After exchanging for Fang of Destruction and the Darkhold Page, Homelander was left with only 8 Multiverse Crystals and 90 Proficiency Essences.
He didn't plan to buy anything else for now, so he closed the shop.
He remembered that he still had three Awakening Stones, so he planned to break through the bottleneck of his Bio-Force Field.
But just then, his phone rang.
During the past month, Homelander's phone hadn't rung once.
Now that it suddenly rang, he had a feeling that something unusual had happened.
He answered it.
As soon as the call connected, his assistant Ashley's voice came through.
["Thank goodness, sir. Thank you for answering my call."]
Homelander slowly rose into the air and flew toward Hawaii as he asked, "What happened?"
["Something's happened, sir. Something big!"]
Ashley said nervously,
["A video of you has been uploaded online. That video... that video..."]
Homelander frowned.
"What about it?"
Ashley said, ["It's a video from one of your overseas missions. I don't know who recorded it."]
["Anyway, while you were killing armed militants, you accidentally killed a civilian."]
["Now the video has been uploaded online, and people are accusing you of killing innocent civilians."]
Homelander paused, then remembered that this had indeed happened in the original story.
In the TV series, while carrying out a mission overseas, Homelander used his laser vision to kill an armed militant, but accidentally killed a civilian standing behind him.
When the video was posted online, Homelander became uneasy and even went to the protest site to forcefully explain himself.
When people opposed him, he even imagined killing the protesters in his mind.
Of course, for that oversized child who desperately wanted people's approval, his approval rating meant everything.
In the end, he didn't dare suppress them with violence.
Stormfront later helped him smooth the whole matter over.
He hadn't expected... that this incident would fall on him instead.
But...
Homelander smiled.
"Is that all?"
On the other end of the call, Ashley froze for a moment after hearing that question.
Then she carefully said, ["Sir, this video has already started lowering your approval rating."]
["I just finished a meeting with the public relations department. We've all agreed that we need to hold a press conference."]
["It would be even better if you could attend in person."]
Homelander descended toward the rooftop of his hotel.
"Ashley, you can handle something this small yourself. If I have to deal with everything personally, what do I need you for?"
["But, sir..."]
Before Ashley could finish speaking, the call was already disconnected.
———
Inside Seven Tower, the assistant grabbed her hair in frustration.
"I knew this would happen. I knew it."
"He doesn't care about this at all."
"Damn it!"
She hurried out and rushed toward the public relations department.
———
On the hotel rooftop, Homelander had just hung up Ashley's call when another call came in.
This time, it was Maeve.
He answered and spoke first.
"Let me guess. It's about the video online?"
Maeve laughed, ["Looks like Ashley already contacted you."]
Homelander glanced at a beautiful woman in a bikini sunbathing by the rooftop pool.
"That's right. She just called me."
"Ashley can handle something this small. Don't worry about it."
Maeve replied, ["I'm not worried, but just now, the secretary from the Defense Minister's office contacted me."]
["The minister thinks the video has had a bad impact. He wants you to resolve it within twenty-four hours."]
["Otherwise, he says he'll have no choice but to revoke your colonel rank and dissolve our Superhuman Supervision Department."]
["He's worried that if he doesn't handle it this way, people will criticize the Department of Defense."]
After listening, Homelander laughed, "I understand."
"I'm heading back now."
"I'll see you soon."
———
[New York]
[Department of Defense headquarters]
Inside the office of the Superhuman Supervision Department, Maeve hung up the phone.
She put down her phone, concern showing in her eyes.
The video had appeared too suddenly.
It had spread too quickly.
And someone was secretly guiding public opinion.
Outside Seven Tower, people were already protesting, demanding that Homelander come out and explain himself.
The number of protesters was rising rapidly.
Maeve could smell a conspiracy behind it.
———
[In the Same Building, Inside the Defense Minister's Office]
Wilson was on the phone.
"Yes, sir."
"I planned this myself."
"Yes. If we make good use of this wave of public opinion, we can force Homelander to leave the Department of Defense on his own."
"I understand. I'll avoid a direct confrontation with him as much as possible."
"Yes. Don't worry. I won't let this opportunity slip away."
"Goodbye."
He put down the phone.
Wilson's face remained expressionless as he made another call.
"Bring Patriot over, just in case."
The person on the other end agreed.
A short while later, there was a knock at the door.
An officer entered with a boy who looked eight or nine years old.
Ryan, Homelander's son.
After a period of training, the boy had grown noticeably taller.
He looked at Wilson.
Wilson said, "Are you ready?"
"There's a good chance you'll meet him next."
Ryan clenched his small fists, "Will he come?"
"Based on what I know about him, he will."
Wilson said in a low voice, "But I'm confident there won't be any conflict."
"I called you here because I want you to see him with your own eyes."
Ryan nodded.
Wilson signaled to the officer, who led Ryan into a room behind the office.
A short time later, a heavy roar echoed outside the Department of Defense building.
Then the light inside the minister's office suddenly dimmed.
Wilson looked toward the window.
A figure outside was blocking the sunlight.
A bright red cape fluttered in the sun.
The black combat suit reflected a metallic shine.
Blond hair. Blue eyes. A smile on his face.
Homelander!
Without knocking on the window, Homelander's body became transparent. Like a ghost, he passed through the glass. Once inside the office, he became solid again.
His feet touched the floor.
A smile spread across his face as he looked at Wilson.
"Good morning, Mr. Minister."
Wilson forced himself not to look toward the room where Ryan was hiding.
He smiled.
"Good morning, Homelander."
Still smiling, Homelander walked over with his hands behind his back, speaking as though chatting with an old friend.
"Do me a favor."
"Take care of the video."
"Otherwise, I think this country will need a more capable Secretary of Defense."
"What do you think, Mr. Wilson?"
Wilson's expression changed.
He hadn't expected Homelander to threaten him the moment he arrived.
There wasn't even the slightest attempt to hide it.
Simple. Direct.
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