hotmtlnovel Chapter 3702 The Age of Mercury (22)
Chapter 3702 The Age of Mercury (22)
Chapter 3702 The Age of Mercury (Twenty-Two)
Sitting in his office at the new sanatorium, Schiller was intently drawing a comic. Because time was so limited, it was difficult to complete an entire story with a refined style, so Schiller chose to use pen and ink for outlining and marker for coloring, employing strong light and shadow and large blocks of color to express the image, focusing on panel layout and the story.
Contrary to popular belief, color comics are actually simpler than black and white comics. The use of color naturally adds visual interest and reduces the need for precise dynamic lighting and structural control. As long as the basic panel layout and shots are executed flawlessly, they generally look good.
Schiele used this method: sketching the general outline with a pen, then filling in the colors, and finally adding details with a fine-tipped pen. The drawing was essentially complete. Ignoring the outlining, it looks somewhat like a rough sketch for an oil painting, which is relatively more in line with Western aesthetic preferences for comics.
Because of the limited time, Schiller only had time to draw one chapter. Following Gwen's advice, he didn't draw Captain America fighting Hydra, but instead started with his return to human civilization after breaking through the ice. This chapter focuses on his bewilderment upon returning to the new era.
Schiller actually knew many similar stories, such as Steve, who, upon returning, didn't know how to use modern appliances and made quite a few jokes; and how he stubbornly followed his past hobbies and routines, making him somewhat out of step with modern life.
Although he quickly escaped this awkward situation, there was still much to paint. Schiele, recalling his memories of the time, began to paint with almost divine inspiration.
The panel layout issues he had initially worried about were not a problem at all; after all, he hadn't read so many comics for nothing. If we're talking about comic book fans, he was the most fervent one. He had read almost all the comics from both worlds. The saying "Read three hundred Tang poems by heart, and even if you can't compose poetry, you can still recite it" perfectly described his situation.
Moreover, Steve's story is indeed very interesting: from a pioneer of his time to a backward relic, his behavioral change preceded his psychological transformation. Schiller, as a psychiatrist, personally participated in the entire process of his psychological transformation, and was able to vividly depict his thoughts and feelings at the time.
To meet the deadline for his comics, Schiller went all out, sitting at his desk drawing for at least 10 hours a day, and even researching roast duck and roast goose in his spare time.
However, some progress has finally been made in this area. Stark and Peter helped him modify the oven, mainly by adding a modern blower, which allows for more precise control of the flames. Although the roast goose is still not perfect, the roast duck is now almost a perfect replica of the taste of Peking duck.
Three days before Steve's birthday party, most people had finished their preparations.
Peter certainly lacked some talent in cooking, or more precisely, he wasn't very good at baking. But he didn't know this before he started, insisting on baking a raspberry pie anyway. And the raspberry pie he brought to the birthday party wasn't the usual homemade portion—the baking pan was over a meter long, and if the heat wasn't controlled properly, it was easy to end up undercooked or burnt. In the end, Schiller helped him out, and they successfully produced a golden-brown pie.
Conversely, Stark's cheeseburger went surprisingly well, perhaps because it was so simple. After overcoming the most difficult part—baking the bun—and adjusting the beef and cheese ratio a few times, the taste was quite good. Considering Steve's preferences, Stark also reduced the salt in the cheese, added some pepper to the beef patty, and sprinkled white sesame seeds on the bun. Even Schiller had to admit that the finished product was indeed delicious.
Natasha was busy chasing after his new and old flames all over the world, only cramming at the last minute as the day approached. However, she was indeed talented in cooking; she not only made a large Olivier salad but also baked a modified version of nut-filled rye bread with Ivan—three in total, each over a meter long. Schiller was utterly astonished when he saw the enormous loaves of bread.
This thing was definitely a childhood nightmare for him. At the time, his research institute had many Soviet experts, so the canteen served Russian specialties, the worst of which was that rock-hard, brick-like rye bread. Anatoly, however, loved it. Schiller tried it countless times, but he just couldn't chew or swallow it; it had an unpleasant, sour gluten taste. He once seriously doubted whether Soviets had any sense of taste.
To confirm the taste of this thing, Natasha even brought a sample—a small piece of bread about the size of her palm. Schiller stared at it for half an hour, hesitating to take a bite, until Natasha messaged him privately, asking him to share his tasting report. Only then did Schiller reluctantly take a bite.
The result was quite unexpected; the large loaf of bread Natasha and Ivan had baked was actually quite delicious, somewhat like a firmer nut bread. It had a rich gluten aroma, and while it turned slightly sour towards the end, it wasn't unpleasant. The nuts and raisins improved the texture, making it even tastier than the staple breads found in America. Schiller was amazed by Natasha and Ivan's culinary skills.
Wanda and Jarvis made a simple dish. They made a Provençal stew together, which involved slicing various vegetables, arranging them evenly on a plate, and then stewing them. It wasn't particularly delicious or bad, but the presentation was beautiful, making it perfect for a party.
Coulson's cake was finally baked, but he just couldn't solve the problem of chiffon cakes collapsing; the cakes he made would collapse in the middle. However, he solved it by spreading more buttercream, and sure enough, he taught himself fondant techniques online and drew a portrait of Steve on it.
The others mostly brought local specialties from their hometowns. Schiller even inquired about what dishes Xu Shangqi had brought, and unsurprisingly, he had made boiled fish, which was also a famous dish from his hometown.
As for the gifts, everyone generally chose to keep them a secret, so that there would be a surprise when they were opened at the banquet. After Schiller finished his cartoon, he didn't have it printed. Instead, he searched for a book-making tutorial online, bound the original manuscript into a book himself with thread, signed it, and put it in a gift box.
It was a beautiful sunny day on his birthday. The birthday party was being held at the Avengers' base and would go on from noon until midnight. The first thing Schiller did after getting up was to eat something, because he knew that once the group arrived, they would start drinking, and it would all be those party drinks with lots of ice. Without something to line his stomach, it would be too easy to upset his stomach.
After breakfast, Schiller began preparing the actual banquet dishes. He glanced at the group chat during a brief moment of rest; everyone had taken photos of themselves starting their work, like a competition—you in an apron, I in a chef's hat; you chopping and washing vegetables, I mixing flour. Everyone was working with great enthusiasm.
"Doctor!" a voice called from outside the window. "Coming! Coming! The ingredients you requested!"
"Oh, thanks, Pietro." After tying his apron, Schiller shook the water off his hands and quickly went out to take the large plastic bag from Pietro. He then pulled a supermarket gift card from his pocket and handed it to him, saying, "This supermarket has some really good frozen food. You can buy a lot to take back to the Andromeda Galaxy. I know you don't get much good food there."
Pietro was visibly moved, accepting the gift card and putting it in his wallet. He then said, "Thank you, Chinese people. I survived over there on noodles and wontons. You wouldn't believe how touched I was when I saw a Chinese-run fried noodle shop at my outpost on the edge of the Andromeda Galaxy..."
"Have the mutants from the Andromeda Galaxy arrived?"
"Yes, they went to Xavier's School for Gifted Children. The students and teachers are going to cook a dish together, probably mashed potatoes or something. Charles and Eric cooked a German dish together, I think it was roasted pork knuckle."
"Yes, the two of them together can only cook German food, they can't cook British food, can they?"
Pietro laughed and said, "I have to go to Wanda's place. She called me early this morning to say that the white peppers had clumped together and weren't fresh. I have to bring her a bottle. I'm off, Doctor."
Schiller waved his hand. As he turned back to the stove, a ray of morning light shone through, a warm orange tinged with melancholy. He looked over there and, through layers of fences and green belts, could see the trees in Central Park awakening in the morning light.
What a bright, clear, and vibrant morning it was. In the steel jungle of Manhattan, on the green lawns of Central Park, and under the lightly clouded blue sky, the anticipation for such a lazy and beautiful day flowed like a river and bloomed like daisies.
Schiller cleaned the ingredients in his hands, carefully brushed them with glaze, put them in the stove, and then immediately added firewood to start a fire, using a blower to control the heat.
Squatting by the stove in the summer is very hot, and tending the fire inevitably gets your hands and clothes dirty, but Schiller didn't care at all. For everyone, cooking is not an easy task; it requires a great deal of physical and mental effort. Although many people would feel that this effort was worthwhile the moment they taste the delicious food, if they could receive praise from their loved ones, then all the hard work and undignified aspects of the process would become medals for soldiers on parade day. The love embodied in the food flows into the stomach and heart, allowing people to feel the deepest emotions through the most primal method of eating.
The moment the roast duck and goose came out of the oven, heads popped out from every room in the sanatorium. They began to cheer loudly, clapping and applauding incessantly; clearly, everyone knew what their doctor had been up to lately.
"Give my regards to Captain America!" someone shouted.
Schiller looked up at them, and they waved back. He felt like a general about to go to war, bidding farewell to a people full of expectations for victory. Although his weapons were just roast duck and goose, he remained confident... until Stark and Peter's flying car appeared above his head.
"Hey! Schiller! Get in the car! We should get going!"