Under the waning moon, the campsite.
Luke took off all his clothes, and golden flames erupted around him like a human rocket as he shot into the air: "I'm going to warm up first, hurry up and come!"
"Whew-wheet—" Kate let out a loud whistle, a playful smile on her face. "Luke's being so generous, what about you, Wade? Surely you're not still attached to those clothes? Take them off, let everyone evaluate your 'heroic foundation'!"
Andre shook his wine bottle and joined the heckling with a laugh: "Exactly, for the sake of fairness, you have to strip naked too."
Even Jordan Li raised his phone, the lens and flash flickering, his shoulders shaking frequently: "Hehehe... just accept your fate!"
Wade took off his T-shirt and pants, still wearing his boxers: "I won't burn my clothes, so there's no need for that."
"Still shy, are we? Let's see what you've got..." Kate drawled, gesturing toward him.
Wade flipped the trio the double bird, air currents swirling around him as he rose lightly into the air.
On the lake, Luke, who had already circled two or three times, could no longer hold back. The flames around him surged again, turning him into a golden arrow that charged violently.
Two figures, one white and one gold, collided rapidly in the night sky, only to brush past each other by a hair's breadth at the last second, the resulting shockwaves carving long ripples across the lake.
After each flipped to shed their momentum, they both stabilized themselves almost simultaneously.
The battle ignited instantly!
Boom—Splash!
Luke thrust both palms forward, a violent thermal shockwave tearing through the air and shooting toward Wade with devastating heat.
Wade moved nimbly, tracing an arc in mid-air to dodge. At the same time, he guided with his hands, and the front of the pursuing pillar of fire was quickly permeated by a thick white cold mist.
Sections of the flames suddenly stalled. The orange-red flames lost temperature layer by layer within the water vapor, freezing into clusters of sharp-edged ice needles that fell into the lake.
Sizzle—Hiss—
Water and fire clashed fiercely, erupting into a large amount of scalding steam that shrouded a vast area of the lake.
"Senior, it's my turn!" Using the mist as cover, Wade's figure lunged like lightning, circling behind Luke in an instant.
He brought his arms together, and the permeating steam seemed to receive a command. The frigid ice mist converged frantically toward Luke, rapidly freezing the flames on his body.
On Luke's body, the golden flames dimmed and went out at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Wade showed no mercy, delivering a sharp aerial roundhouse kick that slammed hard into Luke's lower back.
Taking advantage of Luke's loss of balance and flip, Wade suddenly accelerated for a second strike, a heavy uppercut accurately hitting his chin.
Bang!
A circle of turbulent air exploded around Luke as the massive force sent him flying high into the sky.
"Nice... Wade, that combo was beautiful!" On the shore, Jordan Li cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted excitedly.
Andre had stood up on a boulder at some point, commenting: "Using the environment to create a visual barrier, then using high-concentration carbon dioxide to isolate the combustion-supporting gases—clear thinking, decisive execution."
Kate looked up, her gaze following the battle closely, and shook her head: "The tactics are good, but unfortunately, Luke is essentially like a miniature nuclear reactor inside; he doesn't care about that bit of oxygen from the outside."
As if to prove her words, Luke's glow in the high sky only dimmed for a moment. Then, an even more dazzling and pure golden light erupted from his body.
The ice crystals on him vaporized instantly, and the flames reignited with an even more violent posture.
"Haha... refreshing! The warm-up is over!"
Luke laughed wildly, his speed suddenly soaring. He dove down with an indomitable momentum. Everywhere he passed, the lake surface was vaporized into a brief void, with white steam rolling to both sides like walls.
Wade retreated rapidly, his hands waving quickly in front of him. Dozens of highly compressed air bullets formed instantly, like invisible cannonballs, screaming as they were fired in a volley.
Luke didn't even dodge, using his incredibly powerful body to tank all the exploding air bullets. Shockwaves bloomed continuously in front of him, but they couldn't slow him down in the slightest.
His burning fist grew more and more dazzling, emitting a heart-palpitating incandescent light.
At this critical moment!
A figure, at a speed far exceeding Luke's dive, crashed onto the lake surface between the two of them like a meteorite from beyond the heavens.
BOOM!!!
A terrifying shockwave spread like an overwhelming tide, instantly emptying the surrounding lake water and forming a brief bowl-shaped depression.
The powerful wind pressure, like an invisible wall, pushed Wade and Luke in the air back with all their might, making them tumble several times before they could barely stabilize themselves.
The waves subsided, and the newcomer floated above the now-calm lake.
With his back to the cold moonlight, his blue suit and red-and-white cape fluttered in the night wind, a condescending smile on his face.
It was Homelander!!
The noise on the shore came to a dead stop.
Jordan Li's muscles tensed, and he subconsciously crushed the wine bottle; Andre silently jumped down from the boulder, his expression grave; Kate's eyes were filled with shock.
"A wonderful practice, children." Homelander's gaze swept over Wade and Luke in the air, as well as the three on the shore. "I can see that Godolkin's level of education is as excellent as ever."
He spoke as casually as if he were making small talk, but that invisible, tangible pressure made everyone feel their breathing hitch.
"However, there's a bit of trouble nearby right now." Homelander narrowed his eyes and continued, "An extremely dangerous gang of superpowered criminals is hiding in the vicinity... While you were playing here, did you see anyone suspicious?"
Luke quickly deactivated his combat stance and answered respectfully: "Sir! We've been camping here and haven't seen any suspects."
'Has the imprisonment of Translucent been exposed?' Wade's heart skipped a beat, and he almost fled. It wasn't until he heard the conversation clearly that his tensed nerves finally relaxed.
With a look of enthusiasm, he shook his fist: "We would be happy to assist you in investigating The Woods, sir. Please give us a chance!"
"No, no, no, don't get excited." Homelander's gaze lingered on Wade's face for half a second. He raised his hand and wagged his index finger. "This kind of thing should be handled by professionals."
"Enjoy your playtime, children."
Without giving anyone a chance to speak, his figure blurred slightly, turning into a red and blue shadow that disappeared over the dense forest.
Just as Homelander left, the roar of helicopters came from the distance.
Three armed helicopters with Vought logos on their fuselages passed overhead in a combat formation, their searchlights cutting through the darkness like swords, pointing in the direction where Homelander had disappeared.
By the campsite, the five sat around the fire, silent for a moment.
'Their posture doesn't look like they're looking for Translucent.' Wade put on his clothes and sniffed. "Something's not right..."
A cold wind blew across the lake. His keen perception of air currents caught a pungent chemical smell coming with the wind, mixed with a strong scent of spices.
"I smell something strange over there." Wade pointed toward that area of The Woods northwest of the opposite shore. "Homelander and the others might have the wrong direction. How about... we go take a look?"
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