Chapter 91: "I am a Superhero, I am a super-duper hero! Ha, hahaha!"
Seeing the President step aside, Sean smiled slightly, offered a greeting, and walked up to the podium.
"Everyone, Ivan's death pains me just as much as it pains you. The departure of such a devoted Superhero is a loss for New York, and a loss for the World."
"But precisely because of this, we cannot allow the loss to grow. I remember what Ivan once told me."
"If one day he sacrificed himself for peace, he said not to be sad, because if he died, it would mean that a large number of bad people still existed in the World, and that is absolutely not what he would want to see."
"He solemnly told me that if this day were to unfortunately arrive, please help him find a suitable successor."
"Ivan Vanko may die, but the Brave Guardian will not!"
"Therefore, I will fulfill Ivan's will, help him find the most suitable person, let the name of the Brave Guardian resound throughout America once again, and make those rats in the corners feel fear once more!"
"Everyone can be a hero, everyone is a hero!"
"God bless America!"
Everyone at the scene had their emotions stirred after hearing this, shouting at the top of their lungs, "Homelander! Homelander!"
The smart reporters had already run off; they needed to rush to write this news up—it was definitely going to be front-page headline material!
Even Ivan's fans were very excited; rather than envying a hero, it was better to become one.
Besides, Sean had said he would choose someone with a good nature from among ordinary people to inherit the title of Brave Guardian.
And piloting the Iron Armor didn't require superpowers, so every one of them had a chance!
Behind him, the President and his entourage looked thoughtful, watching the impassioned Homelanderin front of them, not knowing what to think.
Sean stood on the podium, very much enjoying this feeling; Ivan's death still had value, it wasn't wasted.
Stepping back a few paces and returning the podium to the President, Sean prepared to leave. It was enough for today; there was no need to say anything more.
As he brushed past the President, the latter suddenly called out to Sean.
"Homelander."
Sean turned back and smiled faintly. "Mr. President, just call me Sean. There's no need to be so formal."
"Alright then, Sean. We are deeply saddened by the matter of the Brave Guardian, so we have prepared a farewell banquet for him. I wonder if you have time to attend?"
The President's tone was normal, but Sean could hear that his heart was beating very fast; he was very nervous.
"Sure, I will attend."
"That's wonderful."
Glancing to the side, a bodyguard handed an invitation to the President, who then passed it to Sean to show respect.
After the two shook hands, Sean left.
The President stood where he was, still appearing calm and composed, but no one knew that his shirt had already been soaked with sweat.
He didn't know why, but whenever he looked at Homelander, he felt a sense of trepidation; he didn't seem like a righteous Superhero at all.
Could it be because he was feeling guilty?
The President thought for a moment and asked the bodyguard beside him, "What kind of person do you think Homelander is?"
The bodyguard, wearing sunglasses, said meticulously, "Very powerful. Having him here is our good fortune!"
"Do you... feel afraid?"
"No!"
The President fell silent. With Homelander here, was it really good fortune?
...
Outside, many people were concerned about what the President had said today and opened their phones one after another to check the news.
Once they saw it, it was a big deal; everyone became excited.
Who wouldn't want to become a Superhero?
Especially Sean's line, "Everyone can be a hero," which excited them even more.
For a time, New York's crime rate dropped to an all-time low; even someone spitting on the street would have people coming out to stop them.
Moreover, there really were a lot of people who didn't fear death.
When encountering armed robbers, they dared to pounce on them directly, just to make themselves more famous so they could be seen by Homelander.
On Facebook and YouTube, there were all kinds of videos of heroic rescues.
Some were from surveillance angles, some were from passersby's perspectives, and some were staged to chase clout.
Regardless, everyone was trying hard to prove that they were the bravest one.
Of course, in this situation, the crime rate had decreased, but business at hospitals and crematoriums had improved quite a bit.
You couldn't really say if it was good or bad, but anyway, now on the streets of New York, it was hard to see anyone running red lights or littering.
Because you never knew when someone wearing a homemade uniform would pop out from a corner, carrying a camera, saying delusional things, and accusing you of your behavior.
Imagine this: a strangely dressed man jumps out, points at you, and says at the top of his voice:
"Ta-da! I am the spiritual successor to the Superhero Brave Guardian! Today, I will let you know the harms of littering!"
Although in the end, he would just drag you aside to explain the harm of littering to the environment and wouldn't actually start a fight.
But, it's so embarrassing! It's so embarrassing, hey!
If an acquaintance saw it, how could you ever show your face again! You'd just have to move to another World to live!
There was no helping it; many people were infected by Homelander's words, but most of them were students, and only they still maintained their innocence.
And no one would really go and argue with a group of students, especially on the street when everyone was watching.
However, once this behavior happened at night, and when there was no one around, the situation was completely different.
Especially if the person saying this was a middle-aged Black man; if he wasn't beaten to death, it was just his good luck.
Inside a dilapidated apartment, Max limped back home.
Today, he had also responded to the call of the Superhero Homelander to go out onto the streets to be a hero.
It's just that he had to work during the day, so he could only go at night.
The result, naturally, went without saying; if the Police hadn't arrived quickly, there would have been one more unclaimed Black corpse on the street tomorrow.
Looking at the wall full of Homelander posters, as well as the limited-edition Homelander figures he had spent a lot of money to buy, Max finally felt that his body didn't hurt as much.
He took out the cake he had bought, placed it on the table, then turned around and shouted very excitedly:
"Wow, look, Homelander bought a birthday cake for his best partner! He must have come by, saw that I wasn't here, and went off to save the World."
"I went to save the World today too. Oh god, if this World didn't have the two of us, how terrible would it be!"
He lit the birthday candle and made a simple little wish: to become a hero who saves the World together with Homelander!
Blowing out the candle, he didn't eat the cake, but instead took out his phone to look at news about Homelander.
"I am Homelander's partner, after all; he even said thank you to me. I am the person most capable of becoming the next Brave Guardian!"
Max's eyes were a bit red. Clutching his phone, he recalled that day once again, when Homelandersought his help, and he, like Sherlock Holmes's Watson, helped him resolve his worries.
The two of them were the best partners!
In his dream, Homelander knocked on his door, came over to invite him to become the pilot of the Brave Guardian, and the two of them became the best partners in America just like that!
Honor, flowers, applause, and many people shouting his name.
"Max! Max!"
A smile appeared on the corner of Max's mouth as he shouted groggily to his fans: "I am a Superhero, I am a super-duper hero! Ha, hahaha!"
Chapter 92: This is a High-Level Game
"Sean, check for me again. My makeup isn't smudged, is it? And is this outfit really okay?"
Millis sat in the passenger seat, constantly checking the mirror, looking very nervous.
Sean smiled and placed his hand on her cold leg to calm her down.
"Don't worry, Millis. You look beautiful tonight. Besides, even if you wore casual clothes, no one would dare say anything. I'm here."
Millis blushed, shifted her hips, and said shyly, "I... I'm just afraid of embarrassing you. I have a bit of stage fright for such an important occasion."
As a currently popular top host, Millis had seen her share of the world and attended many large galas.
So when Sean first mentioned a banquet he wanted her to attend with him, she didn't hesitate at all and agreed immediately.
She even boasted that she would definitely make him look good.
Then, before preparing her evening gown, she casually asked what kind of banquet it was.
"Oh, it's nothing. The President invited a few people. It's basically a farewell dinner for Ivan."
"The... The President?"
Millis wasn't as calm as Sean, after all, and she asked around among a few famous friends.
When they heard Millis was attending this banquet, they were stunned.
This banquet was definitely the most significant one of the year. Although the scale wasn't large, the people attending were all heavyweight figures.
One could even say the President wasn't the most distinguished person there; many hidden industry titans would be attending as well.
Hearing this made Millis a bit afraid to go. Looking at her evening gowns again, she felt none of them were worthy of such an event.
If she wore those, she would surely embarrass Sean. What would the other guests think of him? Would he be humiliated then?
At the thought of this, Millis grew anxious. It was definitely too late to go shopping now since the event was that evening.
Having no choice, she could only contact Pepper, the most influential woman in her contacts.
The car drove into a secluded estate and stopped in front of a magnificent mansion.
Tony had encountered Sean's car on the way and accelerated to overtake him, specifically waiting at the entrance for a short while.
As soon as Millis got out of the car, she greeted Pepper nearby and expressed her thanks again. If it hadn't been for her, she really wouldn't have known what to do today.
Tony had a smile on his face. "Ahem, I arrived first. One to one."
Sean took Millis's arm and glanced at him sideways. "Is that so? Then next time I'll get a high-tech Vibranium car, and we can race again?"
With him, Sean enjoyed shutting down the conversation like that.
Tony looked depressed. Only Sean dared to mention high technology in front of him, and he had no way to counter it.
The two female companions looked at each other, gave them a tug, and said simultaneously, "Let's go inside."
The four of them then walked forward together. Doormen on both sides pulled open the doors, letting the dazzling light shine upon them.
Although Sean had said a lot on the way, Millis was still a bit nervous, holding his arm with her heart racing.
Tony and Pepper were used to such scenes and could handle themselves with ease no matter who they faced, because they were the elite.
Sean, however, didn't care at all, because he was the focus, the center. This banquet was prepared for him.
As soon as he entered, Sean keenly noticed everyone's gaze shifting toward him—not just the guests present, but also many people hiding in the shadows.
The men present were somewhat restrained, not wanting to draw Homelander's attention, but the women couldn't care less.
They didn't hide their gazes at all, staring straight at him, not even noticing that their breathing had begun to quicken.
"I'm going over there."
Tony rolled his eyes and then pulled Pepper away.
Sean also led the somewhat stiff Millis to a sofa to sit down, having some wine to soothe her nerves.
On the top floor of the house, a group of people sat around a round table, watching Sean on the monitors and talking in low voices.
"Has all the information regarding Homelander been confirmed?"
"Confirmed, but without a test, we can't be entirely sure."
"Then, Mr. President, it's your turn to make an appearance."
The President nodded, put on a smile, and prepared to go downstairs.
In the banquet hall, everyone gathered around as they saw the President coming down.
The President reached out his hand. "Everyone, please be at ease. No need for formalities."
"Today, we gather here to bid farewell to the Brave Guardian, Mr. Ivan Vanko. He..."
After that was a speech prepared by the President. Those present were respectful enough to listen quietly until the end.
Sean remained on the sofa with Millis. Although she felt it was improper, she could only comply since Sean kept his arm around her.
"Finally, let's all raise a glass to him!"
Everyone raised their glasses together; someone unaware might have thought they were celebrating something.
The music started, and the banquet officially began.
Sean led Millis to the center of the dance floor, and everyone instinctively made some room.
"May I?"
Millis nodded shyly.
She was no longer nervous now. Whether it was the alcohol taking effect or the handsome Sean before her, she was completely enchanted.
The two of them swayed under the lights to the music, drawing envious looks from the onlookers.
When the music ended, Millis's fair face was flushed. She couldn't find the words to describe her feelings—it was simply wonderful!
Under the gaze of many celebrities, she and Sean finished an entire dance. It was also her first time showing affection with Sean in public, and it felt amazing!
Only after this dance did everyone truly relax. Some sought others to chat and expand their networks, while others invited people to dance to strengthen relationships.
But very few people approached Sean. Few were brave enough to be the first to take the risk, and besides, how many people present had a clean background?
What if, while chatting with Homelander, he saw through their guilt and came knocking on their door later?
This was also the thought of the group on the top floor. It was necessary to get a feel for Homelander's temperament today.
Before long, the person they arranged approached him.
"Hello, Homelander. My name is Saphrie. May I sit next to you?"
She wore a white off-the-shoulder tube dress, but the top only covered half, while the other half was flashing in Sean's vision.
"Of course. Just call me Sean."
Hearing this, she instantly became much bolder.
She immediately sat to Sean's left. Not rushing, she gently stroked her long black hair, letting it inadvertently brush against his shoulder and leave her scent behind.
Saphrie pursed her lips and gently tugged on Sean's arm, saying:
"I'm a fan of yours. Could I have your autograph?"
By first placing herself in a vulnerable position and then expressing her long-standing admiration, she aimed to trigger a man's protective and possessive instincts.
This was a high-level game.
Chapter 93: Unexpectedly, they had researched him quite thoroughly, knowing he liked White.
High-level maneuvering was clearly not something Millis could understand.
Although she didn't understand, a woman's instinct still made her clutch Sean Brooke's arm tightly, displaying that her own scale was not inferior to the other woman's.
Saphrie immediately shifted a few steps to the side. Because she couldn't yet determine the relationship between the two, she couldn't be too obvious, lest she truly offend Mrs. Sean Brooke.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked for an autograph in such a setting. It's my fault." Tears immediately welled up in her eyes, swirling around but refusing to fall.
Before Sean Brooke could speak, Millis felt a bit guilty on the side, thinking she had been too nervous and had reacted poorly, causing a misunderstanding.
She immediately let go of Sean Brooke's hand and said softly, "Why don't you sign one for her?"
"No need, I... I'll leave first. Maybe next time." After saying this, Saphrie left in a panic.
If Sean Brooke couldn't hear her heartbeat, he would have been fooled by her innocent expression.
After she left, Millis stood there stunned, feeling somewhat at a loss, as if she had driven away one of Sean Brooke's fans.
She also knew that Sean Brooke cared about his fans the most.
Sean Brooke naturally sensed that Millis's mood was off, so he grabbed her hand and pulled her up.
"Don't worry, I didn't think too much of it. Shall I take you for a walk?"
Looking into his sincere eyes, Millis finally felt relieved and nodded with a hum.
On the top floor, the people inside watched this scene from the surveillance feed, all with furrowed brows.
Although Sean Brooke's behavior looked like he was attracted, he didn't cast aside his female companion to go with Saphrie, so they still weren't quite sure of the answer.
"Ahem, think of a way."
They had to get Sean Brooke to be alone; only then could they find someone to test him and confirm his attitude.
Soon, just as Sean Brooke was strolling with Millis, someone took the initiative to come up and strike up a conversation.
"Millis, you're here too?"
Millis's expression brightened. "Ms. Haige, you're here too."
Seeing an acquaintance, Millis was much happier and pulled Sean Brooke over to introduce him.
"This is the Vice President of New York News. I met her when I was on a program previously, and she took great care of me."
Sean Brooke extended his hand. "Hello, Madam."
Haige looked flattered and immediately reached out to respond, "Hello, Homelander."
Holding Sean Brooke's solid palm, she instantly felt the warmth radiating from it and couldn't help but envy Millis even more.
Fortunately, it was just a handshake, and she hadn't forgotten the purpose of her trip.
"Millis, would you like me to take you around to meet some other people in the news industry?"
Millis looked at Sean Brooke, feeling somewhat hesitant.
"Go ahead, just don't get drunk."
"But then won't you be all alone?"
Sean Brooke turned his head to scan the room, and Millis followed his gaze to look around.
Only then did she discover that the gazes of almost all the women present were directed here.
It was as if this place were a racetrack, just waiting for the signal for her to leave.
"Hmph, that's true. You certainly won't be alone here."
Millis gave a proud huff and stepped forward to kiss him.
"I'm going then, behave yourself." After saying this, she followed Haige away.
Walking halfway there, Haige was truly puzzled and couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "Millis, are you really comfortable leaving him alone? Didn't you see what all the women around are thinking?"
Honestly, if it weren't for the fact that she knew her own looks weren't up to par, she would have gone over to hover around Sean Brooke to look for an opportunity herself.
Millis smiled sweetly. "I'm very comfortable with it."
Haige was even more confused, not knowing where Millis got her confidence, but she didn't press the issue. Often, knowing too much isn't a good thing.
The scene returns to Sean Brooke's side.
After Millis left, without any instructions from those above, the surrounding women all walked over; the people they had arranged couldn't even get a turn.
But the problem was that the women who could attend this banquet were all a bit difficult to describe. Apart from a few who were others' companions, Sean Brooke didn't see many who could catch his eye.
Seeing a group of women with glowing eyes about to approach him, he quickly got up and dashed outside.
In the blink of an eye, they saw Sean Brooke vanish from before them, all looking bewildered. Everyone searched around but couldn't find him, assuming he had left early.
Even the group on the top floor thought the same. They stood up and pulled up the surveillance camera feeds to see if they could find Sean Brooke.
"He's here! He hasn't left."
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. If the target of this banquet had left, then tonight's plan would have been for nothing.
"Quick, send someone over, lest he leave again."
Sean Brooke was hanging out in the grove outside the house, looking quite at ease, and had specifically chosen to stay under the surveillance camera for fear they wouldn't see him.
He wanted to know what kind of tricks they were up to and if they could bring him some amusement.
"Oh, my God, Homelander, why are you outside too? Could it be that, like me, you don't like that kind of fake atmosphere?"
The woman who arrived was very beautiful, wearing a white hip-hugging skirt and a lace shawl. When the wind blew, she covered her arms, appearing as if she were very cold, waiting for someone to give her a warm embrace.
Interesting. Sean Brooke's eyes lit up. He hadn't expected them to have researched him so thoroughly, knowing he liked White and big.
The group at the round table on the top floor saw this and were even more delighted. Could it be that they were going to succeed this time?
Their purpose this time was actually very simple: they just wanted to test what kind of person Sean Brooke was.
If he was really the same as in the files, then they could be a bit more at ease and not have to live in fear every day, terrified that Homelander might come knocking on their door one day.
Arranging these women wasn't with the intention of controlling Homelander through them; it was just to test his reaction.
At the very least, as of now, they were very satisfied with Homelander's reaction.
But among them, there was still someone who expressed doubt, and that was Alexander Pierce.
As the current leader of HYDRA, his paranoia was not light.
"Do you think it's possible he's faking this to make us lower our guard?"
The few looked at each other, feeling that made sense.
"Then send the rest of them over. If he's faking it, I don't believe he can keep up the act."
Just as Sean Brooke was in the grove with the woman whose name he didn't know, listening to her inner thoughts, another one arrived nearby.
"Ah, sorry, excuse me. I didn't mean to disturb you, it's just..."
The woman squirmed her body, biting her finger, and murmured, "Can... can you add me to the mix?"
Just as the group on the roof was preparing to watch Sean Brooke's reaction, the three people in the scene vanished.
"Where are the people? Quickly look for other surveillance feeds."
The group checked the angles of other cameras again, thinking they could find him just like before.
But this time, they searched several times and didn't see Sean Brooke on any of the feeds.
They couldn't help but think, could all of Sean Brooke's previous behavior have been an act? Now that there was one more person, was he unable to keep up the performance?
"Don't worry too early. Have them check the surveillance blind spots to find Homelander."
That's what they said, but they couldn't help but grow nervous, feeling as if Homelander had discovered their actions and was now flying outside the window, preparing to wipe them all out.
As for the beautiful night scene outside the window, they had no mood to appreciate it at all.
Chapter 94: It's fine, you sign too!
"Come here Saphrie, I'll give you an autograph!"
Sean took out a fountain pen, ready to sign his name on the smooth back before him.
"Mmm~ I... I'm named Jennifer."
"It's fine, you sign too!"
Of course, Sean's autograph wasn't easy to obtain; just like with this woman before him, by the time he reached the third letter, she was already begging to change positions.
Meanwhile, in the top-floor room, the group waited somewhat anxiously. Fortunately, there were many people in the manor, and once they found traces of Homelander, news was quickly relayed up.
"Boss, Homelander is likely in a room on the second floor. We heard movement inside, but we didn't dare to open the door and go in."
"Find a woman to go over. Remember, you must report the situation inside before proceeding with the mission."
"Understood."
Having found the person, they calmed down significantly; at the very least, it wouldn't be the worst possible outcome now.
Not long after, someone ran up, but the person delivering the message looked visibly embarrassed.
"Uh, Boss, Jennifer and Tracy lost consciousness and fainted on the bed. Zennani, who knocked on the door, and Homelander are both gone."
"Keep looking!"
After another while, "Boss, Zennani was found in a second-floor storage room, but Homelander was not seen. Also, we can't reach Saphrie."
"Keep looking!"
Afterwards, news came in every few dozen minutes, but it was always the result of them fainting or losing the ability to fight.
This result was the best possible outcome for them, but they felt very strange about it.
They had clearly achieved their goal tonight, so why did it feel so strange?
Even Pierce didn't know what to say. He hadn't expected Homelander to actually be this kind of person; that made things easier to handle.
"Boss, Homelander is currently in a third-floor guest room with Lobelia."
They exchanged glances. Usually, after hearing a name, they would ask whose person it was, but this time, no one spoke.
"Whose person is this Lobelia?" Pierce asked.
"It seems she is a guest's companion. He is drunk and is still in the room."
Pierce asked somewhat uncertainly: "You mean the guest is drunk, and Homelander is still in the room with his companion?"
"...Yes."
After a moment of silence, one of the bigwigs spoke up: "Go down, no need to report anymore."
"Yes!"
Everyone present was silent for a long time. No one doubted the accuracy of the intel anymore, because Homelander's behavior was exactly the same as in the files, if not even more extreme.
"Since that's the case, we can also conclude that Homelander didn't cause trouble for General Rossbecause Betty Ross often went to his house those few days."
The people around them showed relaxed smiles and nodded; this was the most perfect result of the night.
Actually, they had always been curious about how General Ross managed to get away from Homelander. They had asked, and he said that Homelander didn't want to see the public lose trust in the government, so he let him go.
That reason—heh, who would believe that!
Now that they had discovered the truth, they finally understood why General Ross was unwilling to reveal the reason; indeed, this was not an easy thing to talk about.
After all, he was an old man, he needed some face.
"Then let's disperse. Everyone can rest easy about Homelander from now on."
Now that they knew the reason how General Ross got Homelander to let him off, they naturally wouldn't worry too much.
Even if the situation became very bad, it wouldn't be impossible to let their family members make a sacrifice.
After confirming this point, their sense of awe toward Homelander diminished significantly.
A Superhero with a weakness was much easier to deal with.
After everyone dispersed, Pierce could no longer suppress the wild joy in his heart. He had been wondering what method that guy Fury had to keep Homelander in check—so it was like this!
He knew exactly what subordinates Fury had around him, and he immediately understood that it was by relying on Romanoff to "sleep-convince" Homelander to achieve his goals.
If Fury could send someone, why couldn't he?
Pierce rushed back to his home without stopping and immediately sent a message to the other core members of HYDRA.
"Put aside your current operations. There is a new plan that needs to be carried out immediately, codenamed: Nine-Tailed Fox!"
...
The banquet was nearing its end, and Sean also tidied himself up and walked out. He didn't care about those Jokers on the top floor.
Any conspiracy in the face of absolute power was a joke; it could only add a bit of amusement to his mundane life.
Sean actually hoped they would be a bit bolder and stir up some trouble so he could have some fun.
A honey trap, that's all; it was his favorite!
Eating, wiping clean, and washing one's hands—that was their traditional virtue.
Walking to the banquet hall, he saw Millis drinking with Pepper, complaining about her man.
On the side, Tony was leaning on the sofa, yawning constantly, not knowing what he was thinking about.
"Is the banquet over?"
"If you and I don't leave, it probably won't end," Tony said.
He could also see that today's banquet was using Ivan's name to have the two public-facing Superheroes come over to build relationships with them.
Everyone knew Tony's temper; he generally wouldn't approach people voluntarily unless he knew them or had business dealings with them.
The main target was Homelander; with his kind, approachable, and citizen-loving appearance, he should be the easiest to approach as a friend.
It's just that they hadn't seen Homelander much tonight; he must have been called up by the bigwigs upstairs.
Sean looked at the tipsy Millis, put his arm around her, and said: "Then let's go."
"I've wanted to leave for a long time," Tony said, pulling up the drunk Pepper, ready to leave.
As soon as they got out the door, Sean flew away, which made Tony want to summon his armor; so dashing.
Returning home, he helped Millis change her clothes and then put her on the bed.
Evening gowns could only be worn once; it couldn't be wasted. Tomorrow morning when she woke up, he'd tear it for fun.
The tipsy Millis didn't have any sleepiness; instead, she was quite quiet.
If it were usual, she would have rushed up by now, instead of lying on her side, looking at Sean with tenderness.
"Sister Pepper said that Stark also liked to play around before, not repeating the same thing every day, and sometimes she even helped him contact models, celebrities, and the like."
"She also said that almost all men are like this, just like the guests at today's banquet; almost no one brought their own wives."
"I think you are worse than all of them. They only became bad after they got money; you were bad from the very beginning~"
Sean reached out and pinched her cheek, smiling: "Didn't you also know that from the beginning?"
Millis gave a coquettish hum, squeezed forward, and crawled into his arms.
Sean continued: "I remember when I first came to the company, didn't I have a girlfriend?"
"At that time, you didn't care that much, wasn't it because..."
Millis reached out to cover his mouth, blushing shyly: "Stop talking~"
"Wasn't it because she came to the company every day to show off her affection with you, and even said she wanted to poach you to their company, that I..."
Millis suddenly looked up, narrowed her eyes, and pouted: "I remember shortly after you broke up, she seemed to get engaged. You... you didn't go looking for her again, did you?"
"No, she just sent me wedding photos to ask if they looked good; I didn't look for her."
A double negative, in logical terms, indicates an affirmative.
However, Sean really didn't take the initiative to look for her, but he couldn't stop her from coming to him, especially when she brought a wedding dress—you know, it's hard to refuse.
Chapter 95: Maybe It Also Struck a Dog
Early morning, the sky was just barely brightening, and the Sun had not yet risen.
At this moment, the sky let out bursts of thunder, as if a heavy rain was about to fall.
The few pedestrians on the street quickened their pace, wanting to get back to their warm homes before the rain.
But one person stopped, looking up at the sky with dull eyes, whispering words that others could not hear.
"Why treat me like this? Yesterday was my birthday, yet you made me work overtime at the company?"
"I have created so much wealth for the company, designed so many things, and in the end, I couldn't even spend my birthday."
"Why does no one see me? Why does no one see me!"
Heavy rain poured down from the sky, soaking the sky, and soaking him as well.
On this empty street, Max finally couldn't help but vent at the streetlamp nearby, kicking it while shouting loudly: "Why! Why does this World have to treat me like this!"
"Why was yesterday my birthday, yet until now, no one has said to me, 'Happy birthday'!"
Boom! A bolt of lightning struck down, as if it were saying happy birthday.
It hit the streetlamp perfectly, and incidentally struck him as he leaned against the streetlamp.
Max fell, lying in the Water, not knowing if he was dead or alive.
This scene was just seen by the store manager nearby; his expression changed, and he immediately called the city government.
"Hello! Lightning struck the streetlamp, and now the light is out; you guys hurry and find someone to fix it!"
"What? You're asking if anyone was injured? I don't know, maybe it also struck a dog."
...
Beep, beep, beep!
Hearing her phone ring, Millis's eyelids twitched, but she didn't open her eyes, reaching out her hand in the direction of the sound to fumble for it.
"Hello~ who is this."
"Millis! Big news, a new super-powered individual has appeared on the street, he can shoot lightning! The Police are all deployed now, it feels like a fight is about to start!"
Millis woke up immediately, "Galin, tell me more!"
"I can't explain it clearly, I'll send you the video!"
Soon, a video was sent over.
In the video, a Black man, wearing a hoodie, was searching for something on the rain-drenched street.
He walked under a streetlamp, reached out and pulled, and the streetlamp was uprooted by him. Then, he actually laid down and connected the wires to his own body.
Seeing someone filming, he even reached out toward the camera and shot a bolt of lightning.
The footage ended there, because the person holding the phone ran away.
Millis immediately sat up, shook the person beside her, and handed over the phone, "Sean! Sean, look at this!"
Sean opened his eyes groggily, hearing Millis telling him to look at her, and didn't think about anything else, anyway, they often played like this.
He reached out and pulled her, fragrant, into his arms, ready to look at her properly.
Seeing this, Millis immediately put the phone against her face, "I... I meant for you to look at the phone."
Waiting quietly for the video to finish playing, Millis slowly moved the phone up a bit, looked at him and asked: "Do you think this is real?"
Sean leaned down to kiss her, whispering in her ear: "Does that matter?"
To be honest, at a time like this, even if the Chitauri Army descended on New York, they would have to wait for him to finish his business before invading.
As the movements of Sean's hands gradually increased, Millis also became a bit anxious.
She knew this matter was very important, and Sean should go over, instead of being intimate with her here.
Although she liked it very much, she couldn't delay her man's work, right?
Millis rolled her eyes, and soon thought of a way; her little tricks worked especially fast when used on Sean.
Biting Sean's ear, she whispered something very softly.
This sentence was very soft; if Sean didn't have Super Hearing, he might not have heard it clearly.
And it was precisely because he heard it clearly, that...
Sean floated directly into the air, the Nano Suit appeared and covered his body, and a long red cape hung down from the air, landing on the bed.
"I'll be right back!"
After saying this, he rushed out the window, heading straight toward that harsh sound of electricity.
Actually, when he woke up, Sean had heard the sound of electricity in his ears, and thought it was Thorwho had returned.
But after listening carefully, it didn't seem like it.
He didn't care too much; anyway, whatever it was, he just needed to finish it quickly and then go back to find Millis.
Soon, Sean saw the target of the electric sound; it was actually a person!
He hadn't watched Millis's video at all; his eyes were entirely on the things bursting out beneath the phone.
At the scene, near Times Square, the sky had just rained, and the ground was still a bit damp.
The surroundings were very lively; the Police, the security teams, and the assault teams had all arrived, surrounding the target tightly.
Beside them, there were also a large number of reporters holding cameras aimed at Max; this was big news, a second super-powered individual had appeared!
The Police at the scene began to act, dispersing around Max, setting up their guns, ready to shoot at any time.
They didn't care about any super-powered individuals; they only knew that if the target walked into the crowd, it would cause huge casualties.
And Max didn't know what he had done wrong, that so many armed people had been dispatched to catch him.
It was just eating some things, destroying some cars, and burning some houses.
He hadn't done it voluntarily; the electricity in his body was a bit out of control, or rather, whenever he got excited, the lightning would shoot out.
"Stop, for your own safety and the safety of the public, do not come any closer!"
Listening to the voices blaming him, and the reprimands telling him to lie down, Max was very anxious, constantly explaining: "It's not my fault, Sir! Please!"
His tone was very humble; he was still that timid Max who liked to fantasize.
However, when he looked up and saw that the big screens in the square were all filled with his own image, he was stunned.
"They are looking at me? They see me? You guys see me!"
Max was dumbfounded; he had never been on television, let alone the big screens in Times Square.
The surrounding Police saw him not moving and felt it was a good opportunity, preparing tear gas, intending to subdue him first.
Seeing the smoke rising around him, Max immediately became nervous; the electricity in his body activated unconsciously, directly blowing away all the smoke around him.
This action also made the armed Police around him nervous, and just as they were about to shoot, a familiar Shadow landed in the center of the field.
He was wearing a blue suit, draped in a bright red cape, with many golden stripes on the suit, and a large letter, S, printed in the center of his chest.
"It's Homelander!"
In an instant, everyone's gaze and cameras turned toward him, and the big screens in Times Square also switched to a handsome face.
Come to think of it, this was the first time Sean had appeared in the middle of a crowd in his suit; before, he was always in rooms, playing role-playing games with them.
"Don't shoot, let me handle it!"
Once these words were spoken, although the Officer hadn't given the order yet, they all put down their guns.
This was the deterrent power of Homelander.
Chapter 96: Max! Max wants to be Homelander's teammate!
The appearance of Homelander made everyone present feel much more relaxed, including Max.
When he saw Homelander walking over, he wasn't afraid at all; instead, he was quite happy, completely unaware that he seemed to be a villain.
"Homelander! You came? It's me, Max!"
"Max? Are you OK?" Sean slowly approached him, ignoring the name Max, just feeling like he had seen something interesting.
The electricity on Max's body was coursing wildly, striking Sean.
He hurriedly reached out his hand and shouted anxiously: "Don't… don't come near me, this electricity will hurt you."
Sean let out a snort of laughter, walked forward, pulled off his hood, and laughed: "I don't think you can hurt me. Tell me, how did you become like this?"
Seeing that the electricity on his body really had no effect on him, Max couldn't help but feel even more admiration in his heart; as expected of Homelander!
"I don't know either. It was raining just now, and lightning from the sky struck me. After that, I didn't know anything; I just felt very hungry."
After saying this to Sean, Max gradually calmed down, looking at his hands in hindsight and saying:
"It's really strange, I… these energies inside me make me feel very angry?"
Sean raised an eyebrow and asked: "Then can you control this energy, or rather, these emotions?"
If he felt he couldn't control it, then he would have no value.
The only value of an uncontrollable superhuman is to boost his popularity.
"Homelander easily deals with an out-of-control superhuman!"
It would probably just be a few similar news reports, and then, like other news, it would be hot for a few days and then fade away.
Max raised his head, his face full of cracks looking very dull.
"I… I don't know either."
Hmm… this answer made Sean hesitate a bit, unsure whether to give him a chance.
At this moment, Max suddenly thought of something and asked with some anticipation: "Homelander, if, if I can control this energy, can I be your teammate?"
"You want to be my teammate?"
Max nodded quickly, excitedly saying: "Yes! Ever since you said thank you to me last time, I have always felt that I am the most suitable teammate for you."
Last time… thank you?
Sean didn't even prepare to think about it, because he definitely couldn't remember.
He wasn't some cute girl, nor did he look like someone with a cute girlfriend or a pretty wife, so how could he remember him?
It seems he has already forgotten his name; did he say it just now?
"You… forgot?" Max was a bit anxious, preparing to explain something.
But Sean directly raised his hand to interrupt, saying with a disappointed face: "Do you think I would forget a good person who has helped me?"
"Didn't you help me when I caught the robbers last time?"
"Yes! Yes! Exactly, Homelander!"
Max was extremely happy, knowing he couldn't have forgotten; he had been too overthinking.
Although Sean didn't remember him, the fact that someone could help him was rare; it must have been those robbers that day.
However, looking at him, he seems to be his fan, so why not give him a chance?
"Ahem, I'll ask you one last time, are you sure you want to be my teammate?"
"You must understand, becoming my teammate means being an enemy to all evil forces, often being in danger, and even I cannot guarantee your safety."
Max's heart was beating very fast, and the electricity was overflowing uncontrollably.
But he didn't hesitate at all, immediately shouting: "Yes, I want to be your teammate!"
"Who wants to be my teammate?" Sean asked in an even louder voice.
"Max! Max wants to be Homelander's teammate!"
Good, now he knew his name.
Sean patted him with satisfaction and said calmly: "Max, look at yourself, and then look at the people around you."
Max was very obedient, looking at himself, and then looking at the people around him.
Sean continued earnestly: "Do you feel the way they are looking at you?"
"Yeah!"
Max nodded; the crowd's eyes were very strange, as if they were cursing him, wanting him to die, and they were also glancing at Homelander with expectant eyes, as if asking why he hadn't taken action yet.
His trembling expression made Sean very satisfied, and he continued to strike while the iron was hot:
"You see it too, they are afraid of you. If I had arrived a step later, wouldn't you have been consumed by anger and walked into the crowd?"
"I… I don't know, but, it's very likely." Max swallowed his saliva, saying with lingering fear.
"If I had arrived a step later, you would have been treated as a bad guy by me, and then killed in the street, right?"
"Yes…"
Recalling the scene just now, Max felt that the development of events was exactly as Homelander said.
Just now when smoke appeared around him, he felt that he had to kill everyone around him to relieve the anger in his heart.
Sean smiled slightly and said: "Fortunately I came, Max, you are a lucky person."
"Me? Lucky?"
Max was dazed; having lived for over forty years, this was the first time someone said he was lucky.
But after thinking carefully, it really seemed very lucky; he actually gained superpowers, and Homelander happened to arrive right when he was out of control; otherwise, he would have seemed to be dead.
Heaven and hell, just a moment ago, were only a thin line away from him.
Sean stepped back two steps and asked seriously: "Then now, I'll ask you again, Max, can you control this current and not hurt people randomly?"
This time, Max's eyes were very firm, and he said seriously: "I can! I definitely can! No matter what price I have to pay, I am willing!"
Hearing his answer, Sean finally revealed a smile and said happily: "Welcome, new Superhero, Max!"
"Me? Superhero!"
Max was stunned on the spot, completely at a loss for what to do.
Just a few hours ago, he was still an ordinary person who couldn't even spend his birthday properly, and in the blink of an eye, he became a universally admired Superhero?
Was he dreaming? Yes, he had dreamed many similar dreams before, and they were all like this.
"Am I dreaming again?" Max asked cautiously, deeply afraid that the next second his phone would ring, and then his boss would call him to go to work again.
"If you want to sleep, it's probably impossible now. You need to master the energy in your body quickly; I have found a good coach for you."
Sean turned around and asked the police officers not far away: "Good morning, everyone, has this electric man hurt anyone?"
The head of the police officers on the side shouted: "No, he didn't hurt anyone, he just destroyed some facilities."
"That's good. By the way, put the destroyed facilities on Stark's account."
"Okay!"
Afterwards, Sean carried Max and flew away.
Max, flying in the air, was moved to tears; he didn't expect that a wish he had made for over forty years would be fulfilled for the first time.
After contacting Fury and throwing Max to Fury, Sean left directly.
He believed that he wouldn't want to see an uncontrolled superhuman appear on the street either, so he would definitely train Max well.
Of course, if even Fury couldn't train him well, then just get rid of him; keeping him wouldn't be of much use anyway.
Chapter 97: How Should Christmas Be Spent?
It hadn't even been an hour since he left when he returned to Millis's place.
"Why are you back already? I'm not ready yet." Millis stood in front of her wardrobe, picking out suitable clothes.
Sean pointed at a nearby evening gown, his meaning clear without words. He had been looking forward to seeing her in this white lace cutout dress since last night.
Millis thought about it. Although the dress wasn't quite suitable for hosting, Sean liked it, so she wanted to try it too.
"Hmph, then hurry up and go to the sofa. I'm getting ready for the interview."
After changing into the evening gown, Millis set up the camera, took out the press release prepared by her company, and began the interview.
The content of the interview was naturally about the person—or whatever other creature it was—who was discharging electricity in Times Square today.
After all, looking at his appearance, it was hard to tell if he was even human.
"Wait."
Sean asked with a mischievous grin, "Don't you want to practice once first, like you used to?"
Millis's face flushed instantly. She naturally knew what he meant by 'practice,' and they hadn't practiced like that in a long time.
Back before Millis was a host, she would use Sean to practice reading her news scripts.
The reason the word 'use' was involved was that Millis didn't usually have a microphone at home; she had bought some before, but Sean would always secretly take them away.
But now, she was a famous program host—why would she need to practice a script? Besides, this wasn't an official live broadcast.
"Fine... alright."
Since she had agreed, Millis naturally wouldn't go back on her word.
She gripped the 'microphone' and began to read the script.
"Gwood mowning eberyone, I'm Miwwis..."
The reason Millis didn't like practicing scripts with Sean anymore wasn't because she was unwilling.
It was because she recorded many programs now. Sometimes, if she got distracted in the middle of a recording, she would subconsciously lean closer to the microphone in her hand. It would be very embarrassing if anyone noticed.
Therefore, she used a headset for all her current programs and rarely touched a handheld microphone anymore.
She only used one for a while when Sean visited.
Millis's speech wasn't long, but she was constantly interrupted by Sean halfway through, resulting in her having to read it several times before finishing.
"Not bad, this speech is written excellently!"
Millis sat on the floor and rolled her eyes at him. This was clearly a news script, hmph!
Without resting for long, Millis walked over to the camera and adjusted the angle to prepare for the interview; she was also getting a bit impatient.
The camera angle needed to be better this time; the shot had to focus on their upper bodies, otherwise, post-production editing would be a nightmare.
Ever since Sean got a taste of the benefits during the last interview, he felt it was quite good and had mentioned wanting to participate again more than once, but Millis had always refused.
Because doing a single-take shot was difficult for her, she had to wait until she learned how to edit before trying again. After all, this wasn't something she could let outsiders see.
Today was the day to test the results of her learning the editing software.
The two sat facing each other with a small distance between them, a distance that happened to be the length of Millis's legs.
"Ahem, 3, 2, 1... Hello everyone, I'm Millis. Today..."
Sean had already heard this news script several times just now, but this was the first time he had heard it so clearly.
After answering a few simple questions, such as what he had been busy with lately and how many people he had saved, Millis went to check how the recording turned out.
Seeing her troubled expression, Sean asked, "What's wrong? Did it not record well?"
"Yeah, your side caught a glimpse of my pink toenails."
"Can't you just crop it out a bit?"
Millis shook her head. Too much of her nails were visible; if she cropped it all out, the frame would look strange.
"Let's do it again. This time, don't move. Lean back and put your hands behind your head."
Sean complied with a helpless look, then looked at her and thought for a moment before saying, "Then you should put on some socks."
"Fine!"
Without Sean causing trouble, Millis's interview went smoothly this time, though her feet felt a bit sore, perhaps from stepping on a 'lemon' this morning.
She went through all the questions, the main one being whether the person at Times Square could possibly be the next Superhero.
This was the only question Sean didn't give a definitive answer to, merely telling them to wait and see.
Indeed, only when Fury's side could properly control Max could he be allowed out. He believed that day shouldn't be too far off.
"Alright, no problems this time. I just need to cut out the part where you rushed over," Millis said, glancing at Sean behind her with a mock complaint.
Sean didn't mind. He reached out to hug her and whispered, "Then do you want to record the closing remarks?"
Millis was stunned for a moment. What closing remarks did she need for the recording? Wouldn't it be fine if she just said them in the live broadcast room?
Soon, her eyelid twitched as she realized, "No... no need! I can just say it in the live broadcast room."
"How can that be? If you're going to help, you should see it through to the end!"
In the end, Millis still couldn't refuse. She discarded the evening gown that had been reduced to fragments, changed into a regular small suit, and began recording the closing remarks.
The closing remarks were just a parting message at the end of the program—very simple.
She only needed her upper body in the frame to say a few dozen words.
But for some reason, this short segment took a long time to record. They even had to change a battery halfway through, and it still hadn't ended.
Millis simply couldn't get into the right state to finish the lines properly.
In the end, she still had to say them in the live broadcast room because everything recorded afterward was unbroadcastable.
...
There was a lot of public discussion regarding Max, and it intensified with Millis's program.
Everyone wanted to know if Max was a new Superhero, specifically one with superpowers.
If so, it was foreseeable that the Death rate in America would increase significantly in the coming period.
One had to know that the process of Max becoming a superpowered individual had been recorded in its entirety by surveillance; people wouldn't be able to resist such a thing.
The one thing America never lacked was people looking for a way to die!
Since they were going to risk their lives anyway, wouldn't it be better for everyone to get struck by lightning together? There was even a chance to awaken superpowers—wouldn't that be wonderful?
The number of people discussing it grew, but since they hadn't received confirmation from Homelander, they didn't try it directly.
What if Max's power was only temporary? That would be a bad deal.
They just liked to court Death for clout and a future; they didn't actually want to die.
So what was Sean doing while not responding? Naturally, he was agonizing over a problem. He used to be very troubled by this problem in the past, and he hadn't expected to still be troubled by it in this life.
And that was: how should this Christmas be spent?
In the past, he would just go through his contact list from top to bottom and ask everyone; gathering seven was enough. Back then, he was just an ordinary person.
Now, it seemed he couldn't do that, because a few of them didn't like parties, yet he couldn't neglect them. After all, this time he was playing for keeps emotionally.
Hess was the clever one, providing a perfect solution all at once.
"How about being Santa Claus for a night? Both they and the fans in New York should be satisfied. Besides, they won't say anything because you belong to everyone."
Chapter 98: Asgard Should Not Have Yet
As the helicopter landed, Fury stepped off with a solemn expression, "How serious is the situation?"
Coulson sighed, "That's the problem, boss, we don't know."
Standing to the side, Hill had her hands on her hips and didn't say anything.
The three of them entered the newly built Pegasus Base together.
"What is the current status of the Tesseract?"
"Dr. Erik detected a strange energy four hours ago, emitted by the Tesseract. No one has approached it, so we believe it is energy being emitted naturally."
"What level has the energy reached now?"
"It's still rising, and Dr. Erik can't shut it down, so we had to order a full evacuation."
"How much time is left for the full evacuation?"
"Half an hour."
Fury thought for a moment, told Coulson to speed things up and evacuate faster, then walked and talked with Hill as they went to take a look at the Tesseract.
At the bottom of the Base, Dr. Erik looked at the Tesseract, appearing very anxious.
"Director, the Tesseract seems to have been activated."
"Are you joking?"
Dr. Erik walked up to him and shrugged, "It has even developed a bit of consciousness."
Fury felt it was a bit strange and quickly stepped forward, "Have you tried cutting the power?"
"Director, it is an energy source itself; even if you cut the power, it can start on its own."
"Although it's not harmful right now and is just releasing low-energy gamma radiation, if it keeps rising, the consequences are unknown."
"That already counts as harmful." Fury looked around and asked, "Where is Agent Barton?"
"That hawk? Naturally, he's hunkered down in his nest."
On the second floor behind them, Barton was lying on the railing observing everything and only slid down when he saw Fury approaching.
"Barton, did you see what activated the Tesseract?"
"No one approached, Erik is fine, and no one passed on any information. If someone tampered with it, it wouldn't be one of our people."
Fury was stunned for a moment, looked at him and asked, "What do you mean?"
The two walked over to the Tesseract, and Barton took a look and said:
"The Tesseract is a door to the other side of the Universe, right? Can't that door be opened from both sides?"
At this moment, the energy of the Tesseract fluctuated again, causing the entire underground Base to shake twice, with an increasing trend.
Suddenly, a beam of light shot out from the Tesseract, hitting the wall and emitting a strange fluctuation.
This fluctuation gradually expanded and finally exploded.
The explosion didn't hurt anyone else present, but in the center of the explosion, there was one more person.
Without needing an order from Fury, the security personnel on both sides raised their guns and slowly approached.
A wicked man, smiling like a Joker, stood up, holding a scepter, and looked at everyone present with disdain.
Fury frowned, "Sir, put down the spear in your hand."
Loki looked at the object in his hand, let out a scoff, and energy rays shot out from the scepter, attacking everyone present.
The people on both sides also raised their guns and fired, but although Loki was a melee mage, mere bullets couldn't hurt him.
In less than a minute, almost all the security personnel were taken out by Loki.
Precisely because of this, the people he didn't take out piqued his interest.
"You're quite good, you have heart." Loki smirked and pressed the scepter against Barton.
In less than three seconds, Barton's eyes turned black, and his consciousness was no longer under his control.
Seeing that the situation was wrong, Fury secretly took out the Tesseract, put it in a case, and tried to slip away.
Loki didn't even look at him, but continued to control a few more people with the scepter, saying indifferently: "I advise you not to move; I am here for it."
"I am Loki, from Asgard, and I am burdened with a glorious purpose."
...
The Pegasus Base exploded, all facilities and personnel who didn't escape were buried hundreds of meters underground. Loki took the Tesseract and fled the scene with Barton, Dr. Erik, and others, disappearing without a trace.
Standing in the suburbs, Fury took out his walkie-talkie, "Coulson, return to the Base. This is a Level 7 event. War has begun!"
"Boss, what do we do then?"
Fury was silent, understanding that it was time to assemble that group of uncontrollable people.
...
In Sean Brooke's home, in the living room, Sif was leaning on the sofa watching TV, but her eyes kept glancing towards the bathroom, feeling conflicted about whether she should go in and join them.
Just then, the phone rang, and she picked up the mobile phone from the coffee table, "Hello?"
"Hmm? Is this Miss Sif? Is Natasha there?" Coulson asked.
Sif hesitated for a moment, "She's a bit busy right now, it's probably not convenient. Call back later."
"No, no, no, don't hang up, I have something very urgent!"
"Then... okay, I'll take it to her."
Sif sighed, took a deep breath, and opened the bathroom door.
Lately, who knows what got into Natasha—she's been playing increasingly wild games and often calling others over, which Sif found a bit hard to accept.
Like today, she was still showing Sean how she managed to not let the few lines on her legs disappear while taking a shower.
Sif coughed lightly and pointed to the phone in her hand.
Sean glanced at it, turned off the water, and told her to come over.
Sif stepped forward quickly, wanting to hand the phone to Natasha and leave, but realized her hands seemed a bit busy, so she had to let her clamp it to her ear with her lower leg.
"Natasha, come back immediately."
"I... I'm very busy right now, I really don't have time."
"Barton has been controlled."
Natasha suddenly opened her eyes, realizing the seriousness of the situation.
"Give me one minute, I'll call you back later."
After saying this, she hung up the phone and struggled to turn around, letting Sean see her watery eyes.
"Switch people, okay? I beg you~"
Sif, standing behind her, heard this and her hair stood on end; she couldn't perform such a high-difficulty move, she would break a bone!
Sean hadn't intended to let her go, but Sif's movement of quietly backing away piqued his interest.
"Sif, are you serious about that half-step back?"
"No, I just... I just can't do what she does, I..."
Sean quickly stepped forward, pulled her into his arms, and comforted her easily, "I understand, but you have to know that you are Sif, not Natasha."
"I know Asgardians like to fight, but not being good at this kind of fight is not your fault, so don't blame yourself for it, okay?"
Sif was a bit at a loss, leaning on Sean's shoulder.
Was she blaming herself? Maybe, probably, perhaps a little bit.
Perhaps it was the pride of an Asgardian that made her unwilling to admit that she couldn't compare to a Midgardian woman.
Although she hadn't experienced battles regarding men, no matter what kind of battle it was, she wanted to win.
"Sorry, my emotions have been a bit off lately. Maybe it's because I've lost contact with Asgard, or maybe it's facing Natasha that makes me feel very frustrated."
Sean gently patted her back, "It's okay, believe that there won't be any problems over in Asgard; Thorand Odin are very powerful gods."
"Hmm!"
"Ahem, as for the frustration in your heart, would you like me to help you regain some confidence?"
"Hmm~"
Through Sif's performance, Sean knew that Asgard probably hadn't discovered PUA yet.
Taking advantage of their heart-to-heart moment, Natasha ran out and quickly contacted Coulson.
"Hello, what's the situation now? Is Barton still alive?"
"I don't know where he is, but he should still be alive."
Natasha breathed a sigh of relief; as long as he was alive, that was good. "What did the Director say?"
"He's preparing to call people in."
"The boss is going to contact Captain Rogers, he told me to find Stark, you go find Sean, and as for that big guy, can you handle it on your end?"
Listening to the sounds coming from behind, Natasha smiled knowingly.
"Don't worry, for that big guy, I have a very suitable candidate."
Chapter 99 is empty on wtr-lab
Chapter 100: Do You Want to Face Sean Alone?
That night, the members of S.H.I.E.L.D. began to mobilize, understanding that the war had already begun.
After Fury finished explaining things to several heads of the Council, he found Steve at a boxing gym.
Following the previous events, Steve had been intensifying his training every day; he could feel that the World was not yet safe.
Sure enough, as soon as he saw Fury's expression, he knew that trouble was brewing.
"Captain, I hope you're ready."
Steve smiled. "After seeing the battle on Hart Island, I don't think there's anything left that can surprise me."
"I bet ten dollars that you're wrong."
Taking the files Fury handed over, Steve began to read with half-skepticism, his expression shifting from disbelief to numbness.
Good grief, I woke up to a battle of mechs and thought that was what combat looked like seventy years later.
Now, you're telling me that a god has descended upon Earth again, coming to rule over them.
"Sorry, let me confirm one more time—this is Earth seventy years later, not seven hundred?"
...
On the other side, just as Coulson was handing the files to Stark, another person arrived at the door of Sean Brooke's house.
Wearing sunglasses, Betty saw Natasha standing at the door and walked over.
"You'd better not lie to me again this time."
Natasha directly showed her all the recent photos of Banner and said:
"Right now, we have a matter that requires Dr. Banner's help. If he's willing, this might be the first step toward his return to human society."
Looking at the familiar Banner in the photos, Betty's eyes grew moist.
Although she had previously received a letter from Banner wanting to break off their relationship, she understood in her heart that it was indeed completely over between them.
But she simply couldn't let go; she had never been able to let go of Banner.
Her wish was simple: she hoped he would no longer be hunted by the Military and could continue living like an ordinary person.
And now, this opportunity was right in front of her.
"What do I need to do?"
The corner of Natasha's mouth curled up, knowing the goal had been achieved.
"We need someone who can stop the Hulk when he appears. Otherwise, no one will feel safe bringing him back."
After saying this, Natasha glanced toward the second floor of the house, her meaning clear without needing further words.
Betty took off her sunglasses, took a deep breath, and nodded.
"I'll try my best."
Natasha took her hand, led her into the house, and said with a smile, "Don't worry, we'll help you."
Hearing this, Betty stopped and pulled her hand back somewhat resistantly. "Are there... many people?"
"Hmm? Do you want to face Sean Brooke alone, or turn your back to him?"
That made sense.
...
In a slum in India, Dr. Banner was working as a Doctor, providing simple medical treatment for the people there.
"Alright, just make sure to rest for the next few days and you'll be fine."
"Thank you, Doctor."
Picking up his medical bag, Banner walked down the street. Listening to the merry laughter around him, he felt that he wasn't alone, that he wasn't so lonely.
It had been a long time since his last transformation into the Hulk, and he was gradually learning to adapt to the big guy.
But just as he was about to return to his residence as usual, a surge of intense rage hit him. He knew that the Hulk was coming out!
But what he didn't understand was, why did the Hulk want to come out?
Without time to think, Banner quickly ran toward the deserted mountain forests; he absolutely could not transform into the Hulk here.
"What is it now? Hulk!" Banner asked as he ran.
"Danger! Hulk is in danger!"
Danger? The only one who could make the Hulk feel in danger was that man.
Sure enough, when Banner looked back, he saw a figure flying toward him in the distant sky.
At that, he could no longer hold back. His skin turned green all over, and the Hulk emerged.
Roar!
The Hulk glared at the figure in the sky and let out a thunderous roar toward him.
Sean also spotted the big green guy immediately. He landed on the open ground not far in front of him with a dull thud.
"Hello, we meet again, Hulk."
The Hulk wouldn't bother with human pleasantries. He lunged forward in a single stride, swinging a massive fist to start smashing.
Seeing this, Sean wouldn't shy away from the fight; he had wanted to spar with him since the last time.
The two fists collided directly, and a shockwave erupted outward from between them.
Neither of them retreated. The Hulk gritted his teeth, increased his strength once more, and reached out with his left hand to grab Sean.
From this clash of fists, Sean could roughly feel how great his current strength was. Next time, he would have to be gentler with the girls.
The Hulk's combat technique relied entirely on instinct and pure overwhelming power. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't particularly good either.
Once an opponent's strength was comparable to his, the Hulk fell far short when it came to combat awareness.
After less than three minutes of fighting, the Hulk knew that he absolutely could not kill the man in front of him. He even felt that he might be the one killed.
At the thought of this outcome, the Hulk felt a massive sense of crisis, followed by boundless rage.
But right then, Sean beckoned him over. "Hulk! Do you drink?"
The Hulk glanced at the case beside him, his eyes full of vigilance.
Sean smacked his lips with a bit of boredom. He stopped fighting simply because he found it uninteresting, not because he actually wanted to kill him. This big green guy could provide him with a lot of amusement.
Sitting down on the ground, he took a bottle from the wine case he brought and tossed it gently toward the Hulk; it rolled slowly to his feet.
He took out another bottle and began to drink in large gulps.
The Hulk panted, looking at the bottle on the ground with some confusion. Were they still fighting or not?
This was also the first time since his birth that someone dared to sit down in front of him without running away, without hurting him, and without showing an expression of fear.
The last one seemed to be that woman, Betty.
This was also the second time the Hulk had seen Sean, and once again he clearly felt how strong he was.
Last time, the Hulk had thought he failed to beat Sean because his strength had dipped after being injected with the serum.
This time he realized that he truly couldn't win, and it had nothing to do with the serum.
Picking up the bottle from the ground, the Hulk hesitated for a moment before mimicking Sean and drinking in large gulps.
This was the Hulk's first time touching alcohol, and he didn't like the taste.
"Pah! Hate it."
Seeing his reaction, Sean laughed heartily and patted the ground beside him. "Come here, let's chat?"
"No!" The Hulk narrowed his eyes, expressing refusal.
Only by maintaining this distance did he feel a sense of security.
Sean stood up and brushed off the grass, looking like he was about to leave.
"Never mind then. I was originally thinking of taking you back to New York to have some fun."
The Hulk's eyes lit up and he immediately took a step forward, but quickly pulled back.
"Hulk hates New York, New York hates Hulk!"
Recalling everything that happened in New York, the Hulk felt like he was going to get angry again.
"Then do you know why they hate you? Look, my destructive power is no less than yours, so why don't they hate me?"
Yeah, why?
The Hulk uncharacteristically used his brain to think for a moment, and suddenly came up with an answer he believed to be correct.
"Banner, ugly. You, good-looking."
These words left even Sean stunned. He hadn't expected him to say that, and once he processed it, he laughed even more happily.
"Heh, Hulk, you're actually quite interesting. I'm starting to like you."
"So, do you want to go back? I can help you."