Chapter 103: The Return Journey
Under the sea of stars, the radiance on Annie, known as "Starlight," seemed to truly echo the heavens, rekindling her motivation.
She looked at Lu Chen, her exhaustion replaced by a burning desire to act.
"So... what do we do next?"
"Initially, I just wanted to give you something to do so you wouldn't let your mind wander." Lu Chen teased half-jokingly. Seeing Annie puff out her cheeks, he continued slowly, "But since My Lord Starlight is so motivated, I'll assign you two tasks."
He held up two fingers.
"First, spend more time with Queen Maeve. She's not bad, and since you're both women in The Seven, you're natural allies."
Annie nodded; this was easy to understand.
"And then?"
"Find a way to get a copy of the flight 37 video from her."
"Didn't flight 37 just crash? What video?"
"A video that contradicts Homelander's speech. His story is that the plane crashed before he could arrive. But the video in Queen Maeve's possession records that not only was he on that plane, but he also refused to save everyone and even made threats." Lu Chen said, "This is the trump card against Homelander. With it, you'll be safe."
Annie solemnly agreed. She understood the weight of this matter.
"The second thing," Lu Chen turned to the side and looked her up and down, "is to train your abilities."
"I've been training."
"No, that's just maintenance." Lu Chen shook his head, "You don't understand yourself at all. Annie, believe me, you can fly."
Annie was completely stunned.
She looked at him blankly, as if hearing some fairy tale.
"Fly? Me? How is that possible... My power is absorbing electricity and emitting light..."
"Who told you that?" Lu Chen interrupted her, "Vought? Your mother? What do they know?"
His certainty carried an undeniable force, causing Annie's perception to waver. Could I really fly?
"Fine... I'll try." She murmured.
"And what about you?" Annie asked in return, with a hint of worry, "You said you wanted to get the research data for Compound V, that must be dangerous. With Edgar..."
"I've already cracked him open a bit." Lu Chen said nonchalantly, "I got a part of it. The rest of the data will come in time."
He didn't elaborate on the process, but the phrase "cracked open Edgar" was enough to shock Annie. That was the CEO of Vought, the man who never showed his emotions.
Lu Chen looked up at the sky; the eastern night was already beginning to turn a pale, fish-belly white.
"It's almost dawn, we should head back."
Annie stood up and brushed the grass off herself.
"Mm."
Lu Chen also stood up, but didn't seem to be leaving immediately. Instead, he asked with interest, "Have you ever... been carried while someone ran?"
"What?"
Before Annie could react, Lu Chen stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her waist.
His firm, strong arms pulled her entirely into his embrace, pressed tightly against him.
The next second, he whispered.
"Hold on tight."
[Super Speed LV5 Activated]
Boom—!
Annie's vision was instantly torn apart.
The World was no longer hills, grasslands, and distant roads, but had turned into a blur of high-speed light and color.
She subconsciously closed her eyes, buried her face in Lu Chen's chest, and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.
This was a completely different concept from flying in a plane.
No climbing, no buffering.
From standstill to maximum speed, it took less than a second.
She felt like a cannonball being launched, her soul left far behind. Her heart was pounding, her adrenaline surging.
But the nausea and dizziness she expected didn't appear.
After the initial shock, an unprecedented sense of excitement welled up.
She tentatively opened her eyes a crack and saw only the rapidly retreating, blurred lines behind Lu Chen. The earth under his feet turned into an endless conveyor belt.
This feeling...
It's amazing.
Like riding the craziest roller coaster she'd ever been on in her life.
Lu Chen looked down and could see Annie's reaction in his arms.
From the initial stiffness and exclamation to the current calmness, even with a little excitement. She wasn't nauseous; instead, she seemed to have found a new toy, curious and thrilled.
As expected of the person who barely got hurt in the entire show, her physical fitness is just great.
One hour later.
In Queens, New York City, two figures appeared out of thin air. Lu Chen let go, and Annie's feet landed steadily on the ground.
Her cheeks were flushed from the long, high-speed dash, her hair a bit messy, but she was in surprisingly high spirits.
"This... we're back?" She looked around at the familiar skyscrapers, her face full of disbelief.
From Des Moines to New York, one hour.
"How do you feel?" Lu Chen asked.
"Can we do it again?" Annie blurted out, only realizing what she said, and covered her mouth in embarrassment.
Lu Chen chuckled.
"Go back to your apartment and get some rest, get your energy back." He ruffled her hair, "Don't rush the things I told you about, take it slow. Time is on our side."
"Mm." Annie nodded obediently, stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek, then turned and left.
Watching her back disappear, the smile on Lu Chen's face slowly faded.
He turned and looked in the direction of Detroit.
The next moment, his figure disappeared from the spot.
Detroit.
When Lu Chen appeared again, he was already standing at the entrance of the research institute.
Compared to his last visit, the interior had changed drastically. The originally dilapidated outer walls had been renovated, more hidden surveillance equipment had been installed, and the entrance had been replaced with an alloy door requiring dual iris and fingerprint verification.
[Verification passed, welcome, user with highest authority.]
The electronic voice modified by Sage started.
The door slid open, revealing the brightly lit scene inside.
Sage was already waiting inside.
"Sir." She bowed slightly.
"Is everyone here?"
"According to your requirements, I have recruited twelve experts who have made achievements in the fields of biological genetics, chemical engineering, and data analysis, but were ostracized by the mainstream academic community for various reasons. They are all in the conference room."
Lu Chen didn't ask how she "tricked" these people into coming. The process didn't matter; only the results did.
He walked into the conference room.
Twelve men and women with different expressions immediately stood up, their curious, scrutinizing, and wary gazes landing on him. They probably didn't expect the boss behind this project to be so young.
Lu Chen said nothing.
He just scanned everyone calmly.
Then, with a flash, he touched everyone and activated Mind Control.
Every one of the twelve "geniuses" present felt a slight stinging pain in their brains, as if something had been forcibly implanted, only to instantly return to calm.
Their gazes towards Lu Chen changed.
The previous curiosity and scrutiny vanished without a trace, replaced by absolute obedience and fanaticism.
In their minds, a top-level confidentiality agreement had been etched in, and any thought of attempting to leak information about this place would be nipped in the bud the moment it sprouted.
"Very good."
Lu Chen placed an encrypted USB drive on the conference table and pushed it to Sage.
"This is some of the research data on the temporary Compound V that I got from Vought."
"The first step," Lu Chen held up a finger, "after completing the reverse analysis of Sam's blood samples, try to replicate the temporary Compound V based on this data."
"The second step, comparison." He held up a second finger, "Regular Compound V can grant people permanent superpowers, but it is extremely unfriendly to adults, with a very high rate of mutation and Death. Temporary Compound V can be safely used by adults, but the effect lasts only twenty-four hours, and the consequence of multiple injections is organ failure leading to Death. This is a consumable that Vought intends to sell to the Military to create short-term super soldiers."
The conference room was silent, with only Lu Chen's clear voice echoing.
"I want you to find the 'key' in both of these agents that can truly and stably grant superpowers."
"Our ultimate goal," Lu Chen pressed his palm on the table, leaning forward slightly, "is to combine the advantages of both and eliminate all the disadvantages. To create a brand new, perfect agent that allows adults to safely use and permanently awaken superpowers without causing mutation."
"If you lack personnel, equipment, or research data, you can tell me."
Lu Chen straightened up.
"I will find a way to get them."
As his voice fell, the air in the entire conference room seemed to solidify.
All the researchers' breathing became heavy.
Changing the World.
This young man was describing a crazy plan that could change the course of human history in a tone so calm it was terrifying.
Sage picked up the USB drive. She looked up and met Lu Chen's gaze.
"Leave it to me."
Chapter 104: Catch Him
Watching the Wise One take the USB drive and begin to get busy, Lu Chen nodded in satisfaction.
That's more like it.
With this kind of ability, it should be used to push forward the progress of civilization, not to wallow in those underhanded schemes that never amount to anything clear.
He stayed in the research institute for less than forty minutes. After finishing all the instructions he needed to give, he turned to leave, at which point the twelve researchers had already returned to their respective workstations under the coordination of the Wise One.
He left behind the words, "Contact me the moment there is any progress," and then turned and left the research institute.
Lu Chen stepped out of the alloy door; the morning in Detroit was still wrapped in a layer of grey mist. He took out his phone and checked the time.
Seven in the morning.
A new message lay quietly on the screen, from Ashley.
[The Seven full-member meeting, 10:00 AM, 99th floor. Called by Homelander personally, don't be late!!!]
Lu Chen put away his phone.
Ten o'clock. More than enough time.
By the time he stepped into The Seven's conference room, the atmosphere inside could only be described as bizarre.
Beside the huge circular conference table, only a few people were sitting, making the room look very empty.
Queen Maeve looked despondent and impatient, with dark circles under her eyes that she couldn't hide, clearly having not rested well. She was probably arguing and having conflict with her ex-girlfriend again.
Stormfront and Annie were sitting at opposite ends of the conference table, separated by the greatest distance. Stormfront had her arms crossed, a faint, mocking smile hanging on the corner of her mouth, her eyes undisguisedly releasing malice toward Annie. Annie, on the other hand, had a tense face, like a little lioness ready to strike back at any moment, confronting her without fear.
The air was filled with invisible electric sparks.
And the leader of The Seven, Homelander, stood with his back to everyone, standing alone in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window, hands behind his back, overlooking the New York City beneath his feet.
The Super Seven, yet there were only five people present. It really didn't live up to its name.
Lu Chen complained silently in his heart, then sat down in his seat without changing his expression.
His arrival seemed to break some kind of stalemate; Homelander slowly turned around, a formulaic smile on his face, but his gaze swept over everyone present as if it were a physical force.
"Everyone," he began, his voice clearly reaching everyone's ears in the quiet conference room, "I'm very glad to see everyone could arrive on time."
His gaze paused between Stormfront and Annie, and then he changed the subject.
"We are a team, a family. We are the Guardians of this country, and indeed, the entire World."
As he spoke, he raised his hand and pressed a button on the remote control. The large screen in front lit up, showing photos of Butcher, Frenchie, Mothers Milk, and others.
"We are facing unprecedented challenges. Externally, there are these despicable pests plotting attacks against us from the gutters."
His tone deepened, carrying a hint of undisguised disgust.
"And internally..." Homelander's gaze landed meaningfully on Stormfront, his eyes becoming playful, "...there also exists the risk of division."
In his view, this new member who had suddenly been parachuted in and possessed huge influence on the internet was nine times out of ten a pawn sent by Edgar to divide his power, or even delusionally attempt to replace him.
Stormfront felt his gaze, but instead of being afraid, she puffed out her chest and curled the corner of her mouth into an even more provocative arc. She did indeed have the intention of seducing Homelander and forming a powerful alliance, but she hadn't had the chance to implement it yet; she hadn't expected the other party to have such a strong obsession with approval ratings.
Homelander withdrew his gaze, seemingly finding this silent confrontation uninteresting. He took a deep breath and put back on that perfect leader smile.
"However, today we have another thing worth being happy about." His gaze turned to Lu Chen, "Let us welcome the newest member of The Seven."
Scattered applause rang out.
Queen Maeve just looked up at Lu Chen twice, then lowered her head again, lost in thought.
Annie, however, clapped the loudest and even gave Lu Chen an encouraging look.
Lu Chen stood up and, following the usual custom, began his "onboarding speech."
He first ignored the murderous look from Stormfront that seemed almost capable of piercing him, and then said to everyone.
"It is an honor to join The Seven." His voice was steady, carrying just the right amount of sincerity, "To be teammates with the most powerful superheroes in the World, honestly, it still feels a bit unreal even now."
These words both expressed the joy of joining and elevated Homelander.
Homelander listened quietly. When his Super Senses were activated, he could easily distinguish the subtle changes in a person's heartbeat, blood pressure, and tone of voice while speaking, thereby judging whether the other party was lying.
In the past, whether it was The Deep or A-Train, their flattery was always mixed with fear and sycophancy, like a layer of greasy sugar coating that made him feel sick when he heard it.
But this newcomer in front of him...
His heartbeat was steady, his breathing even, and every word he spoke seemed to come from the bottom of his heart.
The formulaic smile on Homelander's face finally had a hint of genuine warmth.
Happy to join The Seven? It was true.
Thinking he was powerful? That was also true.
And no fear of him? Surprisingly, that was also true.
Homelander's smile gained a bit more genuine pleasure. Rare, truly rare.
He now, indeed, had developed a favorable impression of this young man of Chinese descent.
Of course it was true.
Lu Chen's heart was calm as water. Being able to join The Seven and get one step closer to the power center of Vought, he was of course happy. The most powerful superhero in the World, Homelander, that was also true.
As for fear?
Lu Chen admitted that he couldn't beat him right now, but relying on his own abilities, if he was determined to run, Homelander might not necessarily be able to catch him. With a trump card for self-preservation, naturally, there would be no fear.
"Well said." Homelander nodded with satisfaction and signaled for Lu Chen to sit down.
He was just about to continue his long-winded speech, but the door to the conference room was pushed open from the outside.
Stan Edgar, the CEO of Vought International, walked in with a blank expression.
Behind him followed another person, wearing a pitch-black uniform and a mask that covered their entire face.
It was Black Noir.
"My apologies for interrupting your meeting. However, we have more important things to do right now."
"Black Noir? Aren't you on vacation?" Queen Maeve asked with surprise.
"He has recovered and returned," Edgar explained calmly.
The others present might believe this explanation, but there were two people who absolutely wouldn't.
Lu Chen's gaze swept over the new Black Noir. He had killed the original Black Noir with his own hands, so he naturally knew that the one in front of him was a fake.
And Homelander knew even better. His X-ray vision penetrated the mask, and what he saw was a stranger.
Sure enough, there was a hint of disgust in Homelander's eyes as he looked at Black Noir.
Edgar, however, seemed completely unaware, walking straight to the main console, pulling up a photo, and projecting it onto the large screen.
The photo was of a young Asian man.
"In order to restore the company's recently damaged public image, and also to reassure the public that they are living in a safe country protected by superheroes." Edgar looked around at everyone, finally locking his gaze on Homelander, and issued the order.
"The location of this Super Terrorist has been roughly locked to a certain sea area. I have already dispatched The Deep to intercept, and now I need all of you to mobilize."
"Catch him."
Chapter 105: We Are A United The Seven
"Catch him."
As soon as Edgar spoke, the conference room fell silent for a full three seconds.
The new Black Noir walked silently to the empty seat at the far end of the conference table, pulled out the chair, and sat down. His movements were fluid but carried a sense of deliberate, practiced discipline, completely different from the original ninja.
Lu Chen withdrew his gaze from him and looked back at the face of the young Asian man on the screen.
Everyone was looking at Edgar, or rather, waiting for Homelander to speak.
In this frozen atmosphere, Lu Chen suddenly spoke up.
"Although I'm a new addition," Lu Chen leaned back into his chair, "I have to say, according to the usual practice of arranging superhero dramas, shouldn't you prepare a director team for us first?"
After saying this, he winked at Edgar.
The expression was playful, but everyone could hear the thorn in his words.
Edgar looked at him expressionlessly, not responding immediately.
Hearing Lu Chen's subtle mockery, Annie January's nervousness vanished instantly. Although she didn't know why he wanted to confront Edgar, she had long been dissatisfied with the company and immediately followed his lead.
"I think Lu Chen is right." She crossed her hands on the table. "In the past, the company always required us to pay attention to our personal image and the company's image. So, is the timing of this move right?"
She paused and glanced at the photo on the screen.
"Many people outside haven't digested the fact that the superheroes in their hearts rely on drugs to have abilities, and aren't chosen ones. Launching a full-team attack at this juncture, will the perception really be good? What will people outside think? They will only think Vought is diverting attention, using a clumsy performance to cover up the truth about Compound V."
"I agree." Maeve raised her hand lazily. "This is a mess the company created itself, why should we clean it up? I'm not interested in playing along with your acting."
Three consecutive objections, whether overt or covert, made Edgar's situation somewhat awkward.
Although Edgar's face remained calm, Lu Chen noticed his left index finger tapping lightly under the table. This was a signal of impatience.
And at this moment, the truly interesting one was someone else.
Homelander.
The formulaic smile on his face was changing, his lips slightly pursed and then released; he was holding back laughter.
He was watching the show.
No, to be precise, he was enjoying it.
Enjoying the embarrassment of seeing Edgar unable to lash out after being openly contradicted by his "products." Watching that always high-and-mighty Edgar getting slapped in the face.
One second. Two seconds. Three seconds.
Homelander savored this pleasure enough before finally speaking.
"Alright." He clapped his hands. "Everyone in The Seven, at a moment like this, we must stand united."
Edgar looked at him, just about to say something, probably polite words like "Thank you for your support."
"No, no, no, no." Homelander raised his hand, shaking his index finger in the air, directly sealing off what he was about to say. "I'm not talking about us and the company. I'm talking about us, The Seven."
He stood up, resting both hands on the edge of the table.
"We are a united whole, and everyone is my true family."
"And what is the company?"
"The company is just a bunch of bloodsuckers feeding on us, living off our fame and aura." Homelander swept a glance in Edgar's direction, the disdain in his eyes growing. "Companies rise and fall, but we Superhumans will always stand tall."
Edgar stood where he was, his usually calm expression beginning to slip.
After hearing this, Stormfront's eyes instantly lit up.
Yes! That's it! This is the leader she wanted to follow! Powerful, self-centered, despising mortals! These words spoke directly to her heart.
"In order to show the outside world our unity, to show that we haven't been hit by the scandal." Homelander spread his hands. "Let's go, family. Let's go catch that supervillain and let those ignorant masses know who has been silently protecting them."
After saying that, he turned around first and strode out of the conference room.
Everyone looked at each other, then rose in unison to follow.
Edgar was left standing there, his face livid. A crisis PR meeting led by him had completely had its narrative power usurped by Homelander, turning into a "team-building manifesto" for the Superhumans.
Stormfront quickly caught up to Homelander, wanting to say a few nice things to bring them closer.
Her voice was clearly excited. "I didn't expect you to be able to say such things, but it's very correct. Superhumans will stand tall, we should have—"
"Homelander." Maeve's voice was not loud, but it precisely cut off Stormfront's words.
"I'm not in a good state today, this time... can I not participate?"
Homelander looked at her.
At that moment, the leader aura on his face faded a bit, replaced by an extremely private emotion. Complex, soft, with a hint of tacit understanding that only old lovers would have.
"Go rest." He had always been relatively tolerant toward this ex-girlfriend.
Maeve stood up and left without looking back.
Stormfront's prepared words were interrupted. Seeing that Maeve's matter was settled, she was just about to continue speaking.
Lu Chen walked toward Homelander, with Annie January following closely behind. Both of them squeezed into the position beside Homelander, physically separating Stormfront.
"Let's go, Captain." Lu Chen said to Homelander. "First mission, I'm quite looking forward to it."
Homelander didn't care about this small interlude; he looked at Lu Chen beside him with interest and affectionately reached out to pat his shoulder.
"Well done." Homelander said in a low voice.
Lu Chen didn't say much, just turned his head and replied with a "That goes without saying" expression.
Annie January followed closely by Lu Chen's side, glaring vigilantly at Stormfront.
Although she didn't understand why this woman, who was clearly on bad terms with Homelander, was now trying so hard to get close to him. But it didn't matter; Lu Chen had said this woman was evil. Whatever she wanted to do, she would just interrupt her.
Stormfront was squeezed by the two and was almost so angry that her nose went crooked. She glared at them fiercely but was helpless. Her persona in front of Homelander was someone who dared to speak the truth and be herself, unlike those sycophants like The Deep. She had originally wanted to subtly compliment him to pave the way for getting closer to him, but now, if she crowded in, she would look just like The Deep.
The new Black Noir walked silently past Stormfront, turning a blind eye to everything around him, and followed straight after Homelander ahead.
The members of The Seven, each harboring their own thoughts, began their first "united" full-team mobilization under the leadership of Homelander.
Chapter 106: Playing Dirty
Homelander stepped into the private elevator first.
Half an hour later, on the rooftop helipad of Vought Tower.
The roar of massive propellers whipped up a gale.
A heavy tactical helicopter was already on standby to accommodate the members who lacked the ability to fly.
Lu Chen glanced at the coordinates pushed to the Vought internal communication channel on his phone screen: off the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, about forty nautical miles from the New York coastline.
The information notes indicated that The Deep had already arrived in the area to patrol.
At the same moment, off the coast of the Atlantic Ocean.
A white yacht was cruising at a steady speed of twelve knots.
In the bottom of the cabin, Frenchie held a can of Homelander-branded energy drink, while his other hand grasped a bag of tomato-flavored chips, cautiously approaching Kenji, who was tightly bound with duct tape.
"Eat something." Frenchie gestured with a few clumsy sign language movements.
He had learned them from Kimiko.
Kimiko cared deeply about this younger brother, and Frenchie cared about Kimiko, so he had to find a way to ease relations with this extremely dangerous Superhuman.
After all, they had just kidnapped him using violent means.
"Hey, I know you must hate us to death." Frenchie handed over the drink and chips, "But your sister... she's very worried about you."
Kenji turned his head away, completely ignoring this attempt at appeasement.
Frenchie gestured with two more sign language movements, the general meaning being "I am a friend."
Kenji's lips moved slightly, spitting out a silent word.
Frenchie couldn't read lips, but from that look of disdain, he read the answer.
Rejection. A complete rejection.
"...Fine." Frenchie stood up, placing the opened can on the cabin floor along with the chips.
"Call me if you get hungry."
The footsteps faded away.
The cabin door closed.
Kenji sat motionless the entire time.
Five minutes later, he adjusted his posture to aim his bound hands at the can.
The energy drink can on the floor suddenly trembled, the body of the can began to cave in from the middle, and the crushed can automatically split into three pieces, with the sharpest piece hovering and flying toward his wrists.
The metal edge began to cut through the wrapped tape.
The moment the tape snapped, Kenji separated his hands, flexing his fingers a few times to restore blood circulation.
Above the deck, the roar of propellers grew closer from a distance.
"Attention, this is the New York State Police Air Patrol. We have received a report that this ship is suspected of being stolen; please cease operations and submit to an inspection."
Butcher grabbed the radio transceiver, leaning against the railing, trying to stall for time.
"Officer, we rented this boat for deep-sea fishing. The documents are below, I'll go get them right now."
But a stern warning came from the helicopter's loudspeaker: "Stop the ship and submit to an inspection! Put your hands on your heads and walk to an open area on the deck! Execute immediately!"
Butcher cursed under his breath.
The Police appearing at this critical moment was just making things worse.
Just as he was preparing to continue bullshitting.
Bang.
Kenji rushed out of the bottom cabin.
Kimiko was the first to react.
She sprang up from the edge of the deck railing, blocking her brother.
But Kenji's gaze went over his sister's shoulder, locking firmly onto Butcher in the direction of the cockpit.
He aimed his hands.
The ship's anchor vibrated violently, then lifted off the ground, heading straight for Butcher's face.
"Damn it!"
Kimiko lunged at Kenji. The two siblings rolled into a ball on the deck.
Kenji's hands, releasing telekinetic power, were forced to deviate from their direction.
The anchor in mid-air instantly lost control, missing Butcher and instead careening diagonally toward the Police helicopter hovering directly above.
The Police helicopter tumbled twice in the air, trailing black smoke, before plunging into the sea fifty meters away.
A massive column of water shot into the sky.
Everyone on the deck was stunned.
Mothers Milk held onto the railing, his face clearly saying "This is fucked again."
Only the onboard camera, in the last second before crashing into the sea, faithfully transmitted the footage back to the Police station.
"Received."
Inside the helicopter cabin, the voice of the Vought Crime Analysis Department came through the headset.
Lu Chen opened his half-closed eyes.
"A Police helicopter has crashed in the target area. Footage before the crash shows an attack by Super Terrorists. Coordinates locked—40 degrees 31 minutes North, 73 degrees 48 minutes West."
Meanwhile, under the sea a few nautical miles away from The Boys.
The Deep was lying on Lucy's back.
Lucy was an adult sperm whale, sixteen meters long and forty tons in weight.
Her sonar had already locked onto that white yacht.
"Good girl, Lucy." The Deep stroked the whale's skin.
Lucy emitted a low-frequency resonance, which roughly meant "Location confirmed."
The Deep excitedly patted her head, "This is our chance for a comeback! My chance! Bring the bad guys to justice, and everyone will see The Deep's return!"
He straightened up and looked behind him.
Dozens of dorsal fins were lined up neatly under the water's surface, all of them great white sharks he had summoned.
Spectacular. Mighty. Arrogant.
The Deep's confidence had returned.
"Let's go!"
The Boys' yacht sped wildly across the sea.
Kimiko and Mothers Milk tightly restrained Kenji, who had been subdued again.
Butcher frantically pushed and pulled the joystick in front of the console, trying to escape the area as quickly as possible.
But the impact came without warning.
A muffled thud came from the bottom of the yacht, and the entire boat was tilted nearly thirty degrees.
Butcher grabbed the helm and swore.
Behind the yacht, a dozen gray-white dorsal fins suddenly rose above the water, rows of sharp blades cutting through the waves.
"Sharks? Where the hell did all these sharks come from in this place?" Mothers Milk shouted, his rifle already loaded.
"Fuck! It's that son of a bitch The Deep!"
It took Butcher only two seconds to make the judgment.
"Speedboat. Go."
Several of them dragged Kenji, scrambling to climb onto the spare speedboat hanging at the stern.
The engine roared, and the speedboat shot out.
Heading due west. The coastline. There was an entrance to a storm drain there.
The Deep rode on Lucy's back, watching the speedboat fleeing in a panic, unable to help but laugh out loud.
This was the deterrent power of the Lord of the Seven Seas! These people must have been scared out of their wits.
He had the shark school keep a tight grip on the speedboat's wake behind them, blocking their retreat.
He himself lay on Lucy's broad back, rushing at full speed toward the coastline from the side.
A sperm whale lay across the coastline, its massive body churning up white spray in the shallow water, blocking the route to the storm drain entrance.
The Deep stood on the whale's back, hands on his hips, striking what he considered to be his most majestic pose.
"Your doomsday has arrived! The Lord of the Seven Seas has been waiting here for a long time!"
He paused, then added: "Surrender, don't make any pointless resistance!"
The lines were delivered.
The pose was struck.
According to the hero performance procedures previously arranged by Vought, at this point, those extras playing the villains should put down their weapons, raise their hands, kneel on the ground, and say "We surrender."
Then the camera would get a close-up, the music would start, and it would be a perfect wrap.
Then he saw Butcher's expression.
The speedboat did not slow down.
Not only did it not slow down, it accelerated. Heading straight for him, straight for Lucy.
The Deep's smile froze.
"Wait..."
The speedboat was getting closer and closer.
"Wait, wait, wait—"
He scrambled on Lucy's back, changing poses three times; first he wanted to dive into the water, but felt it would be losing face; he wanted to command Lucy to dodge, but a dozen-meter-long whale needed at least seven seconds to turn in shallow water; he wanted to shout "Stop," but the driver of that speedboat clearly had no intention of stopping.
The distance was less than fifty meters.
The bow of the speedboat broke through the white spray, carrying a reckless madness, occupying The Deep's entire field of vision.
Chapter 107: Manipulation
"Lucy!!!"
When Lu Chen jumped down from the helicopter, this was the scene he saw.
The Deep was lying on top of Lucy, his hands gripping tightly onto the edges of the massive wound caused by the bow of the ship.
Lucy was no longer moving.
"She… she's still breathing…" The Deep's face was pressed against the whale's skin, his whole body trembling. "She's still alive, she's still…"
Homelander landed on the beach. He suppressed his impatience, walked over to The Deep, and patted his shoulder.
"Pull yourself together. Tell me, where did they go?"
The Deep lifted his head, his face smeared with snot and tears. "Homelander, you're here. Lucy, she…"
Homelander suppressed the urge to use Heat Vision to burn this piece of trash along with that stupid whale into ashes, and asked again.
The Deep finally sobbed and lifted his head, pointing in a direction near the shore. "The sewer… they went into the storm drain…"
Homelander looked in the direction he pointed, ignored The Deep, and led Lu Chen and the others into the storm drain.
Lu Chen followed in the team, his peripheral vision sweeping over The Deep. He was still lying on the whale's carcass, crying with snot and tears running down his face, as if his wife had died.
To blend in, he had already taken off his jacket back at the Vought Tower apartment; he was now wearing his form-fitting black and gold combat suit.
Annie January walked beside Lu Chen, and the two exchanged a brief glance.
Black Noir walked at the back, like a clockwork humanoid weapon.
Intricate pipes extended before their eyes. The main pipe had a diameter of over three meters, with branches extending in different directions every fifty meters.
"I suggest we split up to search; it's more efficient," Lu Chen said calmly, breaking the silence.
Homelander glanced at the maze-like pipes and waved his hand impatiently. "Fine. Find those rats and bring them back directly."
As soon as he finished speaking, he chose the largest main pipe and disappeared into the depths of the darkness.
Stormfront followed closely behind and chose another path.
Annie January looked at Lu Chen, somewhat worried, but still nodded and walked toward the third fork.
Only Lu Chen and the newly arrived Black Noir remained.
Lu Chen calmly noted the direction Black Noir was heading, then pretended to walk along his own chosen route at a leisurely pace.
He didn't go far, just waited quietly in the darkness.
About five minutes later.
From the depths of the pipes, a loud noise erupted. The entire sewer system trembled, and dust fell from above.
The opportunity had arrived.
He wanted to test what exactly was hidden under that mask.
Lu Chen turned around, unleashing his full Super Speed, and followed in the direction Black Noir had left.
In the darkness ahead, a figure was moving rapidly. It was Black Noir.
He showed no reaction to Lu Chen, who was rushing through the air behind him, maintaining his original speed.
Interesting.
Within 0.3 seconds, Lu Chen had arrived behind Black Noir.
He hooked his left hand onto the edge of Black Noir's mask and ripped it off.
Under the mask was a young Black face, barely in his early twenties, his pupils not yet able to focus.
Lu Chen's right hand was already pressed against his exposed cheek.
The system panel popped up.
[Copyable Superpower detected]
[Super Speed LV3]
[Heat Vision LV4]
[Super Physique LV3]
[Super Healing LV3]
Mind Control was injected simultaneously.
After a moment of confusion, the eyes of the second-generation Black Noir finally settled into a state of calm obedience.
The command was issued.
"Follow me. When you see me make contact with the target, attack my leg. Then, do everything you can to stop anyone from approaching him."
With everything done, Lu Chen and Black Noir moved forward quickly. On the way, at a junction in the pipes, they ran into Annie January, who was rushing over from another passage. A faint white light was flowing on her arms, ready to be unleashed at any moment.
"Keep up!" Lu Chen said concisely.
The three of them arrived together at the source of the loud noise.
They saw that the top of the pipe had been violently broken open, creating a huge hole. Twisted concrete and rebar were visible, and outside the hole was the night sky of New York City.
The Boys were already gone.
Lu Chen did not hesitate; he pushed off the ground and leapt out of the hole to the surface.
Outside was a typical old residential area.
As soon as they landed, a violent explosion occurred in a nearby residential building. Electric light tore through the walls, and countless fragments fell amidst screams.
It was Stormfront's lightning.
"Go to the rooftop."
Lu Chen pushed off with his feet.
Annie January followed closely, rushing toward the fire escape.
Seeing Lu Chen start moving, Black Noir followed his pace without any delay, in almost the exact same manner.
The two of them, one after the other—while Stormfront was still enjoying the thrill of cat and mouse, using lightning to slowly corner her targets—Lu Chen had already reached the rooftop first.
After seeing Kimiko and her brother still struggling.
In an instant, he arrived behind Kenji, placed his hand on Kenji's shoulder, and while injecting Mind Control, he issued a command.
"Follow your sister."
The next second, a blinding red light shot from behind.
Heat Vision accurately struck Lu Chen's left leg.
Lu Chen's body tumbled off the edge of the rooftop, a six-story freefall. The ground rapidly enlarged in his field of vision.
"Lu Chen!!"
Annie January's scream came from above, and immediately after, a white light flashed across the edge of the rooftop as she jumped down.
On the rooftop, Stormfront had just climbed up from the other side and saw the scene of Black Noir firing Heat Vision and Lu Chen falling.
She was stunned at first, then laughed from the bottom of her heart.
Although she didn't understand why Edgar's man would attack Lu Chen, it didn't matter.
What mattered was that this annoying Chinese kid had taken a hit, and that was enough to make her happy all day.
"Well done, Black Noir." She even complimented him in a good mood, then walked with elegant steps toward the Japanese siblings who hadn't yet realized what had just happened.
Electric arcs began to dance at her fingertips.
It was time for a slaughter.
She liked to watch the fearful and helpless look of her prey before they died.
One step. Two steps.
Just as the third step was taken, a red light struck from behind.
Heat Vision hit Stormfront in the back.
"You!"
Stormfront only had time to utter one word before her body was sent flying uncontrollably, following in Lu Chen's footsteps and falling from the rooftop.
On the rooftop, Kimiko, having escaped death, stared blankly at everything before her.
She looked at Black Noir, then looked at the direction he had just attacked.
This person… was helping them?
She didn't have time to think too much; she grabbed her brother, who had inexplicably become obedient, jumped off the other side of the rooftop, and disappeared into the depths of the dense alleyways.
When Stormfront flew back onto the rooftop in anger, all she saw was Black Noir standing there alone.
And downstairs, Lu Chen had caught Annie January who had jumped down. Whether Kenji could escape later depended on how long Black Noir could hold out.
He had also confirmed that this wasn't the comic book Black Noir, nor even a mini-Homelander; he could only be considered a mini-Lu Chen. If this was the backup plan Edgar had prepared, then he could safely manipulate him.
Chapter 108: Black Noir: Lu Chen, I * * *!
On the rooftop, a thunderous explosion erupted.
At the edge of the rooftop, two figures were clashing at high speed.
Black Noir darted across the rooftop at high speed, his Level 3 Super Speed turning him into a blurred shadow.
A slender beam of crimson light shot from the tear in his mask, aiming straight for Stormfront's face.
Stormfront ascended in mid-air, weaving plasma arcs into a blinding electric net before her. The Heat Vision and the electric net collided in the air, releasing a heatwave at the point of impact, causing the air to distort and shimmer.
While releasing lightning to block Black Noir's Heat Vision, Stormfront still had energy to spare; a bolt of lightning struck Black Noir from another direction, kicking up a cloud of dust.
The remaining half of Black Noir's tattered mask fell off completely, revealing the Black face underneath.
She stared at that face of African descent, and her attack rhythm, which had previously been playful like a cat toying with a mouse, changed instantly.
The purple lightning around Stormfront surged several times over, and she thrust both hands forward.
The electric net crashed down, covering the entire rooftop.
The current pierced through flesh, Black Noir's body convulsed violently, and the air was filled with the pungent smell of burning.
Lu Chen found a spot where he could see the whole scene and scanned the battle on the rooftop.
Annie January stood by Lu Chen's side. Watching the one-sided beating taking place on the rooftop, she tilted her head and cast an inquiring look at Lu Chen.
Lu Chen didn't speak; he just reached out and pressed her shoulder, signaling her to observe from where they were.
Boom—!
The ground in the distance suddenly bulged upward.
The asphalt road seemed to have been punched through from below by a giant hand, and the collapsed storm sewer underneath shattered with a roar.
A double-decker bus parked on the side of the road was launched over ten meters into the air by the violent force from below, flipped half a turn in the air, and slammed heavily onto a residential building.
Concrete fragments flew everywhere, destroying surrounding vehicles and streetlights.
Amidst the sky-filling dust, a figure shot up from the underground ruins.
Homelander.
He rushed out of the ground and then slammed heavily onto the plaza ten meters in front of Lu Chen and Annie January.
This perfect superhero looked very disheveled at this moment.
Dust mixed with grayish-white concrete powder covered his blonde hair and shoulders.
He had been buried alive underground by the reinforced concrete that Kenji had pulled down with telekinesis, along with the bus parked above and the rubble.
Being pinned under the weight of dozens of tons of trash and mud by a rat from the sewers—this insult pushed his sanity to the brink of collapse.
Homelander stood in the center of the crater, subconsciously tugging at the mud stained on his cape, then wiped his hands on the sides of his suit in disgust.
He looked up, his gaze landing on the rooftop above.
There, Stormfront was stepping on the chest of Black Noir II, with arcs of electricity released from her palms pouring into Black Noir's eye sockets at zero distance.
In excruciating pain, Black Noir threw a punch, hitting Stormfront's calf, while simultaneously shooting two weak rays of red light from his eyes, forcing Stormfront to tilt her head to dodge.
Homelander saw that scene clearly.
"What the hell is going on up there?"
Homelander stepped out of the crater and stared at Lu Chen, asking.
Annie January subconsciously took half a step back, the light gathering in her hands instantly dissipating.
Standing in front of Homelander in this state, any Superhumans would feel an extremely intense biological sense of oppression.
Lu Chen met Homelander's gaze and stepped forward half a step, just enough to block Annie January.
"I had already caught that super Terrorists. But Black Noir attacked my leg from behind and knocked me off the rooftop."
"Then he attacked Stormfront when she arrived. Judging by the logic of his actions, he is trying to stop us from capturing the target and is assisting the Terrorists in escaping."
The muscles in Homelander's cheeks twitched; his heartbeat was steady, his breathing normal—it was the truth.
That substitute Edgar, that old bastard, had planted—not only was he a defective product, but he actually dared to turn against them during the operation. Was it his order?
But these internal power plays only occupied a small part of his mind at the moment.
He only wanted to kill someone now.
He only wanted to find that super villain who had buried him in the ground and crush every inch of the other person's bones into dust.
"Where did that rat run off to?"
Lu Chen pointed to the narrow alley where Kimiko and Kenji had escaped.
Homelander didn't waste a single word; he slightly bent his knees, preparing to take off and pursue.
Just at the moment his feet left the ground, on the rooftop, Black Noir, who had been beaten to a pulp by Stormfront's lightning, suddenly gave up his defense.
At the cost of having a large hole burned through his chest by the high-pressure plasma, he forcibly twisted his neck.
Those crimson eyes locked firmly onto Homelander below.
Two beams of Heat Vision shot down diagonally from the rooftop, striking Homelander squarely in the back.
Homelander's body was hit in mid-air, and he then slammed heavily back to the ground.
The air froze completely at that moment.
Stormfront stopped attacking on the rooftop; she looked at Homelander, who had been hit below, and the lightning in her palms temporarily extinguished out of shock.
Annie January subconsciously held her breath and moved her feet back another half-inch.
Homelander turned around.
The fury from being buried alive by a sewer rat, plus the humiliation of being ambushed from behind by a corporate-made substitute—these two fires of rage merged into one at this moment.
He stood in place, tilting his head slightly to look at the teetering Black youth at the edge of the rooftop.
No questions, no warnings.
The red light in Homelander's eyes was like two supernovae instantly detonating in his eye sockets.
Boom!!!
Two torrents of destruction over five centimeters in diameter shot from his eyes; the air was heated to thousands of degrees the instant the beams tore through the air, and Black Noir II didn't even have time to make a dodging movement.
Because he had just endured Stormfront's electric shock, his entire body's muscles were in a state of stiffness and paralysis.
The thick, crimson torrent swept across the edge of the rooftop without any obstruction.
The brick walls of the six-story residential building, the hard reinforced concrete pillars, and Black Noir's body were sliced open the moment they touched the beams, the beams cutting horizontally across Black Noir's waist and abdomen.
Black Noir II's upper body and lower body were completely separated.
His lower body was still pinned in place by Stormfront, while his upper body flew backward due to the impact of the severance.
His Level 3 Super Healing displayed a tenacious vitality.
His hands clawed unconsciously at the rubble-filled ground.
Stormfront walked over and looked down at the struggling half-corpse on the ground, her eyes devoid of any pity, only showing extreme disgust for non-White bloodlines.
She raised her boot and stomped down heavily on that still-gasping face.
There was no more movement on the rooftop.
On the ground, the red light in Homelander's eyes gradually faded.
He didn't spare another glance at the result on the rooftop, exerted force under his feet, and shot off in the direction Lu Chen had pointed.
The airwave overturned several trash cans on the street, and car alarms rang out one after another throughout the entire block.
Stormfront leaped down from the rooftop, purple plasma arcs surging around her again, and chased after the direction Homelander had flown.
Lu Chen stood in place, the strong wind blowing his cape.
Watching Stormfront quickly disappear, he calmly gave a closing statement to this farce in his heart.
"Running so fast."
The sirens of police cars in the distance were already closing in from a few blocks away, the red and blue flashing lights appearing and disappearing at the end of the street.
"Let's go; it's time to write the mission report for our CEO."
Chapter 109: Stormfront's Attempt
"Let's go. It's time to write the mission report for our CEO."
Annie followed behind him, watching his calm back, yet the turbulent waves in her heart refused to settle for a long time.
The two quickly left the scene and took a private car back to Vought Tower.
"You go back and rest first," Lu Chen said to Annie in the elevator.
"What about you?" Annie asked subconsciously; she could feel that what Lu Chen was about to do was likely more important than the capture itself.
"I'm going to have a chat with Edgar." Lu Chen's answer confirmed her suspicion.
The elevator doors opened, and Lu Chen walked straight toward the private elevator leading to Edgar's office.
Vought Tower, CEO office. Lu Chen walked straight to that heavy solid wood door and knocked.
"Come in."
Stan Edgar's steady voice came from inside.
Lu Chen pushed the door open and entered.
Inside the spacious office, Edgar was sitting behind his desk, holding a telephone receiver in one hand. Seeing Lu Chen enter, he didn't hang up, but simply placed the receiver on the desk.
This subtle action itself was a form of silent pressure, as if saying: "My time is precious, and you are just a brief interlude."
Lu Chen pulled out a chair and sat down, crossing his legs, and got straight to the point.
"The mission failed."
He looked at Edgar across the large desk.
"There was internal conflict in the team. Black Noir was heavily injured by Homelander and subsequently executed by Stormfront."
Emotional fluctuations appeared on Edgar's usually unruffled face. Things were spiraling out of control.
He raised a hand to rub his temples, pressing his fingertips firmly against his skin.
Kenji's escape would trigger a series of unpredictable chain reactions. With a key witness, Congress, the Military, the CIA... those sharks smelling blood would swarm in immediately. Why would Stormfront kill Black Noir? She should have known he was someone he had planted.
Edgar's mind raced, weighing the losses and countermeasures.
Lu Chen didn't give him much time to think, speaking up again. His voice wasn't loud, but it hit Edgar's heart like a heavy hammer.
"Our previous deal is void."
"I don't think I'm up to this mission."
Lu Chen took out the USB drive containing the data on Compound V and flicked it with his finger. The silver metal piece traced a parabola through the air and landed precisely on the documents in front of Edgar with a soft click.
"Of course, I'm still a man of my word. Here's your stuff back."
After doing all this, Lu Chen turned and left without the slightest hesitation.
One step. Two steps. Three steps.
The moment his hand was about to touch the doorknob, Edgar's voice came from behind him.
"What do you want?"
The voice was still steady, but Lu Chen could detect a hint of suppressed fluctuation.
Lu Chen stopped, slowly turned around, and looked at the man who controlled a vast business empire, saying word by word:
"I want Vought..."
He paused deliberately, watching the fleeting tension on Edgar's face.
"...shares."
Hearing this answer, Edgar crossed his fingers and placed them under his chin. He didn't get angry, nor did he mock him; instead, he began to analyze it seriously.
"Young man, Vought shares are not that easy to get."
"First, any share transfer requires the board's knowledge, a process that would completely expose you to the spotlight. Second, none of the Superhumans under Vought hold company shares, not even Homelander. If you set this precedent, you will become a target for everyone. They will be jealous, envious, and will do everything in their power to drag you down from your current position."
He paused, then changed the subject.
"If you want to find someone to hold them on your behalf and transfer the earnings to you, then in essence, it's no different from me just paying you a sum of money directly."
Lu Chen nodded, seemingly fully accepting his explanation.
"Very well, then just pay me."
He decisively abandoned the demand for shares, as if it had just been a casual remark.
"By the way, give me the highest internal access clearance for the company."
Looking at the "I'm very easy to talk to" expression on Lu Chen's face, Edgar's temples began to throb again. The former was asking for the moon, while the latter was the real negotiation.
"Very well." Edgar finally agreed.
Having received a satisfactory reply, Lu Chen didn't linger, turned around, opened the door, and strode away.
The office door closed again. Edgar sat quietly for a moment, then picked up the receiver on the desk.
"You heard it; the mission failed."
"Use your identity to contact the CIA as soon as possible. Call a congressional hearing and resolve all issues at once."
"The ambition on the Tianshu side is even greater than we anticipated. You can use your abilities... try it out and tell me the results."
A calm female voice came from the receiver.
"Understood."
Beep. The call ended.
Edgar placed the receiver back on the landline. He opened a drawer and took out a file stamped with "Top Secret."
On the cover was an archived photo of Lu Chen from his time at the orphanage.
He needed to re-evaluate his risk and value.
Vought Tower, 99th floor.
Bang!
Homelander smashed his fist into the liquor cabinet. Expensive bottles of whiskey and red wine shattered, and the liquid flowed all over the floor, mixed with glass shards. Next was the leather sofa, which he kicked away, smashing through the marble wall opposite.
Not found.
That piece of trash who buried him alive in a pile of garbage had just vanished into thin air.
Stormfront walked into Homelander's room. Seeing the mess everywhere, she walked behind Homelander and reached out to place her hand on his shoulder.
"Don't be angry. We will catch those rats eventually."
Homelander turned around abruptly, grabbed Stormfront by the neck, and slammed her heavily against the wall.
"Why did you kill Black Noir?" Homelander stared fixedly into Stormfront's eyes.
Stormfront didn't struggle, letting him choke her.
"He was a piece of trash," Stormfront snorted coldly, "and a black man. He didn't deserve to stand with you. I was just helping you take out the trash."
The force in Homelander's grip loosened slightly.
"Get out. I want to be alone for a while."
It seems the timing isn't quite right yet. Stormfront rubbed the red marks on her neck and turned to leave.
Meanwhile, inside a secret safe house.
Mallory watched the confirmation message on the screen, and her tense nerves finally relaxed. Kimiko, with her brother, had successfully made contact with the peripheral personnel and was being sent to a new hideout.
Mallory walked to another computer, inserted a USB drive, and a video clip soon appeared on the screen.
The background was the ruins of a village in Africa. Homelander was smiling, his Heat Vision firing casually, piercing through the chests of Terrorists and also piercing through the civilians behind the Terrorists.
"Send this to the New York Times."
Mallory gave the order.
"Let them see what Vought's so-called 'perfect hero' really is."
As her words fell, the staff member pressed the send button.
Chapter 110: The Location of Soldier Boy
The news footage on the screen shifted constantly, switching between four different live channels within seconds.
The entire residential area had been reduced to rubble; smoke and dust rose from the broken walls and ruins, as stretchers were loaded into ambulances one after another.
Vought's crisis PR had begun, and Stormfront was righteously condemning the brutal acts of the Super Terrorists in front of the cameras.
The private phone placed on the desk vibrated.
The screen lit up, and a short message popped up. The sender was Cate Dunlap.
"I saw the news. You aren't hurt, are you? Those explosions..."
Lu Chen's fingers tapped rapidly on the keyboard, and he sent a reply.
"I'm fine. Stormfront messed up the scene, so I evacuated early. Stay at school and take care of yourself; I'm a bit busy lately."
After sending the message, Lu Chen placed his phone face down on the desk and shifted his gaze to the terminal screen in front of him, which was directly connected to Vought's classified database.
The top-level access granted by Edgar was now in effect.
The sound of keystrokes echoed in the quiet room. Logging into the intranet and accessing the highest-level data, he knew clearly that every click and every search he made would leave a clear record in the server's backend.
This was essentially a game of open cards; Edgar was observing his movements and assessing his intentions.
But Lu Chen didn't care much about his thoughts anymore.
He typed that name into the search box.
"Soldier Boy."
The progress bar filled up instantly, and an electronic file marked with a red top-secret watermark popped up.
At the very top of the page was a photo of a man in a green combat suit, holding a shield, facing the camera.
He scrolled down the page, skipping over the lengthy promotional achievements and commercial endorsement records, his gaze resting on the final mission archive column.
1984, Nicaragua military operation.
Status: Killed in Action.
Cause of death: Attack by a secret Soviet weapon, body obliterated, catastrophic meltdown caused by a nuclear reactor.
Lu Chen slid his finger over the mouse wheel, scanning the entire report from beginning to end.
There was no record of secret experiments, cryogenic chambers, or transport routes.
Vought's senior management at the time had erased this matter very thoroughly; only this official obituary remained on the company's main internal server.
But Lu Chen knew very well that he was in Russia.
However, the specific location, which warlord or secret organization was guarding him, and what the defensive configuration was—none of this core intelligence was recorded in Vought's servers.
It seemed that if he wanted to find that man, he would have to find a way through The Boys.
He didn't waste any more time on Soldier Boy's file, turning instead to quickly browse the profiles of other Superhumans.
After probing Edgar's trump cards, aside from the highly iconic and unique abilities of Starlight and Golden Boy, other abilities could now be used; everything could be attributed to a secondary awakening of Compound V within the body.
Lu Chen tapped his fingertips lightly on the desk twice, finally stopping on two of the photos.
Justin, a Godolkin University graduate, currently the lead actor in a stunt superhero stage play at a large theater in Montreal, who was originally the second Black Noir.
Speedster, a second-tier Superhuman active on the streets, who made a living through street patrols and filming advertisements for product endorsements on TikTok, having only signed a talent agency contract with Vought.
These two people had one thing in common.
In the ability column of their files, it was clearly written: Flight.
They were the ones.
Lu Chen silently noted down their location information, turned off the computer, stood up to change into casual clothes, and left Vought Tower directly.
Backstage at the Montreal Grand Theater.
In the backstage dressing room of the theater, Justin was facing the mirror, proudly admiring his muscular physique.
The door was knocked on.
"Mr. Justin, a great hero wants to see you." The agent poked his head in, his face full of fawning smiles.
Justin turned around impatiently, then froze.
Standing at the door was a young Asian face; he recognized this face, a frequent guest in recent news, the new member of The Seven—Tian Shu.
"Hello, Justin." Lu Chen smiled and extended his hand. "On behalf of Godolkin University, I would like to invite you, an outstanding graduate, to return and participate in a flight performance for the school anniversary."
Justin was flattered and hurriedly reached out to shake it. The agent tactfully closed the door and left.
The moment their skin made contact, a translucent panel quietly appeared in Lu Chen's field of vision.
[ Copyable target detected ]
[ Anti-Gravity Flight LV3 ]
[ Super Physique LV4 ]
"Select, Anti-Gravity Flight."
[ Ability selected: Anti-Gravity Flight LV3 ]
[ Time required for Copy: 30 minutes ]
[ Current progress: 0.1%... ]
The handshake did not release immediately.
Mind Control was immediately activated.
"There are some details I'd like to discuss with you privately." Lu Chen looked into Justin's eyes and gave the order. "Now, take me to your dressing room, tell the people outside that we have important matters to discuss, and do not disturb us for half an hour."
"Okay, please follow me."
He turned around, led Lu Chen into his private dressing room, and locked the door.
Justin, under the constraints of Mind Control, kept mechanically recounting his past experiences while studying at Godolkin University. Lu Chen leaned back in his chair, quietly watching the blue progress bar slowly advancing at the bottom of his vision.
Exactly thirty minutes.
[ Anti-Gravity Flight LV3 Copy complete, ability solidified ]
Lu Chen withdrew his right hand.
"Someone will email your agent with the specific schedule for the alumni reunion."
Lu Chen stood up and straightened his coat.
"Looking forward to your wonderful performance, Justin."
Justin blinked as if waking from a dream; the sense of dissonance regarding the thirty-minute handshake in his mind was completely smoothed over, leaving behind only a flattered ecstasy.
"I will definitely be there on time! Thank you for making the special trip, Mr. Tian Shu!"
Even when he walked to the back alley outside the theater, Justin was still waving goodbye at the entrance.
Without staying in Montreal, Lu Chen returned to New York that same night.
The process of finding Speedster was even simpler.
When this second-tier hero saw a member of The Seven personally come to invite him to patrol and fight crime together, he was so excited he almost flew into the sky on the spot.
Like the most loyal fan, he followed Lu Chen, chattering endlessly about his admiration for The Seven, especially his reverence for Homelander.
Lu Chen just listened quietly, taking him to circle above the city.
In a corner of an empty rooftop, Lu Chen made an excuse to rest and patted Speedster on the shoulder.
"You're doing well, you have a lot of potential."
The same contact, the same selection, the same half hour.
After Lu Chen finished modifying the other party's memory again, making him think they had just conducted an uneventful night patrol, he turned and flew towards Vought Tower.
He did not return to his lounge but went directly to the crime analysis department on the middle floor of Vought Tower.
The office was still brightly lit late at night, with staff nervously analyzing data, trying to find traces of the escaped Kimiko and her brother.
He walked straight up behind a balding senior tracking analyst and placed his palm affectionately on his shoulder.
"Hey, buddy, still working overtime this late? Looks like you're the real hero."