Meanwhile, Firecracker angrily threw her phone down and met Aaron's searching gaze.
Her heart trembled, and she quickly explained, "Wait, let me explain first."
"I did participate in the Young Superhero talent show when I was thirteen and successfully made it to the finals."
"However, a bitch named Starlight spread rumors. She said… she said I was just a country girl, and it was impossible for me to be selected for the finals without using backdoor connections with all the judges."
"Clearly, I made it through by my own strength, but she spread rumors because of jealousy. You must believe me, I'm still a virgin."
Seeing that Aaron didn't speak, Firecracker steeled herself, ignoring Gwenpool who was still nearby. She quickly tore off all her clothes, inside and out, and, with her back to Aaron, bowed deeply in a warm greeting.
"Saying it a thousand times is not as good as doing it once. You try it yourself, it's absolutely all-natural."What else could Aaron say when Firecracker spoke like that?
Naturally, he would do it.
Who could refuse such a great bed warmer?
After a long while, Firecracker lay down weakly.
Gwenpool leaned over. "How do you feel?"
Aaron nodded, very satisfied with this dessert. "It's very good, she didn't lie."
He proved with facts that this path had never been taken before.
To be precise, three paths.
All were initially very narrow, barely allowing one person through. After hundreds of repetitions, they opened up.
Gwenpool's eyes sparkled like a little devil, and she pulled out a picture of Starlight on her laptop.
"Firecracker just said that Starlight slandered her. I checked, and indeed, a teenage Annie did say such things to the media back then."
"Hiss... such deep scheming at such a young age, she must be severely punished."
Gwenpool thought of a good idea. "Didn't she spread rumors that Firecracker got in through the back door? Then we'll really use the back door, and let her know what she's up against."
Firecracker's eyes widened. "Good idea, she must be done a hundred times."
"Use all means, go all out."
"I'll even record it, so everyone knows she's the one who got in through the back door, and ruin her reputation."
Aaron's lips twitched upon hearing this. "That would kill her."
Firecracker mumbled, "That would be letting her off too lightly."
Aaron shrugged.
To be fair, although Annie is the female lead of the Boys, honestly, in a world like the Boys where everyone is evil, Annie initially seemed like a naive innocent girl, but in reality, she was also a schemer.
That's right, The Seven have no innocents.
Birds of a feather, after all.
But then again, Annie is also a good bed warmer. Anyway, in the original story, she was severely 'outputted' by others, and was even tricked by The Deep when she first joined the team.
Since others can do it, is there a problem with him using her?
This could also be considered saving Annie. Being used by one person and being used by multiple people are completely different matters.
On the other side.
Ashley, based on the names and image data provided by Madelyn, did not find Aaron's name after comparing it with Vought International's internal database.
However, there was a lot of data on Firecracker.
But based on her understanding of Madelyn, the person she truly valued was definitely Aaron.
So she used Vought International's influence to access the federal government database for comparison. However, after one-by-one comparison, Aaron's data was still not found.
Ashley could only entrust the IT department hackers to search for information about Aaron. But without exception, they couldn't find any reports on Aaron at all.
The most recent data was from Daytona Beach, Florida.
No entry/exit records, no visa information.
"You're telling me such a handsome man is an illegal immigrant?"
"Are you serious?!"
Madelyn, who had finally managed to send Homelander away, looked at Ashley, not bothering to hide the disdain in her eyes.
"Such a handsome man, purely based on his naturally gifted looks, could easily get a visa. He is undoubtedly an excellent talent."
"Illegal immigrant? I think you've lost your mind."
If Aaron really were an illegal immigrant, there would be more room for manipulation but it just didn't seem realistic.
Ashley said innocently, "Boss, but we really haven't found any information about him. He seems to not exist in the mortal world at all, like an angel descended from heaven."
She hesitated for a moment, thinking of his exaggerated good looks, and cautiously said, "Could he really be an angel fallen to the mortal world?"
Madelyn paused slightly.
You know, it was quite possible.
Mortals shouldn't conceive such a handsome being.
"In that case, his codename will be Angel, for example... Mortal Angel, Fallen Angel, or Most Beautiful Angel..."
Madelyn thought of many names, she could already imagine the fans' frenzy.
And she could use public resources for private gain, enjoying this public figure, whom all women desired, all to herself.
Ashley added, "And... if he really is an illegal immigrant, this means he likes our country. If you, Boss, step forward and offer to help him solve his legal immigration issues, I believe he will definitely repay you with a gushing spring."
Madelyn felt delighted just thinking about it.
The two talking did not notice that just beyond the wall, Homelander's eyes were slightly red, and his face was distorted as he looked at the portrait hanging on the wall.
"Aaron?"
Homelander had noticed Madelyn's distraction when he was drinking milk earlier.
So after he left, he quickly circled back, just to find out why.
However, he hadn't expected Madelyn to be asking about a man.
Even just saying Aaron's name, Madelyn's face flushed, and her legs tightened, as if she were fantasizing about certain indescribable things.
Homelander wasn't particularly interested in matters of men and women, but he couldn't tolerate his "mother" finding him a stepfather. This meant another person would be competing with him for milk.
He couldn't tolerate it!
Even Madelyn's own son, the several-month-old Theodore, made him incredibly jealous.
Let alone a grown man.
"Homelander? What are you doing?" Queen Maeve's puzzled voice sounded from behind him.
Homelander turned his head, and his distorted, undisguised murderous gaze made Queen Maeve retreat repeatedly. She had never seen Homelander in such a state.
Homelander forced a smile, but Queen Maeve didn't feel any kindness. The smile was very strange, constantly changing within a few moments.
"Of course, as you can see, I'm looking at a painting, a very... interesting painting."
Queen Maeve glanced at the ordinary portrait of Kennedy behind Homelander. She seriously doubted if Homelander wanted Kennedy to have his head blown open again.
Homelander looked back at the painting and asked, "Do you know Aaron?"
"No, I don't."
Queen Maeve shook her head, sensing the madness in his voice when he spoke that name.
"Then do you know Firecracker?"
"Oh, that Firecracker who likes to spread rumors and gossip about others? I know her, she seems to host a show called 'The Truth Bomb'?"
Queen Maeve finally managed to dig out that inconspicuous name from her memory.
"That's just great."
Homelander's smile widened. "I want to meet her. Yes, just meet her, our future colleague..."
"I think you can help me arrange a meeting with her."
Queen Maeve really wanted to refuse, she felt this was a thankless task.
However, looking at Homelander's constantly changing smile, she strongly suspected that if she dared to refuse, he would really kill her.
Queen Maeve sighed helplessly and could only nod. "No problem, I think we can also ask others for help."
Homelander frowned slightly—he didn't want more people to know about this.
Queen Maeve explained, "A-Train has a wide social circle and is fast. He can definitely find Firecracker in the shortest time."
"Translucent and The Deep's abilities might play a crucial role at certain times."
Queen Maeve dared not go out with Homelander alone. The more people she could bring, the better. It would be best if The Seven went together.
Even if Homelander went crazy, she would have a chance to escape.
Homelander nodded, reluctantly accepting the explanation.
Soon.
Homelander, under his own name, gathered the others and mobilized everyone to search for Firecracker and Aaron.
A-Train and the others had already sensed that Homelander was very abnormal at this time, like a mentally unstable psychopath.
Although they were unwilling, they had no choice but to follow Homelander's orders.
Nothing else, just fear.
At this moment, Aaron, Firecracker, and Gwenpool, who were being searched for all over the city by The Seven, had already boarded a plane and arrived in Des Moines, Iowa, in the central United States.
This was Starlight's hometown.
Since the audition scandal in her teens, Firecracker was forced to withdraw from the competition due to public opinion. It was that incident that changed Firecracker and she transformed into a news media worker.
From hating the media, to understanding the media, then joining the media, becoming one of them.
The changed Firecracker discarded innocence and justice, becoming hypocritical and crazy. She constantly spread rumors to gain attention, while also continuously collecting information about Starlight.
If anyone in this world understood Annie the most, it would definitely not be Annie herself or her parents, but Firecracker.
Even with her eyes closed, Firecracker could find Annie's home.
"This is it, that bitch's house."
"Even from dozens of meters away, I can smell that disgusting odor."
Firecracker glared fiercely at the detached two-story house in the distance.
Gwenpool chuckled. "Firecracker, don't worry. Aaron will help you punish her properly."
Firecracker smiled perversely. "She must be unable to get out of bed for a week, and it must be through the back door."
She wanted to see Annie begging for mercy, crying profusely.
Doesn't Annie like to spread rumors about others getting in through the back door? Then let her see what 'getting in through the back door' truly means.
"Annie! Get moving immediately, the Vought International Iowa branch auditions are about to begin again!"
"Put on that outfit, yes, that one. Tomorrow, you'll be the most dazzling star."
A piercing female voice came from within the small building.
Aaron gestured, and Firecracker stepped forward to ring the doorbell.
"Who is it?"
"Is it someone from Vought International?"
A middle-aged woman opened the door and poked her head out.
Firecracker, hating the house and its owner, had no good feelings towards the middle-aged woman, but she still forced out a smile she had practiced for years.
"I am Firecracker, the Guardian of Daytona Beach, Florida, and one of Vought International's registered Superheroes."
"We're here to discuss something with Annie."
"Oh, you're looking for Starlight."
The middle-aged woman's enthusiastic smile faded slightly.
She turned back and shouted, "Starlight, your colleague is here for you!"
Starlight was the Guardian of Des Moines, Iowa, and also one of Vought International's more than two hundred registered Superheroes across the country.
Both of them became Guardian, or rather, stars, after going through layers of auditions. Calling them colleagues was not a problem.
"Coming!"
A heavy thud came from inside the house, as if something heavy had been put down.
At this moment, the middle-aged woman saw Aaron, and her eyes lit up.
"Oh, is this gentleman also a Vought International Superhero? Sir, you are truly too handsome."
Unlike her demeanor towards Firecracker, the middle-aged woman's face bloomed with a warm and genuine smile. Many thoughts flashed through her mind. She even considered how to use the excessively handsome Aaron to promote Annie's fame at tomorrow's audition.
As Annie's dedicated agent, she had spared no effort to boost her popularity.
Over the past twenty years, she had taken Annie all over the country, participating in every beauty pageant for female heroes. It was precisely because of this that Annie was fortunate enough to become the city's Superhero, Iowa's darling.
She had a premonition that if Annie could create a romantic pairing with Aaron, they would definitely explode in popularity.
The untold story between the most handsome male hero and the most beautiful female hero.
Oh, just thinking about it made her climax.