why you want to join the army. You are a beautiful lady ..."

Rogers glanced at Carter and began to speak with the emotional intelligence of a 'straight man' - You know, what the other party hated most is when people say she's too good-looking to be an agent in this line of work.

(TNote: straight man = slang word; it's not about their sexuality; it means awkwardly sexist males that don't understand women at all.)

Carter had a strong character and had never thought that she would lose to any man in terms of ability.

Seeing that Rogers was about to anger her, Luke hastily intervened by asking, "How much longer until we get there?"

"Soon. "

Carter glanced at Rogers coldly, snorted, and stopped talking.

The latter looked innocent, not knowing where he was wrong.

"Rogers, your ability to talk to women is among the worst I've ever seen!"

Luke shook his head and whispered in low voice.

The car remained quiet for the rest of the journey.

About 20 minutes or so, they arrived at their destination.

The trio stepped out of the car and pushed open the door of an antique shop.

Yes, this was the secret base of the Strategic Scientific Reserve.

Carter exchanged codes with an older woman and led Luke and Rogers into the inner room.

"What a cliché design. "

Luke looked at the shelves full of books.

Entering the interior of the base, each door is guarded by heavily armed soldiers.

From time to time, some researchers in white coats would walk by with files in their hands.

Rogers, who was seeing this kind of scene for the first time, was a little nervous.

 

…

 

Rogers looked at Luke, as they walked side by side.

He found him to be calm and relaxed. 

'That's so like him!'

Rogers thought to himself.

Actually, Luke's true emotions were far less calm than they seemed.

From Brooklyn streets, step by step to the Strategic Scientific Reserve's secret base, and about to receive the Super Soldier serum injection.

This wasn't an easy task.

'In order to get the plug-in, I went on desperately. '

(TNote: plug-in = component that adds a specific feature to an existing character template.)

The three went down to the bottom floor and saw two metal coffin-like boxes in the middle of the room, where Dr. Erskine and Howard-Stark were talking about something.

Colonel Philips and the Senators who were in attendance, stayed in the control room on the second floor.

Everyone was looking forward to witness a miracle!

"Let's get started.”

Dr. Erskine said to the two men.

Luke and Rogers looked at each other, and took off their garrison caps and coats.

The contrast between their physiques was obvious.

The former is strong and well-defined, while the latter is as thin as dry wood.

Seeing that, the researchers around them shook their heads and sighed. They doubted whether Rogers could survive the serum injection.

"It's okay, you can do it!"

Luke squeezed Rogers' shoulder as if to inject courage into him.

If Steve wasn’t around, he would be the one to debut as an idol and sell war bonds!

Seeing him nod in agreement, Luke turned his attention to what was before him, a metal box with complex wires and cables inserted on both sides.

Howard Stark, who sported a mustache, was in-charge of operating the machine.

He was currently at the console, busy with the preparation for the serum injection.

This talented millionaire, who had good relations with the military elites under the banner of patriotism, was also one of the participants in this project.

Click!

A bright light flashed as the Staff from the Military’s Public Affairs Department snapped a photo of Luke and Rogers standing together.

This was a memorable historical moment!

"It's time to start!"

Erskine cleared the people, leaving only Howard Stark and other researchers.

"You'll both make it!"

The doctor seriously said.

He was only going to choose one person to make a super soldier.

However, Luke's outstanding performance and sincere attitude made Erskine's original idea waver.

So, he and Colonel Phillips, each took a step back.

It was decided that both of these candidates would be injected with the serum and become super soldiers.

In the words of Colonel Phillips, "At least one will succeed".

Dr. Erskine patiently explained the process, and then the shells of the two metal boxes placed together slowly closed. 

"It will start out as a series of minimally invasive injections to inject the serum into the muscle groups. After this step is completed, it will trigger radical changes in the cells ..."

Luke was plunged into darkness, unable to see the slightest bit of light from the outside world. He could only hear Dr. Erskine's voice talking to Howard Stark.

The cold needles pierced his skin, and the serum was steadily pushed into the body, which merged with countless cells.

"Weird, I don’t feel much pain..."

Luke was worried that the process of injecting the super soldier serum would be extremely painful.

At least in his memory, Rogers shouted at the top of his lungs and almost died.

"Start the instrument!"

Luke heard Dr. Erskine's voice.

The metal instrument connected to the cable introduced a sizzling strong current.

A burst of white light broke out!

"Fuck!"

Luke instantly felt intensively excruciating pain, as if his muscle fibers were pulled into a million strips.

His whole body felt like it was torn apart!

Not only the physical, but the mental strain was just as unbearable.

However, the intense pain, enough to make people crazy, only lasted a short moment.

Then, as if it was absorbed, it just disappeared!

[100%]

On his retina, clear data emerged.

The progress bar, which had been stagnant for years, had finally completely loaded.

[Player identity Cleared]

[Gift pack is being issued]

[Issued successfully]

[Please check]

Lines of information flew out.

Then, the hazy white light slightly lit up.

A huge stream of data, like a waterfall, scrolled down to form a character panel -

Host: Luke (Luke Cavill)

Loaded Card: None

Ability: None

Reputation: None

Task List: Not yet opened

"..."

Luke felt a bit puzzled.

After working so hard for so long, he only got three empty stats?

"Forget it, let’s first open the gift pack!"

Luke was familiar with it and clicked on the conscious space.

Open!

With a slight thought, a golden shimmering light erupted.

Many characters poured into his mind.

"Golden Superman ..."

"Silver Superman ..."

"Cyborg Superman ..."

"Quantum Superman ..."

"Ultraman ..."

"Superboy-Prime ..."

"..."

Various forms of Superman templates are displayed in front of Luke's eyes.

….