Chapter 11: The Meaning of a Hero! Sending A-Train to Prison
"Send me to the Police station?"
A-Train was stunned. He knelt on the blood-stained carpet, raised his head in disbelief, thinking he had misheard.
The air in the conference room was chillingly quiet.
Maeve and The Deep also widened their eyes. Sending a formal member of The Seven to prison? This was simply unheard of in the history of Vought International.
In the past, even if they blew up a building, the PR department could pin the blame on Terrorists within an hour.
"Boss... you're joking, right?" A-Train stammered, his voice trembling.
He forced a smile that looked worse than crying, "I'm a Superhero! I'm the fastest man in the World! You're actually... going to send me to the station for the sake of an ordinary person?"
He pointed at Hughie, his tone full of absurdity and unwillingness: "He's just a pauper who can't even pay his rent! That dead woman was just a passerby! I've made so much money for the company, and you're going to arrest me for their sake?"
Hughie stood in place, gripping his hem tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force.
He stared nervously at Lin An.
Hughie's heart was in his throat.
He had seen too many faces of capitalists. Those politicians and rich people spoke better than they sang in front of cameras, but could turn around and sweep an ordinary person's life into the sewer like trash.
Would this Homelander really punish a Superhero who could bring in huge commercial value, just for him, a powerless electronics store clerk?
Lin An looked at A-Train's face, which was full of grievance and a sense of entitlement, and his expression darkened completely.
When he watched the original show, what he hated most was the face of these so-called Superheroes.
Calling people "ordinary people" and "ants" every other word.
Relying on their superpowers, they didn't take other people's lives seriously.
Even if this brother in black was whitewashed in the later stages, the current A-Train was still trash who could take drugs without bottom line for vanity and money, and kill people without a sincere apology.
Moreover, keeping such an addict who could lose control at any time in The Seven was a ticking time bomb.
Who knew when he would be high on drugs and hit some important person on the street again?
By then, the popularity points he had worked so hard to accumulate would definitely be dragged down by this idiot.
Keep him? Keep him to cause trouble for himself?
He didn't have time to be a nanny and wipe people's butts.
"Superhero?"
Lin An sneered and stood up from his chair.
He walked step by step to A-Train, looking down at him, his eyes like looking at a pile of non-recyclable industrial waste.
"Do you think that by wearing this tight suit, you are God?" Lin An's voice was not loud, but it carried a strong sense of oppression, "Do you think that because you run fast, you can ignore traffic rules, and you can hit a living person into a pile of bloody flesh on the street, and then walk away?"
A-Train was forced to retreat repeatedly, sitting in a pool of blood, shaking his head desperately: "I didn't mean it... I was chasing a criminal at the time..."
"Bullshit!" Lin An let out a sudden angry shout, making the glass in the conference room buzz.
"You know how much Compound V you took at the time! In order to keep your ridiculous 'World's Fastest' title, you ate banned drugs like candy! You killed Robin, not because you were saving people, but because you are an addict who can't even control your own speed!"
Every word was piercing.
A-Train's face turned deathly gray instantly.
His biggest secret, the one that even the top brass of Vought only turned a blind eye to, was stripped bare by Homelander in front of everyone.
Hughie shook all over, tears streaming out uncontrollably.
An addict.
So Robin didn't die from some irresistible accident, but from the selfishness and depravity of a Superhero.
"We are heroes, A-Train." Lin An turned around, opening his arms as if declaring to everyone, "The meaning of a hero is to protect those who have no power. If even we treat ordinary people as ants that can be crushed at will, then what is the difference between us and those Supervillains?"
He pointed at the corpse on the ground, his tone cold: "I said, the old Vought is dead. The new Vought does not need scum like you who disregard human life."
"Come in!" Lin An raised his volume.
Several heavily armed security guards who had been on standby outside the door rushed in immediately.
"Strip his uniform, inject inhibitors, and send him directly to the New York Police Department headquarters." Lin Andidn't even look at A-Train, ordering coldly, "Tell the Director that Vought International will provide the full set of evidence and testimony. Judge him as he should be judged. If anyone dares to plead for him, let them come to me."
The security guards didn't dare to talk nonsense, pouncing like wolves and tigers, directly sticking two powerful inhibitors into A-Train's neck.
"No! Boss! You can't do this to me!" A-Train finally collapsed, struggling wildly, his face full of tears and snot, "I was wrong! I'll pay! I'll pay as much as you want! Don't send me to prison!"
"Why didn't you think of that earlier? I hate apologies after the fact the most!"
Lin An waved his hand indifferently.
The security personnel rudely stripped off his iconic blue uniform and dragged him out of the conference room like a dead dog.
The miserable screams echoed in the corridor, getting further and further away, until they disappeared.
The remaining members of The Seven were terrified, not even daring to breathe loudly.
Hughie stood blankly in place.
It's over?
Just like that?
That behemoth that made him suffer day and night, that he thought he would never be able to shake in his life, was actually solved so lightly?
No perfunctory confidentiality agreement, no high-and-mighty charity.
Only pure justice.
[Ding! Obtained the shock and worship emotion of the core character of The Boys World, Hughie, Popularity + 20000!]
Hughie looked at the Homelander in front of him, at the man who was still stained with blood.
He suddenly felt that the Stars and Stripes cape was even more sacred than the cross in the church.
"Thank you... thank you." Hughie's voice was choked with sobs.
He bowed deeply, tears falling onto the carpet, "I... I thank you on behalf of Robin."
With his great revenge achieved, Hughie felt empty inside.
The anger and despair that supported him to come here suddenly disappeared, replaced by a deep sense of confusion.
He didn't know what to do next. Go back to repairing televisions in that dilapidated electronics store?
"Don't thank me, this is the justice you deserve." Lin Anstepped forward and reached out to pat Hughie's thin shoulder.
Hughie straightened up and wiped away his tears: "Then... I'll go first. I won't disturb you with the company's business."
He turned to leave this suffocating, bloody conference room.
"Wait."
Lin An's voice sounded behind him.
Hughie stopped and turned his head with some confusion.
"Hughie Campbell." Lin An looked at him, the corners of his mouth curling into a meaningful smile, "Are you interested in changing jobs and working for our Vought International?"
Chapter 12: Recruiting the Protagonist, Supervisor of The Seven
Hughie froze.
He suspected something was wrong with his ears.
"Me?" Hughie pointed at his own nose, stammering, "Are... are you joking? I'm just a clerk at an electronics store, I didn't even graduate from college. I only know how to fix crappy computers and televisions, what could I possibly do at Vought International?"
"Don't underestimate yourself."
Lin An walked up to him, his gaze so sincere it was hard to look directly at.
Just kidding, this was one of the core protagonists from the original story.
This kid looked weak, but in reality, he had a crazy streak in his bones.
His execution was extremely strong, and his luck was ridiculously good; if he tied him to his side, wouldn't destiny be on his side?
More importantly, this kid was an extremely useful moral totem.
"I've been observing you this whole time." Lin An began his MLM-style brainwashing.
"Facing the corpses all over the ground, you didn't run away. Facing the high-and-mighty Superheroes, you didn't back down. You refused the hush money, just to uphold the justice in your heart."
Lin An patted his shoulder, his tone gradually intensifying: "Kind-hearted, principled, and unafraid of power. These are exactly the qualities most lacking in the current Vought International and the current Superhero team!"
Hughie was blushing from the praise, at a complete loss.
He had never been praised like this in his life, let alone by a powerful Superman.
"But... I still don't know what I can do." Hughie scratched his head, looking very unconfident.
"It's simple." Lin An turned around and pointed at The Seven, who were huddled like quails nearby—oh no, now it was a trio.
"You've seen it too. Although they have superpowers and are packaged as gods, when they take off these uniforms, they are also human and have human weaknesses. Without constraints, they will get carried away and commit grave mistakes like A-Train."
Lin An turned back and looked straight into Hughie's eyes.
"I want you to be their manager. More accurately, their supervisor."
Hughie gasped.
Him? A nerd who fixes televisions? To supervise this group of Superheroes who can tear tanks apart with their bare hands?
"I... I can't..." Hughie waved his hands repeatedly, "They could crush me with a single finger."
"With me here, no one will dare to touch a hair on your head." Lin An's tone was domineering and beyond doubt.
He stared at Hughie and threw out his trump card directly.
"Base salary of twenty thousand U.S. dollars. That's monthly."
Hughie's hand, which was waving, froze in mid-air.
Twenty thousand U.S. dollars? A month?
Working himself to death at the electronics store, he barely made over two thousand a month at most.
And that was without having to pay rent. To him, this amount of money was simply an astronomical figure.
"Not only that." Lin An watched his inexperienced appearance, chuckled inwardly, and continued to sweeten the deal.
"As long as you urge them to complete the group's KPI every month and don't stir up negative news, you also get a five percent performance commission. Vought International's top-tier medical insurance, employee apartments in Manhattan, and a dedicated car when you go out."
Lin An leaned in a little closer, his voice full of temptation.
"Hughie, do you want to stay in that crappy shop for the rest of your life, watching other people's lives shine and thrive? Don't you want to participate in changing this World with your own hands? Don't you want to ensure that there will never be another Robin who dies under the arrogance of a Superhero?"
The last sentence completely shattered Hughie's psychological defenses.
He looked into Lin An's azure eyes, and Robin's smiling face flashed through his mind, followed by those two severed hands lying lonely on the street.
If he could stay here, if he could keep an eye on this group of monsters...
Wouldn't there be no more tragedies?
Hughie took a deep breath, a strong sense of mission welling up in his heart. He gritted his teeth and nodded heavily.
"I'll do it!"
"Very good." The smile on Lin An's face blossomed completely.
He reached out and shook hands tightly with Hughie's sweaty hand.
"Welcome to the new Vought, Supervisor Hughie."
Done.
The heavy stone in Lin An's heart finally fell to the ground.
Pulling Hughie into his own camp not only defused a bomb that could explode at any time but also gained an excellent tool man.
In the future, when this group of Superheroes goes out to work, Hughie would be the best foreman.
His pitiful sense of morality was just right for restraining idiots like The Deep who couldn't control their lower bodies.
As for Billy Butcher?
At worst, give his wife back to him; what other reason would he have to retaliate against him?
"Madelyn." Lin An let go and turned to look at the door, "Take Supervisor Hughie to handle the onboarding procedures. Arrange the best office for him."
"Okay, boss." Madelyn hurried over and gave Hughie a fawning smile, "Mr. Campbell, please follow me."
Hughie was still a bit dazed, as if walking on clouds, following Madelyn out of the conference room.
Only Lin An, Maeve, The Deep, and Translucent remained in the conference room.
Lin An looked at Translucent again.
The other party shrank his neck.
"Bo... Boss, I didn't do anything bad!"
Lin An sneered. "Don't think I don't know that you usually rely on your abilities to peep at women everywhere!"
"I couldn't be bothered to say anything before, but from now on, if I catch you one more time!"
Translucent plopped onto his knees, raising his hands high. "Boss, I was wrong! I won't dare to do it again!"
Coldly snorting, this guy hadn't committed any major crimes, just a bit sleazy, so he'd let him off for now.
He glanced at Black Noir, who was nervously huddled in the corner; why was this guy not saying a word?
Oh right, forgot he was a mute.
Among The Seven, Black Noir was the most honest one.
Lin An withdrew his gaze, sat back down on the blood-stained chair, and let out a long sigh.
He glanced at the system panel.
The operation just now, although not broadcast globally, had caused a huge shock within Vought International.
The system judged that he had successfully rectified the company's atmosphere, and his popularity points had actually increased by more than five thousand.
Not bad.
Lin An tapped on the armrest, his gaze falling on The Seven, who dared not even breathe loudly.
The way these four guys looked at him now was just like looking at a devil who could go crazy at any time.
"What? Think I'm too harsh?" Lin An raised his eyebrows.
Maeve bit her lip, not daring to speak.
"Remember what I said today." Lin An put away his smile, his tone cold as ice, "Tomorrow morning at eight, I want to see news of you saving people on the Twitter trending list. If I don't see it..."
"You know the consequences."
The Deep shivered all over, nodding repeatedly: "Understood! I'll go patrol the beach right away! I guarantee I'll save every drowning person!"
Translucent and Black Noir also nodded frantically.
Maeve took a deep breath and lowered her head: "I understand."
"Get out."
The four of them, as if granted amnesty, scrambled out of the conference room.
Lin An leaned back in his chair, looking at the empty conference room, a fanatical arc curling at the corner of his mouth.
The internal hidden dangers were temporarily cleared, and the commission system was online.
Next, it was time to go to that big stage of Marvel and properly steal the spotlight from that bunch of Avengers.
...
And on another floor of Vought Tower, a woman with dazzling red hair and a hot figure had just passed security and walked into the HR office.
She handed over a flawlessly forged resume, a charming smile hanging on the corner of her lips.
"Hello, my name is Natalie Rushman, and I'm here to apply for the position of personal secretary."
Chapter 13 The Decadent Life of a Capitalist
The smell of blood in the conference room was already thick enough to make one sick to their stomach.
Lin An tugged at his collar, and the exhaustion from working continuously for two days—flying to Afghanistan, killing people, and straightening out the company—finally crept up along his spine.
The working-class genes of his past life, which had toiled like an ox and a horse, began to sound frantic alarms, reminding him that it was time to get off work.
"Leave this to you, Madelyn."
Lin An casually threw the silk handkerchief that had wiped his boots onto Edgar's headless corpse, "Clean up the floor properly, and don't let me smell anything weird tomorrow."
Madelyn trembled like a quail, nodding repeatedly.
Lin An turned and walked out of the conference room, returning directly to Homelander's exclusive lounge.
He tore off the eye-catching Star-Spangled spandex suit, picked out a pitch-black Armani haute couture suit from the wardrobe, and put it on.
The tactile sensation of the fabric against his skin was unbelievably smooth.
Lin An stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling mirror, straightened his tie, and looked at the blond-haired, blue-eyed man with a perfect figure in the mirror.
Tsk, I have to say Homelander is Homelander; this aura is beyond reproach.
As perfect as the readers in front of the screen.
In his past life, for a salary of eight thousand yuan, he didn't dare to take even a single day off, fearing he would miss out on that two hundred yuan attendance bonus.
What about now?
I am the supreme ruler of Vought International and the top streamer of the Marvel Universe.
It's time to enjoy life.
He took the private elevator straight to the underground garage of Vought Tower.
As soon as the elevator door opened, Lin An let out a whistle.
This wasn't a garage at all; it was a miniature exhibition hall of top-tier supercars.
Ferrari LaFerrari, Lamborghini Veneno, Aston Martin, and Rolls-Royce Phantom were parked neatly on the dust-free floor by color and brand.
Lin An's gaze swept across the array of cars, finally locking onto a silver-gray Pagani Zonda.
Its exaggerated aerodynamic kit and full carbon-fiber body were flashy to the extreme.
You're the one.
He pulled open the car door, sat in the driver's seat, and pressed the start button.
Vroom!
The V12 naturally aspirated engine emitted a deafening roar, like a fierce beast that had been awakened.
A strong sense of back-pushing acceleration instantly struck, and the Pagani transformed into a silver lightning bolt, charging straight out of the underground garage and plunging into the bustling nightlife of New York.
The night wind poured in through the lowered car window, messing up his blonde hair.
Pedestrians on the street turned to look, and some even took out their phones to take wild pictures.
Lin An held the steering wheel with one hand, listening to the roar of the engine, the corners of his mouth curving up crazily.
Although he wasn't wearing a uniform right now, and there was no popularity value gain prompt on the system panel, the solid, real-World thrill of showing off was simply more intoxicating than taking drugs.
This is the life a human should live.
The sports car made a sudden brake in front of a top-tier Michelin three-star Western restaurant on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, stopping steadily.
The valet hurried over to open the car door.
Lin An casually pulled out a hundred-dollar bill, stuffed it into the valet's pocket, and strode into the restaurant.
As a high-end restaurant manager, he naturally had sharp eyes; although Lin An wasn't wearing that iconic uniform, this face was currently the focus of the whole World.
The manager immediately rushed forward, his waist bent almost touching the ground.
"Oh my god, it's Homelander!! Welcome. It is our utmost honor to serve you. Do you have a reservation?"
"No reservation."
Lin An walked over to a prime window seat and sat down, "Take your menu away. I don't want to look at that kind of stuff."
The manager was stunned for a moment.
Lin An leaned against the back of the chair, his fingers tapping on the tabletop.
"Bring me a portion of every single most expensive signature dish in your shop. As long as it can add a few more zeros to the bill, bring it all up."
The manager swallowed saliva, and the smile on his face instantly bloomed brilliantly like a chrysanthemum.
"Understood! Preparing it for you right away!"
In less than twenty minutes, a steady stream of top-tier ingredients began to be served to the table.
Lin An looked at the plate of pasta covered with a thick layer of white truffles in front of him, next to the top-tier caviar eaten with a shell spoon, and that thick-cut Wagyu beef with a texture as perfect as marble.
His eye sockets suddenly felt a bit sore.
In his past life, he could only watch eagerly in short videos as internet celebrities with tens of millions of followers like Black Ice and Little Logo gorged themselves, swallowing frantically while lowering his head to wolf down his cheap braised chicken rice ordered by grouping up on Pinhaofan.
At that time, he wondered what kind of divine taste these luxury items costing thousands or tens of thousands actually had.
And now, these once out-of-reach top-tier ingredients were placed in front of him like a street stall buffet, for him to devour as he pleased!
Lin An unceremoniously picked up the knife and fork, cut off a large piece of M9 Wagyu beef, and crudely shoved it into his mouth.
The rich aroma of fat and abundant juices instantly exploded in his mouth, and the ultimate rich sensation of melting in the mouth rushed straight to the crown of his head.
F***ing delicious!
To hell with 'real food is all in fly-speck restaurants,' that kind of self-comfort of not being able to afford high-end restaurants is just something to hear and forget.
What can cheap additives worth a few yuan compare with these top-tier ingredients bought with piles of money?
Lin An wiped his mouth, and his gaze fell once again on that small pinch of pitch-black caviar on the plate, his brows instantly furrowing into the shape of the character 'chuan'.
"Waiter!"
He snapped his fingers.
The suit-and-tie waiter immediately walked over quickly, bowing slightly, "Hello, sir, how can I help you?"
"What do you mean by this small pinch garnished on my plate? Feeding a cat? Take it away, take it away!"
Lin An waved his hand impatiently, "Bring me five boxes directly! No, ten boxes! Let the next table see, otherwise they'll think I, Lin, can't afford it!"
The waiter was stunned for a moment, keeping a professional smile and kindly reminding him, "Sir, this is top-grade Beluga caviar. To taste such high-end ingredients, it is usually scooped with a pure gold or shell small spoon, placed on the tiger's mouth of the back of the hand to be slightly heated by body temperature, and cannot be chewed directly; you must slowly crush it with your tongue..."
"Stop, stop, stop!"
Lin An rolled his eyes, directly interrupting the spellcasting.
"I am spending money to eat, not to take an etiquette class. I just like chewing in big bites, and I just like mixing it with rice to eat! Stop talking nonsense, bring ten boxes, and get me a big iron spoon used for eating watermelon!"
The waiter was choked up. After returning to report to the manager, he honestly served ten boxes plus a large iron spoon.
Lin An nodded in satisfaction and began to feast heartily, completely ignoring any Western dining etiquette.
Customers at the neighboring tables who considered themselves old-money families looked over with frowning brows, but upon recognizing this face, all of them silently turned their heads away, not daring to let out even a fart.
Well-fed and watered, Lin An wiped his mouth with an expensive napkin, dropped a black card to check out.
Walking out of the restaurant, he drove his sports car back to his top-tier flat-floor luxury mansion in Manhattan.
The fingerprint lock gave a soft click of 'beep'.
The heavy solid wood door capable of stopping armor-piercing bullets slid open silently.
As soon as his foot stepped inside, the warm soft light strips of the entire house lit up in sequence.
The five-hundred-square-meter flat-floor apartment didn't even have an extra wall, and facing him was an entire floor-to-ceiling panoramic window.
The neon light sea of Manhattan crashed into his field of vision like a waterfall that didn't cost money.
The spire of the Empire State Building was right under his feet, as if he could crush it by standing on tiptoes.
A faint scent of post-rain cedar floated in the air.
This environmental simulation system didn't even have the sound of the wind, and the construction cost alone was enough to buy ten Villas in Queens.
Lin An pulled off his tie.
That custom-made suit handcrafted by an old Italian man was casually thrown by him onto the genuine leather sofa worth hundreds of thousands.
Right in the center of the bedroom was a five-meter-wide custom-made large bed.
Lin An made a leap and slammed solidly onto it; there was no squeaking sound of springs, nor any rigid bounce back.
The mattress was like a lump of soft mud, instantly taking off all the bones in his body.
He rolled three times on it without even touching the edge of the bed.
The high-thread-count silk sheets were slippery, exuding an expensive coolness against his skin.
"This f***ing is what you call being alive."
Chapter 14: Tony's Invitation, The Widow Arrives
Lin An turned over and sprawled out on the bed like a starfish.
No need to set a killer alarm for seven o'clock, no need to be packed into the subway like a sardine during morning rush hour, and certainly no need to look at a stupid boss's face.
As long as he pressed the call button by the bedside, the private team standing by downstairs twenty-four hours a day could bring up freshly grilled Australian Wagyu beef within half an hour.
After sprawling for a while, Lin An stretched his body out in a long yawn.
He rolled out of bed, his bare feet sinking into the handmade wool carpet.
The hidden bathroom door slid open automatically, and the smart dimming glass instantly changed from frosted to completely transparent.
The dazzling night view of Manhattan rushed in without reservation once again, and the sunken smart bathtub was as large as a small swimming pool.
The fully automatic Water control system had long since filled it with hot Water, with the temperature precisely set to the most comfortable level for the human body.
Floating on the Water surface was calming essential oil specially blended by a master perfumer from France.
Lin An took off his clothes and slid into the Water.
The Water flow instantly enveloped his whole body, and the invisible hydro-massage jets precisely kneaded his tense muscles.
Soothing classical music flowed from the hidden speakers, and even the air was permeated with the scent of money.
Lin An leaned against the temperature-controlled bath pillow.
He picked up a glass of perfectly decanted top-tier red wine from the automatic lifting bar next to him, swirled the glass, and watched the lights of the Empire State Building within reach outside the window.
He tilted his head and gulped it down, his entire body's cells completely relaxing under the nourishment of money. Changing into a bathrobe, Lin An returned to the bed, pulled over the feather-light top-tier down duvet, and buried himself in it from head to toe.
Awesome!
Whatever purple potato Thanos, whatever HYDRA that grows two heads when you cut off one, whatever Earthcrisis or Universe destruction.
Screw it all.
Tonight, he, Lin An, refuses to save the World; he is just a nouveau riche person peacefully enjoying the decadence of capitalism.
...
The next day.
Sunlight spilled onto the bed through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Lin An turned over, preparing to continue his nap.
A harsh mobile phone ringtone suddenly rang out in the spacious bedroom.
Lin An opened his eyes abruptly, his brows furrowed into a frown.
His morning grouchiness instantly soared. Damn it, who the hell has the nerve to disturb his sleep at this time?
He grabbed the phone from the nightstand, ready to curse, but saw a number without a contact name flashing on the screen.
Intuition told him this was not a spam call.
He pressed the answer button and grunted a grumpy "Hello."
"Hey, Sleeping Beauty, the Sun is already up. You aren't still in bed reminiscing about last night's Victoria's Secret models, are you?"
A familiar voice came from the other end of the line.
It carried a hint of cynicism, but faintly revealed a neurotic tension.
Tony Stark.
Lin An's morning grouchiness dissipated by half; this was his number one traffic ATM.
"Oh, my friend Mr. Stark." Lin An sat up and leaned against the headboard. "Judging by your voice, you've recovered well? I thought you'd be lying in the hospital's intensive care unit right now, hooked up to tubes and drinking liquid food."
"Hospital? Give me a break." Tony on the other end snorted. "I just landed yesterday and chased away all those guys in white coats. I got to eat the cheeseburger I've been dreaming of. God, you have no idea how good it tasted."
Lin An smiled; this tsundere richest man was indeed still the same way.
But he could hear the exhaustion in Tony's voice.
That dark cave in Afghanistan, along with Ethan's death, had definitely left this playboy with severe post-traumatic stress.
He urgently needed to do something now to prove he was still alive, to prove he could still control the situation.
"So, you called me early in the morning just to show off your cheeseburger?" Lin An asked.
"Of course not." Tony paused, his tone suddenly becoming serious. "Tomorrow morning, I'm holding a press conference at the Stark Industries headquarters. I have some very important things to announce."
Important things.
Lin An's heart skipped a beat.
The classic Marvel scene is here.
Shutting down the weapons division.
This was a major earthquake that would shake the global financial and political circles.
Stark Industries was the World's largest arms dealer, and this one statement from Tony would definitely dominate headlines worldwide for an entire month.
"What does this have to do with me?" Lin An feigned ignorance. "You are the boss of Stark Industries; you can announce whatever you want. I'm just a worker for Vought International."
"Stop pretending, brother." Tony sighed on the other end. "I know you must have been scolded by your company's senior management for saving me. I, Tony Stark, don't like owing people favors."
"Tomorrow's press conference will definitely have a bunch of troublesome reporters, and those stubborn board members who want to tear me apart. I need you to hold the fort." Tony's voice carried a rare request.
"As the hero who saved me, if you stand by my side, those guys won't dare to go too far. Plus, this is an excellent exposure opportunity for you and Vought International's stock price, isn't it?"
Lin An nodded frantically in his heart.
Nonsense! This is practically a gift package of traffic falling from the sky!
As long as he stood on that press conference podium with Tony tomorrow, the World's cameras would be trained on them.
By then, when Tony dropped the bombshell about shutting down the weapons division, he just needed to strike a few mysterious poses on the side, and his popularity value would definitely skyrocket like a Rocket.
This kind of free traffic, why not take it?
"Sounds like a win-win deal." Lin An suppressed the smile at the corner of his mouth, his tone calm. "Since you've put it that way, as a friend, I have no reason to refuse. See you tomorrow, Tony."
"See you tomorrow. By the way, you'd better dress a bit sharper; don't wear that tacky Stars and Stripes spandex suit again." Tony quipped and hung up the phone.
Lin An ignored his last sentence; that spandex suit was a symbol of justice, how could he ditch it?
He tossed the phone aside and jumped out of bed.
This sleep was truly refreshing; a big job was delivered right to his door as soon as he woke up.
He walked into the spacious bathroom and took a hot shower.
He started calculating the details of tomorrow's press conference in his mind.
Tony was shutting down the weapons division, so Obadiah, that old bald guy, would definitely get anxious; the iron monger plot was about to unfold.
He had to plan carefully how to maximize his benefits in this big drama.
Not only did he need to earn popularity value, but he also had to squeeze out some of Stark Industries' technological resources.
After washing up, Lin An changed into casual clothes and was just about to go to the kitchen to get something to eat.
Ding-dong.
The doorbell rang.
Lin An paused for a moment.
The security for this flat was extremely strict; without his permission, not even a fly could fly up. Who could directly ring his front door?
He pressed the door-opening button.
A woman was standing outside the door.
The heavy security door opened slowly.
With dazzling big wavy red hair, wearing a well-tailored professional suit, her shapely legs wrapped in black silk stockings, and the buttons of her white shirt undone just right, revealing a large expanse of snow-white skin that was quite thought-provoking.
She was also holding a few exquisite food containers in her hands.
The woman stood outside the door with an impeccable, charming smile on her face.
"Good morning, boss." Her voice was slightly lazy and husky, extremely alluring. "I am your new life secretary, Natalie. Ms. Madelyn sent me to bring you breakfast."
Chapter 15: Your Taste in People is Spot On! A New Traffic Strategy!
Lin An looked at the woman outside the door.
Red hair, black stockings, white shirt.
He had seen that face countless times on the movie screen in his past life.
Natasha Romanoff.
The ace of S.H.I.E.L.D., Black Widow.
Lin An chuckled inwardly. That bald Nick Fury's schemes were so obvious they were practically hitting him in the face.
Just yesterday, he had embarrassed S.H.I.E.L.D. in front of the whole World, and today, this old fox had packed up their highest-level Agent and delivered her to his doorstep.
Gathering intelligence? Or trying to plant a spy by his side?
Chilling, they were actually trying to use a honey trap on a Superhero filled with justice like him?!
Their taste in people was spot on!
Lin An's lips curled upward. Meat delivered to his door—it would be a waste not to eat it.
He was Homelander now; if he didn't even dare to accept a female Agent, what kind of god of the new World would he be?
"Natalie, right?" Lin An leaned against the doorframe, his gaze sweeping down from her unbuttoned collar without any attempt at concealment, full of aggression.
Natasha maintained a perfect professional smile: "Yes, Boss. Your breakfast."
Lin An stepped aside to let her in.
There were only the two of them in this five-hundred-square-meter apartment.
Natasha walked to the dining room, placing the top-tier bacon, eggs, and black coffee from the food container onto the expensive marble dining table one by one.
Her movements were elegant and efficient; there wasn't a single flaw to pick at.
Lin An pulled out a dining chair and sat down, watching her busy back as he suddenly spoke.
"Do you know what a personal assistant does?"
"Responsible for arranging your daily schedule, handling daily trivial matters, and ensuring you have no worries," Natasha turned around, answering fluently.
"Not comprehensive enough." Lin An leaned back in his chair, crossed his legs, and stared straight at her, "My standards are very high. My rules are simple: when there's work, the secretary does it; when there's no work… I do the secretary."
Natasha's fingers, hanging by her sides, twitched slightly.
She had undergone extremely rigorous stress training and faced all kinds of perverts and warlords, but she was still slightly rattled by such blunt, vulgar teasing.
Lin An took in her reaction.
Pretending? Keep pretending.
"What? Didn't Madelyn make the 'depth' of this job clear to you?" Lin An picked up his knife and fork and cut a piece of bacon.
"Being my secretary is very tiring. If you can't handle this grievance, you can get lost right now."
"Boss, you really know how to joke." The smile on Natasha's face didn't change; she even took a step forward, her voice carrying a deliberate softness.
"A position at Vought International is what countless people dream of. For this job, I'm prepared for anything."
"Oh? Is that so." Lin An leaned against the back of his chair, lazily looking at the breakfast on the table, but made no move to eat.
"I was too tired yesterday, and now I don't even have the strength to lift my hand to pick up the fork. You feed me."
Natasha was slightly stunned, but quickly recovered her charming smile.
She picked up the plate and was just about to bend over to offer the bacon when she saw Lin An suddenly reach out and grab her wrist.
Under an irresistible force, Natasha fell into Lin An's arms caught off guard and was forced to sit on his lap.
"Feeding me like this is more convenient." Lin An took the opportunity to pull her into his arms, feeling the Black Widow's firm and resilient body, and felt refreshed all over.
Natasha's body shivered slightly the moment she was touched, her muscles subconsciously tensing to the limit.
But in the end, she didn't make any move to resist; she just lowered her eyelids to hide the emotions in her eyes, stiffly but obediently holding the fork to Lin An's mouth.
Heh, an ace Agent's awareness really is high; she can even endure this.
Lin An felt a secret thrill as he took a few bites of breakfast from her hand.
After having his fill of teasing, he finally let go and released the Black Widow from his arms.
"Not bad performance." Lin An wiped his mouth with satisfaction, "You passed."
This was a good deal; he got to take advantage of her and gross out that egghead at the same time.
Having Black Widow serve him as a maid was even more satisfying than eating at a three-star Michelin restaurant.
...
After finishing the meal, Natasha naturally took on the role of a driver.
The silver-gray Pagani Zonda roared down the streets of Manhattan.
Lin An sat in the passenger seat, watching Natashaskillfully control the beast, feeling very pleased.
Having a top-tier Agent as a nanny and driver—even Tony Stark would drool at such a display.
The car drove directly into the underground garage of Vought Tower.
Top-floor CEO office.
As soon as Lin An sat down in the large boss chair, Madelyn hurried in with a stack of files.
"Boss, this is today's briefing." Madelyn's attitude was even more respectful than a grandson's; she didn't even dare to raise her head.
"Get to the point." Lin An took the coffee Natasha handed him and took a sip, "How did those three pieces of trash do yesterday?"
Madelyn opened the folder, her tone filled with irrepressible excitement: "The results were surprisingly good! Supervisor Hughie kept a very close eye on them."
"The Deep patrolled Long Beach yesterday; not only did he save five tourists swept away by rip currents, but he also cooperated with environmental organizations to clean up two tons of ocean trash. Now, all the entries about him on Twitter are 'Ocean Guardian'."
"Black Noir and Queen Maeve stopped a series of robberies in Brooklyn and happened to help a lost little girl find her mother. The video of him hugging the little girl on YouTube has already reached over ten million views."
"As for Translucent..." Madelyn's expression was a bit strange.
"Supervisor Hughie forced him to help an old lady cross the street in Times Square under his real name, and also made him go to an orphanage to perform invisibility magic tricks for the kids. Although it looked a bit funny, the public feedback was very positive, saying he was very down-to-earth."
Lin An listened to the report, and the system notification sound in his mind rang incessantly.
[Capitalist's Gift triggered: Extracted 10,000 Popularity Points from The Deep.]
[Capitalist's Gift triggered: Extracted 10,000 Popularity Points from Black Noir.]
[Capitalist's Gift triggered: Extracted 18,000 Popularity Points from Queen Maeve.]
[Capitalist's Gift triggered: Extracted 8,000 Popularity Points from Translucent.]
That's it!
Lin An's lips curled up wildly.
This is the pleasure of being a boss!
He was sitting here drinking coffee and touching a female Agent's thigh, while a group of workers outside were working themselves to the bone to earn him Popularity Points.
He hadn't misjudged that kid Hughie; he was even more ruthless as a foreman than Zhou Bapi.
"What about the PR department?" Lin An asked.
"Following up around the clock," Madelyn quickly replied, "The front-page headlines of all major media outlets have already been arranged, and they will be fully rolled out this morning. Vought International's positive image is being rapidly reshaped."
"Not enough." Lin An tapped his coffee cup on the desktop, making a crisp sound.
Madelyn was stunned.
This still wasn't enough?
Lin An looked heartbroken.
"There are only four people left in The Seven, and with me, that's only five. How can just these few people maintain peace for the entire World?"
He stood up and walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window.
"We need a constant stream of fresh blood. I want a Superhero talent show that can attract the eyes of the entire United States, and even the whole World!"
Chapter 16: Lin An, the Unexpected Dad
Tony had casually asked him if he was a Mutant last time, and that had stuck in Lin An's mind.
He spent the night researching and discovered that this World not only had the prototype of the Avengers, but it actually had Mutants! The X-Men, Magneto, and those guys were all in this chaotic stew of a Universe.
This was a massive pool of traffic.
"Madelyn, draft a plan for me," Lin An turned around, the greedy glint of a capitalist flashing in his eyes. "I want to host a nationwide superpower audition competition. Code name: 'Finding the Next U.S. Hero'."
Madelyn widened her eyes: "An audition competition? Like American Idol?"
"That's right, a reality show." Lin An snapped his fingers. "Broadcast the entire audition process live and let the public vote. The final winner will join The Seven directly and receive a top-tier contract from Vought International."
"Also, add one condition to the recruitment criteria." Lin Anlooked at Madelyn and said, enunciating every word, "Mutants can also participate."
Madelyn gasped, but she didn't dare make a sound and had to force it back.
Mutants? That was the hottest potato for politicians.
Pushing Mutants to the forefront would absolutely cause a huge uproar.
"Boss, will this... will this anger the Military and Congress?" Madelyn asked cautiously.
"I don't give a damn if they die." Lin An sneered.
He wanted controversy; only with controversy could there be heat.
"Tell those who sign up that my standards are very high. Trash like The Deep and Translucent who can only act like circus clowns should stay away. They need strong abilities and outstanding looks."
"And the most important point: character."
Lin An walked to the desk and braced his hands on the table.
"Those troublemakers who think they are superior because they have superpowers and treat ordinary people like ants can get lost. I want obedient, high-quality idols, people who can truly do things for the public. For those who just want to slack off for a high salary or act like divas, if I find one, I will personally crush them."
Madelyn looked at the blond man in front of her, her heart churning with shock.
He didn't want those arrogant superhumans; he wanted heroes who could truly protect ordinary people? He was even willing to accept Mutants who were ostracized by society?
Oh my god.
Madelyn's eyes suddenly felt a little hot.
Homelander really had changed.
He was no longer that cold-blooded monster who grew up in a laboratory; he really wanted to change this terrible World and contribute to human peace!
"I understand, Boss!" Madelyn stood straight, her tone full of unprecedented enthusiasm.
"I will have the PR and planning departments come up with a proposal immediately! This will definitely be the greatest show in television history!"
Lin An watched Madelyn run out as if she had been injected with adrenaline and curled his lips speechlessly.
What kind of nonsense did this woman imagine? I just wanted to find a few easily controllable slaves to help me farm popularity, what are you getting so emotional about?
Black Widow in the corner watched this scene and pondered to herself.
Didn't the Director say that Homelander was an extremely dangerous individual?
Why does it feel like this guy is so righteous it's eerie...
"Natalie." Lin An interrupted her thoughts.
"Yes, Boss." Natasha stepped forward.
"Go make me a cup of coffee. Oh, right, I only drink what you grind yourself."
Black Widow twitched her mouth. Righteousness my ass, just destroy it already.
"Yes, Boss."
...
After finishing his coffee, it was still early, so Lin Anprepared to defuse the second bomb: the cuckold Butcher.
Lin An changed into his spandex suit and shot into the sky with a whoosh.
Flying at full speed, half an hour later.
Pennsylvania, a seemingly unremarkable suburb.
Lin An hovered a thousand meters in the air, looking down at the community neatly divided by white fences.
The sun was bright, the grass was green, cars were parked in every yard, and some even had welcome ribbons hanging up—a scene of peaceful and tranquil middle-class life.
Who would have thought that beneath this fake peace lay one of Vought International's deepest secrets.
A cage for a canary, specially built for Becca Butcher.
Lin An locked onto one of the unremarkable two-story houses.
According to the top-secret information provided by Madelyn, Becca was there.
Very good, it was time to solve this last remaining historical issue.
As long as he dealt with Becca and made that mad dog Butcher completely give up hope, he could comfortably be a top superstar in the Marvel Universe, never having to worry about someone stabbing him in the back or digging up dirt on him again.
He took a deep breath, preparing to turn into a streak of light and crash through the roof of that house, ending it all in the simplest and most brutal way possible.
Suddenly, his gaze was caught by something in the yard.
It was a small chalk drawing on the concrete.
The crooked lines formed a little figure wearing a blue spandex suit and a red cape, and next to it, written in the same childish strokes, was a line: "My Dad, My Hero."
Lin An's movements froze.
In the original story... Becca seemed... not to be living here alone.
She had a son.
A blond, blue-eyed son who also possessed superpowers and was the biological son of the original owner.
Holy crap.
Lin An felt the CPU in his brain instantly fry.
In his past life, he had worked hard as a corporate slave for thirty years and hadn't even had two serious relationships.
His biggest spiritual comfort every day was coming home from work, turning on the computer, and giggling at his waifu on the screen.
As a result, only a few days after transmigrating, not only did he inexplicably become a top celebrity, but now he was also going to be an unexpected dad?
And a biological son with superpowers at that!
What the hell is this!
He looked down at his flashy Stars and Stripes spandex suit, then looked down at the chalk drawing that said "My Dad is a Hero."
An unprecedented sense of absurdity swept over him instantly.
He could even imagine the picture of the future.
He would be in the sky fighting Thanos, destroying heaven and earth, when a phone call would suddenly come in, and the teacher's angry voice would come from the other end.
"Is this Ryan's dad! Your son melted the school microwave with his Heat Vision again! Please come over immediately!"
This picture was too beautiful; he didn't dare look.
Lin An froze in the air for a full three minutes, his mind as chaotic as a ball of yarn that a cat had played with.
He could kill, he was good at acting, but raising a child... this was beyond his scope of business.
But soon, his corporate slave heart, which had been beaten by society for many years, quickly found a new train of thought.
Wait, having a son... doesn't seem like a bad thing?
This is a living, breathing "Homelander 2.0" with superpowers!
If he packaged this properly and launched a "Heroic Father-Son Duo" act, wouldn't his popularity explode on the spot?
The father and son could go on a parent-child variety show together, perform tearing tanks apart with their hands, grilling meat with Heat Vision...
Hiss.
Lin An gasped.
This traffic code was even more potent than Stark Industries' Arc Reactor!
No, he had to keep his composure.
One bite at a time, one bit of traffic at a time.
The most urgent task was to deal with the child's mother first.
Becca Butcher, this poor woman, had been imprisoned by Vought International for eight years; the fear and hatred of the original owner in her heart were probably deep in her marrow. If he just walked in swaggering like that, he might scare her to death on the spot.
He had to act.
And he had to act out a World-shaking, heart-wrenching tragic drama.
Lin An took a deep breath and began his Oscar-winning acting moment.
First, the image had to be right.
He looked down at his brand new, spotless Stars and Stripes suit and frowned in disgust.
Too shiny, it had no sense of story at all.
He grabbed the collar of the suit with both hands and gave it a hard tug.
Rip—!
The bulletproof fiber, worth millions of dollars and specially made by Vought International's top materials experts, was easily torn apart like ordinary cotton cloth, revealing a large expanse of solid chest muscles.
Not enough, it had to be more miserable.
He landed in the woods behind the house and rolled on the ground twice, getting the expensive cape covered in mud and grass. Then he picked up a sharp stone and gestured at his handsome face for a long time.
Forget it, better not touch the face; this is his meal ticket.
He found some dark mud, smeared it on the corners of his eyes and mouth, creating the feeling of having just experienced a fierce battle and being exhausted.
Finally, he punched a solid, innocent tree nearby.
Boom!
The oak tree, which would have required two people to wrap their arms around, snapped in response, but there wasn't even a red mark on his indestructible fist.
Damn it, forgot he had thick skin.
Lin An retracted his hand sheepishly; he could only rely on pure acting skills to make up for it.
He composed his emotions, brewed up a full minute of sadness, and then dragged his "exhausted" steps.
Walking step by step toward the house where Becca had been imprisoned for eight years.
Chapter 17: The Birth of a Master Actor
He did not knock on the door, but instead slammed into it with his body.
Bang!
The seemingly sturdy oak door panel was like paper in front of him, exploding inward.
Lin An stumbled into the living room, then deliberately let his body lose balance, crashing heavily onto the carpet with a pained grunt.
In the living room, a woman with long brown hair and a haggard face—though one could still see her past charm—was walking out of the kitchen, carrying a tray of freshly baked cookies.
The loud noise of the wooden door shattering made her hand tremble in fright, and the entire tray of cookies fell to the floor.
When she saw the disheveled figure that had tumbled in through the doorway, the color drained from her face instantly.
Fear.
A bone-deep fear, like a maggot in the bone, instantly seized her heart.
It was that devil.
Eight years. This man, who made her wake up in nightmares every night, had returned.
Becca's body trembled like chaff, and she subconsciously retreated until her back hit the cold wall, with nowhere left to run.
She wanted to scream, but found that her throat felt as if it were being tightly gripped by an invisible hand, unable to make a sound.
She watched the man struggle to climb up from the floor; his battle suit was tattered, and his face was smeared with mud, like a Beast that had just escaped from a bloody battle.
What was he going to do? What was he going to do to her?
Just when Becca thought she would be dragged into hell again, the man raised his head.
In those azure eyes, the disgusting desire and tyranny from eight years ago were gone.
Replacing them was a weariness, pain, and... deep guilt she had never seen before.
Lin An looked at her, his voice hoarse as if scraped by sandpaper.
"Becca..."
He took a step forward, his voice filled with endless remorse and pain.
"I'm sorry."
"I came too late."
"Sorry?"
Becca's voice was like a snapped string, sharp and distorted.
She looked at the disheveled man before her, his face full of "guilt," her chest heaving violently. What burst forth from those beautiful eyes was not being touched, but monstrous hatred and extreme disdain.
"Are you acting for me now?" She laughed, her laughter filled with desperate madness.
"You monster! Do you think that by changing into tattered clothes and smearing some mud on your face, I'll believe your ghost stories?"
She grabbed a ceramic vase from the coffee table beside her and, using all her strength, smashed it hard at Lin An!
"Get out! Get out of my house!"
Lin An did not dodge.
He watched as the vase traced a parabola in the air, then slammed solidly against his forehead.
Crack!
The exquisite ceramic shattered into pieces, and the shards, mixed with clear Water and flower petals, splattered all over his face.
The force on his forehead was no different from being hit by a piece of cotton to him.
Yet, he acted as if he couldn't withstand this "immense force," his body swaying violently backward, revealing perfectly timed pain and astonishment on his face.
Act, keep acting.
The more agitated you are, the more real my performance becomes.
Lin An sneered inwardly, while appearing heartbroken on the surface.
"Becca... I know you hate me." He took a step forward, his voice becoming increasingly hoarse.
"I never expected you to forgive me. I just... wanted to say sorry to you before everything ends."
"Don't come over here!" Becca was like a cat backed into a corner, all her fur standing on end.
"You devil! You destroyed everything of mine! You destroyed my family, my life! What do you want to do now?!"
She screamed hysterically, tears streaming out of her eyes uncontrollably.
Eight years of imprisonment, eight years of nightmares; all the fear and anger erupted at this moment.
"Acting? You're still acting!" Becca stared at him intensely.
"Don't think I don't know what kind of virtue you Superhumans have! High and mighty, regarding human life as worthless! What you did to me that day was, in your eyes, nothing more than stepping on an ant, right?!"
Lin An fell silent.
He just watched her quietly, letting her accusations stab into him like the sharpest knives.
In those azure eyes, pain, remorse, self-reproach... all sorts of emotions intertwined, so rich they seemed about to overflow.
This appearance of a punching bag who accepted being hit and scolded without fighting back or retorting finally made Becca's hysterical frenzy weaken slightly.
She panted heavily, leaning against the wall, her body trembling slightly from excitement.
The time had come.
Lin An snapped his fingers in his heart and began the lie he had long prepared.
"You're right." Lin An's voice was as deep as if it had been fermenting in a cellar for eight years. "In your eyes, I am Homelander, a Superhero, an omnipotent god."
He raised his hand, pointed at his chest, and a look of extreme, bleak self-mockery appeared on his face.
"But I was never any hero. I was just a lab rat in the Vought International laboratory, codenamed 'John'."
Becca was stunned.
"Since I was a child, I was imprisoned in that sunless laboratory. They injected me with all kinds of serums, observed my physical data, tested the limits of my abilities, using Fire to burn me, cutting me with blades, and splashing me with sulfuric acid!"
Lin An's gaze became hollow, as if recalling an unbearable past.
"I had no parents, no friends, I didn't even have a real name. All that accompanied me were cold instruments and that one sheet."
"They treated me as a weapon, a commodity. While they packaged me as the guardian of the United States, they used drugs to control my emotions, my thoughts, and even my desires."
His voice began to carry an uncontrollable tremor and anger.
"That day... that day in the office... it wasn't me."
Lin An closed his eyes in pain, as if unwilling to recall that scene again.
"They injected me with a new type of potent serum; my brain was in chaos, and my body was completely out of control. I was like a crazed Beast... I..."
He couldn't go on, only shaking his head in pain, his voice filled with self-loathing.
"I did something I'm sorry for to you."
The amount of information in these words was simply too much. Becca's mind went blank.
She had always thought that Homelander was a naturally born devil with divine power.
But now, this devil was telling her he was just a poor wretch who had been created and controlled by drugs?
The crimes he committed against her were because he lost control?
How could this be?
"You... you're lying to me..." Becca's voice was dry, and even she could hear the lack of conviction in it.
"I have no need to lie to you." Lin An opened his eyes; those blue eyes were bloodshot and filled with unprecedented firmness.
"Because those bastards who treated me as a lab rat, those culprits who destroyed both of us..."
"For these eight years, I didn't dare to come see you, until yesterday, when I had completely cleaned out those old bastards, only then did I dare to come see you!"
He said, enunciating every word, his tone chilling.
"From now on, Vought International is run by me. No one can control me anymore, and no one can treat us as playthings anymore."
Lin An took two steps forward, stopping three meters away from Becca. This was a safe distance that would make her feel oppressed, but not enough to make her run away immediately.
"Becca, I know how you've spent these past eight years."
Lin An's tone became gentle again, with a hint of pity.
"I know you've been missing your husband, Billy Butcher, right?"
Upon hearing that name, Becca's body shuddered violently.