Seventy years…
Rogers tried to process everything. He had never even asked how long he had been asleep.
"I want to… see the real world first." Rogers turned to Shen He.
From the moment he woke up, something had felt off about his body, but he had assumed it was just the aftereffects of prolonged unconsciousness.
After all, virtual reality was an almost unimaginable concept for a soldier from an era before computers even existed.
"No problem." Shen He nodded.
In an instant, their consciousnesses faded into darkness. Moments later, they woke up, as if emerging from a deep sleep.
Shen He removed his helmet—and was immediately met with a pair of large, expectant eyes.
Violet was watching him, leaning on the edge of his bed.
"…Hey, wait a second." Shen He sighed, already knowing why she was here.
On the other side of the room, Rogers sat up, scanning his surroundings.
A clean, organized room. Advanced equipment. Everything was foreign—except for one thing.
The familiarity of his own body.
"Welcome to the world, seventy years later, Mr. Rogers." Shen He approached, bringing Violet with him.
"She…" Rogers' gaze landed on the young girl. He recognized her immediately.
"She's exactly as you knew her. All of them are—including Joan of Arc." Shen He ruffled Violet's hair before turning back to Rogers. "Everything I told you in the virtual world was true. That includes Ms. Carter."
"Carter…" Rogers murmured. Then, with a sharp breath, he recalled something. "You said… her health isn't good. Can I see her?"
The time he had spent inside virtual reality had softened the initial shock. He could accept this now—the world had changed, and he had been asleep for far too long.
Despite the years lost, Captain America was still, at his core, a young man in his twenties. His adaptability was stronger than most.
"No one here will restrict your freedom." Shen He paused, then added, "But be wary of Hydra. They're everywhere."
"…Sounds like there's still a lot I need to catch up on." Rogers stood up. "How should I address you? Sir? Boss?"
"Just call me Shen. Or He." Shen He smiled. "I have things to take care of. Someone will arrange your accommodations and explain what you need to know. There might even be a welcome party, but time to adjust will be short. Steve, the battles ahead will be more complex and difficult than anything you've faced before."
"I'll do my best." Rogers' face remained impassive.
Shen He simply smiled and turned to leave with Violet. But as he stepped out, he noticed another figure following.
Nick Fury.
"Something you want to say to your 'soldier'?" Shen He asked without stopping.
"You already said everything that needed to be said." Fury's single eye remained fixed on him. "You know us far better than I expected. So now, I want to know—are you building a team of heroes? Or a force that belongs solely to your Chaldeans?"
Shen He sighed. "You're always like this." He shook his head. "Threats, paranoia—like someone with a persecution complex. But let me tell you something—sometimes, the most dangerous person in the room is the paranoid one."
"It's just a matter of identity and position." Fury wasn't backing down. "I trust Rogers. I trust Tony. Hell, I even trust the Hulk—because at the end of the day, they're Earthlings. When the Earth is in danger, they'll stand up to protect it.
But you—you're not just protecting this world.
You're interfering in others."
Nearly two months had passed since Shen He arrived in this world.
From day one, Fury had been watching him.
By now, the outline of Chaldea had formed in Fury's mind—an extraterrestrial, enigmatic, and powerful organization. A group that claimed to protect people, but in truth, stood in the shadows, observing everything.
And to them, Earth was just one of many worlds.
"If you have time to worry about that," Shen He said, his voice sharp, "maybe you should be thinking about how to deal with your own boss."
That was a dismissal.
Trying to gain Fury's trust was like warming a cold rock—pointless. Even from an organizational standpoint, S.H.I.E.L.D. was not reliable.
So even though he was prepared to strike against Hydra, Shen He wasn't about to include Fury in those plans.
God only knew if S.H.I.E.L.D. would suddenly change course at the worst possible moment.
Meanwhile, Violet had come for a reason.
To discuss the plan.
Because now—Lelouch had arrived.
The true Lelouch, the one who had acquired the Geass ability.
Shen He returned to his room and opened the door.
All of his Servants were there, waiting.
"You're late, Shen He."
The voice came from Ryougi Shiki, who leaned casually against the wall.
"Sorry. The test took longer than expected." Shen He walked over to his bed, picked up a small metal box, and handed it to Lelouch. "Before we start—this is a gift for Nunnally."
Lelouch took the box, opened it—and inside were two delicately crafted leg braces.
Shen He smirked. "I asked Tony to design powered prosthetics for her. They have a neural interface, so once she puts them on, she should be able to walk on her own."
Lelouch's fingers clenched slightly.
"…Thank you."
"If she knew she could stand again, she'd be happy."
"She should be happy." Shen He's smirk widened. "Just don't forget to tell her it was a gift from a big brother named Shen He."
Lelouch exhaled a small laugh, tucking the box away.
Though Shen He couldn't travel to the worlds of his Servants or bring special artifacts from his own world, he could send them small, meaningful gifts.
And for Lelouch's little sister, this was one of the most important gifts he could give.
"…Besides," Shen He's voice turned serious, "did you still go through with it? Did you kill Clovis?"
Lelouch's expression darkened.
Shen He hadn't told him everything—including the fact that Lelouch's mother was still alive.
But he had warned him about Clovis.
The third prince, who Lelouch had executed in the original timeline, had actually traveled to Area 11 searching for him and Nunnally. He wasn't their enemy—just an unfortunate fool caught in the chaos.
"…No." Lelouch's answer was calm. "I didn't let him see my face. It's better to let an idiot sit on the throne."
Shen He let out a quiet breath of relief.
"Good." He nodded. "We aren't merciful to enemies—but only so the people we care about can live better lives. Otherwise, what's the point of fighting?"
Then his gaze sharpened.
"Now, Lelouch. Let's talk strategy. Because there's no doubt—
Hydra is the enemy."