Chapter 28: The Sean Who Couldn't Do Evil.
For some reason, every time Sean intended to do something bad, he would get interrupted.
We won't mention what happened before he turned eighteen.
Let's talk about the day he just turned eighteen. Some male classmates, under the pretext of celebrating his birthday, blindfolded him, drove him to a remote wilderness outside the city, and abandoned him there.
They had done this kind of thing many times, but this time it really went too far.
Under the scorching sun, in a desolate and uninhabited place, a seed of hatred was planted in Sean's heart, ready to take root and sprout before long.
It was at that moment that a bus passed by. The door opened, and a gentle voice asked, "Hey, do you know—wow~"
When the voice rang out, Sean looked up.
At that moment, because of the hot weather, he had taken off his shirt. Sweat trickled down his muscles, all the way to his waist. Brushing his hair aside, Sean asked in a youthful yet sincere tone:
"Sorry, could you repeat the location? If it's on the way, could you give me a ride?"
"That's not important. How old are you?"
"I... I just turned eighteen today, but I was tricked into coming here."
The girl's eyes instantly filled with pity, and she immediately said, "It's on the way, definitely on the way!"
At that time, Sean hadn't fully matured yet and was even a bit shy, especially when a row of windows opened to reveal a group of beautiful girls. How could he have the nerve to trouble so many people?
"Won't it be too much trouble for you? Maybe you could just call the police for me. Thank you."
The girl flung her phone away with a *whoosh*. "My phone's broken, that's why I was asking for directions. It's better if we just give you a ride."
Sean was still hesitating and pointed at them. Instantly, over a dozen phones flew out of the car windows, and they all said in unison, "Ours~ are all broken too."
At that point, Sean had no choice but to get on that bus.
"What are you all going to do?"
"We're cheerleaders. What we're going to do isn't important. What matters is, right now~"
What happened on the bus that day, we don't know.
All we know is that it took those male classmates two hours to bring Sean there, but it took Sean a day and a night to get back.
...
Fast forward to three months after his eighteenth birthday, at the graduation party. All the boys were trying to get Sean drunk, but for every drink, a girl would step up to take it for him.
In the end, everyone just let it go and were picked up by their respective parents.
Only Sean had no one to pick him up. A sense of desolation and loneliness filled his heart. Having drunk a little, he felt he could do anything, even something very bad.
Fortunately, his kind-hearted French teacher Sophia, with her sharp intuition, saw the vulnerability in his heart and took Sean home.
However, she had also had quite a bit to drink and passed out as soon as they reached Sean's rented room.
What happened that night, we don't know.
All we know is that her husband made many phone calls that night.
...
Then, four months after his eighteenth birthday, on a rainy day with few people on the streets.
Sean came out of his landlady's house, planning to find a job to support himself.
But on his way to interview for a cashier position at a supermarket, a car sped past, splashing muddy water all over the road and soaking Sean.
Watching the car drive off, Sean was furious. He was even thinking about what he would do the next time he saw it when the car reversed back.
The door opened, and a woman leaned out. Looking at Sean's soaked upper body, she licked the corner of her mouth and said apologetically:
"Sean, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. I have new clothes in my car as an apology."
For some reason, even though she leaned out first, what caught his eye first was the small flower on her chest.
Seeing her sincere apology and her beautiful appearance, Sean couldn't bring himself to blame her and accepted her clothes.
Seeing Sean agree, she was overjoyed but still tried to remain composed, saying:
"It's not convenient to change here. Come into my car. It's... spacious."
Sean looked at himself. He couldn't go to the interview covered in dirt, and there was nowhere around to change, so he had no choice but to get in the car.
But as soon as Sean got in the car, he noticed three strange things.
First, the car started moving.
Second, this woman actually knew his name and his clothing size.
Third, the flower... also started moving.
...
Whether it's Fury, Natasha, or anyone who has seen Sean's complete file, they would find this situation simply unbelievable.
But upon meeting him in person, you'd feel you have to believe it.
And with so many such incidents, it's no wonder Sean became somewhat promiscuous. No one found it strange, but one thing is certain: his nature isn't really bad.
This is why S.H.I.E.L.D. has some tolerance for Sean. A Superhero with a fundamentally good nature and only minor personality flaws is someone they treasure.
This is also why Natasha is willing to put effort into studying Sean. It's not just because of the mission; she doesn't want S.H.I.E.L.D., or rather this World, to have an enemy like Sean.
By the balcony, Natasha crossed her arms, tilting her head to look up at Sean from below. Her eyes held the sharp gaze of an elite Agent, and she said in an aggressive tone:
"So, are we even now? Can I continue being your personal assistant?"
Sean looked at her and slowly shook his head.
Natasha's heart tightened. Wasn't it enough that the misunderstanding was cleared up? Did he still have a small grudge?
But if another woman took over, Natasha didn't think anyone could do a better job than her. What if more trouble arose?
However, Sean soon smiled and said, "We're not even. You still owe me an afternoon tea, remember?"
Natasha's eyes lit up, a smile playing on her lips as she slowly moved closer to Sean and whispered, "Then let's go back, and I'll make it for you."
"Are you sure?" Sean looked at her skeptically, his eyes scanning her up and down.
"Sure. In the name of Natasha Romanoff, it's time you witnessed the skills of a Level 10 Agent."
Afterwards, Sean personally experienced the skills of a Level 10 Agent. There was indeed something to it.
Natasha also felt that she might have overestimated the skills of a Level 10 Agent.
Regardless, this incident came to a satisfactory conclusion. Both sides got what they wanted, achieving a World where no one got hurt.
...
At the same time, 8 PM, City Daily—no, now it's called City Daily Television, sponsored by Pepper Potts, of course.
The TV station's popularity is decent, though there are a few too many ads. Still, viewership remains high because of the star program that provides first-hand information on Superheroes: *Hero Meetup*.
Although there haven't been any new Superheroes recently, Millis's show hasn't stopped.
With Sean's guidance, she no longer limits herself to Superheroes. She also invites civilian heroes onto the show; even Sheriff George made an appearance.
While the hype certainly can't compare to the first two episodes, the ratings have remained consistently high, and the impact has been positive. Millis is gradually gaining some fame in the journalism World.
After the recent Vampire incident emerged, the attention on *Hero Meetup* skyrocketed. Everyone felt Sean would appear again to talk about the Vampires.
And Sean didn't disappoint them. Just as Millis was heading out, she called her father to issue an announcement, saying there would be big news tonight.
Hearing this, Rom immediately got excited and promptly... raised the advertising rates a bit.
*Tonight at 8 PM, tune in to Hero Meetup to hear Homelander tell the story he must share about his encounter with Vampires.*
Chapter 29: Let Us Give Our Applause and Flowers to the Heroes—the Vampire Hunters!
"Good evening, everyone. Welcome to 'Hero Meetup.' I am your host, Millis."
"A major event has occurred recently: legendary creatures, Vampires, have appeared in our lives."
"I believe everyone feels both afraid and a bit curious about the appearance of Vampires."
"Are there many of them? How long do they live? Are they very powerful?"
"Today, we'll let a professional answer these questions."
Millis clapped her hands, and the staff brought a large electronic screen and placed it to her right.
"Everyone, look. Who is this to my right?"
The screen began playing a video, and it was the familiar Homelander.
"Hello everyone, I'm Sean."
In the video, Sean was wearing a white shirt, and his hair was a bit messy, but this actually made him more attractive, giving the female audience in front of their TVs a real treat.
However, it was a bit of a pity that Sean's eyes weren't looking directly at the phone's camera, so they missed that feeling of eye contact.
Ignoring the gazes of those around them, they shouted loudly at the TV, "Look at me, Big Brother!"
But Sean's gaze always drifted above the line of sight; this actually wasn't his fault.
Because, in order to make the recording better and keep Sean's eyes from wandering, Millis had placed something eye-catching behind the phone.
Namely, herself.
"I have some unfortunate news to tell everyone. Because Homelander Sean is too busy, he couldn't come to the studio or join us via a live link. So, this is just a video interview I did with him. Please take a look."
The video started playing again, and Millis's voice could be heard asking a question.
"Sean, may I ask, are there many Vampires?"
Sean was dazed by the white light and paused for three seconds before answering, "Cough, their numbers are very scarce. Especially after I killed another batch that day, their current numbers are likely negligible."
"Really? Then doesn't that mean they pose absolutely no threat to our lives?"
"Yes. If it weren't for the fact that they are intelligent, I would even want to build a zoo to protect them as an endangered species."
Millis was amused by Sean's words. Her goose-like laughter could be heard in the video, her body trembling, which made her face turn red in the live studio, though it was unclear what she was shy about.
"Then Sean, how long has the Vampire species lived, and when was the first Vampire born?"
After she finished laughing in the video, Millis continued her questioning. Sean thought about this question for a moment and said seriously:
"I don't know when they appeared, but I think the first Vampire was probably just an ordinary person who happened to have Superpowers, but he might have gone astray."
"Oh? An ordinary person? Then Sean, do you think Vampires can live forever like in the legends?"
When this question was asked, the ordinary people in front of their TVs felt a bit envious. Eternal life... even if they couldn't go out during the day, so what? They liked staying up late anyway.
As for the side effects, hmph, who would know if I didn't say anything?
Sean let out a dismissive laugh, "Definitely not. If they could all live forever, we would probably all be ruled by Vampires by now."
"Besides, I remember that among the Vampires I killed, there were people of all ages, and no particularly powerful Vampires appeared."
Millis caught the key point and quickly followed up, "Not powerful? Is that because they aren't strong compared to you, or compared to ordinary people?"
Sean didn't answer directly but instead asked, "Do you know why the number of Vampires is so small?"
Millis shook her head.
Sean paused, as if he had found something amusing, and continued, "Then do you know how I discovered the Vampires?"
Millis continued to shake her head.
Sean wanted to keep asking, but seeing her innocent and inquisitive gaze, if he teased her any further, she wouldn't even have clothes to wear—oh, wait, she didn't have any on in the first place.
"I'll explain the number of Vampires in a moment. First, let me tell you how I found them."
"Originally, I was like you, thinking Vampires were just creatures from movies. Until that day, a Vampirefound me and revealed his identity, saying he could no longer tolerate such a race living in this World and begged me to eliminate them."
"At first, I didn't believe him, until the Sun rose and he turned to ash right before my eyes."
"I knew then that he was serious. So, in order to live up to the wish of such a 'good' Vampire, I will continue to clear out the remaining Vampires until they disappear forever!"
Clap, clap, clap!
Both the Millis in the video and the Millis in the live studio stood up and applauded.
Seeing her stand up, Sean took the opportunity to give her a hug, causing her to frown and keep pointing at the phone, indicating that it was still recording.
"Then can you... Mgh!"
"Cough! What?"
"I... I wanted to ask, what... what should we do if we encounter a Vampire!"
Millis tried her best to control her tone. Although this was just a recording, wouldn't it be discovered when it was being edited?
"Hmm, let me think. The best way is still to run away. If you really can't escape, you can hit them with silver jewelry, or the simplest method is to carry garlic with you."
"Gar...lic?"
"Yeah, rub a little on yourself and eat a few cloves. You'll be able to get away if you run into a weak Vampire."
After Sean finished speaking, he noticed Millis's eyes were getting misty, so he let her go, sat back, and said:
"However, you don't need to worry too much. The probability of encountering a Vampire is much lower than encountering a drunkard. Everyone should just live as they did before; we're here to hold the front line."
He thought for a moment and then explained the previous question, which he had almost forgotten because of Millis.
"By the way, the reason there are only this many Vampires is that a group of ordinary people has been hunting them for a long time."
"They don't seek fame or fortune, working silently in the shadows of this World, all so that those of us standing in the light can live well."
"So, everyone, don't worry. This World still has us."
The video ended there. He had originally wanted to say a few more words, but Millis kept hinting for him to turn it off, so there was nothing he could do.
Knowing what had happened afterward, Millis's face flushed. She let out a soft breath, stood up, looked at the camera in the live studio, and said slowly:
"Cough, actually, today's Hero Meetup has its own heroes—those who have worked silently for generations. Homelander Sean told me that the heroes who truly solved the Vampire crisis are them."
"It's because of them that the word 'Vampire' is just a story, a legend, and not a part of our lives."
"Homelander also specifically told me that although they have never met, he still wants to thank this group of people. Thank them for guarding this World."
"So, at the end of the program, everyone, let us give our applause and flowers to the heroes—the Vampire Hunters!"
Chapter 30 Borrowing a Car from Millis
At the same time, in a certain home, a family was sitting on the sofa watching the Hero Meetup.
Two children ran around excitedly, shouting "Long live the Vampire Hunter," while the hostess laughed and chased after them, telling them to keep it down so they wouldn't disturb the neighbors.
She didn't see her usually stern husband silently shedding tears.
"Vampire Hunter... it's been so long since I've heard someone call me that. I wonder how the rest of the team is doing."
"Still, I never imagined that any of that trash would still be alive."
The host shook his head with a smile. "This World no longer needs me to worry about it; a stronger Superhero has appeared."
...
Similar sentiments were felt by many others—old men, women—though not many in number, they truly felt a sense of pride.
After all, the Superhero Homelander had thanked them on TV for saving the World. Although they didn't care about fame or fortune, they were still happy in their hearts.
Only one woman watched the TV, filled with worry.
She knew her husband and brother were Vampire Hunters, and she took pride in it.
But a while ago, after they went out fully armed with a Black man, they never returned. There was no news, and she didn't know if they were dead or alive.
"Should I go find Homelander? Would he help? I suppose... he might."
She was the only one in the empty house. A feeling of helplessness washed over her; she desperately needed a sense of security.
The woman hugged her legs helplessly, leaning against the sofa, and slowly fell asleep while listening to Sean's voice on the TV.
...
In the following days, Sean spent his time between the homes of Millis and Christine. Both of them were relatively free, and their schedules didn't conflict.
Of course, Sean would also put on his glasses from time to time to go out and have some fun, or look up his old landlord and others.
Hess had mentioned recently that she was consolidating some industries and would be quite busy, so Sean didn't disturb her.
It felt like ever since the two of them returned to New York, Hess had developed a sense of urgency, though he didn't know where the pressure was coming from.
As for Gwen, he hadn't gone out of his way to find her recently because Sean discovered that winning her heart earned him more.
Finding some time to talk about their relationship should be enough.
One day, Sean was lying on the sofa with Millis, watching a high-profile event that was trending—a military hearing that Stark was attending.
On TV, everyone was verbally attacking Stark. Apart from a Black man who occasionally helped him, no one else spoke up for him.
Millis tilted her head and asked, "Sean, do you think he'll hand over his Armor?"
"Definitely not."
"Hmm? Why."
"Because if he obediently handed over his Armor, he wouldn't be the Tony Stark we know."
Sure enough, things proceeded exactly as they had before. Faced with Stark's sudden technical intrusion, the chairman of Hammer Industries hurriedly pulled out the power cord.
Stark stood up directly and shouted, "Sean and I are enough to protect this World! We are World peace!"
Millis smiled sweetly. "Heh, he even included you."
"Hmph, I suppose he has a bit of foresight."
Sean felt it was pretty good that Stark mentioned his name. After all, they were the only two Superheroes at the moment, and both possessed huge fan bases.
Looking at Millis beside him, Sean lifted her chin with his hand. "It's a deal. We'll continue once we finish watching this."
Millis's heart skipped a beat. She quickly hugged Sean, burying her head in his chest, and said shyly, "Let's watch something else for a while~"
Suddenly, a phone rang from under the sofa. Judging by the ringtone, it was Sean's phone.
Millis quickly reached out to pick it up and handed it to Sean. In the process of turning her head, she saw something, and a mischievous thought flashed through her mind.
"Hmph, you bullied me in that video before, now it's my turn!"
Sean looked at his phone with a strange expression. Why was he calling again? Did he really think of himself as a heart-to-heart big brother?
"Hello? Whoa—cough, Tony, what's up?"
Tony, who had just finished the hearing and was still a bit excited, didn't notice anything and asked with a proud tone:
"Did you watch my performance at the hearing? How was it? Pretty impressive, right?"
"Not bad, very impressive!"
This sentence meant something different to each of them.
Tony felt much more relaxed at this moment, almost forgetting the damage caused by the palladium, and looking at his visibly limited time, he asked:
"By the way, Sean, there's a car race in Monaco next week. Want to go and compete?"
"I promise first, no modifications. How about it?"
Sean smiled slightly and reached out to stroke Millis's head. "No, no, no. I should be the one to promise not to use super speed, heh."
"Then it's settled. I'll go prepare."
After saying that, Tony hung up the phone, feeling like another weight had been lifted off his mind.
Now, he had already started preparing for his affairs after death, and racing against Sean was one of his wishes.
After Tony hung up, Sean didn't stop but continued talking.
Seeing Milia's cunning eyes, he knew exactly what she was thinking. That was just how she was; she couldn't hide anything.
To give her a sense of achievement, Sean even stammered a few words on purpose, so that she would likely do the same next time.
After a while, Millis coughed a few times and looked up at Sean with a proud face, implying, "Well? Hurry up and praise me!"
Sean pulled her into his arms and patted her gently, asking, "Where did you learn these things?"
Millis patted him back, unwilling to be outdone, and scolded him shyly, "It's because you come over too often. In order not to let you leave disappointed, I've had to put in some effort."
"How was it? I did a good job, right?"
"Not bad, very good!"
Millis grinned and then asked, "So about that car race..."
Sean's eyes lit up as he looked at her and said, "You want to go?"
"Yeah!" Millis nodded.
"You can go, but..."
"But what?"
"Ahem, you heard it too. Stark asked me to race. Don't I need to practice hard?"
Millis tilted her head, confused, her eyes full of doubt. "But I don't have a race car, you want to... Mmph!"
Following Sean's actions, she remembered that she did indeed seem to have a race car.
Now, she couldn't bring herself to refuse. Their relationship was so good, and it was just borrowing a car; how could she not lend it to him?
It's just that...
"Don't drive the car too fast~"
Chapter 31: The Stark Family are Thieves, They are Liars!
Early the next morning, Sean Brooke was woken up again by his phone ringing. Still drowsy, he called out to Millis a few times, but no one responded.
Sean Brooke opened his eyes abruptly and let out a long sigh of relief. Fortunately, Christine was on the day shift these past few days and had left early, so she hadn't heard. Otherwise, it would have been quite troublesome to explain.
Hearing the phone still ringing, Sean Brooke helplessly found his phone under his teddy bear pajamas. It was a call from Hess.
"Sean, the person has been found."
"What do you mean found? Who did you find?" Sean Brooke scratched his head in confusion.
"Ivan, Ivan Vanko!"
Sean Brooke pondered for a moment, feeling that this should be a man's name, and he probably didn't know him.
On the other end of the line, Hess didn't hear Sean Brooke's reply and chuckled. The Vampire Elders had been busy for so many days, spending so much energy and connections, yet Sean Brooke had completely forgotten about it.
"You should come over to my place; it's hard to explain over the phone."
"Sure."
He hadn't seen Hess in a long time, and suddenly, at the mention of her, he missed her a little.
Not long after, Sean Brooke arrived at the Hess Family Residence. She was sitting on the sofa looking at some documents, and a girl of about eighteen or nineteen was standing next to her.
"She is the girl from that night, right?"
Sean Brooke didn't treat himself as an outsider and sat directly on the sofa, wrapping his arms around Hess.
"Yes, it's her." Hess pulled her and said, "Sif, say hello. If it weren't for Sean Brooke, we would all have died that night."
Sif was a little nervous, but she was quick and nimble. After pouring Water for Sean Brooke, she said, "Thank you, Mr. Sean Brooke. My name is Sif Hess; you can just call me Sif."
Sean Brooke raised an eyebrow and looked at Hess, asking, "Your child?"
Hess blushed and slapped Sean Brooke. "No, Sif is a child I accidentally saved over a hundred years ago. She didn't have a name, so naturally, she took my surname."
"Is that so?" Sean Brooke smacked his lips, suddenly feeling a little disappointed, though he didn't know why.
"Yes. Before, she could only be active at night. Since I became stronger a while ago, I had some Blood Pool energy left over and helped her get rid of her fear of light."
"Take a look at this. Is he the person you were looking for that day?"
Sean Brooke took the documents from Hess's hand and began to read them.
Ivan... Vanko?...No impression.
Seeing Sean Brooke's brows tightly knit in thought, Hess asked, "What's wrong? Is it not him?"
"I don't know if it's him either, but it doesn't matter. I'll take a trip there and find out."
"By the way, how did you find him? You've got some skills." Sean Brooke said, patting her head in praise.
Hess smiled lightly. "He was planning to go to Monaco and was looking for someone to make fake documents, and it just so happened that he found our people."
Monaco. Sean Brooke seemed to remember something. Hadn't he promised Tony to attend a race?
And that race was when Ivan would make his appearance.
Sean Brooke checked the time; there were five days left. He had to go there as soon as possible, or he might leave.
Looking at Hess with a slightly apologetic gaze, he gently stroked her cheek. The sensible Sif had already gone to close the door.
...
The day before the race, Sean Brooke arrived in Siberia. Ivan had been exiled here and hadn't returned for decades.
As for what to do after finding Ivan, Sean Brooke hadn't decided yet; he just felt that having someone to spur Tony on would make him progress faster.
Sean Brooke had high hopes for Tony; after all, Tony would have to carry a nuclear bomb and snap his fingers in the future.
Although his appearance might cause these events to disappear, regardless, there would definitely still be dangers.
At such a time, is there anyone willing to sacrifice themselves for the greater good?
Yes! Tony Stark.
This candidate doesn't even need to be discussed; Captain America's strength is too poor, and he can't even fly.
Although Thor is easy to fool, he is also more easily fooled and hard to control.
Furthermore, regarding others like Black Widow, Hawkeye, Hulk, Spider-Man, etc., as well as some heroes who might not appear due to plot changes—none of them are as useful as Tony, except for Black Widow.
Wanda hasn't been used yet, so I don't know.
Therefore, so that Sean Brooke can have an easier time in the future, he hopes this group of heroes will work hard.
Holding the location given by Hess, he quickly found a dilapidated house. Through his X-ray Vision, he could see a few people monitoring the house from the surroundings; they looked like informants for the Vampires.
Sean Brooke ignored them, flew straight down, stood in front of the door, and knocked.
Inside, a flash of alertness crossed Ivan's eyes. He quietly put on his equipment, covered it with a coat, walked slowly to the door, and opened it.
The moment the door opened, he was stunned.
He recognized the person standing at the door. Anyone who frequently pays attention to Stark would definitely know who this was, but Ivan couldn't figure out why he would come to such a remote corner.
Therefore, he had never considered that the person standing outside would be him, Homelander Sean Brooke.
"Hello, may I come in and sit for a while?"
"...Yes."
Ivan didn't refuse, or rather, no one could refuse.
After Sean Brooke walked in, Ivan had recovered his composure.
Since Homelander had come, his plan must have been exposed; otherwise, Ivan couldn't think of any reason for Homelander to come to his house.
The room was very messy; it looked like it hadn't been tidied up since he moved in. However, there was one place that was very neat.
It was a table covered with blueprints and some small parts, but there were no finished products.
Sean Brooke stood in the middle of the room, turned his head, and asked, "May I ask, what are you designing here?"
"An engine. I'm modifying engines to make some money."
A glimmer of hope flashed in Ivan's eyes. Could it be that Sean Brooke was really just passing by?
Sean Brooke turned around, looked at him, and chuckled. "An engine? Is there any engine that you wear on your body?"
In an instant, Ivan's pupils dilated. He pressed a button, swung his right hand, and a lightning whip instantly lashed out towards Sean Brooke. He couldn't care about anything else anymore; no one could stop him from taking revenge, not even Homelander.
Sean Brooke frowned and reached out to catch it. What if this thing burned off his hair?
Ivan didn't give up. Seeing that he couldn't pull his right hand back, he gripped the lightning whip with his left hand and lashed out again.
This time, Sean Brooke didn't indulge him any further. He approached quickly and kicked him, sending him flying more than ten meters away, punching through three mud walls and finally landing in a snowfield.
Sean Brooke walked up. He knew he definitely wouldn't die. He had trained so many times with them, he could control even smaller amounts of strength, let alone a single kick.
"Nice stuff, very similar to Stark's."
This sentence seemed to be Ivan's sore spot. His eyes turned red, and he spat out a mouthful of blood, laughing loudly, "Ha, ha ha, the Stark Family are thieves, they are liars!"
Chapter 32: I Just Want to Prove That I Can Personally Reclaim Everything My Father Lost
Although this guy had recklessly attacked him, Sean didn't kill him outright; after all, he had spent some time on him, so he had to make him useful somehow.
Seeing more and more passersby gathering, Sean grabbed Ivan with one hand and flew him to a deserted location.
There wasn't a trace of fear in Ivan's eyes, only regret that he hadn't exposed the Stark Family's ugly face to the public.
"Are you going to kill me here?"
A cliff lay not far ahead. Ivan smelled the damp, cold sea air, a single tear escaped his eye, and he suddenly burst into laughter.
Father, it seems we're meeting again so soon, heh.
Sean patted him and said, "I'm not going to kill you. If you're so intent on dying, why not tell me your story first?"
He then sat down on a rock. Ivan gave him a puzzled glance and also sat down slowly, beginning to recount his family's history after a moment's thought.
Once he started, it was hard to stop. For a full half-hour, half of the time was spent cursing the Stark Family.
Sean didn't say a word, listening quietly—at least, that's how it appeared to Ivan.
"What fun ability should I exchange for next?"
Sean had been scrolling through the Super List, looking for more fun things. He had earned quite a few Affection Points lately, so it was time to spend some.
Suddenly, the voice in Sean's ear stopped. He turned his head to see Ivan pulling the Reactor from his chest and handing it over, a death wish clearly visible in his eyes.
Sean gasped, "Hiss, what happened? Dammit, I should have listened a little."
However, a small scene like this wouldn't stump him. He could even bluff Stark, let alone this guy.
"What are you doing?"
Ivan let out a light laugh and said, "Give this to Stark for me and tell him what I just said. I'll be satisfied then, hahaha!"
Ivan, what on earth did you say?
Sean took a deep breath and quickly organized his thoughts. "First, extract a few key points: he has a grudge against Tony—no, Stark; he can build Reactors; and he wants to ruin Tony's reputation."
Having settled on these three points, Sean took the Reactor and plugged it right back into Ivan's chest, encouraging him, "Many things only bring a sense of accomplishment if you do them yourself. I'm not going to help you."
Ivan's brow furrowed, his eyes filled with confusion. I said I wanted to expose Stark's scandals and kill him, and you're actually encouraging me?
Were you even listening to me?
"You want revenge, right?" Sean asked, looking him in the eye.
"Exactly!" Ivan's eyes were filled with hatred as he clenched his fists and shouted excitedly, "I want revenge! I want to drag that high-and-mighty Stark off his pedestal! I want justice for my father!"
"Why does he get to enjoy life in New York while my father and I were forced to survive in this freezing wasteland, starving and cold every day? Why?!"
"I, Ivan Vanko, don't want money. I just want to prove that I can personally reclaim everything my father lost!"
This impassioned monologue earned Sean's applause. He walked over, patted Ivan's shoulder, and said:
"I'm not entirely sure what happened between you two, but I want to know: what do you plan to do next? Kill Tony Stark?"
Ivan chuckled coldly, "You underestimate me. Killing him outright would be far too easy on him. Besides, he's a dying man anyway. If I kill him now, he'll still enjoy endless honor. I want him to die after his reputation is utterly ruined."
"Do you know how to drag God down into the mud?" Ivan asked rhetorically, continuing before Sean could answer:
"You just have to make God bleed, and people will stop believing in him. The blood will flow into the sea and attract schools of sharks. I won't even need to do anything; the World will devour him."
Ivan believed this implicitly.
According to his original plan, as long as the rest of the World knew someone else could create a portable Arc Reactor, Stark's situation would become extremely difficult.
Once those sharks found out, would they still treat Stark so kindly?
Heh, at that point, no amount of money would help Stark. That country would do whatever it takes to maintain its international standing. The deterrent power of the Iron Armor is no less than that of nuclear weapons.
"Your words make a lot of sense, but you're missing one thing," Sean said with a faint smile.
Ivan turned around and met Sean's gaze without flinching.
You can say I can't beat you in a fight, but if you want to talk logic, I'm all ears.
"Even if God bleeds, he still possesses immense influence. No one would dare try to drag him down with them, would they?"
Ivan thought about it. If Stark refused to hand over the armor even at the cost of his life, what would happen? Would those cowardly politicians really dare to initiate an attack?
Stark had no family and few attachments. No matter where he went, he would still be the high-and-mighty Stark.
Sean continued, "The most direct way to truly drag God down is simply to be stronger than him."
"When no one believes in him, worships him, or supports him anymore, he will walk toward the edge of destruction on his own."
If there were a second Iron Man in the World who was willing to cooperate with the Military, then everything Stark planned would go up in smoke. Wasn't that exactly what Ivan wanted to see?
Ivan looked at Sean in confusion, realizing he had no idea what this man was thinking. What was his purpose in coming all the way to Siberia to find him?
Why persuade him like this and help him come up with ideas? What was in it for him?
Perhaps Ivan could never have imagined that Sean was doing this purely for entertainment, just to make the World's hero battles more interesting.
Ivan naturally understood the meaning behind Sean's words: he wanted him to become a second Iron Man and defeat Stark head-on.
This method was indeed better than his original plan. At the very least, he could stand openly before Stark and mock him.
He wouldn't have to hide in the shadows like a rat anymore; he could crush Stark in the field he was most proud of.
At the thought of appearing before Stark in his own armor, Ivan could hardly wait to see his expression.
Color slowly returned to Ivan's face, and a light of hope appeared in his eyes. He said with some excitement, "But... but I'm restricted from ever..."
Before he could finish, Sean raised a hand to interrupt. "Leave that to me. However, there is one thing I want you to remember."
"What?"
Sean's eyes glowed red as he hovered in the air, forcing Ivan to look up at him.
"I'm taking you back only because I don't want to see someone who could be a hero turn into a villain. So, I don't want you doing anything bad."
"After all, I'm the one bringing you back. If you do bad things, I would lose a lot of face."
On this day, Ivan felt the terror of the Homelander for the first time. He probably never wanted to see that sight again.
Chapter 33: Can't People Just Have Some Feelings?
The matter of arranging Ivan's identity was, of course, left to Natasha.
Sean didn't intend to hide this, as Ivan would definitely be in the public eye, so there was no point in concealing it.
He just hoped Ivan would be more obedient. After all, he was the first hero Sean recruited, and he absolutely, absolutely couldn't have any blemishes, nor could Sean allow him to have any.
For now, Ivan would stay in Siberia, and Sean would pick him up in a few days. After all, Sean had something very important to do right now.
...
Monaco Grand Prix.
As a coastal city in Europe, Monaco's scenery was naturally exquisite. The pleasant climate was a feast for the eyes, making Sean feel as if he had returned to his days in Ushuaia.
Natasha led Sean into the reception, instantly attracting all eyes. It wasn't just his identity; Sean's attire today alone was enough to make them take a second look.
Although he had never attended a large reception before, Sean didn't feel uncomfortable. After all, no matter where he was, as long as there were women, that place was his home turf!
Sitting on an empty sofa, Natasha naturally sat to his right, softly introducing the people present into his ear.
Many less important people had already arrived before the reception officially began, as the main characters always made their entrance last.
Sean, however, didn't care about such things. For him, the sooner he arrived, the sooner he could enjoy himself.
Sure enough, an unknown beauty and an unfamiliar man soon approached to strike up a conversation.
"Oh my gosh, look who it is, Homelander Sean!"
The man said, making himself at home as he sat down, then showed off to the beauty beside him:
"Let me introduce you, this is Homelander Sean, the guardian of the people of New York and of me, Justin Hammer!"
Just as the beauty was about to speak, Hammer pointed to her and introduced, "This is Christine Everhart, the host of the famous show 'Vanity Fair'."
"Haha, she's about to give me a big promotion on her show."
Sean paid no attention to the man beside him, but he did take a few extra glances at the woman, dressed in a sea-blue dress with short blonde hair.
She was the type Sean would be willing to love even without triggering Affection Points.
The most crucial thing was that her name was excellent, and Sean liked it very much. If all women in the world had the same name, he would never call them by the wrong one.
Sean stood up, extended his hand, and politely said, "Sean Brooke."
Hammer, caught between the two, felt awkward because he was still sitting.
The beauty's eyes lit up, and she immediately extended her hand in return, "Christine Everhart."
"That's a lovely name. May I call you Christine from now on?"
"Of course, it's my pleasure."
As they spoke, the two slowly walked to the balcony, with no one paying attention to Hammer during this time.
Even Natasha sighed, shaking her head in Sean's direction. Fortunately, she wasn't just there to focus on Sean this time.
Many women joined their conversation, and Sean didn't remember a single one of their names. If it weren't for Christine, he wouldn't have remembered her name either.
However, with more people, the balcony became a bit crowded, and their hands started to get a little restless in the squeeze.
Today, Sean wore a black suit with a white shirt underneath, looking similar to the other gentlemen outside. However, the slightly bulging muscles beneath his shirt and his handsome, well-defined appearance were beyond what those men possessed.
It was also fortunate that this was a high-end reception and they were still outside, not in a room, so these women still had a bit of reason and weren't too audacious.
Speaking of rooms, Sean felt a bit tired. Just as he was about to look for a room, a familiar figure walked in.
Sean looked at her, then at his surroundings, clicked his tongue, and walked over.
"Millis, why are you so late? I've been waiting for you for a long time."
As he spoke, Sean bent his arm, and Millis smiled sweetly, naturally linking hers through his. "It's my first time attending, so I specially dressed up."
Indeed, the previous Millis was just a reporter for a small tabloid, not even a host, so how could she have attended such a high-end event?
She was very nervous when she first came in, but that nervousness disappeared as soon as she saw Sean.
The group of women who had been surrounding Sean, seeing the woman who appeared to be the main attraction, tactfully moved away. But Christine didn't think so; she felt she wasn't too far behind, except for her chest.
"Oh, you must be Millis, the very popular host recently. Your show is great, and my editor-in-chief would kill me if I didn't get a few words with you."
She then extended her hand, "I'm Christine, also a host."
Looking at the confident and poised woman in front of her, Millis felt a little nervous, and her grip on Sean's arm tightened.
Millis knew this person, or rather, many aspiring hosts knew her. Her show 'Vanity Fair' was incredibly popular.
Once upon a time, Millis had even told Sean that she hoped to host a show similar to hers someday.
This show shared similarities with the Hero Meetup; one invited heroes, the other invited the hottest entrepreneurs of the moment, and both had very high ratings.
However, 'Vanity Fair' had a significantly higher average viewership than the Hero Meetup, because currently there were only two heroes people liked: Homelander and Iron Man.
If they didn't appear, those civilian heroes didn't really have much explosive appeal, unlike entrepreneurs whose scandalous news was everywhere.
Millis first glanced at Sean before extending her hand. "H-hello, I'm Millis. I used to love watching your show, and I'm a fan."
"Really? Your show is also very good. We should chat more if we get the chance."
Christine wouldn't let go of this opportunity. Anyone with eyes could see how popular the Hero Meetupwould be in the future, and building a good relationship with her certainly had no downsides.
She might even, one day, take her place.
Just as Millis once envied the host of 'Vanity Fair', now most hosts were eyeing her position.
Millis smiled and nodded, without much guardedness. In her opinion, her show still had a long way to go, at least until many Superheroes appeared. At this stage, 'Vanity Fair' was still more popular.
She thought Christine's enthusiasm was due to Sean, and didn't connect it to herself.
Her little schemes were mostly reserved for Sean.
"I'll take her around. Goodbye, Christine."
With that, Sean pulled Millis away. This Christine wasn't good; she was too utilitarian. Couldn't people just have some feelings? Alas.
Millis naturally wouldn't object. She didn't know anyone here, and the photographers she brought were stopped outside the door, not allowed in.
However, it was good to have Sean there. It felt like being at home; whatever he wanted to do, she would do.
Chapter 34: Super Driving Skill
The party grew increasingly crowded, and the number of people surrounding Sean grew as well. This situation only improved when Tony Stark walked over.
It wasn't because he was more popular, but because his foul temper was notorious. Yet, he was incredibly wealthy, and no one could do anything about him. Frustrating, right?
Seeing Pepper, Millis was also very Happy; after all, they had a small collaboration in undermining their own men.
The two women sat to the side whispering. Tony turned his head, took a glance, and then whispered, "Are you ready to be surpassed by me?"
"I hope your driving skills match your confidence."
Sean spoke a bit loudly, which made Tony quite nervous. Fortunately, the party was lively, and Pepperdidn't notice.
But Sean saw it, and asked in a low voice, "You didn't tell her?"
Tony responded with a look of disdain, "Is it necessary? Even though she is the CEO now."
After saying this, seeing Sean's playful gaze, he instantly lost his composure.
"Fine, I didn't tell her. If I had, the race definitely wouldn't happen."
Tony turned to look at Pepper, his eyes filled with a tenderness not usually seen. People only truly understand what they want when they are dying or have lost something.
"But don't worry, I've arranged everything. When it's about to start, you use your super speed to take me there."
"Heh."
Just as Tony and Sean were talking, Hammer appeared out of nowhere, once again greeting Tony with an overly familiar attitude.
Compared to Sean, Hammer wanted to connect with Tony more, as he was the one who truly controlled the lifeblood of arms dealers.
Natasha also walked over. Since both targets were standing together, she had no reason not to come.
"The proof for Ivan Vanko has been arranged and can be brought over at any time. Besides..." Natashaglanced at Tony, leaned into Sean's ear, and asked in a low voice, "Are you sure he built that thing?"
Sean touched her hand, squeezed it gently, and said, "I'm sure. And, I believe he also has the potential to become a hero."
Natasha didn't speak. She didn't have the power to decide. She only knew that after Fury learned of this news, he cursed for a long time before approving the request.
One Iron Man was already enough of a headache; whether another one would be good or bad, no one could say.
"Don't worry, I will watch over him and won't let him do anything bad."
"I hope so."
Sean, who was chatting happily with Natasha, couldn't care less about the impatient Tony beside him.
Although there was still some time before the start, Tony couldn't stand Hammer's soliloquy anymore and hurriedly tugged on Sean, "How about we go prepare first?"
When Natasha saw Tony's abnormal expression, she wondered if she should take out the needle Furygave her and give him a jab.
She knew Tony was troubled by palladium poisoning and that his life was coming to an end, so it wouldn't be strange if he did anything.
And Fury's plan was to appear only when he was completely disheartened and in despair. Only then would he have a favorable impression of S.H.I.E.L.D.
If he gave it to him too early, he might just settle it with a suit of armor or a sum of money, which was not what Fury wanted to see.
What he wanted was the person, or rather, the brains of the Avengers.
Sean checked the time and felt it was about right. He hadn't raced before, so it would be good to familiarize himself with it in advance, so he dragged Tony away, disappearing from everyone's sight.
The three women quickly noticed. Although Pepper and Millis were chatting, their eyes were definitely still on their own men, and they reacted the moment they disappeared.
The two women grabbed Natasha and asked nervously, "Who are you? Where did the two of them go?"
Natasha also wanted to ask this question, but could only explain that she was Sean's assistant and didn't know where they went.
At this moment, Millis suddenly remembered something Sean had mentioned before and asked suspiciously, "They wouldn't have gone to participate in the race, would they?"
Pepper and Natasha looked at each other; it was very likely.
They hurriedly found Happy to drive and chase after the two. Millis didn't understand the situation, but she followed into the car anyway.
She naturally didn't understand the other two's worries, because even if an accident happened, it wouldn't matter for Sean.
But it was different for Tony. If an accident happened, Sean might not be able to save him in time.
On the other side, the coach was patiently introducing the brake and the accelerator to Sean. No one even objected when Sean said he wouldn't wear a racing suit; after all, it was indeed useless for him.
Seeing Sean still learning, Tony felt much happier and said with a smile, "Sean! Do you want me to take you to the supermarket entrance to practice?"
Sean ignored him and instead selected the ability to redeem it.
Wait, wait, wait! Super Driving Skill!
[Super Driving Skill: Use perception to quickly understand the structure of a vehicle, and then skillfully control it in a short period.]
Hmph, anyway, he promised not to use super speed, but he didn't say he wouldn't use other things.
Just as Pepper and her group were still on the road, the race had already begun, so they had to understand the situation through a live broadcast.
The organizers were overjoyed. Although Stark had instructed them not to promote it in advance, gossip could still be spread.
Especially during the preparation stage of the two, they even spent money to buy all the reports of the day. The ratings set a record within a minute, and they made a fortune.
On the racetrack, through the car window, Sean could still see Tony's arrogant and confident eyes. Well, what is there to fear for a dying man?
As the traffic lights lit up, all the racing cars swarmed out like wild horses breaking loose. It must be said that as a playboy, Tony's racing skills were actually quite good. He didn't fall behind at the first corner and was actually neck-and-neck with Sean's car.
Without needing to look at him, Sean could feel his surprised expression. However, the Super Driving Skill was not just talk. Although it hadn't been strengthened, it was not something an amateur like Tonycould compare to.
Soon, at the third corner, the two pulled away. By the time the race was halfway through, Tony could no longer see the taillights of Sean's car.
At this time, feeling anxious, he turned the steering wheel a bit too much when passing a corner. The front of the car hit the wall directly, and the whole car flipped several times before stopping.
Fortunately, the cars behind avoided it in time, so it didn't cause a chain-reaction car accident.
Sean stopped the car, punched through the roof, got up, and flew over.
Seeing Sean take off, the audience on both sides screamed incessantly, shouting "Homelander! Homelander!"
Sean also waved enthusiastically, then flew towards Tony's car. He wasn't here to participate in the race; he was just here for entertainment.
He lifted the car with one hand, flipped it back to the right side up, and pulled Tony out. Seeing Natashaand the others were almost there, Sean carried Tony and flew over slowly, triggering another round of cheers.
As soon as Pepper came out, she first took off Tony's helmet. After confirming he was fine, she gave him a slap, then returned to the car and wiped her tears silently.
Seeing more and more people around, Happy hurriedly helped Tony up and brought him to the passenger seat. Natasha was also concerned about Fury's mission, and after greeting Sean, she also got into the car.
Sean opened his arms. After Millis looked around timidly, she still hugged him.
Taking her back to the hotel, changing into ordinary clothes, Sean put on glasses and went out with Millis to enjoy this short vacation.
Chapter 35: Brave Guardian!
"Ivan has arrived in New York."
"Really? I'll go see him, but…" Sean pulled Hess into his arms and whispered, "I need to have breakfast first."
After returning from Morocco, Sean came to the Hess Family Residence to find out where the Vampires were and to warn them not to cause too much trouble.
Although these Vampires have fallen into decline, they were once glorious, and their remaining assets are quite substantial. One truly cannot underestimate the wealth-gathering ability of an immortal race.
Moreover, they still had some capabilities, as it wasn't easy to find someone based on Sean's few words.
Sean was willing to cooperate with the Vampires because of Hess. He was willing to give them a chance, hoping these Vampires would be obedient and seize this opportunity.
The Vampires actually had few choices, because if they hadn't agreed that day, they would have all died.
However, they were also willing to cooperate with Sean. Firstly, Sean was very strong and indeed met the conditions to protect them. Secondly, they felt Sean liked women, making him easier to serve.
This way, when they convert new companions in the future, they can focus more on this aspect.
Another point that reassured the Vampires most was that Sean would definitely not expose them, because now they were in the same boat.
Once outsiders knew that Sean brought the Vampires to New York, his reputation would be ruined.
Of course, not many Vampires knew about Sean's connection with them, only the two Elders present that day.
The other small fries had only seen Sean wearing glasses and had not connected the two.
Approaching noon, Hess finished up and drove Sean to a warehouse in Queens.
The guard opened the gate after seeing Hess and remarked that the man beside her was so handsome, like Homelander.
"Are they all here?"
"No," Hess replied. "Only Ivan and the people I hired are here. The Elders operate in the Underground Room of a bar in Queens; that's one of their few legitimate assets."
Inside the warehouse, it was large and empty. Besides a row of machines at the very back, there wasn't a single part anywhere else.
Ivan was lying on a simple folding bed next to the machines, with a bird beside him. He only stood up when he saw a car approaching.
Upon seeing Sean, he complained, "There are fewer usable things here than when I was in Siberia."
Hess also said helplessly, "Many of the machines and weapons he wants are things that can't be bought even with money."
It might be easier in other places, but if you want to transport a large number of weapons to New York, it's impossible unless you have connections.
After so many years, the Vampires' old connections were all broken, and Sean couldn't ask S.H.I.E.L.D.for weapons.
Sean thought for a moment and said, "Make a list of what you need, and I'll figure it out, but no weapons."
Ivan narrowed his eyes and asked, "How can I compete with Stark without weapons?"
Sean chuckled, walked up to him, pointed at the machines nearby, and laughed, "Do you think the Iron Armor made with these things can surpass Stark's?"
Ivan fell silent. He wasn't stupid; in fact, precisely because he was smart, he knew how good Stark's Iron Armor technology was, but he wouldn't admit he couldn't compare.
"If I had eight tenths of Stark's lab and materials, my Iron Armor would definitely be no worse than his!"
"I can give you an identical lab, right in Stark Tower. Do you want me to take you there?" Sean said with a disdainful smile.
Ivan questioned angrily, "Then were you lying to me when you said you'd let me make an Iron Armorstronger than Stark's?"
"Does 'stronger' necessarily mean stronger weapons?"
Sean sighed, somewhat disappointed, "The gap between your status and Stark's is too great now. Once the Iron Armor is made, can you withstand the dual pressure from the Military and the public?"
"Stark is facing pressure, though not immense, but that's because he has friends and influence. The Military won't act immediately. Do you?"
"As for the New York citizens, he doesn't have to worry at all, because he's a rich man, he can pay double compensation. Can you?"
The Military not taking action against Stark was largely due to Colonel Rhodes. If he hadn't intervened, that day wouldn't have been a hearing, but a trial.
Tony knew this, which is why he gave him a War Machine suit so he could report back to the Military.
As for the public property he damaged, Pepper handled the after-sales service for him.
It was precisely because he had friends helping him withstand pressure from above that he could properly be Iron Man; otherwise, he wouldn't even be able to handle the daily affairs of the company.
After a long silence, Ivan asked, "Then what do you suggest?"
Sean smiled and patted his shoulder, saying, "Stark has friends, and you do too. That person is me."
"Of course, right now I can't directly come forward to speak for you, because that would drag me down too. The Military is already wary of me; what would they think if I suddenly said I was mass-producing Iron Armor?"
"However, I can help with the public, but your Iron Armor also needs to be impressive; otherwise, no one can help you."
Ivan sighed deeply and asked, "Then how should I make my Iron Armor? How can I expand my influence without installing weapons?"
Sean shook his finger and smiled, "The fear brought by force is greater than goodwill. To gain people's goodwill, it still has to be through protection."
"I've already thought of a name for your Iron Armor: Brave Guardian!"
...
After leaving the warehouse, Sean handed Hammer's business card to Hess. Hammer had forced it on him last time, and Sean kept it, thinking it might be useful.
Although Hammer's weapon factory was not as good as Stark's, he could get Military orders, so his own strength wouldn't be too bad, and getting some things should still be possible.
However, when it comes to good materials, Vibranium is still the best. He needs to find time to acquire some.
Hess, driving the car, turned her head and asked, "Sean, should we go see the Elders?"
"No need," Sean sighed, then added, "Didn't all the Vampire Hunters die? As long as they are careful and not too ostentatious, nothing will happen."
"Of course, if they are indeed discovered and can't resolve it, they can come to me."
Hess nodded, "Okay, I'll tell them."
Actually, killing the Daywalker was purely an accident. Sean didn't know him at all. If he had, he might have kept him to give those Vampires a sense of crisis.
Now, no one here would actively seek out Vampires, so they could breathe a little and have room to develop.
"So, are we going home now?"
Hess bit her lip lightly, secretly looking at Sean.
Sean touched her, and said with a slight regret, "No, I'm going to Stark Tower. It's Tony's birthday today, and he invited me to celebrate."
Chapter 36: Did I Lose Followers?
At night, with the drinks and DJ music, Sean was having a blast.
A sexy woman in a bikini walked to the center holding a large watermelon, and the people around shouted in unison:
"This one! This one!"
Sean and Tony exchanged glances, and the beauty instantly understood, tossing the watermelon high into the air.
Tony's palm repulsor and Sean's Heat Vision fired together, exploding the watermelon, sending juice splattering everywhere and landing on the crowd.
Wow! Wow!
The atmosphere grew more intense. Although Tony was drunk, he still maintained some rationality, knowing he couldn't be embracing women left and right in front of Pepper.
But Sean couldn't care less; he had a woman on each arm, never thinking it was too many, occasionally sipping some watermelon juice, which tasted incredibly delicious.
At first, when these beauties saw Homelander, they were a bit reserved and didn't dare to be too wild.
But soon, they saw Homelander having even more fun and being more unrestrained than them, and their hearts immediately bloomed with joy as they swarmed around him.
On Stark's side, however, he pushed away any beauties who approached him. Seeing there was no chance, they all focused their attention on Sean instead.
Just as everyone was enjoying themselves, a silver suit of armor burst through the window, scaring everyone else into silence.
The person in the armor was, of course, Rhodes; Tony wouldn't grant permission to anyone else.
"I'll only say this once, get out!"
The partygoers scattered but didn't actually leave. This was the perfect time to watch a show; how could they possibly leave?
Only the two women on Sean's left and right didn't leave; they naturally knew where it was safer.
Is there anywhere safer than under Homelander's protection?
Tony glanced at Rhodes disdainfully, picked up the microphone, turned around, and said, "Gustin."
The person behind the bar immediately stood up. "Yes, Mr. Stark."
"Some music, I'm going to kick my buddy's ass to the beat, pfft~ haha."
Rhodes saw this and immediately flared up, rushing forward to hug Tony from behind, and sternly said in a strong-arm lock: "I told you to cut the power!"
How could Tony agree? The two mechs instantly clashed.
Sean watched from the side, thoroughly entertained. The two beauties beside him, perhaps drunk, clung to Sean, completely unafraid of the mech battle in front of them.
Happy, Pepper, and Natasha rushed down after hearing the commotion.
Just then, the two suits of armor also fell through the ceiling, landing in the hall, surrounded by a large crowd.
Happy, seeing that something was wrong, grabbed Pepper and ran out. He had originally intended to grab Natasha too, but in a flash, she was gone.
"Hey, Natasha, you're here too. Why didn't I see you before?" Sean took another sip of wine and stood up, about to put his arm around her.
Natasha was in no mood for jokes at this moment and asked very seriously, "Aren't you going to stop them?"
Tonight, Natasha was wearing a black silk off-the-shoulder slip dress, a third of which was exposed, looking absolutely perfect.
Sean, smelling of alcohol, leaned on her shoulder and whispered, "Don't worry, they're just good friends messing around. Why should I interfere?"
Natasha wanted to say something more, but Sean's mouth blocked hers. A moment later, Sean caressed her face and said softly, "Now, you'd best not leave my side; it could be dangerous."
Sure enough, when Tony saw a crowd of people still around, he instantly became furious and roared at them. Only then did the onlookers, led by Happy, leave the Villa.
The two mechs simultaneously pointed their palms at each other, and after some useless communication, both fired their palm repulsors.
Sean stood in front of the three women, blocking the Impact, but the surrounding furniture was not so lucky.
When the smoke cleared, there were no casualties.
Tony slowly regained consciousness, saw Rhodes fly away in his armor, and did not stop him, lying there silently, motionless.
Sean asked Natasha, "Are you leaving?"
Natasha also paused for a moment, then shook her head, "I'll stay and handle the situation, sorry."
Sean didn't insist, only saying, "Don't ruin your clothes."
Then, he flew away with the other two women.
...
The next day, Sean received a call while still asleep.
Having learned from previous experiences, Sean had blocked most calls, allowing only a few people, like Hess, to get through.
"Sean, do you want to come over?"
"Okay."
Sean rubbed his head, not asking what was wrong. Anyway, he was indeed a bit tired after the hangover, and it would be good to lean on someone. The two women next to him combined were not as reliable as Hess.
He swayed and flew to Hess Family Residence, and as soon as he entered, he hugged her tightly. "What happened?"
Hess quickly told Sif to close the door, then led Sean to the sofa, adjusted her posture, and said, "Last night's video was leaked."
Hearing this, Sean sobered up a bit and nervously checked his follower count.
Did I lose followers?
[Homelander Ability Duration: 355 days+. Follower Count: 500,000+]
Huh, did it drop? Can't tell.
Ever since the follower count surpassed 10,000, the specific number hasn't been displayed. Anyway, the number of days has been increasing daily and has never decreased.
Sean glanced at Hess and asked, "And then?"
Hess suddenly burst out laughing, picked up her phone, and pointed to the video comments, saying, "Look at this."
"Oh my god! Another robot war, what's wrong with New York?"
"Yeah, if Homelander were here, this wouldn't happen."
"Sorry, above, Homelander is hugging two beauties in the back, hey, they look really good."
Seeing this, Sean thought the netizens would surely denounce him, criticizing him for inaction or something. After all, behind the internet, these people wouldn't be afraid.
But the result was somewhat unexpected.
"Homelander must have been protecting people, that's why he didn't go stop them, okay? Trash, don't insult my brother."
"Keep those bitches' hands clean!"
"Oh my god, how could my Homelander brother appear at such an event? Stark must have led him astray."
"Yeah, look at brother's expression, he clearly looks reluctant. He doesn't like these kinds of events at all. It breaks my heart."
"Pure passerby, I know Homelander would never attend such a party. Iron Man must have used some trick, otherwise, Homelander would definitely be saving people, or on his way to save people!"
Sean's expression was strange; he had thought his persona had collapsed.
For a moment there, he had already planned how to use the upcoming Homelander time, but then he saw these comments, which was truly thought-provoking.
Sean glanced at Hess, who was stifling a laugh beside him, pinched her mouth, and asked, "Did you do this?"
Hess leaned her face closer and said aggrievedly, "I just guided it a little, and the comments turned out like this. Your true fans are still very protective of you."
"Hmph, I told you, sometimes you don't need to be too clear when you speak."