The Death Knell

"boom!"

The gangster gave Steve an uppercut, sending Steve spiraling into the sky and hitting his head against a trash can in the back alley. Steve got up, but the gangster knocked him down with another punch, leaving him with stars in his eyes and blood vomiting from his mouth.

Time and time again, he fell and got up again, but the fighting was not intense at all, it was just the gangsters who beat him unilaterally.

He stood up again, licked the blood from the corner of his mouth, and put on a 'chicken boy' fighting style.

In fact, this is a posture he learned from a boxer, but he is too thin, and the pain in his body has greatly deformed his movements, so it doesn't look intimidating, just funny.

The gangster felt like he was bullying a child. He was no longer interested. As long as Steve lay down, he didn't bother to care anymore.

"Don't you know what giving up is?"

The gangster said mockingly, indicating that he would be beaten less if he lay down obediently.

But Steve took the initiative to pounce on the gangster, hitting him with his extremely weak small fist, and was knocked down again by his opponent's fist as big as a casserole.

He fell next to the trash can again. The aluminum trash can was deformed, but Steve picked up the lid on one side and blocked it in front of him like a shield, breathing heavily.

"I could play all day."

The gangster raised his eyebrows. This kid actually dared to be so stubborn. He must be fed.

He grabbed the trash can lid and punched Steve away. Just when he was about to push the little man to the ground and perform a combination of punches, someone grabbed his arm from behind.

"Maybe you should find someone as big as you."

It turned out to be Bucky and Gin...and Gin's dozen bodyguards...

The arms of these men in black were bulging, and their hands were stuck in their suits. They all had cold expressions and fierce looks on their faces, and they beat the gangsters inhumanely.

Gin twisted his neck and winked at his subordinates. The gangster was dragged away, and he didn't know what to do with it.

Bucky ran over to help Steve up and checked his injuries. It was nothing, just some superficial wounds, so he started teasing his friend.

"Sometimes I feel like you just like to get beat up."

There were sounds of vehicles on the road and screams from the movie theater next door, but there was only the buzzing and Bucky's words in Steve's mind.

He wiped his nosebleed, straightened up, and said harshly: "You came a little late. I also forced him into a corner."

Bucky flattened his mouth helplessly, but did not expose the obvious lie. He bent down and picked up the notice Steve dropped, which was a rejection statement issued by the military recruitment office.

"How many times has this happened?" Bucky spread out the note, which read - Steve Rogers, failed the physical examination, level 4f, recommended to be hospitalized immediately... He raised his eyebrows, Jokingly: "Are you from Paramos again now?"

Steve pretended not to hear. He was a little ashamed of knowing and breaking the law. He just lowered his head and sorted his clothes, which were covered with leftovers and various garbage.

Bucky shook his head, folded the note, and said to Steve seriously: "You know it's illegal to forge personal information for the draft, right? And it's New Jersey? Are you serious? Your Brooklyn accent is like engraved in Same internally."

Steve raised his head. He finally wiped away the nosebleed. When he looked up, he saw Bucky standing in front of him very majestically in a military green uniform.

He opened his mouth: "Did you pass?"

Bucky knew that his friend would feel uncomfortable. The two had originally agreed to go to the battlefield together, but Steve's health...

He sighed, but he couldn't hide it as he was about to leave.

"The 107th Division, Sergeant James Barnes...will leave for England early tomorrow morning."

The 107th Division has been in the UK for more than three months and has withstood various indiscriminate bombings. Now the establishment has been reduced by half. As the son of a martyr and the best-quality supplementary soldier, Bucky took over his father's command in the 107th Division. The military rank became a small non-commissioned officer.

The saying that sons inherit their father's business is not only found in Chinese factories, but also in foreign old-style armies.

Steve nodded subconsciously, feeling a little dazed. He lowered his head, shook his head again, and was silent for a moment, with a very disappointed tone.

"We should have gone together."

The two of them looked at each other in silence, but Bucky quickly changed the subject. He smiled and patted Steve on the shoulder, then put his arm around his neck and walked out of the alley.

"Okay, buddy, look at it. Tonight is my last night in the rear. I have to get your affairs sorted out before I can feel at ease."

"Huh? What? Where to go?"

Steve was confused. He noticed that Gin was waiting for them at the entrance of the alley, smoking a cigar, and the man who had just beaten him was nowhere to be seen.

There is only the stench of garbage and car exhaust in the back alley, but the smell of blood can no longer be smelled.

Bucky handed the thing in his hand to Steve, and it turned out to be some special passes. Bucky smiled at him mysteriously and confidently.

"To the future."

Steve rubbed his eyes and looked carefully at the event name on the pass.

"Tomorrow's World Expo..."

Bucky nodded without hesitation: "Yes, Mr. Gin is here to give us this. But there is no one at home, so I guessed that you were in the cinema...Mr. Wilson gave us the guests backstage With the pass, we can get in early and meet a lot of big stars and celebrities.”

Gin had his signature smile on his face, the kind that could send chills all over the body, but Steve and Bucky had gotten used to it over the years, and they knew that although it looked scary, Mr. Gin was a very good person. kind person.

The only strange thing is that ten years ago Mr. Wilson looked younger than his father, but ten years later he still looks the same, looking like his own age.

This kind of thing is a bit strange.

But Steve and Bucky did not delve into it. After all, it is said in the Bible that God will bless a pious person so that he will not suffer from the pain of the flesh and the erosion of time.

In their opinion, Su Ming, who has always cared for and taught them and helped New Yorkers overcome difficulties, is fully qualified. He must be a saint, so God keeps him young forever.

This era is an era full of faith, and people are willing to think about things that cannot be explained. At this time, when people see someone flying in the air, they will not take out their mobile phones and scream, nor will they talk about which superhero they are. Instead, they will cross themselves on their chests and thank God for allowing them to witness the miracle.

Steve was a little hesitant, his whole body ached, but Bucky was leaving tomorrow, and we had to go out together today. It didn't matter where we went, the key was to see his best friend off.

Bucky saw his expression and saw his intention, and immediately added: "Okay, man, I will ask two beauties to go with me tonight. Solving the major issues in your life is the most important thing. That's it. .”