Chapter 515: Hail Hydra
Chapter 515: Hail Hydra
Doctor X made one final demand – he wanted Fang Cheng to pat his head again like before.
“Exactly!”
Doctor X flushed with excitement: “I’ve recovered many memories and forgotten knowledge. Now I don’t need to waste time checking documents daily.”
Read Thoughts forced subjects to recall their pasts, an effect most would consider harmful.
But for researchers like Doctor X, this became tremendous advantage. He desperately wished to possess this ability himself, even fantasizing about head-patting during sleep.
Fang Cheng eyed the man’s thinning scalp, silently wondering why he wasn’t worried about constant head-rubbing creating baldness.
These recovered memories only lasted temporarily before fading again.
Doctor X noticed this deterioration and came begging for another session.
The phrasing sounded dangerously ambiguous – “touch him again” needed clarification.
Fang Cheng sighed in relief. He’d almost thrown the old man off the Ark, mistaking him for some geriatric predator seeking romantic revival.
“Another session won’t harm you?”
“Perfect condition! No problems!”
Seeing Doctor X’s insistence, Fang Cheng pressed his palm against the wrinkled forehead, activating Thought Reading again.
“It’s happening! It’s working!”
The scientist quivered like an aroused baboon, his plump frame shaking with excitement.
Thankfully only doppelgangers occupied the cockpit, preventing awkward misunderstandings.
Reviewing Doctor X’s memories revealed new details Fang Cheng had overlooked during their first mental scan. Previously focused on Ark piloting skills, he now discovered more intriguing information.
The memories showed human satellites discovering alien spaceship wreckage in Antarctica around 1971.
While alien existence remained hotly debated worldwide, the three major political circles and various governments maintained official silence.
Though Doctor X had mentioned the spaceship before, Fang Cheng remained skeptical until now. The first-hand memories settled the debate conclusively – Doctor X had personally visited both the wreckage and its Antarctic discovery site.
Multiple nations found the debris, prompting the three political circles to form joint Antarctic expedition after negotiations. Their investigation revealed only minor wreckage visible on ice surface, with bulk trapped beneath glacial layers or sunk to ocean floor.
Classified as top secret, all messages about the discovery were suppressed. For half a century, the three political circles secretly salvaged wreckage – initially cooperating, later dividing territories for independent operations after international relationship changes.
Though severely damaged, the spaceship yielded rich harvest. Humanity deciphered numerous advanced technologies from salvaged fragments, now widely implemented – modified humans, drones, solo combat systems, intelligent AI, new materials etc., all tracing origins to this extraterrestrial source.
Besides these new technologies, the most important discovery was Mother – humans had found an indestructible right arm on the Antarctic continent.
No clear connection existed between the arm and the spaceship, since world-spreading monsters had already been appearing for over a century by then. An indestructible arm suddenly showing up didn’t seem particularly surprising.
From this unbreakable right arm, humanity gained advanced biotechnology including artificial superpowers and human enhancement technology.
The owner of this arm came to be called ‘Mother’.
Many informed scholars began questioning Mother’s potential connections to both the monsters and alien spaceship.
Doctor X wasn’t the only scholar believing Mother originated from space, nor did he originate this theory.
With Mother’s right arm currently held by the Human Rights Coalition headquarters, research opportunities remained blocked.
His reason for joining Gates of Heaven stemmed from Walker secretly possessing Mother’s left arm, which offered research possibilities.
Beyond these technologies and Mother’s body, the three major political circles most coveted the alien spaceship’s power source and engine.
Scientists estimated this vessel could achieve at least sub-light speed travel.
North America had luckily retrieved the spaceship’s engine from their designated area shortly after the discovery.
The device proved completely unopenable, let alone analyzable.
Despite North America’s renowned engine skills, over a decade of research only yielded operational knowledge without understanding its principles.
When major political upheavals struck North America thirty years ago, affecting numerous government departments, the spaceship engine got sealed away.
Gates of Heaven’s backers somehow pulled off an audacious theft of the engine to construct the Ark.
Nobody expected this would eventually benefit outsider Fang Cheng most.
After absorbing these valuable memories, Fang Cheng withdrew his hand.
Mother’s other arm was confirmed to be at the Human Rights Coalition headquarters.
Given Fang Cheng’s current capabilities, retrieval seemed impossible.
The headquarters housed three strategic-level beings and reportedly controlled all regional demons, with even disaster-level monsters avoiding the area.
Though Isis wandered globally, she never approached the Human Rights Coalition headquarters.
An Apocalypse Knight who tried entering for captures got chased out battered and dusty.
Since Fang Cheng didn’t consider himself stronger than Isis or the Knight, he dismissed further thoughts to preserve his sleep quality.
“That dangerous one’s catching up!”
Iyaya’s amused voice echoed in Fang Cheng’s mind, her mood lifted since obtaining Mother’s body. “Unless we distract them, the Ark might get impounded.”
Fang Cheng dismissed the flushed Doctor X before retorting, “Let them take it then. I never wanted it anyway.”
The Ark maintained perfect invisibility – undetectable by eyes or radar.
That their pursuers could follow suggested serious trouble. Mishandling this might prevent escaping North America.
Life’s greatest joy is getting free stuff; its deepest pain is failing to do so.
What’s obtained freely becomes rightful property – no reason to return it.
Fang Cheng ordered his doppelgangers to steer the Ark toward the coastline while he stayed behind to intercept trackers.
Just as he completed preparations, a distant black dot appeared, speeding closer.
Iyaya’s voice lost its earlier cheerfulness: “The opponent isn’t weaker than Isis. You’d better prepare yourself mentally.”
Fang Cheng had already covered his body with blood to alter his appearance.
Within moments, the distant black speck flew to within several hundred meters before halting, its speed nearly matching that of a supersonic fighter jet.
The warnings from Tsukimi Narumi and Iyaya made Fang Cheng realize this must be one of North America’s two strategic-level individuals.
One maintained complete anonymity while the other served as the continent’s beloved celebrity, constantly appearing in news reports.
Fang Cheng studied the figure – identical to media images, dressed as Captain America though lacking the signature shield.
Steve simultaneously examined Fang Cheng.
After confirming he’d never encountered this face, Steve began to speak.
Fang Cheng suddenly raised his fist and shouted: “Hail Hydra!”
Steve blinked, then chuckled dryly: “Sir, Hydra doesn’t exist in this world.”
The immediate recognition suggested this Captain America had indeed watched his own movies.
Fang Cheng grinned: “Captain, I’m your biggest fan. Mind signing an autograph?”
The eternally-patient hero refused to be sidetracked: “Appreciate the support, but let’s discuss why you’re here.”
“Couldn’t sleep. Just taking a midnight stroll. Care to join?”
“In a national park?”
“Safer than downtown where cops might shove guns in my face.”
Steve’s lips twitched – no officer would dare confront someone radiating such power.
He sensed Fang Cheng’s capabilities exceeded ace-level, explaining the casual arrogance.
Cutting through nonsense, Steve demanded: “I detected an evil god’s manifestation. Did you repel it?”
Fang Cheng waved dismissively: “Trivial matter. Not worth mentioning.”
“Alone?” Steve’s eyebrows rose.
Solitary resistance against divine forces would confirm strategic-level powers – an alarming prospect for any nation.
“Had help,” Fang Cheng admitted.
“Who?”
Producing a cola can, Fang Cheng popped it open: “My trusty joy drink. Triples combat effectiveness.”
Steve stared silently.
In his decade as strategic-level protector, none had dared such mockery. Lesser heroes might have attacked already.
“You’ve done humanity a service by repelling that entity. North America thanks you.” Steve’s tone hardened. “Now state your purpose here and come with me for debriefing. You’ll receive full apology if cleared.”
Fang Cheng drained his sparkling soda: “Raincheck? Dinner’s waiting.”
“Regrettably, I must insist.”
The hero acted without hesitation.
Crushing gravity slammed Fang Cheng earthward – the signature power of North America’s guardian, Captain Steve.