"Since that's the case, then now..."

With Reid pointing out a clear path, the despair that had just weighed down Adrian vanished completely.

At this moment, the way he looked at the frozen Captain America was even more intimate than his own wife.

"Hold on, Adrian. Studying Captain America is fine, but wait until he wakes up and gives you permission himself." Reid interrupted before Adrian could speak further.

What a joke. There was no way he would let the man get access to Captain America’s body samples right now. If he did, would Adrian still turn into the Vulture and go after Steve later?

"I need permission…?"

Those words hit Adrian like a bucket of cold water, quickly cooling his excitement.

By then, Reid had already lifted the ice block and flown into the sky.

Watching from the ground, Adrian slowly began to understand the real situation. He didn’t believe for a second that Reid cared about things like human rights. The only reason he would insist on getting Captain America’s consent was to force a connection between them.

But what would happen during that interaction? 

Adrian couldn’t tell. He wasn’t like Luthor or Reid, who could predict the future just by relying on their superior brains and computational abilities.

Still, he could faintly sense one thing. Reid didn’t want him and Captain America to get along. 

And it made sense. Being the sole super soldier from that era, Captain America had to know just how important his genetic sequence was. Even if Adrian tried to explain that the Super Soldier Serum in this era was no longer rare or valuable, it wouldn’t matter.

Unless the man fully trusted him, he would never allow anyone to study his body. It had nothing to do with personality. It was simply the most rational decision.

At the very least, Adrian didn’t believe Captain America was some fool who couldn’t think things through.

“Are you planning to make me the villain here?"

As one of the few scientists acknowledged by both Reid and Luthor based purely on his capabilities, Adrian had spoken with them quite a lot. No less than Richard.

So he knew. From this point on, neither of the two men would interfere with his actions.

No matter how he managed to obtain Captain America's genetic sequence, or convinced him to cooperate with his research, it would all depend on his own ability. They wouldn’t step in.

"In that case, bring it on. I have to survive."

There was no time to be angry about being used by Luthor and Reid.

Adrian began making his plans immediately.

* * *

Meanwhile, Reid, carrying the ice block containing Captain America, had returned to New York. Not long after, Vought International released an announcement.

On televisions, radios, and the massive screen in Times Square, a single sentence appeared:

"Do you remember who the first hero was? An American."

Combined with dazzling special effects and the silhouette of a strong, muscular man, the ad instantly captured the attention of every American following the superhero entertainment scene.

After all, in recent times, Vought had introduced quite a few new heroes, but their regional branding had become increasingly obvious.

Most of these so-called "street-level" heroes had designated areas they protected, and naturally, they began to take on heavy regional identities.

Take Daredevil, for example. Vought had marketed him as the Guardian of Hell’s Kitchen. Along with a few other heroes placed in that same neighborhood, they were grouped into a team called the Defenders.

Of course, unlike the one from the comics, this was a "budget" version. Only Daredevil could be considered outstanding.

The others were simply mutants Vought had selected from the general applicant pool to round out the numbers.

This type of street hero did have its perks. Within their respective districts, they enjoyed immense popularity. In fact, people from different areas would even compare their local heroes, fueling hypothetical superpowered battle debates that could easily span numerous online forums.

But the downside was just as obvious.

These street heroes were restricted to their own neighborhoods. In order to maintain their appearance rates and popularity, they had all quietly agreed to a kind of unspoken rule: never operate justice in someone else’s territory.

And that, inevitably, led to aesthetic fatigue among the American public.

Sure, having a hero who fully represented your own neighborhood was a great thing. But most of these heroes weren’t particularly strong. Seeing them for too long just became boring.

The only top-tier superhero team, the Fantastic Four, often traveled around the world. They rarely stayed in New York, or even in the United States.

What the public really needed was a superhero who belonged solely to America.

And this new Vought promotional teaser hit that sweet spot of anticipation perfectly.

"Did you see the tagline? Vought specifically mentioned us Americans. That means the hero they're launching this time has to be way more famous than those local street heroes. Plus, he won’t be like the Fantastic Four, going around the world all the time."

"Definitely. But to be honest, I’m more interested in Hollywood movies lately. Word is, any director with a decent name is trying to get real superheroes to act in their films. It's just a shame we’ll probably never see Susan Storm star in a romance flick."

"Hahaha! Dream on. She's the girlfriend of LexCorp’s CEO. Being a superhero is just a hobby for her. I wouldn’t be surprised if she quits the team in the future. Didn't the news say her wedding is happening really soon?"

"Oh my God! Susan! How could you get married?!"

As the American public continued their excited or ridiculous chatter, time quietly ticked by.

* * *

On the other side, at LexCorp’s affiliated medical facility, Lex Hospital.

The cryogenic recovery of Captain America was nearing completion. He was right on the edge of waking up.

At the same time, Adrian, after meticulous planning and a thorough understanding of the hospital’s security layout, was ready to take action.

Just as he had predicted, ever since they left the Arctic, Reid and Luthor hadn’t interfered with his movements at all.

Now, taking advantage of a moment when the nurse had stepped away, Adrian slipped into Captain America’s private recovery room.

He stared at the man lying on the bed. Despite having been frozen for seventy years, he still appeared youthful and handsome.

Then Adrian glanced at himself: barely in his forties, yet his body already worn and prematurely aging. Even his breathing grew heavier at the thought.

Slowly, he stepped closer and brought the needle in his hand near the vein on Captain America’s arm.

To ensure the experiment’s success, he needed a significant sample of blood. A single strand of hair or some minor tissue would be meaningless to his research.

But just as the needle was about to pierce Captain America’s skin, the latter's eyes snapped open.

"Who are you?!"

Hearing a sharp shout of alarm, Adrian looked up, only to be met by Captain America's iron fist flying straight at him!

**

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