Chapter 37: Hulk Strikes
After many days, Sean once again arrived at Ivan's warehouse, which had now become completely different.
Various precision instruments were crisscrossed, and over a dozen people in white lab coats stood before the machines with furrowed brows, seemingly puzzled about what they were making.
Sean knew at a glance that these people were likely from S.H.I.E.L.D. If Fury knew Ivan could build suits of armor, he wouldn't let him out of his sight.
In the very center of the warehouse was an armor suit, connected by a multitude of wires. Ivan was right beside it, constantly fiddling with something.
"How's the progress?" Sean walked up and asked.
Ivan first sighed, then showed Sean the armor's composition and structure.
"Progress... it's okay. It's being built according to your ideas. Removed... all weaponry, not even a single bullet."
"Net-gun with grappling hook, useful for both rescue and capture."
"Tempered steel shield with foot stabilizers, enough to withstand the Impact of a truck."
"Electric rope gun with magnetic attractor, can instantly incapacitate a criminal without being lethal. The magnet can even instantly pull over things like handguns."
"And there are first-aid mini-robots, rescue mini-robots..."
As Ivan explained, a smile appeared on Sean's face, showing great satisfaction.
This armor focused on being multi-functional, just for fun.
Ivan trailed off, his tone full of resentment. "I really don't know what use this thing has."
For this armor, he had even given up his favorite giant electric whip.
"Don't you want to surpass God? To surpass Him, you'd at least need to experience what it feels like to be God first."
"Don't worry, it'll be your time to shine soon."
As he said this, the two had already walked outside the warehouse. Looking at the warm sunshine outside, a layer of gloom still hung on Ivan's face. Sean shook his head helplessly and said:
"Alright, I didn't want to tell you this so soon, but I guess I have to tell you ahead of time."
"Tell me what?" Ivan asked, puzzled.
"Do you know about Vibranium?"
Ivan nodded. As a Doctor of Physics, how could he not know about Vibranium?
It was the hardest known metal in this World, capable of absorbing almost all kinetic energy. Captain America's shield, which wreaked havoc everywhere, was made of Vibranium.
It was also the largest piece of Vibranium, because Vibranium was too rare. One gram of Vibranium cost ten thousand U.S. dollars, and it was practically priceless and impossible to buy.
"As long as your armor performs well when it debuts in a while, I'll give you Vibranium."
"Enough, roughly, to build another suit of armor."
Ivan's pupils dilated slightly, asking somewhat incredulously, "Are you sure it's Vibranium? Enough for a whole suit of armor?"
"Mhmm!"
Ivan took a deep breath, threw away the cigarette in his hand, "Hah, I need to go back and modify the reactor again. The current rotation speed isn't enough to support my Vibranium armor."
With that, he turned and went back into the warehouse, an involuntary smile appearing on his face.
Vibranium armor, Stark, what do you have to compare with me!
Seeing Ivan leave satisfied, Sean also felt much more relaxed. The Vibranium issue wasn't a problem. After all, a trip to Wakanda was definitely necessary, since their armor technology at this stage was superior, and he also needed to start preparing his own armor.
The key question was, on what occasion should Ivan make his debut?
A few robbers, thieves, or the like definitely wouldn't do; they wouldn't showcase the Brave Guardian's prestige.
But lately, there didn't seem to be any major incidents. Should he have those Vampires sacrifice themselves and stir up some trouble?
...
Virginia, Culver University.
It was unusually lively here today. Things like planes, tanks, and armored vehicles had all driven in. This was a sight not usually seen at any school.
However, General Ross in the armored vehicle command room was very angry. "There were still three minutes before the snipers were in position! Who acted without authorization!"
But the arrow was already on the bowstring and had to be released. General Ross still commanded the soldiers and armored vehicles to surround Banner, emphasizing again, "Do not open fire! Do not attack!"
General Ross knew best that only before the Hulk appeared was there a chance to capture him.
Soon, with the army's tight coordination, Banner was trapped on the skybridge. Both access ways were blocked; he had no way to run anymore.
Under General Ross's orders, two soldiers stepped forward and fired two tear gas canisters towards the glass bridge of the building.
Banner was still trying his best to prevent the Hulk from appearing, because the irrational Hulk would hurt everyone around him, including Betty.
But when Banner saw Betty running towards him desperately, only to be grabbed by soldiers, the green guy inside him could no longer hold back.
With a roar, the Hulk made his grand entrance!
"Team A, full firepower!"
At General Ross's command, bullets poured towards the Hulk like they were free, but these rifle bullets couldn't even break the Hulk's skin.
This situation was also within Ross's expectations. That group was just there to attract the Hulk's attention.
"Where's the.50 caliber cannon? Hurry up!"
A pickup truck mounted with a machine gun drove out, the muzzle instantly spitting fire. But even so, hitting the Hulk only produced some sparks.
Too many mosquitoes eventually become annoying. The Hulk stopped the pickup and crushed it with one foot, then used the car wreckage to knock over all the surrounding soldiers.
General Ross wasn't flustered at all. Picking up the walkie-talkie, he said, "Bronski, it's your turn."
Bronski heard it and grinned. He had been looking forward to this for a long time. Grabbing a grenade launcher, he charged over.
Of course, even a grenade launcher couldn't harm the Hulk, which he also knew. So, he was also there to attract attention.
The Hulk pulled out two large sheets of metal from the nearby wreckage and started swinging them. Bronski would be dead for sure if he was even grazed once.
Fortunately, Bronski had also been enhanced before. Although his strength and such were far inferior to the Hulk's, his reflexes were still fairly quick. Relying on his agile movements, he dodged several fatal attacks.
"Quick, lure the Hulk over to the infrasound cannon vehicles!"
Hearing this, Bronski took off running, and the Hulk continued chasing with the two large metal sheets.
Two infrasound cannon vehicles emerged from the woods. When the Hulk ran into the clearing, they fired together.
Waves of sound hit the Hulk in circles, even shaking the metal sheets from his hands.
The Hulk in the sound waves slowly crouched down, feeling it was somewhat difficult to even stand up.
Right at that moment, he heard Betty calling his name in his ear, and power instantly surged from within him.
Picking up the metal sheets, he used one as a shield in front of his chest, and with the other, seized the moment to throw it. One infrasound cannon vehicle was instantly cut in half.
The power of the other one was no longer enough to suppress the Hulk. The Hulk jumped up, landed above the other vehicle, and crushed it.
Seeing everything about to go down the drain, Bronski, unwilling to accept it, grabbed a rifle and went to provoke the Hulk.
Then, he was kicked flying dozens of meters away, rolling to the base of a large tree, his fate unknown.
He wasn't the only one unwilling to accept it. General Ross was still making a last-ditch effort. "Attack helicopter, open fire!"
A helicopter appeared, and after aiming, the Gatling gun began to rotate.
But soon, General Ross was so frightened he quickly shouted, "Cease fire! Cease fire!"
Because he discovered that his daughter Betty was also beside the Hulk, but it was too late.
Seeing the bullets coming, the Hulk immediately crouched down, shielding Betty in front of him. He threw the last metal sheet in his left hand, shooting down the attack helicopter.
The helicopter fell, emitting a violent explosion that enveloped the two. The Hulk still shielded Betty, but the massive Impact and heat still knocked her unconscious.
In the raging Fire, the Hulk gave Ross a fierce look, then strode away holding the unconscious Betty.
Chapter 38: You Deadbeat, What Took You So Long!
It was another morning after a hangover. Ever since getting drunk at Tony's place last time, Sean had grown to love the feeling—that soft, springy sensation of floating on clouds.
But lately, for some reason, calls kept coming in whenever he slept, even though he'd already blocked them.
Just as Sean was about to reach out and smash it, Natasha, who was in his arms, instantly woke up. She picked up the phone, brushed her hair back, and composed herself before saying, "Director, what's wrong?"
Sean was still half-asleep and continued to reach for the phone.
His hand kept waving in front of Natasha, occasionally hitting her mouth, making it impossible for her to speak properly.
Helpless, Natasha grabbed Sean's hand and moved it down a bit. Soon, the hand became well-behaved.
Only then did Natasha have the energy to answer the phone, "Hello, Director, what did you just say?"
"Hulk has appeared."
...
Finally, with Natasha sitting upright, Sean finally understood who the Hulk was.
"You mean a monster has appeared who is stronger than me in every way, but not as handsome?"
Natasha let out a long breath and nodded, then began to explain the Hulk's strength and destruction, just to prepare Sean mentally.
Sean smiled. Of course, he remembered who the Hulk was; after all, he also liked this hero.
For no other reason than he liked seeing other men tainted with green, especially when their girlfriends were very beautiful.
Looking at Natasha in front of him, Sean gently patted her and said indifferently:
"Whatever, I'll handle it."
Seeing his casual attitude, Natasha knew he was underestimating the enemy and didn't understand the Hulk's terror.
Just as she was about to tell him about the Hulk's achievements, Sean put her to sleep, citing disturbance of his rest.
He slept for a long time. If Sean's phone hadn't rung, he might have continued sleeping.
This was to let Natasha know the consequences of praising another man in front of her man.
Seeing their missed calls and many messages, Sean thought for a moment and let her off the hook.
After all, they were about to face the Hulk, so he should accumulate more Affection Points.
Actually, Sean also wanted a good fight. Since arriving here, he hadn't truly used his full strength, and he still didn't know the limit of his Homelander abilities.
Sean thought about it. Homelander would most likely not be able to defeat the Hulk, because Heat Vision couldn't hurt him, and his strength was inferior. The only advantage was flying, which the Hulkcouldn't do.
However, Sean wasn't worried. He wasn't Homelander; he was Ancestorlander!
He first went to the Hess Family Residence. When Hess saw Sean, her heart rejoiced, and she quickly said:
"We have no record of that green monster. We don't know where he... uh, emerged from."
[Obtained Affection Points: 9]
Hess's Affection Points had been consistently high lately. Although he could only gain points once per person per day, Sean had never been with her just once.
...
At night, Gwen, who had no assignments, was lying on her bed, watching the video from Calver University earlier that day, feeling an involuntary tension.
So many weapons couldn't harm the green monster. Could Sean beat him?
Suddenly, she heard a sound at the window. She flipped over and raised her pistol, but seeing who it was, she put the gun down.
"Father is on duty tonight, Mother is out shopping."
"You haven't been here in a long time."
Indeed, they had rarely seen each other since that dinner.
Sean stepped forward, gently stroked her hair, and whispered, "I heard Sheriff George's attitude. He doesn't want us to get too close."
Gwen, who had been enjoying it with her eyes closed, slowly opened them. She knew what her father was worried about, but she wasn't afraid.
But she was afraid, and Sean thought she was afraid.
Biting her lip, Gwen asked, suppressing her emotions, "Then... why are you still here?"
"Did you see the monster in today's video?"
Gwen nodded, then suddenly thought of something, her eyes wide with surprise as she looked at Sean, not wanting to hear those words from his mouth.
"I'm going to stop him!"
Sean still said it. At this moment, Gwen also realized that her father might be right; she really was starting to worry about him.
Gwen hugged Sean tightly, unable to utter a single word to make him stay.
What could she say? Should she tell Sean to run away? Then he wouldn't be the Sean she loved.
Thousands of words were stuck in her chest. Gwen could only hold back her tears and say, "Can you stay tonight? At least until my father comes back."
Sean smiled, looking at her tenderly, "That's why I came tonight. I'm afraid this might be the last night, so I felt I had to see you."
Gwen snapped back to reality, her eyes filled with courage, and she jumped up, wrapping her arms around Sean's neck.
"Phew~ Then tonight, I won't be polite!"
[Obtained Affection Points: 10]
Indeed, a short reunion is better than a honeymoon; it went straight to max.
Originally, Sean had planned to go to Millis's place after George returned, then to Christine's place during the day since she worked the night shift, making the timing perfect.
But unexpectedly, Sheriff George worked overtime all night.
[Obtained Affection Points: 10]
...
Arriving at Christine's place, he expected her to be asleep at this hour, but as soon as Sean stepped onto the balcony, she hugged him.
"I knew you'd come."
Christine in his arms looked tired, clearly forcing herself to stay awake. The strong scent of coffee still lingered in the living room.
Sean stroked her hair and comforted her, "Originally, I just wanted to see you and leave."
At these words, Christine hugged him even tighter, afraid that Sean would disappear if she let go.
Burying her head in Sean's chest, Christine murmured, "Doctor Sean, the surgery, the surgery isn't finished yet?"
"Hmph, then let's go to the operating room."
[Obtained Affection Points: 10]
Gently pulling her hands away, Sean slowly flew up, trying to be as quiet as possible so as not to wake her.
There was no other way; as a Doctor, Christine's schedule was very chaotic, and Sean usually wouldn't wake her at this time.
Oh, and Sean always knew Christine's shifts, not for any other reason, but because Christine would send them to him every time, just like making breakfast; it had become a habit.
So, how could Sean bear to disturb such a cute Christine?
...
Flying near Millis's home, he used X-ray Vision to find she wasn't there. Sean turned and flew towards the City Daily building. Sure enough, she was still at work.
He didn't expect Millis to be working overtime on a Saturday morning, probably because of the Hulknews.
Sean quietly watched Millis work, and also Kalin, Armand, Haisa...
Suddenly, Sean recalled the old days.
Back then, he had just graduated and arrived in the big city of New York, friendless and at a loss.
It was thanks to those generous people that Sean was who he was today.
It seemed he hadn't gone back to find them after becoming Homelander. They must hate him now, right?
Sean smiled faintly, preparing to set off. Even if he was scolded, it was only right.
Sure enough, as soon as they saw Sean, they began to curse:
"You deadbeat, what took you so long!"
Chapter 39: Ivan vs. Abomination
"Sean, where are you? General Ross has found the Hulk again," Natasha asked anxiously.
Another morning after a hangover. Sean struggled free from... he didn't know whose arms, replying groggily, "S-send me the location."
"Are you okay?"
"Of course. Hurry up. If we're late, there'll be trouble. No one can stop him but me."
Natasha sighed. That was indeed true. Not only was Stark currently researching a new element and had no time, but even if he succeeded, he probably couldn't win.
Soon, Sean's phone received the location. In one swift move, Sean forwarded it to Ivan, telling him to get there quickly. This was the moment for his grand entrance.
Ivan, who had long been eager, immediately suited up in his armor and took off toward the destination.
He certainly knew the target was the green giant. Sean had already warned him and insisted he reinforce his armor.
Ivan was someone who listened to advice, especially when Sean told him to reinforce it. So he definitely reinforced it. His armor today was two layers thicker than usual, which gave him quite a bit of confidence.
He should... be able to win, right?
Sean also sent the location to Hess. Of course, not for her to go, but to have her arrange for reporters to head over and leak the news, drawing in some fearless journalists.
Sean also contacted City Daily, telling Millis not to go. A new hero would later appear on her show.
Flying through the air, Sean looked at the distant flames and revealed a faint smile. He hoped Ivanwouldn't disappoint him.
...
At the center of the flames, a green giant was wreaking havoc, casually picking up cars and throwing them aside. Explosions, screams, and gunfire echoed incessantly.
"Oh my god, help! Homelander! Iron Man! Save us!"
Cries for help like this never ceased, but on the streets of Broadway, such voices seemed incredibly insignificant.
Abomination walked down the center of the street, looking left and right for something, completely ignoring the bullets from the Police ahead.
But when a Rocket came flying toward him, he grew furious. He grabbed it with one hand and crushed it, unable to understand why these weaklings wouldn't run. Since they wouldn't run, they shouldn't leave!
The Police and soldiers ahead watched as the green giant charged toward them. On such a congested street, it seemed they could only wait for death.
Once upon a time, they were heroes in people's hearts. But now, they too needed a hero to save them.
Just as Abomination was about to reach them, a massive silver mech swooped down, knocking him back with a single blow and saving the civilians behind.
"Are you all okay? The Brave Guardian has arrived!"
That embarrassing line was, of course, not spoken by Ivan.
It was something Sean insisted on adding. Helpless, Ivan secretly recorded the line, and it played automatically upon his arrival.
Ivan paid no attention to the crowd behind him. In his view, they weren't important. As long as he dealt with the big guy in front of him, his debut would be perfect.
Glancing around, Ivan released small firefighting robots, which quickly extinguished the surrounding fires. He then deployed rescue robots to free those trapped in cars.
Releasing these things was simply to prevent them from interfering with the armor's performance. After all, carrying them wouldn't increase combat effectiveness; it would only add unnecessary weight.
But his actions shocked everyone around him. The soldiers were stunned, and it took them a while before they started helping with the rescue.
The people nearby gradually calmed down upon seeing the armor. The reporters who were close had already arrived, shouting through megaphones:
"Go, Iron Man, kill him!"
"Kill him! Kill him!"
Humans are strange creatures. Even though they were terrified moments ago, once someone stood in front of them, they gained immense courage, as if they themselves were the ones standing at the forefront.
Hearing these words, Ivan could no longer remain silent. If all the credit went to Stark, he'd be furious.
His faceplate retracted, revealing his well-groomed face. Though he still looked a bit old, he was fairly presentable. After all, many people loved a mature man.
The person leading the shouts froze for a moment, but the next second, he grew even more excited, shouting even louder, "It's not Iron Man! It's a new hero!"
But the surrounding shouts were even louder, completely drowning out his voice. However, Ivan no longer had time to show his face again because Abomination was coming.
Ivan immediately activated the support devices on his feet and unfolded the shield in his hands, preparing for the impending impact.
Abomination didn't care whether it was a shield or something else. All he wanted now was to tear apart the robot in front of him. It was annoying!
The massive impact sent Ivan flying back several meters, gouging a deep trench in the ground. Fortunately, he held his ground.
But this only angered Abomination further. Failing to knock the robot away with that charge left him deeply unsatisfied.
He swung his fists and began pounding. The shield, capable of withstanding the impact of a train, quickly deformed under his blows.
With a forceful tug, Abomination ripped the shield off and tossed it aside. Standing up, he looked down at the robot beneath him and sneered contemptuously.
"What else have you got?"
The crowd nearby, seeing the situation turn dire, had long since scattered.
If the person standing in front of them fell, wouldn't they be next? No, no.
Ivan chuckled bitterly. If only he still had his giant electric whip, he'd definitely make the monster regret being born.
Pressing a button, he fired tear gas at Abomination's eyes. Instantly, a white fog enveloped the area, and Ivan seized the opportunity to escape.
Abomination rubbed his eyes, then grabbed a nearby car and began swinging it.
With his immense strength, the smoke quickly dissipated.
Ivan had naturally anticipated this. Two grappling hooks tightly bound Abomination's feet, and a large net descended from above, trapping him.
Abomination's eyes turned red. He easily broke the grappling hooks on his feet, but the fine, tangled net covering his body proved harder to tear free from.
Seeing the net could restrain the monster, Ivan breathed a sigh of relief. After all, his equipment had been reinforced, and this net was originally designed to trap moving cars.
Ivan quickly added a few more nets, then secured ropes, handcuffs, hooks, and everything else he had onto the monster. Only when he was sure he had exhausted his inventory did he stop.
Even now, he didn't forget Sean's teachings: after subduing the target, find the cameras.
Ivan opened his faceplate, looked around, found a camera, and smiled.
The reporters naturally didn't hold back with their flashes, especially since the person inside the armor wasn't Stark. This was big news.
Ivan smiled on the outside, but inwardly, he felt his appearance was too lame. If it weren't for Vibranium, he'd never do something like this.
When Ivan noticed a massive shadow looming over him, he suddenly felt that maybe he had looked quite cool just moments ago.
Abomination broke free. Sometimes, more nets aren't necessarily better.
With just one net, Abomination had no leverage to tear it apart. But with all sorts of Messy things(messy things) added, it actually gave him more to grip and tear.
Chapter 40: I've been harmed by wine and women; I'm actually this weak, hmph! From this day forth, I quit drinking!
Ivan fell.
But he wasn't dead. Instead, after having most of his armor torn off, he was tossed into the crowd, seemingly because the Abomination wanted to humiliate him.
Watching the helicopter circling in the sky, the Abomination roared loudly toward the heavens:
"Hulk!"
Inside the aircraft, Banner didn't hesitate too much before preparing to jump, because he knew that only he—no, only the Hulk—could stop him.
Betty directly blocked his path, weeping as she said, "Don't go down. You might not even be able to turn into the Hulk right now."
Banner watched as the Abomination began destroying things again, then turned to look at General Ross. "Let me down. Only I can stop him, and you know it."
General Ross sneered, "Hmph, that's not necessarily true. How long has it been since you watched the New York news?"
Banner showed a confused expression. Has this old guy betrayed the Hulk too?
"He's here."
Just as the Abomination threw a car into the crowd, Sean appeared.
Catching the car with one hand, he opened the door and said softly, "Quick, get out and go somewhere safe."
The people inside thanked him while hurriedly running back. The fear the monster gave them was too great, so great that even the people behind him were vaguely beginning to lose faith in him.
In the past, whenever Sean appeared, if there were people around, there would definitely be a burst of cheers. Then they would take out their phones to take photos, planning to show off later that they were on the scene and saved by Homelander.
But this time, they actually fled to a distance where even their phones couldn't capture a clear image. Only through the nearby reporters' cameras could the situation on the scene be seen clearly.
After seeing the man floating in front of him, the Abomination also became happy; he recognized this person too.
"Homelander, you should be quite a good fighter, hahaha!"
Sean smiled slightly, not intending to pay him any mind. He lunged forward, throwing his first serious punch.
In an instant, the Abomination was hammered to the ground, the surface collapsing into a spider-web pattern.
"Damn, did I miss?"
Sean was a bit frustrated. He clearly meant to punch him into the sky just now, so how did he hammer him into the ground?
The Abomination looked up and spat disdainfully, "Ptoo~ Is this all you've got?"
What the hell.
Sean swung him into the air with one hand and began attacking relentlessly from all directions, occasionally firing a few bursts of Heat Vision. The effect wasn't great, but it looked good.
The surroundings were silent for a moment, but soon a thunderous roar of shouting erupted.
In Homelander's hands, this monster was defenseless!
Inside the aircraft, Banner was also stunned. Looking around, even Betty didn't seem surprised, as if he were the only one who didn't know.
"He... is he also a product of yours?"
General Ross looked at the screen with resentment and said regretfully, "If only he were."
At this moment, Sean also heard the cheers. Normally, he would have accepted them with equanimity, then killed the Abomination before properly enjoying his applause.
However, he discovered that he had missed several times, and even a few bursts of his Heat Vision had hit a nearby building, causing damage.
Perhaps no one noticed now, but what about later?
He had so many fans; what if they saw the slow-motion footage when they went back?
Sean stopped his attack, panting slowly, his face slightly flushed.
It wasn't because he was tired, but because he was angry with himself.
"I've been harmed by wine and women; I'm actually this weak, hmph! From this day forth, I quit drinking!"
The Abomination, having fallen to the ground, was quite happy. The attacks just now hadn't caused him much damage, and he thought Homelander was nothing special. Sure enough, he was the strongest now!
"That's it? That's it? Ahahaha!"
The Abomination grabbed a nearby car and hurled it at Sean in the sky.
Sean didn't even dodge; it wouldn't hurt anyway, and he had more important things to do at the moment.
"System, put all points into Strength... and Defense!"
The Abomination's aim was a bit off—perhaps because he had just been hammered and didn't throw straight—and the car flew toward the sky, targeting the aircraft where the Hulk was.
"Evade! Evade! Evade!" General Ross shouted loudly.
The Abomination's strength was too great; the helicopter couldn't move fast enough.
"Open the rear hatch!"
At this moment, General Ross could only trust the Hulk. He pressed the button, the rear hatch opened, and Banner jumped out.
With his life threatened and Betty in danger, he successfully transformed.
Sean silently turned his head to take a look. Another one? Fine.
Just as Sean turned his head, the Abomination came up laughing and threw a punch.
Sean still didn't move, this time to test if the defense he just added was effective.
When the Abomination's punch landed, he smiled, but he soon couldn't smile anymore because his fingers broke.
The Abomination let out a cry of pain, looking at Homelander with a face full of disbelief.
Sean turned his head, and when the Abomination saw those eyes, he was momentarily dazed.
"In the end, who is the monster?"
After the Hulk saved the aircraft, the man from before was floating in front of him. The aura this person emitted made the Hulk very angry, and he let out a fierce roar.
"Roar!"
Sean looked at the Hulk expressionlessly. The Abomination's head had already been stuffed into his chest; he didn't know how much stronger the Hulk was than him.
Betty immediately stood between the two, screaming at Sean, "NO! Homelander, don't fight!"
"Hmph." Sean sneered. "I don't care who you are; I won't allow anyone to shield a monster that destroys the city."
By placing himself on the moral high ground, he could be invincible, able to attack or defend as he pleased.
"Hulk isn't a monster, he's a person!" Betty continued to explain, "It was just an experimental accident that turned him into this!"
"Then make him turn back into a person and show me?"
Hearing this, Betty felt a surge of joy. She turned and approached the Hulk, softly comforting him, "It's okay, Hulk. Relax, relax."
If there were no one else around, Betty might have succeeded; after all, she was the person both the Hulk and Banner cared about.
But at this moment, Sean was also present.
Under the pressure from Homelander, the Hulk was in a constant state of tension. It was already a sign of his self-control that he hadn't proactively smashed something, so how could he possibly change back?
Sean smiled slightly and said with righteous indignation, "Ha! You monster, take this!"
The Hulk was not to be outdone. Already angry, he had been wanting to strike for a long time.
With Sean intending to clash fists, the two of them traded punches, and then the Hulk was sent flying.
Now Sean was even more bewildered. What was going on? Why did it feel like the Hulk's strength wasn't even as great as the Abomination's?
At this point, General Ross, who had been silent on the sidelines, slowly spoke:
"It should be the serum. Dr. Blue's serum should still have some effect, and combined with our sedatives, the Hulk is unable to exert his full strength."
Although he knew Homelander was strong, he also believed in the Hulk.
After hearing General Ross's explanation, Sean instantly lost interest. A weakened Hulk was even worse than the Abomination.
At this time, Military reinforcements arrived. Searchlights shone on the Hulk; he looked back at Bettyfrom a distance and then ran far away.
Sean didn't give chase because there was no need.
Mainly, he had already worked for over ten minutes tonight and needed to go and receive his applause.
Chapter 41: Shocking! Homelander Spotted on the Street Shopping with a Hot Beauty, Suspected Girlfriend Exposed
The Hulk incident had a massive impact, primarily because of the enormous destruction it caused.
This was likely the first monster attack since America's founding. If not for Homelander's presence, who knows how it would have ended.
This event also made both the public and the Military realize that having a Superhero is essential.
Some more perceptive individuals also began to notice that the World seemed to be gradually changing.
Without anyone quite realizing when, the terms 'Superhero' and 'monster', once only found in movies, had become integrated into their lives.
If the emergence of gods and demons becomes the norm, is the World still their World?
The residents living near Broadway were the most vocal on this point, especially after learning that the green monster might have been a Military experiment. They could no longer contain their anger.
At first, only about a hundred people protested in front of the White House. But as the situation escalated, people from other places joined in, because no one knew if they would be next.
"You caused this mess, so go fix it!"
President Matthew Ellis swept all the files off his desk. Seven or eight people stood by silently; speaking up now would mean taking the blame.
After venting for a while longer, the President, panting, asked, "What does S.H.I.E.L.D. say? Haven't they found Homelander yet?"
This time, someone did respond, "They found him, but Homelander seems a bit angry right now. They're hesitant to approach him."
The President's heart tightened. "Why is he angry?" he asked urgently, then turned to the Militaryrepresentative. "Did you people go and provoke him?"
The person questioned shook his head, indicating he didn't know.
"Then why is he angry?"
"We... don't know either."
The President took a deep breath and said sternly, "Hah... Regardless, I want the protesters gone today. Otherwise, I'll have no choice but to throw General Ross to the wolves."
The others immediately protested in unison, "You can't do that, Mr. President!"
"Right now, the public only has suspicions. If we hand over General Ross, we'd be admitting we're creating monsters!"
Chastened by the collective rebuke, the President's heated temper cooled. He slumped into his chair and said resignedly, "Tell S.H.I.E.L.D... to hurry up."
...
After that night, Sean returned to the Hess Family Residence and slept soundly.
Before falling asleep, he was still thinking that since he'd saved so many people, New York City should at least give him an award or something.
Otherwise, how could it make up for all those Affection Points?
To beat up Hulk and Abomination, Sean had spent all his Affection Points, resetting him back to square one. He'd have to start saving up again from scratch.
It wasn't a big deal for him, but wouldn't Hess, Gwen, and Christine have to work harder again?
To be honest, Sean really cared for them and tried his best to fulfill their requests.
Like how Hess liked nibbling with her teeth, Gwen enjoyed taking notes, and Christine loved it when he wore a white lab coat. Sean had never refused any of these requests.
It showed just how much he loved them.
Waking up in the morning, Sean was still in a good mood, planning his schedule for the next few days, figuring out when to add Millis and if there was any spare time for others.
It was during this happy moment that Sean suddenly saw a line of red text.
[Detected excessive negative public opinion. Time growth paused. Please resolve promptly.]
Sean looked bewildered, picked up his phone, and slowly read the recent news. He began to understand why he'd suddenly gained so many anti-fans.
"Why didn't Homelander come sooner? He could have saved more people."
"Exactly. That monster was no match for him. If he'd appeared earlier, my friend wouldn't have died."
"Homelander should have killed the monster when it first appeared at the school. Why did he wait until its second appearance?"
Comments like these were increasing. Originally, Sean had a large number of female fans whose combat power was formidable—one fan could counter ten haters, as the saying goes.
But then, one piece of news quickly rose to the top, overshadowing even the Hulk news.
"Shocking! Homelander Spotted on the Street Shopping with a Hot Beauty, Suspected Girlfriend Exposed!"
Instantly, Sean's female fans clicked on the article. Opening it, their hearts sank halfway.
They didn't pay much attention to the text, but they scrutinized the photos over and over, hoping to find signs of editing. Unfortunately, industry experts confirmed the photos were genuine.
In the photos, Sean was arm-in-arm with a voluptuous woman, their behavior intimate, both smiling broadly as they walked hand-in-hand into a building.
The photos, though blurry from being taken covertly on a phone, clearly showed the man was Sean. The identity of the woman remained unknown.
The article particularly noted at the end that while Homelander was shopping with his suspected girlfriend, Culver University was under attack.
This made the anti-fans even more excited. The female fans, however, fell silent, no longer defending Sean. Or perhaps they wanted to hear his explanation, but none had come so far.
It wasn't just them. Several women—names Sean found unfamiliar, though they certainly didn't think so—also messaged him, asking who that woman was.
Sean promptly blocked them all. He kept his distance from women who wanted to monopolize him.
Just then, the bedroom door opened. Hess walked in, her face etched with worry. Seeing Sean awake and looking at his phone, she knew he'd seen the news.
She walked over and sat by the window, asking softly, "Why weren't you more careful? At least wear glasses when you're out with another woman."
Yes, the woman in the photos wasn't her either.
Not just them, even Sean stared at the woman in the photo, thinking for a long time before he remembered who she was.
Hess continued, "There's a woman named Natasha downstairs who says she's your assistant. Should I let her come up? Maybe she can handle the news situation, get them to help suppress it."
Clever Hess naturally knew Natasha was sent by the Military. If they were willing to help, a combined effort might succeed in suppressing the news.
After a long, thoughtful silence, Sean murmured, "You... help me hold it down for now."
"!"
Hah... Sure enough, this way his thoughts calmed down a lot. Sean began to think of a solution.
Natasha, standing at the doorway, didn't barge in. She sat obediently in the living room, waiting, knowing now wasn't a good time to approach Sean.
But Fury was pressing too hard, saying Sean had to appear today to calm the situation.
Helpless, Natasha could only brace herself and head upstairs to the second floor. She stretched her limbs along the way, doing warm-up exercises to avoid being caught off guard.
Sure enough, as soon as Natasha reached the second floor, she heard sounds. By the time she reached the bedroom door, Sean had noticed her.
Natasha took a deep breath and asked, "Need any help?"
"Mmm~ I do. She's having trouble holding it down."
"!!"
Indeed, if Sean focused all his attention on thinking, he couldn't control other aspects, and some passive skills would automatically activate.
For example, Unbreakable Skin.
Chapter 42: Sean Never Leaves His Name When Doing Good Deeds
Phew, as expected, it feels much better to think this way. I will never exchange for a Super Brain in this life.
Hess collapsed on the side, sound asleep. Of course, this was an act.
After all, her stamina as an ordinary person couldn't possibly be better than Natasha's.
Natasha rested for a moment, glad she had warmed up before coming, otherwise it would have been troublesome.
So, a reminder to everyone: remember to warm up before strenuous exercise!
"What do you plan to do about the situation outside? Do you need us to step in?" Natasha asked, looking up.
Sean smiled faintly and said, "No need. You just speak up, and I'll handle the rest."
This matter isn't difficult to handle. What seems like a public outcry will naturally resolve itself once the truth about the woman is explained.
After all, female fans only care if Sean is in a relationship. As for Calver University, they don't care at all.
And the hot woman is easy to explain: Sean never leaves his name when doing good deeds, let alone getting caught on camera.
While Natasha was helping, Sean posted a message on his social media website close to noon.
This account is usually managed by Hess. She doesn't have a job and has more free time, and she also knows some things about Sean, so it's very convenient for her to operate.
"Today I ran into my high school French teacher and was invited to dinner. Seeing their warm family scene felt really good."
The accompanying picture showed four people at a dining table: Sean, Sophia, her four-year-old son, and her excited husband.
As soon as Sean's message was posted, it instantly dominated the trending topics. The massive clicks nearly overwhelmed the server, almost causing a crash.
However, the server clearly celebrated too soon.
Sophia, the French teacher, also posted a message online. After Sean reposted it, it took the second spot on the trending list.
"First, I'm very happy to be called a 'hot beauty' at thirty-three. Second, I apologize for taking up Homelander's time. We haven't seen each other since high school, and I was a bit emotional seeing him. Please forgive me."
Soon after, Sophia's French husband commented below:
"I love Homelander! Our whole family are his fans. My wife never mentioned that Homelander was her student; she kept it from me for a long time. But I'm still very happy because I got a signed photo with Homelander!"
"Also, I need to prove something for Homelander: our family just moved to New York—note, New York! It's 700 kilometers from Virginia! I heard about Calver University the next day and thought it was a prank. Humph."
As soon as these two messages were released, the incident about Sean's girlfriend completely ended, and it also explained why Sean hadn't arrived at Culver in time.
The passersby who followed the trend of blaming Sean still thought things through. Although they wouldn't apologize, they quickly put down their keyboards and stopped attacking.
However, not everyone was a passerby. While Sean had many fans, he also had quite a few haters.
Which public figure doesn't have haters? Even the perfect Superhero Homelander still had many people who disliked him. Why should you be handsome and have superpowers? All the good things go to you!
Normally, they hid in the shadows, not daring to speak out, because Homelander's image was too good. They could only curse a few words in secret; who would dare to spray him online?
The gap in their status was too large, not just in identity, but also in morality.
Now it's fine; with a legitimate reason, it doesn't matter if they're discovered. Now they are the ones standing on the moral high ground, completely unafraid, okay?
Moreover, ultimately, Homelander indeed didn't arrive in time this time. Not only was he not timely, but he wasn't even the first hero to arrive at the scene.
The first was actually a hero no one had heard of before, Brave Guardian.
At 1 PM that day, everyone was at home watching the latest news when they suddenly discovered that the Hero Meetup, originally scheduled for 8 PM, had started early. Combining this with the current situation, they immediately clicked on it.
Indeed, a silver mecha stood behind the sofa, and sitting on the sofa was the suit's pilot, Ivan Vanko.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Millis held her cue cards and began to ask questions.
"Is this battlesuit called Brave Guardian? That's a very mighty name. Why is it called that? Does it have any special meaning?"
Ivan was a bit awkward, mainly because he didn't like this feeling, especially when he had clearly failed but still had to accept an interview like a victor.
If Sean hadn't insisted he come, he would definitely still be modifying the battlesuit.
"The name of this battlesuit was given by Sean, also known as Homelander."
"The meaning of this name is 'Guardian,' so there isn't even a single bullet inside the entire battlesuit. All its equipment is designed solely for protection."
"Oh?" Millis looked surprised and asked, "A name given by Homelander? So, do you two know each other?"
Ivan sighed, forcing a difficult smile, and said helplessly:
"Yes, I know him. I owe it all to him that I can be called a hero by you all. Otherwise, I would probably be selling the Portable Arc Reactor I invented to other countries, and soon after, a mecha war would break out between various nations."
"Ah, a Portable Arc Reactor? Are you sure? The very thing Stark himself said no one would invent for the next ten years?"
Their conversation was a bit deliberate, especially regarding the terms "Portable Arc Reactor" and "Stark."
Ordinary people watching this program might not feel much, at most laughing and thinking Stark was proven wrong.
But the Military wasn't calm at all.
Stark was an absolute tough nut to crack; he wouldn't budge. Even the battlesuit Rhodes brought could only be worn by him; no one else could use it.
Moreover, they couldn't replicate the most crucial and core technology in the chest; it was the kind where you couldn't understand it even if you copied the homework.
Now the situation was different; they had a second option. Surely this person named Ivan couldn't be more difficult than Stark, right?
"Go, immediately investigate Ivan Vanko's information! Today!"
Other weapons manufacturers also said this; not many were willing to be subservient to Stark Industries.
After Iron Man appeared, which of them didn't want their own Iron Man? Which weapon manufacturer didn't like mechas? Are they not producing mechas because they don't like them? No, it's because they can't make them.
It's not just the energy problem; wearable battlesuits are hard for them to design. Stark Industries is just different.
While other weapon manufacturers were still researching how to reduce rifle recoil, how to expand magazines, and how to increase grenade power, Stark directly initiated future warfare, refusing to play with these primitives. What could they say to that?
Now it's good; someone else can build battlesuits. Whether he's an individual or a company, cooperation is always possible. You eat the meat, and let everyone have some soup; that's harmonious development.
Chapter 43: Turns out, we all misunderstood him
Tony Stark, still in the lab researching new elements, also watched the show. It was Jarvis who reminded him that someone had invented a portable Arc Reactor before he turned it on.
Looking at the tall silver Iron Armor behind the sofa, Tony was slightly stunned. It wasn't a shoddy product like the Iron Monger; every corner was meticulously polished, clearly showing great effort.
The most crucial point was the reactor on his chest; it seemed to be genuinely developed by him, not resembling his own technology.
After watching the video of the silver mech fighting the green giant, Tony was very surprised.
He really didn't expect that someone would invent an Iron Armor without installing a single weapon, only small gadgets for saving people...
Oh, Sean Brooke requested it, then it's fine.
"A very smart person. For Sean Brooke's sake, I can give him some pointers later."
Tony nodded and smiled, looking completely like an elder observing a junior, full of benevolence.
This was the confidence of a Stark. In just a few minutes of video, he could tell at a glance that the Brave Guardian was still lacking in power. The reactor's rotation speed was definitely insufficient, far inferior to his own reactor.
Not to mention the clean energy reactor he was about to invent; its performance would leave the other far behind.
Therefore, Stark was so boastful. From his perspective, Ivan Vanko still had a long way to go.
However, just as Tony was about to turn off the TV, he heard his father's name.
On the show, Ivan Vanko began to recount his past, though many details were omitted.
"My father's name is Anton Vanko. He was a colleague of Howard Stark, and the Arc Reactor was a creation they invented together."
"But later... later my father was deported. As a child, I didn't know what happened at all; our family was driven to that cold place, Siberia."
Even when speaking of his sorrow, Ivan Vanko did not shed tears, as if his childhood tears had already dried up.
"Later, although I earned a Dr. in Physics, I still couldn't improve my family's life, so I went astray. I resold plutonium materials to other countries and was sentenced to fifteen years in prison."
"When I got out, I found scattered blueprints among my father's belongings. Relying on these, I successfully made a portable Arc Reactor."
Ivan Vanko chuckled softly, covered his mouth, and continued, "If I hadn't met Homelander, I probably would have gone down the wrong path again."
After hearing Howard's name, Tony stopped his work and asked Jarvis to pull up all the information on Anton Vanko.
"Search complete. Anton Vanko was a Soviet physicist who defected to America in 1963, but was deported in 1967 for espionage. There are indeed records of him working with Mr. Howard."
"Specific charge?"
"Unable to search."
Tony was silent, feeling that there must be something wrong.
A major crime like espionage couldn't possibly have no record; if there was even a shred of information, Jarvis wouldn't fail to find it.
It seems that after the clean reactor is completed, he'll have to investigate. After all, it's somewhat related to his father, so he must investigate.
Tony turned off the TV and fully immersed himself in his research. This concerned his life, and he couldn't be careless.
On the other side, the internet trolls arranged by Hess also began to exert their influence, not aiming for Ivan Vanko's influence to surpass Iron Man, but at least to make people accept him and know him.
"Although I don't know what happened to his father, it's amazing that he could still earn a Dr. in Physics in such circumstances!"
"Alas, if it weren't for those inexplicable reasons, maybe there would be a Vanko Industries now."
"Since his father had a part in the Arc Reactor, doesn't Stark Industries also owe him a share? Didn't Stark Industries initially get rich by relying on that super-large Arc Reactor?"
As such comments gradually increased, people began to feel some pity for him.
One's father was also the inventor of the Arc Reactor, and he himself also created an Iron Armor.
One is glamorous and wealthy beyond measure.
The other is weathered and destitute.
Through such a comparison, many people would start to pity the weaker one.
Especially when the stronger party is a bit arrogant and boastful, people will sympathize with the weaker even more.
If that weaker person also worked hard to get into a good university, then it would be a perfect example of a comeback story.
Such a story is also what everyone wants to see.
Because not everyone is a Stark, but many people are Ivan Vanko.
In the live broadcast hall, Ivan Vanko embraced several people, all victims of that disaster.
"Thank you, Brave Guardian, thank you for saving us."
Ivan Vanko paused for a moment, looking at the camera. He knew that man must be watching.
For his Vibranium!
"If you want to thank someone, thank Homelander. If he hadn't notified me, I'd still be wiping my Iron Armor."
Millis also asked at the opportune moment, "Did Homelander call you? Why didn't he go himself?"
Ivan Vanko said with a hint of relief, "He called me, and that's how I knew what happened. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't even know the address."
"But through the phone, I seemed to hear sounds of fighting over there. I didn't ask for details and went to save people first."
"There's a detail you might not have noticed: before fighting the monster, his clothes were already somewhat damaged."
Millis also smiled at this point. Throughout the entire program, she had wanted to defend Sean Brooke countless times but held back, waiting for this moment.
"So, Homelander had another battle, which is why he couldn't come. But he still arranged for a hero to rush to the scene to buy time."
"And after defeating the monster, he didn't defend himself at all. Even now, he might still be blaming himself."
"It turns out we all misunderstood him. Sean Brooke is still the same young man as before, without a single change."
[Negative public opinion detected to have disappeared. Time continues to increase.]
Upon seeing this message, Sean Brooke comfortably closed his eyes.
Although the negative public opinion was unexpected, it was resolved perfectly, and the speed of fan value increase even accelerated.
Natasha Romanoff, seeing Sean Brooke's mood inexplicably improve, was a bit curious, but she had no time to delve into it.
Because she was very busy now, unable to stop for a moment.
Before, Hess was helping her, but now she had gone downstairs to get food, leaving only her working hard upstairs. It was fortunate her physical quality was strong, otherwise, who could endure it?
As it got later and later, Fury finally couldn't help but call to inquire about the situation.
"Romanoff, how is it? Is Sean Brooke willing to go?"
Natasha lightly bit her lip, her hand holding the phone clenching repeatedly. Finally, just before the phone was crushed, she replied.
"Go... gone!"
Chapter 44: Fight for a Better Tomorrow!
At dusk, night gradually enveloped the land.
In front of the White House, it was still bustling with noise and brightly lit.
People brought out various lighting tools from their homes, pointing them at the White House, and led by a few bold individuals, they chanted slogans in waves.
The people inside the White House were also very agitated; it wasn't because of the people outside—they didn't really care about this crowd—but mainly because other influential people had also started to take action.
What appeared to be a protest organized by ordinary people outside was actually the vanguard of various factions coming to demand answers; after all, no one wanted to live in a place where monsters frequently appeared.
"We don't want monsters! We want the truth!"
"We don't want monsters! We want the truth!"
With just this one slogan, over a thousand people outside had been chanting in unison for nearly a day, which showed how deep their anger was.
It was at this moment that several beams of light flew in from the horizon, illuminating the area around the crowd, instantly creating a feeling of returning to daylight.
A brief commotion broke out in the crowd, but soon, a silver mech and a handsome man landed in their midst.
The silver mech lowered the podium on its back; Sean Brooke nodded in gratitude, then stepped up onto it.
After Sean Brooke appeared, the originally noisy scene instantly fell silent, becoming very quiet.
Over a thousand pairs of eyes stared at him in unison, their gazes filled with excitement, confusion, or anger.
Squeezing the microphone, Sean Brooke took a deep breath and said slowly in a pained tone, "I'm sorry, everyone. I'm late again today, just like last night."
"If I could have been a little earlier, if I could have been a little faster, perhaps this disaster would not have happened."
From within the crowd, a roar suddenly came, "That's not your fault! It's them, it's the fault of that group who created the green monsters!"
Hearing this, a few murmurs of agreement came from the surroundings; although there weren't many rational people, there were still some.
Basically, anyone who calmed down understood that this matter really had nothing to do with Sean Brooke; he didn't create the monsters.
But rational people were, after all, in the minority; otherwise, there wouldn't have been only a few scattered voices of agreement.
Most people remained silent; if they were just going to leave after a few apologies, they would have left long ago.
A little girl walked out holding a Homelander doll and asked in a childish tone, "Homelander, where did you go?"
Looking at her pitiful appearance, Sean Brooke's heart melted.
He hurriedly flew down, gently picked her up, and said softly, "I flew with all my might, but America is too big, and people face danger at every moment."
"Although I really don't want to admit it, I have to say this to everyone here: I'm sorry, I cannot save everyone."
After Sean Brooke finished speaking, the entire scene was enveloped in a sorrowful atmosphere.
If even Homelander couldn't guarantee their safety, then who else could save them when monsters appeared?
Seeing the little girl in his arms about to cry, Sean Brooke quickly comforted her, "It is a fact that I cannot save everyone, but! There is more than one person like me!"
"Let me introduce this mech to everyone—Brave Guardian!"
The silver mech slowly opened, and Ivan, having tidied himself up a bit, stepped out, stood next to Sean Brooke, and waved, saying, "Hello everyone, my name is Ivan."
Sean Brooke raised his voice and said excitedly, "From now on, the ranks of Superheroes have gained another member, and I have reason to believe that there are more Superheroes in this World!"
"Although we haven't met, our original intentions must be the same: all to make this World a better place!"
Seeing the crowd gradually react, Sean Brooke continued to shout, "Of course, besides us so-called Superheroes, there are many more heroes who have always lived among us."
"Look at the Police around you. Do they look familiar?"
The public followed Sean Brooke's hand and looked around.
"That day, they held ordinary pistols and used their flesh and blood to stand in front of the monsters. Just because you couldn't see their faces, have you forgotten everything they did!"
The Police who had come from New York City to support were stunned; they really hadn't expected that Homelander would remember them at such a time.
Yes, they had also fought the monsters that day; it was just that they had failed.
And today, they had actually received orders to come and block the very people they had sworn to protect yesterday—how ironic.
The Police looked at each other, feeling somewhat moved but not knowing how to speak; they were already used to being misunderstood.
The people below also started to recall something, and suddenly someone shouted loudly, "The third Police officer on the left saved me! He pulled me out from under a car!"
"Yes! The Fire on me was also extinguished by him, it seems. Look, he still has bandages on his hands!"
"It's him! It's him! He's the one who saved my child, otherwise he would have been hit by falling rocks!"
Within the crowd, more and more people realized that it seemed the first ones to come and save them were not Brave Guardian, and certainly not Sean Brooke, but this group of Police.
Instantly, the crowd that had quieted down began to stir again, but this time it was a good thing.
They all started to recall who had saved them the previous night and stepped forward to express their gratitude, which actually made these stoic-faced Police feel a bit embarrassed.
Especially Sheriff George, whose hand was already injured; with people coming over one by one to shake his hand, how was he supposed to manage with only one hand!
Sean Brooke naturally noticed their conflicted expressions—wanting to keep the public at a distance but not wanting to stop this group of people; sigh, it was very contradictory.
Seeing that public anger had subsided enough and the Police's defensive line was about to collapse, Sean Brooke said in a high-spirited tone, "And they, my Police friends, are the true heroes!"
"When there are more and more heroes in this World, there will be fewer and fewer bad guys. This has always been my goal. Everyone! Let us together!"
"Fight for a better tomorrow!"
Everyone, including the surrounding reporters, soldiers, and onlookers, followed along and chanted a few times. The atmosphere instantly became much more harmonious, no longer having the tense, sword-drawn look from before.
Sean Brooke also said at the right moment, "Next, staff will go to tally your losses and then compensate you double."
"If there are those who are homeless, do you see the row of people in black suits behind? Follow them to stay at a hotel. When your homes are restored, that's when you move back!"
"Additionally, I and Brave Guardian will also work with everyone on post-disaster recovery, helping everyone clean up the scene until it's finished!"
"As for the creators of the monsters, I will find them. I will bear all the dangers and handle them. Do you trust me?"
"We trust you!"
The atmosphere had been built up to this point, so who wouldn't believe him? Even if they didn't, there was nothing else to do, and most people were satisfied with the solution Sean Brooke provided.
And for those few, there would naturally be others to satisfy them.
"Then, everyone, please disperse! God bless America!"
"God bless America!"
Chapter 45: Nora
As the crowd dispersed, Sean smiled and waved them off, silently thinking to himself, "Finally gone. You people... you people better live well!"
Sean looked down at the little girl's innocent eyes and gave a light cough, almost forgetting there was still someone in his arms.
Behind him, Ivan gave a quick greeting and left; he didn't want to linger in a place like this, feeling as though his entire being had been tainted.
The people inside the White House were not happy, because they had heard Homelander say he would find the mastermind. Could they really hand over General Ross?
Of course not! If they were going to hand him over, they would have done it long ago; why wait until now?
Did this mean they would soon come into conflict with Homelander?
The anxiety on everyone's faces did not vanish as the crowd left; instead, it grew even more intense.
"Mr. President, Director Fury is on the line."
"What did he say?"
"He said they can handle the Homelander situation and that everyone here should rest easy."
After hearing this, the President finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Since Fury dared to say he could solve it, there shouldn't be a problem. In other words, this matter had completely come to a close.
The others also gradually relaxed, except for one man who found it very strange—the former Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., Alexander Pierce.
He couldn't figure out what weakness S.H.I.E.L.D. held over Homelander that allowed them to guarantee a resolution.
If they could also grasp that weakness, wouldn't they also be able to...
Thinking of this, Pierce felt that the key to HYDRA's rebirth was about to be found.
...
Still outside, Sean was having a headache over the little girl in his arms. He didn't know whose child she was and really wanted to see what kind of parents she had.
"Mommy, Mommy!" The little girl in his arms suddenly cried out, pulling the pondering Sean back to reality.
Sean looked down and saw a woman standing below the podium holding a suitcase, waving at him. She seemed to be dressed in white.
Jumping down lightly, Sean was slightly stunned. Huh, her clothes weren't actually white. Was it because the perspective was different?
The woman was wearing a black skirt, a light blue camisole, and a beige top; she looked very career-oriented.
Sean handed the girl over, and the little girl naturally wrapped her arms around her mother's neck, feeling that this was a warmer place to be.
The woman gently patted her, then looked at Sean, saying in an apologetic tone:
"I'm... I'm sorry to have troubled you, Homelander."
"It's alright, she was very good and didn't cause any trouble. Uh, are you okay, Nora?"
Sean asked this because the woman's nose and the corners of her eyes were very red, as if she had just finished crying.
Nora was clearly stunned for a moment. "How do you know my name?"
Sean pointed to the name tag on her chest. Nora realized and gave Sean an embarrassed smile.
"Oh, it's this. Sorry, I'm too tired today, I forgot."
She had been following the protest all day; she was not only physically exhausted but mentally drained as well.
A gust of cold wind blew, lifting her long black hair. Nora held the child tightly in her arms, looking very helpless in the night.
She looked at Sean and shook the card in her hand. "I got the room key. Thank you for helping us get this room; otherwise, I really wouldn't know where we'd stay tonight."
"It's nothing, just what I should have done."
In the cold wind, the two shared an awkward smile. They originally had no connection; if her daughter hadn't gotten separated from her today and stood in front of Homelander, they likely would never have spoken in their lives.
Another gust of wind blew... Cough, this wind had absolutely nothing to do with Sean!
Nora tidied her hair, looked toward the crowd, and said with a smile, "I need to go line up, or I might have to wait until very late to get back."
Sean followed her gaze and said with some irritation, "Are there not enough buses? With so many people here, how long will you have to wait?"
"How about I fly you back?"
"Ah?"
Nora hesitated; her reason told her she shouldn't trouble someone like this.
However, seeing the still-crowded masses not far away and her drowsy daughter in her arms, Norablushed and said awkwardly, "Then... then I'll have to trouble you, Homelander."
"Just call me Sean."
"Okay, Sean."
Sean took both the little girl and the suitcase, then opened his arms and looked at her.
Looking around to make sure no one was watching, Nora followed her daughter's example and hugged him.
Once she hugged him, Nora instantly felt the temperature rise significantly. The raging cold wind from a moment ago suddenly stopped, as if all the wind was being blocked by the man in front of her.
"Hold on tight."
With a leap, Sean carried them toward the sky.
The little girl was suddenly no longer sleepy; she raised her hands and shouted loudly, "We're flying! We're flying!"
"Inisa, don't wiggle around," Nora called out, but she didn't open her eyes because she was a bit afraid of heights.
"It's okay," Sean said softly. "Don't worry, nothing will happen."
Perhaps because the sense of security Sean provided was so strong, Nora actually peeked through a slit in her eyes, seeing the night view of New York City from above for the first time.
She gave an excited hum, and Inisa giggled, shouting loudly, "Mommy spoke too!"
Nora gave her daughter a playful glare and stole a glance at Sean. Seeing he had no reaction, she smiled and continued to enjoy the night view of New York.
Soon, a hotel appeared before them. Since many people had gathered downstairs, Sean went directly through a window.
As soon as they landed, Nora quickly pulled away from Sean's embrace and hurried to tidy her hair and clothes.
She then took the suitcase from him and said a few more words of thanks.
Just as she was about to take Inisa down, the girl refused and acted spoiled, whining, "No, I want to play a little longer."
Nora put on a stern face and said seriously, "Come down now. Mr. Sean has other things to do; it was already a lot of trouble for him to bring us back."
Inisa pouted slightly, looking at Sean with reluctance.
What a soft-hearted person Sean was! Seeing such a cute little girl acting spoiled, how could he not stay with her a bit longer?
It was definitely not because he himself wanted to stay longer. Definitely.
"Cough, I don't have anything else to do today; I'd just be going back to sleep anyway. I'll help you get Inisa to sleep before I go. That way you can get some rest too."
Inisa's sadness turned to joy, and she laughed loudly, "Yay!"
Without waiting for Nora to speak, Sean carried Inisa into the bedroom, giving her no chance to refuse.
Before long, the sounds of the two playing and laughing came from the room. Nora looked at the suitcase by her side and gave a bitter smile.
She would indeed be very busy tonight. Since she'd be staying at the hotel for a while, she needed to organize the suitcase; otherwise, it would be a hassle to open it every time she needed something.