Chapter 51: I Will Cultivate a God! S.H.I.E.L.D. Mission ≈ HYDRA Mission
In the office.
Natasha was uncharacteristically silent for a moment.
Fury replied, "If you can give birth, then I wouldn't mind."
Natasha said expressionlessly, "I cannot have children."
Fury acted as if he had known this answer all along.
"Then you find a suitable person to take over the cultivation, and at the critical moment, push her to Homelander's side. I know you can do it."
Fury's plan was well-calculated; even if Natasha defected, it wouldn't matter. That woman and her child would become Homelander's weakness.
Even more cruelly, Homelander could no longer be molded, but his son could.
Under Nick Fury's tutelage, he would have a sense of belonging to Earth from a young age, and he could play the role of a farm father to raise and teach him.
What kind of sense of achievement would that be?
Simply put, it would be: I have cultivated a guardian deity for Earth!
Although this was somewhat difficult, Fury felt that the risks and difficulties were completely surmountable.
Natasha was completely dumbfounded. What on Earthwas Nick Fury talking about?
Find someone to have Homelander's child?!
And she had to be the stepping stone to push them together?
Even with Natasha's professional composure, she was a bit shaken.
"Director, have you gone mad, or have I?"
She had thought Nick Fury would have some good plan; she had considered everything from love developing into familial affection.
But she hadn't expected Nick Fury to start with, 'Have a child with Homelander?'
However, after calming down, Natasha also realized Fury's goal.
"This mission is too difficult. I can't find anyone, and the competitors around Homelander are more numerous than you think, Director."
Nick Fury indicated that these were not excuses. "S.H.I.E.L.D. will fully support you."
As everyone knows, S.H.I.E.L.D. is approximately equal to HYDRA; S.H.I.E.L.D.'s new plan is effectively HYDRA's new plan.
Sokovia HYDRA secret Base.
High-ranking HYDRA Commander Baron Strucker, after receiving information from a S.H.I.E.L.D. mole, felt that Fury's plan was excellent.
Homelander's power is now well-known.
As long as they found a suitable candidate to control—no, not necessarily control, just whisper in his ear—then HYDRA's wish to control the World would no longer be just a wish.
He even had a meeting of minds with Fury, thinking that if a child could be born and raised with brainwashing from a young age, to become HYDRA's most loyal...
Fury was thinking of a guardian deity for Earth; HYDRAwas thinking of domination...
A woman who is both beautiful and capable of joining The Seven.
This was somewhat difficult, but it wouldn't stump HYDRA.
Maximize bonds of family, friendship, love, and teammates!
At noon, the Fantastic Four announced their official disbandment, and Johnny unilaterally announced on his registered social media account that he was joining Vought International.
Once the news broke, it almost confirmed the existence of The Seven.
Regardless of whether Vought International actually had this plan, the media and the public were already in a frenzy.
So even though Vought International hadn't made this public yet, Johnny had effectively lit the first spark.
Especially those Mutants hiding in dark corners all over the World, as well as those who had awakened abilities and were afraid of being captured for dissection and research, saw hope.
The three major Mutant factions, which were already on the verge of collapse, were also seeing undercurrents.
Who would want to live hiding in dark corners when they could be in the spotlight like Homelander and be loved by countless people?
And once one could join The Seven, with Homelander as the leader covering for them...
In an instant, the harshest crackdowns against Mutants seemed to quietly ease up a bit.
Turning instead into more secret cultivation.
Capital in the United States is not stupid; since the trend is unstoppable, they should follow the trend and cultivate their own Mutants or super-powered individuals to join Vought International.
A day later, Johnny accepted an interview with the media in front of Vought Tower. He enjoyed this feeling, accompanied by stardom and money.
But before he could say a few words, reporters shoved microphones directly into Johnny's face, which made him feel a bit offended.
"Human Torch, did you really join Vought International?"
"Is the legendary The Seven real? Why hasn't Homelanderresponded to this question yet?"
"What is the real reason for the Fantastic Four's disbandment?"
"Yesterday, a bunch of you superheroes gathered, but couldn't compare to Homelander. The outside World is saying you are just Homelander's accessories. What is your take on this?"
"Will your sister, Invisible Woman, also join Vought International, or is it just you?"
"Human Torch, I heard you found a new young model girlfriend. Can superheroes date ordinary people? Won't you hurt her when you have sex?"
"Your sister, Invisible Woman, is known as America's Sweetheart. Will she also find an ordinary person to be her boyfriend like you did?"
The reporters' questions were varied. There were some that Human Torch couldn't answer, especially regarding The Seven, as he had already been warned by his brother-in-law.
"First of all, the matter of The Seven is not very certain. You can pay attention to Mr. Homelander's first solo movie; there might be easter eggs about The Seven in it."
"Secondly, the Fantastic Four has disbanded. And finally, I can date whoever I want!"
"Fuck, I said, don't shove the microphone into my mouth... Where were we?"
"Right, and Susan will also join Vought International under the name Invisible Woman. She won't date ordinary people; only Homelander is worthy of her. If anyone else dares to approach..."
As Johnny said this, he snapped his fingers. A cluster of flames danced on his fingertips, then suddenly grew into a fireball.
The meaning was self-evident.
The reporters gasped and retreated, but their eyes were burning; big news, it was all big news!
The reporters unanimously felt that they should interview Human Torch more often in the future; this kid had a hair-trigger temper, but he definitely dared to spill big scoops!
The people from Vought International's PR department turned black upon seeing this scene.
This kid didn't follow the prepared speech at all; he was a troublemaker and also a playboy with a hair-trigger temper.
The PR department was going to have their hands full in the future.
Meanwhile, Stark Tower.
Li Zuguo brought a picture and the design concept for a suit to find Tony.
"Wow, our good boy Li Zuguo isn't out accepting media interviews, so why do you have time to come here to see me?"
Li Zuguo ignored the teasing and made his request. "I'm here to ask for your help to design a suit for me that can be tight or loose."
Tony heard this and looked Li Zuguo up and down, then revealed an indescribable expression.
"Tight or loose? Is it what I think it is?"
"In any case, forget it. I will absolutely not build that kind of suit with underwear worn on the outside, and no Stars and Stripes either, I swear."
Li Zuguo's face darkened. "Tony, you're overthinking it. I'm helping someone else, not myself. You can take a look at the concept art first."
Tony then took the concept art and looked at it. He had to admit that this suit looked quite good, and it was a women's suit.
It looked a bit like Spider-Man, or rather, Spider-Woman.
As for the requirements Homelander mentioned, they didn't seem difficult to him; they just needed a little ingenuity.
"Who is this for? Your little girlfriend?"
Chapter 52: Strange Contrast, Susan's Inner Thoughts: Homelander Is Like a Father
In front of the floor-to-ceiling windows of Stark Tower.
Tony held the concept art of the suit and teased, though he was just joking.
"I heard the President has already signed an executive order... so are you really going to form The Seven?"
Li Zuguo nodded.
"Of course, it's still in the discussion phase and won't happen that quickly. The owner of this Ghost-Spider suit is one of the people I've selected, and she is very likely to become a member of The Seven."
"So you're still going to be ambiguous?"
If Tony could join The Seven, Li Zuguo would agree with both hands raised, as he came with massive popularity and fans.
Tony did not answer the question directly.
"Fury has my father's relics, and I need to get them back, but if you need anything, you can come to me for help at any time."
This was Tony's promise to Homelander; since he had saved his life, he would help unconditionally for that reason alone.
Homelander understood what Tony meant and didn't push any further.
"Fine, I'll help you promote it then, saying that most of the super suits for Vought International were crafted with the help of Iron Man."
Tony hesitated for a moment before saying.
"I don't think that's necessary. There's a party tonight, do you want to come? If you come, I think the female guests will be very excited."
He was afraid that one day he might craft some bizarre suit and ruin his own reputation, or that some supervillain might target him to craft a suit, which would be troublesome.
After Tony solved the palladium poisoning, he didn't settle down; he was still that same playboy.
Li Zuguo stood up.
"No thanks, I have other things to do. I don't have time next week either; I have an appointment in Beverly Hills."
Tony said in disbelief.
"You're going to Beverly Hills? The parties there are much wilder than mine. You're the 'good boy' of the nation; you have to set an example for your fans."
Li Zuguo left without looking back.
"I will. Remember to help me craft this suit."
Thinking of the previous invitations to Beverly Hills and certain rumors, Tony suddenly felt that some people were about to be in trouble.
Unless Homelander was faking it, which in his opinion, was impossibly unlikely.
...
After the interview ended.
Social media exploded that day.
The topic threads for Homelander and Invisible Womanskyrocketed in popularity; CP fans even appeared on sites like Twitter and YouTube.
Topics like Abomination, the Military, and the gathering of superheroes followed closely behind.
There had been scandals involving Homelander before, but they were basically just rumors from print media and internet trolls, with almost zero credibility—just something to laugh at.
Any smart person knew that those Hollywood actresses who loved to hype up scandals were simply notorious.
But this time was different.
The one who leaked this was none other than the superhero Human Torch, who was also Invisible Woman's brother.
This wasn't just a leak from Johnny; it was a personal testimony, practically a direct confirmation.
The comment sections under the trending topics on YouTube and Twitter were in an uproar.
"Invisible Woman is a bitch; she doesn't deserve Homelander!"
"I want to know what the Military is doing, why they are creating so many monsters."
"Human Torch is a retard; he doesn't deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as Captain America."
"I can't help but imagine the process of a little Homelanderbeing born."
"Both of them have such high looks; a little Homelanderdefinitely won't be bad."
"Some of Homelander's female fans are too extreme."
"Fuck you, get out of the United States, you mixed-race bastard. Only a pure white girl deserves Homelander. Even that Gwen is more suitable than Invisible Woman."
"What are you doing? Isn't this a country where everyone is equal? Why is there such serious discrimination?"
"Perfectly annoying, even more of a 'white lotus' than a white lotus; she's just a pretentious drama queen."
"Which media outlet said she was America's Sweetheart?"
...
Susan was enjoying the same treatment as a certain Hollywood actress.
Plus, the comments from some extreme fans were indeed too vicious, even escalating to the level of personal attacks.
Johnny probably felt it the most; his account was being chased and cursed at by a crowd, and even his past dirty laundry was almost being dug up.
However, he wasn't someone to be trifled with either, and he was currently engaged in high-intensity online arguments.
Before Johnny's comment could be sent, his phone was snatched away. Susan held the phone and looked at him speechlessly.
"Johnny, what on earth are you doing?"
Johnny said with an innocent face.
"I'm just helping you strike down other potential competitors."
Susan raised the phone, opened the comment section, and said angrily.
"You are helping me attract hate!"
If Johnny had communicated with Homelander beforehand that it was just a publicity stunt, there wouldn't have been such a huge backlash. Since Homelander hadn't spoken up, those fans naturally became extreme.
Of course, it wasn't without benefits; the fame of Invisible Woman had become even higher—she had even become famous for being hated.
Even some people at Vought International were unhappy with her, believing that she was the one who instructed Johnny to say that.
That secretary named Raven never gave her a good look, and whenever she wanted to find Homelander to explain, she would be brushed off.
She was so angry that she wanted to turn invisible and enter his office.
Johnny still thought he was right.
"Susan, you don't need to worry about these extreme fans. Look, there are still many CP fans; someone even set up a community for you and Homelander, right?"
"Then what's the situation with you finding young models? This seems inconsistent with the persona Vought gave you."
"What Captain America persona? I don't want to be some good guy; I want to be a playboy like Iron Man!"
Johnny directly stated his thoughts. He felt that some people at Vought were complete idiots. The persona they arranged for him was exactly the same as that so-called Hormone Captain; he didn't want it!
He was Human Torch, not the second Captain America!
Susan looked at the complaining and dissatisfied Johnny, and just as she was feeling a sense of powerlessness, a voice came from the lounge door.
"Johnny, is that how you talk to your sister?"
Li Zuguo walked in with a serious expression, and Johnny almost reflexively shrank his neck.
"I didn't... I just don't like the persona the company arranged for me; I have my own persona."
"You need to learn to respect others first before you offer opinions. If you're dissatisfied, you can say it out loud instead of hiding behind backs to gossip and complain like a child."
"I understand, sir. I will talk to the people at the company..."
Susan watched Homelander scolding Johnny, just like a father scolding a child, and a strange thought inexplicably appeared in her heart.
If she did something wrong one day, would Homelanderalso scold her like this?
Once this thought came out, Susan was startled: why would she think like that?
"Susan, come here."
Li Zuguo's words seemed to carry a certain majesty and magic, and Susan walked to his side involuntarily.
Susan was tall, and standing next to Homelander, she was only about half a head shorter.
Li Zuguo patted her shoulder to show comfort.
"Susan, I've seen social media; don't worry, I will clarify it for you."
"Sir, actually, it doesn't matter if you don't clarify."
[superhero points +5000 (from Invisible Woman)]
"?"
Li Zuguo looked at Susan, who had the face and figure of a top-tier mature woman, yet her eyes were inexplicably submissive; he felt it was quite a contrast.
He remembered that Susan didn't seem like this outside before; the way she looked at people was very contemptuous and carried a bit of disdain.
"Susan, did you take the wrong medicine?"
Chapter 53: Susan's Tremble, Avengers 5 Main Villain Doctor Doom
Susan's tone softened after being scolded.
"I just feel there's no need to affect you because of me... After all, it was Johnny who caused this trouble."
Li Zuguo found it hard to say anything in response to such honesty.
"Alright, Susan, but this isn't just your business. It concerns The Seven, and your image cannot suffer. As for Johnny, since he doesn't like Steve's persona, we can just change it."
He never forced any of his teammates.
Unless they were like The Deep. Human Torch was just a bit impulsive and had a short temper, but he was still reliable.
Johnny became visibly happy upon hearing this.
"Thank you, Mr. Homelander. Can I choose my own persona?"
"Of course, but it can't be anything anti-human. Now, let's talk about the costumes."
Homelander noticed that the siblings weren't wearing their costumes today.
Susan had her hair tied up, and a pair of glasses rested on her exquisite, mixed-race face. She wore a brown turtleneck sweater that acted like a second skin, clinging to her chest and waist, outlining curves that were impossible to look away from.
She stood there quietly, yet an air of intelligence and control radiated from her.
This American sweetheart spoke with her face alone.
In comparison, while Johnny was also a handsome guy, he clearly wasn't as stunning as his sister.
"Do you want to keep wearing those costumes, or should the company redesign them for you?"
Susan raised her hand.
"How about adding some elements to the original costumes? If possible, I'd like to participate in the design myself."
Li Zuguo said that was no problem.
Johnny, on the other hand, wanted to change his costume to red and include a flame symbol, as that better suited his personality.
The group arrived at the design department.
Li Zuguo didn't leave immediately; instead, he accompanied the two and took the opportunity to ask about the Fantastic Four.
Faced with his questions, Susan didn't hold back and told him everything she knew.
To be precise, there were five people on the expedition together—there was one other person.
That was Victor von Doom, Reed Richards' friend.
Reed Richards didn't have enough funding for his research, but he was too excited about discovering cosmic rays that could alter human genes.
So, he approached his friend Victor to sponsor him, and eventually, the five of them headed into outer space together.
But since returning, Victor hadn't appeared in public, and he had even deregistered his company.
"I don't know what his superpower is, but he definitely has some kind of ability; he's just chosen to hide it."
After Susan designed the new look for her costume, she tried it on in the fitting room. Since this wasn't her original suit, it was slightly too thin and tight.
Li Zuguo hadn't expected Victor to just run off like that. The main villain of Avengers 5, Doctor Doom, was surprisingly cautious.
"Alright, Susan. If you have any news about him, be sure to let me know immediately."
"Okay, sir."
"If there's no one else around, just call me Lucien. You are one of the reserve members I value the most."
She could manipulate light waves to turn invisible and create protective force fields.
Both abilities were excellent, and at critical moments, she could work with Li Zuguo to carry out certain rescue missions.
For instance, a plane crash.
Without a Bio-field, Li Zuguo certainly couldn't lift it; forcing it would cause the entire plane and its passengers to be destroyed.
If he brought Susan along and used her protective force field as a buffer, Li Zuguo might actually be able to attempt it.
This was much better than that pervert Translucent.
Thus, Li Zuguo truly valued Invisible Woman; she was practically one of his predetermined members for The Seven.
Susan was somewhat flattered.
"Sir... I mean, Lucien, but isn't that girl named Gwen the one you value the most?"
Li Zuguo shook his head and smiled.
"Of course not. Susan, you are also very important—just as important as Gwen. In my eyes, you are both the same."
"But her treatment is clearly better than mine, isn't it?"
Susan didn't think so. Thanks to Johnny's explanations, she knew about that girl—first being rescued by Homelander, then being hugged.
Then, he mentioned her name on the most popular reality show in the U.S., invited her to visit the company, and finally, she awakened her superpowers and stayed at the company...
Susan wasn't envious, but she couldn't stand Johnnynagging in her ear, claiming that girl would be her greatest rival.
Li Zuguo believed the treatment was the same.
"In what way is the treatment better?"
When it came to the issue of treatment, Susan seemed to revert back to her intellectual, mature self, her beautiful eyes behind her frames exceptionally firm.
"Affection. Lucien, you've invested more affection in Gwen. Affection can make a person lose their impartiality without them even realizing it."
Li Zuguo said patiently.
"I won't deny that, because I've known Gwen longer. There is no absolute fairness in the World, Susan."
"To possess certain things, you must lose others. Just like how your protective light waves can better coordinate with me, whereas my coordination with Gwen isn't as high."
Susan explained that she wasn't very proficient yet and that it would take time to practice and build synergy.
"Thank you for today, Lucien. Only you can keep Johnny in check. Without you, I really wouldn't know how to communicate with him."
"Those things can be practiced slowly. As for Johnny, I've said that he'll grow up sooner or later, Susan; he's just missing a bit of hardship."
"Since I'm just as important as Gwen, could you give me a hug, Lucien?" Susan felt that if Gwen received that treatment, she should too, otherwise it would be favoritism—though she was just saying it.
"Of course."
Li Zuguo opened his arms. Susan reached out, touched his chest, then lowered her arms to wrap them around his waist, throwing herself into the man's embrace.
It was a feeling that brought her peace and fascination—not the peace and fascination of lovers, as they currently had no romantic feelings for each other.
There wasn't much height difference between Li Zuguoand Susan. Since both their uniforms were specially made and thin to the touch, once their bodies relaxed, the large area of contact still felt slightly unusual, like skin pressed against skin—both cool and warm.
This unusual stimulation made Susan's body tremble involuntarily, and she nearly entered an invisible state.
[superhero points +10,000 (from Invisible Woman)]
For a brief moment, Li Zuguo even felt a sensation—it felt hard, but was actually a soft, granular texture, deeper than the sensation he'd had with Raven.
It must have been the costume; it definitely wasn't anything else.
"Bang."
At the sound, the two immediately separated. Johnnystood there holding a half-melted drink, looking somewhat awkward.
"Sorry, I seem to have interrupted you. I'll step out now—why don't you two continue?"
This time, not only were Susan's ears red, but her face was flushed as well.
"Wait, Johnny, it's not what you think. I was just..."
"I know, Susan. I definitely won't tell anyone." Johnny had an expression that said, 'I understand, and I'll keep it a secret.'
Susan really didn't have any of those thoughts; she was just too tired from managing Johnny on her own, and she had just had an argument with Reed Richards.
It just so happened that Lucien appeared and solved the problem. After her tense body and mind relaxed, she had wanted to seek some comfort. Plus, earlier, when she was with Lucien while he reprimanded Johnny, she had seen something different in him.
That was why she wanted to use his chest to rest for a moment.
It was just such a simple hug that made Susan feel a bit lost and relaxed.
She just hadn't expected that this one moment of relaxation would be walked in on by Johnny.
Li Zuguo didn't know what was going through Susan's mind; he only felt that Susan had been comforted by him, and the 10,000 superhero points were proof of that.
"Susan, I have things to attend to, so I have to go. If you want to practice your abilities, you can come to me anytime."
Seeing that Li Zuguo was about to leave, Susan seemed to suddenly remember something and called out to him.
"Wait, Lucien, what's your private number? I'd like to treat you to a meal to thank you for keeping Johnny in check. Is that alright?"
Chapter 54: Mutants are Furries, S.H.I.E.L.D. (HYDRA) Recruits Wolverine
Susan suddenly felt that Johnny wasn't completely useless; at the very least, he had given her a good excuse.
"I'm a bit busy. You can treat me when you come to practice with me next time."
Susan pressed further.
"Then can I find you to practice at any time, anywhere?"
Li Zuguo gave a standard smile.
"Of course, you are America's Sweetheart, after all."
Susan was satisfied with the answer.
Just as Li Zuguo left the design department, Raven hurried over holding a small notebook, glancing at Susan with some impatience.
"Before attending the party, Lucien has a few other activities: one is the riot in the Middle East, another is Professor Charles's invitation, and then there's the movie actor auditions."
Li Zuguo thought for a moment and said,
"Let's go see Professor Charles first; otherwise, the old man will get anxious after waiting so long."
The actor auditions could be announced in advance, and the Middle East riot would depend on his mood.
But Professor Charles was indeed in a bit of a rush. He was already being suppressed by the government, and Raven had put more pressure on him last time.
If he didn't help, he would be treated as a government spy, reporting the whereabouts and hideouts of Mutants. If Charles didn't see him soon, he would probably come looking for him.
Although Li Zuguo wasn't afraid, Mutants were quite important to him, as they provided him with a significant amount of superhero points.
If he could reorganize the Mutant Academy into the V Generation Academy, the gains would be enormous.
Not to mention those top-tier Mutants, it would be like finding a backup hidden energy source, continuously supplying fresh blood to the superhero reserves.
In the future, he could also divide them into regional heroes, superhero squads—all of that was possible.
By then, he could use Superhumans to indirectly bind the entire U.S. and even most other nations.
The idea was good, but the difficulty was high; at this time, he needed the supervillains and criminals to step up.
Or maybe an alien invasion of Earth?
Raven's expression was somewhat complicated; she hadn't expected the first stop to be the Mutant Academy.
She didn't want Lucien to go there because her identity would very likely be exposed, but she obviously couldn't make the call.
She was now hoping that Natasha would return sooner.
...
New York State, Westchester County.
1407 Graymalkin Lane.
This was a suburb in northern New York, sparsely populated, with lush greenery on both sides of the road.
But sitting by the asphalt road was a Victorian Gothic mansion.
It had limestone exterior walls, steep roofs, pointed arched windows with leaded glass, gargoyles on the eaves, a central clock tower, and a sign on the academy gatepost that read "Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters."
Coupled with the overcast weather after the recent rain, it gave people the feeling of a medieval castle.
Raven was very familiar with this place, but she still feigned a look of curiosity.
Inside the Mutant Academy at this moment.
Professor Charles had already notified all the Mutants of the news that Homelander was coming, and he led a group, including Storm, outside to welcome him.
It was evident that he attached great importance to this meeting.
But before they even saw anyone announce his arrival, one person—or, to be precise, two people—slowly descended from the sky.
Li Zuguo was holding Raven with one hand, while she wrapped her arms around his waist. He didn't take the usual path and descended directly from the sky.
From his observations just now, he discovered that there were even more Mutants in the Mutant Academy than he had imagined.
But most of them were Level 1 or Level 2 Mutants.
Level 1 Mutants refer to those with weak abilities or severe defects, with abnormal appearances, such as bird beaks, rabbit ears, fox tails... this kind of Beast-like, but not fully Beast-like, appearance that makes it difficult to integrate into society.
It sounds like... well, Mutants are essentially real-life furries.
Level 2 Mutants have weaker abilities but are controllable; most have normal appearances and no issues with daily life.
These two types of Mutants are the most common.
Before Homelander even landed, he tentatively greeted these Mutants.
"Hey, how are you all doing?"
As soon as the greeting left his mouth, people at the scene screamed and cheered.
"Homelander, are you really a Mutant?"
"Can I become a superhero like you and fight crime?"
"Are you here this time to select Mutants to join The Seven?"
"Homelander, I've been reading your comics; can you give me an autograph?"
The Mutants were overly enthusiastic, but thinking about it, it was quite normal. The Mutant Academy lacked nothing, and it wasn't a closed-off school.
Most Mutants probably knew of Homelander when they joined the academy or were fleeing, otherwise, no one would be bringing comics to ask for autographs.
Plus, Professor Charles had been promoting the idea that Li Zuguo was also a Mutant...
Li Zuguo knew what was going on when he saw this situation.
After landing, he took the initiative to greet the old man; the elderly Professor Charles looked very kind.
"Hello, Professor Charles, I am Homelander."
"Hello, Homelander. How about we find a quiet place to talk?" Charles, sitting in his wheelchair, looked somewhat expectant.
Li Zuguo nodded: "Of course, no problem. This is my secretary, Raven."
Mystique was very nervous; after all, she had previously threatened Charles that if he didn't support her, she would report him to the government.
Charles didn't point this out, but instead nodded as if they had just met, and then let Storm push him toward the interior of the academy.
Li Zuguo followed closely behind, while the rest of the Mutants followed along to watch.
He saw Cyclops, Iceman, Colossus, Shadowcat... and others.
But he didn't see Wolverine, Beast, Nightcrawler... or other Mutants.
The X-Men timeline is quite complex; there are two timelines.
The culprit behind one of the timelines was Mystique, Raven, who was beside Li Zuguo; the government used her Mutant genes to create the Sentinel robots.
But now that Mystique was by his side, would that "Days of Future Past" timeline still exist?
However, for Li Zuguo, it didn't matter whether it existed or not; the people standing on the stage would only be superheroes, not Mutants.
Except for Omega-level and a few individual Mutants, the rest of the Mutants couldn't change anything.
Joining the Mutant Academy was even more absurd.
But since Professor Charles wanted to talk, Li Zuguo didn't mind.
He was very curious about what exactly the other party was relying on to conclude that he was a Mutant.
...
Texas.
Inside an old tavern.
Two S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents in plain clothes were searching for something until they found a burly man drinking at the bar.
"You are Logan Howlett. We have some business with you."
Logan didn't even turn his head, telling the two to get lost and not disturb his drinking.
The Agent said.
"It concerns the entire Earth, Wolverine."
Hearing those three names—if he hadn't been in a tavern, Logan would have already exploded on the spot. He slowly stood up.
"You two had better really have some business. Did Charles send you?"
The two S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents looked at each other and slowly said.
"No, we are HYDRA, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s sworn enemies."
Hearing "S.H.I.E.L.D.," Logan had a bit of a stress reaction; any Mutant who had joined a Mutant faction wouldn't be too unfamiliar with this organization.
It was definitely one of the government agencies that suppressed Mutants the most fiercely.
Now someone was claiming to be S.H.I.E.L.D.'s sworn enemy, telling him it concerned the entire Earth?
Logan felt that this HYDRA must have something wrong with its brain.
Protecting Earth's safety was the business of those superheroes; what did it have to do with Mutants?
But he still got up, preparing to leave with the two; there were too many people in the tavern.
Logan prepared to find a quieter place to give these two a good workout.
Chapter 55: Homelander's Shocking Speech, Mutant? Superhuman!
Inside the X Academy.
Professor Charles briefly introduced the academy to Li Zuguo.
It was both a general educational institution and a training Base for super abilities.
The academy featured high-tech training rooms used to simulate various combat scenarios, helping students improve tactical coordination and ability control.
The purpose of Professor Charles in founding this academy was to guide adolescent Mutants in utilizing their Superhuman abilities reasonably, teaching them knowledge and how to face and control their powers.
He had always hoped that Mutants could coexist peacefully with humans, but every attempt had failed.
The closest he came to success was only a period of peaceful coexistence.
"Professor Charles, if you actually succeeded, that is what would surprise me."
Li Zuguo felt that, setting aside the destruction and threats caused by Mutants, their very genes made peaceful coexistence with humans impossible.
Whether it was high-ranking government officials or certain people standing at the top, their desires were infinite.
The abilities and genes of Mutants... were precisely the best lab rats that humans needed.
Even if not mentioned openly, there was no telling how much research on Mutants was going on in the shadows.
Take that Yashida Shingen from Wolverine's side; wasn't it because of his greed for Logan's self-healing ability and his desire to obtain Wolverine's genes to satisfy his craving for immortality and returning to his prime?
If even a family like that had such thoughts, let alone other entities.
Therefore, even if some humans were willing to coexist peacefully with Mutants, others would not agree.
The final result would be war between the two sides.
Li Zuguo was simply strong to a level where even bombing him with a nuclear weapon would be useless, and he had almost no weaknesses.
Furthermore, unlike Superman, he could not be morally blackmailed.
Who wouldn't be afraid of a Homelander who might go insane?
The previous incidents with Hulk and Abomination had already proven this.
Homelander was almost omnipotently powerful.
Powerful enough to make normal people cheer and capitalists fear.
But when it came to dealing with beings like Mutants who had weaknesses, they had them in the palm of their hand.
"That is precisely the reason I wanted to meet you, Li Zuguo."
Professor Charles recounted the history of the birth and development of Mutants to Homelander.
Every Mutant's genes were unique.
In his perception, Homelander was not colorful, but possessed a kind of golden divinity, and now this color was becoming deeper.
He had reason to believe that Li Zuguo was the most special Mutant of all.
"Homelander, you are special, and your current methods prove that you can indeed lead Mutants forward and coexist peacefully with humans."
To be honest, Li Zuguo was a bit skeptical whether Charleshad been hit too hard by too many failures, and yet he still clung to the method of peaceful coexistence.
As for the golden divinity becoming deeper, could it be because he took the first-generation Compound V?
Raven saw through it clearly and scoffed at the so-called peace, yet Charles still held onto such notions.
Seeing this, Li Zuguo decided to show his cards to Charles.
"Professor Charles, you are already old. Peaceful coexistence is a thing of the past. It never succeeded before, and it is even less likely to succeed now. Besides, I am not a Mutant."
"Mutant is just a term from the past; I prefer to call them Superhuman!"
...
In the distance.
Shadowcat Kitty, Colossus Piotr, Banshee Sean... a few of them gathered together, watching the conversation between Professor X and Homelander in the distance.
They were all at least Level 3 Mutants, and as former members of the X-Men, they understood the situation best.
Charles hoped that through Homelander's ever-growing influence and popularity, Mutants could return to an era of peaceful coexistence with humans.
Colossus trusted Charles unconditionally, but the others had their own thoughts.
Angel Warren believed that Homelander's approach was the correct one.
Peaceful coexistence was just an illusion; in the United States, Mutants were discriminated against everywhere and could only stay in their own communities.
At their worst, their treatment was comparable to that of Black people.
Warren had read that comic book, where Homelanderdescribed Mutants as Superhumans, regional heroes, superhero squads, reserves, and even the final The Seven... protecting cities, and then the entire United States.
These were originally just comic book plot points, but now they were becoming reality, step by step.
Superhumans should inherently be the leaders of humanity!
Kitty and Iceman Bobby did not express any opinions, but they hoped the result of the negotiation would satisfy both sides.
But the result was disappointing; Professor X and Homelander erupted into a dispute, mainly due to the Professor's anger.
Their opinions were clearly at odds.
Charles was still living in the past, attempting to negotiate with humans to continue peaceful coexistence and expand the academy.
Li Zuguo's idea was about superheroes, from V Generation Academy → Superhero Reserves → Regional Heroes → Superhero Groups → The Seven.
He directly arranged a whole set of advancement methods for Mutants; as long as you performed well and had high popularity, you could be promoted level by level, and your treatment would improve level by level as well.
A typical American idol strategy.
As for the Mutants who didn't pass the interview, that was absolutely not Vought International's problem, but the Mutants' problem.
The standards Li Zuguo set were very simple: Vought International refused to accept Mutants who committed all kinds of evil.
This line of thinking ran counter to Charles's philosophy.
He believed that every Mutant should be given a chance to turn over a new leaf, as long as they were willing to stay at the X Academy to learn and reform.
Mutants were Mutants, definitely not some kind of Superhumans.
The two men's philosophies were destined to clash from the beginning.
Li Zuguo knew this, but he came anyway. Watching the Mutants gathering around, he began to play to his strengths.
"A fan just asked me if I was preparing to select The Seven. I can now officially reveal this secret."
"Join Vought International. As long as you pass the interview and exam, and accept some simple training, you too can become respected heroes. Your salary and benefits will be guaranteed, and you will even have the opportunity to shoot your own self-titled comics, superhero movies, and even theme parks filled with your fans!"
"From now on, you don't have to live in the shadows, but stand in the sunlight."
"No one will discriminate against you again. You can reunite with your loved ones, become their pride, and make them proud of you!"
"Furthermore, I will grant you a brand new collective name: Superhuman. From now on, you will be a true superhero just like me!"
After Li Zuguo's heart-shaking speech, his superhero points began to stack up continuously. He knew that these words had touched their souls.
"If any of you want to become a true hero, keep an eye on the news and updates on the official Vought Internationalwebsite."
"Children, I look forward to the day we meet again."
Li Zuguo left everyone with a friendly smile, then wrapped one arm around Mystique's slender waist, bent his knees slightly, and shot into the sky.
Homelander had left, but the words he left behind caused the entire X Academy to become restless.
No, not just restless; they were downright excited!
The kind that couldn't be suppressed.
Most of the Mutants in the academy were adolescents.
Their minds were not mature, and compared to ProfessorX, Homelander's rhetoric was clearly more capable of moving them.
Self-titled comics!
Superhero movies!
Living in the sunlight, reuniting with loved ones to become their pride, being respected...
None of these were things they could refuse.
Charles was helpless about this because Homelander's words just now were exactly what all Mutants wanted to have.
Even the usually rational Kitty and Iceman were the same.
A new hope had appeared.
Who wouldn't want to grasp it?
At the same time, a Mutant stepped back, shielding the group of Mutants in front of them while carefully transmitting some kind of information.
Chapter 56: Movie Casting, Two Homelanders in the Same Frame, Raven and Susan with Overflowing Maternal Love
Above the sky.
Li Zuguo flew with Mystique at a speed she could accept, and since they were both in New York, the distance was not very far.
Raven was once again convinced, and at the same time understood why Charles thought Lucien was a Mutant.
Color and black and white, but gold appeared for the first time.
Time spent alone was short.
After returning to Vought.
The company fully launched the casting process. The script had already been finalized, and the crew was already in place ahead of time, leaving only the actors missing.
Regarding the casting, Li Zuguo had to arrange it personally. He absolutely would not allow any politically correct actors in his first movie.
If certain roles fit, he didn't mind using them, but if they forcibly cast a Black person to play Snow White, then don't blame his eyes for heating up.
Because the news had been released in advance.
The company's emails were already stuffed, and the number of Hollywood stars coming to audition was countless.
Of course, Li Zuguo couldn't review them one by one. Instead, others would finalize the candidates, and then he would review them before making a final decision.
Except for a few main roles, which he would personally attend auditions for.
First was the casting for Homelander's infant period.
Why not adolescence? Because it jumped directly from adolescence to youth.
Li Zuguo looked at the director and several screenwriters and said.
"You must find a cute blonde, not exceeding five years old, so that people will feel pity at first glance, understand?"
"Understood x5!"
"Right, if anyone else in the company wants to cameo, give them a role with priority."
Li Zuguo planned to release this movie globally, with special language versions for all regions, and in some regions, he even planned to shoot an Agent version.
The last day of the week.
Weekend.
In the Vought audition room.
A cute blonde little boy won over most hearts, and even the moment Li Zuguo first saw him, he felt that this was the child actor he was looking for.
Li Zuguo held the little boy and said with a smile.
"He is very cute, right?"
Everyone chimed in. Li Zuguo held the little baby and greeted everyone, and the little baby also smiled facing everyone.
Seeing this, Li Zuguo made the final decision right away—it would be this little baby. Without a doubt, he also liked well-behaved children, as long as they weren't brats.
If it were a brat, he really couldn't help himself...
Raven looked at the big and small Lucien, a smile involuntarily curling up at the corner of her mouth. Lucien's childhood was so miserable, yet he still liked children so much.
If Lucien had his own child one day, he would definitely cherish them even more.
Raven gently bit her lip. If that child were hers and Lucien's... Mph.
Johnny couldn't understand why a mere brat was so great that Homelander was actually this close to him.
"Susan, you say this is just finding a character actor, is it necessary to care so much?"
He just didn't like children, or rather, he himself was just a child.
Susan was watching this scene with overflowing maternal love, but Johnny just had to break this warmth, so she immediately said fiercely.
"Johnny, if a woman ever comes to your door holding a child one day, you can forget about being a playboy ever again."
"Impossible..."
Johnny suddenly lacked a bit of confidence. The female star girlfriend he had newly made a few days ago had never taken safety measures even once.
As soon as Susan saw Johnny's look, she knew he had a guilty conscience. With such a younger brother for comparison.
And then looking at Lucien—powerful, loving, never promiscuous...
[superhero points +5000 (from Mystique)]
[superhero points +2000 (from Invisible Woman)]
Li Zuguo didn't expect a pleasant surprise. His superhero points had already experienced a Breakthrough of 200,000, taking another step closer to Perfect Compound V.
There were no other items in the mall that he fancied for the time being, but next time he could access a higher-tier prize pool.
It was just ten times more expensive than the Elementaryprize pool, so he would check it out later.
Having settled the little protagonist, what remained were the rest of the actors.
Li Zuguo had great power and faced great temptation. For a main candidate role as a female researcher, those female stars came up one by one with suggestive glances and coquettish poses.
They practically made it clear that as long as the role was given, they would immediately open up, and there were even some who threw themselves at him without wanting a role.
Li Zuguo's aesthetic was still online, and furthermore, he found them dirty. Next time he held interviews, he might as well just have Raven tag along by his side.
Raven was also very supportive. Seeing those coquettish ones, she went right up and gave them a big slap across the face.
After word got out, the subsequent actresses became much more well-behaved.
Finally, to highlight little Homelander's pitifulness, Li Zuguo chose an actress whose facial features naturally aroused disgust, but whose acting skills were passable.
Everything was being arranged in an orderly manner.
Susan chose to cameo in a role as a reporter interviewing Homelander.
Johnny originally wanted to pick one too, but helplessly there was no suitable role for him, or rather, he looked down on those few minor roles that didn't even have a few seconds of screen time.
Raven did not cameo. She didn't care about these things; she only cared about Lucien's gaze.
A few days later.
Li Zuguo thought of how to add the superhero Easter egg into the script, intending to put that Easter egg at the very end.
It could be considered a surprise for the audience, as well as laying the groundwork for a series of subsequent superhero blockbuster movies.
By then, peripheral toys, theme parks, and even games and other IP series would be golden geese laying golden eggs.
Li Zuguo might not care about these, but his subordinates cared and needed them.
Wanting a horse to run without giving it grass, where was there such an unreasonable thing?
If welfare and benefits weren't better, what would the final end be?
Over in Southeast Asia, the two Presidents of South Korea had already set an example.
Li Zuguo certainly wasn't afraid, but paying a little money could harvest massive amounts of popularity and superhero points, so why not?
A few days later.
On the last day of auditions, a big shot arrived.
Halfway through the interview, Tony Stark barged in, followed by an assistant carrying a briefcase.
"How is the actor selection going, Homelander? Do you want me to help you promote it, and is there a role suitable for me?"
Li Zuguo was already used to Tony Stark's glib talking.
"Yes, there is a billionaire in here who is a pervert. I feel you can play the role to perfection."
Tony Stark was choked up for a moment, but quickly countered.
"When did your mouth become so toxic? This doesn't look like a good boy. I came to give you a gift; since you don't want it, then I'll go back."
Li Zuguo said: "There is a Genius scientist in here."
Tony Stark took off his sunglasses and bragged.
"This is the one, perfectly suited to my persona. This is the custom suit you ordered; want to open it and take a look?"
Tony Stark motioned, and his subordinate stepped forward carrying the case.
Li Zuguo shook his head: "No need, I trust you, Tony Stark. You are a true Genius."
Tony Stark didn't say anything on the outside, but inside he was still somewhat pleased.
Li Zuguo motioned for Raven to take the case. Gwen Stacy usually only came to the company on Saturdays and Sundays, occasionally coming over after school to take a look.
By then, he could give her a surprise.
The two chatted idly for a few more sentences.
Raven, who was on the side, reminded him at the right time that the party in Beverly Hills was about to start.
Chapter 57: The Real Party Has Just Begun, Beverly Hills, True Fan Avril.
Beverly Hills. Located in the west of Los Angeles, California, it is completely surrounded by the city of Los Angeles, bordered by West Hollywood, the Carthay community, and the Fairfax District to the east, and the Beverlywood community to the south. It is one of the largest top-tier luxury residential areas in the United States, and can also be called a private estate.
Tonight, outside one of these private estates.
The lawn was covered with brand-new artificial turf, extending from the entrance all the way to the steps of the main house.
Top-tier luxury cars were parked bumper to bumper at the entrance: Rolls-Royces, McLarens, Bugattis, and Bentley Mulsannes.
The second floor of the main house had been completely opened up to create an open-plan party hall.
Under the crystal chandelier, a three-tier champagne tower stood at the entrance, while waiters wove through the crowd with trays, the air thick with a mix of high-end perfume and cigar smoke.
It was a sudden, vivid scene of a Hollywood vanity fair.
A man in a white suit stood by the pool, talking to two girls who were clearly models, a cigar held in his hand.
His name was Marcus, the powerful vice president of the third-ranked studio among the six major Hollywood studios.
He wasn't here for the party today.
"Diddy has really gone all out with this display of influence," a bald man in sunglasses next to him remarked, taking a sip of champagne.
Marcus flicked his cigar ash into the pool.
"Influence? The person he invited could buy all of our influence combined."
As he spoke, his gaze swept over the crowd. Those A-list faces, usually so arrogant and always appearing last on the red carpet, were all fucking here.
That queen of arthouse films, who prided herself on being "independent" and "artistic," had a dress slit all the way up to her thigh tonight.
Marcus saw all these anomalies.
Information asymmetry is value.
They had all received wind of it—or to be precise, their agents, publicists, lawyers, and the entire vanity machine revolving around them had received vague warnings and clearer temptations from higher up.
Tonight, that man would come.
All they had to do was try their hardest to corrupt him, or at the very least, capture some leverage.
The bald man said indifferently, "So what if he comes? Do you really think we'll be able to speak to him?"
Marcus just smiled at this. He saw the ostensible Master of the party on the other side of the pool.
That rap mogul who always loved to say, "I know everyone."
At this moment, he was frantically juggling several phones, confirming whether that person was actually going to come.
This idiot really thinks the people up top want to befriend Homelander?
Inside the hall.
The rap mogul was leaning against the bar after finishing his call, surrounded by a few starlets, but he was in no mood to pay attention to them.
It wasn't until his agent suddenly leaned into his ear and whispered two words: "He's here."
Upon hearing this, the rap mogul set his glass down on the bar and turned to the crowd, shouting, "Everyone, tonight's important guest will be here immediately!"
No one asked who it was, because there was only one person in the entire United States who could make him speak in that tone.
"No, he's already here."
A voice came from the sky. Everyone looked up to see a figure descending leisurely from the sky and standing in front of the Beverly Hills estate.
This time, Homelander did not have his hands on his hips; his posture was even more unrestrained than his previous appearances because he knew there weren't many good people at this so-called party.
Seeing that iconic stars and stripes cape and smile, cheers erupted instantly at the scene.
It was like a carnival, a collective frenzy of witnessing a myth walk into reality; screams, whistles, and applause blended together.
The rap mogul was the first to rush over, his bulky body pushing through the crowd, his face plastered with a smile that was a mix of ecstasy and relief.
"Li Zuguo! My brother! I knew you would come! This way, please, this way!"
Li Zuguo glanced at the rap mogul, a flash of red light passing through his eyes. What kind of status did he have to dare call him... For the sake of the cameras, he held back for a moment.
Raven, who had arrived by car behind him, stopped the rap mogul.
"Sir does not like physical contact."
"Yes, yes, yes, please come inside, Homelander." The rap mogul's smile remained on his face.
The crowd automatically parted to form a path.
On both sides of the path were countless upturned faces.
A starlet in a silver sequined dress was pushed by her agent, stumbling to the front, and raised her phone.
"Mr. Li Zuguo! Can we take a picture together? I'm your fan!"
She tried hard to squeeze out a sweet smile, but her hand holding the phone was shaking.
Li Zuguo turned to the side, facing the camera with a standard smile. The girl quickly adjusted her pose, and flashbulbs lit up the area.
"Thank you! Thank you so much!" the girl stammered incoherently.
Homelander smiled and nodded, continuing to walk forward into the hall. The hall was spacious, but there were more and more people.
Everyone tried to shove business cards at him or loudly announced their names and companies.
"Mr. Homelander! I'm Joe from Innovation Pictures, we have a project..."
"Homelander, can I steal a minute of your time?"
"Hey! Look over here! I'm..."
...
This party didn't seem to have anything wrong with it, at least on the surface, everything was as usual.
Raven, standing to the side, was so beautiful that many people were itching to approach her, but no one dared.
Everyone knew who this beautiful lady had come with.
Raven blocked most of the useless socializing, only letting someone in to talk when Li Zuguo gave her a look.
Apparently, one person had earned that qualification.
It was a girl with a lot of personality and an aggressive look—if one had to describe it, it was a'shark-like' appearance.
Behind her followed a man with a fawning smile, who seemed to be her agent.
"Li Zuguo, I'm your fan. I wrote a song for you. Do you want to hear it?"
Li Zuguo had already recognized this woman: Avril Lavigne, known as the Punk Queen, the Ice Witch.
At the same time, she could be considered one of the few good girls in U.S. entertainment; at least she wasn't morally corrupt.
"Avril, right? The song you wrote is quite good. I'll consider adding it to the film."
Avril didn't expect her idol to recognize her and even want to include the song she wrote for him in the film.
The surprise came so suddenly.
The two chatted for a few sentences. Avril looked around and suddenly leaned in, whispering, "Mr. Li Zuguo, you'd better leave the party later. That man is not a good person; he is notorious in Hollywood."
Li Zuguo always spoke his mind to true fans.
"Of course I've heard of him, Diddy, the legend of the rap scene. But Avril, have you forgotten? I am Homelander."
Avril then realized that the person in front of her was no ordinary person. It seemed someone was going to be in trouble tonight.
Li Zuguo only then realized that she had come to this party because she had received his message.
A true fan, no doubt.
Sure enough, just as Avril said.
In less than an hour, some people began to leave one after another because they were not qualified to attend the subsequent party.
Avril also left with her agent.
The gates of the estate closed.
The rap mogul's smile became even brighter.
Anyone who has been to Beverly Hills knows that the real party is about to begin.
Chapter 58: Homelander: I'm Not Joking
Inside the mansion.
The real party began, and the lights dimmed a degree.
Those who had attended a few times didn't even bother to pretend anymore and began to reveal their true nature.
Some sat down and started smoking, and after getting high, they started again, without any restraint.
Raven watched this scene with cold eyes, saying nothing.
Li Zuguo stood in the middle of the party like a raw recruit.
Diddy came to Li Zuguo's side, followed by several people, including A-list actresses and executives from the Big Six who had business requests.
He was a little scared, but also a bit excited.
He was afraid that Homelander was really like what the media said, but he had to follow the orders from above.
To corrupt Homelander as much as possible, and it would be best to film a few videos.
He was excited that if he could win over Homelander, his status would rise to another level, and he could easily pull down those who used to consider themselves superior.
In short, he had already reached the top of the Hollywood vanity fair, but now he could climb one more position.
Naturally, he had to serve this benefactor diligently.
"Mr. Homelander, any kind of play is fine. See what you like, we have all sizes."
Homelander's smile slowly faded, and he looked at Diddyexpressionlessly.
This immediately made the rap mogul break out in a cold sweat, unable to understand what he had done wrong.
He first gave a simple introduction to the people behind him.
The general idea was that they wanted to cooperate on film distribution and the like.
Li Zuguo couldn't be bothered to talk to them about these things and just let Raven handle the business connection with these people.
It was nothing more than a few more distribution channels or a few cameos.
Diddy saw that Homelander didn't smoke, didn't get high, and didn't even drink alcohol, just sitting there obediently like a good boy, and he was dumbfounded.
"You're f*cking Superman, how are you more restrained than a normal person??"
"Shouldn't you be doing everything—cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, women, or something else—in private?"
"Which model student from the East ran to the United States?"
Although Li Zuguo wasn't as outrageous as Diddy said, he was indeed not interested in smoking or drinking.
He was interested in women, but not in playing so wildly in public like this, swapping them one by one...
Li Zuguo was stingy and a bit of a germaphobe, so at most, he would just take a curious look.
If it were just these things, it would be fine, but when he saw certain people, the red light in his eyes was almost out of control.
Diddy hadn't realized the seriousness of the matter and ran over to ask tentatively.
"Homelander, I saw the news today saying you like... I presume they will like you very much too."
The assistant behind him had actually realized something was wrong; he hesitated to speak.
He felt that Diddy was really getting carried away, or maybe his brain wasn't working well and he was too anxious; a stupid person having a 'bright idea.'
A look of disgust appeared on Raven's face; she hadn't expected that playing with women was one thing, but actually...
Li Zuguo changed three expressions in one second, from the initial anger to the hesitation in the middle, and finally to sentencing Diddy in his heart.
Diddy was still there probing cautiously.
"If you don't like the young ones, we have older ones here."
Someone nearby heard this and interjected.
"Choosing the older ones is always right. Women are like fine wine; the older they are, the more mellow they become, and you can better taste the sweetness within."
Listening to Diddy buzzing in his ear like a mosquito, Homelander couldn't take it anymore.
"Shut the f*ck up!"
The whole place went silent.
They looked at Homelander and Diddy, confused, though of course, some smart people were gloating.
Diddy's face looked terrible, but he didn't dare say a harsh word.
Only after the first sentence did Li Zuguo speak.
"Diddy, right? You go now and give him..."
The voice wasn't very loud, but everyone could hear it.
Some people looked curious, appearing as if they had stumbled upon some big gossip.
And that assistant who was pointed at was completely dumbfounded; a disaster for no reason.
Diddy's anger also surged from his heart. Homelanderactually made him do that kind of unbearable thing to an old man; how dared he!
"Do you know who is behind me?!"
But when he met that expressionless face, he instantly sobered up, and fear arose spontaneously.
"Uh, Mr. Li Zuguo, you are joking, right?"
Li Zuguo looked at him, word by word.
"Go give this... what's your name?"
"Gillybo."
"Go give Gillybo a bl*wjob... I'm not joking."
Diddy had no choice. Under Homelander's gaze and the various eyes of the whole room, he slowly stood up, walked a few steps, and then looked back at Homelander.
There was already red light in Li Zuguo's eyes.
Diddy could only walk to Gillybo, his assistant, with a numb scalp, standing there in front of the other person's unspeakable expression, not daring to move.
The people who came to the party were dumbfounded.
They thought Homelander was just shy, which is why he hadn't made a move, but they didn't expect him to play like this.
If Homelander got into the mood and made them do it too... what should they do?!
And this scene was too much to bear.
Most men watched with furrowed brows.
Not long after.
Diddy's face was ugly, and he stood on the spot, looking at his assistant with a look that could kill.
Gillybo's legs went weak for a moment. He really didn't mean it, and being watched by a crowd—this couldn't be blamed on him.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to."
Diddy didn't appreciate it. If this were a big shot, he might have smiled, but the person in front of him was just his assistant.
Li Zuguo didn't stop there, but looked at the whole room.
"Who else is interested now?"
Those who could come to this party had somewhat strange orientations, and some people were hesitating because they were afraid of offending Diddy.
Diddy wanted to die; he had to dry-heave from time to time. He really wanted to rinse his mouth, but Homelanderwas right next to him.
Seeing this, Homelander didn't say anything else. He looked at the children who had been brought in, walked to the door, and kicked the manor's gate into the sky.
"Now, immediately, send this group of children back right away!"
"Yes, yes, yes!"
Gillybo pulled up his pants and immediately called people to send them back to where they came from.
Finally, Li Zuguo waved his hand at the crowd, signaling that they could also get lost. In his eyes, these people had already become existences that could be sent to the Middle East.
Once in the Middle East, they would be terrorists. By then, it would be normal for a superhero to use Heat Vision to strike terrorists, right?
Besides, this was only a small batch. Later, Li Zuguo would give them a big one and send them all over to be grilled squid.
Finally, he took Diddy alone to the backyard.
Diddy realized something was wrong; he begged for mercy while constantly looking for a chance to escape.
But he knew he couldn't outrun Homelander, so he set his sights on Raven. As long as he caught this woman, there might be a chance.
Just as Diddy had this thought, Li Zuguo grabbed him and threw him upwards casually, and he instantly disappeared into the night sky.
"Raven, refuse all such parties in the future. If other superheroes attend, notify me directly. Finally, expose this guy's affairs."
Others were afraid, but he was not.
Chapter 59: Gwen's Bold Move, Director's Concept: The Script of a Son's Betrayal, Homelander is Shocked
The villa gates were wide open.
A group of people scattered and fled.
Diddy had flown into the sky and no one knew where he fell; Li Zuguo had specifically chosen a blind spot to deal with him, which was the result of his restraint.
If he hadn't restrained himself, he would have just thrown him into the sky in front of everyone.
Li Zuguo could just laugh off other things, but having designs on a child was not okay.
He didn't consider himself a good person, but he still had a bit of conscience; this was different from the internet trolls who just talked big about being lolicon.
Raven was cleaning up the scene, cutting off any existence that could be unfavorable to Lucien.
Even if someone really used Diddy's death to attack Lucien, she could just become Diddy and clarify things for Lucien.
Not long after, Raven found the corpse on the side of the road and began to destroy the evidence.
She was a professional at this.
...
Time flew by.
After perfecting the script and confirming the cast, Li Zuguo's first superhero movie began filming.
The early filming was the script of little Li Zuguo in the laboratory, mainly about little Li Zuguo being researched in turns by several researchers.
The original Homelander was a product of Compound V, but now he had become a god.
A god among men!
Homelander grew up in the Vought Internationallaboratory, had no biological parents, and was raised as a weapon.
The only things accompanying him were a few researchers, but even the occasional warmth was just for the sake of better research and control over Homelander.
Until that year, Homelander escaped with his own abilities...
This part of the plot was mainly filmed to be as tragic as possible. Homelander didn't need to appear on screen; the crew was filming in two groups.
Because Homelander was busy, the other group would only start filming when he was free.
Just like today.
Vought International indoor studio.
On set.
Many people wanted to come to the studio to visit Li Zuguo.
Especially Raven and Susan, they wanted to come to the scene to watch the filming.
But Homelander refused them, using the excuse of a surprise.
"If you want to see it, you can buy a ticket to support me in the cinema when the time comes, but being on set will interfere with me, understand?"
Raven and Susan were both a little disappointed. They were both impatient to know how far the movie had progressed and what Homelander was like in the movie.
Although they had read the script, the script was different from the real movie and performance.
This made them feel itchy.
Johnny acted indifferent, just saying, "I will definitely buy out the theater to invite my fans to watch it, right until the movie is out of theaters."
Today, they were filming a completely different Homelander.
The real-life Homelander was perfect, powerful, handsome, and almost satisfied people's fantasies about superheroes.
But today's Homelander was different.
The Homelander being filmed today was melancholic and sad, with a fragile heart beating under a steel-like body.
The plot was roughly that after Homelander became Homelander, he met the researcher who left him back then again.
When that person saw Homelander, he was scared and also felt guilty.
"Sorry, Homelander. You should have grown up in a family that loved you, not in a laboratory with a Doctor."
Here, Homelander displayed a feigned strength.
"But I grew up just fine, and no apologies are needed."
The researcher wanted to say something, but in the end, he left, stopping himself from speaking.
After the researcher left, the strength on Li Zuguo's face disappeared, and before him was boundless loneliness.
A hidden thread was buried here, indicating there was still a hidden story.
The director watched Li Zuguo's miraculous micro-expressions and couldn't help but praise him after the scene was finished.
"Homelander, your acting skills are totally Oscar-worthy. You are simply the most talented actor... superhero I have ever seen!"
He had originally been prepared to film a bad movie, but after looking at the script, he felt it was okay, but he didn't think a superhero would have any acting skills.
As a result, Homelander really exceeded his expectations. He was so professional!
Homelander's mouth curled up at the praise.
Subsequently, the director also put forward an opinion. He felt that they could add a son character—not biological, but adopted.
Li Zuguo was very good to this son, even though his childhood was tragic and he didn't know how to love people.
But he still gave the best love to his son.
In the end, this son blindly believed the words of an outsider and backstabbed Homelander.
In the end, Homelander, who was originally on the side of justice, was deserted by everyone due to various misunderstandings.
When Homelander heard this, his eyes lit up. This idea was simply fucking genius!
It took the character setting that was already heartbreaking to a new level.
He almost suspected that this director had read the original script of The Boys.
What could be more confusing and heartbreaking than the betrayal of a son? He even thought of a name for this adopted son character: Ryan!
The script had been sublimated!
At this moment, the fake smile disappeared from Li Zuguo's face. He looked at the director and laughed heartily, saying, "And you, my director, you are the truly first-class director in Hollywood!"
The director was also overjoyed by the praise. The two immediately exchanged commercial flattery and then began to change the script.
The script changes still needed a little polishing.
Li Zuguo had originally planned to give some reference suggestions, but at this time, a staff member came over and whispered a few words.
Li Zuguo let the director modify the script first, while he went out for a moment.
In the office.
Li Zuguo had just taken out the suit case when Gwenarrived at the office.
"Lucien, I heard you are filming a movie. Can I take a look?"
"Gwen, not this time, but I have a gift for you. Open it and see."
Li Zuguo was currently keeping things hidden as much as possible; after all, the movie could only be understood when it was pieced together, otherwise his god-level acting would have been contributed in vain.
Hearing this, Gwen had to focus her gaze on the box first. She opened the box with anticipation, and then her beautiful eyes were full of surprise.
Inside was a black and white spider suit neatly folded, as well as a retractable jacket with a pink hood.
It was exactly the same as the suit she had imagined!
There was also a manual on top, which roughly explained all the functions of this suit.
Li Zuguo had read it in advance; although it was not as good as the Spider-Man suit from later generations or the nano-suit, it was still extremely good.
"Lucien, I love this gift so much! It's even better than this year's Christmas present!"
Gwen looked at Li Zuguo, her beautiful eyes full of admiration and surprise, and boldly gave him a kiss on the cheek.
Then she carefully observed Li Zuguo's expression. Seeing that he didn't say anything, but was instead amiable, she felt relieved.
Gwen knew that there were many bitches in Vought International who were eyeing Lucien.
But she hadn't graduated yet and was still in school. If she didn't take the initiative, she might not have any chance at all.
Li Zuguo touched his cheek. It seemed he had underestimated his own charm.
"Alright, Gwen. Go change into the suit and give it a try."
Gwen nodded in agreement, but after walking a few steps, she stepped back and made a bold decision.
In front of Li Zuguo, Gwen Stacy took a deep breath and unbuttoned the first button of her white shirt.
The shirt slipped from her shoulders, revealing a section of fair collarbone and the snow-white skin wrapped in lace...
Chapter 60: Ghost-Spider's Upside-Down Kiss
Inside the office.
As her top slid off, revealing Gwen's beautiful figure and snow-white skin, only her budding breasts, wrapped in a black bra, remained.
Her jeans slid down her legs with a faint sound of fabric friction, leaving her in only a thin layer of black tight-fitting base layer.
Gwen leaned over, and in the sunlight, the clear curve of her cleavage and waistline were displayed without reservation before Li Zuguo.
She picked up the neatly folded spider suit, black and white in color, and deftly slid her legs into it. The high-tech fabric immediately clung to her like a second skin, outlining the long, firm curves of her thighs.
As the zipper closed all the way up from her waist, it made a crisp, smooth "zip" sound.
Her figure was completely wrapped in the black and white spiderweb pattern.
It must be said that Li Zuguo felt that after Gwen put on this suit, the feeling was completely different from the shy and coy vibe from just a moment ago.
You couldn't tell when she was wearing regular clothes, but wrapped in this Ghost-Spider suit, one could fully see Gwen's curvaceous figure.
Gwen rolled her shoulders, brushed her loose blonde hair back with her hands, and pulled the iconic hood over her head.
The shadow of the hood fell over her, obscuring the upper half of her face, leaving only her fair chin and a determined lip line visible.
Standing before Li Zuguo was no longer that schoolgirl in casual clothes, but Ghost-Spider.
From the tips of her swaying blonde hair to her toes, her whole body exuded a sense of lightness, as if she could swing into mid-air at any moment.
"Lucien, does this suit have a name?"
Gwen felt that the comfort was even better than wearing her casual clothes; she couldn't even feel any stuffiness. It was practically tailor-made for her.
Li Zuguo said, "This suit is called Ghost-Spider."
Gwen gave a little jump, and her whole body easily hung upside down from the office ceiling.
"I really like this name. From now on, I will be called Ghost-Spider."
Li Zuguo laughed.
"Gwen Spider-Man, or Spider-Woman would also be nice."
I don't know if it was because of being wrapped in the suit, but Gwen became very bold.
"No, I prefer the name you chose for me, darling. GwenSpider-Man, or Spider-Woman is too tacky."
"How is your adaptation to the abilities?"
"You can try it."
Gwen demonstrated her strength, wall-crawling, web-shooting, and spider-sense.
Just like her title, Ghost-Spider.
This was a tricky little spider.
Li Zuguo felt that Gwen's strength was comparable to a normal Hulk who had just transformed without rage. Of course, she couldn't compare to the Hulk from the first Avengers at all.
"How about it, darling? Do you think I'm qualified to join The Seven?"
Gwen had been practicing hard for this at home and in places where no one could see her for a long time. She had learned various fighting techniques, although only as an amateur.
Li Zuguo felt that Gwen, wearing the suit, was like wearing a mask, completely unleashing her true nature.
He even suspected that the suit might have been possessed by Venom, amplifying the desires in Gwen's heart.
"Not yet. You still have to undergo the company's professional training. For example, don't deliberately pitch your voice."
Gwen was immediately triggered. She just wanted to let Lucien see a different side of her and show off a bit of charm.
"I didn't pitch it! This is my real voice, Lucien."
"Alright, alright, I believe you, Gwen. It was just a joke." Li Zuguo signaled for Gwen to relax; it wouldn't be good if she actually got red-faced with anger.
Gwen switched back to her original voice.
"That's not funny, Lucien. You have to compensate me."
Li Zuguo said with his hands on his hips.
"How do you want me to compensate you?"
"It's simple."
Gwen pulled on her web and slowly descended while hanging upside down. She pulled back her mask with one hand to reveal her soft, pink lips and slowly leaned in.
Li Zuguo did not refuse, and they shared an upside-down kiss, their lips entwined, exchanging saliva.
"Click."
But with a "click" sound, Gwen quickly pulled away and jumped down, with that strand of silk also falling at the corner of her mouth.
"Lucien's kiss is not bad. I should be the first, right? Do you mind if I keep a souvenir?"
She shook the phone in her hand, and on the screen was a photo of the two of them kissing.
How could Li Zuguo not have noticed such a small movement? He just ignored it and let her take a picture.
"You are the one at the very front. You can keep a souvenir, but it's best not to let them know."
Gwen was very satisfied with this answer.
...
Vought studio.
After Li Zuguo returned, the script was mostly revised. He only added a few lines, and then it was time to continue filming today's scenes.
As for the actor for Ryan, there were plenty of age-appropriate children.
Filming continued.
Besides the studio, there was location shooting today.
The opening was Homelander's monologue, mainly filming Li Zuguo's confusion and loss after escaping.
Homelander felt envious watching others' happiness and joy.
"I don't have a dad, and I don't have a mom. Today isn't my birthday either. It's impossible for me to have a birthday."
After this line, there was a voice-over from someone off-screen.
Time passed quickly, and slowly the crew's scenes came to an end, and the actor for Ryan was found quickly.
They performed a scene of fatherly love and filial piety with Homelander.
It must be said that this little actor playing Ryan was talented; watching it made everyone present grit their teeth.
That was Homelander, the Homelander who was best to you, and you actually backstabbed your father just like that.
Homelander also contributed his super acting skills; even in the end, he didn't go on a killing spree.
He just returned to the place from his past alone and poured out his heart.
"This makes no sense, it doesn't add up. Why does everyone keep leaving me..."
This segment fully displayed Homelander's character setting: absolutely powerful, yet lonely.
Beautiful, miserable, strong, and lonely—all the elements that audiences love to see were gathered here.
After filming this part, there were only a few scattered scenes and small Easter eggs left.
The director had to praise Homelander as the most talented actor he had ever seen; this could be seen from the emotions of the staff on set.
Some people on set even started to believe that this was everything Homelander had actually experienced.
He dared not imagine how high the box office for this movie would be.
And he might also rely on this film to leap into the ranks of Hollywood's top commercial directors, or even leave his name in film history.
Filming just ended here.
Raven rushed over with a document. This was what Lucienhad ordered: once it involved supernatural events, she could ignore other rules and report it immediately.
"Sir, please take a look at this."
Li Zuguo took the document and looked at it; this was one of the more popular recent events.
In the New Mexico desert, a hammer fell from the sky and was discovered by local residents who tried to pull it out.
But these residents found that whether they pulled it by hand, towed it with a car, or even used a crane, they couldn't budge the hammer at all.
Finally, someone even started a challenge online.
Anyone who can lift this hammer gets a $10,000 reward!
Now the reward has accumulated to $100,000.
Under the temptation of $100,000, many people didn't hesitate to drive to the New Mexico desert just to be able to lift the hammer known as the "Cursed Hammer."