Chapter 165: Christine's Wonderful Time
"Christine, watch out!"
Distracted, Christine snapped back to reality, quickly apologized, and continued the surgery with focus.
Just a moment ago, she had almost turned the patient into a vegetable; fortunately, it ended without incident.
The Nurse beside her also breathed a sigh of relief, knowing why she had been distracted; in truth, they were all a bit absent-minded, sigh, all because of the trouble Homelander was causing.
After this surgery, Christine requested leave to go home; in her current state, if she continued operating, she would likely end up in jail herself.
After packing up her personal belongings and putting on the ring Sean Brooke had given her, Christinehurried to drive home, not daring to delay on the road.
Yesterday, those who had even the slightest connection to Sean Brooke were besieged by reporters asking questions; she was afraid that the incident where fans won prizes last year would be recalled, and they would come looking for her.
If she were to be besieged by a group of reporters, Christine couldn't guarantee what she might say; perhaps, she would be just like that host.
"The host, Millis Rom, a colleague of Sean Brooke. Hmph."
Christine was a bit bothered by this; could it be that what that host said was true—that Sean Brooke was a playboy, and she was just one of many?
Or was this reporter just grandstanding for the sake of fame?
A wave of irritation welled up in her heart; Sean Brooke was still locked up and couldn't be contacted, and she didn't know what to do.
She couldn't even visit him in prison; under what pretense could she go? As a fan or a girlfriend? Both identities were likely claimed by many others.
Half an hour later, Christine returned to her apartment; now she just wanted to take a bath and have a good sleep—perhaps when she woke up, everything would be different.
Hmm?
The moment she opened the door, she heard movement coming from the kitchen. Thinking it was a stray cat, she slowly approached the kitchen. When she turned near the sofa, she finally saw who was inside.
"Oh, why are you off work early? I was planning to go pick you up." Sean Brooke took off his apron and opened his arms to hug her.
Christine stepped back cautiously and held up her hands, asking: "Don't come over yet. Are you really Sean Brooke?"
She knew that Sean Brooke had been taken to a special prison, and given his personality, he couldn't have escaped. So, who was this person?
Sean Brooke chuckled twice, "I didn't expect you to find out; you're quite cautious, Christine."
"Who exactly are you?" Christine asked while watching him and retreating.
"Me?" Sean Brooke put his hands on his hips, tilted his head, and thought for a moment before saying: "My name is... Toby Marquiel. My profession is an emergency rescue worker, and I am also Christine's boyfriend."
"...Hmm?" Christine was stunned, completely not expecting him to say that.
Sean Brooke looked at her expression, the corners of his mouth curling up, "My girlfriend's favorite clothes to wear include bear, fox, cat, and moose outfits, and also... a Nurse outfit."
"How about it? Have you remembered your boyfriend yet?"
"You, you really are..."
Christine's hands slowly lowered, her lips began to tremble, and tears streamed down the corners of her eyes. She didn't dare to blink, afraid that he would disappear in front of her.
Sean Brooke smiled with relief, stepped forward, pulled her into his arms, and comforted her softly: "I'm back, Christine."
"Wuwu~ I was so worried about you." Christine buried her face in Sean Brooke's chest and sobbed loudly. She had been very scared lately, but mostly she had been worried about him.
For other people, they might just feel that an idol had committed a crime and been locked up.
But for Christine, it meant her boyfriend had been framed and sent to prison, and she could do nothing about it. Who could understand this sense of helplessness?
After holding her for a while, Sean Brooke looked down at her in his arms and said gently: "Christine."
"Hmm?"
"The kitchen... it's burning."
"Ah!" Christine looked up and saw black smoke starting to rise from the kitchen.
She rushed over, turned off the heat, and dumped the unrecognizable black mass in the pot into the trash can.
Turning around, she looked at Sean Brooke with a helpless expression, only to find him looking at her too; they both laughed at the same time.
"Then I... I'll prepare dinner first."
"Mm, I'll just be here, watching you." Sean Brooke leaned on the back of the sofa, watching her quietly.
Christine blushed, hurriedly tied her apron in a flurry, and began fiddling with their dinner.
Every step of the way, she had to glance at Sean Brooke, afraid he might suddenly disappear from her sight.
However, she really loved this warm scene; this was also the reason she had always wanted to bring Sean Brooke home for dinner.
It was very much like her parents' home—her mother cooking in the kitchen, her father stealing glances at her mother while reading the newspaper; every little detail showed how much they loved each other.
"Christine."
"Mm, what is it?"
"After you came back, you haven't changed your clothes yet, have you?"
Christine looked down and saw she was still wearing the little jacket she wore outside. When she looked up again, Sean Brooke had already approached, wearing a mischievous smile.
"Shall I help you change?"
"Mm~"
Sean Brooke laughed as he reached out, "Hey, let me tell you, there are a lot of germs outside. The first thing you should do when you get home is change your clothes."
Soon, pieces of clothing were tossed into the living room by Sean Brooke; not even her socks were spared.
Even though it was just the two of them, Christine still shyly covered her arms and said: "You... go get some clothes, I still have to cook."
"Here, isn't this it?" Sean Brooke picked up the apron nearby with a straight face, "Come, open your arms, I'll help you put it on."
Christine didn't refuse and slowly opened her arms. By the time Sean Brooke tied the two strings for her, she was already incredibly nervous.
Who knows how much time had passed, and it had long since turned dark outside.
When desire faded and reason took over again, Christine began to worry about him.
Sean Brooke held her waist, not letting her leave him, and explained a little about what had happened recently.
However, Christine didn't care about the group of people Sean Brooke had killed. Although those people looked innocent and pitiful, she believed that Sean Brooke would never kill good people indiscriminately.
Christine panted, looked up, and asked worriedly: "What if they find out you escaped from prison? What should we do? Why don't we move to another country to live?"
Sean Brooke looked down at her and smiled, "Don't worry, the person in front of you now is Toby, not Sean Brooke. Homelander is still locked up in prison."
"In the future, I'll have time to pick you up and drop you off from work, go shopping with you, watch movies, anything is fine."
For every thing Sean Brooke said, Christine's eyes brightened a little more. She squirmed excitedly and asked, unable to believe it: "Re~ally?"
"Really." Sean Brooke pressed her down, "It's just that, from now on, my salary won't be enough for your shopping sprees; I'll have to rely on you to support me."
"I can! I earn a lot!" Christine quickly agreed, afraid he might change his mind.
Sean Brooke curled the corners of his mouth, turned over, and said earnestly: "Since I'll have to rely on you to support the family from now on, I can't let you get tired."
Today was the happiest day for Christine, and also the most relaxed one.
Chapter 166: The Avengers Want to Know the Truth
On the fourth day of Homelander being imprisoned, the Avengers gathered inside Stark Tower to discuss countermeasures; even Thor and Coulson, who had been on a mission, rushed back overnight.
After watching yesterday's trial, Coulson had a strange expression on his face.
If the woman who understood Sean the best here was Natasha, then the man was definitely Coulson.
He might believe that Sean had suddenly flown into a rage and truly killed innocent people, but he would absolutely not believe that Sean would honestly stay in prison.
He is probably enjoying himself right now.
As for Thor, he was not very concerned about the truth of the matter; it wasn't as if the ones who died were Asgardians.
Although Midgard was also under Asgard's rule, he ultimately didn't have much emotional attachment to it. Aside from those few people with whom he had good relationships, Thor only maintained a friendly attitude toward others; he would help if he could, and save them if he could, but he wouldn't take it too much to heart.
Not to mention anything else, just look at last time; Loki killed quite a few people when he came to New York, didn't he?
His purpose in coming here this time was not to investigate the truth, but to take Sean to Asgard. After all, last time, Sean had let him take Loki away and even saved his mother; he would not forget this favor.
Just as everyone was silent, Tony placed a projector in the middle of the coffee table, displaying the scene from that warehouse.
"The scene was indeed swept by Sean with Heat Vision, but there are still residual fragments here." As he said this, he zoomed in on a red crystalline object.
"You might not know what this is, but do you remember the dragon meat that Sean sent over that time?"
Everyone exchanged glances and nodded. They had all received White dragon meat, and it did indeed taste quite good.
Tony continued: "Besides the dragon meat, Sean also gave me some dragon scales. After analysis, the dragon scales are identical to the fragments left at the scene. Therefore, I think those people in the video probably weren't good people."
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go appeal and save Sean!" Max stood up and said anxiously.
Coulson sighed and shook his head: "Based on this point alone, it's not enough to clear Sean of his crimes."
"Then what do you suggest we do?" Max asked.
Fury spoke up at this moment: "Two things: first, find Wanda; second, find the more than one hundred people who went missing from the factory. Only then can we understand the truth and help Sean get out of prison."
There were some words Fury left unsaid. If the truth was indeed the current situation, then it wouldn't just be about helping Sean get out, but...
"Let's disperse. We won't come up with anything by discussing it further. It's better to go find clues. The sooner we find evidence, the sooner Sean can get out."
After hearing this, everyone left with unsettled minds.
This incident had a huge impact on them. In the past few days, the trust in Superheroes had dropped to freezing point. People all felt that if Homelander was like this, then how could the others be any better?
The others were fine, as their images had always been positive, but Banner and Max were much worse off. Sometimes, even after saving people, no one was grateful, let alone now.
On the car ride back to S.H.I.E.L.D., Natasha hesitated for a while, then finally voiced her speculation.
After hearing this, Coulson immediately indicated that it was very likely, especially since Sean had a pair of glasses that could hide his identity; he was very likely not in the super-prison right now.
Fury pondered, thinking over what the two of them said.
Was Sean killing those people in order to live the life of an ordinary person? No, that couldn't be it! It was completely not worth it.
Then it was probably that the people in the warehouse deserved to die, and Sean was simply executing justice just like before.
But this matter happened to be exposed, so he just went with the flow and admitted it, in order to achieve his goal of retirement?
No, that wasn't quite right either. The development of events was a bit too smooth; it seemed everyone wanted Homelander to go to prison, not even afraid of him going berserk. This was too different from their previous attitude.
This time, the conviction was made too quickly, so fast that before anyone could react, Sean had been locked in prison.
Unless someone was deliberately helping him, or rather, simply wanted Homelander to be locked in prison to restrict his movements.
"Natasha." "Yes, Director?" "I have a mission for you."
Fury felt that there must be something fishy about this matter; behind this incident, there must be some unknown secret.
Taking out his pager and looking at the symbol on it, Fury felt some comfort. He hoped Sean wouldn't do anything foolish.
There were some things that were red lines and absolutely must not be crossed.
On the other side, after everyone left, Tony prepared to have someone come up to clean up the trash.
"Tsk, you guys drink without calling me; our bond must be fading." Sean strode over to the sofa, sat down, opened a bottle of alcohol, and started drinking.
Tony stopped in his tracks and sat down opposite him, equally relaxed: "I was just planning to take some good wine to visit you. By the way, which prison are you locked in?"
"Hiccup~ Ha, I don't know, I didn't go."
Tony also picked up the liquor and took a big gulp, then said seriously: "Tell me the truth, I can help you!"
Sean chuckled and shook his head: "No, this is fine. There will never be a Superhero like Homelander in the World again. With him as a cautionary tale, future heroes will also be a bit more law-abiding."
"Why?"
Tony really didn't understand. Was sacrificing himself just to warn future heroes and serve as a negative example? That was too not worth it.
The last drop of alcohol entered Sean's stomach. He stood up, walked to the balcony, and looked outside with a melancholy expression.
"Tony, just like I said before, you are the real hero, while I am just an ordinary person who happened to obtain superpowers."
"The future of this World depends on you."
Sean looked back at him and snapped his fingers. A rainbow beam descended from the sky and struck the open ground in the distance.
"This is a Dark Elf spaceship. I hope you can gain something from it; consider it the last contribution I make to this World."
"Sean..." Before Tony could finish his sentence, Sean had disappeared into the horizon, leaving only a T-shaped spaceship parked in the distance.
Looking at the spaceship, Tony was stunned for a long time before he commanded the Iron Armor to surround it, not letting anyone get close.
Although he didn't know what exactly Sean had been doing recently, Tony felt that he must have more important things to do.
Then, until he returns, he would protect this World well.
"Captain."
In the boxing gym, hearing someone call him, Steve, who was punching a sandbag to relieve his mood, turned his head to look and had an expression of astonishment.
"You never used to call me Captain."
Sean picked up a bottle of water, threw it at him, and said with a smile: "That was before. I thought you were just an old antique who didn't even have superpowers and wasn't as good at fighting as Tony, so naturally, I wouldn't call you Captain."
Steve also smiled: "And now?"
"Now? Hmm... I think you are the hope of this World, while I am just an ordinary person who got lucky and experienced the game of being a Superhero."
Sean placed something on the floor and then disappeared from the gym, while a sentence echoed around.
"Captain Steve Rogers, the future of this World depends on you."
When Steve came back to his senses and walked forward, there was a bright blue uniform on the ground, along with a note.
[Do what you believe is right]
Chapter 167: Next, it is time for the real Homelander!
In the suburbs of New York, there was a spacious Villa, with no one around for over a hundred meters.
"Deep breath, exhale~ inhale..."
On the yoga mat was a burly man, following the young lady on TV as he practiced yoga.
A dull thud came from the yard, and Sean walked in through the floor-to-ceiling window. "Don't you get lonely living in a place like this?"
Banner opened his eyes to glance at him, then closed them again. "It's alright. I haven't lived alone for a long time."
He was not surprised by Sean's prison break, but he didn't know what he was actually planning to do.
Sean walked straight over to the sofa and sat down, looking at him meaningfully. "Dr. Banner, how have you been getting along with Hulk lately?"
"It's okay. He's been much more behaved lately, except for when he heard the news about your arrest a few days ago; he was very angry." Banner continued his yoga, trying to calm his emotions.
"Oh, is that so? And do you think this anger was any different from before?"
Banner's hand froze in mid-air, and he opened his eyes, looking somewhat at a loss.
He and Hulk shared a single heart; even if their souls were different, their inner thoughts were the same. That day, for the first time, he felt that beyond the anger, there was a trace of sadness in Hulk.
"What... what do you mean?"
"This World needs Hulk, and it needs Banner." Sean stood up and walked as he spoke. "I know you've always wanted to eliminate the Hulk inside you and return to a normal life, but that is already impossible."
"Instead of staying calm here to keep Hulk from appearing, it would be better to get along with him, to understand what he wants and what he craves."
"Only then will you have a chance to truly return to a normal life."
He walked over to his side and patted his shoulder. "The big box outside is a gift for Hulk, and yours is right next to it."
"The future of this World depends on you two."
After saying this, Sean shot into the sky and vanished.
Banner pondered for a long time before walking out into the yard. Looking at the box that was not much smaller than the house, he had no idea what could be inside.
However, the neatly folded shorts next to it were clearly for him.
He pressed the button, and the box opened. A giant square machine appeared before his eyes. Bannerfrowned; this thing looked like... a game console?
Before he could even wonder, Hulk had already rushed out impatiently.
Looking at the object in front of him, he smiled happily, his large white teeth clearly visible.
Banner, however, felt his worldview being rewritten; it turned out that besides anger, Hulk also possessed normal emotions.
---
New York, Brooklyn, inside a high-rise apartment.
"Baby, I've been watching the news. You'd better issue a statement quickly and cut ties with Homelander. It would be best if you could even curse him a few times; otherwise, the public outcry will reach you." Luna sat down beside him while looking at her phone.
She was not only Max's girlfriend but also his agent, handling many of his affairs.
It was precisely because she was looking at her phone that she failed to notice Max's face, which had turned incredibly gloomy.
"Get out!"
"What?" Before Luna could react, electrical currents were already swirling around the room.
"Oh, God! What are you doing? You're a lunatic!"
Luna curled up in the corner, pointing at him and cursing incessantly. She had been trying to help him, yet he didn't appreciate it at all.
"You monster! Do you want to become like Homelander, slaughtering the inno..."
Max's ears finally quieted down, and the cracks on his face slowly disappeared, but the trace of red in his eyes grew increasingly intense.
He looked out at the city, an unquenchable fire of rage burning within him.
Homelander and I have worked so hard to save you all, yet you locked him up and still treat me like a monster?
Then why should I bother saving you?
Ding-dong~
The doorbell rang. Max strode aggressively to the door, ready to make this World feel pain.
When he opened the door, there was no one there—only a small package left on the doorstep with a note attached.
[Keep it up, Superhero Lightning Max — — Homelander]
The moment he saw the note, the red in Max's eyes vanished, and his gaze returned to clarity.
He hurriedly opened the package. Inside was a slightly damaged white mask. As a die-hard fan of Homelander, he naturally recognized it: this was the mask Homelander had worn when he first appeared in the public eye.
Tears streamed down Max's cheeks, and soon he was sobbing. He hadn't expected that even while suffering in prison, Homelander would remember to send him such a great gift. This gift was too heavy.
It was so heavy that Max almost didn't dare to pick it up.
Meanwhile, Sean was out shopping with Millis, planning to visit Gwen in the evening to smooth things over. His days were packed, and he was incredibly happy.
After pumping up the other Superheroes, Sean intended to enjoy his retirement. At the very least, he didn't want to deal with anything before Thanos arrived.
Although this incident was indeed an accident, and Sean wanted to just walk away, he wasn't in such a hurry; playing the Superhero game for a little longer was fine too.
He also discovered that HYDRA had intervened in this matter; otherwise, that video might not have been released. Perhaps they had some conspiracy to rule the World again.
Since it had already happened, so be it; any conspiracy was none of his business.
The Superhero Homelander was dead. Next, it was time for the real Homelander!
---
At night, in her room, Gwen sat by the window, continuously sending messages to Sean. She hadn't expected that after that day, it might be their final farewell, and infinite regret surged in her heart.
She didn't believe Sean would do such a thing; there must have been some hidden reason. Otherwise, he wouldn't have remained completely silent without a single word of defense.
Touching the ring in her hand, she took one last look outside and sighed. She still couldn't see him, so she turned and went back to bed, leaving the window open.
"Hmm...!"
Just as she lay down on the bed, Gwen felt a familiar warmth. She quickly turned around, hardly daring to believe it.
"You... when did you get here?"
"Just when you were crying and wishing to see me." Sean wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and smiled. "I came as soon as I got the message this time. I didn't break my promise."
Gwen burst into laughter, then collapsed onto Sean, hugging him tightly.
"From now on, you can come whenever you want. The window will always be open."
"Hmm... just the window?"
"Hmph, you bad guy. Millis was right; you really are a playboy. Are all those terrible things your ex-girlfriends said about you true?"
At the mention of Millis, the light in Gwen's eyes dimmed significantly.
Over the past few days, Millis's bold declaration had caused quite a stir; she was the first well-known figure to publicly support Homelander.
But it didn't really seem like support. She hadn't helped at all; instead, she had revealed quite a bit of dirt on Homelander, leaving people unable to tell if she was a troll or just truly foolish.
Yet, her brave display made many people envious, Gwen included.
Even if she wanted to speak up for Sean, she didn't know under what capacity. Should she use that "ex-girlfriend" title, of which there were nearly a thousand?
Moreover, she was afraid that she really was just an ex-girlfriend.
"Ex-girlfriend? Did you secretly talk bad about me?"
Gwen's heart sank, and she quickly shouted, "We haven't broken up yet!"
"Then why didn't you speak up for me?" Sean's tone was resentful, as if he had been abandoned.
"Do you know? What hurt me the most these past few days wasn't the news reports kicking me while I was down, but the fact that I didn't see you."
"After seeing Millis's stance, I kept waiting for you. I waited for so long."
As soon as these words were spoken, the anger that had just flared up in Gwen instantly vanished, replaced by guilt—deep guilt.
"I... I sent you messages. Didn't you come after seeing them?"
"My phone had long been confiscated, and I spent a long time standing on the roof, feeling the wind."
Gwen's heart trembled, and she hurriedly leaned down, trying to warm his wounded heart with her body heat.
Sean pushed away her restless hands and said with disappointment, "Gwen, this incident hit me hard. I can no longer think as calmly as I used to, and I don't know if I can ever return to the way things were."
"I don't even know if you still love me."
Gwen, standing before him, was already streaming with tears, burying her head on Sean's shoulder and sobbing uncontrollably.
This was the question she had always wanted to ask, and fortunately, she now had her answer.
Chapter 168: Finding the Ancient One
The weather was clear and sunny.
Sean Brooke got off the plane with Hess and didn't head straight to Taro Village. Instead, they first stopped nearby for some snacks.
Seeing his cheerful expression, Hess felt happy too, though she couldn't quite tell if Sean Brooke was genuinely happy.
As the woman closest to Sean Brooke, she knew just how much he had done to maintain his Superheroimage.
But now, with that heroic image shattered, why was he still so happy?
Could it be an act, just to keep them from worrying?
Over the past few days, Hess had been thinking about this constantly. She'd even considered ways to clear his name, but seeing how genuinely happy he'd been lately—without a trace of disappointment—she'd held off.
Disappointed? Hah, if only Sean Brooke knew what Hess was thinking. If he did, he'd surely dote on her fiercely.
Free from the constraints of being a Superhero, Sean Brooke was happier than ever, especially since there were no real negative consequences.
For example, the Avengers still trusted him deeply, refusing to believe he'd harm the innocent, so they had no reason to take action against him.
Sean Brooke was glad they didn't act. That way, he wouldn't have to kill them, and they could continue protecting the Planet, allowing him to enjoy life comfortably.
His Affection Points targets were also unaffected. Although Millis had caused a minor issue, it wasn't a big deal.
Even Christine thought Millis was just like those "ex-girlfriends," spouting the bitter words of a loser. The winner, in her eyes, was still herself.
Through his recent efforts, Sean Brooke had motivated the Avengers, stabilized his Affection Pointstargets, and smoothly retired—a perfect outcome.
Given the chance, Sean Brooke would love to thank HYDRA for their help. Without them, things wouldn't have gone so smoothly.
After eating and drinking their fill, Sean Brooke took Hess into Taro Village.
The villagers at the entrance bowed excitedly to the two of them. Dice quickly approached, her expression still grim.
Ultimately, this was her fault. If she hadn't taken the Tarot People to New York, none of this would have happened. She should have killed them all long ago.
"Sean Brooke, sister."
Hess glanced at Sean Brooke's expression, then said to Dice, "Don't be so formal. From now on, you should call him 'brother-in-law.'"
"Mm… brother-in-law!"
Dice still felt uneasy until Sean Brooke opened his left arm, pulled her in, and placed his hand over her heart. Only then did she relax a little.
"Is everything cleaned up?" Sean Brooke asked.
"Yes! Everything's cleaned up, but I kept a group of good-looking women. Do you want to see them? If not, I'll dispose of them along with the others." Dice replied obediently.
Truthfully, she had initially considered using the people here as slaves. After all, if Sean Brooke wanted to build something, these Tarot People could be put to use.
But fearing potential issues, she decided against it. Slaves, she thought, were better off being black.
So, she selected about ten attractive women to keep and slaughtered all the others, tossing their bodies out to avoid tainting the land.
"No need to see them. We'll use them as consumables tonight." Sean Brooke turned his head and kissed her. "You did well."
Dice bit her lip to hold back tears of gratitude. There would be plenty of time later to express her remorse, plenty of time to cry~
That night, in a small house in Taro Village, screams echoed continuously.
When the last Tarot People corpse was thrown out by Isa, it marked their official extinction. Dice quickly leaned down to clean the blood off Sean Brooke.
Sean Brooke had initially considered just washing it off, but seeing Dice's cheerful smile as she said, "We're Vampires—a little blood scent makes it better," he didn't stop her and let her continue.
"Darling, what do you want to build here?" Hess lay beside him, asking with a blissful expression.
Sean Brooke grew enthusiastic, wrapping his arm around her and sharing some of his ideas.
"Mm… these shabby little huts definitely need to be torn down and rebuilt like a resort. Things like hot springs, swimming pools, playgrounds—all kinds of recreational facilities should be built."
"Then we'll domesticate the animals here and see which ones taste good. We can raise more of those."
"Oh, and the center of the resort must have a palace. Otherwise, there won't be enough room!"
Sean Brooke spoke casually, as many details were unclear to him. But he trusted that Hess would surely turn this place into something he'd be satisfied with.
"If we want a palace, we should hire Eastern designers. But…" Hess calculated for a moment. "With our current manpower, it might take a long time. It's hard to capture slaves in this country."
"Don't worry about that. I plan to move this place to New York. I'll feel more at ease causing trouble over there."
There were still several Affection Points targets in New York, after all. Flying back and forth between two countries would be exhausting. It'd be much more convenient to move this place there.
Hess was puzzled. Taro Village wasn't exactly small, and it was an entire piece of land. How could they move it to New York?
"Won't that be too troublesome? How about bringing the Vampires here and having them work at night?"
Sean Brooke chuckled. "It's not troublesome. I won't be doing the work myself. Tomorrow, you all clean this place up—no bloodstains left. I'll head back for a bit."
"Okay!"
Though Hess didn't fully understand, she knew Sean Brooke could handle it. All she needed to do was ensure everything else was perfect.
The next day, Dice sent people out to find designers and clean up the surrounding corpses. Then, with Feifei and Isa, she meticulously scrubbed every inch of the land, ensuring not a single drop of blood remained.
If Sean Brooke said no bloodstains, then not a trace could be left.
Meanwhile, Sean Brooke didn't take long to return to New York. He arrived at 177 Bleecker Street and politely knocked on the door.
Knock! Knock!
"Is anyone home?"
After just two knocks, Sean Brooke sensed a spatial force trying to teleport him. Without resisting, he blinked and found himself inside the house.
The interior had a retro architectural style, dim lighting, and a bald figure dressed in yellow monk robes.
"What are you doing here?"
The Ancient One wore an expression of disdain as she waved her hand, lighting up the surrounding lamps.
Ever since she last glimpsed Sean Brooke's timeline, she'd felt uneasy. Just when she was about to forget, seeing him brought it all back.
She'd heard about recent events, but they had nothing to do with her. As long as Earth and Kamar-Tajwere safe, the outside world's troubles were none of her concern.
"Not even offering a chair? Fine, I'm magnanimous—I won't make a fuss. I'm here to ask for your help." Sean Brooke said.
From the moment he entered, the Ancient One's brow had remained furrowed.
"Is this how you ask for help? And why should I help you?"
Sean Brooke glanced around the room and smiled. "Fine, don't help. I'll move that fragment space myself. If anything goes wrong, I won't be responsible."
"Wait!" The Ancient One asked suspiciously, "Are you saying you found a fragment space on Earth?"
"Yeah, what about it?"
"What's inside it, and how big is it?" The Ancient One's tone grew stern, though it wasn't directed at Sean Brooke but at the space itself.
A fragment space attached to Earth was no small matter. Regardless of what was inside, if the space destabilized, Earth would suffer.
"Nothing much. A big white snake and a soul-eating bat—I killed them both." Sean Brooke replied casually.
"Take me to see it."
"Agree first."
The Ancient One sighed. "Fine, I'll help you move it."
Chapter 169: Hello, I am Homelander, send money!
At the entrance of Taro Village, inside the bamboo forest.
A golden spark circle appeared abruptly in mid-air. The lackey guarding the cave entrance raised his gun with a vigilant expression and sent someone to notify the boss.
Sean and Ancient One appeared from the circle together. Upon seeing him, the lackey at the door relaxed, greeted him loudly, and offered his loyalty.
Sean looked at this portal, feeling a trace of yearning in his heart.
"Ancient One, can I learn this?"
If he could learn this portal, it would be so much more convenient to do bad things in the future.
Ancient One didn't look at him, casually tossing a Sling Ring to Sean. Her gaze was entirely on the stone cave in front of her, her expression somewhat heavy.
She could see that this space was still relatively stable, but its Master seemed to have left or died, causing this space to be somewhat turbulent. There might be nothing wrong now, but over time, the clues would become apparent.
"It's fortunate you found me; otherwise, something might really have gone wrong. Let's go in."
After speaking, Ancient One turned her head to look at Sean, discovering that he was earnestly drawing circles...
She sighed silently, "You won't be able to learn it. The essence of magic is borrowing power from great existences, and they might not want to lend it to you."
Ancient One wasn't belittling him with these words, but because of Sean's strength and the peculiar characteristics of his soul, it was estimated that the Vishanti really wouldn't lend to him, though Dormammu would likely be very interested in him.
Sean's face showed some astonishment. Which bastard dares not to lend to me? I'll remember this debt. Don't let me know who you are, otherwise, hmph, I'll make sure Thanos takes you along when he snaps his fingers!
After entering the village, Ancient One flew straight toward the distant mountain peak, the place where the Soul Eater had been sealed before. The residual aura made her very concerned.
Sean couldn't be bothered to follow; he looked around, searching for their figures.
On the lawn, the Hess sisters were playing with the Nine-Tailed Fox. Even she loved such fluffy, cute animals.
"Sister, this is the fox I showed you last time. How is it? Isn't it very white and beautiful!"
"It's really beautiful, and it feels even softer than in the pictures. Look at this biggest one, it actually has nine tails!"
"Mm-hmm! Look at this little one in my arms; although it only has three tails, it's tiny and very cute."
The big fox lay to the side, not daring to move, sensing danger from the two women. But the little foxes didn't understand this; they jumped around on the two women, bouncing up when they stepped on soft places, playing happily.
Seeing this scene, Sean also felt his heart ripple, exclaiming that these little foxes were so white and soft!
Hess saw Sean in the sky and immediately waved at him, "Come quickly!"
Sean naturally wouldn't be polite; he lay down between the two, enjoying the soft lawn.
"Dear, look at these foxes, they're so cute~" Hess lay on top of him, acting coquettishly.
These words made Sean's heart melt. Scenes of Hess acting coquettishly were rare, even rarer than Millis in a group setting.
"Since you like them, we'll raise more and let these little things spread throughout the village," Sean said generously.
Hess leaned her face forward and rubbed against his neck, "You're so good~"
Then, she moved to his ear and whispered seductively: "At night, let me let you try a Vampire with long white tails, how about it?"
Sean's eyes lit up, and he turned over. He had no other intentions, he just purely wanted to see a Vampirewith long white tails.
"Why wait until tonight? Do it now!"
Dice leaned her face over and smiled: "I had those two go out to buy some; they won't be back until tonight. For now, Brother-in-law, why don't you make do and try one without tails?"
Sean reached out and pulled her down too, "How can you call it making do? A Vampire without tails is also very beautiful."
A long time ago, after spending some time with Hess, Sean knew that since they didn't eat human food, they didn't need human bathrooms. Aren't they just like little fairies? Plus, they had cute little fangs and red eyes; they were extremely beautiful.
"Ahem!"
Just as the three people on the lawn were making rapid progress, a few coughs came from the side.
The two women were somewhat startled, pulled the clothes nearby to cover themselves, and looked at the bald person not far away with unfriendly expressions.
Sean didn't look up, and his hands didn't stop moving, saying happily:
"Sorcerer Ancient One, have you looked around? How is it? Can it be moved?"
Ancient One's expression was indifferent; matters between men and women could no longer make her feel embarrassed. Moreover, she had seen more people with him before; what were just two people compared to that?
"Actually, stripping this space away from Earth is the best choice, but you definitely wouldn't agree."
"Where do you want to move it to?" Ancient One asked.
Sean said without hesitation: "New York, how about moving into the house next to yours? We could even be neighbors."
Ancient One shook her head: "No, this space requires a certain area to be transferred; there isn't enough space in downtown New York City."
Hess also understood the conversation between the two, "Then let's move it to a nearby small island. I'll look into it later and see which islands are for sale."
Sean nodded, "Let's do that."
"Very well, come find me when you are ready." After saying this, Ancient One opened a portal and left.
Seeing magic for the first time, there was obvious curiosity in the eyes of the two women. They didn't expect that Earth actually had so many magical people; how had they never discovered them before?
Since following Sean, people who only appeared in various stories kept popping out one after another; it truly opened their eyes.
The three played on the lawn for a long time. When the other three returned, Hess and the others were finally able to rest, freeing up their mouths to chat with Sean about the island matter.
Since they were moving to a small island, the island would need to be planned, otherwise it wouldn't look good.
However, Hess and Sif roughly calculated the funds they had on hand, and it might be a bit of a stretch.
Upon hearing this, Sean patted his chest and declared: "Don't worry, I'll solve the money issue!"
That night, while they were preparing the tails, Sean took the time to send a text message.
At the same time, inside Stark's laboratory, he was researching the Dark Elves' spaceship; there was indeed a lot of things worth learning inside.
"Sir, a text message has been sent to your private number," Jarvis reminded.
Tony didn't look up, "Read it."
Jarvis paused in a human-like manner before speaking:
"Hello, I am Homelander. The video on the internet is forged, and it contains a shocking conspiracy that threatens the World! Now I need your assistance to save this World with me. As long as you transfer 5 billion to the XX account, I will tell you the truth about this matter."
"..."
Upon hearing the first half, Tony was still very nervous because he actually believed it!
"Can you find out who the sender is?"
"Sorry, the address cannot be traced."
"What about this account?"
"It is Ms. Hess's private account; there is nothing unusual."
Tony was stunned for a long time before realizing that if it were Sean, then nothing would be strange.
"Transfer it. By the way, are there any recent developments with Hess's company?"
Since this money was for her, it must be to help Sean do something.
"Recently, the company under Ms. Hess's name has been gathering funds and purchasing a lot of building materials."
Building materials? Is Sean thinking of retiring to build a house? No, what kind of house costs more than 5 billion?
"Track the movement of this money; notify me if there is any news."
"Very well, sir."
Chapter 170: Hess's Scheme
Sean had no intention of hiding the matter of buying the island. After all, it would be his private territory from now on. Anyone who dared to sneak a peek would be dealt with directly—and even legally.
Hess and the others had been busy lately. Buying an island wasn't easy, especially those islands near New York.
Fortunately, she borrowed the Stark name a bit and used her
As for Taro Village, now renamed Sean's Garden, it was naturally placed at the island's center. Along with the two large stone lions, it stood on the open ground.
Although it looked somewhat abrupt now, once more buildings surrounded it, there wouldn't be any issue.
And as for inside the Garden, the only option was to capture some dark-skinned folks and have them labor tirelessly day and night. The top performers might even get the privilege of being buried in this auspicious spot, benefiting future generations... Oh, they probably don't have any.
The island matter didn't attract outside attention. It was just building a new resort. How could it compare to the hot news about Superheroes? It's not like they were building a nuclear bomb.
During this time, the Avengers had been swamped to the point of being overwhelmed.
Ever since the Homelander incident exploded, the crime rate had skyrocketed by over two hundred percent. The New York Police Department's holding cells were full that very night, let alone the surrounding prisons.
There was even a group of fanatical fans who, wanting to be imprisoned in the same facility as Homelander, took to the streets collectively, committing arson, murder, robbery, and looting—doing every evil deed imaginable.
Part of the chaos in New York was also Isa's doing. The advantage of previously unifying Hells Kitchenwas now showing.
If this city had no Homelander, they certainly wouldn't hold back. They had to make these fickle citizens understand that without Homelander, even survival was a luxury.
If it were just criminals, it wouldn't be such a headache. The key was that every time they finished rescuing people, a large group of journalists would pop up, asking for their views on the Homelanderincident.
Regarding this matter, the Avengers had discussed it: don't say anything to the outside World. They would investigate secretly. Whatever the outcome, they should try their best not to let the impact of this incident continue to expand.
But Max didn't know what was wrong with him. He couldn't suppress the anger in his heart and several times felt like going on a rampage, killing these ungrateful citizens.
Fortunately, whenever he had such thoughts, he just needed to see Sean's mask, and he would calm down, restraining his urge to kill.
But these journalists were truly going too far, constantly badmouthing Homelander. Max couldn't hold back and revealed a few things.
For example, they were searching for over a hundred missing people and a female super-powered individual. Finding them would prove Sean's innocence.
Once this news broke, it didn't ignite public hope because HYDRA entered the fray again.
They claimed these so-called heroes were all birds of a feather, especially those who suddenly gained superpowers and couldn't control themselves. Homelander was a prime example.
Citizens unaware of the truth saw nothing but negative news about Homelander daily. Online, for every video defending Homelander, ten videos appeared proving his guilt.
Coupled with some bloggers who would do anything for clout, people couldn't see any hope for Homelander's redemption.
However, Max's words did put some people on alert, such as Hess.
Judging from Sean's recent behavior, she roughly guessed that Sean wanted to quietly retire from the Superhero lineup but didn't want the World to be in danger, which was why he had her withdraw the people from Hells Kitchen.
Confirming this information naturally made Hess very happy. It meant Sean would have more time to spend with them in the future, though right now, he was with that Doctor.
But she thought of one crucial point.
What if this group of Superheroes found the large number of Vampires remaining in New York, captured the two Elders, and learned the truth? Could Sean still retire peacefully then?
Definitely not. If they found out that the Vampires, under Sean's protection, had already killed several thousand people, they'd probably come looking for death.
By then, if all the Superheroes died and something else happened in the outside World, Sean would be busy again, and his plans would be completely ruined. That wouldn't do.
That night, Hess pulled Dice and Sif onto a bed. After thinking for a long time, she asked:
"Do you think restoring the Vampires' past glory is important?"
Hearing this, the other two realized something major had happened.
They didn't rush to answer. Since Hess asked this question, they had to answer seriously.
After a long while, Sif tightly hugged Hess's arm and said earnestly:
"If it weren't for you, Mother, I would have died long ago. I don't understand Vampire matters. I only know that your decisions are my needs!"
Dice also hugged the other side, smiling as she said, "Sister, have you forgotten? It was you who instilled this belief in me when we were young."
"Restoring the Vampires' past glory, for me, is about restoring *your* glory. It has nothing to do with the Vampire race."
Hess smiled faintly, pulling them both into her embrace, remembering many things.
She had experienced the Vampires' most glorious days, back when her parents were still alive, before Dice was born.
Back then, as a noble Vampire, the humans outside were merely food, with no other use.
Dead, they wasted land; alive, they wasted air. Yet their numbers were enormous, and they invented many weapons. Even though Vampires were powerful, they couldn't step into the open to confront humanity.
They could only operate in the shadows, controlling this country, quietly building Blood Pools one after another. No one dared to resist them because many, still human, willingly became their slaves for the sake of immortality.
And so, she spent a long, beautiful period.
But as time passed, humanity gradually figured out the Vampires' weaknesses, and more humans began wanting to hunt Vampires.
Hess remembered clearly the year the Vampires' living space sharply declined. Many Blood Pools were destroyed by hunters, and the past glory was nearly extinguished.
That night, her parents said they were going to summon the Vampire race's most powerful Progenitor to reclaim dominion over this World.
They also told Hess to take care of her younger sister. If they failed, she must find an opportunity to restore the Vampires' past glory.
The subsequent outcome goes without saying. They failed. After the Progenitor died, almost all the Vampires perished. Only their group, who had stayed in Ushuaia in advance, survived.
Afterwards, together with her sister, having absorbed a small portion of the Blood Pool's energy, she had been searching for opportunities outside to fulfill her parents' last wish.
Up to now, Hess had done very well. The Vampire race also showed signs of revival, like a light slowly growing brighter.
But now, she too had to personally snuff out this light.
All for the sake of allowing the light in her heart to grow strong and healthy.
Chapter 171: Hess Confronts the Avengers
Late at night, Hess headed to the Boston coast alone, carrying a small bag, and arrived at the Vampirebase without incident.
Upon entering, she saw the place packed full of Vampires and the Ha Gui Tribe.
Of course, right now, this crowd wasn't the Ha Gui Tribe; they were food.
This temporary shelter could only accommodate one thousand people, and it was originally built to a standard of five hundred, because the Vampire Elder had never imagined that there would come a day when the number of their kind would exceed one thousand.
Seeing Hess enter, all the Vampires knelt down, or knelt on one knee to show their reverence.
She was the greatest contributor who had led the Vampires to this point once again.
The two Elders also hurried over.
That day, Hess had sent word in advance that something had happened at the Blood Pool, and that she had already sent Sean to rush over, telling them to go and clear the battlefield as well.
They hadn't expected to be exposed anyway.
However, fortunately, it was only Sean who was exposed, and not the Blood Pool; for them, that was already a great stroke of luck.
"Hess, how are things outside? Was Homelander captured, or did he escape?" the Right Elder asked hurriedly.
To avoid being discovered, they hadn't even set up a network here; let alone mobile phones, they used only candles for lighting.
Hess remained expressionless, the last shred of reluctance in her heart vanishing completely.
They truly only viewed Sean as a pawn; if he were gone, they would probably just have her find another protector.
"Rest assured, Sean pretended to be locked up, but he is doing fine outside. He even bought an island to make it easier for us to hide," Hess said with a smile.
She didn't know how much the Elders knew, so she could only tell the truth.
"That's good, that's good." The two Elders exchanged a glance, feeling much more at ease.
Although they feared Sean, they were very satisfied with this protector; naturally, it was best if no trouble occurred.
They truly didn't know the specific information from the outside World, but it was still possible to send a trusted Vampire out for a short while at night.
They also knew about Hess buying the island, after all, it had used Vampire money, but they had developed different thoughts regarding Sean.
"Hess, Homelander is currently unable to protect himself. If we continue to follow him, won't there be trouble?" the Left Elder said worriedly.
This time, the Right Elder did not interrupt him.
Although they absolutely believed in Homelander's strength, if he were besieged, the Vampire race would either become cannon fodder or fall back into darkness once again.
Hess walked slowly to the center and said with a smile, "I have considered this matter too, so I specifically came over this time to select a group of people to go over. Otherwise, Homelander will doubt our loyalty."
The two Elders nodded, feeling it made sense; Homelander hadn't completely fallen yet, and now wasn't the time to burn bridges.
They also looked at Hess with gratification; she was indeed thoughtful, worthy of being a Pureblood.
"Elder, is this all the people we have?" Hess asked, looking around in a relaxed manner.
The Left Elder suspected nothing, "This is where the most are. The other two strongholds are small and generally won't be discovered. There are too many people here, so it's good to move a batch out."
"Are they still at the strongholds in New Mexico and Washington?"
"Yes. Sigh, what are you all doing? Are the Superheroes searching the whole World?" the Left Elderasked with some concern.
The Right Elder also pondered for a moment, "Should we have them change locations, or simply abandon them? You decide, Hess."
If this stronghold were discovered, they would definitely suspect other Vampires or the Ha Gui Tribe.
If there were only the three of them in this stronghold, the two Elders would definitely suspect each other.
If there were only he and Hess in this stronghold, then the Elder would definitely suspect if he had left some clue and been discovered, and might even fall into guilt.
In short, the two Elders trusted Hess implicitly, or rather, no Vampire would ever suspect a Pureblood.
Hess smiled, opened the bag she was carrying, and said, "Is that so? That's good. Since you are letting me decide, then I will say it."
The two Elders both nodded; although her tone was a bit strange, perhaps she was just in a bad mood recently.
This time, they hadn't guessed wrong; Hess was indeed in a bad mood.
"Hmm... let me think. How about you all just die? Otherwise, if it's discovered outside that Sean has a connection with the Vampires, he will have some trouble, which wouldn't be good."
Before the two Elders could react, the Hess in front of them was enveloped in a red battle suit, and immediately after, an extremely blinding light erupted from the bag she was carrying.
"You! Aaaah!"
Wherever the light covered, screams were constant, and all the Vampires turned into ashes; even the two Elders were severely burned by the light.
Seeing this, Hess was glad that she had put on the Nano Suit that Sean had given her; otherwise, it wouldn't be good if her skin got hurt.
The two Elders were stunned for a full half minute, unable to react, and no matter how they thought about it, they couldn't figure out why Hess would do this.
The light ended, and except for the two Elders and a few dozen Ha Gui Tribe members, all the Vampires were dead.
Yet at this moment, Hess said, "Sif, Dice, the strongholds outside are still those two; go and take care of them. Also, return to Ushuaia to check as well; don't let any fish slip through the net."
Hearing this, the two Elders transformed directly, taking on their monster forms.
If it were just killing the Vampires here, they could still find a tiny reason, but for her to want to clear out the other strongholds as well, the Elders were completely unable to understand.
That they hadn't died was also within Hess's expectations; the Blood Pool was managed by the Elders, so how could they not have snuck some for themselves?
The Elder could not hide the rage in his heart and roared loudly, "Hess! Why on earth..."
Hess ignored him, and the moment he said the first word, she threw a grenade over.
And after the Elder transformed, his intelligence might have dropped quite a bit; he actually dared to try to catch the Black Hole Grenade with his hand. Oh, perhaps he didn't know what it was.
Within three seconds, the two Elders disappeared before her, leaving only a few dozen Ha Gui Tribemembers there, either cowering in corners or trying to flee.
Looking at this group of people, Hess sighed.
"Tsk, I should have brought a gun. Sigh, whatever, I'll just beat them to death slowly."
She still had Black Hole Grenades, but the crowd was a bit scattered; she needed to gather the people together to properly eliminate the evidence.
She didn't know if the Superheroes had discovered her trail, nor did she know if they had arrived a bit too late.
Behind the battle suit, the corners of Hess's mouth remained curled in a smile. She wasn't worried about being discovered because this was also part of the plan.
Outside the Boston beach, there were quite a lot of people.
This wasn't some bustling coastline, but a cliffside; having so many people here was certainly not normal.
The Avengers gathered at the coast. Having received Tony's message, they had all rushed over at top speed, and even Thor, who was preparing to leave, had turned his hammer around and come here.
Fury looked at the cliff with a solemn expression, and after waiting for a while, he looked up at Tony.
"What's the situation inside?"
Tony's expression wasn't good, "I think there should have been... two living people inside... now there is only one left."
"Then, blow it open!"
"I'll do it!" Max was burning with impatience and immediately used all his electricity to blast the cliff.
Stones fell away, revealing the steel wall inside.
Hearing the commotion, Hess turned her head, "Oh, you really came. Then I must hurry."
As she said this, she immediately jumped to the upper exit and threw the last three Black Hole Grenades down below, cleaning up everything here completely, not leaving even a single strand of hair behind.
Looking at the Avengers in front of her, Hess wasn't worried in the slightest; instead, she retracted the faceplate of her battle suit and said with a smile, "Yo, so many people~"
Chapter 172: Does anyone want to leave before I start?
The Avengers finding this place was entirely accidental.
Because reporters had been harassing their family members frequently lately, to prevent any incidents, Tony had the Iron Armor keep a slight eye on their movements.
That very night, they happened to discover that Hess was secretly rushing to Boston alone, and at a very high speed.
Tony sent the location to the other Avengers, just intending for one or two people to go with him to check it out. He didn't expect even Fury to show up.
At that moment, Tony still hadn't grasped the severity of the situation. It wasn't until he saw, from a distance, a massive heat signature emanating from the cliff. The imagery showed many people inside.
And these thermal signatures rapidly disappeared after Hess entered. Soon, the entire cliff face collapsed, a large amount of rock along with some sheet metal walls falling into the sea, sending up waves.
The ground beneath the feet of Fury and his group of seven rapidly gave way, forcing them to quickly retreat.
Tony and Max, hovering in the air, saw Hess, clad in a crimson suit of Armor, leap out from the rubble and land in front of Fury and the others.
After seeing clearly who it was, everyone's eyes involuntarily glanced elsewhere, wanting to know if Sean had followed.
"Ms. Hess, may I ask why you are here?" Fury questioned with an unfriendly tone.
Hess casually smoothed her disheveled hair and smiled indifferently. "Just passing through. What about it?"
"Passing through from New York to Boston?" The two from the sky landed opposite her, not worried about her escaping.
A joke. If she could still escape from here, the Avengers might as well disband.
Fury glanced sideways behind her and took out his walkie-talkie. "Send the search team over!"
"No need." Tony also retracted his faceplate, his expression extremely grim. "That collapse was triggered by a Black Hole Grenade. Whatever was in there before, it's gone now."
"Along with over a thousand lives inside, all gone!" Tony's emotions were on the verge of breaking. That was over a thousand lives!
He suspected Hess had used a Black Hole Grenade to kill everyone inside, which was why the thermal signatures vanished so quickly.
A large cavity was hollowed out inside the cliff, capable of holding at least a hundred people. Anyone could see this was a secret Base.
It was the same method again. This time, it was Hess who wiped out over a hundred people from the factory, erasing the last clues from that night. And she used a Black Hole Grenade, something only Sean possessed. How could that not lead to wild speculation?
What secret did the two of them have that required such extreme measures?
But regardless of the reason, Tony, Steve, and Fury could not forgive it. Because the Death toll had already breached their psychological defense line, absolutely unacceptable.
If a truth required a thousand lives to conceal, just how dark must that truth be?
Fury took a few steps forward, controlling his temper as he said gravely, "Please come with us!"
Hess chuckled, letting the suit cover her face again. "It's very late now. How about tomorrow? I'll bring Sean along."
Fury didn't speak, just glanced behind him. Natasha understood, covered herself in her own suit of Armor, and wordlessly charged at Hess.
Just an ordinary person who had obtained a Nano Suit. There was no need for the others to intervene.
Not willing to be outdone, Hess charged forward, and the two women instantly clashed.
After a few simple exchanges, Natasha realized she couldn't quickly subdue Hess. Her combat skills were also formidable.
Hess was also holding back her strength as much as possible, afraid she might accidentally send Natasha flying, which would be hard to explain.
Enhanced many times over, she could handle not just one Natasha, but even Thor without his hammer wouldn't be Hess's match.
According to Hess's original plan, it would have been best if these Superheroes didn't appear. Silently clearing out all the Vampires, acting as if nothing happened, so Sean could continue living the life he wanted.
Of course, Hess had considered the current situation. Every time she went out, she could sense Iron Armor flying overhead from time to time, so she naturally understood a thing or two.
Once she made any overly abnormal moves, she would definitely alert them. Being tailed was normal.
So, fighting Natasha a little longer, pretending to be outmatched, and letting them take her back to S.H.I.E.L.D. would suffice. Then, she could execute the backup plan.
At least up to this point, everything was within Hess's expectations. If nothing went wrong, she could definitely completely separate Sean from the Vampire side and even enhance his image a bit. Perfect.
But perfect plans always come with unexpected twists.
"Well, well, quite a crowd." Sean's cool voice came from above.
Hearing his voice, Hess and Natasha also stopped. Both felt uneasy.
For Natasha, it was because she understood Sean. He definitely wouldn't let them take Hess away.
For Hess, it was because the plan had encountered an unexpected twist and might develop in an uncontrollable direction.
She had clearly told Sean that she, along with Dice and Sif, were going to deal with the black slave matter and would be away for a few days. She didn't expect it still aroused his suspicion.
Seeing his arrival, the others also looked grim, sensing that something was definitely going to go wrong tonight.
Except for Thor, who knew nothing.
Sean slowly descended beside the two women and gave each a light tap on their soft backsides.
"I'll deal with you two later. Go stand over there!"
"Sean, I..." Hess still wanted to explain but was silenced by Sean's glare.
He turned to face the eight people opposite and asked with a smile, "What are you all doing here?"
Seeing Sean's smiling face, everyone understood his mood was very bad.
Fury took several more large steps forward and said earnestly, "Sean, I don't know what exactly you're hiding. There are some things we can turn a blind eye to, but there are others we absolutely cannot touch!"
"You could explain the dozen or so people you killed by saying they weren't Earthlings. This time, the over a thousand people Hess killed, how do you explain that!"
Fury shouted this sentence, showing he was truly provoked.
Even with Sean's killing spree that time, he felt a chill because the method was too cruel. Even if they were aliens, it was horrifying.
Both women also deactivated their suits. Natasha quickly approached and whispered to the two:
"Sean, don't be impulsive. Let her come back with us first. I believe Hess wouldn't slaughter over a thousand people without reason. I promise, once we're there, she won't be in any danger."
Natasha genuinely didn't want a conflict between Sean and Fury because she knew, no matter which side won, the outcome wouldn't be good.
Hess felt anxious inside but couldn't show it on her face.
She wanted to be taken away, but she couldn't just offer herself up. That would make the story less believable.
Sean scratched his head, yawned, and said, "About this matter, I don't want to explain much. I only have one question for you."
"Does anyone want to leave before I start?"
Chapter 173: Civil War of the Homelander!
The sound of waves crashing against the cliff drifted over. The scene was terrifyingly quiet. The trembling of their pupils could no longer express how shocked they were; they never imagined that things would reach this point.
Except for Thor, whose face showed nothing but blankness and confusion, merely sensing that the atmosphere had become a bit tense.
He quietly walked over to Hill and asked in a low voice, "What on Earth happened?"
"Shut up! Thor!"
Thor held his hammer with an embarrassed look and took a few steps back.
Damn it, I shouldn't have gotten involved in the grudges between you humans.
Natasha looked at Sean in disbelief, her body trembling with tension. She immediately covered herself with her Nano Suit, preparing to walk over to the Avengers' side.
But at this moment, Hess grabbed her tightly and shook her head gently, telling Natasha not to go over; this was her final act of kindness.
Just as everyone was still shocked by Sean's words, Max walked over to Sean's side as if no one else was there.
He stopped when he was two meters away from him, turned around to face Fury and his group, his hands wrapped in electricity—his attitude went without saying.
Regarding Max's performance, although everyone was a bit surprised, it was within their expectations.
Steve took a few breaths, raised his shield, his eyes filled with determination, "Thank you for the gift. Just as you said, I am doing what I believe is right!"
Sean smiled faintly in response; Steve was just a small matter.
Tony pondered for a long time, shed his gold-red Nano Suit, and changed into a black and gold Nano Suit. In the sky, an invisible steel spaceship appeared, with several gun barrels aimed at Sean.
"Sean, although it's terrible to use the gift you gave me to deal with you, thousands of lives are at stake, and we need an explanation!"
Banner's eyes darted between the two factions, stuttering, not knowing what to say.
"I... I, I like your gift too, but... but!"
"Hulk!"
Hulk directly took over Banner's body and appeared in everyone's field of vision.
Without the slightest hesitation, Hulk strode forward with an arrogant gait, and halfway there, he even turned around and spat at Fury.
Not far away, Thor, leaning against a tree, wore an expression of disbelief. He held his hammer and asked with a shrug:
"Wait! Am I the only one here who didn't get a gift?"
"I didn't either." Barton, holding his bow, turned his head and said quickly.
Thor also turned his head to look at him, "Who are you?"
Ignoring the clownish Thor, Fury looked at Max and Banner on the opposite side and made a calculation in his heart.
The advantage is with me!
"Sean, you don't really think you're invincible, do you?"
"Fury, you don't really think you know everything, do you?"
Sean slowly flew into mid-air. Soon, behind Fury, a woman in a red and blue uniform with blonde hair also slowly flew out.
Everyone looked up, but none of them recognized who this person was.
But the two Agents, Natasha and Barton, knew that Fury had always claimed he could deal with any threat, even Sean. They just hadn't expected that he meant someone else.
"Fury, is this the 'Superman' you were talking about?" Carol said nonchalantly.
She really didn't see any danger from this young man; could it be that Fury missed her and found an excuse to call her back?
The corners of Sean's mouth curled into a smile, his heart beginning to stir, "Miss Carol, you look much better in person."
Carol narrowed her eyes, "You, know me?"
Fury's eyelids also twitched. When Carol left Earth, Sean hadn't even been born yet; it was impossible for them to know each other.
Sean smiled and looked around, saying, "How about we go outside to talk?"
"That suits me perfectly."
After speaking, Carol flew into the sky first. Sean patted Hess, telling her to go back first, and then followed closely behind.
"Who is he?" Tony asked nervously.
Fury looked up at the sky and did not answer.
This attitude of concealment made Tony very angry. Was he not an Avenger? Why was he oblivious to everything?
"OK, fine, I get it. This is a grudge between you powerful people, and I'm just an ordinary person playing with prosthetic limbs, I don't deserve to know!"
Tony put away his steel spaceship and flew toward New York. He could not tolerate one lie after another from the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.; he had had enough!
Tony Stark would use his own methods to protect this World, ensuring no super-powered individuals could act recklessly, and absolutely no aliens would enter or leave Earth without permission!
Underneath the suit, there was a glimmer of red light in Tony's eyes.
"Tony!" Steve shouted, but it was clearly not enough to make the angry Tony turn back.
Not far away, Thor also put away his playful attitude. Another person stronger than him had appeared on Earth, and he was suddenly filled with jealousy.
"It seems there's nothing left to do. I'd better go find Jane and apologize."
After speaking, he swung his hammer and flew away. He hadn't said goodbye when he left this time, so Jane was probably going to be angry again.
However, halfway through his flight, he became even angrier.
Damn it, what is this Steve's problem? Tony flew away, and he shouted after him, but when Thor flew away, he didn't care at all!
Seeing this situation, Hess understood that no matter what she said today, it wouldn't be explained clearly. She could only act it out to the end and not reveal any flaws.
"I'll be leaving now, Director Fury." Hess said goodbye very politely, just as polite as Sean.
She activated her suit's propulsion system and flew back home. She also needed to reformulate her plan to see if there could be any turning point.
Watching Hess fly away, Barton also lowered the arrow in his hand, wanting only to curse in his heart.
So now everyone has a Vibranium suit, right! Isn't this bullying an honest man!
Even that thick-eyebrowed, big-eyed Captain guy secretly got himself a suit at some point. He was definitely going to write an application when he got back!
Max felt it was a pity to see Stark leave. Originally, the person he most wanted to fight was Tony, because Iron Man was the second most famous hero.
Since the second one had left, he would just have to settle for the third.
A powerful current of electricity struck toward Steve; Max did not hold back at all with this move.
Seeing him suddenly attack, Natasha, who was nearby, also seized the opportunity to strike, but was knocked back by Max using lightning.
Barton also raised his bow and arrow again, and the four of them instantly engaged in battle.
Hulk and Fury found a quiet place and looked up at the sky together, not knowing what they were thinking about.
Outside Earth, Sean soon discovered Carol and quickly followed.
They flew for a long time until they arrived at a barren Planet. Although they hadn't left the Solar System, Earth was no longer visible.
Carol stopped, looked back at Sean, and smiled, "You have decent strength, actually being able to follow me here."
"Although I don't know what exactly you are doing to harm Earth, I trust Fury's judgment."
"Surrender, and I won't kill you."
A black Nano Suit appeared on Sean's body, not for defense, but for looking cool.
"I say the same to you. I generally don't kill beautiful and obedient women."
"Thanks for the compliment. You are also the most handsome person I have ever seen."
The two smiled at each other, and in the next instant, they both threw a punch!
A powerful Impact erupted between the two fists, instantly turning this small Planet into powder, drifting into the depths of the Universe.