"Let's welcome Stormfront to our team; we now have another beautiful woman among us."
In the temple-like conference room, Homelander, with a radiant smile, delivered a speech, applauding to welcome Stormfront.
"The Seven has an unprecedented three female members now. I believe the outside World won't say our Vought The Seven is gender-imbalanced this time."
He chuckled, teasing about the previous suggestions from the public for The Seven to recruit more female heroes.
In the conference room, Homelander, a master of acting, showed no abnormalities, as if he were meeting Stormfront for the first time.
"…"
Ron sat to the side, also attending this meeting.
Although he was already an Honorary President and didn't need to be a superhero anymore, no one understood his intentions and dared not remove him from The Seven without authorization, so a seat was always reserved for him in The Seven.
He came this time mainly for no other reason than to accompany Starlight.
Recently, while deepening his relationship with Maeve, he hadn't forgotten Starlight, managing his time with both of them very well.
However, not long ago, Starlight went to a religious gathering and invited him to come along, but he refused, which made her feel a bit neglected.
Clap, clap…
"Welcome, Stormfront."
Although it was said that everyone was welcoming her, only the innocent Starlight in the conference room smiled at Stormfront, clapping by herself in response. As she clapped, she realized she was the only one, felt a little awkward, and gradually stopped.
Maeve stayed on the island to rest and didn't come at all. Black Noir's usual silence, like a stealthy presence, was normal. Ron's expression was cold, without any intention of clapping.
As for A-Train…
Ability points: 42,000
Ron glanced at the panel.
A-Train's leg bones were crushed by him, breaking both his legs. He miraculously survived being run over by the subway, but his injuries were too severe. The Doctor determined he would never be able to stand again for the rest of his life.
The fastest man in the World would begin a new legend, perpetually holding the title of the fastest man in the World in a wheelchair. This time, he wouldn't have to worry about Impact competing with him.
A useless person was not suitable to remain in The Seven. At his signal, the human resources department kicked him out of The Seven.
"Thanks, thanks for the welcome."
Stormfront, always fiery and unconventional in her demeanor, rolled her eyes, clapped perfunctorily, and spoke with a sarcastic tone.
"Not everyone is here today, so perhaps the welcome is a bit simple.
But when the company holds a press conference for the media, you'll enjoy the cheers of the public and see how much they love our The Seven…"
Homelander spread his arms, smiling brightly at Stormfront, smoothing things over and continuing to speak.
…
Soon after, the meeting ended.
The few people dispersed.
Ron and Starlight left.
After the meeting was declared over, by the floor-to-ceiling window, Homelander, draped in the Stars and Stripes, put his hands behind his back, coughed twice, frowned, and gazed seriously at the city outside, striking a majestic pose as if constantly guarding and worrying about the city's safety, waiting for Stormfront to approach him.
His son had told him that Stormfront would approach him proactively, and he just needed to play along.
But after waiting for a long time, he didn't feel anyone pat his shoulder, nor did he hear Stormfront's voice behind him striking up a conversation.
He secretly glanced at his reflection in the floor-to-ceiling window, which seemed to show nothing. He turned his head, scanning the room.
"Where is she?"
The conference room was empty. Homelander was slightly dumbfounded. Stormfront had already left, and he had been holding his pose by himself for a long time.
"This isn't what was agreed upon."
He had prepared himself to resist temptation and stick to his principles to complete what his son had told him, but where was the 'temptation'?
"President Ron…"
Ron and Starlight had just left the conference room when a voice suddenly called out to them from behind.
Stormfront walked up, arms crossed, stopping in front of them. She leaned against the nearby wall, like a seductive wildcat expecting to be taught a lesson, her eyes provocative and alluring as she scanned Ron up and down, teasingly saying,
"The World's first natural super-human.
I've heard of you for a long time. The power you displayed on that desolate island scared quite a few people."
"The first natural super-human?"
Starlight beside him looked at Ron in confusion. What did that mean?
Under Ron's influence, she still didn't know that all super-humans originated from Compound V.
"However…"
She changed her tone, feigning confusion, and then continued meaningfully,
"Why did you and Homelander fight? After all, your relationship…"
She paused, leaving her sentence unfinished, and then let out another feigned sigh of emotion.
"It's truly a bit puzzling."
Stormfront thought that the information revealed in her two short sentences was extraordinary and would surely shock, intrigue, and confuse Ron, leaving a deep impression on him.
"None of your business.
Do your job."
But to her surprise, Ron merely gave her a faint glance, like a leader reprimanding a subordinate who wasn't working well and was keen on gossip, then walked past her with Starlight and left.
"Hmm?"
Arms crossed, leaning against the wall, Stormfront, who was confidently expecting Ron to send Starlight away and question her, and then gradually fall for her out of curiosity, saw her smile freeze. She stood rooted to the spot.
Her meticulously planned steps had gone wrong at the very first one.
"This shouldn't be, why?"
Watching Ron's indifferent back as he took Starlight and walked away, her eyes widened in shock, unable to comprehend.
Why was Ron so indifferent to the secrets she revealed that she possessed?
"This is completely different from the reaction I imagined a thousand times."
Not confusion, not deep thought, not being tempted, not a cold threat asking why she knew these things, or threatening her to reveal everything she knew…
No interest was piqued, utterly indifferent!
"Where exactly did it go wrong?"
Stormfront, left behind, fell into doubt and confusion.
…
Walking down the corridor with Starlight, Ron frowned slightly.
Stormfront's actions still surprised him a little.
This centenarian woman didn't go find Homelander, but instead came to provoke him.
Could it be that she thought he and Homelander had the same taste?
"In the eyes of outsiders, Homelander and I are evenly matched in strength.
But Homelander has extremely obvious and easily exploitable major psychological flaws."
"I haven't been around for long, and to outsiders, I'm mostly aloof, so no one should have figured out my personality."
"She actually chose the harder path, abandoning the simple for the difficult?"
Sensing a hint of abnormality, Ron's face showed contemplation.
There must be some deeper reason for Stormfront's actions.
In a brief moment, many possibilities flashed through his mind, and he locked onto one sentence.