Netizens sure know how to play with memes.
They were having a blast.
Herman almost fell into depression.
If there was any consolation in playing "Homelander" during the explosive popularity of The Boys, it was probably Wanda's reaction.
"Big brother!! Your Homelander is absolutely amazing!"
Wanda came home from school with rosy cheeks, looking unusually excited, her eyes sparkling like little stars as she gazed at Herman.
Huh?
Wanda actually liked this character?
No wonder she'd grow up to turn dark, wipe out the Illuminati across parallel universes, and plunge the Marvel Universe into chaos as the Scarlet Witch.
Herman hadn't expected Wanda to already show hints of that darkness at such a young age.
"You get to watch shows like that at school?"
He glanced at the teasing comments on the computer screen, forcing a smile. He was curious why Wanda had mentioned The Boys the moment she got back.
Since Wanda attended an all-girls boarding school with closed-campus management, she could only return to Stellar Tower on weekends. Today happened to be Saturday.
"Teachers definitely don't allow it, but everyone watches in secret." Wanda sat down beside Herman and started talking about school. "Anna hides a tablet. Every day after class, we use it to watch TV."
Wanda was very popular at school. Her background hadn't affected her in the slightest.
Mainly because the story Herman had fabricated for her blended in perfectly there, and Wanda herself was an exceptionally bright child. High IQ, high EQ. Naturally, she made friends easily.
Anna was one of them. Although Wanda hadn't been to school before, the U.S. middle school curriculum wasn't too demanding. With a tutor, she quickly caught up and now ranked among the top students.
At this, the company employees found it unbelievable.
Only Herman understood.
Someone who practiced magic... of course she learned fast. If she could comprehend something like the Darkhold, how could she possibly struggle with middle school textbooks?
"You guys secretly watch The Boys online?"
Herman didn't ask about the tablet. In truth, the school staff tended to turn a blind eye. It wasn't a stiff aristocratic academy. And the school Herman had chosen for Wanda was full of kids from wealthy families.
Because of that, the teachers didn't mind students sneaking in a tablet or two. After all, watching TV was better than sniffing detergent, right?
"Big brother, the show you acted in is super popular at our school! Anna even said she wants to marry you when she grows up, and your fan Lorraine gave her a good spanking for that."
Wanda blinked her big watery eyes, grinning with schadenfreude as she looked at Herman.
Lorraine was also her friend. The three of them shared a dorm room.
"So, do you like the character I play too?"
Herman recalled those two little girls—both pretty enough, though they still couldn't quite compare to Wanda.
"Of course~!"
Wanda's face lit up again. "We all talk about the plot at school. I told them my brother was Homelander, but they didn't believe me. Then I showed them our photos together. Now even Elena calls me Big Sis when she sees me!"
Alright.
Girls' school.
Cliques were the norm.
Elena was one of the school's top figures.
"Hahaha, looks like you're all my admirers." Herman felt a bit better. Having a group of pretty young female fans wasn't such a bad thing.
"They're scared you'll smash their heads in, big brother! Elena was crying! She begged me not to tell you how she scared me!"
"It's not just students!"
"I heard that math teacher who scolded me? She's been muttering in her office every day, worried that you—this Homelander—will come looking for trouble!"
Wanda's words were innocent yet heavy.
Herman's smile froze.
Other kids brag to classmates that their uncle is Superman, earning universal admiration—even teachers fainting from excitement. But Wanda says, "My brother is Homelander," and the entire school is terrified?
Herman felt a pang of regret.
Why hadn't he filmed a Superman prequel where he played Kal-El? He wanted to be the respected Superman too!
Instead, he'd become the kind of Homelander who scared little girls to tears. What a joke.
"Didn't you explain to them that Homelander is just a role I play? That in real life, I'm actually a pretty easygoing guy?"
Herman tried to salvage his image.
But…
"Of course I explained, but no one believed me! Elena said her goal is to become an Oscar-winning actress, so she's absolutely certain you're the real Homelander!"
Wanda wore an innocent "I tried my best" look. She fiddled with a six-sided magic cube, crimson energy swirling across its surface. Only when she was alone with Herman did she dare to freely display her power.
Herman was left speechless.
He could only console himself that, in a way, he had created a character destined to leave its mark in film history.
The buzz around The Boys kept growing. Over the next few days, Herman received calls from several well-known directors and actors.
All of them were congratulatory.
Their words dripped with flattery. It was hard to tell if they were drawn by the show's success and his bright future as a director, or if it was simply because his billionaire identity had been exposed.
In the [All-Seeing Eye]'s fabricated profile, his time as a director had deliberately concealed his fortune.
"If the opportunity arises, I'd certainly be honored to collaborate with an Academy Award-winning actress."
Herman received multiple calls from Oscar winners. Almost all expressed a desire to work with him—and some even hinted at wanting to share a bed.
Westerners.
They don't bother with subtlety. Their words are straightforward.
Herman had a taste of Tony Stark's lifestyle—though he had no intention of casually sleeping with an actress.
[Identity Exclusive Mission Completed!]
When Herman received a call from this universe's director Cameron, the [All-Seeing Eye] judged that he had successfully returned to Hollywood, stunning everyone.
The reward from the [Fallen Director] identity caught him off guard. He hadn't thought he needed any boost in physical ability—after all, his Godly constitution already made him grow stronger every day.
Yet…
"Whoa~ It actually comes with this kind of enhancement?" After accepting the reward, Herman's physical stats didn't rise much.
It was about the level of Captain America's strength.
For Herman, such a boost was negligible, like scraps of meat. But he felt something unusual in this enhancement.
[Unyielding Spear!]
A special reinforcement ensuring that as long as Herman didn't want to fall, he wouldn't collapse—even if he were in a dust battle with three hundred female warriors.
Herman was stunned.
This was completely unexpected.
Then, after some thought, he understood.
A director's role.
An enhancement like this made sense. After all, a successful director had to constantly "test" the acting skills of actresses. Herman knew this ability might not be useful right now, but sooner or later, it would come in handy.
Pleased, he treated his employees to another lavish meal.
Worried about reporters and fans, he had contacted S.H.I.E.L.D. beforehand. He wasn't sure what they'd done, but outside Stellar Tower was no longer a danger zone.
With reporters and crazed fans gone, his life returned to peace. No longer fearing some fanatic rushing up to tear off his clothes, Herman finally breathed easier, while also admiring S.H.I.E.L.D.'s professionalism in handling such matters.
"...What are we celebrating today?"
Skye, seeing another extravagant meal, guessed Herman was secretly delighted. In truth, she thought he didn't mind the fans' obsession one bit.
"Can't I just treat everyone to a meal?" Herman narrowed his eyes at Skye, his wealthy arrogance on full display.
"Sure! Absolutely! You're the best, boss!"
Carrie's eyes lit up at the mention of food, her excitement overflowing. She immediately told the staff to bring every dish on the menu ten times over.
She really didn't hold back with Herman.
Today's meal was classic French cuisine, offering plenty of variety. The portions, however, were surprisingly generous— even Skye managed to polish off nearly half the menu.
Carrie, of course, handled five full menus by herself. Herman suspected that was just her appetizer. Once back at the office, she'd no doubt raid the place for late-night snacks.
Aunt May's appetite wasn't small either. Cross and Fox, on the other hand, were on a whole different level. Both of them trained relentlessly every day, so they paid close attention to energy expenditure and replenishment.
The entire company enjoyed a warm, harmonious dinner together.
During the meal, a waiter even asked Herman and Skye for autographs.
Since the man called him "Herman" instead of blurting out "Hey, Homelander," Herman graciously signed and even posed for a photo with him.
What he didn't realize was that some people could be polite in person yet wear an entirely different face online.
The moment the server got home, he uploaded the photo, boasting about his close encounter with Homelander—and how he hadn't been turned into a smear of meat. This instantly drew a flood of fans hailing him as a true warrior.
"That smile! And he still won't admit he's the real Homelander!"
The photo of Herman and the server, showing Herman's bright smile, immediately sparked another wave of fans insisting it was solid proof of his true identity.
After eating and drinking their fill, the employees headed off to KTV for more fun. Only Aunt May left early since she needed to get home.
The rest didn't return to Stellar Tower until three in the morning.
...
The next morning, nearly everyone slept in. Herman, however, was the first to wake. After washing up, he sat quietly in his office.
Not because he was expecting visitors, but because today marked the start of a new cycle. The [All-Seeing Eye] would be granting him a new identity.
[World Permissions Accessed!]
[Weekly Identity Acquired!]
...
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