Chapter 48: An Unexpected Person
The three parties each had their own calculations, and Lu Chen's plan fell into place right on schedule this Wednesday.
Outside the Brooklyn Community Center, crowds packed the streets until they were impassable. Vought Companysecurity had set up three layers of police tape.
Reporters carrying cameras and equipment squeezed into the front row.
A banner reading "The Return of Translucent" hung in the air.
Lu Chen stood behind a power box on the street corner. His gaze passed over the sea of moving heads and landed on the main entrance.
He wore a black baseball cap pulled low, a mask on his face, and a slightly messy wig that obscured his original features. He was wearing an oversized second-hand jacket.
His phone screen was lit up, showing two split-screen chat windows.
Annie's icon flickered.
[I did it. Just now at the youth rally.]
Lu Chen's thumb tapped the keyboard rapidly.
[You didn't read from the teleprompter?]
[The teleprompter was full of nonsense thanking God and Vought Company. I changed it all. I told them it was all a show, and that I was actually very lost.]
The excitement on the other end of the screen was irrepressible.
[How did the PR department react?]
[Ashley almost crushed the tablet in her hand. The audience below went crazy; they started cheering, and some even broke through the police tape. The pastors who had been arranged looked livid, as if they wanted to burn me at the stake right then and there. I don't know what kind of punishment I'll face when I get back.]
After a pause of a few seconds, a new message popped up.
[But I feel great right now. I finally told the truth.]
[Perhaps your approval rating will skyrocket because of your authenticity.]
After sending this, he switched to the other window.
Cate's messages had already piled up to four or five.
[You didn't come again today.]
[What exactly are you busy with? Those mysterious investigations?]
[I hate this feeling. Aren't we accomplices?]
Her irritation showed between the lines.
[Ran into a little trouble that I need to handle.]
She replied instantly.
[Are you hurt?]
[No. Just need to lay low for a while.]
[Where should we meet? I'll come find you.]
This push-and-pull, prickly yet unable to stay away, was just the right rhythm.
[Not now. When I'm done with what I'm working on, I'll see you at the old spot.]
The top of the chat box showed "typing," and after repeating a few times, she only replied with one word.
[Okay.]
The cheers from inside the activity center were enough to blow the roof off.
"Translucent! Translucent!"
After seeing Translucent make his appearance, Lu Chenpressed the lock button and tucked his phone into his pocket.
The doors swung open, and a man walked out. He smiled and waved at the crowd, his every gesture exuding confidence and bravado.
But underneath this skin was another person.
Lu Chen did not take out the VIP backstage pass that Annie had given him. That ticket would have placed him directly in an area under heavy scrutiny and protection by security and the media.
He turned and walked to the merchandise truck on the side of the venue, paid a high price for a hoodie with the Translucent logo and some merchandise, and put it on directly over his jacket.
Afterward, he blended into the line of regular fans.
The line was very long, wrapping around half the venue. The people in front were stomping their feet in excitement and whispering to each other. Lu Chen kept his hands in his pockets, moving quietly with the flow of the crowd.
His gaze remained locked on the autograph table.
"Translucent" was still putting in the effort. He skillfully signed posters, shook hands with fans, and took photos.
Two hours passed.
The line shortened to the last dozen or so people.
Three people left in front.
Two people.
One person.
"Next." The security guard waved impatiently.
Lu Chen stepped forward.
"Hey, buddy, thanks for your support." "Translucent" extended his right hand, his smile flawless.
Lu Chen extended his hand, and their palms met.
The system panel popped up.
[Superhumans target detected: Doppelganger]
[Optional ability 1: Physical Mimicry Transformation LV4 (can freely change physique, appearance, and gender, perfectly replicating the target's facial features, body type, and voice, limited by time and clothing)]
[Optional ability 2: Super Physique LV1]
"Can I have a hug? I'm your most loyal fan."
"Translucent" paused for a moment, then opened his arms.
"Of course, come here."
Lu Chen stepped forward and wrapped his arms around the other's shoulders. His left hand moved upward, his fingers pressing against the skin of the other's nape.
The moment their skin touched, Mind Control LV3 was activated.
Mental energy pierced into Doppelganger's brain through his fingertips.
Lu Chen's brain worked rapidly, constructing a sandbox of false memories.
He couldn't implant logic that was too complex; it had to be simple and direct.
Madelyn Stillwell. This woman's orders could make him do anything.
Memory implantation began.
As soon as the event ends, go immediately to the cabin in the suburban forest. There is a top-secret mission that is extremely urgent. Shake off all security and go alone. Remember, top secret.
Doppelganger's body gave a violent jolt.
Lu Chen let go and stepped back half a pace.
"Thank you, this means a lot to me." Lu Chen lowered his head slightly.
"Translucent" was in a somewhat dazed state at this moment. He rubbed his temples.
"It's fine... it's fine, thanks for your support." His words became perfunctory, and his gaze began to drift toward the security chief.
The few fanatical fans nearby watched Lu Chen walk away, casting jealous glances.
"He actually got a hug! I want a hug too!"
"Get lost, it's my turn!"
The crowd became rowdy again, perfectly covering Lu Chen's retreat.
He turned and quickly merged into the crowd leaving the venue.
Step one complete. The hook was set.
New York suburbs, abandoned forest.
The cabin was hidden deep in a dense red pine forest. This was the abandoned ranger station he had found last time.
Lu Chen pushed open the rickety wooden door and walked inside.
The air was filled with a musty smell, and Lu Chen mused, "Just this one won't do. Anyway, now that I have money, I should set up a few more safe houses later."
Lu Chen walked to the window and pushed it open a crack.
Two hours had passed since the fan meetup ended.
Doppelganger would definitely come. The implanted memory contained an order from Madelyn Stillwell; he wouldn't dare to be late even if he had ten times the courage.
Lu Chen leaned against the corner and closed his eyes to rest.
Time ticked away second by second.
The wind blew through the forest, leaves rustling.
Amidst this chaotic ambient noise, Lu Chen caught a hint of something unusual.
There were footsteps.
The crisp sound of snapping dead branches, the friction of crushing fallen leaves.
Lu Chen opened his eyes, his body instantly tensing.
Something was wrong.
The rhythm of the footsteps was wrong.
Those were not the footsteps of one person.
One was a heavy, hurried, and somewhat stumbling gait. That was Doppelganger; perhaps maintaining the transformation for a long time had exhausted his stamina.
And the other...
The other's movements were extremely light. If Lu Chen's hearing hadn't been enhanced, he wouldn't have been able to detect it at all.
It was a near-perfect stealth gait, shedding most of its weight when the soles touched the ground, like a feline approaching its prey.
Someone was following Doppelganger.
Lu Chen pressed himself against the wall and slowly moved to the window.
He didn't rashly poke his head out, but instead used the reflection from a piece of broken glass on the window frame to observe the situation outside.
In his line of sight, Doppelganger was stumbling along in front. He had already dropped the Translucent disguise and reverted to his original, ordinary, and somewhat sleazy appearance. He clutched his chest, gasping for air.
And less than ten meters behind Doppelganger, a black shadow slid out from behind a tree trunk.
The person was wrapped from head to toe in a black tactical suit, wearing a fully enclosed black mask on his face, not even an inch of skin exposed.
He walked in the shadows where the Sun couldn't reach, his entire being merging with the darkness. The surrounding birdsong vanished the instant he appeared, and the entire forest fell into a deathly silence.
Black Noir.
Chapter 49: Hunter and Prey
Lu Chen's breath hitched.
The most silent and lethal killing machine in The Seven.
How could he be here?
Doppelganger could not possibly have discovered he was being followed; Black Noir's stealth abilities were top-tier throughout Vought.
Did Madelyn Stillwell send him? Or was it a private order from Homelander?
Regardless of the situation, Black Noir's appearance completely disrupted the plan.
Black Noir stopped in his tracks.
He did not draw any weapons, just stood there quietly, watching Doppelganger.
Then, Black Noir slowly raised his right hand and made a gesture in mid-air.
It was a tactical gesture.
Fingers curled, slicing downward.
Target confirmed, preparing for elimination.
Black Noir took a step, making no sound, turning into a phantom as he closed in on Doppelganger.
Lu Chen spread his senses to their limit. An auditory net covered the entire forest.
He did not capture anyone else's breathing. There were only Black Noir and Doppelganger.
Doppelganger could not die.
Super Speed erupted.
Lu Chen dashed out of the cabin window, kicking up a gust of wind. Glass shards danced in the air.
Before Doppelganger could even turn around, his neck was tightly gripped by a hand.
Mind Control LV3 was instantly injected.
Doppelganger's eyes rolled back, and he collapsed.
Lu Chen swung with the momentum, accurately tossing Doppelganger into the cabin.
Black Noir stood his ground, not pursuing. His head, hidden beneath the mask, tilted slightly as he sized up the suddenly appearing Lu Chen.
There was no surprise, no hesitation.
This killing machine had long been prepared to handle unexpected situations. No matter who appeared beside the target, his mission was only one: elimination.
Black Noir was entirely wrapped in a specialized tactical suit, making Mind Control useless. He would just have to kill him by force.
Carbon Skin activated. Subcutaneous tissue instantly transformed into high-strength carbon-based super-material.
Partial metallization covered his fists. The muscle lines of his arms bulged beneath his clothes.
Super Speed activated once more.
Lu Chen left a trail of afterimages, rushing straight at Black Noir's face. His right fist slammed down with a sonic boom that tore through the air.
Black Noir seemed to have anticipated Lu Chen's incoming fist; he gripped the hilt with his right hand, drew his blade, and slashed.
The blade precisely sliced against the striking point of Lu Chen's fist.
A tremendous reactive force hit him. Lu Chen was forced back three steps by this strike. His soles plowed two deep furrows into the dirt.
A white mark was left on the metallized surface of his right fist.
"What immense strength, at least an LV4 physique," Lu Chen thought to himself.
Black Noir took the initiative to close the distance. His steps seemed heavy, but his speed was extremely fast. He wiped his hands across his waist, and two throwing knives flew out.
Lu Chen dodged to the side. The throwing knives grazed his ear and embedded themselves into the tree trunk behind him, burying completely.
Super Speed fully engaged. Lu Chen moved at high speed around Black Noir, kicking up a circle of dust.
His eyes glowed with blue light. Heat Vision LV4 fired.
Two high-temperature rays struck Black Noir in the chest. The powerful Impact sent Black Noir flying, snapping a red pine tree as thick as a bowl.
Black Noir rolled once on the ground and dropped to one knee. The tactical suit on his chest was burned through, revealing charred flesh.
He did not even let out a grunt.
"It seems single-shot damage is not enough; I must provide continuous output."
Lu Chen accelerated again. He circled to Black Noir's blind spot and chopped at his neck from behind.
Black Noir seemed to have eyes in the back of his head. His left hand reached back, steadily blocking Lu Chen's wrist. His right hand's short blade followed the momentum upward, stabbing straight at Lu Chen's eyes.
Lu Chen raised his left hand, gripping the tip of the blade with his palm.
The dual defense of metallization and Carbon Skin blocked the strike. The blade tip sparked against his palm.
The distance was close enough.
The blue light in Lu Chen's eyes flared intensely. Maximum power Heat Vision was fired directly at Black Noir's face.
The black mask melted instantly. The high heat scorched Black Noir's cheeks, his skin curling and emitting a pungent, charred smell.
Black Noir did not struggle. He simply released the hilt, grabbed Lu Chen's arms with both hands, and engaged his waist.
A clean, decisive shoulder throw.
His vision spun wildly.
Lu Chen slammed heavily into the ground.
Before he could rise, Black Noir was already mounted on top. His left hand gripped Lu Chen's throat tightly, while his right hand pulled a second short blade from his boot, aiming it at Lu Chen's slightly open mouth and stabbing down viciously.
This madman. He had completely abandoned defense, seeking only a fatal blow.
Thermonuclear Manipulation LV4 erupted instantly.
Lu Chen's entire body ignited with raging Fire. A temperature of two thousand degrees spread outward from him. The surrounding dead leaves burst into flames instantly.
Black Noir's left side was instantly swallowed by the flames. His tactical suit melted, and his skin was nearly carbonized.
Lu Chen exerted force with his arms, preparing to grapple Black Noir directly and burn him to ashes with the high heat.
Black Noir, however, let go at that moment. He kicked off the ground and leaped five meters backward.
He stood his ground, half his body still smoking, but he bent down to pick up the two short blades from the ground.
With both blades in hand, Black Noir adopted an extremely oppressive stance.
After that series of clashes, Black Noir had figured out Lu Chen's background. Hard skin, fast speed, could cast Fire, and had Heat Vision.
The subsequent attacks were all aimed at weaknesses that could not be protected by skin: mouth, nose, and ears.
Lu Chen looked at Black Noir's relentless stance and made a decision, though he would have to be careful with his strength in the coming attacks.
Lu Chen's feet left the ground. Thermonuclear Flightactivated.
He rose into mid-air, looking down at Black Noir from above.
Black Noir looked at Lu Chen in mid-air and turned to dash toward the cabin.
Two blue Heat Vision rays precisely sliced the dirt in front of Black Noir's feet, leaving a charred trench.
Black Noir was forced to stop; every time he tried to change direction, a Heat Vision ray would intercept him in advance.
In mid-air, leaping blue arcs of electricity appeared within the flames burning on Lu Chen's body.
The surrounding air began to warp. The blue arcs of electricity frantically converged toward Lu Chen's palms. The light grew increasingly blinding, and after being converted by Light Manipulation, the color shifted from deep blue to incandescent White.
Powerful energy fluctuations made the air below scorched. The edges of the leaves curled and withered.
Black Noir gripped his blades tightly, legs slightly bent, ready to dodge. He looked up, staring fixedly at the light source in mid-air, trying to find a flaw in Lu Chen amidst the intense glare.
But Lu Chen would not give him any more chances; Light Manipulation propulsion combined with Thermonuclear propulsion.
Lu Chen changed direction twice in mid-air, broke the sound barrier, and with an incandescent White afterimage, slammed straight toward Black Noir's face.
Black Noir swung his blade to strike.
Too slow.
Under the augmentation of double acceleration, Lu Chen's speed reached a terrifying critical point.
He avoided Black Noir's head and abdomen, aiming both palms at Black Noir's right shoulder.
Light cannon, fire.
The incandescent White beam of light erupted instantly. The intense light swallowed everything around it.
A massive roar echoed through the forest. Soil flew, and trees were uprooted. The Impact flattened all vegetation within tens of meters.
The light dissipated.
Black Noir lay on the ground ten meters away. His right arm and half his shoulder were completely gone. The stump was charred black, and blood gushed out continuously.
After Lu Chen deliberately avoided vital points, he was still gasping for breath. A silent roar emerged from his throat, his left hand still trying to prop up his broken body.
Lu Chen landed on the ground, walked up to Black Noir, and his eyes lit up with blue light again.
After adjusting the power of his Heat Vision, he swept it over Black Noir's wounds. The flesh quickly shrank and then fused under the high heat, and the smell of burning flesh permeated the air again.
The bleeding stopped.
Having gone to such great lengths, if he let him die, this wave would be a huge loss. Only a living Black Noir had extraction value.
Lu Chen squatted down, pressing his right hand against Black Noir's intact left temple.
Mind Control LV3.
Mental tentacles pierced into Black Noir's brain.
Memory fragments flashed by rapidly.
So that was it.
Lu Chen withdrew his hand. Vought executives could never fully trust a strategic weapon like Doppelganger, who could turn into anyone. Every time he went out, there were killers of Black Noir's caliber secretly monitoring him.
As long as they discovered even the slightest anomaly, they would immediately silence him.
Today, as soon as Doppelganger's activity ended, he ran to the suburbs; in Black Noir's eyes, this was ironclad proof of escape. He followed just to eliminate anyone who might be meeting him.
Lu Chen reached out and fumbled around Black Noir's remaining left shoulder.
His fingertips touched a hard object.
After slicing through the flesh with Black Noir's blade, Lu Chen pried out a tracking chip.
Lu Chen stood up and ran rapidly around the surroundings. The gale kicked up by Super Speed swept up the dead leaves on the ground.
A few minutes later, a firebreak with a diameter of several kilometers was cleared.
Naked, he took out the spare clothes he had placed in the cabin beforehand and threw them aside.
After doing all this, a temperature of two thousand degrees erupted in the center of the cabin.
The fire instantly shot into the sky. The cabin, the nearby forest, the remaining traces of the battle, and Black Noir's severed limbs were all reduced to ashes in the raging Fire.
Lu Chen changed into his clothes, took several blades that could not be burned, and carried the unconscious Doppelganger in one hand and the half-dead Black Noir in the other.
Light Manipulation propulsion activated.
Three figures soared into the air, shot straight into the sky, and sped off toward Miami on the other side of the U.S.
He casually tossed the tracking chip into the cold water of the Atlantic Ocean.
A few hours later.
A primitive forest devoid of human presence.
Lu Chen landed with the two of them in front of a hidden cave.
He threw the two unconscious guys in his hands onto the ground.
Black Noir's broken body slammed against the gravel, making a dull sound.
Lu Chen raised his right hand, pressing his palm against Black Noir's blood-stained forehead.
The system panel popped up.
[Superhumans target detected: Black Noir]
[Optional ability 1: Super Self-Healing LV3]
[Optional ability 2: Super Physique LV4]
[Optional ability 3: Super Strength LV3]
It was time for the harvest.
Chapter 50: Becca
Lu Chen's gaze moved slowly across the three options.
Super Strength LV3, can be skipped directly.
Super Physique already includes an increase in strength; individual Super Strength or Super Speed are more like specialized reinforcement skills that can be used in conjunction with the physique, but in the face of a level 4 Super Physique, they are not a high priority.
The system's classification of abilities is very clear; Super Physique is an all-around improvement to physical fitness, including strength, speed, endurance, and defense. A level 4 Super Physique means a huge, comprehensive leap.
But Super Self-healing... A name appeared in Lu Chen's mind: Wolverine.
Black Noir's age has always been a mystery, but judging from the era in which he was active, he is at least middle-aged or elderly, yet the face under that mask looks like that of a 30-year-old.
Does the self-healing ability also mean delaying or even resisting aging?
He asked the system in his heart.
[ LV3 Super Self-healing can delay the process of cellular aging. ]
Immortality.
This word carried an irresistible magic, circling in the depths of Lu Chen's heart.
This was the ultimate temptation. He had a moment of hesitation.
But soon, another figure appeared on his shortlist. Kimiko. That girl with an even more powerful self-healing ability. There will be more than one opportunity.
He made his decision. "Select, Super Physique LV4."
[ Ability selected: Super Physique LV4 ]
[ Estimated Copy time: 6 hours ]
[ Copy progress: 0.01%... ]
Lu Chen sat cross-legged, maintaining contact, preparing to face the long six hours.
Just as the Copy progress bar slowly ticked to 13%, Black Noir on the ground suddenly gave a weak twitch.
His left eyelid trembled, and he actually slowly opened it a crack.
Consciousness restored?
Lu Chen paused.
LV3 Mind Control, even when he gave the hypnotic command with full force, the duration was significantly shortened against a Superhumans with such tenacious willpower as Black Noir, or was it that his animal friends were helping?
It seems Cate needs to speed up on her end.
As for Godolkin... that guy's ability is more like possession, which can control the body but seems unable to read or change thoughts. However, the characteristic of increasing mental strength through killing is not a bad trump card for possession and survival.
These thoughts flashed through his mind.
Black Noir's eyes moved with difficulty, as if he hadn't fully understood his situation yet.
Lu Chen raised his left hand, transforming it into a metal hand-blade, and accurately struck the nerve bundle on the back of Black Noir's neck. After a muffled sound, Black Noir's eyes, which had just regained a glimmer of clarity, immediately became unfocused, and he passed out completely.
Physical hypnosis, simple and effective.
Lu Chen pressed his palm back onto Black Noir's temple, and the system prompt sounded again.
[ Connection successful, Copy continues. ]
[ Copy progress: 13.01%... ]
The cave returned to dead silence, with only the occasional murmurs of the unconscious Doppelganger and Black Noir's heavy, weak breathing.
Meanwhile, New York, Vought Tower, 91st floor.
Madelyn Stillwell stood in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the city lights below. But she was in no mood to appreciate them at the moment.
Doppelganger and Black Noir, both of them had lost contact.
One was an important strategic weapon, the other was the sharpest blade.
Madelyn picked up the phone on the desk and dialed the internal line of the Crime Analysis Department directly.
"I want to know all of Black Noir's movement trajectories. Within half an hour, I want to see the results."
Her voice was calm, but carried an unquestionable command.
Hanging up the phone, she rubbed her brow, an ominous premonition lingering in her heart.
Outside Madelyn's office, Homelander was staring fixedly at a painting on the wall in the corridor.
Every word in Madelyn's office fell clearly into his ears.
Black Noir is also missing?
He strode towards the Crime Analysis Department.
When the entire department staff saw him appear, they were collectively terrified into silence; the air seemed to have frozen.
"I want Black Noir's last movement trajectory."
The department supervisor scrambled to the main computer, pulled up the data, and tremblingly displayed a coordinate on the main screen.
"He... his last signal was in this area, sir."
Homelander glanced at the coordinate and turned to leave.
Just then, the phone in his pocket suddenly vibrated.
After the call was connected.
"Is... is this Mr. Homelander?" A man's nervous and fawning voice came from the other end of the phone, "I am Mesmer, A-Train... A-Train is my old friend, we used to be in the Teenage League together."
Homelander was expressionless, just about to crush the phone.
"I have some important intelligence!" Mesmer, fearing he would hang up, shouted at a very fast speed, "A group of Terrorists targeting Superhumans! I have obtained all their information, and there is also one... one special experimental subject, a girl!"
Homelander stopped his pace.
"I offer these as a gift to you. I... I ask for nothing else, I just want a... a job with a five-figure salary."
A few minutes later, at Mesmer's apartment.
Homelander hovered in mid-air, bored, watching the sweating middle-aged man in front of him present a stack of documents as if offering a treasure.
"It's them! I used the camera in the door lock to photograph them!"
Mesmer flipped through the documents, and photo after photo was revealed.
A man with a buzz cut, a skinny kid, a burly black man...
Homelander's gaze swept over these faces without lingering. Just a bunch of ants, not worth wasting half a second on.
"And her!" Mesmer pointed to another photo, which was an Asian girl with a fierce look in her eyes, "She is that experimental subject, I read her memories, she..."
Mesmer's words stopped abruptly.
Because he saw Homelander's expression change.
Homelander's expression darkened the moment he saw the photo of Butcher.
Butcher...
This name, this face.
A memory he had almost forgotten instantly became clear.
Becca.
That woman's terrified face, and her husband's name... William. Billy Butcher.
So, he is still alive.
And, he is still dealing with The Seven, dealing with me?
The air in the apartment instantly became tense.
Mesmer felt as if his throat was being gripped by an invisible giant hand, and even breathing became difficult. He looked at the bottomless gloom on Homelander's face, cold sweat soaking his back.
"Ho... Mr. Homelander?" He asked tremblingly, "Is this intelligence... are you satisfied? That five-figure job..."
Homelander did not answer.
He didn't even look at Mesmer again.
That request about the job, along with Mesmer himself, had already been completely deleted from his mind.
He turned slowly, facing the window.
Why would Butcher reappear after so many years and launch a revenge against me?
If he really wanted revenge, why not that day? That year? But now, seven or eight years later?
The next second, he shot into the sky without any warning.
He was not going to track down Black Noir's whereabouts.
He was going back to investigate Becca's files.
To find out clearly.
Chapter 51: The World Is Vast, Go Where You Will
Sunlight shone into the cave; it was already the morning of the second day.
The system panel popped up on his retina.
[Copy Progress: 100%]
[Super Physique LV4 fused and strengthened]
[Physical Mimicry Transformation LV4 solidified]
Twelve hours.
The long wait was over.
Lu Chen stood up.
His bones emitted a series of crisp cracks.
Muscle fibers reorganized and stretched beneath his skin with terrifying efficiency.
His sensory perception was pushed to a new height.
His entire body was filled with explosive power.
This was the physique of LV4.
An all-around improvement.
He looked at the line of red text at the bottom of the panel.
[Side effect warning: The longer the Physical Mimicry Transformation is maintained, the stronger the sensation of cellular tearing will be. Exceeding the safety threshold will force a reversion to the original form.]
As expected.
The pain Doppelganger felt after every long transformation was not faked.
But he did not care anymore; Vought Company's surveillance network and facial recognition system would be completely ineffective against him from today on.
Lu Chen walked over to Black Noir and Doppelganger.
Both men were still in a deep coma.
Keeping these two alive was a potential threat.
He took off his clothes.
A high temperature of two thousand degrees gathered in his palm.
The blinding fire engulfed the two bodies on the ground.
Flesh, bones, and clothing carbonized rapidly under the extreme heat.
A few seconds later.
Only two piles of grayish-white ash remained on the ground.
Lu Chen stepped back with his right leg and exerted force suddenly.
A gust of wind swept up the ashes and scattered them into the dense forest outside the cave.
All traces were cleaned up.
He walked out of the cave, put on his clothes, and activated light energy propulsion.
His figure rose from the ground and shot straight toward New York.
New York, Queens, motel.
Lu Chen pushed open the door.
Four babies were sleeping soundly on the bed.
My babysitting career ends here.
He found a large, reinforced cardboard box.
He lined the bottom of the box with several layers of soft towels.
He put the four little ones inside one by one.
He closed the lid of the box, leaving a few ventilation holes.
Lu Chen walked to the mirror in the bathroom.
Physical Mimicry Transformation activated.
A few seconds later.
An unremarkable middle-aged White man appeared in the mirror.
His face was slightly chubby, and his hairline had receded.
His once-fitted clothes now hung loosely on him.
Lu Chen picked up the box and walked out of the motel.
The transformed Lu Chen walked on the streets of New York.
Passersby hurried along, and no one gave him a second glance.
The muscles of this body were a bit flabby, but the power within still belonged to the LV4 Super Physique.
This sense of displacement was quite novel.
Outside the main entrance of Mercy Hospital.
Several black SUVs were parked on the side of the road.
Security personnel in plain clothes were wandering around.
The number of surveillance cameras in the corners had clearly doubled.
After the last attack, Vought Company's security level had risen sharply.
Lu Chen carried the box and walked straight into the lobby.
The intensive care unit on the first floor was empty.
After circling around, Lu Chen locked onto the infant intensive care unit that had been moved to the second floor.
Lu Chen walked toward the staircase.
Two burly security guards reached out to block his path.
"The second floor is locked down; unauthorized personnel are not allowed to enter."
Lu Chen did not stop.
A straight kick.
The security guard in front flew backward and slammed into the wall at the corner of the stairs.
A large area of wall plaster fell off.
The security guard spat out a mouthful of blood and passed out directly.
The other security guard quickly drew his gun.
Lu Chen reached out with his left hand and grabbed the barrel.
The metal barrel bent directly under the immense force.
The security guard's finger was stuck in the trigger guard and could not be pulled out.
Lu Chen backhanded the security guard across the side of his face.
The man spun twice in mid-air and slammed heavily onto the ground.
The security Captain at the end of the corridor heard the commotion and rushed out with his men.
"Fire!"
Gunfire erupted.
Lu Chen did not dodge, only shielding the box.
Bullets hit his body, emitting a dense sound of metal collisions.
Sparks flew everywhere.
The bullets were deflected and fell to the ground.
The security Captain stopped shooting, looking at the deformed bullets on the ground.
A completely bulletproof Superhuman?
He turned to grab his communicator.
"Calling headquarters, a high-risk target has appeared on the second floor, requesting reinforcements!"
Before he could finish speaking.
Lu Chen exerted force with his legs, and Super Speed LV3 erupted.
His figure disappeared from where he stood, kicking up a gust of wind.
The security Captain only felt a blur before his eyes.
A hand had already gripped his neck.
Tremendous force came, and he was lifted into mid-air.
A sense of suffocation instantly rushed to his brain.
Lu Chen tossed him aside casually.
The security Captain slammed into several other security guards, knocking them all down.
After a few muffled thuds.
There were no more security guards standing in the corridor.
Lu Chen pushed open the door to the second-floor intensive care unit.
As usual, he first destroyed all the cameras above the infant incubators, then casually opened a few incubators, took out the unlucky ones inside and set them aside, and then stuffed the four little ones he brought in.
After doing all this, he looked at the windowless, completely sealed intensive care unit.
He walked to a load-bearing wall and kicked it.
"Boom!"
The reinforced concrete wall was kicked open, creating a hole as tall as a person, with rubble and dust spewing outward.
"Goodbye, little ones."
Lu Chen whispered, as a farewell.
"I will come back to see you."
He leaped down from the hole in the second floor, landed without the slightest pause, activated Super Speed, and disappeared at the end of the street corner after a few bounds.
In the New York safe house.
Hughie sat on the worn-out sofa, his hands constantly rubbing his knees.
Frenchie was fiddling with chemical reagents on the table. The liquid in the test tube was bubbling green.
Mothers Milk leaned against the wall, head down, wiping the barrel of his Glock pistol.
Kimiko squatted in the corner, poking ants on the floor with her finger.
Butcher was not there.
He had taken some Compound V and the new leverage he got from Mesmer about Vought Company creating Superhuman villains to negotiate with the CIA.
The waiting process was the most agonizing.
The phone on the table suddenly vibrated.
Hughie glanced at the screen.
Caller ID: Dad.
Frenchie stopped what he was doing and looked over.
Mothers Milk also put down his gun and leaned forward slightly.
Hughie immediately pressed the answer button.
"Hello, Dad."
A man's voice came from the other end of the line.
"Hello, Hughie. It's been a long time."
Hughie paused.
This was not his dad's voice.
"You know, I've been thinking about you a lot lately."
This voice.
Hughie held his breath.
"Who are you?"
The voice on the phone was mocking.
"I thought you would recognize my voice. You've spent so much time thinking about me, right?"
"I thought you would hear my voice in your dreams every night."
A sound of clothing rustling came through.
"Say hello to your precious son, Dad."
Hughie's father's terrified voice came through.
"Oh, hello, hello, hello, Hughie. Why is he here? He said you've run into some trouble."
"He said he could help you solve those troubles."
Hughie stood up abruptly.
Frenchie and Mothers Milk exchanged glances and quickly moved closer.
"Dad, are you okay?"
The phone was taken away again.
"Oh, he's fine."
The hand Hughie was holding the phone with was shaking.
"A-Train, listen to me."
"He's just an ordinary person on medical assistance. He's harmless. Let him go."
A-Train's voice turned cold.
"He's harmless? You caused me to lose everything! Do you think I care if he's harmless or not?"
After a brief pause.
"Get over here in 20 minutes, or I'll smash him into a pile of minced meat, do you understand?"
"Just like I did to your girlfriend."
The image of blood all over the ground exploded in his mind once again.
Hughie's teeth gnashed together.
He looked at Frenchie and Mothers Milk beside him.
"Okay. I understand."
"And, Hughie, come alone. If I smell even a hint of your asshole friends..."
"I understand."
Chapter 52: Everyone Exposed
On the streets of Queens, Lu Chen had already deactivated his mimicry. He walked towards the subway like a college student rushing to class.
The phone in his pocket began to vibrate.
The caller ID showed Hughie.
Lu Chen pressed the answer button. Hughie's urgent voice came from the other end of the line.
"Lu! Help me! A-Train has captured my dad!" Hughieincoherently recounted the contents of the call he had just received, "He wants me to go over alone, in twenty minutes! I have no idea what to do, if you could..."
"Sorry, I can't help you," Lu Chen interrupted him.
The other end of the line fell into dead silence instantly.
Lu Chen did not intend to intervene directly. He knew the plot's trajectory very well; Kimiko would follow, and A-Train wouldn't be able to kill Hughie today. If A-Train had actually wised up and discovered Kimiko, then he could only wish him luck for the time being; a cautious speedster was almost impossible to catch.
"Listen, Hughie." Lu Chen stopped in his tracks, "I am not the hired muscle you can call at any time. A-Train is a Superhuman, and you are just an electronics salesman. But you are not empty-handed."
"What do I have? I can't even hold a gun steady!" Hughieshouted.
"You have a brain." Lu Chen lowered his voice, "Think carefully, A-Train is a junkie, Hughie. He is addicted to Compound V. And you happen to have exactly what he craves most in your hands."
Hughie froze.
"Use the Compound to trade for your dad's life." After saying this, Lu Chen pressed the hang-up button directly.
Inside the safe house, the atmosphere was depressed to the extreme.
Hughie stared fixedly at the darkened screen in his hand. Compound V. Yes, that was the only bargaining chip. He turned abruptly, rushed toward the chemical reagents Frenchie was fiddling with on the table, grabbed the bottle containing the blue liquid, stuffed it into his pocket, and rushed toward the stairs without looking back.
"Hughie! Where are you going!" Frenchie shouted from behind, but Hughie had already pushed open the iron door and run out.
Mothers Milk did not go to stop Hughie. He was staring fixedly at the banking app on his screen.
Below was a line of glaring red text: Account abnormal, already frozen by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
"Fuck!" Mothers Milk slammed a fist hard against the wall.
Vought Company's actions were too fast. Their social connections had been completely blocked.
"I have to go home." Mothers Milk grabbed the car keys on the table, "Monique and Janine are still at home, they will definitely send people over. I have to take them away."
Frenchie watched Mothers Milk's hurried retreating figure and irritably scratched his hair. He didn't care about himself, he had long been wanted. But Hughie going to face A-Train alone was definitely suicide.
He turned his head and looked at Kimiko, who was curled up in the corner.
Frenchie walked over to her and squatted down, "That lanky guy is in trouble. Big trouble."
Kimiko raised her head, her black-and-white eyes staring at Frenchie.
Frenchie pointed to the door, "Hughie is a good guy, he shouldn't die at the hands of that bastard. Can you go help him?"
Kimiko was silent for a few seconds. She stood up, darted up the stairs like a nimble cat, and disappeared outside the door.
Frenchie breathed a sigh of relief. He took out another burner phone and dialed Butcher's number.
Inside the secret CIA office.
Butcher slammed a thick stack of documents heavily onto the office desk. The papers slid, revealing a few blurry photos and complex transfer records.
"Look at these, Susan." Butcher braced his hands on the desk, leaning forward, staring fixedly at the woman behind the desk, "Vought Company is creating Superhuman Terrorists all over the World. They smuggle Compound Vout of the country and inject it into those extremist militants. This is what they call 'counter-terrorism'! They are creating enemies themselves, and then sending Homelander to act as the savior!"
Susan picked up a document, flipped through two pages, and frowned.
"This is big news, right?" A fanatical light flickered in Butcher's eyes, "With this, you can open a case. You can slap a search warrant directly onto that bitch Madelyn Stillwell's face. You can drag Homelander off his pedestal!"
Susan put down the document and looked at Butcher.
"This is not enough, Billy."
Butcher's smile froze on his face.
"What did you say?"
"I said this is not enough." Susan pointed at the documents on the table, "These pieces of evidence can indeed prove that Vought Company is smuggling Compound V. But can you prove that it was Madelyn Stillwell who gave the order? Can you prove that Homelander was involved? Vought only needs to push out a few scapegoats to clear themselves of this matter completely. And once we make a move, we will be facing Vought's massive legal team and those politicians in Congress who have been bought off by them."
Susan sighed: "Billy, I cannot declare war on Homelanderjust based on this. That would destroy the entire CIA."
"Fuck!" Butcher straightened up abruptly and kicked over the chair next to him.
The Agent outside the door immediately pushed the door open and came in, his hand already pressed on his holster.
Susan waved her hand, signaling the Agent to leave.
"Negotiations have broken down, Deputy Director." Butcher grabbed the documents on the table and walked out, "I'll go find someone else. Someone will dare to take this hot potato."
The phone in his pocket began to vibrate.
Butcher stopped in his tracks, took out his phone, and answered.
"Something's happened." Frenchie's voice came from the receiver, "We are all exposed. Mothers Milk's account has been frozen, and he rushed home to save his wife and children. Hughie's father has been kidnapped by A-Train, and he has gone alone with the Compound to negotiate. We are completely exposed."
Butcher's hand gripping the phone tightened abruptly.
If it were just himself, he wouldn't care about any arrest warrants at all. He had long since put his head on the line.
But Hughie, Mothers Milk, Frenchie... they couldn't withstand Vought's all-out strangulation. Without the CIA's protection, they wouldn't survive the night.
He turned around and walked back to the office desk again.
"What? Didn't find a next buyer willing to take it?" Susan looked at him.
"You win." Butcher threw the documents back onto the table, "The information is all yours. Use it however you want."
Susan raised an eyebrow: "And the conditions?"
"I want an absolutely safe safe house." Butcher held up a finger, "The highest level of witness protection program. A legal new identity for each of them, and a pension large enough for them to squander for the rest of their lives."
Butcher stared into Susan's eyes: "Keep my team safe. This information, which can make Vought lose an arm, is yours."
Susan looked at the documents on the table and pondered for a moment.
"Deal."
Vought Tower, 91st floor, Vice President's office. Outside the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, the prosperity of New York could be seen at a glance.
"Becca." Homelander spoke, "Do you still remember her, Madelyn Stillwell?"
"Becca?" Madelyn Stillwell raised her head, a perfectly appropriate look of confusion on her face, "This name sounds a bit familiar... Is she an employee from which department? You know, I have to deal with too many things every day."
"Becca Butcher, that girl from the marketing department seven or eight years ago. I checked her file, she went missing, but the Police thought it was a suicide. I was just wondering if you knew what happened to her?"
The smile on Madelyn Stillwell's face froze for a moment. "Oh, I just thought she had resigned at the time."
She was lying. But Homelander didn't expose her.
He was already tired of guessing games. Vogelbaum, that old guy, the man who created him with his own hands, he would tell the truth. Fear was the best tool to make him tell the truth.
Homelander walked to the desk, braced his hands on the edge of the table, and leaned in close to Madelyn Stillwell.
"Between us, there will be no more secrets, right?"
His breath brushed across Madelyn Stillwell's cheek.
Madelyn Stillwell did not answer. She stood up, walked around the desk, and took the initiative to meet him. Her body pressed tightly against his, she tilted her head back, and with a deep kiss, blocked all of his unspoken words.
This kiss was full of comforting meaning, a weapon she had used countless times in the past to appease his anger. Homelander closed his eyes, enjoying this familiar feeling. But this time, he could clearly distinguish that her lips had a slight, hard-to-detect tremor, and her body was stiff.
She was afraid.
After the kiss, Madelyn Stillwell cupped his face and said softly: "Of course, my hero. There never will be."
Homelander revealed a childlike, satisfied smile.
"That's good."
He turned around and strode out of the office.
Watching Homelander leave, Madelyn Stillwell breathed a sigh of relief inwardly and rubbed her temples. Those few short minutes just now were even more mentally exhausting than facing the questioning from that group of hungry wolves in Congress.
Madelyn Stillwell took her phone out of her bag and dialed a number.
"The Deep?"
A male voice with a hint of excitement came from the other end of the line: "Ma'am! Is there anything I can do for you?"
"Black Noir has lost contact." Madelyn Stillwell's voice returned to its usual calmness, "The last location where he sent a signal was in a sea area in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. I want you to go there immediately and find out what exactly happened there."
"I... I'll go right away!" The Deep's voice was filled with the joy of being entrusted with an important task, "Leave it to me, Madelyn Stillwell! I will never let you down!"
He thought this was Madelyn Stillwell's trust in him, a signal for his return to the inner circle. He was completely unaware that he was just being sent to investigate an unknown danger that even Black Noir couldn't handle.
Madelyn Stillwell hung up the phone and threw it aside. She needed to divert Homelander's attention, and she also needed to know who exactly had the ability to take out Black Noir.
And at this moment, in an inconspicuous back alley in Queens.
After Lu Chen hung up Hughie's call.
A faint sound of bone and muscle restructuring echoed.
Lu Chen's figure changed rapidly in the shadows. His height shortened by a few centimeters, his shoulders narrowed, his facial contours became mediocre, and his black hair turned into brown curly hair. He casually picked up a discarded hoodie from the trash can at the alley entrance and put it on, then took out a pair of black-rimmed glasses from his pocket and put them on.
The person in the mirror was the most common New Yorkpasserby, who could never be found again if thrown into a crowd.
He walked out of the alley, blended into the crowd, and headed towards Hughie's home.
He chose a window seat downstairs from Hughie's home, ordered a cup of coffee, and waited silently.
Chapter 53: Nationwide Wanted
Lu Chen held a paper cup, leaning on a high stool by the window. The eyes behind his black-rimmed glasses were half-closed, looking bored.
Super Senses were fully activated.
Seven minutes later, a figure appeared at the street corner.
Hughie. He walked very fast, almost jogging across the road. His coat pocket was bulging, carrying that bottle of blue Compound V. His pace was a bit stiff, but he did not look panicked to the point of losing control.
Not bad. At least he was not completely dominated by fear.
Hughie pushed open the glass door of the apartment building and disappeared into the stairwell.
And behind him, a petite figure was moving along the outer wall of the apartment building. Kimiko. She found an entrance to a ventilation duct on the second floor, pried open the iron grate with her bare hands, and crawled inside.
Lu Chen put down his coffee cup and began to listen carefully.
Hughie entered the door, A-Train was saying something, the gist of it was telling him to put the Compound V on the table and get lost. Hughie did not do as he was told.
"Let my dad go first."
Lu Chen raised his eyebrows. This kid learned quickly from Butcher. Once you grasp the opponent's psychology, you trade people before trading goods.
A-Train started cursing, mixed with threats. But he did not make a move.
Because the Compound V was right in front of him, he did not want to take any risk of letting that bottle shatter on the floor. Having lost his job delivering to the noodle shop, he had no way to skim off Compound V, and his stock was bottoming out.
Time ticked by, second by second.
At the fourth minute, Hughie's father was pushed out of the room. The old man stumbled and hit the wall of the corridor. Footsteps moved down the stairs.
At the sixth minute, a faint sound of metal bending came from the ventilation duct.
A-Train did not notice. All his attention was on that bottle of blue liquid.
The seventh minute.
A muffled "bang" sound. Immediately followed by A-Train's scream.
Clean and crisp. Kimiko hit the leg.
Lu Chen picked up the paper cup and finished the last sip of coffee.
The screaming continued, mixed with A-Train's desperate cursing.
About two minutes later, the front door of the apartment building was kicked open.
Hughie's father came out first. A middle-aged man with half-white hair, wearing a plaid shirt, pale-faced, with unsteady steps. He held onto the door frame for several seconds before standing firm.
Hughie followed closely behind, one hand supporting his father's arm, the other hand still trembling.
The last one to come out was Kimiko. She held a blood-stained metal rod in her hand, the front of the rod was deformed, stained with dark red blood and bone fragments.
The three of them walked quickly towards the end of the street. Hughie's father kept looking back, and Hughie was whispering to comfort him. Kimiko walked at the very back, casually throwing the rod into a trash can by the side of the road.
Lu Chen watched them turn the corner and disappear from view.
Then he stood up, threw the paper cup into the recycling bin, and walked out of the coffee shop unhurriedly.
He pushed open the door of the apartment building and went upstairs.
A-Train's wailing came from upstairs, intermittent.
Lu Chen walked to the second floor. The corridor was empty, the door of the third room on the right was open, and the lock had been broken from the inside.
Inside the room, A-Train was curled up on the floor.
His right leg hung at an unnatural angle from below the knee. White bone shards poked out from his suit. He was clutching that leg with both hands, curled into a ball, shivering uncontrollably.
Lu Chen walked behind him silently.
A-Train did not react at all. A person consumed by excruciating pain and fear, his World had shrunk to that broken leg.
His right hand fingers curled together, the metalization was completed instantly. The skin from his fingertips to his forearm took on a cold gray luster, the texture changing from muscle to dense alloy.
A hand knife, precisely chopped onto the back of A-Train's neck.
A-Train's scream stopped abruptly, and he fell forward, slamming face-first onto the floor.
Completely unconscious.
Lu Chen squatted down and flipped open A-Train's eyelids to check. Pupils dilated, completely unconscious.
He placed his palm on A-Train's temple.
Mind Control started again. Using both methods, physical knockout plus mental suppression.
Lu Chen stood up and walked around Hughie's home. The living room was small and decorated simply. Several old photos hung on the wall, a group photo of Hughie and his father, with an amusement park in the background.
A suitcase leaned against the wardrobe. Not too big, not too small, just the right size.
He dragged the suitcase over and opened it, then found a towel and several rolls of bandages from the bathroom. A-Train's broken leg needed simple treatment, he was afraid he would bleed to Death in the suitcase.
Simple fixation, tight bandages, stop the bleeding. The whole process took no more than three minutes.
Two minutes later, an ordinary man wearing a baseball cap and dragging a suitcase walked out of the apartment building and merged into the crowd.
CIA headquarters.
Susan placed the briefcase containing the criminal evidence on the desk and unzipped it.
Madelyn Stillwell scanned the files inside without reaching for them.
"Deputy Director, I don't know why you asked me here?"
Susan pulled out the documents and spread them out, "Disguising Compound V as children's vaccines, smuggling Compound V, creating Superhumans Terrorists overseas, fabricating counter-terrorism records. Each one is enough to put a noose around your neck, Madelyn Stillwell."
Madelyn Stillwell looked down at the documents for a few seconds, and when she raised her head, her face still had that calm smile.
"So? What is it you want."
"Withdraw the Superhumans militarization bill." Susan held up a finger, "Register the real information and abilities of all Superhumans. Allow federal agencies to exercise jurisdiction over Superhumans."
A second finger.
"Finally, bring all research and production of Compound Vunder federal supervision."
Madelyn Stillwell did not answer immediately. She picked up the document as if reading it carefully, but Susan could see that she was not looking at the content at all; she was buying time to think.
"Deputy Director, have you ever thought about," Madelyn Stillwell put down the document, crossing her hands on the table, "what will happen once these 'evidence' is made public?"
"Don't talk to me about this." Susan sat down opposite her, "If you do not do as I say, I guarantee that tomorrow the whole World will see this, and Vought Tower's stock price will drop to 0."
Madelyn Stillwell's smile finally had a crack.
Just as she was about to speak, the office door was knocked. A CIA Agent pushed the door open, walked quickly to Susan's side, and whispered a few words in her ear.
Susan's face changed.
"Play it."
The Agent took out a tablet and tapped on a video.
The screen showed somewhere in Syria. U.S. soldiers in camouflage lay on the ground in disarray, some no longer moving. A man in ragged clothing was tearing an armored vehicle into pieces with energy waves shot from his hands.
Superhumans Terrorist attack.
The next shot, Homelander descended from the sky. Homelander. He landed in the middle of the ruins, Heat Vision shot from his eyes, precisely piercing the chest of that Terrorist.
That Superhumans Terrorist died on the spot.
Homelander walked to the corpse and took out a tube of blue liquid from the inside of his clothes.
He held up the liquid, facing the embedded reporters who had already gathered around, his face showing a sorrowful expression.
"Terrorists stole Compound V, and now they are actually able to counterfeit Compound V."
"Facing such Superhumans Terrorists, only Superheroes, only us, can protect you."
Susan stared at the screen, speechless.
Madelyn Stillwell stood up from her seat, walked around to Susan, and looked down at the image on the tablet.
Then she raised her head, looked at Susan, and the smile returned to the corners of her mouth.
"It seems the situation has changed, Deputy Director. Would you like to sit down and talk again?"
Susan did not answer. She turned and walked out.
In the corridor, her pace got faster and faster. A series of message notifications popped up on her phone screen: Congress emergency vote, the Superheroes militarization bill passed with an overwhelming majority. Compound Vwas classified as "National Defense Secret".
The Agent handed over another document. Susan took it and saw the names on it.
Butcher. Hughie. Mothers Milk. Frenchie. Kimiko.
Nationwide wanted order. Treason.
Susan stood at the end of the corridor. Outside the window, the night in New York was falling, and the lights on top of Vought Tower lit up, illuminating most of the sky.
She dialed Butcher's phone.
"Butcher, we lost."
"...What do you mean?"
"The Superhumans militarization bill just passed. Compound V is classified as a national defense secret. Everyone of you, including all the safe houses, new identities, and protection plans I arranged for you, are all void."
"What the fuck are you talking about!"
"You and your people are now traitors. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security, the CIA, everyone will come to catch you."
Susan closed her eyes.
"Run."
Chapter 54: Super Speed LV5 and Infighting
With a muffled "bang," a tattered, graffiti-covered wooden door was kicked open.
Lu Chen dragged his suitcase inside and locked the door behind him.
This was an unoccupied apartment; he laid the suitcase flat on the floor and unzipped it.
A-Train was still curled up inside like a dead pig, the bandages on his severed leg stained dark red by seeping blood.
Lu Chen paid no attention to his injuries, instead taking out the black dagger he had seized from Black Noir and pressing the tip against the skin of his nape.
"Sss—"
The sharp blade easily sliced through flesh. Lu Chenexpressionlessly used the tip of the blade to rummage through the gore a few times before fishing out a metal chip.
He pinched the chip between his fingertips and instantly activated Starlight's ability. A faint light flashed across his fingertips, and a wisp of blue smoke rose from inside the chip as it short-circuited and was completely destroyed.
Lu Chen casually tossed the scrap metal into the sewer.
He couldn't stay here long. He needed a place where absolutely no one would come checking.
Zipping up the suitcase again, Lu Chen headed out onto the street.
Twenty minutes later, he arrived at a slum on the outskirts of New York. This was a paradise for gangs, junkies, and the homeless; even the Police were unwilling to drive their cars in here at night.
Just as he turned into a dead-end alley without streetlights, three heavily tattooed Black men blocked his path.
"Hey, yellow-skinned kid." The leader played with a butterfly knife in his hand, his eyes greedily fixed on the large suitcase. "It's the middle of the night, what kind of good stuff do you have in that case? Bring it out and let the brothers take a look?"
Lu Chen stopped and sighed.
He released the suitcase handle and took a step forward.
"Snap!"
Three seconds later, the leader was kneeling on the ground, clutching his broken arm and letting out a blood-curdling scream. The other two were already lying in a pile of trash, unable to even groan.
Lu Chen stepped over the blood on the ground, dragged the suitcase to the end of an alley two streets away, and kicked open the iron door of an abandoned Underground Room.
It was piled high with rusty car parts, and the air was thick and stale. But it was well-hidden.
He welded the iron door shut from the inside, opened the suitcase, dragged A-Train out, and laid him flat on the ground.
He reached out his right hand and placed it on A-Train's forehead.
The Copy panel popped up on his retina:
[ LV3 Super Physique ]
[ LV5 Super Speed (Developable) ]
Lu Chen's gaze lingered on those three words.
Developable.
These three words again. When he had first copied Starlight's ability, the system had given the same prompt.
He withdrew his hand and rubbed his chin.
As A-Train was now, even if he took Compound V and raced against Impact in a state of extreme excitement, his top speed was only 371 meters per second. This speed barely broke the sound barrier and was indeed faster than his own current LV3 limit of 200 meters per second.
But this was definitely not the level an LV5 should have.
Lu Chen remembered very clearly that in the later plot, in order to save people, A-Train had displayed a terrifying speed that was almost like "pseudo-time-stop."
Think about Homelander. He had admitted himself that he could fly at supersonic speeds as a child. But in the chase with A-Train, if A-Train hadn't wanted to avoid pedestrians and lost speed, even if Homelander could catch up, he would probably have had to wait until A-Train was exhausted. Could it be because of the problem with A-Train's heart?
Starlight was the same. The abilities she displayed in the first few seasons were simply embarrassing to watch compared to Thermonuclear Manipulation, which was also LV4.
It seemed the system's criteria for judgment were very rigid.
The system copied the ability limit of this physical body, not the level currently developed.
To reach that realm of pseudo-time-stop, I will have to explore it myself.
Lu Chen did not hesitate any longer and pressed his hand onto A-Train's head again.
"Select Copy, LV5 Super Speed."
[ Copy started. ]
[ Estimated time required: 24 hours ]
These 24 hours were going to be a long wait.
Meanwhile.
In New York, at a hidden safe house in Brooklyn.
The door was smashed open by a hydraulic ram, sending wood splinters flying.
"FBI!"
Beams from tactical flashlights instantly filled the entire room. A dozen heavily armed SWAT officers rushed in, pointing their weapons in every direction.
Mothers Milk did not resist. He immediately shielded his wife and daughter behind him, raised his hands high, and slowly knelt on the ground.
"Don't shoot! I surrender!" Mothers Milk shouted.
On the other side, Frenchie, who was left behind, was not so cooperative. He tried to reach for the shotgun under the table but was tackled by two SWAT officers and pinned hard against the wall.
"Let me go! You Vought lackeys!" Frenchie's face was scraped bloody by the rough wall, and he was spewing French profanities wildly.
The SWAT officer's gun was pointed directly at Mothers Milk's wife's head. The little girl was crying loudly in terror.
"Don't touch them!" Mothers Milk's eyes turned red, the veins on his neck bulging, but he didn't dare move. He knew that if he moved, his wife and child would be riddled with bullets.
The sound of high heels clicking on the floor came from the corridor.
Susan Raynor, wearing a black trench coat, strode into the living room, clutching a document stamped with the Department of Defense's red seal.
"Put the gun down." Susan Raynor looked coldly at the SWAT officer who had his gun pointed at the mother and daughter.
The lead inspector frowned, "Deputy Director, these people are on the national wanted list; they are traitors."
"I said, put the gun down." Susan Raynor stepped forward and slapped the document in her hand onto the inspector's chest. "These two women are not on the list. They have no criminal record. Hand them over to me; this is under the jurisdiction of the CIA."
The inspector looked at the document, then at Susan Raynor, and finally waved his hand.
The SWAT officers lowered their guns. Mothers Milk's wife hugged her daughter tightly, trembling all over, looking at everything in front of her in terror.
Mothers Milk was hooded, his hands cuffed behind his back, and escorted out. When passing by Susan Raynor,
"I'm sorry, Marvin. This is the only thing I can do right now." She said in a low voice.
In Brooklyn, in a safe house prepared earlier.
Butcher, Kimiko, and Hughie met here; his father had contacted Susan Raynor on Butcher's advice and was protected along with Mothers Milk's family.
Kimiko squatted in the shadows of the corner, her gaze darting back and forth between the two.
"What about Mothers Milk and Frenchie?" Hughie took a step forward. "They've been captured! We have to go save them!"
Butcher stopped what he was doing and tucked his gun back into his waistband.
"No time to worry about them." Butcher's voice was flat.
Hughie froze. He thought he had misheard. "What did you say?"
"I said, the bill has passed, Hughie." Butcher looked up. "Compound V is now a Department of Defense secret. We are Terrorists wanted nationwide. All law enforcement agencies are looking for us."
"So what? We just watch them die?"
"Break into a prison? With just the three of us?" Butcher sneered. "That's called suicide."
"They are our teammates!" Hughie shouted.
"This is a war, Hughie!" Butcher raised his voice and shouted back. "That's the fucking rules of the game. If you didn't want to play, why did you join this damn team in the first place!"
Hughie looked at the man in front of him, feeling his stomach churning.
Crazy.
Chapter 55: A Story Triggered by You
Butcher had completely gone mad.
Previously, watching Butcher repeatedly cross the line, he thought it was a necessary means for revenge.
But now, he found that there was only hatred left in this man's mind.
In order to kill Homelander, he could throw everyone in.
"What are we doing then? Just hiding here?" Hughie asked, gritting his teeth.
"Go find Mallory." Butcher straightened up, "She used to be my superior. She has always been investigating Vought Company, and if there's anyone else who knows Homelander's weakness, she's the only one I can think of."
Hughie took a deep breath and stepped back two steps.
"So, even if it drags everyone down, you still want to make Homelander bleed, right?"
"Right." Butcher answered without hesitation, without a trace of guilt in his eyes.
"FUCK YOU, Butcher." Hughie cursed.
This was the first time he spoke to Butcher with such backbone, "To hell with your war, to hell with your Mallory. I'm going to save them."
Butcher's eyes completely turned cold.
"An appliance salesman like you can't do anything."
"That's still better than staying with a madman like you."
Hughie turned around and strode towards the door.
He walked very fast, as if bidding farewell to some cowardly past.
He thought Butcher would draw a gun to stop him, or rush up and beat him.
But Butcher didn't do anything, just stood in place, coldly watching his retreating figure.
In the corner, Kimiko stood up.
She gave Butcher a deep look, her eyes revealing undisguised disgust.
Then she took strides and followed Hughie.
With a "bang", the iron door was heavily slammed shut.
Only Butcher was left alone in the safe house.
He touched his pocket, took out a lighter, and relit a cigarette.
The firelight illuminated his stubble-covered face, and after taking a puff, he threw the cigarette on the ground and crushed it hard.
"What a damned fool, ridiculously stupid. Damn it, idiot... Fuck, practically stupid to the core."
Butcher pulled open the door and hurried towards Mallory's direction.
New York State, in the north, a state park far away from the hustle and bustle.
The air in the forest carried a moist smell of grass and trees.
Stepping on the soil full of rotten leaves, Butcher finally found that figure by the lake.
Grace Mallory was holding a high-powered telescope, intently observing a bird on the treetops across the lake.
She was wearing an outdoor jacket, with gray hair, like a hermit isolated from the world.
Butcher's footsteps startled her.
"They flew away, Billy."
Mallory didn't put down the telescope, her voice coming calmly.
Butcher walked out from The Woods behind her, his black trench coat stained with dust, looking like he had traveled overnight.
"I need your help, Grace."
"I'm retired." Mallory put down the telescope, turned around to look at him, "You should let go too."
"Let go?" Butcher sneered, as if hearing some huge joke, "Mallory, isn't all this started because of you?"
He stepped forward.
"Back then, you found me! You told me that Homelanderraped Becca, and Vought Company covered up all the truth like wiping an ass! You threatened Frenchie with his family, you dragged Mothers Milk out of a stable life! It was you who trained me into a bullet, a bullet specifically aimed at Homelander's head!"
Butcher's spit was almost going to spray onto Mallory's face.
"And now you tell me you've quit? You've let go? Then what the fuck am I supposed to do? Where should this bullet of mine be fired?"
Mallory was silent.
The wrinkles on her face appeared particularly deep, and her eyes held an unresolvable fatigue and remorse.
For a long time, she sighed.
"What happened back then, it was indeed my fault."
Her voice was very soft, as if talking to herself.
"I investigated Homelander for a long time, he is like a perfectly packaged monster, with almost no weaknesses."
She paused, seeming to recall some dusty archives, "The only thing I can be sure of is that he and Vought Company's vice president, Madelyn Stillwell, have a... unimaginably close relationship."
Butcher's brow knitted together.
"What kind of relationship? Is she Homelander's secret lover?"
"No, it's not that simple." Mallory shook her head, "They act watertight in public. But I was the deputy Director of the CIA for so many years after all, I still have that bit of judgment when looking at people. Billy, it's not as simple as lovers."
"Then what is it?"
"Something very complicated." Mallory's gaze drifted into the distance, "If you really must have me summarize it... it's more like attachment. And a certain sense of possessiveness."
Butcher's eyes lit up.
He had no interest in hearing any psychological analysis; he only needed a breakthrough that could be utilized.
"Got it."
He turned and left without a single word of farewell, as if the hysterical accusation just now had never happened.
Mallory looked at his resolute retreating figure, opened her mouth, and finally it only turned into an inaudibly low sigh.
"Butcher... don't live in hatred your whole life."
The wind blew her words away in the forest, but Butcherhad already walked far away.
Meanwhile.
Relying on his own strength to "defeat" a terrorist attack and push the Superhumans militarization bill onto the fast lane, Homelander did not return to Vought Tower amidst flashes and cheers as usual.
His figure pierced through the clouds above New York, flying towards a completely different direction.
A few minutes later, he landed in front of a secluded Villain Irvington, New York.
Here, shaded by green trees with an elegant environment, was the residence of Dr. Vogelbaum.
That "father" who created him and yet feared him.
...
New York, abandoned Underground Room.
The iron door welded shut with metal isolated everything from the outside world.
Lu Chen sat on the ground, his hand still pressed against A-Train's forehead, the progress bar on the Copy panel slowly increasing.
[Copy Progress: 65%]
Just at this moment, the mobile phone in his pocket emitted a slight vibration.
Lu Chen opened his eyes and picked up the phone.
It was a text message from Hughie.
[Lu, thank you. Thank you for your reminder before, my dad... he is safe. However, Mothers Milk and Frenchie have been caught. Butcher gave up on them, but I can't. I know you are busy with your own affairs, and I shouldn't come to disturb you. I just want to... if, if I am also caught, can you help me look after my family and Mothers Milk's family? Please.]
Lu Chen stared at the words on the screen, expressionless.
A bitter trick? Or truly driven to a dead end?
Hughie's character, kindness is his base color, but cowardice is also his label.
Now, this kindness overwhelmed cowardice, making him make the decision to part ways with Butcher.
That's actually a bit interesting.
However...
Lu Chen's gaze fell on the unconscious A-Train on the ground.
In the original plot, if not for Starlight's betrayal and A-Train's heart attack...
This gang would have long been wiped out in one wave by A-Train.
Hughie, Mothers Milk, Frenchie, and Kimiko wouldn't have a single one escape.
Now, having kidnapped A-Train and killed Black Noir, the direction of the entire plot has completely deviated.
Moreover, he was also very curious.
A-Train losing contact, Black Noir's life or death unknown, what card would Homelander or Vought Company play to deal with this situation?
Will that Nazi crazy woman "Stormfront" make her debut early? Or will they mobilize some secret weapons hidden beneath the deep water that never appeared in the plot?
Thinking of this, Lu Chen edited a text message and replied.
"I suggest you guys rest for a while first, and think of a plan to save people."
He paused and added another sentence.
"Maybe by then, I'll be able to free up my hands."
Send.
And in the Villa.
Vogelbaum forced himself to look calmly at the love-starved "god" in front of him whom he had created with his own hands and crazily brainwashed to inject psychological flaws.
"John, what do you want to ask?"
Homelander leaned close to Vogelbaum's ear, asking in a soft volume that only the two of them could hear:
"Do I... have children?"