Earth's daily life, adorned with the starlight and gifts from Asgard, had gained a hidden vitality and anticipation.
After obtaining those rare materials, Tony, like a bear who had fallen into a honey pot, buried himself in his "basement" laboratory, giving even Pepper a rare few days of peace.
Artoria and Minerva enjoyed the long-lost tranquility, reading, learning, and organizing what they had obtained from Asgard, occasionally communicating with Tony via holograms about some preliminary material characteristic analysis results (Tony's shouting was a fixed routine), or handling a few major decisions from "Star Sea Phantom Light" that needed Pepper's final approval.
The low-intensity abnormal energy fluctuations mentioned by Coulson were being continuously monitored by little ai, but as Coulson had said, they were extremely weak, scattered, and difficult to track, more like a subtle change in environmental background noise, showing no clear threat or directionality for the time being.
Artoria kept this vigilance in her heart, focusing on the life and improvement before her.
However, the peace was broken about a week after they returned to Earth.
This contact did not come from Tony or Pepper, but directly from Nick Fury himself.
When the one-eyed Director's hologram appeared in the study, the background was a highly classified command center within S.H.I.E.L.D., the lighting dim, with only constantly refreshing data streams flowing on the screens.
"Ms. Artoria," Fury's opening was as direct as always, omitting all pleasantries, "We have encountered a... technical difficulty. Perhaps, with your 'Traveler' perspective, you could provide some different insights."
Artoria put down the book in her hand (a classic on basic spatial theory of Kamar-Taj, being studied in comparison with Asgardian runes) and sat up straight: "Please speak, Director Fury."
Fury's one eye stared at Artoria, seemingly evaluating her reaction, then he gestured to the side.
The screen beside him switched, presenting a scene of ice and snow—it seemed to be somewhere in the North Pole or Greenland.
At the center of the screen was a huge, strangely shaped aircraft wreckage, half-buried in ice, with a style clearly characteristic of World War II, yet with a sense of technology that transcended the era.
Beside the wreckage, an object completely wrapped in thick ice, with a vaguely visible human outline, was being placed in a temporarily constructed transparent isolation chamber filled with various detection instruments.
Although the image was blurry and the ice thick, Artoria's heart jumped when she saw the human outline, especially when she noticed the circular Star-Spangled Banner pattern vaguely revealed in the ice on the chest area.
Captain America, Steve Rogers. They had found him.
"We accidentally discovered this during an exploration deep in the Greenland ice shelf," Fury's voice was steady, but Artoria could hear a hint of imperceptible gravity in it, "After preliminary scanning and analysis, it is basically confirmed to be the early prototype of the 'Avengers' project that went missing during World War II, and... its pilot."
"Vital sign monitoring shows the target is in an extremely deep dormant state, cell activity is almost at a standstill, but... not completely dead. He is sealed in a very special cryogenic energy field, forming a strange balance with the ice."
He brought up another set of data, which were complex vital sign readings, energy spectra, and material analysis charts.
"Conventional thawing methods are completely ineffective. Warming will cause the energy balance inside and outside his body to collapse instantly, and the cellular structure will completely disintegrate within a few microseconds. Forcible ice-breaking will directly damage the body of the sealed person."
"We have tried various non-invasive energy neutralization and guidance schemes, but the energy field wrapping him is extremely stable and deeply bound to his vital signs; forced interference may also lead to a chain collapse."
Fury's one eye focused on Artoria again: "Our existing technology, including some... non-public 'cutting-edge' technologies, cannot safely break this balance for the time being to 'wake' him up. Coulson mentioned your insights in energy and... um, 'unconventional phenomena' processing. So, I want to ask, in your 'travels', have you encountered similar situations, or... do you have any special suggestions?"
He did not directly ask for help, but used the word "suggestion," but the meaning could not be clearer.
S.H.I.E.L.D. was at a loss, and they knew Artoria's abilities and "knowledge" were far beyond the ordinary.
Artoria was silent, her eyes falling on the frozen figure on the screen.
Captain America, a symbol of an era, a hero who should have fallen.
She knew he would be found, but didn't expect it to be so soon, and in such a thorny way.
In the movie, it seemed to be a direct ice-melting rescue, but in this seemingly more "real" and complex World, the situation was clearly not that simple.
That special energy field combined with the ice to maintain life... was it the effect of the Super Soldier Serum? Or was it caused by some device carried by the crashed plane itself? Or was it... the residual influence of the Tesseract (Space Stone) energy?
Whatever it was, this was indeed an extremely precise, fragile "system."
Conventional methods were like doing heart surgery with a sledgehammer.
"I need more detailed scan data," Artoria did not answer immediately, but made a request, "Especially the spectral analysis of that special energy field, the coupling model with the ice and the target's vital signs, and... all energy residual information that the aircraft wreckage might have released. The more detailed, the better."
Fury didn't seem surprised and nodded: "The data is ready, the encrypted transmission channel is open. You have the highest temporary authorization. But please be sure to note that this information is top secret."
"I understand." Artoria replied.
A moment later, little ai received a massive data packet.
For the next few hours, Artoria and Minerva were completely immersed in this data.
Minerva was responsible for high-speed processing, modeling, and visualization, converting messy data into clear 3D models and dynamic charts.
Artoria mobilized the analytical perspective of the "Herrscher of Truth," combined with the knowledge of energy, matter, and life form interaction learned in the Asgardian library, as well as Kamar-Taj's understanding of dimensions and energy stability, trying to "see" the essence of this frozen system.
In her eyes, it was no longer a simple "frozen person," but an exquisite and fragile "amber" nested with multi-layer structures.
The outermost layer was the ten-thousand-year-old Arctic ice, but its molecular arrangement was "solidified" and "assimilated" by a strange low-frequency energy field, becoming abnormally stable and firm, and resonating with the internal structure energy.
The middle layer was the denser "energy ice shell" covering the target's body surface.
This ice shell was not simply formed by low temperature, but more like a temporary stable state similar to an "absolute zero singularity" formed by the joint action of the Super Soldier Serum energy in his body, the external extreme environment, and some high-dimensional energy (Artoria highly suspected it was Tesseract residue) that might have leaked when the aircraft crashed.
This energy ice shell was the key to maintaining his vitality and locking time, but it was also the biggest source of danger.
The innermost layer was Steve Rogers' nearly stagnant body.
The Super Soldier Serum greatly strengthened his vitality, allowing him to be "faked" and preserved in this state, but his physiological functions, consciousness, and even his soul (if such a concept existed) were extremely suppressed and frozen by this extreme cold and energy field.
The three layers, through subtle energy resonance and material interaction, formed a fragile dynamic balance.
Any attempt to violently destroy the ice or energy shell from the outside would trigger a catastrophic resonance of the entire system, instantly "shattering" everything inside.
"It's like an infinitely precise but extremely sensitive crystal clock," Artoria muttered to herself, her fingertips virtually pointing at the 3D model projected by Minerva, drawing out the path of energy flow and potential key nodes, "Forcefully smashing the shell, and the clock will completely fall apart."
"What is needed is to find the mainspring, or... use an equally precise 'key' to gently 'decouple' from the inside or key nodes, let the system stop slowly, and then safely take out the movement."
"Finding the 'energy coupling node' and 'life maintenance resonance frequency' is the key." Minerva added, her analysis results consistent with Artoria's judgment, "Conventional energy neutralization will destroy the resonance and lead to collapse."
"An intervention method is needed that can simulate, guide, and gradually replace the existing energy field while precisely maintaining his vital signs. The requirement for energy control precision is extremely high, and the fault tolerance is extremely low."
"Moreover, during the thawing process, his physiological functions, especially the brain and circulatory system, must be stabilized synchronously to prevent metabolic shock and cell damage at the moment of thawing." Artoria frowned.
This was much more complex and delicate than repairing Minerva's damage.
Repairing Minerva was reconstructing a known, intact "blueprint," while thawing Captain America was carefully dismantling an extremely dangerous, unknown structure bomb without alarming the sleeping dragon.
The power of the Herrscher of Truth might be able to do it.
That absolute understanding and reconstruction power of matter and energy structures could theoretically be refined to the molecular or even deeper level, guiding the entire thawing process.
But the consumption would be huge, and she had to maintain absolute focus throughout, without any mistakes.
More importantly, this required being on-site, requiring direct contact or extremely close-range sensing and guidance.
"Do you have a plan?" Fury's communication connected again, he was obviously waiting.
Artoria looked up at Fury's image, her eyes calm with a hint of solemnity: "There is an idea, but the risk is very high, the requirements for the operator are extremely high, and it must be carried out on-site. I need to go there in person."
Fury's one eye narrowed slightly: "Are you sure? The environment there is harsh, and..."
"I know the risks," Artoria interrupted him, "but this is the method with the highest success rate I can think of at the moment. The premise is that you must prepare the site exactly according to my requirements, provide all necessary support, and... during my operation, no one is allowed to interfere, and everything must follow my instructions."
She paused and added: "I need Minerva by my side. I also need... some special energy stabilization and focusing equipment, I will send you the list. In addition, there may be some... relatively conspicuous energy phenomena during the operation, you need to prepare for peripheral shielding and explanation."
Fury was silent for a few seconds, seemingly weighing it.
Finally, he nodded slowly: "Okay. Everything you need, S.H.I.E.L.D. will provide fully. The location coordinates and the highest-level access permit have been sent to you. We will have the site ready within twenty-four hours. Any other requirements?"
Artoria glanced at Minerva beside her, then thought for a moment: "I need the latest portable high-precision energy monitoring and auxiliary stabilization device from Tony Stark, if he has a finished product or prototype on his side. Tell him it's for saving a life, let him take out the good stuff from the bottom of his box."
Mentioning Tony, the corner of Fury's mouth seemed to twitch, but he nodded: "I will coordinate."
The communication ended.
Artoria leaned back in her chair and exhaled a long breath.
Taking on this task meant she would be more deeply involved in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s classified affairs and would formally intervene in the "main plot" of this World.
But looking at the frozen figure on the screen, thinking of the warrior who represented courage, sacrifice, and pure faith, she couldn't stand by.
"Minerva," she said softly, "I have to trouble you to accompany me to the ice and snow again. This time, we have to save an antique."
"Duty calls." Minerva responded calmly, already starting to retrieve real-time climate and environmental data for the Greenland region, planning the itinerary and equipment list, "According to existing data, the target thawing plan simulation is initially completed, success rate assessment: under the premise of your leadership, fully equipped, and no external interference, 78.3%. The main risk point lies in the precise regulation of the vital sign recovery phase in the late stage of thawing, and the residual reaction of the unknown energy field."
"78.3%... That's enough." Artoria stood up, a flash of determination in her eyes.
She walked to the window, looking at the place where the sea and sky met in the distance, as if she could penetrate space and see that frozen land.
"Get ready, we leave tomorrow. Let's go bring Captain America... back from his long frozen sleep."
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