Hearing the prompt echo from above, Thor couldn't help but mutter,
"Why does that sound like a department store ad? More and more players showing up… is the Quiz Game turning into a cash grab?"
Hughie asked curiously,
"What's the Points Store?"
"Every player has a personal data interface. If you focus, you can sense it in your mind," Thor helpfully explained.
"Just don't get dazzled by the flashy items. Most of it's way out of our price range."
Nearby, Annie was bidding farewell to Stephen Strange.
"Doctor Strange, you've left a deep impression on me. I wish you happiness with your girlfriend when you return."
"Thanks. You too," Stephen replied with a warm smile.
Among everyone here, he was clearly the most satisfied with the outcome of the Quiz Game.
Not only had he gained a glimpse into a dangerous future, but he also placed first and received a mysterious reward—one that might give him the chance to change an otherwise fixed destiny. What could be more gratifying than that?
As the game drew to a close, it was time for everyone to return to their own worlds.
A countdown appeared on the screen.
Everyone—except Deadpool—was offering sincere goodbyes.
Of course, Deadpool made sure to loudly declare his farewells like he was best friends with everyone, even promising to visit their worlds soon.
People like Butcher and Thor shut him down on the spot.
Annie, Hughie, and Stephen offered polite but awkward smiles, vaguely saying they'd be "too busy to host."
The countdown hit zero, and golden beams of light transported them away in an instant.
---
The Boys Universe.
Hughie reappeared on a busy street in a beam of golden light—and immediately activated his Invisibility Fruit ability. He vanished on the spot.
Live and learn.
Thanks to the lesson of oversharing earlier, he'd gotten smarter.
Good thing too—he soon noticed several plainclothes agents hiding among the crowd, clearly on the lookout for him.
"Phew… looks like the camera didn't catch the part where I exposed my weakness. If they'd come prepared with seawater, I'd be screwed!"
Relieved, Hughie slipped into an alleyway and peeked out carefully. But Butcher was nowhere to be seen.
They'd both been selected at the same time and pulled into the game from nearby spots, so logically they should've returned together.
But there was no sign of another golden beam beside him.
"Could it be part of the game's punishment? Is he already off doing the mission?"
He didn't linger to find out. After a final glance, he turned and headed toward home.
---
Meanwhile, Annie returned to Vought Tower.
The moment she reappeared, she found herself surrounded by a heavily armed group—SWAT officers, federal agents, and Vought's private security—all glaring at her like she was public enemy number one.
In the past, Annie might have been shaken. But now?
She simply gave a faint smile.
"What exactly did I do to deserve this kind of welcome? Why aren't you out there arresting Homelander?"
"Homelander is missing!" came a furious voice from the crowd.
Stan Edgar, Vought's CEO, stepped forward with a dark expression.
"Annie, we suspect you've been conspiring with aliens. We believe you were involved in the kidnapping of Homelander, The Deep, A-Train, Translucent, Black Noir, and other heroes."
Even with her now steadier mindset, Annie was momentarily stunned.
This was next-level gaslighting.
But she didn't back down. She locked eyes with Edgar and shot back,
"They're the ones who committed crimes. They should be punished! And if you claim this Quiz Game is alien in origin, then I was kidnapped too. Where were you when I was taken? And now you're accusing me of colluding with aliens? Shameless. As of today, I no longer work for Vought!"
Stan narrowed his eyes. He could tell Annie was ready to fight—and he backed off a bit.
After all, the last visit from the superheroes from another universe had left a lasting impression.
Especially when Superman dragged a half-dead Homelander back like a piece of trash and dumped him at their feet—nobody dared say a word.
Homelander had always been regarded as practically invincible.
Even the military had quietly run simulations for how to handle a rogue Homelander scenario. The results? Conventional weapons were useless. Even nukes had only a chance of stopping him.
And that was based on incomplete data. What if he was hiding more abilities?
Based on what the Quiz Game's videos had revealed, Homelander wasn't just strong—he was smart and unpredictable. The kind of man who definitely had backup plans.
So when they saw Superman demolish him effortlessly, the authorities folded instantly.
And Superman's allies weren't exactly lightweights either—Hulk, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, The Flash, and Captain America.
Maybe not enough to conquer the planet, but enough to destroy a nation.
So the government had no choice but to let them walk out with Vought's prized assets—Homelander and the rest of the Seven.
Captain America had even left a warning:
Vought must clean house. Any retaliation against returning players will bring them back.
Naturally, this had the higher-ups seething.
The President reportedly slammed his desk in a rage, calling this an alien invasion against "the great American homeland," and ranted about wanting to nuke them all.
But the national security advisors had to calm him down.
"They have teleportation tech," they reminded him. "You won't be able to find them, let alone hit them. Even if the nukes work, good luck using one in the middle of Manhattan."
And beyond all that, the problems exposed by the Quiz Game were far more serious.
Strategic think tanks were now revising their threat assessments upward—not just for the game, but for everything it might be connected to.
_____
T/N:
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