Chapter 1926 - Ch: 210-220

Chapter 210: Ant-Man

In the President's office, Sean listened to Hill's account of the events, his brows furrowed.

These Pym Particles were indeed troublesome. For instance, last time, Sean hadn't even taken Ultronseriously, planning to let Tony and the others handle it themselves.

As it turned out, Ultron pulled out Pym Particles and a Black Hole Grenade, and he almost actually succeeded, which surprised Sean a little.

Indeed, only a little, after all, the Ancient One wasn't dead yet.

Without the Mind Stone and Vision's body, Ultron was, hmph, nothing.

However, this still led to the Death of Tony, a key combatant, which made Sean very unhappy. Who else could help him make toys in the future?

Consequently, his impression of Dr. Pym was also very poor. He spent his whole life being guarded, but he only guarded against good people, while failing to stop a single bad one.

It was like a security door that only keeps out honest people, not thieves.

Fortunately, his daughter Hope was very sensible and never made mistakes on major issues. For example, right now, she was gradually washing away the dissatisfaction in Sean's heart, except... she was shouting a bit loudly.

Hill had to stuff her own stockings into her mouth before she could continue reporting to Sean.

"So, you're saying that guy only developed the Pym Particles and hasn't had time to make a suit yet, right?"

Sean was asking Hill, but Hope, who was sitting on his lap, struggled to turn around and nodded with a groan.

At least, before she came, Darren had only successfully shrunk an experimental sheep.

"Then it's simple."

A faint smile played at the corners of Sean's mouth. Hill sensed he had another bad idea, while Hopefelt... the speed had picked up a bit.

---

Elsewhere, San Francisco.

Inside Pym Technologies, Darren and a group of researchers were gathered in the lab, his heart racing because in front of him was a tiny "wasp."

The development of the Wasp Suit was surprisingly fast, with no obstacles along the way, leading Darren to believe for a moment that he was the chosen one!

Avengers, Superheroes—he could build a Wasp army on a whim, and no one could stop him!

The World would change because of him!

Knock, knock, knock! FBI! FBI!

The lab door was blown open, and over a dozen fully armed soldiers with rifles rushed in.

Darren's bodyguards tried to draw their guns to resist, but their hands reached for their waists only to find nothing. Before they could fight back, they were pinned to the ground with knees against the back of their necks.

Realizing something was wrong, Darren reacted immediately, reaching for the Wasp Suit. As long as he could put it on, there was still room to maneuver.

"??? Where's my suit? Where's my tiny Wasp Suit?"

Just as he was in a daze, Pietro opened his palm with a smirk and asked, "Are you looking for this little bee?"

Seeing him, Darren knew the game was up. Homelander had intervened.

---

When Hope returned home, feeling refreshed and fulfilled, she saw her father talking earnestly to a scruffy man.

As if she hadn't seen them, Hope walked straight to the sink and filled a glass of water. "Darren has been arrested. Along with most of the company's people."

Both men, who were planning for the future, were stunned. Pym asked, "Did Homelander intervene personally?"

The Wasp Suit was similar to the Ant-Man Suit in many ways, and Pym was very confident in his own suit. He couldn't imagine anyone other than Homelander being able to deal with Darren so quickly.

"No, he called the CIA and the FBI. Oh, and a newcomer known as Quicksilver."

..."

Scott was completely bewildered. He was just about to become a Superhero and save the World, thinking he was going on some incredible mission, and then you say a group of police officers handled it?

In fact, Hope didn't know much more than they did. By the time she returned to San Francisco, it was already over, and even some unrelated employees had been released.

According to them, it happened very fast. The security personnel didn't even have time to react before the weapons in their hands vanished. Then a large group of men in black rushed in, handcuffed everyone, and gave no chance for explanation. As for the upper floors, there were only screams.

After her father had told her everything about Ant-Man and her mother, Hope had already forgiven him and understood that he had been working hard all these years to bring her mother back. However, perhaps he was a bit too confident in the Ant-Man Suit.

Looking at Scott's red uniform that looked like a fly, Hope only found it somewhat... ridiculous.

Just then, a gust of wind blew the door open, and a blonde man in a silver skin-tight suit appeared in the living room. He looked at the three of them and finally focused his gaze on Scott.

"Uh... Red fly guy, you're the one. Mr. Sean said for you to come to the Avengers Base."

Scott nervously took two steps back, feeling like he was about to be locked up in prison again. Like a mouse seeing a cat, his subconscious instinct was to run.

Pym was different; he immediately understood their intentions and said angrily, "Absolutely not!"

"I... can I not go? I haven't done anything bad yet," Scott also whispered.

One side of Pietro's mouth curled up dismissively. "Of course you can, it's your freedom. However, Mr. Sean said this is your only chance to possibly become a Superhero."

A Superhero? Me... me?

Scott stood there dazed, as if struck by lightning.

"You're not willing?"

"I am! How could I not be! I'll do anything, as long as I can become a Superhero!" Scott immediately agreed.

If he were a Superhero, he believed Maggie wouldn't refuse to let him visit their daughter. Maybe he could even see her often.

He could even make Cassie proud of him, so she could brag to her classmates that her father wasn't a thief, but a Superhero!

As a father, Scott simply couldn't refuse, and he had no reason to.

Seeing Scott getting excited, Pym's face darkened. He reached out to stop Scott and said, "No, there's no good in mixing with the Avengers, and don't forget what you promised me!"

But Scott couldn't care less about that now. Walking forward, he said, "Don't worry, Doctor, I'll... I'll just go take a look. I'll be back soon, no, I'll definitely be back!"

He immediately shrank and stood on Pietro's shoulder. "Can I catch a ride?"

"Hey, hold on tight!" Pietro added to the other two, "By the way, Mr. Sean said if there's anything, Ms. Hope can tell him in person. If necessary, he can lend Ant-Man to you." Then, he disappeared from the room in the blink of an eye.

This made Pym stomp his feet in anger, shouting, "The Ant-Man Suit was mine to begin with! You Bandits, thieves! Just like Stark was!"

Hope smiled helplessly, not intending to get involved in their business anymore, but Pym turned around and said dejectedly, "If he doesn't come back, how am I supposed to save you, Janet?"

Hearing that name, Hope stopped in her tracks. Then Pym explained that he wanted to use Scott to find his wife in the Quantum Realm. Although the chances were slim, there was still a sliver of Hope, and he wanted to grasp it.

Hearing that the Ant-Man Suit was related to her mother, Hope was also a bit excited. "Then I'll go to New York again."

Pym sighed. "I suppose that's the only way."

At the thought of going to New York to see Sean again, Hope felt a wave of warmth flowing through her. "Wait... I'll go in a few days. I need to... rest for a bit."

The worried Pym didn't notice anything unusual about his daughter. After she went into her room, Pymlooked around; it seemed he was all alone again.

Chapter 211: All the Trouble in the World is Caused by the Party's Lack of Ability

The next afternoon, Hill walked toward the second floor of the White House with anxious steps. This was where the President rested, but generally, no President would still be resting at this time, except for Sean.

Sean had officially been President for three days and had handled a total of three things: first, determining the date for Innocence Day; second, replacing all the servants with his own people, all in maid outfits or black-and-red professional suits; and third, pushing back work hours.

He didn't care about anything else at all. Hill could only bite the bullet and handle some matters in Sean's name.

Put it this way: if anything went wrong, it would be enough to have her executed three times over.

The outside World would only think she was overstepping her authority and sidelining the President; they wouldn't know the inside story, and they couldn't let the outside World know.

If the voters saw the kind of life the President they elected was living every day, well, there would be a real show to watch.

This time, she came to find Sean because there were important occasions where he had to appear in person. In a while, he would even have to fly between various countries every day, and he probably wouldn't even have time to rest.

"Excuse me, the President is resting." At the door, two maids stopped Hill.

Hill sighed and didn't force her way in. She skillfully shed two small items of clothing, threw them aside, and then pushed the door open. This time, the two maids didn't stop her.

Walking to the bedside and looking at the sleeping Sean, Hill smiled. He looked more pleasant when he was asleep. Of course, it would be even better if there weren't two fierce gazes next to him.

Feifei and Isa naturally didn't welcome Hill. Her arrival meant Sean would have to get up and leave them.

However, soon, their eyes gradually narrowed, and they unconsciously leaned toward the center, breathing heavily against Sean's neck. For a moment, the atmosphere became unsuitable for wearing clothes.

Sean turned his head and glanced at Hill. "Are you sure you want to stand there?"

"Sean, I have something very important," Hill said through gritted teeth.

"Sigh, alright then. I promise not to move."

"Fine!"

With Sean's assurance, Hill slowly lifted a corner of the quilt and crawled in from the foot of the bed. She didn't stop until she saw Sean's chin.

Then, she began to report on the San Francisco incident.

Yesterday, Sean gave the order, saying Darren was colluding with HYDRA remnants, and had the San Francisco police force move out to capture Darren. He also sent Quicksilver, Pietro, there just in case.

The result was naturally very smooth. Everyone at Pym Technologies was arrested. Some ordinary employees were released, but a group of researchers and high-level executives were not.

But Sean hadn't considered the consequences of doing this. Even though Hill had mentioned it yesterday, he hadn't cared.

Arresting Darren was fine, but there had to be solid evidence. Using a trumped-up charge of colluding with HYDRA wouldn't work.

This reason could only convince the public, not the people at the very top.

An abuse-of-power, rule-breaking President was terrifying, especially when that President was also Homelander; it would make them feel dread.

Darren was different from Kalman. Kalman was a sacrificial lamb who could be used however they wanted, but Darren's status wasn't bad. As the current chairman of Pym Technologies, he was squarely among those at the top of the pyramid. Whether it was social influence or connections, he wasn't lacking, so it was hard to use the same methods on him.

Sean's actions would make people at his level feel panicked. If these people really wanted to use some tricks, hiss, it would be quite troublesome.

If nothing else, making the stock market fluctuate a bit would cause a large number of people to go bankrupt and become displaced. Simply guiding these homeless people could make them stand in front of the White House and denounce the President in office.

In Hill's report, Sean only heard that Pietro had brought the Wasp Suit back to the Bureau. He didn't let her continue with what she was about to say next.

Because Sean broke the rules once again; he rolled over.

The World was never short of people. If pushed too far, he'd just replace everyone at the top and hang them from the streetlights of the Secret Garden.

Hmph. Sean indeed didn't understand things like the national economy, but he understood that all the trouble in the World was caused by the party's lack of ability.

And the scope of "lack of ability" clearly did not include him.

"Wait!" Hill struggled to prop herself up. "Let... let me finish, okay? I... I beg you~"

Sean gave her a hard pinch. "If you still want to talk about the San Francisco matter, then you'd better not."

"No, no, no! It's other things, about your banquet and next month's itinerary!" Where Sean pinched her didn't make Hill feel pain, only a tingling numbness.

"Tch, alright then. Let's switch."

Pushing Hill aside, Isa took advantage of her long legs to quickly intervene and take Hill's place.

Having caught her breath, Hill was somewhat grateful to Isa and quickly continued: "The banquet time is set for the day after Innocence Day. Many important people will come then, including some ambassadors."

This banquet was different from before. It was entirely about the new President's first impression on various countries; it could be said to be very important.

"It's no problem if you want to hold the banquet in your Garden, but could you..."

"What?"

"Could you... make it a bit more solemn? After all, this isn't a regular party."

Sean slowly stopped, leaned down to kiss Isa, and said regretfully, "Fine. Have Dice move the bikini girls to the back, and the Asgardian tour group, tell them to wear more clothes."

Hill breathed a sigh of relief. If the banquet could be handled well, it would be a great success.

"Also, your itinerary for next month is very full. It can be said that after the banquet ends, you will be in other countries. The first stop is to visit Canada, then a detour to Mexico, and after that, you can go to... Mmph!"

Without letting her continue, Sean pinched her tongue with his hand and said with a smile, "Don't arrange anything. I'm not going to a single one."

Sean didn't become President to fulfill obligations; he just came to enjoy the feeling of power.

If it felt good, then after Thanos snapped his fingers, he would take complete control here. For now, Sean felt... hey, not bad.

This time, Hill didn't continue the topic because before she came, many countries had tactfully declined, saying Homelander was busy saving the World and they wouldn't waste his time.

Neither directly nor indirectly did they mention the President of America. When they mentioned Sean, they all used the codename Homelander. The meaning was clear: they didn't want him to come.

The reason naturally went without saying. Who wouldn't be afraid of a walking ten-million-ton class nuclear bomb?

Sean looked at the panting Isa and turned to ask, "Do you have anything else to say?"

"Yes!" Hill's mind raced. "Those two newcomers are training at the Avengers Base. You can go take a look when you have time!"

"Okay, I got it. Anything else?"

"Also, we recently discovered that an employee of Stark Industries named Quentin Beck is attempting to approach Ms. Potts."

"Ha? Just kill him. What are you hesitating for?"

"Wait! One more thing. News came from the Captain's side saying he has found the remaining Winter Soldiers, but the emotions of the few he rescued are unstable. A conflict broke out, and Bucky had no choice but to kill them."

"Uh, so you're saying Steve went through all that trouble for nothing?"

"Not exactly. There are still two whose sealed canisters haven't been opened. He's requesting Wanda's support, but she only listens to your orders."

Sean hesitated for a moment and shook his head. "Innocence Day is coming up soon. Wanda is very important and can't just leave..."

"The remaining two are female. Twins."

"*Cough!* Immediately send Wanda to support our beloved Captain America! The Avengers must be united; wherever there is trouble, we help..."

Sean didn't finish his sentence. Instead, he thought for a moment and asked, "Are there photos?"

Hill's expression brightened, and she reached for the edge of the bed. "Yes! I'll get them for you! I've seen them; they're very good!"

The moment she tried to get up, she was pressed down by Sean. He said with a mischievous smile, "Since you've seen them, then forget it. I trust your judgment."

"How about you... wait, I... I still... mmm~"

Chapter 212: News of Natasha

In the evening, Sean drove his fiery red sports car toward the Avengers' new Base; this was his first time visiting since its completion.

Just as he arrived at the training ground, he saw two figures weaving through obstacles while carrying dummies. One was agile, and the other kept changing size, both perfectly dodging the rubber bullets from either side.

From the sky came the instructor's fierce reprimand: "Watch the hostages! If a hostage dies, you get a negative score immediately!"

Sean waited nearby for a short while without disturbing them. Peter and Scott were both very fast, and it was over in no time.

Seeing Sean enter, all three rushed over. Sam, the Falcon, was in the air, so he was the fastest to descend.

"Mr. President, thank—"

Sean raised a hand to interrupt. "There is no President here. All the Avengers call me Sean, and you're no exception."

Sam smiled knowingly and nodded. "Alright! Sean, thank you for your trust. I will train them well! I guarantee they will become qualified Avengers!"

That day, Sam had been a bit confused when he received the mission to train newcomers, thinking it was for a flight unit or something similar. He hadn't expected them to be two reserve Avengers, which carried an entirely different weight.

Crucially, Homelander Sean had personally designated him for the job instead of letting Fury and the others handle it. What did that represent? Trust!

Although it might have been because Captain Rogers was away, it was enough to keep Sam excited for a while.

Sean smiled and encouraged him, "Keep it up!"

...Who was this guy again? Never mind.

Back then, he had looked at the people in the Avengers Tower, wondering who to entrust Peter's training to. Scanning the room, only this man with thick eyebrows and big eyes looked like an honest person.

Turning to the excited Peter and Scott beside him, Sean asked, "How are these two performing?"

Sam said, "Very well!"

Hearing the instructor's praise, the two finally breathed a sigh of relief. They had been terrified he would say they were doing poorly in front of Sean; that would have been the end of it.

"However, both of them are a bit too eager for success and lack stability. Peter is one thing, he's still young, but Scott, you're a father—how are you still so restless?" Sam turned and asked.

Scott was a bit flustered and said nervously, "I... I was just too excited. Sorry!"

Sean looked at the snickering Peter and said seriously, "The villains out there won't care how young you are. As a Superhero, you must be held to the same standard, regardless of age."

Pointing at Sam, he continued, "Remember, if you can't pass his test, your debut as superheroes will be delayed."

"Ah!"

Both were a bit dejected; they couldn't bear the thought of being delayed.

Peter truly wanted to prove himself. He loved the phrase Sean often used: "With great power comes great responsibility." So, shortly after gaining his powers, he had donned a disguise to fight for justice on the streets, hoping to become a Superhero like Homelander.

Scott's goal was much simpler: become a Superhero and be a role model for his daughter!

Sam offered a rare word of comfort. "Don't worry, you both performed well. After a few more days of theoretical study, you'll be able to show off your skills on Innocence Day!"

He was starting to feel a bit protective of them, much like a teacher who can scold their own students but won't let outsiders do so.

"Yes, Instructor!" the two said in unison.

Sean smiled. "Then carry on, I have business to attend to." With that, he continued walking inside.

He had only stopped by to see them in passing.

Walking to the second floor, he found an office on the far right with a nameplate that read [Deputy Commander].

Leaning against the doorframe, Sean asked with a smile, "I thought you'd come to the entrance to meet me. Tsk, our bond has faded."

Sharon looked up with a glance, the corners of her mouth curling as she rose from her seat.

Taking in her outfit for the day, Sean let his gaze travel slowly from bottom to top, feeling very satisfied.

Sharon pulled Sean inside, closed the door, and pushed him onto the sofa before sitting down next to him. Placing her hand on his collar, she said with a hint of jealousy:

"If I hadn't used news of Natasha to lure you here, you wouldn't have come to see me even once. It's your bond that has faded."

"I just thought you'd be busy since your promotion. Hey, since we both feel our bond has faded, why don't we strengthen it a bit?" As he spoke, Sean reached out his hand.

Huh? Nothing there. Even more satisfied.

Pointing to the nearby wardrobe, Sharon leaned down and breathed against Sean's neck. "I've prepared many outfits."

Sean turned his head, counted the clothes inside, and said seriously, "I think you haven't prepared enough!"

The Avengers' new Base was built by Tony at a massive cost, equipped with everything imaginable. From training and meetings to living quarters and even specialized prisons, everything was provided. Vibranium had even been added to the exterior wall materials.

Simply put: soundproof and earthquake-resistant.

A long time later...

Carrying Sharon, who was reluctant to let go, to the chair, they rested for a moment before she began tapping on the keyboard to pull up a video recording.

Inside was footage of an avalanche. Beneath the avalanche was a large circular building with many people inside.

"This is a prison near the Siberian snow mountains, holding many inmates." Sharon zoomed in on a helicopter in the sky and continued:

"According to our facial analysis, this person is Natasha. She rescued someone inside, which triggered the avalanche, but we haven't identified the person she saved yet."

"Since we can analyze it, I'm sure the country this prison belongs to can as well."

After speaking, Sharon turned around and hugged Sean, still savoring the feeling from earlier.

Sean steadied her, ensuring she wouldn't fall when she moved, while he thought calmly.

When it came to the Avengers, Sean usually paid more attention. Just like last night, he could ignore other things Hill said, but he took matters concerning his own people more to heart.

In any case, at least for now, no more Avengers could be allowed to die.

---

In the outskirts of Saint Petersburg in northwestern Russia, the climate was pleasant. The small hillside was covered with purple lavender and... a helicopter.

The hatch opened, and Natasha and her younger sister Yelena stepped out, looking around. Behind them, a middle-aged man with a beer belly and a scruffy face stood with his hands on his hips and said:

"You should have brought the Avengers' Quinjet."

Natasha sighed and walked forward with her sister. "I swear, if he says one more word..."

"I'll kick him hard in the face!" Yelena said, clenching her fists.

"He's the worst!"

Alexei, the Red Guardian, a Super Soldier. He was like the Russian version of Captain America, a symbol.

But at this moment, he was just a middle-aged man who had been imprisoned for over twenty years, appearing quite helpless in the face of his two daughters' questioning.

In the outskirts, as the three walked along a country path, Alexei wanted to ask Natasha if Captain America had ever mentioned him. After all, the two of them had battled for a long time, giving him a sense of mutual respect between heroes.

His proud tone only met with Natasha's reprimand, but Alexei didn't care in the least.

He cared deeply for these two foster daughters and was incredibly proud of them!

The younger sister was the World's most formidable little assassin, and the elder was not only the ultimate spy but had eventually become a World-renowned Avenger. Alexei couldn't be more satisfied.

But what he didn't know was that Natasha's greatest fear was that period of history from her past.

Chapter 213: I've Called Someone; I Hope You Called More People

The three of them walked along the path, and just as the Sun was about to set, they spotted a few small houses.

In the yard stood several greenhouses and a small farm, with an old tractor parked to the side, creating a very heartwarming scene. It would have been even better if it weren't surrounded by an electric fence and a woman holding a sniper rifle.

"My dear, we meet again." Alexei grinned; she was as beautiful as ever.

Melina didn't say a word, her expression calm, but her heart was overflowing with joy. After all these years, she was seeing her two daughters again.

At the same time, she felt a deep sense of worry, knowing exactly why they had come.

She brought the three of them into the house and, like an ordinary mother, began preparing dinner. Alexei snuck off to the bathroom to change into his uniform.

"Is there anything here we need to watch out for? Booby traps, snares?"

Natasha's words were sharp, but her actions were honest as she started helping with the dishes.

"I didn't raise my daughters just to have them fall into traps." Melina's eyes grew moist, but she didn't let Natasha see.

"We weren't raised by you."

"Perhaps."

Having not seen each other for over twenty years, there was naturally some distance between them. When Natasha first met Yelena, didn't they have to fight before making up?

Moreover, the moment they met, they understood that they had missed each other; they both understood the feelings in their hearts.

They might say they weren't a real family, but between them, they had long since become one.

At dinner time, Alexei, who still looked ridiculous in his uniform, made everyone laugh, lightening the atmosphere just a little bit.

Only Natasha remained focused on eradicating the Red Room, that nightmare in her heart.

She leaned forward and asked urgently, "Listen, you have to tell me about the Red—"

"Natasha, don't slouch!" Melina criticized her posture.

Natasha instinctively sat up straight and explained, "I'm not! I never slouch."

Melina didn't listen and continued her lecture, "You'll end up with a hunchback like that."

"Listen to your mother, keep your back straight, like me!" Alexei chimed in from the side.

Realizing she was trying to change the subject, Natasha snapped back to the matter at hand and asked seriously, "Don't deflect. You must tell me the location of the Red Room. You must!"

Melina took a small sip of her drink. "You want to know?"

This time she didn't explicitly refuse, but instead asked, "What exactly is your relationship with the Homelander, Sean?"

"What? What does this have to do with Sean?" Natasha leaned back slightly, feeling a bit guilty. In front of family, she didn't seem very good at hiding things.

"Ooh~" Yelena teased, clapping and laughing. "I knew there was something going on between you two!"

She shook her mother's arm, leaned in, and whispered with a giggle, "Let me tell you, a few days ago I saw..."

The more Yelena spoke, the more animated her mother's expression became, and the wider her smile grew.

Natasha felt extremely uncomfortable as she saw them glancing at her from time to time, remembering the feeling of being played with like a toy by Sean using his ropes.

"Hey, I want to hear my daughter's love story too." Alexei plopped down beside them and squeezed in.

Now that there was one more person snickering at her, Natasha could no longer keep a straight face. She covered her forehead and laughed out loud.

Even though their family life had only lasted for a brief three years, it had left an indelible memory in the hearts of all four.

No matter how much they had been at each other's throats or criticizing one another just moments ago, they couldn't deny that they already saw each other as family.

The word 'family' was very precious to Natasha.

Melina laughed happily, slapping her thigh so hard that tears could be seen in the corners of her eyes.

"Okay... okay, enough laughing. I'll be blunt: if you can call the Homelander over here, I'll take you there directly. How about it?"

Natasha's laughter gradually died down. She rubbed her forehead and sighed, "No, I won't call him. This is my business, and I can handle it."

"You can't!" Melina suddenly turned serious. "Listen, baby, you can't defeat someone who can control the will of others. Even with your Nano Suit, you're nothing in front of Dreykov."

Then, Melina called a small pig inside and gave them a demonstration of what absolute control meant!

With a swipe on her tablet, the pig immediately stopped grunting and held its breath.

During this time, she told everyone that the Red Room had infiltrated a HYDRA experimental Base, the place where they researched the Winter Soldier.

They didn't steal weapons or technology; they only took the key to free will. The Red Room's brainwashing techniques could be said to be even more formidable than HYDRA's.

By now, the pig on the floor was nearly suffocating; a command could actually overcome biological instinct.

"Alright, stop!" Natasha yelled, unable to take it anymore.

Melina's expression remained unchanged as she swiped on the tablet. "Don't worry, it would have taken another eleven seconds to die. Alright, go back to your cage."

The implication was clear to Natasha: even though she had been gone for over twenty years, she still couldn't escape Dreykov's control.

"So, you should understand that you absolutely cannot defeat Dreykov on your own." Melina looked out the window and smiled faintly.

"If you had come back today with the Avengers instead of these two, I would have taken you there."

These words cast a shadow over the atmosphere, and in the end, they parted on bad terms.

Yelena walked to the bedroom alone, feeling dejected. She didn't understand; those three years of family life were the best time in her memory. Even if it was fake, she believed they were a family.

But now, she felt her warm little family was about to break apart again.

The door opened, and Alexei walked in wearing his ridiculous red uniform. He sat on the floor and stayed with her in silence.

In the living room, Natasha was also on the verge of a breakdown. Before coming, she had firmly believed her mother would help her, but now, things were becoming unclear.

Melina had her own concerns. She was afraid—truly afraid.

In the past, she had tried to escape four times. She ran four times and was caught every single time. She was like a little mouse running in a cage; except for death, she could never escape her fate.

During those three years, Melina had come to think of them as her own biological daughters. Now that Natasha was going to her death, how could she agree? Even if they were controlled by the Red Room, as long as they were alive, it was enough.

Just as Natasha was preparing to leave, she saw a photo album. The pictures inside were all taken during the three years they were a family, filled with memories.

Every photo inside was taken against different backdrops—Thanksgiving, Christmas, summer vacation—all shot in a single day, serving only the mission.

Natasha glanced at her mother standing beside her and smiled. "I know every box under the Christmas tree was empty, but I didn't care. I still wanted to open them all, because in that moment, I felt we were a real family."

Hearing Natasha's words, Melina was already in tears. She had felt the exact same way. She said, "I'm sorry. I've already called the Red Room people. They'll be here any moment."

Natasha let out a long breath, tears streaming down her nose. These were tears of happiness, because she could see the woman in front of her clearly and realized she was indeed her mother.

"It's okay. I've called someone too. I hope the Red Room sends more people."

Chapter 214: Ready for a Dangerous Party?

Pain makes one stronger; this was the lesson Melina had taught them.

But Sean had also taught her a lesson: pain should not happen around him. Everyone by his side should only know happiness.

Given Natasha's past personality, she would never trouble any of the Avengers; she would only solve problems alone, no matter how dangerous.

But after Tony's death, she realized that those left alive feel even greater pain.

Natasha could endure pain herself, but she would never let her family feel it. So, she silently shook the ring in her hand several times.

This was Sean's instruction before she left: if she encountered danger, she must ask for help. He couldn't afford to lose any more Avengers.

Seeing the faint smile on her daughter's lips, Melina also chuckled. "I didn't teach you how to lie."

"Self-taught, couldn't help it."

"Come here." Melina gave her a heavy hug, the mountain weighing on her heart finally lightening a bit.

In fact, she had also fantasized countless times that a Superhero would deal with the Red Room and rescue the others.

However, superheroes almost exclusively operated in America. Russia, which didn't get along with them, was almost never visited, so she had given up on that thought.

"Alright." Natasha wiped her tears, pulled away from her mother, and said, "I'm going to change my clothes. Where's the bag I brought? Where did you put it, Mom?"

Melina pointed to the cabinet behind the door, suspecting nothing. After all, it was normal for a daughter to want to dress up a bit in front of the person she loved.

"Do you want me to help... uh—" Melina was halfway through her sentence when her smile froze.

Because she saw the clothes Natasha took out of the bag; the style seemed a bit... bold?

In that instant, Melina lost all good feelings for Homelander. To think he would let her daughter wear such clothes.

In the room, Alexei also used his singing to make Yelena laugh, letting her understand that they were a family.

Thud! Just then, a beam of intense light shone into the room, and the deafening sound of propellers echoed outside.

Alexei quickly put on his helmet, gestured for Yelena to crouch down, and strode forward to block the window.

With a whistle, a tranquilizer needle flew in and struck Alexei.

He gave a disdainful smile and reached up to pull the needle out. Did they really think a Red Guardianwas a pushover? A mere single... Thwip, thwip, thwip! Several tranquilizer needles followed in quick succession. Alexei couldn't hold out and collapsed.

Yelena squeezed his wrist, and after finding he was still breathing, she breathed a sigh of relief. She grabbed her gun and crouched down to go find the others.

Just as she stepped out of the bedroom door, she heard her mother calling her in a low voice and quickly scurried over.

"Is it time for... Whoa~ Natasha, are you planning to kill them with your beauty?" Yelena didn't hold back, staring at her chest.

Natasha was now wearing a bright red dress that perfectly accentuated her proud figure.

At this moment, she also understood why Natasha had said she was going to buy weapons before coming here, yet walked into a clothing store instead.

Melina, however, couldn't laugh. If the younger sister saw what was underneath, she would surely be led astray. She immediately moved a few steps to block the view between them and asked, "When is he coming?"

"Who?" In this life-or-death moment, Yelena suddenly felt a bit of gossip-seeking curiosity.

Natasha gave her a look, the ring on her wrist vibrated once, and the corners of her mouth curled up. "He's here."

Outside, over a dozen fully equipped soldiers surrounded the house with guns raised. It wasn't until a person wearing armor stepped down from the aircraft that they advanced a few steps.

Taskmaster, Dreykov's biological daughter. She had nearly died because of an accident caused by Natasha, but he saved her and transformed her into the strongest soldier.

Currently, she could perfectly mimic the skills of Natasha, Steve, Black Panther, and other superheroes. Last time on the bridge, she was even able to go back and forth with Natasha in her Nano Suit, even gaining a slight advantage.

But this time, she likely wouldn't be able to mimic the enemy.

A muffled sound came from within the crowd. All the soldiers raised their guns to aim and fired directly without a hint of emotion.

The bullets clattered as if hitting steel, but the people on the scene continued to fire incessantly, as if this strange sight couldn't catch their attention. Even Taskmaster took out a weapon from behind, preparing to attack.

Sean yawned. This kind of enemy that didn't know fear was the most boring. Sigh.

In the pitch-black night, a red light streaked across the sky, sliced through the aircraft, and cut through their bodies.

Walking forward, Sean knocked on the door. "Anyone home?"

The door opened in response. Natasha in her bright red dress made Sean's eyes light up, knowing he hadn't come in vain this time.

"Ahem, are you going to a party?"

Natasha noticed the two burning gazes behind her. With a smirk, she stepped forward, closed the door, and grabbed Sean's collar, jumping up onto him.

"Someone is bullying me~ I'm so scared~"

The sensation, smooth as water, made Sean unable to put her down. Supporting her waist, he leaned in and asked, "Who is so bold?"

"Then are you going to stand up for me~" Natasha whispered in his ear.

"Of course!"

Natasha smiled, but before she could say who it was, she sensed something was wrong and quickly pressed down on his hand. "Wait! Not that kind of'standing up'!"

"My... my family is here, calm down a bit, okay?"

When he lifted the hem of her skirt, Sean saw what she was wearing underneath. He lightly pursed his lips and let go; there was no rush.

"Alright, let me see which beautiful woman gave birth to such a wonderful version of you."

"Adoptive mother."

"Oh, then never mind."

Entering the house, Yelena, who lacked experience, crossed her arms and watched the two with a silly grin, feeling they were a perfect match. Indeed, only a man like this could be worthy of Natasha.

While Melina felt the same way, the thought of the clothes Natasha had on underneath made her feel that this Homelander didn't seem like a good person.

And indeed, as she thought, Sean pulled Natasha to the sofa, pulled her down to sit with him, his hands wandering as he looked at the two opposite them and asked, "Tell me about it."

His actions made even Yelena frown. She felt like she had killed many people like this during her past missions; the only difference was that Sean was very handsome.

Melina also became more certain of her thoughts. However, when she saw Natasha's expression of feigned resistance, she guessed that this man must treat her well.

She pulled Yelena down to sit and recounted the matters regarding the Red Room once more.

"We'd better hurry, otherwise, Dreykov might escape."

She knew best that the death-fearing Dreykov had likely already received word and was preparing to flee.

Sean turned his head, his expression a bit surprised because he could actually hear Natasha's heartbeat quicken. It seemed the Red Room had indeed left her with many shadows.

His left hand protected her waist while his right hand supported her racing heart. He leaned down and said:

"Are you ready to join a dangerous party?"

Chapter 215: Wen Yi Slays Dreykov

The Red Room's headquarters are extremely well-hidden; ordinary people would never find them because they are built in the sky, concealed behind clouds.

Dreykov, the leader of the Red Room, the proud manipulator behind the World.

He only needs to sit here and press a button for the World's economy to collapse, press a button for a quarter of the World's population to starve; his power is boundless.

Even last time, HYDRA's leader Pierce invited him to control Homelander Sean together, but he refused, because his people were already close to Sean and were very successful.

He already knew everything that happened at Melina's Cabin, but instead of fleeing in a panic, he calmly sat in his office, awaiting Homelander's arrival.

Dreykov believed that the chips he held would surely satisfy Homelander.

High in the sky, Sean held Natasha with one arm and Yelena with the other, flying them towards the Red Room Base.

Along the way, Yelena also fully understood what kind of person Sean was and felt that he was unworthy of her sister.

After flying for a short while, the three landed on the deck. Yelena gritted her teeth, moved her leg, and glared fiercely at Sean's hand.

Hiss~ What strong grip.

Natasha was also a bit helpless. In fact, when they set out, she hadn't intended for Yelena to come along. Being held in Sean's arms, wasn't that just asking for trouble?

However, she also saw that Sean was just taking a small advantage and had no intention of going further.

But this rational behavior made Natasha a little wary. She guessed that Sean had become much more unrestrained after becoming President; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to hold back outside the cabin.

Don't even mention that her family was inside; that would only increase his interest.

It just goes to show how well Natasha understood Sean. After not seeing each other for so long, a simple flirtation could reveal so much.

Leading the two of them inside, there were no soldiers blocking their way, and they smoothly entered the interior of the Base.

"Ha! Heh!"

From a room on the right side of the corridor came synchronized training sounds. The three peered in and saw a group of Widows in training.

Upon seeing people, the Widows all turned their heads to stare at the three, their faces devoid of expression, revealing nothing.

Yelena also forgot about the handprint on her leg and looked at them sadly, saying, "They are all controlled by Dreykov with drugs, completely obeying him, except for their memories."

She understood this feeling, like watching a movie, seeing herself kill people with her own hands, yet being unable to stop it, which was terrifying.

...With memories?

Sean's lips curved, how interesting.

He reached out, pulled the door open, and threw it aside. The Widows seemed to have received some command and immediately raised their guns and fired.

Natasha and the other woman leaned against the wall, not daring to show their heads, but Sean didn't care. He walked forward, preparing to select—ah, no, rescue them up close.

The dark-haired one, knock her out. This one isn't pretty, knock her out.

After "rescuing" a batch of people, Sean prepared to rescue the remaining few more seriously.

After emptying their magazines, the Widows charged forward, using all the martial arts they had learned on Sean.

Ding~ Super effective!

Sean was pinned in place by them and for a moment didn't want to move.

On the top floor of the Base, Dreykov watched everything from the monitor, the fat on his face trembling as he smiled happily, everything was under control.

Outside the door, Natasha and her sister exchanged glances. Yelena pulled out a few red tubes and threw them above Sean's head, where they exploded.

With a bang, red smoke enveloped everyone inside. A red light flashed in the Widows' pupils, and when they looked at them again, they were no longer like walking dead, but individuals.

Seeing their undignified postures, they immediately jumped off Sean, except for a few Widows who were still restrained.

"Ah~ I'm sorry, could you... could you please let me go? I was truly sorry just now," said a black-haired, large-chested Widow.

"Me... too." This one was blonde, not smaller than the previous one.

Seeing that they had all recovered, Sean released his hands, coughed lightly, adjusted his voice, and said, "Are you all right?"

His magnetic voice, combined with his handsome face and invincible combat power, immediately captivated these Widows who had never seen the World, making them taste the feeling of love for the first time.

"Mm~"

Not a single one dared to look up at Sean; they all kept their heads down, secretly glancing at him.

They had never received a day of formal education. They were abducted to this place at a very young age, subjected to brainwashing and training, and were still in training, which meant they hadn't graduated yet.

Unlike Yelena, even when controlled, she had seen much of the colorful World outside.

Watching Sean sweet-talk them, Natasha didn't say anything and even stopped Yelena from going in, as Sean had indeed saved them.

However, when she saw Sean intending to give them a physical examination, and the blonde girl next to him was almost undressed, Natasha still stepped forward. She couldn't let these Widows, who had just escaped brainwashing, immediately become Sean's'shape.' She guessed that would be pretty much the same as brainwashing.

"Ahem, Sean, why don't we go deal with Dreykov first? He probably still controls many Widows."

Hearing the word "many," Sean also stopped his hands and said to the side, "You're right, the last villain hasn't been killed yet. You all stay here and take care of your companions; I'll be right back."

"I'll go with you!"

"No need, you all stay here and take care of your companions."

They looked at the unconscious Widows around them and finally nodded. Sean's voice was pleasant, so they would listen to him.

Sean rubbed the blonde girl's head contentedly and praised, "So obedient."

The others, seeing this, also stretched out their heads.

Without discrimination, Sean rubbed each of them, after all, those he didn't like were already lying down.

He hadn't actually expected such a huge harvest from this trip; his wish to form a Maid Combat Teamhad actually come true.

He had always thought that Wakanda's Royal Female Guard system was excellent. Who says women are inferior to men, right?

"Yelena, you stay here and take care of them, then bring the Base down," Natasha instructed, then led Sean further up.

In the elevator, Natasha was a bit nervous. No one had come after such a big commotion, and she vaguely guessed Dreykov's intentions. She turned to look at the pleased Sean, tsk, she was even more worried.

Walking into a luxurious office, a familiar face made Natasha gasp. Dreykov, this man who had transformed into someone she knew.

At this moment, Dreykov leaned leisurely on the sofa, tapping his fingers incessantly, and smiled, all the flesh on his face moving.

"Welcome, Homelander Sean."

Dreykov was not flustered at all. Based on Sean's performance just now, he believed that the chips in his hand, if not enough to make Homelander join him, were more than enough to save his own life.

This chip, other Avengers might disdain, but for Homelander, the large number of beautiful girls in his hands were the best thing.

Hmph? What is Natasha? He has at least eighty, if not a hundred, people prettier than her. Otherwise, how could he claim to control the World's economic trends? Isn't it all thanks to them?

Sisters, twins, triplets, he had everything. He believed that with a gentle press of his finger, releasing the photos, Homelander would scorn Natasha next to him. After all, men get tired.

"I've heard much about you…"

Heat Vision sliced through Dreykov's middle, and Sean turned to walk downstairs, muttering:

"They probably haven't had time to put on their clothes yet."

Chapter 216: No Matter How Terrifying the Past Is, It's the Past; the Future... Has Even More Terrifying Things Waiting for You

"Wait!"

As Sean Brooke passed by Natasha Romanoff, she grabbed his arm. "Let... let me lean on you for a moment."

Feeling her body was somewhat stiff, Sean Brooke put away his playful expression. He stopped walking and reached out to pull her into his arms, softly comforting her:

"It's over, don't worry."

These words acted like a signal, causing Natasha Romanoff's stiff body to go limp.

It had to be said that although Sean Brooke was unreliable most of the time, when he was reliable, he truly gave a great sense of security. His warm, thick arms made Natasha Romanoff feel very much at ease.

The moment she entered the door, she knew she could absolutely never kill Dreykov. This was because all Widows had been controlled; as long as they smelled the pheromones emitted by his body, they would be unable to move against him.

Experiencing that feeling of being unable to control oneself again made Natasha Romanoff very uneasy, especially when she thought about Dreykov attempting to use the Widows as bargaining chips to persuade Sean Brooke—that unease grew even stronger.

Fortunately, Dreykov was ugly, and Sean Brooke wasn't willing to listen to him speak. If it had been a mature older sister instead, it was hard to say what the outcome would have been.

After a while, Natasha Romanoff blinked a few times, squeezing out the teardrops. She looked up at Sean Brooke and asked, "Didn't you want to hear what he had to say?"

"What could he possibly say?" Sean Brooke smiled. "Probably just wanted to trade other girls for his own life, or maybe he wanted me to join him or something like that."

"You actually guessed it? Then why did you still kill him?"

Natasha Romanoff was somewhat surprised; Sean Brooke had actually started thinking with his upper body—this was a very dangerous signal.

"Because, to me, Natasha is the most beautiful girl."

"Heh, what an unexpected answer." Natasha Romanoff curled her lip, not believing him at all.

Sean Brooke's hand ran through her beautiful hair and rested near her ear. "I'm not lying." After saying that, he gave her a kiss.

These words were utter nonsense, and normally Natasha Romanoff would never believe them, but right now, she had already fallen into Sean Brooke's gaze.

"I know!"

Just as their lips were about to separate, she leaned in. Not for anything else, but just to know if this Sean Brooke was still the same Sean Brooke as before.

The gown, smooth as Water, slid down her shoulders, adding a touch of red to the Red Room. As the familiar feeling washed over her, Natasha Romanoff closed her eyes and let out a long sigh. Having been apart for so long, she actually missed it a little.

Downstairs, the Widows who had been knocked out by Sean Brooke earlier had also woken up. They followed Yelena to clear out the remaining soldiers. Finally, following their mother's instructions, they lowered the entire aerial Base.

Feeling the Base descending, all the Widows shed tears of excitement. They had finally escaped the nightmare and gained their freedom. Yelena also smiled with relief, but her smile slowly faded as she looked up.

Her sister and Sean Brooke had been up there for a long time and hadn't come down yet. Nothing... nothing bad had happened, right?

After thinking about it, she took two people upstairs. These two were the blonde and the brunette that Sean Brooke had taken a liking to earlier; everyone else stayed below to guard against any remaining forces after landing.

As soon as the elevator doors opened, Yelena's heart skipped a beat because she heard her sister's cries for help.

Concerned for Natasha Romanoff's safety, she didn't have time to think and rushed inside.

"Natasha... Er!"

The scene inside was truly unsightly. The two behind her quickly covered their eyes with their hands, though they carefully surveyed the situation through the gaps between their fingers.

*Gulp*~ So intense!

The sound of swallowing was a bit loud, but fortunately, Natasha Romanoff's voice was louder.

Yelena didn't hide anything; she walked over very openly, held onto the back of the chair, pushed the two who were currently 'exercising' aside, took the ring from the dead Dreykov's hand, and leaned over the desk to pull up the data.

She was very calm throughout the process; aside from stealing a few glances every now and then, there was nothing unusual.

Soon, a red screen lit up above the desk, displaying a map of the World with many small White dots on it.

As Yelena clicked again, faces appeared over the White dots—these were all the Widows Dreykov had stationed around the World.

A small screen appeared next to it, showing the HYDRA brainwashing technology he had stolen. The experimental subjects were all girls who had been abandoned or sold.

The cruel scene made Natasha Romanoff stop her movements. She buried her head in Sean Brooke's chest, appearing very fragile.

The two behind them also couldn't bear to look at these images; they turned their heads away and wept silently.

A tear also fell from the corner of Yelena's eye. Once the Widows' data finished downloading, she immediately shut off the projection, turned around, and said with a mixture of tears and a smile:

"Sorry for ruining the mood. You guys can continue."

If it were before, Natasha Romanoff would have definitely retorted with a few words to her sister, but now, her mind was full of scenes from the operating room.

Feeling the delicate body in his arms trembling slightly, Sean Brooke held her a bit tighter and comforted her:

"No matter how terrifying the past is, it's the past. In the future... there are even more terrifying things waiting for you."

Sean Brooke's words sounded like comfort yet also like a threat, but the effect was actually quite good; at least it brought Natasha Romanoff out of the operating room.

She looked at Sean Brooke and asked with a smile, "For example?"

"For example, you'll have to work for me for the rest of your life. No salary, no vacations—even your time will belong to me."

"Hmm... isn't that just like Dreykov?"

Sean Brooke leaned down and kissed her, raising an eyebrow as he asked, "What, are you unwilling?"

"I'm willing~"

The atmosphere turned pink once again.

The conversation between the two also eased the emotions of the others. They all gathered their feelings, preparing to go save the other Widows who were still being controlled by the chemical agent.

After watching for a little while longer, Yelena also couldn't take it anymore and pulled the two girls, whose faces had already turned pink, to leave.

But whether it was intentional on Sean Brooke's part or not, he happened to place his hand on NatashaRomanoff's stomach and whispered, "Don't worry about this part either; I have a way to cure you."

He said this very quietly, but to the five people present, it was undoubtedly like a bolt from the blue.

The three who had already reached the door immediately turned back and surrounded the chair. Even Natasha Romanoff stopped moving and looked at Sean Brooke with a face full of disbelief.

"You... do you know what you're saying?"

Sean Brooke's gaze swept over them, and he said with some embarrassment, "What's wrong? Haven't you been in a bad mood because of the Red Room's surgery?"

"Yes, but do you understand what kind of surgery the Red Room performed on us?"

Natasha Romanoff's voice had begun to tremble. In the heart of every Widow, there was a dream of having a family, but it could only ever be a dream because none of them could bear children.

Sean Brooke's hand moved to her stomach again, and he nodded with a smile. "Of course."

Hearing his certain tone, the three people nearby were incredibly excited and wept in each other's arms, not doubting Sean Brooke's words.

But Natasha Romanoff also suddenly remembered something. Her expression changed, and she grabbed Sean Brooke's hand tightly, asking seriously, "The 'way' you're talking about... it couldn't be those Infinity Stones you mentioned, the ones that would cost even the Hulk an arm just to snap his fingers?"

Chapter 217: A Silly Natasha Is Also Very Cute

Sean had indeed said before that gathering the six Infinity Stones could grant any wish, but using the Infinity Stones would cause immense damage. Even with the strength of Hulk, he would lose an arm.

Before Sean could speak, Natasha covered his mouth directly, "No! This is not... not worth it."

If their happiness required Sean to sacrifice an arm, Natasha would absolutely not be willing.

A trace of confusion flashed in Sean's eyes, but it quickly vanished. He realized that after coming back, Natasha seemed to have become a bit silly.

How could he possibly choose to sacrifice himself? If it were the old Natasha, she definitely would have been able to figure this out.

However, a silly Natasha is also very cute.

Sean stood up, his tone slightly more serious, with a look of someone resigned to death, he said: "The things I have decided, you cannot stop me!"

At this moment, the three people nearby also understood the content of their conversation—the general meaning was that Sean was going to sacrifice an arm in exchange for their healthy bodies.

Such a selfless and self-sacrificing attitude struck their hearts directly. The two girls who already admired Sean joined in, hugging Sean and crying out: "You saving us from the Red Room is already a great kindness; please, do not sacrifice yourself for us again!"

Sean held Natasha and gave them a smile, "It's okay, this was my responsibility to begin with!"

This sentence directly shattered the last bit of their reason, and they couldn't help but move a little closer to him.

Yelena bit her lip, her heart warring with itself. She looked at Natasha for help, but Natasha kept rolling her eyes, so it was impossible to tell what she meant.

Taking a deep breath, Yelena figured it out—just treat it as medical treatment!

One hour later... With a loud boom, the entire Base shook and landed on the ground.

Outside it was pitch black, unable to see one's fingers in front of one's face. The Widows staying on the deck looked nervous, constantly guarding against enemies that might appear in the darkness.

Soon, two lights lit up in the distance, making them tense up.

Before long, a car drove up and stopped in front of them. Melina and Alexei got out of the car and let out a sigh of relief.

Since the Base had landed safely, it meant that Natasha and the others had succeeded. Indeed, the strength of Homelander was not something the mere Red Room could block.

The Widows also recognized Melina, maintaining their guarded expressions, and did not put down the guns in their hands. Half an hour ago, Yelena had sent an order that no one was allowed to go up, including themselves.

Melina did not force her way in either. Learning that both her daughters were fine, she felt relieved. She took food out of the trunk, distributed it to them, and waited below with them.

She thought that Sean was taking the two of them to check the data on other Widows, and that it shouldn't take long for them to come down.

It wasn't until the sky gradually turned white like a fish's belly and the Sun appeared on the horizon that she began to feel strange.

Fortunately, they still came out; otherwise, she really would have taken Alexei and charged in.

"Is everything handled?" Melina stared at Sean with unfriendly eyes, noticing the girls' unusual state, and felt a bit angry in her heart.

This Homelander actually made a move on them at a time like this!

Even knowing that she was no match for Sean, seeing that he had actually bullied her two daughters, Melina was still prepared to take action. She was no longer afraid.

Natasha did not notice her mother's expression. She knew that the things Sean decided could not be changed, so she spoke about his plan to heal everyone's bodies.

Everyone present, except for the four of them, was stunned and somewhat at a loss.

Originally, they had already accepted their incomplete bodies, prepared to just let their lives pass like this. They had not expected that there would actually be a day of healing.

Especially Melina, who was already streaming with tears. The other Widows were still young and perhaps only longed for a normal life, but at her age, she longed very much for a complete family and a biological child of her own.

In an instant, she threw the feelings of resentment from just moments ago to the back of her mind, completely forgetting why she was angry just now, leaving only gratitude towards Sean.

Moreover, when Natasha said that the price of doing this was losing an arm, they all fell silent. Alexeieven stood out and said that he could be the one to sacrifice, both hands and feet would do!

But Sean waved his hand and told them that those without strong strength could not do this, and only then did Alexei mumble and fall silent.

Seeing the atmosphere become sorrowful, Sean hugged the two women beside him and smiled happily: "Alright, everyone, don't be depressed. I can't help you recover immediately; I still need to wait for you to save the remaining girls, gather together, and wait for me to collect all the Infinity Stones."

Sean didn't plan to keep them by his side right now. If he were to keep them, it would have to be after everyone was gathered, then he would select a batch to stay. It wasn't like all the Widows were good-looking anyway.

Moreover, he was not afraid that the Widows would not return, because only he could heal their bodies. Combined with the grace of saving their lives, they would never escape his grasp in this lifetime.

Drug control was, after all, a minor path; conquering the heart was the major path.

Natasha looked up and smiled, saying: "It's okay, we can wait."

She was truly somewhat excited. The moment she thought about being able to have her own children like a normal person after recovering, she was completely unable to think normally.

The others also returned to their senses from the excitement. The urgent matter at hand was to go and rescue the remaining companions; the matter of repairing their bodies would have to wait until everyone was gathered.

Melina also wiped away her tears, divided everyone into several teams, and arranged for them to go and rescue the Widows all over the World.

Of course, she did not include the four by Sean's side. She felt that it was good for someone to be able to share Natasha's tasks.

But Yelena couldn't sit still. After coming out and being blown by the cold wind, she had calmed down a lot. She no longer had the courage to stay by Natasha's side and took the initiative to leave with a team, planning to just keep in touch in the future.

Soon, they left flying the helicopter from the Red Room Base. Melina also left driving with Alexei; she was going to act as the backup for the Widows and help them make the antidote.

Before leaving, she hesitated repeatedly, but still said to Sean: "Thank you for everything you have done, but, please, trouble yourself to treat my child...ren a bit better."

"I will." Sean hugged the two people beside him tighter.

After they also left, Sean took them and left by plane. Natasha piloted it, while he was in the back, following Melina's words, treating the two girls a bit better.

---

Time passed quickly. On the third night after returning, Natasha, panting heavily, suddenly realized something. She pushed Tracy and Mavis away from the blankets, stared into Sean's eyes, and asked: "Did you play me for a fool?"

Natasha's eyes were bright and firm; it seemed wisdom had occupied the high ground.

She had been thinking about the Red Room matter for the past few days, carefully pondering Sean's words, and no matter how she thought about it, it felt wrong.

At that time, she was completely overwhelmed by the series of events, and only now had she sobered up a little.

This point was crucial. She remembered that Sean would absolutely not sacrifice himself to save unrelated people; even for close people, he might not self-sacrifice, but only help them take revenge.

Therefore, this meant that he would absolutely not sacrifice an arm to save the Widows.

Looking at Natasha, Sean sighed and smiled; the silly her was still cuter, sigh... "Still the same thing, I didn't lie, oh."

Natasha's mouth curled up. She also knew this point; presumably, he would find someone else to pay this price.

To express her apology just now, she slowly moved down half a body length.

Chapter 218: Good Evening, My Dear Subjects

"Good work, welcome back!"

As soon as Steve stepped off the plane, he saw Sean walking toward him happily wearing sunglasses. He set aside his gloom and went to meet him.

"You too. How have things been lately—"

Just as he was about to open his arms for a hug, he realized Sean had bypassed him and embraced Wanda.

"Was it cold in Siberia? Why didn't you wear more? What if you catch a cold?" Sean asked caringly, his arm around Wanda.

Behind them, Sam tactfully jogged forward and gave Steve a hug, then tried to hug Bucky as well, but the latter refused.

Wanda stood on her tiptoes and gave Sean a kiss with a smile. Hearing that his first question wasn't about the twins but about whether she was cold, any lingering bit of pique in her heart instantly vanished.

Red light flickered in her hands as two girls walked off the plane, immediately catching Sean's eye.

The two girls emerged dressed in pitch-black clothes, their eyes dull and appearing very nervous. If not for Wanda's magic suppressing them, they might have lashed out like the previous Winter Soldiers.

Their skin wasn't fair, leaning more towards a wheatish tan. After all, HYDRA chose warriors, not models. However, they were very beautiful, and their ages seemed frozen in their early twenties.

Sean took off his sunglasses and nodded slightly, looking very satisfied.

"Take them to my office first. In fourteen hours, Innocence Day begins. We'll find a way to save them in a few days."

Wanda was quite surprised and asked with a smile, "Oh? You're not going to... right now?"

After spending time together, she knew exactly what kind of character the man she relied on had.

Sean lowered his head and whispered in her ear, "I want to warm you up first."

She immediately looked away, not daring to meet his eyes. Her small hand gripped Sean's as she gave a soft hum of agreement.

The group didn't stay outside for long and soon entered the conference room, where many people were already seated.

Fury was arranging the assignments for Innocence Day. New York City was neither big nor small, and relying solely on these few heroes would certainly not be enough.

Therefore, a large number of Police and Agents needed to be stationed everywhere. It was estimated that even the helicarriers would be deployed; they could detect danger at maximum speed and notify those nearby.

Just because of one sentence from Sean, the people at Avengers Headquarters had been busy for over half a month, all for the arrival of this day.

The heroes responsible for Queens were Peter and Scott. They were very excited; although this wasn't about fighting an alien army, it was their first official mission, and they had to perform well.

The heroes responsible for Brooklyn were Steve and Bucky. They exchanged a look and sighed. If Sean hadn't asked them to return, they wouldn't have wanted to participate in such a mission, but they owed him a favor and had to start paying it back bit by bit.

Responsible for Staten Island were Sam and Rhodes. Both were aerial units and could perform better in an area with many small islands.

Responsible for the Bronx were Wanda and Pietro. The crime rate here was the highest among the four districts; anyone else would have a hard time.

Finally, Manhattan, with the smallest area but densest population and the most developed economy, was naturally overseen by Sean at the center, with Natasha and Barton assisting.

As for the other Police officers and Agents, most were scattered across the other four districts. Fewer Police were deployed in Manhattan, even though Hell's Kitchen was located there.

As early as a week ago, all the major and minor factions in Hell's Kitchen had received a warning from the Empress, Dice: no one was allowed to do anything bad on Innocence Day.

Even if someone just stole a loaf of bread, she would end up hanging them from a streetlight to wait for death!

The words of the Police or Homelander might not carry much weight in Hell's Kitchen, but no one dared to defy this new underground ruler even slightly because she really would kill.

As for bloggers on video sites like YouTube, they had all received warnings from Hess, banning the publication of such attention-grabbing videos.

Long ago, to help improve Sean's image, she had spent a lot of money on news media. When video websites emerged, she, being sensitive to information, naturally didn't miss the opportunity.

Even when Sean's persona crumbled slightly later on, she didn't withdraw from video websites. Instead, she increased her investment because she saw the terrifying influence of viral videos.

Sean didn't participate in the discussion. Although he was the one who initiated it, he was the President. It was only normal for the people below him to work a bit harder after he issued an order.

Besides, Wanda had just returned from a business trip to a place like Siberia; shouldn't he show her more care? She was Wanda, after all! She could turn dark.

To keep Wanda happy and innocent, Sean worked hard to accompany her and warm her body and soul.

Outside, on the night before Innocence Day, many people were on the streets discussing tomorrow's events. Some platforms had even opened betting odds, with everyone guessing how much the crime rate would drop.

It would definitely drop. After all, so many people had been mobilized, and almost all the superheroes were out. There were more participating heroes than during the Battle of New York.

If they could deal with an alien army, a group of ordinary criminals would be no problem.

Dong~ Dong~

The midnight bells chimed. Today wasn't a special holiday in history, but from now on, this day would surely be remembered.

At night, people opened their windows and were somewhat surprised when they looked at the streets. Were there no large groups of armed soldiers on guard? Or had they remembered the date wrong?

Yes, almost everyone felt that it was impossible to rely on superheroes alone to bring the crime rate down to zero. Homelander would surely station a large number of Police on the streets to deter criminals.

In fact, this was the plan Fury had proposed, but Sean had rejected it.

If that was the way to achieve the goal, they might as well just lock everyone in their homes; it would be meaningless.

Why was he implementing Innocence Day? First of all, making the citizens of New York happy and joyful could be ruled out.

A while ago, when Sean realized other countries didn't welcome him, he was very angry. They were all Earthlings, yet they insisted on making distinctions between 'you,' 'me,' and 'him.' This was very bad—discrimination, blatant discrimination!

Since lifting Sokovia wasn't enough of a deterrent, he would show them what true control looked like!

He wanted them to understand that they weren't just facing Homelander, but a country completely controlled by Homelander!

Looking at the empty streets, some bold fellows finally stepped out, followed by even more people.

No Police officers came over to tell them to go back inside, and no soldiers held guns to make them disperse. Everything seemed just like usual, no different.

"Ahem, what do you guys say, should we give it a try?" a bearded man suggested.

He didn't say it explicitly, but everyone knew what he was referring to.

"Fatty, don't mess around. Committing a crime on Innocence Day is judged as a successful crime." After the middle-aged man in his forties finished speaking, he took his children, who were watching the excitement, back inside. He had a family and didn't want to commit a crime.

Judging by the nickname, they clearly knew each other.

The bearded man snorted coldly. After looking up to make sure no superheroes were around, he pulled a pistol from his waist. His eyes turned cold as he pulled the trigger without saying a word.

Envy is the original sin.

A gunshot rang out. There was no scream, only the sound of a bullet striking steel.

"Good evening, my dear subjects."

Chapter 219: Innocence Day

Crimes committed on Innocence Day, even if intercepted, will still be sentenced according to the original crime, and the penalty might even be increased by a level.

Therefore, this bearded man raising a gun on the street, attempting to use a seven-round pistol to kill over fifty people present—tsk, death penalty!

Ah, don't ask why, because Sean has already killed him, so it must be the death penalty.

The people at the scene didn't feel anything was wrong; in America, this was also the correct choice.

Similar things were happening in every corner of New York, but the helicarrier could detect firearms in advance and analyze their phones and computers to see if they had any criminal thoughts recently.

This look almost made the group of Agents' mental state unstable, and they were prepared to arrest them all.

It was no wonder Ultron decided to destroy all of humanity after browsing the internet for a few minutes.

Of course, some small crimes hidden in the shadows are hard to catch, but if they aren't caught, they don't count, right?

As the district with the highest crime rate, the Bronx naturally had no shortage of people seeking death.

"Hey everyone, I'm Thomas. Look what's in my hand? BINGO! A toy gun!"

Thomas turned the camera toward his face, letting the audience see that he had already put on a mask and a black trench coat, and pointed to a supermarket not far away.

"Hehe, I saw it just now, Homelander is in Manhattan, and I'm in a corner of the Bronx. No matter how fast he is, he won't make it."

"So, everyone, watch how I become the first criminal of Innocence Day!"

Preparing to set off, Thomas glanced at the bullet chat again, wanting to see how many people were cheering for him, but unfortunately, he only saw:

[Your live broadcast room has been banned]

"F**K!"

Thomas's face darkened as he opened the recording mode. He was determined to ride this wave of popularity; even Homelander couldn't stop him, I said so!

In an instant, his malice flared, and he swapped for a real gun and rushed toward the alley... behind the supermarket, then fired a shot at his own head.

Not far away, Wanda's lips curled as she left the scene. Suicide didn't count as a crime.

Inside a certain building, Hess also smiled slightly and commanded, "Isa, one hundred meters to the front left, someone is preparing to live stream a brawl."

"Understood!"

Disguising it as a suicide—as long as it wasn't discovered—didn't count as a crime either.

Early morning, Hells Kitchen.

A man wearing a red skin-tight suit with a mask covering his eyes leaned cautiously against a wall.

Matt Murdock, a lawyer and also a Superhero who only appears at night: Daredevil.

The reason he came here was simple; this was Hells Kitchen, the place with the most evil forces in all of America.

Today was Innocence Day, and he believed these people who lived life on the edge would definitely not give Homelander any face and would surely come out to cause some trouble.

Ten minutes passed, and no one appeared on the streets of Hells Kitchen.

Thirty minutes passed, and one person appeared to pick up a trash can that had been blown over by the wind.

An hour passed, and a battle finally broke out. In a dark alleyway, two factions confronted each other on the wall, their fur standing on end!

On one side was a very stout... Garfield cat with a big belly; on the other side was a... British Shorthair cat with a scar on its face and a fierce gaze.

They were fighting fiercely over the trash can next to them; the scene was intense.

"..."

Matt didn't doubt his ears; he now doubted if he had come to the wrong place.

Was this the Hells Kitchen filled with gunfire, or a friendly and harmonious luxury Villa? Matt was very perplexed.

Others were equally perplexed: the wealthy people who were preparing to give Homelander a warning.

Previously, Sean had arrested Darren, the chairman of Pym Technologies, on charges of colluding with HYDRA, causing them significant economic losses. Now, they were here for revenge.

Originally, they wanted to find some local forces to just rob a bank or something, and then they could report it extensively to slap Homelander in the face.

But strangely, not a single gang dared to take the job. Those who did dare were all asking for sky-high prices, far exceeding their budget.

Out of necessity, they could only hire some cheap mercenaries from outside. These people didn't know about Innocence Day yet, and when they heard the mission was just to rob a small peripheral bank, they immediately agreed.

That night, they took a speedboat and headed toward the edge of Staten Island.

"Hehe, Boss, how about we just turn around and run? They've already paid anyway," a simple-minded lackey suggested.

The boss, holding a cigarette in his left hand, gave him a heavy slap with his right. "Stupid! Out in the world, it's all about credit!"

"Since they paid in full, they trust us. We can't do something like breaching a contract..."

The cigarette fell onto the deck as he stared blankly at the sky in a daze.

The simple-minded lackey was very confused and followed his boss's gaze. A missile, the kind he had only seen in the Middle East, was flying toward the boat.

Tears streamed down their cheeks. F**k, this missile was more expensive than their entire net worth. Was there a need to be this wasteful? You're actually using a cannon to hit a mosquito?

Words spoken are like spilled water; for the sake of his reputation, Sean was capable of anything.

Not a single military bigshot opposed the deployment of the missile project around New York because Sean had first told them he wanted to deploy aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines.

After their constant persuasion, it was changed to the missile project. Thankfully, both sides were very satisfied with this result.

The top of the Empire State Building—this was the tallest building in Manhattan.

The early morning wind was still a bit chilly, but fortunately, Sean had people in front and behind him helping to block the wind. It was just hard to tell which was the older sister and which was the younger sister.

Both of them were Winter Soldiers who had been implanted with the Infinity Formula, granting them eternal youth and immense strength; it was a type of Super Soldier Serum.

At the same time, like Bucky, they had been brainwashed by HYDRA. They would be activated upon hearing specific words and would then follow all orders.

Sean really wanted to save them, but as you know, the Mind Stone was locked away by the Ancient One, so there was no way.

After thinking about it, Sean could only say the commands himself to prevent villains from using them to do bad things.

At night, he took advantage of his free time to train them and issue some commands, hoping they could rely on their own will to break free from HYDRA's control.

But unfortunately, even a military tough guy like Bucky couldn't resist, let alone the two of them.

Snap!

Sean snapped his fingers, and the two girls' eyes regained clarity. After a short daze, the one behind quickly picked up her clothes, while the one in front struggled for a moment before slowly leaving.

"Cough, this training failed again. I hope next time you can succeed. Keep it up!"

Giving them a small smile, Sean turned and flew away. There was another incident over there.

The older sister, Renee, supported her younger sister, Annie, as they leaned against the wall, their expressions somewhat dazed.

To be honest, if Sean didn't release his control over them every time, the two of them would have acted just now.

Previously, when they followed Sean back to a White House, that's what he told them. He also said Wanda used to be controlled and escaped it the same way.

Wanda, who followed behind, also nodded repeatedly, so the two of them believed Sean's words and agreed to let him say the commands.

Then, in that house, the four of them, plus the people who came later, played for a long time.

"Sister, he wants to issue some commands we're unwilling to follow, hoping we can break free from the control, right?" Annie asked, staring in the direction Sean had left.

Renee looked troubled and nodded. "Yes, but I feel..."

Before she could finish, Annie grinned happily and said:

"What if~ I'm willing to follow this command?"

Chapter 220: When You Put Sokovia Down, Did You Ever Think There Were People Below?!

At 7:30 AM, New York citizens were getting ready for work as usual. On the streets, there was nothing out of the ordinary except for a few more patrolling Police officers.

They all chose to check the morning news at the same time. Generally, the news at this hour would report who died where the previous night, reminding everyone to stay safe and so on. But today, it was different.

"Hello everyone, today is Innocence Day. It has been over seven hours since midnight. What is the crime rate in New York City so far? Let's take a look!"

The female reporter was clearly excited, as this was undoubtedly the peak of her viewership.

With a point of her finger, a large number appeared on the silver screen beside her: 0.

"Yes, everyone, you are not seeing things. Today's New York is very safe. Please rest assured, and please believe in our beloved President, Homelander."

"Next up are the cases where Superheroes successfully stopped crimes early this morning..."

On the subway, all the commuters listening to the morning news were stunned, as were the passersby who overheard it. Disbelief was written all over their faces.

Homelander actually did it.

In their daze, they didn't notice a small hand quietly reaching into someone's backpack.

"Ah!"

The thief's hand was instantly seized by a fair hand. Gwen pinned him to the ground with a simple grappling move, skillfully handcuffed him, and then flashed her Police ID.

"I am Officer Stacy. Please do not worry, everyone. Today is Innocence Day, and we will do our best to carry out the President's orders and protect you all."

The carriage was quiet, save for the thief's screams, but soon everyone broke into spontaneous applause, their faces filled with joy.

They never expected to see Police officers lying in wait in the carriages to catch thieves. In the past, even if they called the Police, they would arrive very late. Wow, the current President is truly amazing!

Indeed, as long as one is a normal person, they hope for a safer living environment. Who would enjoy facing bullets all day, right?

Many similar incidents occurred elsewhere, but they were all stopped on the spot.

Two young Black men were also getting ready for "work" as usual, hop on their scooters and picking out suitable targets on the street.

Just as they selected a suitable bag and successfully grabbed it, several white webs hung them in the air, with a sticky note slapped on them that read: [Robbery].

Peter returned the bag to its owner, immediately waved to the surrounding crowd, and shouted:

"Uh, hi, good morning everyone, I'm the new Superhero, Spider-Man. I hope you can all go to the Hero Official Website and vote for me, thank you!" After Peter finished speaking, he swung away on a web.

This time, Sean gave them an assessment, letting Peter and Scott compete to see who could stop more crimes.

Things were also going smoothly on Scott's end. He encountered a few young punks who had stealthily pried open a rolling shutter door and were running out.

The people around were also ready to report it; after all, reporting crimes on Innocence Day came with a reward.

But soon, they saw the group that had just started running suddenly collapse with wails. A Fly-man in a red suit suddenly popped out, took off his helmet, and waved, saying:

"Want a photo? I'm the new Superhero, Ant-Man Scott!"

Passersby didn't stop reporting; instead, they became even more excited because reporting a superpowered crime meant they almost wouldn't have to worry for the rest of their lives.

Scott gave a couple of awkward laughs and turned to leave. He needed to go somewhere with reporters and announce his name so his daughter could see him on TV.

The situation in the other districts was similar, mostly involving thieves and bag-snatching, all of which were stopped on the spot.

The only place where something happened was the one place no one expected: Manhattan, where Sean was located.

Fury had thought that Manhattan wasn't that big, and with Sean's speed, he could reach any crime scene instantly. Therefore, there weren't many hidden Agents or Police officers.

But he underestimated Sean's laziness. Early in the morning, Sean was on the top floor holding the two of them, sleeping soundly for a little while—not long, just eight hours.

Just as the three of them were in a hazy daze, a violent rumble woke the two women. As they got up, Sean also woke up, a trace of coldness flashing in his eyes.

The Manhattan Bridge was a major thoroughfare with heavy traffic.

Suddenly, a ten-second countdown appeared at the entrances of both ends of the bridge. As soon as the countdown ended, the bridge pillars at both ends exploded simultaneously. Numerous cars slowly slid into the sea, and many civilians were stranded in the middle of the bridge.

When Sean arrived, he saw an LED screen on a nearby building light up. A weathered face appeared, saying in a raspy voice:

"Hello Homelander, Happy Innocence Day."

On the bridge, the cries of many civilians rang out. Seeing Homelander, they immediately shouted his name, hoping Sean would hurry over to save them.

The man on the screen smiled slightly and continued, "Ah, don't be impulsive. You must have discovered the bombs under the bridge by now. I think you understand what I mean."

"And based on the way your eyes just moved, I have reason to believe you've also found me. Heh, but it's useless!"

The man on the screen was very calm; even his laughter was just a couple of soft chuckles.

"My heart is connected to the bombs. If it stops, they will detonate immediately. Oh, and don't let that Witch come over. Once she leaves my surveillance range, I will also detonate the bombs."

Sean smirked. This guy had some brains, actually keeping an eye on Wanda. Interesting.

"Introduce yourself, then tell your story."

Helmut Zemo's brow twitched, and the smile on his face slowly vanished. He didn't understand what hidden cards Homelander had to be so bold and confident.

Below the screen building, passersby stopped to watch. Even reporters arrived upon hearing the news; seeing that Homelander didn't object, they quickly started recording and broadcasting live.

Zemo confirmed Wanda's position and also noticed a rescue team heading under the bridge, but that didn't matter.

He just needed the people on the bridge to help him stall for time. He didn't actually want to kill innocent people; he had even put out a countdown before the explosion to warn them not to get on the bridge.

Even if someone fell into the sea, they probably wouldn't die immediately and could surely be saved by the rescue team or Superheroes.

"My father, my child, my wife—my whole family lived outside the city of Sokovia. I thought it was safe. My child even said excitedly that he could see Iron Man flying in the sky. Heh, he really liked Iron Man."

Zemo took a deep breath. "I even comforted my wife, telling her not to worry. They were fighting in the city, and we were outside, far away. Nothing would happen."

"When the dust settled and the cheering stopped, it took me three days to dig out their bodies. My father was still holding my wife and child."

Suddenly, Zemo's eyes turned red. He stared intently at Sean and asked through gritted teeth:

"Homelander, when you put Sokovia down, did you ever think there were people below?!"