Chapter 64: For Invincible, Loyalty!
"Captain Mark!" A voice suddenly came from the crowd.
A young man stepped forward, walking toward Mark. He stood still, stood at attention, and saluted.
"I want to see a clear blue sky!" His eyes were firm, as if raging waves were rising in a calm lake!
"I want to see a clear blue sky without the oppression of Superhumans!"
Mark turned around and looked at him. That young face was full of passion and determination.
"Yes..." Mark sighed softly, "A clear blue sky."
His voice suddenly grew louder, like a thunderclap!
"But as long as Superhumans are not removed—we will never see that clear blue sky!"
He walked down from the platform, step by step toward the crowd.
"Superhumans are high and mighty, running rampant."
"The ones who suffer have always been you ordinary people."
"They enjoy the glory, and you bear the cost."
"They abuse their power, and you swallow your pride."
"This world has been wrong for a long time!"
He stood in the center of the crowd, his gaze sweeping over everyone.
"Today, I stand here not to protect those so-called heroes."
"I stand on your side."
"I want to ensure ordinary people are no longer oppressed."
"I want you to live with dignity and have a way to survive."
"Listen to me, and I will give you justice."
"Follow me, and I will ensure your safety."
"From today on—"
He reached out and pointed to the ceiling, as if to pierce through this oppressive sky.
"The order of the world shall be decided by us together!"
His voice was calm, and his posture was dignified. Yet it was dozens, hundreds of times more powerful than those exaggerated speeches!
The crowd stirred. Hearts began to unite.
"I want that too!" Thorne stood up abruptly!
He strode forward and walked up to Mark. Stood at attention. Saluted!
His face was flushed red, and blood surged wildly within him.
But he stood straight, staring fixedly at Mark, hoping to see the response he wanted!
He saw it. Mark looked at him and smiled.
The smile was as gentle as ever, still like the spring breeze in March.
"Then let us do it together."
Thorne's nose tingled. It was as if he were in a field of mountain flowers, and someone turned to smile and reach out to him:
"Thorne, do you dare to take on the responsibility of defense?"
"Why wouldn't I dare?!" Thorne shouted!
He had long wanted to remove the Superhumans. But everything was just complex thoughts in the middle of the night, and he never dared to take action.
But now—the strongest Superhuman stood before him and said:
I want to be with you all, to lift this unjust Superhumanoppression from the heads of the people.
If he didn't follow now, could he still be considered a man of iron and blood?!
"What was said today will not get out." Mark's voice rose again, addressing everyone.
"Whether you are willing to follow me is entirely up to you to decide."
"Since I have decided to eliminate oppression, I will not oppress you."
"I hope we are a team with faith. Only in this way can we free the people from the suffering caused by Superhumans."
Countless people lowered their heads in shame. They dared not meet his gaze.
At the same time, they were worried—would this new leader make things difficult for them later? Being watched by the strongest Superhuman was not a comfortable feeling.
Mark looked at the "suspicious" expressions of the crowd and smiled slightly.
Then—he waved his hand!
"No matter what!"
"Even if you don't follow my ideals, as long as you don't spread the word, you are my soldiers!"
"If you are my soldiers, then you are my brothers!"
"I'm not a perfect person, but when it comes to my brothers, I'm not stingy!"
He paused, his voice suddenly growing louder:
"Everyone, come here now and collect ten months of salary!"
!!!
Countless people looked up in shock. Ten... ten months?! Did they hear that right? Was he not joking?!
Their monthly salary was 3,000 U.S. dollars. So, ten months of salary would be 30,000 U.S. dollars!
They looked at the thick pile of U.S. dollars on the ground. They had originally thought this was just Mark showing off. But it turned out... this was for them?!
"Slap!!!" A sudden sound came from the crowd. A man slapped himself hard across the face.
"I'm such a fool!" He wept bitterly.
"I actually thought this money was for Captain Mark to show off... I'm such a fool!!"
"What are you crying for? Where's your manliness!" Markscolded with a smile, tossing several stacks of things into the soldier's arms.
The soldier subconsciously caught them and looked down—in his arms were three thick stacks of U.S. bills. All hundred-dollar bills. One hundred bills per stack, three stacks in total. Not a penny more, not a penny less, exactly 30,000 U.S. dollars! Converted to RMB, that was over 200,000!
The soldier looked up at Mark. In that instant, he thought of many things. He thought of his parents back home who had high expectations for him. He thought of his girlfriend who wanted to have children with him in the future.
And at this moment—Mark's figure occupied his entire field of vision. This person before him! As long as he followed this person! All of the above could be realized! And it wasn't even the kind of job where I had to risk my life?!
"From now on, this will be your basic monthly salary!" Mark's voice came, as he threw money to the other soldiers while explaining to the crowd.
"If you are lacking anything at home, or need adjustments, come and ask me!"
The soldier who had first received the 30,000 U.S. dollars was completely stunned at this moment. He had originally thought—take advantage of this one-time windfall and continue living his original life afterward. Although he would feel a little guilty, he wasn't exactly a man of great conscience.
But at this moment—he felt his conscience return!
My lord treats me like this, gifting me money, caring for my mind and body! If I do not repay him with my life, how can my heart be at peace!?
"I am willing to die for the Captain!" He knelt on one knee!
Beside him, Thorne looked at the 30,000 U.S. dollars in his arms. Then he looked at his subordinate who had already declared loyalty, and was sincerely happy for him. At least Mark's treatment of him wouldn't be bad. Although it might cost some health... or even his life.
"You are the Captain, right?" Mark suddenly said to Thorne.
"Yes!" Thorne replied hurriedly, "I am the Captain of the Reaction Department!"
"Since you are the Captain, shouldn't your usual salary be higher than the subordinates under you?" Mark continued to ask.
"It is a bit more," Thorne calculated quickly, "including various allowances, my salary is..." He was still calculating.
The next second—something heavy and bright yellow landed in his arms. Thorne looked down. It was a gold bar. Golden and heavy, with "1kg. 9999" stamped on it.
"I said that everyone gets ten months of salary." Mark's voice came.
"I can't calculate exactly how much your monthly salary is. So just take this gold bar; it should cover ten months of salary." He paused.
"I won't give you cash anymore; you come to me every month to pick up a gold bar."
"If you make other contributions, I'll give you other rewards."
Thorne looked at the gold bar in his arms, stunned and at a loss. My cheap life isn't worth that much, damn it!?
This is... this is a whole one-kilogram gold bar! Converted to U.S. dollars, it's worth nearly 200,000!
No matter how much his salary and allowances were, even multiplied by ten, it wouldn't exceed 100,000. But Markgave him 200,000 directly!
For a moment, a warm current rushed through his eyes. It's just a cheap life! My lord treats me like this; never mind this one life, even the lives of my whole family can be entrusted to him!!
Thorne's vision blurred, but Mark's figure was so clear! It was as if ten thousand rays of light spread out from behind him, like a Celestial descending to earth!
Thump! He knelt on one knee!
"If a Superhuman comes to attack, I will kill them for the Captain!" His voice was hoarse, but every word was resonant!
"Even if I have to sacrifice this flesh and blood, I will surely repay this kindness of recognizing my talent!"
"Loyalty!!"
With Mark's astonishing speed, he had already finished distributing all the money. Every person held a thick stack of banknotes in their arms. A full thousand people, a full 30 million U.S. dollars. At this moment, they all knelt on one knee, shouting behind Thorne!
The sound converged into a torrent, breaking through the walls of the conference room and rushing into the sky!
"For Invincible—"
"Loyalty!!!"
Chapter 65: I Can't Stand Breathing the Same Air as You Anymore
"Hurry up, we've got plenty of fun to find today!"
A member of the G-Men called out to the person beside him.
His voice was sharp and hyper, like a monkey in heat.
"Don't worry, it'll be quick."
Another scrawny man was in the corner mixing something.
His movements were practiced yet neurotic, his fingers moving rapidly between syringes and powder.
Half Compound V, half white powder.
He looked up with a grin, revealing a mouth full of rotting yellow teeth.
"Without a shot of this, how am I supposed to get pumped for today?"
With that, he stuffed two marijuana leaves into his mouth and began chewing vigorously like gum.
Green juice trickled down the corner of his mouth, dripping onto his uniform emblazoned with the "G-Men" logo.
Then, he plunged the needle into his vein.
In that instant, his eyes widened to their limit, his pupils shrinking into two pinpoints.
His body began to tremble violently, as if being electrocuted.
"Ah—!"
He let out a scream that was almost a groan.
"I feel it! My power is getting stronger! I feel it, everyone get close to me!!"
He spread his arms wide as if to embrace the entire world.
"I'm going to teleport you all to where we need to be right now!"
The Teleporter Jay said with a loud laugh.
A total of ten people gathered around, placing their hands on him.
The next second, space distorted, and they vanished from the spot.
When they opened their eyes again, they were standing in front of an Orphanage.
Night shrouded the dilapidated complex.
The iron gates were rusty, the wall plaster was peeling, and faint light flickered through the windows.
The faint sound of children crying could be heard, suppressed and fearful of being loud.
Jay took a deep breath, an intoxicated expression on his face.
"Let the carnival begin, everyone."
He turned around and looked at his teammates behind him.
"Remember not to play with them until they die.
The orphans inside are all reserve members of the G-Men."
"Haha! I know! We all know!"
A burly man stepped forward.
His muscles bulged across his body, and his hands had already transformed into some kind of beast's Claws.
As he walked toward the iron gate, he looked back with a cruel grin:
"I'll make them wail in pain, but I definitely won't kill them!"
He lunged at the iron gate.
BOOM—!!!
The iron gate shattered under the massive impact, shards flying everywhere.
The man stepped into the courtyard.
In an instant, alarms blared.
Sharp sirens tore through the silence of the night, the Orphanage lights flickered on one by one, and the children's cries became even more shrill.
"What a useless alarm."
Jay shook his head with a look of disdain.
"No one is coming to save these kids."
He stepped over the fragments of the iron gate and entered the yard.
"Let's just have some fun, guys!"
He spread his arms and cheered toward the sky.
The next second—
His eyes froze.
In the sky, there was a blue and gold figure.
Behind that figure, a red cape fluttered.
Damn it!
That cape was so fast!
So fast it exceeded the limits of Jay's vision!
Fast as a blood-red sword, plunging vertically from the heavens!
BOOM—!!!
Dust rose everywhere!
The ground exploded!
Gravel and dirt swept outward like a tsunami, and Jay was knocked to the ground by the air blast, rolling several times before stopping.
By the time he struggled to crawl up and see the figure in the dust clearly, he was completely frozen.
The dust slowly dissipated.
A person stood there, holding a severed arm in his hand.
He casually tossed the arm aside like a piece of trash.
Only then did Jay look at his own side.
The right side of his body was currently spraying blood frantically like a fountain!
"Ah, my arm!!"
Jay knelt on the ground and began to howl in agony as the mountain of pain finally registered in his brain.
"Sometimes, I really think you don't count as human."
Mark's voice was calm, but cold as if pulled from an ice cellar.
"It makes even a half-alien mutt like me question the purity of your lineage."
He turned around and looked at the crowd in front of him.
It was a young face, as handsome as a sculpture.
But in those eyes, something terrifying was burning.
"You really are failures at living, you pieces of trash."
He took a step forward.
"I can't stand you anymore, even breathing the same air as me!"
Jay's pupils suddenly constricted.
"Holy shit—it's Invincible!"
His voice changed pitch, becoming as shrill as a pig being slaughtered.
"Everyone! Go kill him! Kill him now!"
Ten people moved simultaneously.
They weren't ordinary humans; they were the G-Men.
The darkest products of the Vought Corporation, a group of perverted Superhumans who found joy in evil.
"He's just a Cyborg!"
Someone shouted, "Does he really think he's an alien? He must've gone stupid from the Compound V!"
The group rushed at Mark.
A fat man was at the front.
He puffed out his throat, his cheeks bulging like a frog's.
The next second—
"Pfft—!"
A massive mouthful of acid was spat out by him, carrying a pungent stench as it showered toward Mark, covering the sky.
Mark frowned.
This kind of superpower...
Attacking people with vomit?
How disgusting.
He had no intention of taking that hit!
And he could easily avoid it!
Smart Atoms activated instantly!
Mark's figure vanished from the spot.
The next second, he was standing right in front of the fat man.
The fat man's eyes bulged, filled with disbelief.
Too fast—
So fast he didn't even have time to react.
"Viltrumite Hand Chop."
Mark said softly.
His palm struck down from above!
Superhumans?
They can be cut down too!
Splatter—!
Brains shattered!
Blood splattered everywhere!
The fat man's body was sliced cleanly in half from head to toe!
The two halves of the corpse fell to the left and right!
Internal organs spilled out onto the ground with a squelch!
But Mark didn't stop.
He leaned down and gouged his thumbs simultaneously into the two separated eyeballs!
Squish!
The eyeballs burst, black fluid spraying out mixed with blood.
His thumbs continued deeper, stabbing straight into the brain nerves!
He gave a forceful twist!
"I said—"
Mark stood up, shaking the blood and filth off his hands.
"I can't stand you breathing the same air as me."
"Not even for one more second."
He looked up at the remaining nine people.
In 그 instant, the hearts of those nine people skipped a beat simultaneously.
They trembled all over, their legs went weak, and their teeth chattered.
It was an instinctive fear.
It was the despair etched into their genes when a prey faces a top-tier predator.
This guy...
This guy wasn't human at all!
He wasn't some Mutant either!
He was a god!
At this moment, they were truly willing to believe—
Mark was an alien who had come here from hundreds of light-years away.
Because Superhumans on Earth could absolutely never reach this level!
Whether physically or mentally, this guy was no longer human!
Chapter 66: Reapers of the Battlefield
"This guy isn't human anymore!?"
"Quick... run!"
A speed-specialist from the G-Men suddenly turned around and bolted.
In that instant, his legs mutated into grasshopper-like structures, muscles bulging and veins popping.
He leaped up, jumping dozens of meters away!
He had to escape this place immediately!
He didn't care if he had to use his companions as a rearguard!
He looked toward a building in the distance.
What a beautiful building!
As long as he hid inside, he would be safe!
He could even see someone looking at him through the window of that building.
Were they waving at him?
Huh???
What kind of wave was that?
Why did it look like they were... setting something up?
The next second, he saw clearly.
Inside the window, a man was lighting a cigarette while steadying a scope at him.
That pitch-black muzzle was aimed straight at his head.
Bang—!
The gunshot exploded!
The bullet tore through the air and pierced through his skull with extreme smoothness!
Blood and brain matter sprayed from the back of his head, drawing a scarlet arc in the air.
The Super with grasshopper abilities crashed heavily onto the ground.
His limbs twitched twice before he went completely still.
By the window, the man took a final drag of his cigarette.
He stubbed the cigarette out on the windowsill, then pulled out a rope and hooked it to the edge.
The next second, he gripped the rope and dropped straight down from the roof!
His tactical boots slammed onto the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust!
He crouched, raised his assault rifle, and charged forward!
And behind him—
Countless figures rushed out from that building!
They wore goggles and carried shock rifles, their entire bodies encased in tactical gear with no gaps left exposed!
This was their superpower!
Every set of gear on their bodies was worth three hundred thousand dollars!
It ensured they wouldn't be wounded by ordinary bullets in a short amount of time.
The top-tier firearms in their hands guaranteed their offensive capabilities!
Right now, they were more perfect than the vast majority of Superhuman!
Each one of them could become a reaper of the battlefield!
That was the friendly sponsorship of the Invincible—their Captain Mark!
The funding came from the Dona Gang.
It cost the destruction of the entire gang to scrape together those six hundred million dollars!
It truly was a 'Coca-Cola' delight!
"Damn it! Damn it!"
A Super with wings on his back watched the charging figures, his face pale with terror.
He desperately wanted to fly away and escape right now.
But he knew his flight speed wasn't as fast as Mark's.
Am I going to die here?
Is my life going to end here?
I was supposed to become a superhero, to be revered by millions, to do so many things!
I was going to become the ruler of this world!
"You can fly away."
A calm voice rang out.
The winged Super jerked his head up.
Mark was standing not far away, looking at him.
There was no emotion in those black eyes.
"I, Mark Grayson, give you my word that I will not pursue you."
Mark walked forward.
He didn't kill any more Superhuman himself.
These Superhuman were left for his subordinates.
He had to leave some military merit for his men.
Otherwise, how could he have an excuse to give them bonuses?
There were so many gangs in this world, and those gangs had so much money in savings; he and Maeve alone couldn't use it all up!
Of course he had to share it with his dear brothers!
"Everyone—the time to earn your merit has arrived!"
Mark suddenly spread his arms and shouted to his team members in the distance!
His voice was like thunder, exploding in the night sky!
"Do you want the bonuses in my hands?!"
"Do you want to go home with handfuls of gold bars and meet the admiring gazes of your parents, wives, and children?!"
"Then take action!"
"Everything is right here with me!"
"As long as you bring me the heads of these damned Superhuman, I will give you piles of gold bars!"
The Assault Team's pace didn't falter for a second because of Mark's words.
Their breathing rhythm didn't break.
Their pace grew faster and faster!
Faster and faster!!
Dust rose everywhere!
Finally, they reached the kill zone!
The front row instantly dropped into a low crouch!
The second row rested their gun barrels on the shoulders of the front row!
The row behind them stood tall, rifles at the ready!
Three-tier volley—Ready!
"Fire!"
Thorne's roar exploded in the high heavens!
"Everyone, don't worry about me! Your bullets can't hurt a single patch of my skin or a single hair on my head!"
Mark's voice came from the front, filled with laughter.
"Fire now!"
"Crates of gold bars are waiting for you!"
"For Captain Mark—Fire!"
"Charge!!!"
The shouts of countless men merged into a torrent, piercing through the clouds!
The next second, bullets flew!
"Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat—!!!"
Tongues of fire spat wildly!
Casing shells fell like raindrops!
Almost instantly, the buildings ahead turned into a battlefield woven of blood and fire!
The iron gates of the orphanage were long gone, and the courtyard walls were riddled with bullet holes.
The G-Men scattered and fled, but the bullets chased their heels, tearing their flesh and piercing through their bodies!
Someone screamed and fell, only to be turned into a sieve by subsequent bullets.
Some tried to use their powers to resist, but the rain of bullets was too dense; there was nowhere to hide.
Some knelt and begged for mercy, but they were answered only by more bullets.
The entire Protection Squad's firing range was precisely controlled in front of the orphanage gates.
The residential area where the children lived in the back would not be affected by even a single bullet!
That was Mark's order.
It was his promise to these children.
Chapter 67: Loyalty!!!
Mark Grayson walked forward.
Countless bullets fell upon him like a rainstorm striking a rock.
But these bullets could not even scratch his skin.
The slugs squeezed, twisted, and deformed against his skin, finally turning into circular iron discs that fell to the ground with a clatter.
Mark bathed in the rain of bullets, enjoying the Superhuman' wails and the scene of splattering flesh.
He opened his arms as if embracing it all.
Like a saint receiving glory.
"Are these people from the Reaction Department crazy?!"
A Super with the ability to fly roared.
At the moment of the first volley, he used his companion's corpse as a protective net, forcibly blocking those bullets.
The next second, he soared into the sky!
He flew into the air!
At this moment, he could only believe what Mark had told him.
He believed Mark would not chase him.
He believed that as long as he flew up, he could escape this extinction!
Then, he could return to the Vought Corporation.
He would report what Mark and this group from the Reaction Department had done.
Then he would take over the leadership of the G-Men!
Thinking of this, he actually laughed.
He could finally go from being a member to a captain!
He could hold a certain amount of power!
Although what happened today was a bit dangerous—
But this was a good thing!
I've leaped straight into the leadership!
He flew higher and higher, the smile on his face growing thicker.
The next second—
"BOOM—!!!"
A terrifying roar exploded from within the clouds!
The Super looked up in shock.
Before his eyes—
Lights appeared.
They were the lights of an aircraft.
Two of them!
The clouds suddenly shattered!
A low rumble crashed through heaven and earth, the engine's roar making the air tremble.
An AH-64E "Apache" attack helicopter broke through the clouds!
Its pitch-black fuselage gleamed with the cold light of iron, hovering in mid-air like a Grim Reaper forged of steel!
The 30mm chain gun at the nose rotated slowly, its dark muzzle aimed at him.
Gatling pods on both sides and air-to-air missiles pointed directly at the target.
The Longbow radar silently locked on, pinning him firmly within range!
This aerial killing machine, specifically modified to hunt Superhuman—
Cost thirty-five million dollars for the bare aircraft.
After adding the full set of heavy firepower and radar systems, the total price reached fifty-five point five million dollars!
Mark had specifically flown to the military district and exchanged ten whole crates of gold bars for it!
A total of two thousand one-kilogram gold bars!
A total of four hundred million dollars!
Besides these two attack helicopters, Mark also exchanged for fifteen BMPT-72 "Terminator 2" tank support combat vehicles!
The low-profile hull was wrapped in thick composite armor, with twin 30mm cannons, four anti-tank missiles, and grenade launchers on both sides of the turret, all aimed at the target!
Thermal imaging scanned the entire street, capable of killing Superhuman on the street without any blind spots!
And countless guns and ammunition—innumerable!
At that time, the Secretary of the US Military Districtdirectly shook Mark's hand and said to him:
"From now on, you are my brother! I believe you are definitely the most loyal Super!"
The weight of steel...
The weight of money!
The weight of death!!!
All bore down on the Super before him.
"Holy shit!!!"
That flying Super witnessed the crushing power of war machines for the first time in such a raw way!
What superpowers?
Before that torrent of steel, they all seemed weak as hell!
The next second—
All silence suddenly shattered!
The Apache's fuselage jerked violently!
The 30mm chain gun roared first!
Tongues of fire spat out, shells tearing through the air!
The Gatling pods on both sides roared in synchronization, the dense rain of bullets forming a crimson net of fire, sealing off the entire airspace!
Stinger air-to-air missiles under the wings streaked out trailing white smoke, accurately snapping at the flying Super!
The roar shattered the clouds!
Firelight illuminated the sky!
This fifty-five point five million dollar aerial hunter announced with the most violent firepower:
In its presence, no matter how fast the flying ability—
It was just a sitting duck!
In the pilot's seat, Thorne laughed wildly!
"What superpowers?!"
His voice boomed through the external speakers, drowning out the roar of the engines!
"No matter how fast the flying ability—it can't beat my Captain's Money-power!!!"
He dove the aircraft forward while continuously pouring out bullets!
Tongues of fire chased the flying Super's tail, forcing him to flee desperately in the air!
This was Mark's requirement for him.
He had been discussing tactics with Mark, talking about how to save ammunition.
The next second, Mark gently patted his face and solemnly instructed:
"Don't save my bullets, brother."
"Your lives are more precious than countless bullets."
"For that beautiful future, let us turn all our anger into bullets and pour them onto those damn Superhuman!"
At that moment, Thorne shouted Loyalty once again.
Loyalty!
Just like he was now!
"Push forward! Push forward! Push forward!!!"
Thorne roared at the co-pilot!
"I told you to push forward, are you deaf?!"
Thorne was like a god of death descended!
So what if the aircraft crashed into the Super while pushing forward?
He had to pour out every last bullet for Captain Mark and show the ultimate flair!
The Apache helicopter pounced toward the Super like a crazed steel beast!
The Super could still use his wings to protect his body and desperately dodge.
But the next second—
The attack helicopter was right in his face!
Through the glass, he saw Thorne.
That face looked as if it had been tempered by the fires of war.
At this moment, it was so cold—
And yet so incredibly arrogant!
"Die, bastard."
Thorne muttered softly.
The next second—
The Gatling gun aimed at the Super's head and let loose!
"Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat—!!!"
The entire brain turned to ash in the flames!
Not even a bit of brain tissue remained!
Only a mist of blood drifted slowly in the air.
Thorne took a deep breath and let go of the control stick.
He grabbed the teammate next to him and helped him fasten his seatbelt.
Then he took a rope and hooked it onto the helicopter's door frame.
The next second—
He dropped from the sky!
Across the fires of war!
Through the gunpowder smoke!
Straight to Mark's side!
"Bang!"
He landed heavily on the ground, kneeling on one knee.
Then he stood up and saluted Mark directly!
"Commander Thorne, reporting to you!"
His voice was as loud as a bell!
"All Superhuman—have been eliminated!"
"Captain Mark, please inspect!"
"Loyalty!!!"
The next second—
The entire Reaction Department, having finished clearing the battlefield, quickly gathered behind Thorne!
They were covered in blood, but their eyes were fanatical!
They were panting like bulls, but standing straight!
Two thousand men, two thousand guns, two thousand pairs of eyes—
All looking at Mark Grayson!
A collective salute!
The roar broke through the sky, reaching the clouds!
"Loyalty!!!"
Chapter 68: You Are Good
In an apartment in New York, the night was deep.
Invincible descended from the sky, his red cape snapping in the night wind.
In his hand, he carried a mangled figure—the body hung limp, like a broken doll.
After entering the living room, Mark spoke to Maeve, who was busy in the kitchen:
"I'm going to the basement to deal with this guy.
Wait a little longer for dinner."
"Got it~"
Maeve turned around, still wearing an apron.
The apron was white with small pink flowers embroidered on the edges; tied around her sturdy 1.8-meter frame, it created a strange sense of gap moe.
She looked at Mark reproachfully.
After enjoying a night of passion with Mark yesterday, this guy said he had a mission this morning and flew off.
He had been gone all day.
Now he was back, carrying a half-dead man.
Watching Mark disappear into the basement entrance, Maeve subconsciously bit the nail of her right thumb.
At the thought of last night's intense lovemaking, she felt her cheeks flush.
That guy... he's truly wicked.
He just loves seeing people looking pathetic.
The thing was, he actually had the ability to make it so.
Even as a top-tier Super, Maeve found her resistance to be incredibly fragile before Mark.
It was just like...
Like a city wall facing a battering ram.
Leaving her completely powerless to resist.
She could only cry out.
She could only beg for mercy.
She could only...
Maeve's face turned even redder.
She shook her head vigorously, tossing those images out of her mind, and went back to processing the pig offal in her hands.
In the basement, the light was dim.
Mark threw the half-dead man onto the floor like a bag of trash.
The man rolled twice on the cold concrete floor before coming to a stop.
In the dim light, the face became clear—it was Jay, the teleporter of the G-Men.
Jay had lost his right arm, the stump crudely and violently cauterized to stop the bleeding.
There was a bloody hole in his abdomen, left from a kidney being ripped out.
His breathing was extremely weak, each breath sounding like his last.
Mark squatted down, looking at the unrecognizable man before him, and smiled.
"Teleportation is a truly nice ability."
His voice was calm, as if he were critiquing the flavor of a dish.
"Although I don't need it, everyone should have their use."
He reached out and patted Jay's pale face.
"How do you feel now? I only took one of your kidneys.
The other one can still help you filter out toxins."
Jay struggled to open his eyes, which were filled with fear and despair.
"Please... I beg you..."
His voice was as raspy as sandpaper on glass.
"I don't want to die..."
He looked at Mark, crying, tears and snot mixing and covering his face.
Mark ignored his pleas and simply patted a row of coolers beside him.
These coolers were stacked neatly against the wall, at least twenty or thirty of them.
Under the transparent lids, various human organs could be seen soaking in nutrient solution—kidneys, livers, hearts, eyeballs...
"These are very expensive coolers,"
Mark said, his tone like someone introducing their collection, "they can keep human tissue fresh for a long time."
He stood up and walked to the row of coolers, looking them over as if selecting fruit.
"I killed quite a few mobsters the day before yesterday, and I kept their body tissues.
There are over a dozen kidneys here too."
He turned back to look at Jay.
"As a Super, any kidney should be compatible with you."
Jay's pupils contracted slightly.
He seemed to understand something.
"Come," Mark walked back to him, looking down from above, "swear an oath to me, say you submit to me."
His posture was so composed and elegant, like a priest at Mass preaching to children.
The basement window was high up, and a shaft of moonlight fell through it, landing on Mark's head.
In that moment, Jay saw a face that was both playful and full of pity.
Was that a god?
Was it a god looking down on an ant?
At that moment, Jay's consciousness was fading.
Excessive blood loss, extreme pain, and deep fear—he could no longer clearly hear what Mark was saying.
At this point, only the will to survive remained.
He trembled as he moved his body.
Propping himself up with his only remaining hand.
Bit by bit.
Inch by inch.
Finally, he knelt at Mark's feet.
"Praise your glory..."
He spoke sincerely and humbly.
Every word was squeezed from the depths of his soul.
Mark smiled.
He smiled happily.
Finally, a Super whose brain hadn't been turned to mush by Compound V.
At least he knew how to survive.
"Remember your oath."
Mark's voice rang out again.
"You only have one night to recover from your injuries.
Tomorrow, you'll be responsible for delivering those bonuses to the bedsides of my subordinates."
He paused.
"I want my subordinates to see their bonuses the moment they open their eyes.
I want that feeling of joy to envelop them so they can have a happy day."
"Do you understand?"
Jay looked up at Mark.
In those eyes, only obedience remained.
"I understand perfectly."
Mark nodded.
The next second, he reached out and grabbed Jay.
He walked to the row of coolers, selected a kidney of the right size, and took it out.
He compared it.
It was a perfect fit.
Then—he shoved it in!
Directly into the bloody hole in Jay's abdomen!
Jay let out a shrill scream, but before he could finish, Mark's Super Speed kicked in.
Suturing.
Hemostasis.
Disinfection.
It was all done in one smooth motion.
In less than three seconds.
Mark put Jay back on the ground and clapped his hands.
"Hang in there.
If you can survive tonight, you'll be able to live for a long time."
He turned and left, his footsteps echoing in the basement.
Leaving Jay alone, curled up on the cold floor, gasping for air.
In the kitchen, the aroma was everywhere.
Maeve was busy.
The oil in the pan sizzled as the golden egg liquid spread out, its edges turning slightly brown.
Beside it was a plate of prepared pig offal—liver, heart, and kidney—sliced thin and marinated with cooking wine and ginger.
She was preparing to make Pig Offal Omelets for Mark.
Pig offal provides rich trace elements and minerals, while fried eggs are the most direct way to replenish protein and energy.
She prepared ten whole plates of Pig Offal Omelets for Mark.
Each plate used at least ten eggs and a full set of pig offal.
Chapter 69: Is This Possible?
While she was busy, a large hand suddenly reached out from behind and gripped her waist.
"Mm—!"
Maeve trembled all over.
Mark pressed against her back, resting his chin on her shoulder, kneading the soft flesh on her stomach as he sighed with emotion.
"You really are big where you should be big, and small where you should be small."
His voice carried a hint of a smile, his warm breath puffing against Maeve's ear.
"This feel is truly not bad."
"I... hate you..."
Maeve was just about to push him away with her hands, but in the next second—
"Ah~~"
She let out a moan.
Mark had already begun his 'pre-meal dessert.'
As he sampled her, he whispered in her ear:
"I still have to eat lunch later.
But before lunch, I have to fill my stomach first."
Maeve could no longer make a sound.
She could only let him have his way.
She felt like a small boat on the sea.
So helpless, so powerless.
Only able to endure the raging storm that filled the sky!
The sun set in the west.
The golden afterglow spilled through the window, falling onto the large bed.
Maeve lay there limp, her whole body sore and weak, not wanting to move even a single finger.
Mark covered her with the quilt and imprinted a goodnight kiss on her forehead.
Then he got up and returned to the dining table.
Ten plates of Pig Offal Omelets were arranged neatly there.
Mark sat down and picked up his knife and fork.
He began to finish them off.
His movements were elegant and swift, as if handling a task that had to be completed.
Ten minutes later, all ten plates of omelets were cleared.
Mark wiped the corner of his mouth with a napkin and gave a fair nod.
"Maeve's cooking is still very good."
But then, he frowned.
"The money is still too little."
He sighed helplessly.
"All the assets of one gang are only enough to give my subordinates a single bonus."
He thought for a moment.
"As expected, the rich ones aren't the gangs, but the capitalists."
He laughed.
"That's true.
How can stolen money come as fast as swindled money? Hahahaha—"
The next second, Mark stood up.
He had already decided to go 'work hard to earn money.'
At this moment, Mark felt he was truly a communist.
Take out your excess money and divide it equally among my subordinates; wouldn't it be better if everyone was happy?
You have money and you get to spend it—how can you have all the good things?
As long as I, Mark Grayson, am around, you can only earn money, not spend it!
Mark felt this was very fair.
Did they really think rich people's money was earned?
Doesn't it all depend on stealing? On robbing?
Without stealing or robbing, where would a beautiful life come from?
It surely can't depend on hard work, right?
Hahahaha...
Meanwhile.
Inside the Vought Corporation, in a small break room.
Black Noir leaned against the table alone, his whole body trembling.
He wore a black skin-tight uniform, with that mask he never took off covering his face.
But at this moment, the face under the mask was twitching frantically.
That figure was constantly in his mind.
Mark Grayson.
Invincible.
The man who had looked at him with one eye at the banquet.
Those eyes—
Cold.
Dead silent.
Full of killing intent.
As if a supreme emperor was pronouncing a death sentence upon him.
"He's so strong..."
Black Noir muttered to himself, his voice as raspy as if he had crawled out of a grave.
"He seems even stronger than Soldier Boy."
His body shook even more violently.
"And even more cold-blooded than Soldier Boy..."
"He wants to kill me..."
"He definitely wants to kill me!"
Just then—
Strange things appeared in his vision.
A squirrel.
A small, brown, furry squirrel had appeared on the table in front of him at some point, crouching there and looking at him with its dark, beady eyes.
The squirrel spoke, its voice soft and cute, a bit stuttering:
"E... Earving, don't be afraid.
You can do it."
Black Noir froze.
He couldn't help but look at the squirrel.
The squirrel stood up and patted his shoulder with its small paw—even though it couldn't reach his shoulder at all, the movement was very serious.
"Don't worry, you won't die.
Just as we've always stayed by your side, you will definitely not die alone."
Another voice rang out.
It was a black goat, which had crouched in the corner at some unknown time.
Its eyes were a bottomless black, looking at Black Noirwith a gaze full of silence and restraint.
"It's time to make an end of it," the black goat said, its voice deep and brief. "Submitting to Mark Grayson is also an option."
"Cowardice!"
A roar like a thunderclap sounded.
An eagle dived from the ceiling and landed on the windowsill.
It spread its wings, every feather standing on end, its gaze sharp as a knife.
"Be brave! Let's go together! Fight like a warrior!"
"Oh, please."
A high-pitched voice came from by the door.
It was a fox, lazily sprawled on the doorframe, its tail swaying back and forth.
There was a hint of mockery in its eyes, but more of a protective instinct.
"Go to your death? That won't do.
We have to think of a smarter way."
"Right, right, right! Think of a smarter way!"
Chirping voices suddenly exploded.
Two ponies crawled out from under the table—they looked exactly the same, both with brown fur and white manes, as lively as two little maniacs.
"Can't go to our death!"
"But can't admit defeat either!"
"We support you!"
"We will always support you!"
They spoke in unison, chirping incessantly.
Finally, a white sheep walked out from behind Black Noirand slowly circled in front of him.
It looked up, gazing at him with gentle, watery eyes.
"Don't be afraid..."
The sheep's voice was soft and light, with a milky tone.
"We are all by your side.
No matter what decision you make, we will stay with you."
Black Noir looked at these animals.
The squirrel, the goat, the eagle, the fox, the twin ponies, the sheep.
They crowded the small break room, looking at him with all sorts of gazes.
Encouraging.
Silent.
Passionate.
Clever.
Lively.
Gentle.
They were all him.
Every single one was a part of him.
"I will..."
Black Noir opened his mouth, his voice raspy.
"I will flee Vought."
He clenched his fists.
"I will live the life I want to live."
"I won't get involved in all this anymore!"
He gave a heavy nod, as if he had made up his mind.
The squirrel laughed and rolled around on the table.
The eagle spread its wings and soared, letting out a loud cry.
The fox rolled its eyes, but there was a smile at the corner of its mouth.
The twin ponies bumped into each other, chirping in celebration.
The sheep nuzzled against his leg, warm and soft.
Only the black goat stood silently in the corner, watching him quietly.
Black Noir took a deep breath.
He stood up and walked toward the door.
He pushed the door open—
In the hallway outside the door stood a person.
The Deep.
At this moment, he was leaning against the hallway wall with his arms crossed, looking at him coldly.
Black Noir's pupils suddenly constricted.
How long had The Deep been standing there?
How much had he heard?
He looked at Black Noir, and the corners of his mouth slowly curled into a cold arc.
"Is this possible?"
His voice was low, as if fished out of an ice cellar.
Black Noir froze on the spot.
In the break room behind him, those animals—the squirrel, the goat, the eagle, the fox, the twin ponies, the sheep—all fell silent.
They all looked toward the door together.
Looking at the man standing in the hallway.
Looking at the darkness that was about to submerge them.
Chapter 70: I Will Leave
"Heh."
Black Noir suddenly burst into laughter.
The laughter was raspy and low, as if squeezed from the depths of his throat.
It was like rusted gears finally starting to turn.
He leaned against the corridor wall, the hand holding the short blade not trembling, but becoming even steadier.
"You truly are completely loyal to Invincible now. That's your style."
He looked at The Deep, a complex emotion in his eyes.
Understanding, pity, and a hint of disdain.
That look was like watching a dog that had finally found its master, or like looking at a patient who had already gone mad.
"But I'm tired of it. Tired of handing my life over to others."
He straightened up and gripped the short blade in his hand. It was an ordinary tactical knife, its edge glinting coldly under the lights, but in his hand, it seemed like a sharp weapon capable of slicing through fate.
"I will take my animal friends to a peaceful countryside and spend the rest of my life there."
His voice grew firmer and clearer. It was as if he wasn't saying those words to The Deep, but to himself, convincing himself.
"Now move aside, Deep!"
The Deep's expression didn't change in the slightest.
He looked at Black Noir, then at the short blade.
He looked at the eyes hidden behind the goggles, a slow curve forming at the corners of his mouth.
There was no fear in that curve, no retreat, only something incomprehensible.
Once a person has a goal, a change occurs from within.
The change is so thorough and profound that the entire person seems to have swapped souls.
His eyes became clear and fanatical, his movements became decisive and powerful, and his breathing became steady and firm.
Because of a goal, he could persevere through everything.
Some call that thing—faith.
"So, you've decided to resist, Black Noir?"
The Deep's voice was as calm as if he were talking about the weather, as natural as asking "What did you eat today?" "You're going to resist That Lord?"
Black Noir shook his head, looking somewhat helpless.
"If you had brought a few more helpers, maybe I would have surrendered. But you came alone, Deep."
He didn't even want to draw the two long swords on his back.
Those two blades had been with him for decades, since World War II; they had killed Nazis, hacked monsters, and witnessed the darkest moments of his life.
But at this moment, with only a short blade, he was completely confident he could take down The Deep.
"If we were in the water, you could indeed hold your own against me, or even defeat me."
Black Noir said, his tone carrying a hint of natural arrogance:
"But this is land. Where is the water for you to use, Deep? Where are the marine animals?"
He took a step forward. It was light, yet carried an unquestionable sense of pressure.
"Did you come here specifically to die?!"
No sooner had the words left his mouth than Black Noirsuddenly lunged!
His speed was like a bolt of black lightning, so fast he left afterimages in the air, so fast The Deep had no time to react!
He delivered a vicious kick to The Deep's waist!
"Bang—!!!"
The Deep was sent flying backward, slamming heavily into the wall behind him!
The wall cracked, debris flying everywhere, fractures spreading like a spiderweb!
His body stuck to the wall for a second before slowly sliding down to kneel on the ground.
He clutched his ribs, panting heavily, his face as pale as paper.
Black Noir approached slowly, crouched down, and brought the short blade close to The Deep's neck. The edge was only a millimeter from the skin; the chill had already seeped through the skin and into the blood vessels.
"We were once comrades; I know your weaknesses."
His voice was as calm as if he were stating a fact, like reciting a passage he had long since memorized:
"For example, those two gills under your ribs. They are exactly your weakness. Getting kicked hard in the lungs doesn't feel good, does it?"
"I've considered defecting more than once; for that, I've learned each of your weaknesses."
He laughed.
The smile was faint behind his goggles, but the smugness was clearly conveyed.
"This isn't in the water. You shouldn't be able to breathe anymore."
The Deep gasped for air, each breath sounding like a broken bellows being pulled, making a "hiss-hiss" sound.
His face turned from pale to purple-blue, a symptom of oxygen deprivation.
"What a pity, Deep."
Black Noir's blade tip pressed against his throat; just one more millimeter would cut the skin and slice the artery. "You're going to have to die here."
"Cough... cough..."
The Deep coughed up two mouthfuls of blood. The blood flowed down the corners of his mouth, dripping onto his suit, glinting dark red in the dim light.
He looked up at Black Noir.
Those eyes—those eyes that were once somewhat wretched and cowardly—had now completely changed.
They became bright.
They became fanatical.
They became like two burning flames!
That once somewhat wretched face was now full of ferocity and killing intent!
It was the expression of a fanatic, one who could give everything for their faith!
"You... should really... regret... what you just said."
His voice was raspy, but every word seemed squeezed out from between his teeth, carved out with all his strength!
!!!
Black Noir was stunned for a moment.
He looked at The Deep, at that distorted face, at those burning eyes, and his brow slowly furrowed.
"Regret what I said? I didn't say anything wrong just now, Deep. You should have looked out for yourself."
"Look out for myself?"
The Deep laughed.
The smile was bloody, painful, and filled with a near-insane piety.
"For someone who already has faith, I no longer need to look out for myself.
This life, all of this, I can give to him, to That Lord.
Even a lowly person like me needs a savior like him!"
His eyes were frighteningly bright.
That brightness wasn't from the lights, but burning from the depths of his soul.
The Deep pointed at Black Noir and shouted, "Villains need a villain's savior too!"
"Do you know? When I woke up this morning, there were actually two gold bars on my bedside table, a full thousand grams!"
He burst out laughing, his whole body trembling, tears nearly flowing.
"Hahahahahahahahaha!"
The laughter echoed in the corridor, bouncing back and forth between the walls like a group of madmen laughing simultaneously.
"I've worked like a dog for Homelander and Vought Corporation for so many years—all my income combined is only worth those two gold bars from this morning!"
His laughter grew louder and wilder, his whole body twitching.
"What has Homelander ever given me? Nothing! He only threatens me with Heat Vision when I don't perform well!
He only berates me like trash when I make a mistake!"
"What has Vought Corporation ever given me? A cheap apartment! A salary of five thousand dollars a month! And I have to be ready to die at any moment!"
"But what about That Lord?"
His eyes looked at Black Noir, his gaze full of fanaticism.
"He gave me dignity! He gave me respect! He gave me—the feeling of truly being alive!"
"To hell with Vought, to hell with Homelander!"
"My life belongs only to That Lord!"
He couldn't stop laughing, like a madman, like a believer who had finally found his home.
Chapter 71: Even Villains Have Their Saviors!
"Sorry, sorry,"
He wiped away his tears, but the smile remained on his face. "Thinking about that Lord's reward makes me so happy I lose sight of what's important."
He looked up at Black Noir. His eyes now held nothing but fanaticism.
"Let's get back to the previous topic. You will regret what you said."
"Not just the content. I mean—you wasted all that time."
Deep Sea's lips curled into a hideous grin.
"You wasted even more time listening to me."
Black Noir's pupils contracted violently!
He looked at Deep Sea, at that horribly grinning face, at those fanatical eyes—a chill rose from the soles of his feet, piercing straight up his spine!
That was pure malice!
That was the instinctive shudder of prey realizing it had stumbled into a trap!
"You—what exactly did you do?!"
Deep Sea did not answer.
He slowly raised his hand, revealing what he held.
It was a remote control.
Small and ordinary, its red button flashed blindingly under the light.
But that light, at this moment in Black Noir's eyes, resembled the gaze of Death itself.
The next second—
Deep Sea pressed it down.
"Woooo—!!!"
The fire alarm blared!
The sharp siren ripped through the silence of the night, echoing throughout the entire building!
The sound was so grating, so piercing, as if ten thousand crows were screaming simultaneously!
The second after that—
"Bang!!!"
The fire sprinklers on the ceiling burst open all at once!
Not one or two, but the entire corridor, the entire floor—every single fire sprinkler!
A deluge of water poured down!
This water wasn't dripping; it was gushing out in torrents, as if someone had opened the floodgates of the sky and dumped the entire Pacific Ocean into the building!
Black Noir's goggles were instantly covered in water droplets, his vision becoming a blur.
He raised his hand to wipe them, but more water surged in, layer after layer, seemingly endless!
Through that curtain of water, he vaguely saw—
Deep Sea standing up.
Deep Sea, who had been beaten half to death by him, suffering broken ribs, struggling to breathe, and looking deathly pale, was now standing perfectly straight!
His posture was still stooped, his frame still weak, but at this moment, he exuded a terrifying sense of pressure!
That pressure did not come from strength, but from—willpower!
In the watery haze, Deep Sea's silhouette appeared blurred and gigantic, like a sea god emerging from the depths!
The streams of water spun and danced around him, as if they possessed life!
"How—refreshing!"
An iron fist punched through the water curtain, smashing brutally into Black Noir's face!
"Bang!"
Black Noir was sent flying, slamming heavily against the wall before bouncing back onto the floor! He landed in the water, kicking up a huge splash!
Deep Sea, bathed in the flowing water, rushed toward Black Noir!
Every step he took sent water splashing, and every breath he took was accompanied by a frenzied gasp!
"Look at this water, it's already reached our waists!"
He laughed wildly, his voice echoing amidst the sound of rushing water, amplified by the walls and distorted by the currents, sounding as if it came from all directions at once!
"In the water, my power is much greater than yours, Black Noir!"
He suddenly kicked out at Black Noir!
Black Noir narrowly managed to lean aside and dodge, but the resulting wave of water still sent him staggering, nearly causing him to fall!
The water level was rising rapidly—it was already at his thighs and about to reach his waist!
"You damned maniac!"
Black Noir was furious to the extreme!
He never expected that Deep Sea—who was usually timid, subservient, and begged for mercy on his knees at the banquet—would dare to directly trigger the company's water pipes!
Had he gone mad?!
Was he not afraid of being punished by the leaders of the Vought Corporation?!
Did he truly only care about serving Mark Grayson?!
Did he consider nothing else?!
Gritting his teeth, Black Noir suddenly hurled the small knife in his hand toward Deep Sea!
The short blade sliced through the water curtain, heading straight for Deep Sea's face with a cold glint!
It was so fast that it left a white trail in the water!
The next second—
"Pfft!"
The blade easily slipped into flesh, sending blood splattering!
But Black Noir froze where he stood.
Because, suddenly, a fish had jumped out in front of Deep Sea!
A fat salmon leaped out of the water, positioning itself perfectly in front of Deep Sea!
And his short knife was lodged right into the body of the fish!
The salmon was pinned against the wall, writhing desperately, blood flowing down its body and staining a large section of the wall red.
Its eyes were still moving, its mouth still opening, as if silently accusing him.
Deep Sea laughed.
The smile was full of smugness and arrogance.
"I spent twenty thousand US dollars to buy a large batch of seafood to put here."
He looked at Black Noir, his eyes filled with madness. This madness wasn't the delirium of losing control, but—the madness born of being too clear-headed.
"A small price to pay to kill you."
He spread his arms wide!
"Everything for the Invincible!"
Only then did Black Noir notice—a massive swarm of marine life had gathered at Deep Sea's feet!
Crabs, lobsters, fish, octopuses, sea urchins, starfish, and even a few small sharks!
They were packed densely, layer upon layer, crowding the water around Deep Sea!
They were leaping joyfully, swimming, and flying!
Deep Sea's superpower allowed him to control marine life and enhance their physiological functions!
Turning every single one of them into a deadly weapon!
The crabs' claws became larger and stronger; the lobsters' spikes became longer and sharper;
The fish's swimming speed became faster and more violent;
The octopus's tentacles became thicker and more powerful!
"Damn it! Damn it!"
Black Noir violently drew the two long blades from his back!
They were his signature weapons, having accompanied him through World War II and helped him slay countless enemies.
Traces of time remained on the blades, and the names of his fallen comrades were still engraved on them.
He charged toward Deep Sea; he had to finish him quickly!
But the next second—
A sky full of fish and shrimp lunged at him!
It wasn't one or two, but hundreds upon thousands!
Crabs waved their giant claws, clamping down hard on his calves!
Lobsters thrust their sharp spikes, aiming directly for his abdomen!
Fish slammed into him like bullets, leaving a bruise on his body with every impact!
Octopus tentacles wrapped around his ankles, dragging him toward the water!
The spines of the sea urchins pierced his calves, and the toxins began to spread!
Chapter 72: He Still Has Me!
Black Noir could only wildly swing his dual blades, shifting his body!
One slash sent three sea fish flying!
One slash severed two octopus tentacles!
One stomp crushed two crabs!
But more surged forward!
Endless, as if they could never be killed!
Some shrimp lodged themselves onto his battle suit; the shrimp spines pierced his skin, blood seeped out, mixing with the water and attracting even more marine life!
There were countless crabs; even after being stomped into pulp by him, their claws clamped fiercely onto his feet, refusing to let go even in death!
"Damn your mother—Deep Sea!" Black Noir roared, his voice distorted amid the spray!
"I don't have a mother, go screw your own!" In a surge of waves, Deep Sea suddenly shot out!
His entire body's muscles tensed, and he violently kicked Black Noir in the face!
The force of that kick, amplified by the water current, was three times greater than usual!
Black Noir was kicked backward, his vision went dark, and stars swam before his eyes!
Before he could regain his footing, Deep Sea pulled out a swordfish—a swordfish over a meter long, its rostrum sharp as a sword, like a naturally formed rapier!
Holding the swordfish's mouth, he directly impaled Black Noir!
"Pfft—!" The swordfish's sharp snout pierced through Black Noir's abdominal cavity and exited through his back!
Blood gushed out, mixing with the water and instantly dyeing a large area crimson!
"Ah—!!!" Black Noir let out a piercing scream!
That scream echoed through the current, distorted and amplified, turning into a non-human sound!
He hastily grabbed the swordfish's body and yanked it out forcefully! The swordfish's sharp tip tore out of the flesh, pulling away a large chunk of shredded meat and blood!
He clutched the wound on his abdomen, gasping heavily, his eyes filled with disbelief.
This guy's fighting style... why is he fighting like a madman?
"You deserve to die, Deep Sea!" Enduring the intense pain, he violently swung his dual blades at the nearby wall!
"Bang! Bang!" The wall was sliced open with two large gashes! Concrete fragments fell, splashing up large amounts of water!
Then, he sliced horizontally—a triangular notch appeared!
Black Noir abruptly kicked the wall open and shot himself inside!
Deep Sea followed without the slightest hesitation!
A large volume of water had already poured into the room through that opening!
But at this moment, Black Noir was already standing by the window!
He directly kicked the window open!
"Bang—!!!" The glass shattered!
Countless fragments fell toward the night sky, glittering blindingly under the moonlight!
The invading water followed the stream out of the window, rushing toward the outside of the building!
Forming a spectacular waterfall, pouring down from the fiftieth floor!
"This is where you are naive!" Black Noir turned around, looking at Deep Sea, who was soaked to the bone.
His abdomen was still bleeding, his face was covered in exhaustion, but in his eyes, the last vestiges of killing intent were burning.
"Did you think I would only stay in places advantageous to you?" He no longer hesitated and directly stabbed his blade into Deep Sea's abdomen!
"Pfft!" The long blade pierced through Deep Sea's belly, the tip emerging from his back!
Deep Sea spat out a mouthful of blood, splashing Black Noir's face! The blood was warm, carrying a fishy-sweet scent.
But the next second—Deep Sea, without the slightest hesitation, directly opened his mouth and bit down on Black Noir's neck!
"You damn mad dog—!!!" Black Noir screamed!
He never imagined Deep Sea could be this insane!
That madness wasn't the frenzy of losing reason, but—to dedicate everything for a belief!
He violently pulled the long blade out of Deep Sea's body!
Then he smashed a heavy punch into Deep Sea's face!
"Bang!" Deep Sea's head snapped to the side, more blood pouring from his mouth, but the mouth biting Black Noir's neck did not loosen in the slightest!
Black Noir clamped one hand around Deep Sea's neck, trying to push him away!
But Deep Sea bit down fiercely, as if trying to tear a piece of flesh from him! As if trying to leave a part of himself on Black Noir forever!
Black Noir, holding the knife, stabbed Deep Sea several more times!
One stab!
Two stabs!
Three stabs!
Deep Sea's chest, abdomen, and back were all covered in stab wounds, blood surging wildly!
His battle suit was already ragged, revealing the churning flesh and stark white ribs beneath!
But even so, he desperately gripped Black Noir's arm with his hands, his fingernails digging into the flesh!
He wanted to leave an eternal scar on him!
He wanted him to remember for his entire life—that there was a man named Deep Sea who once went to this degree of madness for his belief!
"Hoo... hoo..." Black Noir gasped heavily, covered in blood, some his own, some Deep Sea's.
Looking at the man before him, half-dead yet still biting him relentlessly, fear arose in his heart for the first time.
That fear wasn't due to power, but because of—willpower.
This guy wasn't afraid of death anymore.
He had already dedicated his life to that man.
"I admit... I underestimated you."
He pulled Deep Sea by the neck to the window.
The night wind howled in, bringing the coolness and clamor unique to the New York night. Below was the fifty-story drop into the void, the brightly lit streets, and vehicles like ants.
Deep Sea hung suspended in the wind, with no support beneath his feet anymore!
Only Black Noir's hand, gripping his neck, dangling him outside the window!
"But that's all there is to it."
Black Noir looked down at Deep Sea, that blood-smeared face, those eyes still burning with fanaticism.
"You did very well. But your only failure was not bringing backup."
He smiled, a smile filled with relief.
"Now, who do you have left to rely on?" He let out a sneer.
And then—he let go.
Deep Sea's body began to fall.
One hundred meters.
Eighty meters.
Fifty meters.
Thirty meters.
Ten meters.
The night wind howled, whipping his battle suit loudly.
His body tumbled in the air, his consciousness starting to blur, his life rapidly draining away.
But he did not close his eyes.
He looked at the window above, growing farther away, at Black Noir's figure shrinking, and the corner of his mouth—actually curved into a smile.
In that smile, there was no fear, no regret, only an indescribable calm.
Master... I did my best...
Black Noir stood on the high-rise, looking down at the departure of his former teammate.
The night wind blew, lifting the corner of his clothes.
He watched the increasingly small black dot and muttered to himself:
"Go well, Deep Sea."
"No one cares about you at all, not even your so-called Master."
"No one is coming to help you."
As the words fell—a deafening sound exploded from the base of the building!
That sound was so powerful, so shocking, so full of security!
The sound's penetrating force was so strong that it pierced straight through the fifty-story height, reaching the top floor!
It shook the glass until it trembled!
It shook Black Noir to his very core!
"He Still Has Me!!!"
Chapter 73: It's True!
The windows of the building began to shatter.
No, not shatter—they were being blown out by some external force.
Glass rained down like a torrential storm, sparkling with countless crystal points in the moonlight.
And amidst the storm of broken glass, a figure clad in blue and gold burst through the layers of smoke and dust, arriving directly behind Deep Sea!
The fierce wind howled upwards!
When the wind picks up while walking in the wilderness, some people open their arms.
At that moment, the wind rushes into their embrace, as if they are hugging the wind, or as if the wind is hugging them.
That wind is so gentle, so tranquil, like the softest comfort between heaven and earth.
At this moment, Deep Sea felt exactly like that.
That massive wind, that terrifying wind pressure, had now transformed into an embrace that slowed his descent.
It was as if a wisp of wind had gained substance at this moment, becoming tangible and holding him tight.
It was as warm as when he returned to his mother's arms at birth.
One hand pierced through the wind pressure and gripped Deep Sea's neck.
That hand was warm and powerful, carrying undeniable majesty.
"I have heard your prayer."
The voice was indifferent yet carried endless care, like a god responding to a mortal's plea.
"Death will not keep you."
"Because I am your savior."
Deep Sea began to fly.
Led by his savior, he soared upward.
The night wind whistled past his ears, the city lights flowed beneath him, but he felt no fear.
Only a strange tranquility, as if he had finally found his destination.
Feet on solid ground.
Deep Sea's feet touched the ground once more.
He raised his head, looking at the blue and gold figure before him—those black eyes, that smiling face.
He knelt down on one knee.
"I failed to carry out your will."
His voice was hoarse, filled with guilt and self-reproach.
"I am deeply sorry."
"It is nothing."
Mark's voice came from above, as calm as if he were commenting on the nice weather.
"You did very well."
He walked forward.
Toward Black Noir.
Black Noir gripped the two steel blades that had accompanied him through nearly a century of battles; the blades shone coldly under the moonlight.
Those two blades had killed Nazis, cut down monsters, and witnessed the darkest moments of his life.
But now, they could not protect him from anything.
Mark raised his hand.
He threw a punch!
That punch had no flashy movements, no wind-up process; it was simply a straightforward strike.
But the speed of that punch was so fast that not even an afterimage was left behind.
So fast that Black Noir didn't have time to react.
"Bang—!!!"
The two steel blades shattered with a crash!
The steel blades that had accompanied Black Noir for nearly a hundred years, swords forged from the hardest alloy, shattered like glass, fragments scattering everywhere!
And then—
Black Noir's sternum!
"Crack!"
The sound of bones breaking was clearly audible!
Black Noir was sent flying backward, smashing heavily into the wall!
The wall cracked, debris flew everywhere, and his entire body became embedded in it!
He coughed violently, trembling as he reached for his chest with his hand.
But he only felt emptiness.
Yes, his sternum had been directly pulverized and driven into his chest cavity.
The only reason he wasn't dead now was simply because Mark's punch had not aimed for his heart.
Even so, with the enhancement of a top-tier Super's physical quality, he could, at best, only live for another ten minutes.
Mark looked down at him from above.
"Since you refuse to submit, then die."
His voice was as calm as a pronouncement.
"At least you have gained your freedom."
Black Noir raised his head to look at Mark.
In those eyes, there was pain, fear, and unwillingness.
But he did not beg for mercy.
He just looked at Mark, at the man about to kill him.
Mark was anticipating.
He was very curious whether this world would possess the characteristics of the comic book world.
As for why he felt that way, it was because of Hughie.
The Hughie in this world was nothing like the sunny, cheerful young man in the TV adaptation.
Instead, he resembled the version in the comics a bit more—thinner, and with a different hairstyle.
If that were the case—
Then the Black Noir before him was very likely the one from the comics.
He was a clone of Homelander specially created by the Vought Corporation to prevent Homelander from losing control.
His strength was even greater than Homelander's.
He possessed all of Homelander's abilities—flight, heat vision, super-regeneration, super-hearing, super-strength, and super-speed.
Although the feeling of punching Black Noir's sternum just now made Mark feel like it was no different from hitting an ordinary human.
But even Homelander seemed no different from an ordinary human in his eyes.
In the eyes of a Viltrumite, so-called Superhuman were merely lolis.
The world around Black Noir was growing darker.
Black Noir knew he was going to die.
But a scene from long ago suddenly flashed through his mind.
It was what the Vought executives had once told him—
"You exist to kill Homelander."
"If he ever loses control, swallow the Compound Vspecifically made for Homelander."
"It contains a certain latent Homelander gene.
As long as you swallow that, you can become an existence even more powerful than Homelander."
"As for the price of dying within a short time—a tool does not need too much consideration."
"You wouldn't want us to bring Soldier Boy back, would you!"
That was the meaning of his existence.
That was the purpose for which he was created.
He was a dog.
The most obedient dog of the Vought executives.
To counter Homelander, Edgar had specially prepared that tube of Compound V containing Homelander's latent genes for him.
He had kept it on him at all times.
He had never dared to use it.
Now—
"Hey..."
Black Noir raised his head toward Mark.
He reached up and removed the hood from his head.
A Black man.
Mark's expression turned disappointed.
But the next second, his eyes widened in surprise!
Because Black Noir pulled out a delicately packaged glass vial from his pocket!
The blue liquid swirling inside was precisely Compound V!
"I really just wanted to live out my later years in peace..."
Black Noir's voice was hoarse and desperate.
"Why did you force me to do this?"
He opened the tube of Compound V and poured it into his mouth.
Mark did not stop him.
If Black Noir possessed Compound V that could grant him heat vision, it meant the Vought Corporation could manufacture it!
If Vought Corporation could manufacture it—
He dared to step on Edgar's head and make his research team build him something better!
As for this tube in front of him, he would treat it as an early observation of the results.
Swallowing a bottle of magic potion, my fate is mine to control, not heaven's!
Black Noir let out a painful groan!
That groan did not sound human; it was more like the howl of a beast!
Then—
His originally black skin began to turn white at an astonishing speed!