“You should have expected this outcome, starting from the public relations scandal you were embroiled in last year, to your recent repeated disobedience of orders.”
Stan Edgar seemed deliberately unwilling to give Homelander any face, continuing to coldly correct him, “In other words, the fact that the company is still willing to spend a lot of money to hold a birthday party farce for you is already giving you a lot of face and showing you a lot of old affection…
But if you think this party can't go on without your participation, then you can leave and see what happens.”
Clearly, Stan Edgar was deliberately targeting Homelander for not following his orders last night and going to Hell's Kitchen to save face for Vought International.
In fact, whether or not the stock price could be recovered was not important to him.
What was important was that Homelander must not be allowed to escape the control of the higher-ups and do whatever he wanted.
Otherwise, it could cause a series of extremely bad chain reactions for Vought International.
【John, you made the right choice, you shouldn't be blamed like this, that black guy doesn't understand your value, and your importance to Vought International…】
【It's time for you to sit in that position… Then, you will truly understand what is called ultimate pleasure!!】
This time, Homelander did not reject the magical voice that suddenly echoed in his mind, and after several changes in his expression, he finally suppressed the urge to start a massacre on the spot.
Now is not the time…
So, after squeezing out a stiff, fake smile, he turned and left.
However.
This did not mean that he had chosen to compromise.
On the contrary, with the help of the Sage, he had already figured out a way to fight back.
“Okay, Stan, you're deliberately messing with me, huh?”
“Let's see who has the last laugh!”
……
Night fell.
Homelander's birthday party was held as scheduled.
First, several members of The Seven went on stage to perform singing and dancing raps, and then it was finally Starlight and Homelander's turn to make a grand finale appearance.
According to the previous rehearsals, Starlight should first make a hypocritical speech, and then take the opportunity to promote a newly established non-profit foundation under Vought International, encouraging her fans to actively donate and pay an IQ tax for their idol!
But…
After taking the stage, Homelander rudely pushed Starlight away in full view of the public, walked to the microphone alone, stared at Stan Edgar sitting below, and said with a grin:
“I'm fed up with this stupid arrangement, no one can order me to do anything I don't want to do, because… I'm not like other superheroes, I never make mistakes, I'm stronger and smarter than everyone else, I'm the best superhero… I don't want to be the kind of weak trash who has to apologize everywhere as you arrange!”
“Sometimes I really don't understand why you stupid executives insist on turning me into such a waste?
The originally enthusiastic audience below the stage were immediately dumbfounded.
Who am I?
Where am I?
What is A-Train doing?
Stan Edgar was silent with a solemn expression.
He never expected that Homelander would dare to publicly attack him at this live moment.
This was undoubtedly a severe challenge to his prestige and his entire career.
If he could kill with his eyes, Homelander would have been shot to death thousands of times.
You damn bastard, do you really think I don't dare to sideline you?
Okay, we'll see!
Ashley Barrett, the little assistant who had been guarding in the backstage, was so frightened that her brain almost crashed on the spot, and she hurriedly urged the director who was also in a daze beside her:
“Quick, play the commercial… Roger, play the commercial quickly, this is really going to be a big deal.”
However.
Homelander on the stage heard her words with his super hearing, and immediately pointed to the backstage and shouted loudly:
“Ashley, no one is allowed to stop the live broadcast without my permission, otherwise I will blow all your heads off.”
Then he continued to say to the audience and the camera:
“In my life, from birth to now, there have always been people trying to control me…”
“Those rich and powerful guys, they are afraid of my ability, so they keep trying to use various methods to control my consciousness, control my actions, so as to turn me into a puppet who unconditionally obeys them.”
“I have to say, in the past period of time, they did do it.”
“But… that's only because I wanted them to do it.”
Homelander became excited, first pointing to Stan Edgar under the stage, and then pointing around at the others present.
“Guess what, if those guys can really control me, then it also means that they can definitely control you.”
“No, it should be said that they are already controlling your thoughts now, but you just don't realize it.”
“So… I'm fed up!!”
“I don't want to be forced to make stupid apologies to the camera because of a little accident in the rescue process anymore.”
“I'm fed up with being oppressed and targeted in various unfair ways because of my strength…”
“To be honest, you ordinary people should really thank God for creating a perfect superhuman like me for the peace of the earth.”
“Because I will help you through the difficulties when there is danger.”
“Open your eyes and take a good look, how did the recent battles without my participation end up in such a tragic situation?”
“So, admit it, you need me…”
“You need Homelander's rescue!!!”
“And those so-called Avengers and street heroes, they can't save America at all.”
“Only I, Homelander, am the only one who can save you!”
Speaking of this.
Homelander paused slightly, then looked at the camera with a fierce look, and said in an almost roaring but extremely low voice:
“You are not real heroes.”
“I am the real hero!”
“I am the real hero!!”
“I am the real hero!!!”
The entire auditorium seemed to fall into dead silence.
Everyone stared blankly at Homelander on the stage who was "revealing his true feelings".
I don't know what kind of abnormal behavior the other party will make in the next second.
But at this moment.
A middle-aged bearded man in a yellow T-shirt unique to Starlight's fan club in the audience suddenly threw the Coke cup in his hand at Homelander and shouted loudly:
“Die, fascist, you are just a stupid B with superpowers!!”
After speaking, he sat down again in full view of the public like nothing had happened, and nodded slightly to a silent girl wearing a white baseball cap in the corner.
And he was secretly rejoicing: as long as he publicly scolds Homelander for a word, he can earn 1,000 US dollars, how great it would be if this job was available every day!
However.
Next second.
Sizzle——
Bang——
With a red laser beam passing by, half of the middle-aged bearded man's head was instantly blown off.
Blood mixed with bone and meat debris was evenly sprayed on the faces of every audience member in the back in a fan shape.
This sudden scene directly stunned everyone present.
Kill… killing people???
But what is extremely strange is.
In the huge venue, no one screamed.
A strong desire to survive made everyone seem to be collectively "mute", all trembling and sitting in their seats, not knowing what to do.
Fortunately, the silent girl wearing a white baseball cap in the corner took the lead in responding, raising her hands with excitement and cheering to Homelander on the stage who had already woken up from the initial anger, became confused, and even a little at a loss:
“Yeah, that's right, this is the real superhero!!!”
Other viewers who came back to their senses also raised their fists under the control of their desire to survive and cheered together, “Fu*k yeah!!!”
On the stage, Homelander listened to the waves of applause and cheers below, and the worries that had just risen in his heart instantly disappeared.
At this time, that magical voice echoed in his mind again.
【John, see, they finally know who is the strongest man in the world… You only need to follow your heart in the future.】
【And this joy is the reward you deserve.】
At the moment when the voice fell, Homelander suddenly felt an ultimate joy that he had never experienced before.
This feeling is different from any sensory stimulation he had experienced before.
It has even transcended the courage that “Crescent Heaven Impact” and “men and women's affairs” can bring him.
It can be said to be a brand new version that Homelander has never experienced.
It made him want to be intoxicated in it.
So much so that his good brother stood up uncontrollably without knowing it.
And on his forehead, the purple rune symbolizing Slaanesh finally lit up!!
…………
……
【Sokovia】.
【Hyperspace Group】.
Karl sat on the 【Golden Throne】, "generating electricity" while browsing the project progress and financial reports submitted by Zemo.
Since Selena successfully "acquired" 【Rand Industries】 with the help of the riot in 【Hell's Kitchen】 half a month ago.
The tentacles of 【Hyperspace Group】 have finally successfully expanded to the American mainland and opened up a good situation in the corresponding fields.
Although in this process, it has been maliciously obstructed several times by some mysterious external forces (specifically referring to 【.】).
But in the end, all of them were successfully completed with the strong support of General Ross and the 【Department of Defense】.
In addition, after Dr. Samuel Sterns successfully discovered the "life energy essence particles" contained in the 【Dragon Bone】 through a large number of experiments.
The 【Dragon Bone】 below the 【Financial Building】 has also officially started an orderly excavation operation.
And during this period.
Dr. Samuel Sterns also used the 【extraordinary factors】 extracted from the blood samples of William, the ancestor of the werewolf, and Alexander Corvinus, the "immortal + immune person", in his spare time (busy with this and that).
【New Super Soldier Serum - Werewolf Edition】 and 【New Super Soldier Serum - Immune Edition】 were injected into a total of 20 soldiers in Phase III and Phase IV who successfully passed the screening.
Currently, these 20 super soldiers are undergoing 24-hour body monitoring.
However, if this development trend continues, it is estimated that the 【Thunder Warrior Corps】 composed of various arms should be officially formed soon!!
At the same time, the 【Super Immune Vaccine (one-time injection)】 based on the "special antigen" in Alexander Corvinus' blood sample that can directly transform the virus infecting itself into a substance beneficial to itself, thereby achieving an "immune" effect, has also been officially established.
And as long as the initial research and development stage is successfully completed, the cutting-edge pharmaceutical companies received from 【Rand Industries】 can be directly used for production and processing.
In this way, not only are many time-consuming, laborious, and costly cumbersome matters such as re-investing in building a factory, setting up a production line, and recruiting a pharmaceutical research team are eliminated.
At the same time, the production cycle of related vaccines and the later production capacity issues are greatly shortened.
It is not difficult to imagine what an incredible and huge sensation this super vaccine will cause around the world once it is launched in the near future.
It will inevitably create countless huge wealth for Karl.
It's just that.
For Karl, an old fritter who is good at marketing, he naturally understands the principle that things are valued when they are scarce.
If he doesn't take the opportunity to play a hand of hunger marketing and first slaughter a wave of dog owners who are rich in oil around the world, then what is the reason?
Of course, these are all things for later…
But in this process, one thing made the "scientific research madman" Dr. Samuel Sterns greatly annoyed and frantic.
That is, the "longevity gene" in Alexander Corvinus' body is not only completely ineffective for others, but even as soon as it leaves the former's body, it will immediately completely fail and decompose under the influence of some mysterious force.
Fortunately, Karl had expected this and never had much hope from beginning to end, so naturally he would not be disappointed.
As for the financial reports in the remaining part of the document, Karl directly chose to skip them, casually threw the folder to the blonde secretary standing beside him, and then looked at Zemo sitting quietly opposite and asked:
“Has Selena had any new discoveries recently?”
Zemo nodded upon hearing this, and immediately reported: “According to the latest news from Miss Selena, a large-scale sacrificial ceremony similar to the 【Blood God Sect】 occurred in 【California】 last night, causing at least nearly a thousand civilian casualties…
However, relevant news is currently under strict official blockade, so the outside world is temporarily unaware of this.”
Karl's eyes lit up when he heard this, “It seems that these guys are finally going to take action!!”
