But on the surface, Homelander showed a moved smile.
"Thank you, my comrades-in-arms."
"It's because I know Earth has all of you that I have the courage to face all this alone."
"I also firmly believe that the future of humanity will be incredibly brilliant."
He pointed at the devastated Metropolis.
"This place needs you more."
"The people need Batman to establish order and The Flash to deliver hope."
Homelander walked up to Bruce and gently patted him on the shoulder.
"Bruce, you're smarter than me. You know how to build a system, how to make this broken World function again. If you go to Apokolips with me and die there, Earth will quickly fall back into chaos."
Next, he looked at Mera and Philippus.
"Your people need you to lead them. Atlantis needs rebuilding, and Themyscira needs restoration. You are their Queen and General; your responsibility lies here."
Homelander took a step back, his gaze sweeping over everyone.
"Leave the destruction of Darkseid to me."
"As for the rebirth of Earth... I'm counting on all of you."
Bruce looked at Homelander. After a long moment, he took a deep breath and nodded solemnly.
"I understand. Leave Earth to us. I will establish the federation you wish to see."
"Good."
Homelander smiled with satisfaction, preparing to turn around and leave the audience with a perfect view of his departing back.
"No—!!"
Harley Quinn was trembling all over now, her heavy eye makeup smeared by tears.
She looked like a little girl who was about to lose her entire World.
She threw herself recklessly onto Homelander, her arms tightly encircling his waist, pressing herself firmly against his chest.
"What are you doing? You damn bastard, what are you doing?!"
"Just now... those things you just said, you were just acting, right?!"
"That speech you just gave was amazing, really, amazing! You're an Oscar-winning actor!"
"So, the play is over, right? We can call it a day, right?!"
She kept shaking her head, her tears and snot even splashing onto Homelander's face.
"You're just saying some pretty words, but you don't actually want to go to that pitch-black fortress or whatever, do you?!"
Harley looked at Homelander almost pleadingly.
"Don't go, okay, Mr. Milk Candy? Just stay here. If those aliens dare to come, we'll fight them back together! You're invincible!"
"Please... don't leave me... You said you'd make me the First Lady."
Homelander looked at Harley, who was crying like a rain-drenched pear blossom, and reached out to gently stroke her messy hair.
This crazy woman, she's truly afraid of him dying.
Although he mostly used her to gain popularity and pass the time.
But he had to admit, this crazy woman's genuine nature was quite pleasant at times.
"Stop crying, Little Pumpkin."
Homelander sighed and gently wiped away the black tear stains on her face.
"I won't die. I am Homelander. I never break my promises."
"Liar!" Harley said with a face full of rejection. "Men's promises are all bullshit! Batsy also promised to protect Gotham, and the result is more and more lunatics being caught!"
Bruce Wayne lowered his head in silence.
"I must go, Harley. This is..."
"Then take me with you!" Harley interrupted before Homelander could finish. Knowing she couldn't stop it from happening, she decided to try a different approach.
She wiped away her tears and regained her arrogant demeanor as the Queen of Gotham.
"Anyway, Earth doesn't need a lunatic like me. I'm the Crime Queen of Gotham! A supervillain! It doesn't matter if I'm on Earth or not! Those civilians only scream and call the police when they see me!"
"No, Harley." But this time, it was Cyborg Victor who spoke up to stop her.
"You can't go to Apokolips. The environment there is absolutely lethal to humans."
"Apokolips' atmosphere contains extremely high concentrations of sulfur dioxide and toxic heavy metal dust. The oxygen content is less than five percent, and the surface temperature remains above one hundred and twenty degrees Celsius year-round."
"The moment you step out of the Boom Tube, your lungs will be burned through within thirty seconds and your blood will boil, without any enemy needing to lift a finger. You would die in agony."
Hearing Cyborg's hardcore scientific explanation, Harley looked at him in disbelief: "Really? Thirty seconds?"
"Maybe twenty," Cyborg added coldly.
Harley hung her head in discouragement, but she was Harley Quinn after all. After only two seconds of depression, she suddenly looked up again, a stubborn light flashing in her eyes.
"Then I'll go with an oxygen tank!"
"And wear a hazmat suit! Batsy must have that kind of equipment, right?!"
She turned to Bruce, her eyes filled with entreaty.
Bruce didn't say anything, just spread his hands and looked at her helplessly.
Harley was completely deflated. She lowered her head and let go of Homelander.
"So I'm just useless... I can't even die with you..."
"Harley, look at me."
Homelander sighed, cupping Harley's makeup-smeared cheeks in his hands, his gaze suddenly becoming incredibly tender.
"You are not useless! As long as you are here, I can feel infinite strength."
Harley was stunned by Homelander's sudden tenderness, and her breathing became slightly hurried.
"But I want you to stay here, because I have something more important to entrust to you."
"Something important? To me?" Harley showed a rare moment of self-doubt.
"You know... I'm best at screwing up important things."
Homelander smiled slightly, his thumb gently caressing her cheek.
"This matter, you will definitely not screw up."
"What is it?" Harley's eyes widened, full of expectation.
Homelander leaned into her ear and said clearly:
"Prepare for our wedding."
At this moment, the wind in Metropolis Plaza seemed to have died down.
Batman's jaw dropped slightly, and a rare expression of obvious shock appeared on his usually stoic face.
Queen Mera's face stiffened. She looked at Homelander in disbelief, her mind in turmoil.
Barry slapped his forehead, thinking he was hallucinating, and couldn't help but complain:
"Is this a massive death flag? 'I'm going back to get married after this battle'?"