Chapter 2: Super Soldier
Blake didn't understand why the system gave him such an identity. Nor did he know why it placed him here. When he asked the system, it simply told him to explore on his own.
But judging from this identity and experience, the system wasn't doing useless work. To better integrate into this role, Blake kept reviewing memories related to Isaiah along the way.
After walking about a block, Blake arrived in front of an old house. Hesitating for a moment, he still reached out and rang the doorbell.
"Who is it?" An elderly black man with gray-streaked hair and beard came out, but from his appearance, it was hard to tell he was already 88 years old. He looked at most sixty.
By the way, the time Blake arrived in was 2008, before Tony Stark was kidnapped.
"Oh! Blake, my child! How are you?"
Seeing Blake, Isaiah enthusiastically opened the door and gave Blake a hug.
Blake hesitated for a moment but still placed his hand on Isaiah's back and embraced the old man.
"What's wrong? Child, did something happen?"
Isaiah sensed some unfamiliarity from Blake and asked, puzzled.
"Oh, nothing, I just feel that you have been like this since I was little. Now I've graduated from college, and you still haven't changed, it's quite emotional!"
Blake smartly replied.
"You know, my aging is slower than that of ordinary people. My body is a bit stronger than an average person's, so..."
Isaiah spread his hands, somewhat helplessly.
The super serum gave him abilities, but it only brought harm.
The thirty years of being kept in the dark and undergoing human experiments constantly tormented him.
"Come in, let's not talk about those unpleasant things!" Isaiah pulled Blake inside.
In the system's arranged plot, young Blake had seen Isaiah's superhuman side.
For a long time after Blake's parents died, he lived with Isaiah. There were no secrets between them.
Later, fearing HYDRA's return, Isaiah sent Blake to an orphanage for his safety.
He only provided financial support in secret.
"Weren't you looking for a job in Los Angeles? Why did you suddenly come all the way east to find me?"
It was clear that Isaiah was happy to see Blake, but he didn't approve of Blake suddenly coming to find him due to safety concerns.
"I got an internship opportunity at Stark Industries, and I thought I should come and tell you!"
Blake tried to make his expression appear more proud.
"Oh! My God! Stark Industries, that's fantastic! I knew you could do it! We need to go out and buy some things. We're going to have a good drink tonight!"
Isaiah stood up excitedly.
"Bang!"
They were facing each other, and as soon as Blake finished speaking, Isaiah suddenly stood up and took two steps to the side.
At that moment, a gunshot rang out, and a bullet whizzed through the window, passing through the spot where Isaiah's head had just been.
It shot downwards, directly through Blake's chest and abdomen.
Blake was completely unprepared and only felt a numbness in his chest. Blood slowly began to spread through the fibers of his clothes.
"Damn, how unlucky can I be!"
Blake muttered before his head slumped to the side, and he lost consciousness.
In the darkness, Blake felt like every cell and drop of blood in his body was beginning to boil.
Itchiness, the kind that goes deep into the bones, like thousands of ants crawling inside his body.
Then came the pain, as if his entire body was being crushed into a pulp by a giant hydraulic press.
Blake's consciousness seemed trapped in endless darkness...
He felt alternating extreme pain and itchiness, without even having a body to struggle with.
He didn't know how long it had been when he slowly opened his eyes again.
The first thing he saw was Isaiah's face, red-eyed.
"You finally woke up, child. God bless. Damn, I knew you shouldn't have come back to see me."
Isaiah's face was full of various emotions: joy, guilt, and self-reproach.
"What happened? I got shot?"
Blake struggled to sit up. This was a dimly lit room, more like a basement.
On the nightstand was a machine to check heart rate, a tray with surgical tools, tweezers, some bloody gauze, and cotton.
There was also a bullet covered in blood.
"It looks like I'm okay now." Blake used his hands to try to sit up completely. Oddly, his body didn't feel the expected pain.
"Hmm?"
Blake looked at himself; the wound had already healed and scabbed over. The wound didn't hurt; instead, it felt slightly itchy. It was almost fully healed.
"How long was I unconscious?" Blake asked in surprise.
"Less than three hours." Isaiah checked his watch and said.
"And this wound?" Blake pointed to his chest.
"You lost a lot of blood. After dealing with the assassin, I didn't have time to take you to the hospital. I had to risk saving you myself. Luckily, I had some common medical equipment prepared."
"As for your wound, I said there wasn't time to go to the hospital. I remembered we have the same blood type. I know it was dangerous, but fortunately, you made it through the serum's transformation!" Isaiah said with some guilt.
Blake felt a surge of joy. Did this mean he had indirectly received the super serum?
His emotions surged, and his hands unconsciously exerted force. With a slight squeeze, he found that he had dented the metal railing of the makeshift hospital bed.
"Did I... become a super soldier?" Blake said incredulously, looking at his hands.
Did I just get shot, wake up, and become like Captain America?
"I'll get you some water." Compared to Blake's excitement, Isaiah just sighed, got up silently, and went to get water.
"System, system? What's going on? Don't tell me this has nothing to do with you!"
Blake called out to the system in his mind.
[Beginner's gift pack. This world is so dangerous; this system had to give the host a bit of capital to survive. Isn't it a pleasant surprise?]
"I... %&!"
Blake almost spat out blood. A super soldier is great, but couldn't you have told me in advance?
And did it have to be done this way? Blake directly voiced his thoughts, questioning the system.
[This is to help the host integrate perfectly into this world and better explain the origin of your abilities. I hope the host understands my good intentions and doesn't repay kindness with hostility.]
"I... if you have the guts, come out, and I'll see if I can cut you down!!!"
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