Chapter 10: Two Objects of Affection
I must say, the food at Stark Tower is indeed quite good; even though it's almost eleven o'clock now, they can still whip up such a delicious late-night snack.
During the meal, Pepper kept glancing at Sean with an incredulous look. You have to understand, adjusting the mindset of a fragile-hearted Tony Stark is no easy feat; despite his appearance of not caring about anything, he's quite the sensitive soul inside.
Tony himself didn't seem to realize it, but instead felt a bit of pity for Sean.
"So you plan to keep dealing with those trivial little matters? I heard you even help old ladies cross the street. With skills like yours, why not go deal with those Terrorists at the border?"
Sean raised an index finger and wagged it, saying, "No interest of the people is too small. Every leaf and branch holds a feeling; I love this World very much."
The border? Hmph, only an idiot would go to such a miserable place. Isn't it better to earn Affection Points here? What's there besides killing people?
I might be a bit cruel, but I'm not bloodthirsty.
As long as this World loves me well, I will do my best to care for it.
Tony didn't understand that sentence, but Pepper did. She clapped for Sean and said with a smile, "You remind me of someone."
"Captain America?"
"Yes!" Pepper nodded. "You and he are indeed a bit alike, both so patriotic."
Unsure if he had recalled something funny, Sean laughed heartily. "Haha, perhaps."
Amidst this pleasant atmosphere, Tony's phone rang, followed immediately by Jarvis's voice.
"Sir, there is an alarm at a General Hospital in Manhattan."
...
At 11:30 PM, a light drizzle began to fall from the sky.
Sean was rushing toward the destination at full speed. This time, he didn't let Tony follow because...
[Suitable Affection Object detected: Gwen Stacy]
[Suitable Affection Object detected: Christine Palmer]
It finally triggered, and this time it even triggered for two people at once, which was a nice little surprise.
Most importantly, there was finally someone to compare with Hess to see if the Affection Pointsobtained from her before were normal.
A whole row of Police cars was parked in front of the General Hospital's entrance. There were many people at the scene, but no sound; the atmosphere was extremely oppressive until the group of reporters, who had been called in for overtime by their bosses, arrived.
"Excuse me, what is the situation inside right now?"
"Sheriff, has the number of kidnappers been confirmed? How many hostages are still inside?"
"What happened? What happened?"
Sheriff George had a grim expression. Ignoring these flies, he reached out and grabbed the hospital's Vice Dean, asking, "How is the patient evacuation going?"
The Vice Dean nervously wiped his glasses. "This... this building is full of emergency and critical care patients; it's very difficult to evacuate!"
Sheriff George pushed him aside, picked up his walkie-talkie, and said, "When will the snipers be in position? Also, when will the surveillance inside be connected!"
"Sheriff, it'll be ready soon, five minutes at most!"
Just then, a megaphone was thrust out of a window, and a man's weary voice came through. "I have two conditions. First, get that bastard Strange over here. Second, I want to see Homelander. I'm giving you only thirty minutes, or I'll detonate the grenade on me and the bombs I've hidden all over the hospital!"
After the kidnapper finished speaking, the scene erupted into an uproar. The group of reporters silently backed away a few steps; after all, they were just employees. Suddenly, everyone looked up at the sky in unison and shouted loudly:
"Look, it's Homelander!"
With a muffled thud, Sean landed on the ground, dressed in military green tactical gear, and waved friendly to the reporters. Suddenly, the brightness of the camera flashes was vaguely brighter than the red and blue lights of the Police cars.
Feeling they had taken enough photos, Sean walked into the middle of the Police and asked, "Is there anything I can help with?"
Sheriff George frowned with an unfriendly look in his eyes. Although Sean had been doing good deeds lately, he would still be very heavy-handed at times; if it weren't for a man in black coming to warn him every time, George probably would have wanted to issue an arrest warrant.
However, today's criminal had specifically asked to see him. In that case, George had no reason to stop him.
"The criminal inside specifically wants to see you. It might be an old enemy you've made."
"Oh, really?"
Sean was somewhat delighted; he didn't expect someone would actually dare to seek revenge on him. This... this was just too great! This was the kind of script a Superhero should have. Without a few powerful villains, how could his own strength be highlighted?
"Since he's looking for me, then I must go in!"
"Wait!"
Sheriff George reached out to stop Sean and called an Officer over, preparing to put an earpiece on Sean. "The criminal's emotions sound very unstable, and even you probably wouldn't be able to save everyone after an explosion."
"So, you'd better wear an earpiece so we can hear the situation inside. The Negotiation Expert will be here soon!"
Then, Sheriff George added a slight warning, "You'd better not act on your own and don't provoke the kidnapper; that wouldn't be good for any of us."
Sean was very puzzled, and the way he looked at him became Strange. Are New York Police all this brave? Do you even know who I am?
Thinking back, the last person who spoke to him like that was Manager Rom. He didn't mind, though, since Rom had a cute and beautiful daughter, Millis.
You'd better have one too, Sheriff George Stacy.
"Dad... Officer, I brought the earpiece!"
Sean looked closely and was a bit stunned; he hadn't expected that he really did have one.
Sheriff George seemed very dissatisfied with her slip of the tongue and turned his head away. "Give it to him." Then he went to arrange the work of others.
The girl walked over and handed the earpiece to Sean, her eyes unable to stop scanning him up and down. Sean could even feel a slight breeze, as if it were caused by her charming eyes.
"How do I wear this? It's my first time seeing an earpiece of this style."
"Here, I'll help you."
The girl leaned in very close, so close that her long blonde hair kept brushing against Sean's face. Without needing super hearing, Sean could hear the breathing of the girl, who was originally quite calm, starting to become a bit hurried.
"What is your name?"
"Gwen, Gwen Stacy." Gwen moved behind him and checked the earpiece again to ensure it was working properly.
"It's ready now, you can prepare... You, why are you staring at me?" Gwen playfully slapped Sean with a coy look, then quickly looked back at her father and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw he wasn't looking.
"Do you have a boyfriend?"
At this, Gwen's face turned even redder, and she whispered nervously, "There are reporters right next to us."
Sean chuckled, helped her up, and tidied her hair. "I didn't do anything. Alright, I'm going in. Cheer for me, okay?"
"Go, go for it!"
Looking at the way Gwen pumped her fist to cheer for him, Sean smiled and turned to walk toward the hospital entrance.
Chapter 11: Homelander, Are You Just?
Standing before the hospital's main entrance, he gave a gentle pull, snapping the chains behind the doors. Frightened screams immediately erupted from within.
"Don't be nervous. It's me, Homelander Sean."
Through his X-ray Vision, Sean saw a gaunt man behind the counter, his clothes tattered. He held a grenade in his left hand and a device resembling a detonator in his right.
He was surrounded by a circle of children and women; if anything went wrong, they would likely...
Sean carefully closed the door and slowly approached him. "I heard you were looking for me?"
"Stay right there!" Bob shouted nervously. "Don't come any closer! Any... any closer and I'll detonate the bomb!"
"Sean, don't be impulsive," George's voice prompted through the earpiece.
"Calm down, I'm staying right here."
With that, Sean scanned the surroundings again with his X-ray Vision. He felt the man must have an accomplice; given how nervous he was, it didn't seem like he could have pulled this off alone.
Sure enough, Sean saw another person in the security room on the second floor, reclining in a chair and leisurely watching the monitors—very much the style of a mastermind.
"Where's Strange? Why didn't he come?!"
"And what business do you have with him?"
These words seemed to trigger him. Bob didn't care about anything else and stood up, screaming, "I want him dead! I want him dead! And before he dies, I'm going to demand why he wouldn't operate on my cousin! Waaaah~"
Bob wept hysterically, his voice broadcasting through the loudspeakers. The reporters outside weren't about to miss such a spectacle, and Strange was quite famous.
Stephen Strange, the renowned neurosurgeon, was hailed by the World as God's gift to the surgical field for his superb medical skills.
To think he was being denounced by a patient's relative with a bomb today; if Sean hadn't appeared, he would have certainly been the protagonist of the day.
But before Sean could ask anything further, a female Doctor at Bob's feet spoke up:
"I know about your cousin. His skull was pierced by four five-centimeter steel needles; he's lucky he didn't die instantly. But then he was electrocuted, causing a chain reaction between the four needles. It was simply impossible to operate."
If Bob had been hysterical before, he was now furious. "Liar! That quack just didn't want to ruin his reputation. He wasn't willing to risk the surgery!"
"I've had no family since I was a kid. My cousin raised me bit by bit, protecting me from a lot of trouble when I was little. That's when the steel needles were driven in. He was my only relative in this World, and now! Now he's gone too!"
Bob's heart-wrenching wails moved some of the Doctors present. Was it really Strange's fault? But Bob's next statements caused them to throw all their previous sympathy out the window.
"My cousin... what a good man he was. He'd find a good home for every child he kidnapped. Even with the money he stole, he'd toss a few dollars to the homeless. Sometimes, when there was a little bit of stuff left, he wouldn't even smoke it himself; he'd give it to me. And..."
I believe if his cousin came back to life, the first thing he'd do is give him a few hard slaps. "Shut up! You're airing all our dirty laundry!"
Sean didn't interrupt him, finding it rather interesting to listen to.
Besides, don't villains always die from talking too much? Who would interrupt a villain while they're rambling on about their crimes?
Bob went on for over ten minutes, even revealing where their savings from over the years were hidden—though by now, they'd likely been divvied up by other thugs.
"Are you finished?"
"Yeah!"
Bob nodded with satisfaction. He hadn't had a good cry like that in a long time. In the past, he'd only get halfway through before his cousin's palm would strike, killing the mood.
Sean inwardly gave him a round of applause, then looked toward the second floor and said:
"How about we change locations? Like the security room on the second floor."
Bob's expression changed instantly, and he began to stammer incoherently. "Ah, you... I'm not going, we'll just... well, alright then."
Sean's brow quirked; his interest was piqued because his Super Hearing caught a voice from Bob's earpiece: "Bring him up."
Bob looked around nervously and spotted the female Doctor who had spoken earlier. He grabbed her directly. "Get up, come with me!"
Having a hostage in hand meant his safety was better guaranteed; this was his cousin's teaching, and he had never forgotten it.
The female Doctor was brave; otherwise, she wouldn't have spoken up earlier. Even now, being hauled by the kidnapper, she didn't scream. Instead, she comforted Sean:
"I'm fine. There are still many patients in this building. I'm counting on you."
Her behavior made Sean take a few more looks at her. Like the other medical staff, she wore dark green scrubs, so she hadn't stood out before. Only upon getting closer did he realize she was quite charming.
"What's your name?"
"Christine."
"That's a lovely name. Don't worry, I'm here." Sean gave her a reassuring look.
Soon, the three of them arrived at the security room door. Bob seemed somewhat afraid of the person inside, knocking before entering.
Inside, a man with a scruffy beard covering half his face leaned back in a chair, his eyes hidden beneath the brim of his hat, making it impossible to read his gaze.
However, none of this mattered to Sean. Although it was a bit of an eyesore, Sean could see right through to the remote and the pistol in his pocket. This remote was the real one.
Sean had also located the bombs—four in total, corresponding to the four buttons on the remote.
"It seems you're the one looking for me?" Sean asked.
The scruffy-bearded man stood up and said in a voice heavy with experience, "It's me. My name is DurunJoseph. I've sought you out just to ask one question."
"What question?"
Joseph slowly removed his hat, his sharp gaze making the other two feel a chill. "Homelander, are you just? Are you the kind of person who will resolutely carry out justice, no matter how dark the truth is?"
His first sentence actually surprised Sean; he'd almost thought the man was a superhuman who had discovered his inner thoughts.
The earpiece was still active, and the walkie-talkie in Bob's hand was still connected to the external speakers. Well then, let's begin.
Sean gave a confident smile and said loudly in his bright, handsome voice, "Of course! Since I gained my superpowers, I haven't taken a single step back. No matter how dark the path ahead, I will be the brightest light, driving away all darkness, even if it means giving my own life."
"Because I believe that even if one Homelander falls, thousands upon thousands of heroes will rise! God bless America!"
Chapter 12: Homelander! Do You Dare to Arrest the Deputy Governor?
"God bless America!"
Sean's voice was transmitted outside through the loudspeaker word for word. The group of reporters were ecstatic, praising him profusely to their cameras. After all, the current secret to viral traffic was praising Sean.
However, at this moment, Sean was slightly disappointed because he heard Joseph's heartbeat quicken. It seemed the man was moved by his words. Tsk, bad review.
"Do you... really want to listen?" Joseph asked.
Sean pointed at the surveillance screen and said, "There are at least a hundred news agencies outside, and the entire Police department has been mobilized. Even without me, your matter shouldn't be hard to handle."
"Of course, if you don't trust them, I also know an Agent named Jason. He's a very good person."
Joseph took a deep breath. "I don't have any physical evidence right now, so I don't trust them. I'm only telling you this. Then, the reporters outside will keep a constant eye on this matter, and you will be forced to act!"
"Bob, turn off the speaker. Mr. Sean, take off your earpiece as well. As for this Doctor..."
Sean took off the earpiece and crushed it. He looked at Joseph with considerable satisfaction, thinking to himself, 'Oh! This is interesting. He actually knows how to use public opinion to coerce me. Looks like I misunderstood you before, little brother.'
He then pulled Christine into his arms and whispered, "Take a nap. Everything will be over when you wake up." He knocked her unconscious and helped her sit down nearby.
Looking at Joseph, he asked with some anticipation, "You may state your grievances now."
Joseph sat down slowly, recalling the past. His eyes were filled with softness. "My wife Rosie and I never had children, but we were always very happy... One thousand words later."
"Last month, she said her chest felt uncomfortable, so I took her to the Cardiology Hospital in Pittsburgh. After the check-up, the Doctor said there was a problem with her heart and she needed major surgery. The subsequent treatment costs were also very high."
By this point, Joseph's eyes were brimming with tears, while the other two were feeling drowsy.
"I sold all my property and barely scraped together the money for the surgery, planning to figure out the rest later. But! I was only gone for three days, and my Rosie vanished!"
Suddenly, Joseph rushed forward and grabbed Sean's collar with both hands, roaring, "Everyone in the hospital denied I had ever been there! The medical records, the surveillance footage—all gone!"
Joseph's hands fell weakly. "She just disappeared, as if she never existed. Can you understand how I felt at that moment?"
Sean gently pushed him away, took off his outer coat, and threw it aside in disgust. He asked with some impatience, "So, what's the point of all this?"
"What?" Joseph felt as if he had heard a very strange question. 'I said my wife disappeared, disappeared! And you're asking me what the point is? That IS the damn point!'
"I mean, what did your investigation find?"
"Oh."
Perhaps because he was overwhelmed with grief after remembering his wife, Joseph didn't think too deeply about Sean's attitude.
"I did some private investigating. This hospital has a very close relationship with a crematorium. Basically, all the bodies are taken there. That crematorium is incredibly busy every night; it's not normal at all. I also heard that many people have their relatives cremated before they even see the bodies."
Sean gave him a suspicious look. "Are you suggesting organ trafficking?"
Joseph's eyes lit up, and he said with certainty, "Absolutely. And do you know who the hospital's largest shareholder is?"
Without waiting for Sean's answer, he clapped his hands excitedly. "The Deputy Governor of Pennsylvania, Robert Ambrey! His wife is the Dean of the hospital, and that crematorium is even run by his brother-in-law!"
Good grief, this family provides the full one-stop service, don't they?
"Homelander! Do you dare to arrest the Deputy Governor?"
Joseph began to get excited for no apparent reason, as if he had said something extraordinary. Bob, standing nearby, also joined in the hype. "Heavens! The Deputy Governor? My cousin and I are usually terrified just seeing a regular policeman."
Looking at their somewhat crazed expressions, Sean laughed. He laughed at himself for actually expecting some fun from this nobody, laughed at himself for thinking the man had some villainous potential, and laughed at himself for actually listening to this ridiculous story.
"Alright, let's end this farce. What a waste of time."
Sean took a deep breath and looked at the remote control in his hand. He had snatched it when Josephgrabbed his clothes earlier.
He was now a bit conflicted about whether to press it. Without an explosion, he felt the news wouldn't be explosive enough.
But then he thought about whether this counted as his first official mission. His previous rescues were very casual—just taking a few photos with bystanders on the scene. There were quite a lot of people here this time; it would be a bit embarrassing if people died.
The patients would only lose their lives, but he would lose his reputation. It didn't seem like a good deal.
Hey, I've got it!
He took the grenade from Bob's hand, placed it between the two of them to ensure no one could recognize their bodies afterward, pulled the pin, and... Bang!
Hearing the explosion, the reporters outside screamed in unison. Sheriff George could no longer restrain himself and prepared to lead his men inside. "I knew Supers don't understand negotiation! Get ready, we're going in!"
After checking the scene one last time, Sean smeared some dust on his back, picked up Christine, and jumped down, landing in the middle of the crowd from the sky.
The reporters had never seen such a dreamlike scene: a handsome man with a resolute face, carrying a female Nurse in a princess carry, descending from the heavens with blast marks on his back, and speaking lines that only appeared in TV dramas.
"The hostage is safe."
Instantly, a burst of cheers erupted from the crowd. The applause was continuous, and countless microphones were thrust toward Sean's mouth.
"Homelander, what were the kidnappers' final words?"
"Can you tell us about the explosion just now, Homelander?"
"Who is the person in your arms? Why did you only carry her out of all the hostages? Do you not like men?"
Sheriff George was the first to break through the crowd and reach Sean. He asked nervously, "What's the situation inside? Did the bomb go off? How many casualties? Are the kidnappers still alive?"
Sheriff George fired off questions like a machine gun. Sean looked at the crowd behind him and suppressed his temper.
After handing Christine over to Gwen, he raised his hands and shouted loudly, "Quiet!"
The scene fell silent instantly. Sean nodded with satisfaction, then said to George, "The hostages are safe. That was just one grenade exploding. There are four more sets of explosives inside. I'll take you there."
"Good! Bomb squad, follow us!" This time, Sheriff George's opinion of Sean changed slightly.
A dozen fully equipped personnel entered the hospital. Sean pointed out four locations, and the bomb squad split into two teams to carry out the mission. Fortunately, the bombs weren't technically sophisticated and weren't too difficult to dismantle, but they still worked very carefully. After all, it was their own lives on the line.
Chapter 13: All the Hardship is Borne by You.
Sheriff George led Sean to the side and asked, "What did the robber say at the end?"
Sean gave a bitter smile. "Nothing much. It's just that his wife went missing at a hospital in Pittsburgh. He suspects this matter is related to a Lieutenant Governor and wanted me to help him seek justice."
Coulson, who had followed close behind, also heard this and his heart tightened instantly. He was very afraid that Sean would recklessly rush into the Lieutenant Governor's home and cause some troublesome incidents.
Although the Lieutenant Governor wasn't much of a threat, the subsequent repercussions would be very troublesome. Besides, he remembered that there was a veteran congressman named Ambray.
"A hospital in Pittsburgh? Then why did he come to New York?" Sheriff George asked with some annoyance.
Sean felt a bit embarrassed and scratched his head. "Maybe it's because I'm closer to New York."
Sheriff George was momentarily at a loss for words and couldn't really say anything, given that Sean had helped out this time. He asked with concern, "Then what do you intend to do?"
Just as Coulson was about to say that they could handle this matter, Sean smiled and patted George on the shoulder, saying,
"Of course, leave it to the Police. Solving cases should be left to the professionals; I'm not Sherlock Holmes, after all."
The two men beside him were stunned for a moment and looked at Sean with disbelief. Do Superheroes also seek out the Police?
Don't they all act according to their own will, rushing into criminals' homes, giving them a beating first, then coercing them into confessing their crimes, and only then letting the Police clean up the mess?
What, you ask what happens if they hit the wrong person? Please, do you think Coulson is a pushover?
Sean didn't know what the two were thinking, but their expressions made him feel a bit uncomfortable. Did he say something wrong? He quickly added another sentence.
"If you determine that it's difficult to deal with the criminal later on, you can also come to me."
Sheriff George chuckled softly. This time, he truly approved of Sean and patted him on the shoulder.
"That's right, professional matters should be handled by professionals. Leave this matter to us; even Sherlock Holmes might not necessarily be better than my team!"
At this moment, an officer ran in and said, "Report, Dr. Stephen Strange has arrived."
Sheriff George waved his hand. "Tell him to go back; the matter is already over." He then looked at Sean, looking like he wanted to say something but hesitated. After a while, he said,
"Sean, you are worthy of the title of Superhero. You did a great job this time!"
Sean immediately acted flattered and waved his hands. "No, Sheriff George! When it comes to heroes, I'm far from being your equal. If it weren't for your assistance this time, I couldn't have completed the mission alone."
"I just used my superpowers to block a grenade; I didn't even catch the criminal. What kind of hero does that make me? Look around; I feel like any one of them is more like a hero than I am."
After speaking, Sean gave a bitter smile and looked outside, saying regretfully:
"All the hardship is borne by you Police, while the glory is enjoyed by a lucky ordinary person like Sean. I, sigh~"
This time, not only Sheriff George, but even the surrounding officers who heard this "inner" monologue from Sean were instantly won over. That was so well said!
Sheriff George felt a lump in his throat, slapped Sean hard, and laughed loudly:
"What's that about! We take taxpayers' money; this is what we should do. Guys, we're working overtime tonight, otherwise, there won't be enough room in the hospitals!"
"Yes!" everyone echoed in unison, and their hands became more energetic as they worked.
George said quietly to Sean again, "When you're free, we can have a casual meal together."
"I'd be happy to."
Sean walked outside, looked at the group of hungry reporters, waved simply, and flew towards his home. He was in no mood to deal with this group of reporters today.
At 9:00 AM the next day, Sean was making breakfast while watching the news. He looked really handsome on TV holding Christine; those reporters actually had decent photography skills.
Ding-dong~ The doorbell rang. Sean walked over and opened the door. Christine, wearing a white dress, was standing at the doorway, holding a bag in her hands and nervously fiddling with her fingers from time to time.
"Hi, I... I came to..."
Christine's face turned slightly red instantly. She had clearly thought of many words of thanks, so why could she only say "Hi" when they met?
Seeing her appearance, Sean smiled and said, "Come in and talk."
He then reached out to take the gift from her hands and took the opportunity to hold her hand.
He glanced at Coulson outside, showing appreciation. He was very sensible.
Normally, it was impossible for strangers to come to Sean's Villa. A dozen Agents and Coulson guarded the perimeter 24/7, and basically wouldn't let anyone get close.
Sean had originally thought he would need to find a time to have a chance encounter with her, ask about her condition, whether she was injured or anything, and build their relationship, but he hadn't expected her to come on her own.
After entering, Christine was held by Sean just like that, and she didn't even think about pulling away.
However, Sean took the initiative to let go of her hand. "You sit on the sofa for a while first. Have you had breakfast?"
"Eat... no, I haven't eaten yet."
"Then let's have something together."
Subsequently, Sean walked into the kitchen to make breakfast, while Christine sat on the sofa, watching the news about last night playing on the TV.
That photo of her being carried in a bridal carry appeared on the screen from time to time.
Christine looked at the TV, then at the kitchen; she really couldn't sit still. She stood up but didn't know how to start the conversation.
After all, what happened last night was embarrassing to talk about. If Sean didn't care about it at all, and she brought it up herself, wouldn't he think she had ulterior motives?
Just at this moment, a clattering sound came from the kitchen. Christine hurriedly asked, "What's wrong?"
After waiting a few seconds, Sean poked his head out with an embarrassed look and said with a smile:
"Ahem, nothing much. It's just that the toaster and the bread got into a fight, and the frying pan and the butter started arguing too. I... I'm currently breaking up the fight."
Christine burst into laughter, then quickly covered her mouth. "Oh, sorry, I, haha~ ha."
She never expected Sean to have this side to him. It was completely different from the Superheroes in TV shows; instead, it was a bit... a bit cute.
Sean also seemed to have been greatly struck. He took off his apron. "How about we go out to eat instead?"
"Ah, no need, let me do it."
After saying that, she stepped forward, took the apron from Sean's hand, and put it on. When she saw the inside of the kitchen looked just like how Sean had described, she laughed again.
After timidly glancing at Sean, she rolled up her sleeves and started preparing. It was just breakfast; for her, it couldn't be simpler.
Not long after, two delicious breakfasts were ready. Sean stood at the doorway and clapped. "Impressive, impressive."
At this time, Christine was no longer nervous and smiled with a relaxed face:
"I've already adjusted the toaster. You don't need to keep the heat on high when frying butter, and also the ham..."
Christine rattled off a lot of kitchen tips in one breath. She didn't treat Sean like a Superhero anymore, but rather like a handsome boy who couldn't cook.
"Basically that's it. Once you learn it, you can make a meal... What are you looking at me for?"
As Christine turned her head, she realized that Sean had been standing at the kitchen doorway the whole time, looking at her with a smile. In an instant, her calm demeanor vanished.
Sean slowly walked forward and placed his hands open behind her back. Christine nervously closed her eyes, and her heartbeat quickened.
"Nothing, let's have breakfast."
It wasn't until Sean walked towards the living room that she opened her eyes, only to find that Sean was just going to pick up the breakfast behind her. She felt a bit relieved, but also a bit disappointed.
She touched her face and found that it was already flushed completely red.
Chapter 14: Sean's Multi-Layered Tactics
At the dining table, Christine was somewhat absent-minded. She didn't know what was happening or how she ended up sitting across from the Superhero Homelander, Sean, having breakfast with him.
"Mmm! This is really delicious, great cooking. By the way, Christine, what brings you here today?"
Hearing this, Christine's first reaction was actually, *He remembers my name.*
"I... I came to thank you. I was inside too when the robbers detonated the grenade last night. You shielded me from the explosion. I saw the news..."
Mentioning the news, Christine unconsciously shifted her legs. "I saw on the news that your clothes were all blown up, so I brought you a set of clothes today. I don't know if you'll like them."
"Is that so." Sean looked towards the paper bag by the sofa, opened his mouth to stuff the bread in his hand inside, clapped his hands, and walked over. "Let me try if they fit."
As he walked, Sean took off his shirt. Christine glanced over and, seeing that Sean's back wasn't injured, felt a little better.
*Good, his skin isn't hurt. Otherwise, I'd really be at fault. If such a strong, well-built, perfect back had scars... then I... Wait, what am I thinking!*
Realizing she was acting a bit strange, Christine quickly buried her head in eating her bread, but her eyes couldn't help drifting to the right.
Brain: *Can't look too blatantly.*
Eyes: *I want to look! I want to look!*
Sean picked up the bag and looked inside. There was a white T-shirt, a blue jacket, and a pair of black pants. They seemed to be some brand name, but he didn't recognize it.
After changing the top, Sean walked over to Christine with the pants and asked, "How does it look? Does it fit?"
*Gulp~*
Christine swallowed the non-existent bread in her mouth. "It fits perfectly."
Sean smiled and looked down. "Then I'll change the pants too. Wearing pajama pants looks a bit unsightly."
Just as Christine thought she might see something else, Sean disappeared for two seconds. Two seconds later, Sean was standing in front of her, already changed.
"The pants seem a bit tight, but... I really like this gift. Thank you."
Sean genuinely liked this outfit. He didn't really like wearing Superhero costumes; they always felt a bit weird. Of course, except for the battle armor.
"I'm glad you like it." Christine breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that what happened today was even more thrilling than last night.
At that moment, their gazes suddenly met. Instantly, the sound from the TV in the living room seemed very loud. Neither spoke again, and the atmosphere became awkwardly still.
Christine couldn't handle such an awkward situation and quickly stood up. "I should go. Thank you again for saving me last night. I'm a surgeon in the emergency department. If you ever... um."
A blush appeared on Christine's face. She couldn't believe what she had just said. *He's the SuperheroHomelander. Why would he ever need a surgeon?*
"Okay, if I ever get injured, I'll definitely come find you." Sean responded very seriously, not making her feel awkward.
"Mm, thank you." Christine gave a sweet smile, nodded, picked up her bag, turned, and walked towards the door.
Just as she was about to reach the door, Sean suddenly said, "Wait."
"What is it?"
"Um, you emergency department Doctors work very late shifts, right?" Sean chuckled. "Never mind then. I'll treat you to a meal another time."
Christine softly hummed in agreement. Her footsteps and heartbeat began to quicken. Just as half her body was already outside the door, she turned her head and, as if possessed, asked a question.
"Sean, you go out to save people at night too, right? Then maybe..."
Sean reacted quickly and said promptly, "Not tonight. I made a deal with Stark—Iron Man. He's on rescue duty tonight."
*Tony???*
"Ah, I... I'm off today too."
The news on the TV ended, replaced by a burst of pleasant music.
She stood at the door, not leaving. Sean stood in the living room, not moving. This time, they didn't speak either, but the atmosphere wasn't as awkward as before. Instead, it felt somewhat...
"Shall we go to a restaurant, or your place?" Sean asked softly.
Christine's hand gripping the door turned a bit white. Mustering her courage, she said, "My place. A restaurant might be inconvenient for you."
"Alright then. I'll come find you tonight."
"Mm. Then... then I'll go back and prepare first." With a *snap*, Christine quickly closed the door, touched her flushed face, and her thoughts began to drift far away.
Watching her jog away, Sean thought she was quite cute.
He snapped out of his reverie. However, since he planned to conduct a comparison, the interval between the two test subjects shouldn't be too long, or the results wouldn't be accurate.
*Hmm! I'll go visit Mrs. Hess.*
Acting on the thought, he decided to go. This time, he gave Coulson a heads-up. After all, this guy was quite sensible, so Sean should give him some face.
Driving to the Hess Family Residence, Sean politely rang the doorbell.
"Good afternoon, ma'am."
Mrs. Hess was wearing yoga clothes, most of her body soaked with sweat. Holding a towel, she wiped her sweat while smiling and asking, "Sean, oh no, should I call you Homelander or Superhero Sean?"
"Sorry, I didn't mean to keep it from you." Sean wore a very apologetic expression, but his actions were anything but slow.
In fact, in the time it took to say that sentence, he was already inside.
Then, quite naturally, he took the towel from her hand and helped wipe her sweat. "I've actually always wanted to live as an ordinary person. Now, I get noticed whenever I go out on the street. It's hard to find time to come over."
Hess actually believed this because Sean had been constantly on TV these past few days—either being interviewed during the day or saving people at night. Being a Superhero that everyone looks up to is indeed difficult.
Mrs. Hess quickly walked towards the living room. If she didn't leave, Sean's hand wouldn't stay on her face anymore. "So, did you come this time because you have news about my husband?"
"What husband?" Sean was still savoring the fragrance on the towel. He looked up to see Hess's resentful gaze.
"Oh, right!" Sean cleared his throat lightly. "Ahem, I'm on good terms with Stark now. I'll go ask him for you tonight. Or, wait a moment."
Sean took out his phone and suddenly remembered he had asked Coulson to help investigate before. "Cole, how's that thing I asked you to look into the other day?"
Coulson no longer had the energy to complain about Sean's form of address. "I found out. Gerald Hesswas a weapons researcher for the Iron Monger before. But it seems he was secretly killed by Obadiah for some reason."
"Oh, no!" Mrs. Hess collapsed onto the sofa. Her eyes instantly turned red, and tears streamed down her face.
Sean's phone was on speaker, so she had heard it.
"Thanks, Bill."
Hanging up the phone, Sean sat beside her, letting Hess lean against him. He wiped her tears and comforted her softly, "Don't be sad. Jack definitely wouldn't want you to grieve for him."
Hess didn't reply, only letting tears well up in her eyes continuously, making Sean somewhat regret asking Coulson early. *I should have asked tonight instead. Sigh.*
Wind blew in through the living room window. Hess's already soaked clothes, hit by the breeze, sent a chill instantly washing over her.
Sean could clearly feel the person in his arms shiver. As a warm-hearted guy, how could he let Mrs. Hesscatch a chill?
Casually—really just casually—he helped wipe her other areas a bit drier. Now, Mrs. Hess felt much warmer too.
[Acquired Affection Points: 3]
Chapter 15: Carrots Need Edges to Be Properly Flavored
Originally, Sean strongly insisted on staying at her place to comfort her recently wounded heart.
However, the sensible Mrs. Hess did not want to hold him back, insisting that he go out and save more people.
A real man's ambition should be like the Yangtze River rushing toward the sea; why linger in a land of gentleness?
Unless, of course, there are many such lands of gentleness.
It was almost six o'clock when he left the Hess Family Residence. On the drive to Christine's place, Sean still felt a strange sensation.
Previously, Hess's Affection Points hadn't been high, and he assumed it was because she had a husband. But this time, it didn't seem like much either. Oh well, he would know soon enough whether it was a lot or not.
He knocked on Christine's door.
"Good evening, ma'am."
"You're here so early." Christine looked back at the time. She had just finished preparing the ingredients and was still struggling with what to wear when Sean arrived.
"Come on in. I might need a little more time to prepare."
"Is that so? Then let me help. I'm not great at cooking, but I can certainly help out."
After walking through the door, Sean smiled. He saw Christine's outfit for the evening, but he didn't linger on it—he would have plenty of time later anyway.
Christine, however, shyly tugged at her skirt. Today, she had changed into a tight, purple, hip-hugging skirt paired with a pair of poor-quality stockings.
This dress was designed to showcase her perfect curves. Logically, Sean shouldn't have reacted this way. Could it be that he wasn't interested?
Feeling a sense of loss, Christine followed him into the kitchen and saw Sean using a knife to slice the carrots—which were supposed to be chopped into chunks—into thin strips.
Chuckling, Christine's mood improved. Even if he didn't have those intentions, having such a funny person as a friend wasn't bad.
"That's not how you cut them. You need to chop them into chunks, like this."
Saying this, she took the knife from Sean's hand and picked up another carrot. "The cut surface shouldn't be too smooth. If it has some edges, it will absorb the flavor better."
"Is that so? Let me try again."
Sean moved closer. With one hand, he held the hand she used to hold the knife, and with the other, he gripped the hand she used to steady the carrot. He said from behind her, "Cutting edges really does require some skill. Let me practice with another one."
Christine didn't hear a word; she only knew that the carrot was quite large, and it would be better if he practiced a bit more.
Time moved on, and the two of them didn't stop, not even bothering with the pot of soup that was about to boil dry on the stove.
It was unclear how long Sean had been practicing. Christine was finally able to regain her composure, or perhaps she heard the sound of Sean's stomach growling. She hurriedly looked up and said, "I... I should go cook."
"Do you need my help?"
"...No. If you help any more, we'll be eating breakfast."
Christine stood up with difficulty, picked up the dress from beside Sean's neck, cleared away the remnants of her stockings, and walked into the kitchen.
"Ah!"
A cry of surprise came from the kitchen. Sean didn't know what was happening, but he got up and walked over, asking, "What's wrong?"
Christine stood there with her hands hidden behind her back, looking even more embarrassed than before. "It's... it's nothing."
Sean was confused, thinking she might be in the mood again. As he stepped forward and drew close, Christine didn't know what to do and could only close her eyes.
"Hehe! Let me see what you're hiding!" Sean was quick; he snatched the item from her hand. Looking at it, he realized it was nothing special—just a pair of panties with a pink bear printed on them.
Feeling that the item was gone, Christine opened her eyes and saw it in Sean's hand. Overcome with shyness, she quickly snatched it back.
"Give it to me."
She wasn't embarrassed because Sean had seen her, but rather because she didn't know why she had chosen to wear this particular pair today. It was a bit too cartoonish, which made her feel self-conscious.
Besides, since this pair had a cartoon bear on it, the other set must have been seen by Sean as well.
Thinking about how such an exciting scene had been interrupted by these two mood-killing items, Christine wished she could crawl into a hole.
Sean, however, was unfazed. "What? Still embarrassed? I saw it the moment I walked through the door."
"You saw it the moment you walked in?"
Sean nodded and hugged her, whispering, "I have another superpower called X-ray Vision."
Christine immediately looked at Sean with suspicion. After confirming that he didn't seem to be lying, she silently raised a hand to cover her chest and used her other hand to cover herself elsewhere.
But what she didn't know was that her defensive gesture looked very... very seductive.
He had already seen everything earlier without even using his X-ray Vision, yet now that she was clothed, she was getting shy.
Sean put on a hurt expression, released her, and turned away. "Ah, shoot. I knew I shouldn't have told you about this. It really isn't a good thing, after all."
"But X-ray Vision is indeed very useful. Back at the hospital, I relied on it to find the culprit, and later, I used it to discover a hidden bomb."
"If, if you mind, I'll leave." With that, Sean walked to the living room... and started putting on his clothes.
Seeing him like this, Christine couldn't care about her embarrassment anymore. She hurried over, pulled him down to sit, and said apologetically, "I'm sorry. It was just a bit sudden; I don't mind."
She rested her head on Sean's shoulder, then suddenly smiled, looking at him happily. "Wouldn't this ability of yours be incredibly useful for surgery?"
"Hmph, of course. I'm not bragging, but if I worked full-time as a Doctor, I might save even more people than I do as a Superhero."
Sean wasn't lying. If he were to work as a Doctor, he didn't know how many people he would save, but certainly, far fewer would die.
"Is that so? Then I'll call you Doctor Sean from now on." Seeing that his mood had improved, Christinebreathed a sigh of relief. However, she soon asked coyly:
"Why did you tell me about your X-ray Vision? If it gets out, it will have a negative impact on you."
Indeed, if word of Sean's X-ray Vision got out, it would be a serious issue in this country, which placed such extreme importance on privacy. Even if Sean were a Superhero, it wouldn't matter; he would be pointed at and gossiped about the moment he stepped onto the street.
After all, no one likes the idea of their wife or girlfriend being seen naked by another man.
She knew, through her intimate understanding of him, that Sean actually wanted to live like an ordinary person and didn't want too much attention.
Yet, he had just revealed such an important secret to her. This...
Sean hugged her tightly and whispered into her ear, "I don't want to hide anything from you. In my eyes, this matter isn't as important as you are. I was afraid that if you found out later, you would be angry."
"Especially since you were willing to accept me even when you knew I couldn't publicly announce our relationship, I knew I couldn't keep too many things from you."
"Christine, I can't promise you anything. Perhaps because of my superpowers, I might not be able to give you a home. If you meet a good man in the future, you must seize that opportunity. I will leave quietly."
"Sean, I! I!" Christine had no idea how to answer, or rather, she didn't know how to respond to such intense emotions from Sean.
She could only wipe the tears from the corner of her eyes, cup Sean's face with both hands, look into his eyes, and say very seriously:
"When I was a fresh intern, I still have a Nurse uniform. Doctor Sean, would you like to see it?"
[Received Affection Points: 10]
Chapter 16: Let's Take a Statement
Still Need to Be Sincere?
Standing atop the skyscraper, Sean Brooke let the cold wind whip past him, hoping it could extinguish the fire within his heart. Christine was too passionate; being overly sincere wasn't good either.
These past few days, Christine had invited him over for meals every single day without fail. Even after finishing a night shift, she would text Sean:
"I've prepared breakfast for you. The balcony isn't locked, and neither is the room."
Christine provided a lot of Affection Points, a full three times the amount from Hess. However, the quantity obtained recently had noticeably decreased. It seemed you couldn't keep milking the same person.
So, in the coming days, Sean planned to find the next person to try, hoping to clarify the rules for obtaining Affection Points.
...
Night, an alley, three men, one woman—triggering 'Isolated and Helpless'.
"Stay back! Help! Someone help!"
The woman shouted, trying to attract attention while frantically searching through her bag for her self-defense tools. But there were too many cosmetics; she couldn't find anything to protect herself with in time.
The other three were clearly experienced. The two on the sides quickly stepped forward, each grabbing one of her arms. Instantly, the woman was pinned against the wall, unable to move.
"Please, don't hurt me. I... I have money in my bag!"
"Hehe!" The last man, with a fat head, big ears, and a face full of coarse features, chuckled as he picked up the bag from the ground. For them, the order of robbery was always money > lust. Money was the true essence.
Putting away the worthless wallet from the bag and discarding the valuable cosmetics, the fat-headed thug slowly approached the woman. "I've taken the money. We want you too. You can move, but don't resist. Otherwise..."
A gleaming dagger was thrust into the wall, just three centimeters from the woman's ear.
"No! I can give you more money! Please don't hurt me! Homelander! Homelander!" The woman cried out helplessly, trying to lure them with money.
Originally, hearing about more money had stirred the robbers a bit, but when she started calling for help again, a surge of anger rose within them. At this point, the order became quenching the fire > money. The body was the true capital of robbery.
"Hmph! You really think he'll come? The last two people thought the same as you. And what happened? Hahaha!"
"Is that so? Then I've truly been derelict in my duty."
"Who's there?"
Before the fat-headed thug could even turn his head, darkness fell before his eyes, and he could see nothing.
Only when the moonlight fell upon the newcomer's face did the other two robbers clearly see it. In an instant, their faces turned paler than Joseph's after seven days of death.
"Ho... Homelander!"
While the two were still reeling in shock, Sean had already pulled the woman over and comforted her softly, "Don't be afraid. You're safe now."
Tears still streamed down the woman's face. Seeing Sean, she cried even louder. Although what had just happened was common here, it was truly terrifying when it happened to oneself.
Sean considerately wiped her tears. "Could you go outside and find the Police for me?"
"Of course, of course I can!"
As Sean spoke, he also patted her back, as if giving her some kind of encouragement. Instantly, she calmed down. The woman quickly walked out of the alley, calling for the patrolling Police.
The other two robbers were very tactful. They clasped their hands behind their heads and squatted on the ground, their movements smooth and practiced, their proficiency no less than that of robbery.
Soon, the woman returned with two armed Police officers. Needless to say, Sean had already investigated; tonight, this area was where Gwen and her colleague were on patrol.
Seeing it was Sean, they immediately holstered their guns. Sean lifted the brim of his hat, winked at Gwen, and smiled. "Good evening."
The male officer also responded accordingly, then, together with Gwen, prepared to handcuff the three men nearby.
"Thank you for your help, Mr. Homelander."
"You're welcome. You've worked hard too."
The male officer looked at the victim. "Ma'am, would you mind coming with us to the station to give a statement? It'll be quick."
"Of course."
Gwen glanced at the number of people at the scene. "Trevor, why don't you take them over first? I'll stay here and take a statement from Se... Homelander."
Trevor looked shocked. "Why? The victim's statement should be enough to convict. No need to trouble Homelander, right?"
Sean quickly chimed in, "It's no trouble. Cooperating with law enforcement is the duty of us ordinary citizens. I'm happy to help."
"Then thank you, Homelander." Trevor breathed a sigh of relief and whispered, "Gwen, make it quick. I'll drive them over first."
"Mm, be careful, Trevor."
Once they were alone, Gwen dropped her serious expression and looked at Sean with a mischievous grin. "Let's make this quick, so we don't keep you from saving the World, Homelander~"
Sean nodded in agreement. "You understand me. I have been quite busy lately."
"So busy you couldn't even reply to my texts?"
Gwen slowly moved closer. The pure white moonlight shone on her face, making her eyes reflect starlight-like glimmers. In this dim alley, she was so radiant.
"It's not that I didn't reply; I couldn't." Sean said with a hint of emotion. "Do you think I didn't want to go to the movies with you? I've wanted to see 'King Kong vs. Alien' for a long time."
"Hey, have you been stalking me?" Gwen's eyes were filled with confusion as she asked with a smile.
When she had invited Sean to the movies, she hadn't specified which film.
Sean immediately turned his head away, guiltily saying, "I just... paid a little, a little attention to you while flying around."
"Mhm, isn't that the same thing?"
Sean didn't answer, nor did he look into Gwen's eyes. He looked utterly guilty.
At that moment, Gwen's walkie-talkie rang, quite inopportunely.
"Bzz~ Gwen, are you done over there? Do you need me to come pick you up?"
"No need, Trevor." Gwen glanced at Sean. "I'll be back right away."
After hanging up the walkie-talkie, Gwen took a deep breath and smiled, but the light in her eyes dimmed a little.
It wasn't just that Sean had no time; she didn't have much either. A flame destined not to grow would eventually be extinguished.
"Sigh, I'll just take your statement and go, Mr. Sean. Why were you here tonight? Passing by? No, flying by, right?"
Gwen took out a pen and paper to record, as she was still responsible. It was good to have a record.
But then, two pieces of paper appeared before her eyes. On them was written 'King Kong vs. Alien'.
"I came here today to find someone to watch a movie with. I heard someone calling for help and rushed over."
After saying this, Sean turned his head away. Gwen was stunned, looking at the two movie tickets in front of her, momentarily at a loss for words.
Suddenly, the light in Gwen's eyes became dazzling again. She walked up to Sean and looked at him, asking:
"Then, please recount the course of events. If... you can't explain it clearly, you could also demonstrate."
"Ahem, I'm not good with words. I really can't explain it clearly. Let me show you."
"The course of events... was probably something like this~"
[Affection Points Obtained: 7]
Chapter 17: Just like last night, I didn't dare use too much force, fearing that taking a life would be troublesome.
"Sean, if that's the case, then the crimes of those three would be grave indeed."
"If I hadn't been there, that's exactly how things would have turned out later."
"Hmph~" Gwen closed her eyes, reminiscing about what had just happened.
"Take me down; it's time to go."
"Mhm."
Sean picked up Gwen's clothes and flew her back to the alleyway from before. As she tied up her hair again, Gwen said, "By the way, my dad has been wanting to invite you to dinner, but you haven't had the time."
"Of course I have time. Forget just dinner—even if it's staying the night at your house, I'd have time."
Gwen gave him a white eye, pushing away his hand that wanted to continue, then leaned in to kiss his cheek and said, "I have to go. You must come over tomorrow night."
The walkie-talkie had already chirped several times. If she didn't head back now, they would probably be coming back in the Police car.
...
The next evening, Sean arrived exactly as promised.
"Hey, you're here!"
"Mm-hmm."
Sean glanced inside and, seeing that no one was paying attention, went up and gave Gwen a hug. Gwenresponded quite generously, not showing any shyness at all.
"Do you plan on just standing at the door the whole time?"
"I'm standing here not because this is the door, but because you are at the door."
"Stop it."
Perhaps because the two had been standing at the door for too long, George, who was sitting on the sofa reading the newspaper, coughed and asked, "Gwen, who's here?"
Gwen immediately broke free from Sean's embrace like a startled rabbit. Sean walked in holding a gift. "Sheriff George, it's me. I was just chatting with Gwen about what happened last night."
After pulling Sean inside, Gwen went to the kitchen to help out.
Sean sat down across from George, set the gift down, and picked up the newspaper from the coffee table to take a look.
George said abruptly, "Your exploits from last night made the headlines again."
Sean looked closely at the paper. Sure enough, the headline was about him again, but the report below was subtly mocking the New York Police Department. No wonder the man was in a bad mood.
"Reporters only care about hot topics; they don't see the people who contribute silently."
"Like how they only know I went out 7 times this week and saved 12 people, but they don't know that the NYPD receives over 4,000 emergency calls a day, responds over a thousand times, and saves more people than I could in a year. *Sigh*."
When Sean finished speaking, George silently took a few extra sips of water. Although the newspaper hid his face, one could feel George's mood had improved significantly.
"Cough, it's our job, it's nothing much," George said, but anyone would be happy to hear such praise, as it was a recognition of his work.
Sean looked at Gwen, who was still winking at him from the kitchen. Well, nothing for it but to keep the compliments coming.
"Saving people is never a small matter, and lives don't have different values. Ultimately, we so-called heroes are unprofessional. Often, I don't know my own strength. Like last night, I didn't dare use too much force, fearing that taking a life would be troublesome."
Hearing this as she was bringing out the dishes, Gwen glared fiercely at Sean, her look saying: "You sure are bold!"
George also put down the newspaper. "Yes, if you Superheroes were to accidentally kill someone, the consequences would be unimaginable."
Sean picked up the kettle and refilled his cup. "Exactly. That's why in many situations, I won't take the initiative to attack. Instead, I use my presence to deter the criminals and then call the Police."
George smiled. "Yeah, every time the station gets a call from you, they think it's a prank, haha."
"Is that so? Then next time I won't call the station; I'll just call you or Gwen directly."
George glanced at Gwen and nodded. While he didn't care much for credit, giving it to his daughter was fine.
As for why Sean called the Police every time—wasn't it a hassle? Hmph, it was all to wait for the reporters to arrive and take a few photos with bystanders to post online. That way, saving someone once would evolve into'saving people every day,' maximizing efficiency.
The two continued to chat about recent events and various trivial matters. There was no other choice; when two men don't talk about women, they can only talk about random stuff.
They didn't stop until Gwen called out that dinner was ready.
At the dinner table, George became much quieter. Instead, Gwen's mother, Helen, began asking about domestic matters and showed concern for Sean's daily life.
Under the table where they couldn't see, Gwen's legs were constantly in motion.
After dinner, the two men leaned back on the sofa. George offered a cigarette, but Sean waved it away. "I don't smoke. When I was in school, the people around me were all very decent, so I didn't pick up many bad habits."
George put the cigarette back and didn't smoke either. "Then you really should thank them. It's hard for anyone to refuse these. I've seen too many people commit robbery just for a cigarette."
"Sigh, I really should thank them. Otherwise, I wouldn't have obtained this power, and even if I had, I'd probably be a Supervillain by now."
Sean put his hands behind his head and watched Gwen washing dishes in the kitchen, saying calmly, "Actually, I have many flaws too—pride, impulsiveness, being emotional, and caring too much about what others think."
"You've already done very well, haven't you?" George encouraged.
At least in George's heart, Sean was doing much better than that Stark. It wasn't that Stark hadn't saved people, but he didn't care about the consequences of destruction; at most, he'd just pay for it.
But many things truly cannot be solved by paying money. Their Police station actually did a lot of cleanup work; every time, Stark would leave behind a mess for them to deal with.
Sean was different. So far, not a single person had come to complain, and every time at the scene of an arrest, the Police were present, allowing them to at least save face.
Unlike with Stark, where all the robbers were already dealt with before they arrived to clean up, and the media and public would say they arrived too late and the robbers had all escaped. It was thankless labor.
Suddenly, George remembered something, shifting away from the depressing topic. "The case involving that Joseph from before is closed."
...Sean blinked, wondering who Joseph was. However, he certainly couldn't say that out loud, so he asked instead, "Is that so? What was the result?"
George seemed to think of something funny. "Heh heh, his wife didn't disappear; she ran off with a nursing assistant there. They had planned it long ago, originally intending to pose as a Doctor to scam Joseph out of some money before running, but they were discovered by someone inside and had to flee early."
Speaking of the hospital, Sean remembered. It was a good thing he hadn't gone to investigate himself; if he had, wouldn't he have looked like a Joker?
"Then he... is quite pitiful."
George let out a long sigh. "Yes, if only he had called the Police, it wouldn't have ended like this. People still need to trust us a bit more."
After saying this, George looked at Sean meaningfully and said slowly, "I heard that Stark will be facing a Military Hearing next month. I wonder if you've received a notice."
Sean shook his head. "They haven't looked for me."
"Is that so? That's good." George breathed a sigh of relief and added, "If they do come looking for you, what will you do?"
Sean shrugged his shoulders and said quite freely, "Let nature take its course."
The person who should be nervous isn't me.
The two chatted for a while longer. Seeing that it was about time, Sean gave Gwen a look and then said to George, "Well, Sheriff George, I'll be heading back now."
Gwen walked out quickly and said, "Then I'll see you out."
However, George, who had been very peaceful before, suddenly said sternly, "He's flying back, what are you seeing him out for? Go back inside!"
Sean naturally understood what he meant; unfortunately, all those nice words from before were wasted. "Yeah, I'll be home in a few seconds, no need to see me out."
With that, Sean walked straight out the door. It looked like he'd have to change targets for tonight.
Gwen, still at home, became unhappy and ran back to her room in a huff. George took one look and knew he was in trouble, so he walked straight to her door and tried to persuade her:
"You and he are destined to be from two different Worlds. The threats he will face in the future are beyond your imagination. Your mother worries every day just because I'm a policeman, let alone him being a Superhero. He has to be at the front of everything, otherwise the people's spit alone could drown him!"
"You... you think it over carefully!"
Chapter 18: Today, We're Finding Your Weak Spot, Sean
After leaving Gwen's place, Sean definitely wasn't going back. After all, being teased by Gwen's legs during dinner had him almost wanting to sneak back.
But then he thought, with such a big commotion, George, being a Police officer, would surely be alert. Better to forget it; he wasn't lacking this one.
...
At the same time, in Mrs. Hess's home, she looked anxious, completely devoid of her usual charming demeanor from the daytime.
In front of her, Sif was pale and weak, biting on a piece of red cloth, occasionally letting out heart-wrenching muffled groans.
A closer look revealed a hole in her waist, blood flowing freely from the wound. No matter how much medicine Mrs. Hess applied, the bleeding wouldn't stop.
Seeing that Sif was almost too weak to even cry out in pain, Mrs. Hess gritted her teeth. "No choice, I have to use blood magic."
Hearing this, Sif quickly stopped her. "No, Mother! If you use healing blood magic on me and he chases us here, you'll be in danger too. Hurry... hurry and run!"
With that, Sif fainted. But for Mrs. Hess to truly abandon her was difficult. After all, although they weren't real mother and daughter, Sif was just a blood servant she had kindly transformed a hundred years ago.
However, in over two hundred years of living, she had only transformed this one blood servant. They had long developed feelings; how could she easily give up?
Mrs. Hess's originally black eyes instantly turned red. Blood energy swirled around her hands as she slowly pushed the blood energy in her palms toward Sif's wound.
But the special bullet had caused too severe an injury. She originally thought she could stop the bleeding first, then treat her after escaping. Yet, just stopping the bleeding alone had consumed most of her strength.
Right at this critical moment, the doorbell rang.
Mrs. Hess's face turned ashen. She quickly grabbed a gun. She knew that person was also a Vampire. If this bullet hit him first, she might still have a chance.
However, it soon occurred to her: would that person ring the doorbell if he came?
Suspicious, Mrs. Hess walked downstairs, cautiously raising her gun as she approached the door. The doorbell kept ringing, each chime tightening the knot in her heart.
Could it be a trap? Something holding down the doorbell to attract attention while he had already circled to the upstairs?
The person standing outside the door was naturally Sean.
Although Mrs. Hess didn't open the door, Sean didn't use his X-ray Vision to look. After all, this thing was only novel at first; using it too much became dull.
Sometimes, wearing a little something is better.
"Not home?" Sean muttered outside the door, even considering whether to go find Millis instead. Christine was surely on night shift.
How sharp was Mrs. Hess's hearing? She immediately recognized it was Sean and quickly put the gun away. That thing would be like tickling him.
Only those involved knew Sean's hardness.
Quickly tidying her appearance and pulling down her collar, Mrs. Hess opened the door, pretending to look somewhat weary. "Sean? What brings you here?"
Sean didn't bother with much, stepping inside first. As he closed the door, he naturally pulled her into his arms. "I was afraid you might do something foolish in your grief."
He brushed her hair again, noticing her face was indeed a bit pale. "See, I was right. You look so haggard. Haven't been eating on time, have you?"
Mentioning food, Mrs. Hess's heart itched. Having consumed so much blood energy earlier, she was already starving.
Wrapping her arms around Sean's neck, she didn't want to say more. Today, she was determined to find Sean's weak spot.
The two walked to the sofa like this. Sean also found it strange why Mrs. Hess was so proactive tonight, but as time passed, he stopped thinking about other things.
Just as Sean was about to fully enjoy himself, the sound of shattering glass suddenly came. Without even opening his eyes, Sean sensed a bullet flying toward them.
It wouldn't do anything to him, but Mrs. Hess was sitting in front of him.
He directly reached out to block the bullet, then draped his clothes over Mrs. Hess. This was to reassure her a little, at least not to let her get scared.
Of course, these three were dead today. Ruining his mood? They'd have to pay for that.
As soon as the three entered, they pointed their guns at the two on the sofa. In an instant, Sean removed their masks and glasses, even finding time to turn on the light.
The three also sensed something. One of them quickly shouted, "Wait, don't shoot! He's HomelanderSean!"
Another reacted, his expression shocked. "Is Homelander a Vampire? No wonder he has superpowers!"
The last man, with dark skin, said coldly, "He's not afraid of sunlight or special bullets. He can't be a Vampire, or we'd be dead already."
After exchanging glances, the three spoke. "I'm Eric Brooks, a Vampire Hunter."
"Cliff Carey, also a Vampire Hunter."
"Shabir Coburn, same here."
After his teammates introduced themselves, Eric continued, "Vampire Hunters, as the name suggests, hunt Vampires. And Vampires are..."
Sean raised his hand to interrupt. "I know. They show that in movies; I've seen plenty. But what does that have to do with you breaking into a private residence?"
Shabir was the most impatient, pointing at Mrs. Hess and shouting, "This woman is a Vampire! I could tell she's not human at a glance!"
Eric looked up, adding, "There's another one upstairs. We tracked her here. If you don't believe us, you can come up and see."
Sean turned his head, puzzled. Mrs. Hess quickly grabbed Sean's hand, looking pitiful. "I... I don't know what they're talking about."
Mrs. Hess also knew that whether they both survived tonight depended entirely on Sean.
"We'll know if we go up and look. There's a very strong smell of blood upstairs!" Cliff chimed in.
He also knew Homelander's strength. Based on his display on the overpass that day, he was not someone they could oppose. He was also afraid Homelander might be bewitched by the Vampire.
However, based on Homelander's reputation during this time, he still believed Sean would distinguish right from wrong.
Sean smiled, pulling Mrs. Hess up. "True, going up to look will make it clear. Let's go."
Sean led Mrs. Hess in front, with the three hunters following behind. They quickly reached the second floor. Eric sniffed the air, immediately walked to the bedroom, and kicked the door open, saying:
"It's here!"
Sean walked closer and looked. Sure enough, there were traces of unwashed bloodstains on the floor, and quite a lot of them.
He fixed a scrutinizing gaze on Mrs. Hess and asked, "What is this?"
Mrs. Hess showed no panic at all. She had already hidden Sif in a secret compartment; they shouldn't find her for a while.
She looked at Sean and immediately burst into tears. With difficulty, she raised her left hand, revealing a cut on her wrist. Her tone was utterly sorrowful as she said:
"Wuwu~ I... I actually wanted to commit suicide. Thinking that the last pillar of my life in this World was gone, I found it hard to go on living."
"But, but when I heard you knocking, I felt a tiny bit of hope to live on."
Suddenly, Mrs. Hess's entire body went limp against Sean. Sean quickly supported her. Mrs. Hesscontinued in a weak voice, "I'm fine. I'll be okay after resting a bit."