Chapter 127: Meat Grinder
Clap! Clap!
Butcher stood up and clapped his hands forcefully, snapping Hughie, Mothers Milk, and Frenchie out of their trance from the blacked-out television screen.
"Alright, ladies," Butcher grinned, his stubble twitching, "show's over, time to get to work."
Hughie swallowed hard and pointed at the TV screen. "Did… did you do this? Did you get those photos to the hearing?"
"You could say that." Butcher grabbed his trench coat from the table and threw it on.
Those top-secret photos and files on Stormfront were indeed something he had obtained in collaboration with Mallory.
That night, when he brought Becca out from under the bridge, seeing her dazed, soulless expression, he ultimately swallowed the words, "Forget about that little bastard."
He had promised Becca he would help her save Ryan.
But that didn't mean he wasn't resistant to the idea. That was a Superhuman, the spawn of Homelander.
Every time he thought about that child carrying the blood of that piece of shit draped in the Stars and Stripes, Butcher felt his stomach churn. But looking at Becca, who looked as if her very soul had been drained, he compromised.
He had to help her, even if it was for the sake of that bastard.
He found Mallory, utilized CIA resources, and began digging relentlessly into Stormfront's background. It wasn't an easy job.
Stormfront's records had been scrubbed clean, but they still found a crack. Using a facial recognition system, they discovered that before joining The Seven, this rising internet-famous hero secretly visited a high-end nursing home every month.
Following that lead, the truth was hair-raising. That old woman lying on the hospital bed, nearing death, was actually the biological daughter of Liberty.
Butcher sneered to himself as he loaded bullets into his magazine.
What do those sons of bitches at Vought Company care about most? Stock prices, image. Now that Stormfront's Nazi identity was exposed, Vought Company would definitely kick her to the curb.
"Listen up." Butcher tossed the loaded assault rifle to Mothers Milk. "A Stormfront protected by Vought Company who could call in Homelander as an enforcer—we couldn't even touch her. But now?"
He pulled the bolt back.
"Now she's a full-blown Nazi remnant. Internet users all over the United States are cursing her, and Vought Company executives want nothing more than to strangle her themselves. She's isolated."
Frenchie rubbed his nose, his brow furrowed. "So we're going to hunt down a hundred-year-old hag who can shoot lightning? With just these few beat-up guns?"
"That's right. But don't worry, we might have help." Butcher turned to look at Becca, who was sitting on the worn-out sofa.
Becca gripped the edge of the sofa tightly, looking at Butcher with pleading eyes.
"You stay here, don't go anywhere." Butcher walked over and placed his hands heavily on her shoulders. "I promise, I'll bring that kid back for you."
Becca bit her lip and nodded heavily.
Butcher straightened up and kicked open the iron door of the safe house. "Let's go, boys, time to skin that Nazi bitch."
In a luxury hotel suite in downtown New York City.
Lu Chen leaned back on a leather sofa, holding a glass of bourbon on the rocks, quietly watching the giant LCD TV on the wall.
The feed had been cut, and anchors on major news networks were incoherently reporting on the terrorist attack at Capitol Hill, the scrolling tickers at the bottom all in glaring red.
He took a sip of his drink.
This plot progression didn't match his memories from his past life at all. The original hearing was supposed to be a one-woman show for Congresswoman Victoria Neuman, using her ability to make heads explode with blood manipulation to turn the scene upside down. Instead, Stormfront's secrets had been exposed right there at the hearing, sending her into a total frenzy.
But it didn't matter.
Lu Chen set his glass on the coffee table with a soft click.
No matter how the process changed, the result was the same. Stormfront was finished. Her internet troll army that she was so proud of couldn't save her, and the racist cause she had painstakingly cultivated had become a joke. From this moment on, she was a lone, desperate mad dog.
Congressional hearing hall.
It had become a slaughterhouse.
The solid wood tables and chairs in the front row were smashed into splinters by violent purple lightning, flying everywhere. Several reporters who hadn't managed to run away were instantly charred, still clutching their melted cameras.
Homelander stood in place.
A few drops of blood splattered on him, and his hair was slightly disheveled by the shockwave of the explosion.
He watched Stormfront, who was frantically unleashing lightning before him, his mind full of conflict.
Stop her.
If he just rushed up now, shattered her jaw with one punch, or burned through her thigh with Heat Vision, he could play the role of the true savior once again.
He could recover his plummeting approval ratings; he could become that flawless American hero once again.
But he didn't move.
Homelander's fists clenched and unclenched, again and again.
He looked at Stormfront's face. This woman had lied to him. She was an old hag over a hundred years old, a Nazi full of lies. She had used him to fulfill her bullshit theories.
But she was also the only person who accepted all his emotions.
She wasn't afraid of his Heat Vision. She looked into his eyes and said she loved him. She understood his loneliness, understood that twisted psychology of his—being high and mighty yet desperately craving love. After Madelyn Stillwell died, only this crazy woman had filled that great void in his heart.
If he killed her now, or crippled her, he would be alone again.
He would have to return to that cold, empty top floor of the tower, faking a smile at a pile of lifeless cameras.
Homelander gritted his teeth; he hated this feeling. He was the most powerful existence in the World, why was he hesitating over something like this?
"Die! Die!" Stormfront shrieked, her hands erupting again with thick pillars of lightning, blasting directly into the audience.
Homelander took half a step back, a flash of annoyance in his eyes. He decided to see how things played out first.
On the other side of the hall.
Neuman was hiding behind a collapsed Roman pillar, covered in dust and dirt. Her exquisite professional suit was torn, and she had lost one of her high heels.
She poked her head out and looked at the center of the hall.
Kenji and Kimiko had just been hit head-on by Stormfront's lightning, crashing through the oak background wall behind the judge's bench; their status was unknown.
Things had completely derailed.
Neuman gritted her teeth. This hearing was supposed to be a play she and Edgar had carefully orchestrated. She was responsible for gathering those thorns who opposed Vought Company, then using her ability to create panic, logically suspending the hearing, and simultaneously solidifying her persona as an anti-Vought fighter.
As it turned out, some bastard had leaked Stormfront's background, turning a political show into a Nazi massacre.
She turned to look at the front row.
Stan Edgar was gone. That old fox, who always wore a crisp suit and remained unflappable even if Mount Tai collapsed before him, had dived under a sturdy mahogany table the moment the first bolt of lightning flashed.
A completely black figure darted out from some corner, blocking firmly in front of the table where Edgar was hiding. It was Black Noir. He gripped two specialized Military knives, staring vigilantly at the crazed Stormfront.
Neuman withdrew her gaze.
Although the script had been torn to shreds, the job still had to be done.
She closed her eyes, forcibly suppressing the panic in her heart.
Her gaze pierced through the chaotic crowd, locking onto several high-ranking Military officials and radical congressmen who were crawling on the ground, trying to reach the side exit.
These old geezers had been advocating for a thorough Military review of Vought Company and were must-kill targets on Edgar's list.
Blood boiled within those people.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Three consecutive muffled sounds were perfectly masked by Stormfront's thunderous roar. The heads of the three crawling congressmen and generals instantly exploded into a mist of blood. Red and white brain matter and bone fragments splattered onto the expensive carpet.
Neuman closed her eyes, wiped the dust from her face, put on a terrified expression, and ran toward the emergency exit with several surviving assistants.
In the center of the hall, Stormfront's slaughter continued.
She no longer distinguished between witnesses, reporters, or Vought Company executives. Anything that moved was within her range of attack.
This solemn congressional hearing had completely turned into a bloody meat grinder.
Chapter 128: Rescue
Violent electrical currents compressed in Stormfront's palms as she locked her gaze on a group of reporters huddled behind a bench in the corner.
Those people held up their hands, crying and begging for mercy.
A cruel smile spread across Stormfront's lips; she had been blinded by bloodlust.
The hearing, Vought, public image—it had all become garbage.
As long as she killed everyone at the scene and blew up those media headquarters, the remaining people would naturally learn to keep their mouths shut.
Just as the ball of lightning, capable of burning over a dozen people to ashes, was about to be thrown, a large hand clamped tightly onto her wrist.
Homelander stood by her side.
That face, which always wore a smile in front of the public, was now severely contorted.
He looked at the mangled flesh and charred remains covering the floor, watching those who had been high and mighty, daring to judge him, turn into a pile of sludge.
If he applied force, the wrist in his hand would snap like a withered branch.
But he couldn't bring himself to do it.
Purple lightning spread along his palms, scorching his gloves, but it couldn't leave a single mark on his skin.
He looked into Stormfront's eyes, which were filled with madness.
That was the only pair of eyes that, when looking at him, held no fear, only fanaticism and love.
Madelyn Stillwell was dead. If she died too, he would truly have nothing left.
He only had her left.
Homelander forcibly pressed down Stormfront's raised arm.
The lightning ball dissipated between them, arcs of electricity crackling and hissing.
Stormfront looked at Homelander, the madness in her eyes fading by half, replaced by astonishment.
What was he doing? Was he going to kill her here to show his loyalty to the public?
Homelander didn't look at her. He turned his head, facing the survivors who were holding up their phones and shivering behind the ruins.
He took a deep breath, puffed out his chest, and put on his hero face.
"Stop it! You damn Nazi!"
His voice was incredibly loud, filled with righteousness, drowning out the alarms in the hall and carrying into the microphones of every phone still recording.
Before Stormfront could react, Homelander grabbed her with both hands.
Bang!
He shot up into the sky with Stormfront, crashing directly through the Capitol building's skylight dome and disappearing into the gray Washington sky.
A few seconds later, the suppressed cries and calls for help erupted like water bursting through a dam.
The disheveled survivors crawled out from the ruins, frantically dialing emergency numbers.
Under the mahogany table, Black Noir put away his custom Military knife and took half a step back.
Stan Edgar straightened the slightly wrinkled hem of his suit, crawled out from under the table, and scanned the hall.
At the left corridor entrance, three headless corpses lay quietly in a pool of blood.
They were the Military's and the political world's toughest hawks, and the most active secret promoters of this hearing.
Neuman did a good job. At least the core goal had been achieved; the rest was just handling the PR crisis.
Several politicians and high-level officials who had narrowly survived walked over, supporting one another.
A blood-covered senator pointed at Edgar's nose, "Edgar! Look at the good work you've done! These are the Superhumans under your command!"
The senator was spitting with rage.
"Massacring people on Capitol Hill in front of the entire United States! Do you want to start an all-out war with the government by doing this?!"
Several Department of Defense officials also crowded around, their faces livid, looking as if they wanted to tear Edgar apart on the spot.
Edgar looked at the finger that was about to poke his face, and felt a slight sense of relief in his heart.
He knew these politicians too well.
If they really wanted to start a war, the National Guard would be surrounding this place right now, rather than just spitting insults at him.
"Senator, I completely understand your anger."
"But please watch your language. Regarding Stormfront's Nazi identity, Vought is also a victim. This was an unprovoked terrorist attack."
"A victim?!" The senator raised his voice, pointing at the corpses on the ground, "You packaged a Nazi as a superhero and sent her to Congress, and now you're telling me you're a victim?"
Edgar raised his hand, interrupting him.
"The air in here is terrible." Edgar looked around, "And the media will be swarming in soon. If you don't want tomorrow's headline to feature you in this disheveled state..."
He looked into the senator's eyes, then swept his gaze over the several Department of Defense officials nearby.
"I suggest we move to a quieter place, sit down, and properly discuss the aftermath."
Edgar's gaze fell on the headless corpses at the corridor entrance, his tone carrying a hint of deeper meaning.
"The dead are gone, but the living still have work to do. The reallocation of the defense budget and the technical support Vought can provide—none of these can be solved by shouting in the hall."
The senator followed his gaze, his Adam's apple bobbing.
Those hardliners were dead, and the positions and power that had opened up...
The senator gritted his teeth, looked at the corpses covering the floor, then at Edgar's expressionless face, and finally dropped his hand resentfully.
"Let's go." The senator snorted coldly.
Edgar walked toward the side door, surrounded by a group of security personnel.
He walked steadily, but inside, he sighed.
Homelander, Stormfront, Lu Chen.
These people were each more capable of causing trouble than the last.
Homelander could at least be kept on a leash by public affection for the time being.
But Lu Chen was becoming increasingly difficult to gauge.
Wealth, fame, a seat in The Seven—things that ordinary Superhumans would fight tooth and nail for held no sway over that young man.
Yet his strength changed every day, and even the company's database couldn't explain the source of his growth.
If these people clashed, today's events on Capitol Hill would only count as a warm-up.
New York, luxury hotel suite.
Lu Chen downed the bourbon whiskey in his hand in one gulp.
Buzz, buzz, buzz.
The phone in his pocket vibrated.
Lu Chen took out his phone and glanced at the caller ID on the screen.
Annie.
He turned his head and glanced toward the bedroom.
On the large double bed, Cate Dunlap was fast asleep with her back to the door.
He lightened his footsteps and walked to the balcony, his body rising into the night sky like a weightless feather.
A few seconds later, he landed on the hotel's rooftop and pressed the answer button.
"Annie."
Starlight's voice carried undisguised shock.
"I just finished watching the news. Is Stormfront really a Nazi? The real deal?"
"The kind with wedding photos and swastika flags."
"That's so disgusting."
The sound of a plastic water bottle being crushed rang out from Annie's side.
"No wonder you were always lamenting to me before about how bad Stormfront was. Did you find out a long time ago?"
"I guessed some of it."
"Guessing again?"
Annie clearly didn't believe him.
"Let's not talk about her," Lu Chen changed the subject, "How has training been going lately? Can you fly yet?"
The other end of the line was silent for two seconds.
Starlight's voice resumed, carrying a hint of smugness.
"I found an indoor training facility with a deep pool. It's completely enclosed, no one bothers me."
She described it excitedly.
"I climb up to the ten-meter diving platform and then jump off. I've tried many times. Although I often fall into the water..."
Lu Chen raised an eyebrow.
"But it's very useful!"
Starlight quickly added.
"I'm quite a genius, you know. These past two days, I've been able to slowly float in mid-air. It's just... I still can't quite control my sense of direction, and I tend to hit walls."
Lu Chen chuckled.
"Just floating?"
"Lu Chen!"
"Alright, that's already pretty good."
"That's more like it."
Annie walked to the edge of the ten-meter platform and looked down at the water.
"Keep up this state and prepare well."
"I might need you to act in a couple of days."
Annie stopped at the edge of the platform.
"Is it finally my turn, the great Starlight, to act?"
Her exhaustion vanished instantly.
"Don't worry, I'll work hard these next few days. You'd better not change your mind at the last minute."
"Learn to fly before you start making threats."
"Stop looking down on me."
Chapter 129: Alliance
The fierce wind tore at Stormfront's uniform. Homelander gripped her by the nape of her neck, speeding through the air thousands of meters above the ground.
Purple arcs of electricity still danced at her fingertips. Stormfront gritted her teeth, attempting to channel the energy within her to break free from that iron grip.
She thought Homelander was going to crush her spine in mid-air to show all the people of the United States that he was a staunch anti-Nazi hero.
But a few seconds later, Stormfront gave up struggling.
She did not sense any killing intent.
Although Homelander's hand was forceful, it did not tighten enough to snap her neck.
He was simply taking her away, with a speed bordering on escape, furiously distancing themselves from Washington, from that Capitol building filled with screams and bloodshed.
The two broke through the clouds and landed on an uninhabited mountain peak deep in the Appalachian Mountains. Homelander let go, and Stormfront stumbled two steps before steadying herself.
All around them were only the howling mountain winds and withered yellow grass.
Homelander stood with his back to Stormfront, looking at the endless black forest below the mountain. The stars on his uniform, symbolizing the spirit of the United States, were still shining, but his broad shoulders were slightly hunched.
"I want the truth."
Homelander's voice lacked the fervor he usually displayed before the public, and it lacked the brutality he showed before killing. There was only a strange, eerie fragility.
Stormfront was stunned. That face, looked up to by the entire United States, was currently etched with confusion, pain, and fear.
This was the gaze of a monster who had grown up locked in a sterile laboratory and had never truly possessed any intimate relationships.
From childhood to adulthood, he had no parents, no childhood, only cold instruments and endless testing.
He had once regarded Madelyn Stillwell as a combination of a mother and a lover, thinking that she was his safe haven.
But facts proved that Madelyn Stillwell only regarded him as a dangerous product that needed to be pacified and controlled at all times. The moment he burned through Madelyn Stillwell's brain with his own hands, he fell into total loneliness once again.
Everyone was in awe of him, or feared him. The higher-ups at Vought used him to make money, the public regarded him as a flawless totem, and the losers in The Seven previously acted submissive and flattering toward him on the surface, but were filled with fear in their bones.
No one dared to face his madness, and no one was willing to accept the John who was covered in blood, with a heart that was extremely inferior yet extremely arrogant.
Until Stormfront appeared.
This woman dared to talk back to him in front of the cameras, dared to look directly into his eyes that turned red with rage, and she caught all of his violence and fragility.
For her, he committed his greatest act of rebellion. He didn't know if that shout toward the cameras was useful, didn't know how the media would write about him standing idly by earlier, and he hadn't brought Stormfront's body back. He only knew that he did not want this woman to die.
"The truth is, those photos on the big screen are all real." Stormfront took a step forward, her voice carrying undisguised fanaticism and arrogance. "I am the wife of Frederick Vought. I have lived for a hundred years, and I witnessed the rise of that great empire."
She stared intensely at Homelander's back, waiting for judgment.
Homelander turned around. He looked at Stormfront's face.
He understood what Stormfront said. He knew that standing before him was a Nazi crone with blood on her hands, a lunatic who wanted to incite a race war.
He also vaguely sensed that this woman had been using him, attempting to instill her foul, extreme ideology into his brain.
But so what?
He deliberately avoided those words regarding Nazis and Carnage. He did not care about White Superhumans supremacy, nor did he care about any great race war.
He didn't even care about the life or death of ordinary humans, so how could he care about their skin color?
There was only one thing he cared about.
"You said before... that you love me." Homelander's voice actually carried a hint of pleading. "Is that real? Or is that, too, part of your plan?"
As long as you are still willing to stay with me, as long as you are still willing to accept me, I can pretend I know nothing.
Stormfront looked into Homelander's blue eyes, and the anger and frustration in her heart were instantly replaced by a twisted sense of achievement. She walked forward and held Homelander's face in her hands.
"Of course I love you." Stormfront's voice became incredibly gentle. "You are perfect. You are the ultimate goal of our great plan. Aside from me, no one in this World is worthy of you."
Stormfront stood on her tiptoes and kissed those two trembling lips.
Uniforms were torn off, and the fierce wind was shut out. On this desolate, uninhabited mountain peak, two extremely twisted souls entwined like Beasts.
It was unknown how much time passed, but the storm ceased.
Homelander lay on the rock, holding Stormfront in his arms.
"I have a secret." Homelander stroked Stormfront's messy hair.
Stormfront raised her head and looked at him.
"I have a son." A smile curled at the corner of Homelander's mouth. "His name is Ryan."
"He is my only family in this World. But I don't know how to teach him. That woman named Becca will only turn him into a weak loser."
Stormfront's eyes lit up. A natural-born Superhuman? Homelander's bloodline?
Homelander looked at Stormfront with eager eyes. "But you are different. You understand me. If you can be his mother, the three of us can become a true family."
"I am willing." Stormfront answered without hesitation, a crazy light flickering in the depths of her eyes. Her racial grand cause had found the most perfect continuation.
Homelander smiled. That was the first heartfelt, pure smile he had revealed today.
Homelander stood up. "Then let's go pick him up and bring him home right now."
New York, luxury hotel suite.
After finishing his call with Annie January, Lu Chen returned to the balcony. He tossed his phone onto the coffee table, preparing to take a shower.
Buzz, buzz, buzz.
The phone that had just touched the tabletop began to vibrate again.
Lu Chen glanced at the screen. Caller ID: Hughie.
He raised an eyebrow. Why would this kid call him?
Lu Chen pressed the answer button and held the phone to his ear.
"Good evening, little yellow-skinned young master of The Seven."
The voice coming from the other end of the line was not Hughie's, but a crude greeting with a London accent.
Lu Chen laughed. He walked to the bar and poured himself a glass of ice Water.
"Butcher." Lu Chen leaned against the bar, his tone unhurried. "When you need me, you finally remembered me? Last time I called Hughie, he almost bit me over the phone, blaming me for almost snatching Kimiko and her brother."
In the underground safe house, Butcher was holding Hughie's phone.
Hearing Lu Chen's words, Butcher glared fiercely at Hughie, who was sitting opposite him.
Hughie shrank his neck and rubbed his hands uneasily on his thighs. He had indeed complained about Lu Chen a few times on the phone back then; who knew this bastard held such a grudge?
"This silly kid has nothing but mush in his brain, why are you bothering with him?"
Butcher spat his cigarette butt on the ground and crushed it with the sole of his shoe. "Let's cut to the chase. You should have seen the stuff about the hearing. That foul-mouthed old crone is now just a plucked hen, and the whole World is chasing her to pull out her feathers."
Butcher paused, his voice turning gloomy.
"But she is, after all, an old monster who has lived for over a hundred years. Our few broken guns are a bit hard-pressed to deal with her. I need your help."
Lu Chen did not speak.
Butcher continued to lobby: "You and she both stay in that broken tower; you should know better than me what kind of person she is. That old bitch is a thorough racist. Usually in The Seven, she hasn't disgusted you less, right?"
Butcher sneered.
"You help us take her down, and you are also helping yourself. This deal is all profit for you, no loss."
Lu Chen laughed to himself; this woman had long been scammed by him until she didn't even have her underwear left. Whether Butcher and his group were involved or not, he would still take action. What he truly cared about was Butcher and his crew.
Or rather, their abilities.
In the memories of his past life, Butcher and Hughie both injected temporary Compound V in the subsequent plot.
Hughie awakened teleportation, and Butcher awakened Heat Vision just like Homelander's, and a Super Physique of at least LV4 or above.
But the abilities awakened by temporary V seemed to be highly bound to the user's subconscious. Butcher at the time was extremely eager to kill Homelander, so he awakened the exact same Heat Vision and Super Physique as Homelander; Hughie was drifting between the thoughts of escaping reality and protecting those around him, so he awakened teleportation.
But he wasn't sure if injecting temporary V under Mind Control could still achieve this situation. What if Mind Control damaged the other party's subconscious, or forcibly modified their memory, leading to the awakening of some trash abilities like "tumors" or "acid excretion"?
Hughie, Butcher, and even his father's abilities were not bad. It was better to be safe and let them inject it themselves. To get them to that step, he had to give them enough pressure and force them into a desperate situation.
A Stormfront who had fallen into madness was just the right catalyst.
"Sounds like a good deal." Lu Chen said into the phone. "Notify me after you find Stormfront's location."
After saying that, he hung up the phone directly.
He stood up and walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window. In the reflection of the glass, his eyes revealed undisguised anticipation.
Go, Butcher. Go and inject that serum into your veins.
Let me see what kind of surprises you desperate outlaws can bring me.
Chapter 130: Home
In the glass reflection, a pair of arms wrapped around from behind, pressing against his waist and abdomen.
The warmth of skin-to-skin contact was conducted through the fabric.
Cate Dunlap pressed her cheek against Lu Chen's back, her long, light-blonde hair scattered over his shoulders.
"What are you thinking about?"
Lu Chen turned around.
Cate Dunlap's complexion was much ruddier than it had been at Godolkin, and the gloom that had lingered around her brows and eyes had largely faded.
Lu Chen reached out to brush the stray hair from her forehead.
"Since you've rested up, how about we go pick out a house?"
Cate Dunlap looked up, her eyes gradually widening.
"We should have a home, after all," Lu Chen said, looking into her eyes.
"I rarely go to my room in Vought Tower myself. You won't be living at the school anymore, so we need a place to land."
Home.
Ever since she accidentally hurt her younger brother when her powers spiraled out of control at age nine and her parents forcibly made her wear gloves, she had never experienced the warmth of a home.
Now, Lu Chen was about to stuff this word back into her life.
Cate Dunlap bit her lower lip, moisture welling up in her eyes, and nodded vigorously.
Lu Chen took out his phone and dialed Ashley's number.
The phone rang seven or eight times before it was answered.
In the top-floor office of Vought Tower.
Ashley was frantically typing on her keyboard, facing the computer screen.
On the screen, the Vought Company stock price curve was plummeting like a diver.
Online public opinion had completely spiraled out of control.
Headlines like "Stormfront is a Nazi," "Vought Company is harboring war criminals," and "Homelander committed Carnage against civilians" dominated the trending lists of all social media.
The office door was pushed open, and the head of the PR department rushed in, drenched in sweat.
"Vice President, the Department of Defense is calling again, demanding we hand over Stormfront, or they will send the military to take over Vought Company!"
Ashley grabbed the half-cup of cold coffee on the table and smashed it hard against the doorframe.
"Tell them to go eat shit! The military? If they have the guts, let them go ask Homelander for her themselves!" Ashley screamed.
"Go tell the PR team to activate all the bot accounts and cut ties between Stormfront and Vought Company! Announce to the public that she is a Terrorist who infiltrated the company by hiding her identity!"
The director was so frightened that he retreated repeatedly and hurriedly closed the door to escape.
Ashley slumped into her leather swivel chair, covering her face and breathing heavily.
Madelyn Stillwell was dead, and she had taken over this position under the instruction of Homelander.
She had thought she could command the wind and rain, but instead, she spent every day cleaning up after this bunch of psychotic Superhumans.
Homelander was a madman who could burn a hole through her head with his Heat Vision at any moment.
Stormfront was an old monster who had lived for over a hundred years.
And now, there was another one, Tian Shu.
He had seemed quite normal when she first met him, but she didn't know if there was a virus inside Vought Company; every Superhuman who came in became inexplicable.
Now, he had even charged directly into Godolkin University and turned Professor Shetty into a madwoman.
The CEO not only hadn't been angry, but had even ordered the PR department to fully block any negative news about Tian Shu.
The private phone on the table vibrated.
Seeing "Tian Shu" on the caller ID, Ashley forcibly swallowed the profanity that had reached her lips.
"Lu Chen." Ashley squeezed out a professional fake smile. "What are your orders?"
"Send me some information on Villa districts around New York," Lu Chen said into the phone.
"I want move-in ready properties."
Ashley was stunned for a few seconds.
At such a critical moment, Vought Company was about to be destroyed by you people!
Do these Superhumans have nothing left in their brains but enjoyment besides causing trouble?
"Okay," Ashley said through gritted teeth. "What is the budget? Do you have any specific requirements for the location or security?"
Lu Chen glanced at Cate Dunlap in his arms.
"The budget is unlimited. Just send over the best options for each area."
Beep, beep, beep.
The call hung up.
Taking three deep breaths, she hurriedly ordered her subordinates to handle it.
Lu Chen's face flashed through her mind.
All the Superhumans were causing trouble, but he remained unmoved in this storm.
Even the CEO complied with his every request; Homelander's unpredictable personality couldn't be relied upon, so perhaps by clinging tightly to Tian Shu's thigh, she could survive this storm.
Cate Dunlap listened to the busy signal on the phone, her mouth slightly agape.
"The budget is unlimited?" She stared at Lu Chen. "How are you so rich? Are the salaries for The Seven that high?"
Lu Chen pinched her cheek.
"To me right now, money is really just a string of numbers."
This was no lie.
Even without using Mind Control to find those top billionaires, he had two super cash cows in his hands: Professor Brink and Edgar.
Professor Brink had managed Godolkin University for many years, and the funds in his private account were astronomical.
Edgar was the actual controller of Vought Company.
As long as he spoke, these two could move a mountain of gold in front of him.
Within ten minutes, Ashley's email arrived.
The efficiency was extremely high.
Hampton seaside Villas, Manhattan Upper East Side townhouses, Long Island North Shore Gold Coast estates, Westchester secluded mansions.
The pictures and parameters were listed in great detail.
"Let's go, let's go take a look in person."
Lu Chen took Cate Dunlap's hand.
For the next four hours, the two shuttled across the sky above New York.
The Hampton sea breeze was too strong, the Manhattan townhouses were too noisy, and the Westchester woods were too gloomy.
Finally, the two landed on the Gold Coast of the North Shore of Long Island.
This was a prime waterfront estate.
It occupied a vast area.
The main building was in a classic European style, with huge floor-to-ceiling windows facing the sparkling sea.
Behind it was a lush private mountain forest, and in front was a neatly trimmed lawn that extended all the way to a private dock.
A white double-decker yacht was parked on the water.
Real estate agent Richard stood at the entrance of the estate.
He had received a direct order from Vought Company, requiring him to immediately receive a top VIP.
Richard had sold luxury homes on Long Island for ten years and had received Wall Street financial tycoons, Hollywood superstars, and had even received top Superhumans before, but when he saw the man and woman descending from the sky, his heart pounded uncontrollably.
Those eyes, without a doubt!
Richard lowered his head, not daring to look directly into Lu Chen's eyes; those eyes seemed to possess a strange magic that could see through people's hearts.
"Sir, this estate was designed by a famous architect and features twelve bedrooms, a private temperature-controlled swimming pool, a private cinema, and an underground wine cellar..." Richard recited his sales pitch, stuttering.
Lu Chen looked at Cate Dunlap, who was full of excitement beside him.
"This is it," Lu Chen said. "You can go now, go back and report the expenses to Vought Company."
Cate Dunlap pushed open the heavy oak door.
Standing in the center of the lobby, she looked around.
High vaulted ceilings, gorgeous crystal chandeliers, and thick carpets that made no sound when stepped on.
She took off her shoes, stepped barefoot on the carpet, and ran towards the huge floor-to-ceiling windows.
"Put a sofa here!"
She pointed to the spot in front of the window.
"We can sit here and look at the sea in the morning!"
She ran to another open space.
"We need a big bookshelf here! And a fireplace!"
She was no longer the timid girl wrapped in a large coat.
At this moment, she had shed all her defenses and returned to the state a girl should be in, excitedly planning her own territory.
"The Master bed needs to be changed; I don't like this kind of velvet canopy," Cate Dunlap pointed to the second-floor railing.
"We can put a piano in the corner here, although I can't play it. But I will learn, and in the backyard, we need to plant it full of hydrangeas!"
She even ran to the end of the second-floor corridor, pointed to a south-facing room, and peeked at Lu Chen with slightly flushed cheeks.
"The lighting here is good, it can be kept as a nursery..."
Her laughter echoed in the empty house.
Without shackles, without suppression, only planning for the future.
Lu Chen stood at the door, watching her happy back as she jumped around, and couldn't help but smile.
Buzz.
The phone in his pocket vibrated.
Lu Chen withdrew his gaze and took out his phone.
It was an encrypted message.
Sender: The Sage.
"Master, Sam's blood has been reverse-extracted, and the finished product has been made. When will you come to take a look?"
Chapter 131: Underground Slave Owner
The encrypted message on the screen was only two short lines.
Lu Chen put down his phone.
Since he had decided to make this Long Island Villa his future home, there was no need to keep certain things hidden from Cate Dunlap anymore.
He beckoned to Cate Dunlap, who was still gesturing at the position of the sofa in front of the floor-to-ceiling window.
Cate Dunlap ran over barefoot on the thick carpet, her gaze sweeping over his phone.
"Do you have to go get busy again?" She bit her lower lip, her shoulders slumping.
They had finally picked a place to live, and before they could even finish planning, he was leaving again.
"Do you want to go see my business?" Lu Chen took the opportunity to wrap his arm around her waist. "As my personal assistant, you can't not know what your boss is doing."
Cate Dunlap laughed out loud and reached out to pinch Lu Chen's face.
"You bad guy, it's just because you refuse to tell me anything."
Lu Chen turned his head to dodge, then lowered his head to kiss her on the forehead.
"That won't happen in the future."
As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Chen spread his arms and swept Cate Dunlap up into his arms.
Cate Dunlap let out a cry of surprise. Before she could react, Lu Chen had already carried her and soared into the sky, heading straight for Detroit.
In the suburbs of Detroit, Lu Chen landed with Cate Dunlap at the bottom of a rusty ventilation shaft.
He pressed his hand against the dusty wall, and the camouflaged metal plate slid open to both sides, revealing a long, high-tech corridor.
Cate Dunlap followed at Lu Chen's side, looking around.
A fully enclosed sterile corridor, precision-running centrifuges, and living observation rooms behind bulletproof glass.
Every time they passed an area, the researchers in white protective suits would stop their work and bow their heads in unison.
"My Lord."
The voice echoed in the empty corridor.
Cate Dunlap swallowed hard.
She looked up at Lu Chen's profile.
How big of an operation had this guy built behind Vought Company's back? There was a look of near-fanatical obedience in the eyes of these researchers.
This scene was just like a villain's underground lair in a movie.
Walking to the core laboratory at the end of the corridor, the alloy doors slid open.
The Sage was standing in front of a holographic projection table, quickly flipping through rows of spiral gene maps.
Her brain never stopped calculating for a moment. Hearing footsteps, she turned around, her gaze sweeping over Lu Chen and Cate Dunlap, finally settling on Lu Chen.
"Master."
Cate Dunlap almost choked on her own saliva.
She turned her head abruptly, staring at Lu Chen as if looking at an alien, while thoughts of those Southern plantation owners wielding whips in movies popped into her mind involuntarily.
"You..." Cate Dunlap tilted her head, looking Lu Chen up and down, "So you like the feeling of being a slave owner?"
Lu Chen was choked up by this sentence and raised his hand to knock on her head.
"Don't guess wildly; I'll tell you about this slowly later."
He walked to the projection table and looked at The Sage.
"Where is it?"
The Sage turned and walked to the sterile freezer in the back, taking out a silver briefcase.
The case popped open, with ten syringes neatly arranged inside.
"This is made from the mutated Compound V factors reverse-extracted from Sam's blood." The Sage picked up one of them and shook it under the shadowless lamp. "Comparative experiments have already been completed on primates."
She called up several sets of data projections, pointing at the undulating broken lines.
"Compared to the most primitive blood injection, this extracted mutated factor significantly reduces the risk of mental mania while retaining the permanent enhancement of physical strength and ability limits."
The Sage put the syringe back in its place.
"But it cannot be completely eliminated. To obtain more accurate clinical data, all that's missing now is human experimentation."
Lu Chen took out his phone and dialed Professor Brink's number.
The phone was answered after only one ring.
"Help me find a few fringe characters in the school." Lu Chen looked at the syringes in the case. "They need to be from weak to strong ability-wise, and sent to Detroit secretly."
The other end of the phone was quiet for two seconds.
"Are we going to assassinate the President?" Professor Brink lowered his voice, his tone filled with irrepressible excitement. "Doing this can indeed completely divert the public's attention from Vought Company. Rest assured, I will personally select the death squads most suitable for dirty work, ensuring it will be foolproof."
Lu Chen was speechless. The "Lu Chen's interests come first" subconscious implanted by Mind Control had completely led this old fox's train of thought astray.
This guy was now full of ideas on how to help Lu Chen clear obstacles, even suggesting something like assassinating the President without changing his expression.
"That's not necessary." Lu Chen interrupted him. "Just do as I say. Remember, abilities from weak to strong, and the less presence they have, the better."
"Understood. The candidates will be in place immediately."
Two hours later.
A van without any markings stopped on the perimeter.
Five Superhumans, bound tightly with restraints and in a deep coma, were pushed off the truck.
Lu Chen took Cate Dunlap's hand and walked to the perimeter to check them.
The Sage directed several fully armed researchers to push the people into the isolation chambers and began connecting various vital sign monitors.
Lu Chen leaned against the observation window, looking at Cate Dunlap beside him.
"Are you afraid?" Lu Chen reached out and pinched the back of her neck. "Do you regret following an evil supervillain like me?"
Cate Dunlap shook her head.
She looked at the students in the isolation chambers being treated as lab rats, without a shred of sympathy in her eyes.
Having experienced Shetty's betrayal, she had long since given up on this school.
In her World, except for Lu Chen, the life or death of others was completely irrelevant.
"I was just thinking, no wonder you were always so mysterious before." Cate Dunlap leaned close to Lu Chen, lowering her voice. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
She stood on tiptoe, her lips pressed against Lu Chen's ear, her peripheral vision glancing at the researchers who were recording data.
"Are they reliable? I can help you control them. I just need to touch them."
She was eager to try, having long since thrown away her gloves.
Now, she was full of thoughts on how to help Lu Chen consolidate power.
Lu Chen laughed out loud.
"Miss Cate Dunlap, I didn't expect you to be this kind of person." He took the opportunity to wrap his arm around her waist and pull her into his arms. "I have always treated my subordinates with sincerity in exchange for sincerity."
Cate Dunlap's cheeks flushed, and she raised her fist to pound on Lu Chen's chest.
"I was clearly being kind! Hmph, I'm ignoring you."
Lu Chen grabbed her wrist and lowered his head to peck her on the lips.
Cate Dunlap's anger dissipated, and she hugged Lu Chen's waist in return, burying her head in his chest.
While they were messing around, the experiment in the isolation chamber began.
The robotic arm reached out and precisely pushed the syringe into the veins of the five Superhumans.
Lu Chen leaned against the observation window, watching the changes inside.
Subject No. 1 was a skinny boy with weak Water control abilities.
Three seconds after the injection, the blood vessels all over his body bulged, and his previously shriveled muscles expanded at a speed visible to the naked eye.
The energy index on the monitor skyrocketed, directly breaking through the original limit.
He opened his eyes, bloodshot, and punched the reinforced glass of the isolation chamber.
But he did not completely lose his mind; instead, he clutched his head and panted, trying to control the rampaging energy in his body.
In contrast, Subject No. 5—a strength-type Superhuman who could originally lift a truck—only had a slightly increased heart rate after the injection, with only a small increase in body size and strength data.
The Sage, holding a tablet to record data, walked to Lu Chen's side.
"Master." The Sage handed over the tablet. "The results of multiple comparative experiments are out."
Lu Chen took the tablet and swiped through the data curves on the screen.
"It can be confirmed that this agent is more useful for people with lower concentrations of Compound V in their bodies." The Sage pointed to the data comparison between No. 1 and No. 5.
"For people with high concentrations, the improvement is minimal. Compared to simply injecting Sam's blood, this agent removes most impurities and can minimize the side effect of mania. However, it is not recommended to inject multiple doses at once."
Lu Chen looked at the steep growth curve above.
"In other words, the weaker the Superhuman, the stronger the effect."
The Sage nodded in confirmation.
"This is a perfect low-level enhancer. For low-tier Superhumans, this is a qualitative leap."
"Is there a way to mass-produce it?"
"Three bags of blood are still too few." The Sage's absolutely rational eyes stared at Lu Chen. "We need more research material. When we can completely parse the molecular formula of this mutated Compound V, we can replicate and even mass-produce it."
Lu Chen closed the tablet.
He dialed Professor Brink's phone again.
"Send Sam over."
"Understood."
After Sam was also delivered tied up, Lu Chen performed a mental suggestion on him.
He didn't completely destroy Sam's consciousness, just implanted a subtext in the other party's mind: cooperate with the experiments, and after the experiments are completed, someone will cure your illness, and you can be completely free.
For a madman who has been locked in a cell for years having his blood drawn, and whose mind is on the verge of collapse, freedom is more effective than anything else.
Lu Chen walked to the sterile cabinet on the other side.
There, the temp v that The Sage had replicated based on Vought Company's top-secret data was stored.
Lu Chen picked up a few vials of temp v and the remaining enhancement syringes, putting them into his pocket.
This was the catalyst he had prepared for Butcher and Hughie.
As long as he pushed this group of outlaws to the brink, they would naturally inject this stuff into their veins.
"Let's go." Lu Chen took Cate Dunlap's hand.
Chapter 132: Determination and Evolution
On the way back to the Long Island Villa, the sea breeze rustled the lawn. Cate Dunlap walked ahead, and when she turned her head to talk to him, her gaze drifted from time to time to Lu Chen's right pocket.
Inside it was the strengthening serum brought back from the Detroit underground Base.
"What are you looking at?" Lu Chen stopped.
Cate Dunlap turned around and pointed at his pocket. "That strengthening serum, can I use it?"
"Why?" Lu Chen looked into her eyes. "You saw it in the isolation chamber just now; even after Subject One was injected, there was still a brief loss of control. The side effects haven't been completely eliminated."
Cate Dunlap stepped forward, biting her lower lip, her fingers twisted together. In her mind, she saw the massive sterile laboratory beneath Detroit, those researchers in hazmat suits with fanatical, submissive eyes, and the Superhumans tied to experimental tables like lab rats.
"From the moment I saw you fight Golden Boy, I knew you were hiding your true self." Cate Dunlap tilted her head up, her light blonde hair disheveled by the night wind. "But these past two days, I finally saw clearly just how much power you possess. The underground Base in Detroit, the compromises from Vought's upper management—you don't even care about Edgar."
And what was she?
A defective product relying on gloves to survive, a madwoman who could collapse at any moment due to loss of control over her powers.
"If I remain that person who can only live on psychological comfort, I will sooner or later become a burden to you." Cate Dunlap stepped forward. "I don't want to be a canary who can only pick out sofas for you in the Villa. I want to help you. I don't want to fall behind. I am willing to pay any price to become strong."
A long silence followed.
"Alright." Lu Chen took her hand. "I will help you suppress the side effects."
He stared into Cate Dunlap's pupils. "We will walk this path together from now on. Neither of us will be left behind."
At night. In the backyard of the Villa, there was only the muffled sound of waves hitting the pier.
Lu Chen held a silver syringe. "Are you ready?"
Cate Dunlap was wearing a thin silk pajama, her bare feet stepping on the preservative-treated wooden floor. She gritted her teeth and nodded vigorously.
"Don't be afraid." Lu Chen reached out to brush the stray hair from her ear, his fingertips sliding down her cheek to her neck. "I'm here."
The needle pierced Cate Dunlap's fair skin. The strengthening serum was slowly pushed into her bloodstream.
For the first three seconds, nothing happened.
On the fourth second, Cate Dunlap's eyes widened abruptly. Violent energy, like a bursting flood, rushed through her blood and frantically scoured every part of her body.
The Compound V factors that had been dormant in her body were instantly activated, frantically devouring and merging with these foreign mutant factors.
The physical transformation was instantaneous, but it was followed by a mental shock. The residual manic genes sawed open the chains of memory deep within Cate Dunlap's heart that she dared not touch.
"No!" Cate Dunlap clutched her head, her whites of her eyes beginning to bleed with red.
In her mind, the images from when she was nine years old were magnified infinitely. Her younger brother's terrified face, her parents' desperate screams, and that pair of black gloves representing the identity of a monster. All the self-blame, fear, and self-loathing were amplified tenfold at this moment, turning into tangible darkness, intending to drag her consciousness completely into the abyss.
"Monster!"
"Stay away from us!"
"You are a demon!"
Those vicious curses turned into tangible blades, frantically cutting deep within her consciousness.
Lu Chen did not hesitate to squat down, his hands firmly cupping Cate Dunlap's frantically struggling cheeks.
"Look at me!" Lu Chen roared.
"Mind Cage" and "Full-Dimensional Memory Manipulation" were activated simultaneously. His mental power materialized, cutting into Cate Dunlap's chaotic mental space.
Deep in Cate Dunlap's consciousness, in that black quagmire filled with screams and blood, countless black hands were pulling at Cate Dunlap's soul. Lu Chen's figure appeared out of thin air. He looked at the painful memories clawing and scratching all around.
Powerful mental energy swept through like a tsunami. Lu Chen stomped and crushed those black hands, his mental power turning into tangible golden light, forcibly covering those dark images. Those horrific scenes that had tormented Cate Dunlap for over a decade were instantly crushed and absorbed by Lu Chen's mental power.
He forcibly modified the underlying logic of this space, dispelling all the gloom. The coldness receded, and in its place came the sunlight of the Long Island Villa, that flight over Godolkin University, and the moment Lu Chen pulled her from Shetty's hands.
All the pain was stripped away, and he built an indestructible Wall of Sighs directly in Cate Dunlap's memory palace.
The cold ruins of memory were forcibly smoothed over, replaced by an extreme sense of security.
It was the warmth of Lu Chen's palm, his protection.
In reality, Cate Dunlap stopped struggling.
The red color in her eyes quickly faded, and her rapid breathing gradually stabilized. The rampant energy in her blood vessels was successfully calmed and thoroughly integrated into her limbs and bones.
Cate Dunlap slowly opened her eyes.
The first thing she saw was Lu Chen's furrowed brows and worried gaze.
"You..." Cate Dunlap felt unprecedented power surging within her, but what shocked her even more was the absolute cleanliness and ease in her mental World.
At this moment, the emotions suppressed in the bottom of her heart completely burst forth.
Cate Dunlap grabbed Lu Chen's collar, pulled him fiercely toward herself, tilted her head up, and kissed him aggressively.
Lu Chen could clearly feel that the power contained in the body in his arms was several times stronger than before.
The strengthening was a success.
A hint of a smile flashed in Lu Chen's eyes. He regained the initiative, took the opportunity to wrap his arms around Cate Dunlap's waist, lifted her up from the ground, and returned the kiss.
The two stumbled, pushing open the floor-to-ceiling windows, and entangled all the way from the courtyard to the living room. The silk pajamas were torn and thrown onto the carpet, and the coffee tables along the way were overturned by Cate Dunlap's uncontrolled power.
No one cared.
Lu Chen carried her up the solid wood staircase, heading straight for the attic on the top floor. That night, the sound of the waves in Long Island could not drown out the commotion in the attic.
The next morning.
Sunlight shone on his face through the gap in the curtains that hadn't been drawn shut. Lu Chen opened his eyes; the bed beside him was already empty, leaving only a few messy wrinkles. The aroma of frying bacon wafted up from downstairs.
Lu Chen put on his clothes and walked downstairs. In the open kitchen, Cate Dunlap was humming an unknown tune, using a spatula to flip eggs in a frying pan. She was wearing one of Lu Chen's oversized hoodies, the hem just covering the tops of her thighs. Her light blonde hair was casually tied behind her head.
Hearing footsteps, Cate Dunlap turned her head and raised an eyebrow at Lu Chen.
Gone was the fragility and cautiousness of the past; her gaze had become extremely aggressive and seductive. She was like a beautiful leopard that had completely torn off its disguise.
"Morning, Boss." Cate Dunlap walked to the dining table with two plates. "Taste and see how your private assistant's cooking is."
Lu Chen pulled out a chair and sat down, casually cutting a piece of bacon and putting it into his mouth.
"Not bad, you've got seventy percent of my skill." He said with a smile while checking the system panel in his mind.
Although he had already Copied Cate Dunlap's ability and could not Copy it again, he could still view her real-time panel after contact.
[Target: Cate Dunlap.]
[Current Abilities]
[Super Physique LV3]
[Mind Control LV5]
The originally LV2 physique had jumped up a level directly. Now, even if Cate Dunlap were hit at close range by a small-caliber pistol, the bullets would not be able to penetrate her muscle tissue; she was no longer a fragile mage who could only rely on sneak attacks and touch.
More importantly, her mental state was extremely stable.
"How do you feel?" Lu Chen closed the panel and picked up his coffee to take a sip.
Cate Dunlap sat down opposite Lu Chen, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at him. "It's great."
She raised her right hand and made a phantom grip in the air. "It feels like there is endless energy in my body. And..." She pointed to her head, "My Mind Control ability feels very obedient."
She paused, a flash of excitement in her eyes. "Before, I was always afraid of accidentally touching someone, that the thoughts in my head would uncontrollably dart out. But now, I feel that as long as I don't have a clear intention to issue a command, the ability will absolutely not trigger randomly."
"This is only the initial fusion." Lu Chen put down the coffee cup, his tone serious. "But for safety's sake, we should wait a few days, until your body has fully adapted to the current intensity, before proceeding with the second injection."
Cate Dunlap nodded obediently, leaned over, and kissed Lu Chen on the side of his face, leaving a faint lipstick mark.
"I'll listen to you."
Buzz.
Lu Chen took his phone and tapped the screen. It was a text message from the bald boss he controlled.
"Little Nina has arrived. She brought many people and will summon the persons in charge of the New York area at the Brooklyn pier warehouse this afternoon."
Lu Chen looked at the text message; she had finally been unable to hold back and had entered the field herself. The bald boss's false distress signal and the destroyed arms transit station were enough to make her turn New York upside down. Now, the prey had voluntarily walked into the hunter's trap.
"What's wrong?" Cate Dunlap keenly sensed the change in Lu Chen's aura.
Lu Chen stood up, walked to Cate Dunlap's side, and lowered his head to peck her on the lips.
"Are you full?" Lu Chen picked up the jacket draped over the back of the chair. "If you're full, go change your clothes. I'll take you to see what a gang boss looks like."
Chapter 133: Ulterior Motives
Cate Dunlap swallowed the last bite of bacon, ran upstairs to put on a black slim-fit leather jacket, and pulled her long, light-gold hair into a high ponytail.
She also tossed those leather gloves into the trash can. Now, every gesture she made exuded a sharp, aggressive efficiency.
Afternoon, Brooklyn dock warehouse.
The air was thick with the smell of the sea. Over a dozen gang leaders from the New York area stood in two rows, heads bowed, deliberately suppressing their breathing.
Little Nina wore a tight-fitting skirt, toying with a solid gold lighter in her hand. The metal lid clicked crisply as it opened and closed; with every click, the hearts of those below twitched in rhythm.
"It's been so long," Little Nina said, leaning against the railing and looking down at them. "And you haven't found a damn thing. What, did that warehouse full of arms just explode on its own?"
No one below dared to make a sound.
The explosion had been too thorough; even the foundation had been melted by high temperatures into glass-like crystals, leaving no trace of any explosives at the scene.
Little Nina raised her hand and snapped her fingers.
Two burly bodyguards dragged out a battered, bald man and kicked him behind the knees, causing him to crash onto the concrete floor. It was the leader of the stronghold who had sent the distress signal earlier, and a dark gun barrel was pressed against the back of his head.
"Then let's start with you," Little Nina said, looking at the bald man. "I had people look into that shipment you lost last time."
Her tone turned cold.
"It seems it has nothing to do with the rival gang you mentioned."
The bald leader knelt on the ground, cold sweat beading on his forehead as his eyes darted around.
"It was them!" the bald leader yelled, looking up, his voice cracking. "I saw their people sneak into the warehouse with my own eyes! Boss, you have to believe me!"
"Do you think I was born yesterday?" Little Nina smashed the lighter against the bald man's face, cutting him open.
"Big Boss, it really was them!..."
Little Nina cut him off. "Fire."
The bodyguard's finger curled toward the trigger.
Just then.
The iron roof above burst open abruptly.
Sunlight poured down through the hole. Two figures descended from the sky, accompanied by flying shards of iron.
The bodyguard instinctively tried to pull the trigger, but the Glock in his hand disintegrated in his palm. The metal parts turned into lethal shrapnel, precisely severing his tendons.
And this was just the beginning.
The shipping containers stacked around them began to twist.
Tons of steel were torn apart by force.
The load-bearing rebar inside the walls burst out, turning into black, serpentine metal snakes.
A torrent of metal rampaged through the hall.
The New York area leaders and their underlings didn't even have a chance to draw their guns before they were tightly bound by the flying rebar and iron sheets.
Their limbs were twisted back, and their bodies were hoisted into the air.
In just three seconds.
Except for Little Nina, everyone in the warehouse had been tied up like metal dumplings, their wails merging into a chorus of agony.
Lu Chen released his arm from around Cate Dunlap. "Keep an eye on them."
Cate Dunlap nodded obediently and walked toward the bald leader hanging in mid-air.
Lu Chen strode forward, walking toward Little Nina step by step.
Little Nina took a half-step back, her right hand reaching for her custom handgun. But when she saw the face of the intruder, her fingers froze on the grip, unable to move any further.
The new star of The Seven, Tian Shu.
Even though Lu Chen rarely appeared in public, Vought's overwhelming marketing had already burned his image into everyone's mind.
Countless thoughts flashed through Little Nina's mind.
Run? Where could she run?
The man possessed movement capabilities exceeding the speed of sound, could fly, and had now displayed terrifying power over metal.
That arms transit station melted by high heat was definitely the work of this man before her.
Resistance would only lead to death.
Little Nina swallowed hard, forcing herself to suppress her racing heart.
She was a smart woman; she knew that in the face of absolute power, any resistance was futile.
She turned around and forced a very strained smile.
"What an honor," Little Nina said, looking at Lu Chen as he stopped before her. "The famous Tian Shu, coming to find a small-time arms dealer like me—what can I do for you?"
Lu Chen stopped half a step away from her. Looking at her face, which was forcing a sense of calm, Lu Chen smiled.
"I'll borrow your head for a moment."
Lu Chen flickered, appearing instantly, and placed a hand on top of her head.
Countless images flashed rapidly through Lu Chen's mind: drug deals, arms smuggling, vendettas, money laundering.
Lu Chen skipped over this useless garbage and went straight for the secrets buried deepest in Little Nina's memory.
Found it. Russia, Siberia. A military Base built during the Soviet Union era. It was holding that super weapon capable of neutralizing Superhumans. Soldier Boy.
Lu Chen let go. Little Nina's legs went weak, and she collapsed onto a wooden crate.
Lu Chen didn't kill her. A gang leader might still be useful to keep around once controlled.
He turned and walked toward Cate Dunlap. "Let's go. I've got it."
Lu Chen put his arm around Cate Dunlap's waist, shot up into the sky, and disappeared into the horizon through the hole in the roof.
The scene shifted to Manhattan, inside a private club.
Butcher sat on a leather sofa, chewing loudly on an apple from the table. Edgar pushed open the door, carrying a cup of black tea, and sat down opposite him.
"Mr. Butcher," Edgar said, setting down his tea cup. "I have considered your proposal."
"Don't beat around the bush." Butcher spat out the apple core. "I help you get Ryan away from Homelander and hand him over to you, and you are responsible for getting me and Becca out of the country. Helping us hide our tracks is good for you too; Homelander is a ticking time bomb right now, and his son might be his only weakness."
Edgar rested his hands crossed on his knees.
"What makes you think Vought needs you to clean up its mess? No matter how out of control Homelander is, he is still Vought's property. And what makes you think you can take Ryan from under Homelander's nose?"
Butcher slumped back against the sofa.
"Because you look a bit overwhelmed right now." Butcher curled his lips. "I've already sold Stormfront's location to a ruthless character. Once they start fighting, Homelander won't have time to worry about Ryan. Just give me the nod, provide a few blind spots and an escape route, and I can take that little brat and deliver him to you, solving a future liability for you."
He was calculating in his heart. As long as Edgar cooperated just a little, he could spirit Becca and Ryan away without anyone noticing, to a place where no one could find them. As for the promise to Vought? And the safety of his ally Lu Chen? Once he was out of the country, who cared about these pieces of trash.
Edgar stared at Butcher for a few seconds.
"Homelander is indeed a problem." He picked up his tea cup. "Vought can provide routes and cover, and even hinder Homelander's pursuit while you extract, but you must guarantee that you will deliver Ryan to me unharmed."
Butcher curled his lips into a smile. The deal was struck.
However, the old fox across from him had his own ideas.
Edgar's mind flashed back to the video he had seen yesterday. After Lu Chen, disguised as Homelander, had returned Ryan to the safe house and told them to take good care of him, Ryan had once thrown a tantrum alone in the yard, his eyes glowing red, cutting through the lawn with two weak beams of Heat Vision.
The first individual born with superpowers without being injected with Compound V. An incredibly precious test subject.
Homelander was already off the leash, but Ryan was still a blank slate.
While the child was still young, snatching him away and instilling Vought's philosophy from an early age would allow them to cultivate a perfectly obedient new god. An ultimate weapon that truly belonged to Vought and was under his, Edgar's, absolute control.
Butcher was just a useful tool. Use him to draw Homelander's fire and bring the child out of the safe house in the process. Once Butcher brought Ryan out of Homelander's line of sight, that would be the time to close the net.
Edgar took a sip of black tea. "Pleasure doing business with you."
Butcher stood up, pulled at the collar of his trench coat, and strode out of the room.
The moment the door closed, a man wrapped entirely in a black suit emerged from the shadows of the reception room. Black Noir.
Edgar placed the tea cup on the table. "Follow him." Edgar looked at the door frame. "Once he gets the child, take care of everyone except Ryan."
Black Noir drew the military knife from his thigh, its blade flashing with a cold glint under the lights.
Chapter 134: The Final Insurance
Butcher walked out the door, the trace of a smile on his face fading away.
The promises made by that old fox Edgar were cheaper than the "true love" promised by a streetwalker. This so-called cooperation was likely just a noose he'd tied around Butcher's neck; once he'd used Butcher to snatch Ryan, these suit-wearing scumbags would stab him in the back without hesitation. Betting his life on Edgar's integrity would leave him with nothing but bones.
But Butcher couldn't wait any longer.
Becca was becoming more depressed by the day. She never mentioned Ryan by name, yet she would always sit by the window, staring at the door. Every time she heard someone return, she would stand up to see if Ryan had appeared, only to sit back down in disappointment. Vought's hit squad hadn't even arrived yet, but she was already on the verge of breaking down.
Butcher climbed into the car, pulled up the coordinates for Ryan that Edgar had sent, and then swiped to another photo.
The photo was taken at a private training facility. A-Train was wearing a sports vest, doing sprint training with his brother.
His leg had healed.
This was the second insurance policy he had prepared.
Lu Chen had promised to deal with Stormfront, but a verbal promise wasn't worth the paper it was written on. If he changed his mind at the last minute, if he was unwilling to provoke Homelander at the same time, or if he simply wasn't a match for Stormfront, The Boys still needed someone who could help them evacuate quickly.
"Hughie, wear something inconspicuous."
After the call connected, Butcher gave him the address directly.
"What are you up to again?"
"Visiting an old friend."
"What old friend?"
"Would A-Train count?"
Only the sound of breathing remained on the other end of the line.
Half an hour later, Hughie sat in the passenger seat. He stared at the photo of A-Train, unable to speak for a long time.
"When you said visiting an old friend, did you mean using me as bait?"
"Don't flatter yourself." Butcher started the car. "At best, you're just a piece of rotting meat."
Hughie turned his head to glare at him.
"That's not funny."
"I'm not laughing."
The private training facility was hidden behind a closed-down gym in Queens. Butcher parked the car two streets away, took Hughie around the fence, and snuck in through the equipment maintenance entrance.
On the track, A-Train was turning back from the finish line.
A blur streaked past, and the rangefinder flashed new data.
His brother glanced at the screen.
"Zero point two seconds faster than yesterday. Your leg power has recovered, but you're still favoring your old injury when you turn."
"Again."
"You need to rest."
"I need to get back into The Seven."
A-Train ripped off his resistance band and was about to step back onto the starting line when his peripheral vision caught sight of the entrance to the spectator stands.
Hughie was standing there.
Their gazes locked.
"Bro, you go back first."
His brother followed his gaze and recognized Hughie.
"Reggie, don't cause trouble. Vought is already chaotic enough lately."
"I'm just going to have a chat with him."
No one was fooled by that. His brother shoved the timer back into his bag, and before leaving, he looked back once. A-Train's shoulders and back were tensed, his right foot already planted on the track—he clearly intended to kill.
The safety door closed.
Butcher emerged from the shadows of the spectator stands.
"Your legs are working pretty well. I was worried you'd only be able to compete in the Paralympics in the future."
A-Train stared at him, his teeth gritted audibly.
"You still dare to come find me?"
"How about we discuss a partnership?"
"Partnership?"
A-Train tore off his wrist guard and smashed it onto the track.
"My leg was ruined because of you guys, and we haven't even settled that debt yet. You actually had the nerve to come to me first."
As he spoke, dust swirled up from the track.
Before Hughie could react, his back slammed against the wall. A-Train had him by the throat with one hand, lifting him off the ground.
Hughie kicked his legs wildly, his hands grabbing at A-Train's wrist. His neck quickly turned a deep, bruised red. If that hand applied just a fraction more force, his neck would snap.
Butcher stood where he was, not even reaching for his gun.
A-Train was waiting for him to panic, waiting for this bastard to beg for mercy. But Butcher just pulled out his phone, his thumb hovering over the screen.
"Hurt him, and you can forget about ever getting back into The Seven."
A-Train's arm froze.
The instinctive pause was more honest than any answer.
Hughie caught this, and beyond the burning pain of oxygen deprivation in his chest, he felt a wave of nausea. This guy still cared most about that blue uniform.
"Ridiculous."
A-Train mocked him, but his fingers loosened slightly.
"Whether I can get back in is up to you small fries to decide?"
Butcher swiped his phone open and turned the screen toward him.
On it was a recent public opinion report on The Seven. After Stormfront's Nazi identity was exposed, Vought's stock plummeted, sponsors canceled contracts in droves, and the vacant spots in The Seven were temporarily frozen by the board.
"What if Stormfront, or Lu Chen, disappeared?"
A-Train finally let go.
Hughie collapsed to the ground, clutching his neck and coughing. A-Train ignored him, his eyes fixed on the report.
If Lu Chen disappeared, he would still be the fastest Superhuman in the world, and the audience would still remember his name. If Stormfront disappeared—if that racist bitch died—he would still have a chance to make a comeback.
This was indeed an opportunity.
"You're planning to take one of them out?" A-Train sneered. "With just you guys?"
"Nonono."
Butcher wagged his index finger.
"We aren't the ones doing it. I'm going to make them kill each other."
The mockery on A-Train's face froze.
This foul-mouthed lunatic might not be able to beat any member of The Seven, but he could always find the wounds others wanted to keep hidden and twist the knife in. That was exactly what A-Train despised most about him.
"What you need to do is simple. At the critical moment, get us to a safe location."
Hughie propped himself up against the wall, his voice still hoarse.
"You didn't tell me about this part beforehand."
"You heard it now."
"You also didn't tell me he was going to choke me."
"Do you need a trailer for that? It's not like you two are exes meeting up."
A-Train scanned the two of them, calculating rapidly in his mind.
Agree for now. Once the operation starts, he would hide far away and observe. Stormfront, Lu Chen, and this bunch of lunatics could tear each other apart; it didn't matter to him who lived or died. Once Vought freed up a spot, he would trot out his excuse that he had tried to stop the chaos, and he'd be able to get back into The Seven just the same.
"Fine."
"Don't be in such a hurry to agree."
Butcher opened another email.
The recipient list included The New York Times, CNN, the Federal Bureau of Superhuman Affairs, and over a dozen independent media outlets. The attachments were packed with records of A-Train's abuse of Compound V, match-fixing, and private smuggling operations. At the very top was the unedited footage of the scene where Robin died.
The top right corner of the screen showed a scheduled send time.
A-Train's expression finally collapsed.
"As long as I don't make it out safely, this email gets sent."
Butcher took a half-step closer.
"You used to be in The Seven, and Vought could clean up your messes. Now Vought itself is about to be buried by the Nazi scandal. A drug addict, a civilian-killer, a washed-up celebrity full of scandals—you guess, will Edgar protect you, or will he throw you out to calm public opinion?"
Hughie stood behind and to the side, gazing at the final image of Robin on Butcher's phone, his stomach churning.
He thought he had gotten used to Butcher using anything as a weapon. Only when he saw that familiar face again did he realize that Butcher's so-called protection always came with a blade. When necessary, he would even gouge out and exploit his own teammate's old wounds.
A-Train remained staring at the screen.
Butcher leaned closer to his ear.
"And Popclaw."
A-Train's breathing skipped a beat.
"Vought officially said she died of a drug overdose." Butcher stared at the side of his face. "To me, it doesn't seem like that's what happened."
"How do you know about that?"
A-Train lunged for the phone.
Butcher pulled his hand back in advance, sliding the phone into his trench coat's inner pocket.
"Keep your hands to yourself. Just because you're fast doesn't mean your brain is."
"How much do you actually know?"
"Enough to keep you from ever getting back in."
A-Train stepped forward aggressively. The empty plastic bottle by the track was overturned by the airflow, rolling far away.
Butcher didn't retreat a single step.
A-Train had killed Popclaw himself. It was a guess, but a very accurate one; after all, Popclaw had just been threatened by them and spilled secrets, and then immediately afterward, she had an "accidental drug overdose." Even a fool could guess it had to do with A-Train.
These things combined were the iron chains tethering the speedster.
"Don't worry." Butcher tilted his head toward Hughie. "Help each other out, and everyone gets what they want. Let me know when you've decided."
Hughie rubbed his neck and followed him. He couldn't help but look back when he reached the door.
A-Train was still standing in the middle of the track, two indentations already pressed into the plastic surface by his feet. He could clearly have caught up in the blink of an eye, yet he was pinned in place by an unsent email.
In the car on the way back, Hughie waited ten minutes before speaking.
"Before you used Robin to threaten him, you should have at least told me."
"If I told you, would you have agreed?"
"No."
"Then I saved myself ten minutes of arguing."
Hughie turned his head to look out the window.
"Every time you say you're trying to save people, you end up dragging more people into the whirlpool."
Butcher gripped the steering wheel and didn't respond.
After returning to the safe house, Butcher threw himself onto the sofa; he was exhausted these past few days.
He understood what Hughie meant, of course.
For the sake of that desperate look in Becca's eyes, to help her snatch Ryan back.
He was walking a tightrope between monsters like Edgar, Lu Chen, and Homelander, and every ally he contacted could turn on him at any moment.
One slip-up, and everyone would die without a burial place.
Upstairs came the soft sound of Becca shifting clothes. She was tidying up the room; a pair of newly bought children's sneakers sat by the bed.
Butcher closed his eyes, resting his forehead against the back of the sofa.
The phone screen lit up in his palm.
A-Train had replied with only one word.
"Deal."
He hoped the plan would go smoothly, he thought, and drifted into a deep sleep.