Chapter 95: The Wise Do Not Fall in Love
"Understood."
The crisp sound of keyboard typing echoed through the empty Underground Room.
Two hours later, Lu Chen placed three sealed blood collection tubes containing red liquid onto the operating table.
This was the blood of Sam he had just retrieved from Godolkin University.
Wise immediately stopped writing the code for the power system reconstruction.
She turned around, her gaze locking onto those three tubes of blood.
Without any superfluous words, she put on sterile gloves, took out one tube of blood, and placed it into the newly powered-on makeshift centrifuge.
The humming sound of the machine began.
Lu Chen pulled over a chair and sat down.
His gaze fell upon Wise's busy back.
This brain was indeed useful.
It saved the trouble of recruiting a research team and eliminated the risk of leaks.
With Wise alone, the work efficiency was comparable to Vought's entire R&D department.
However, with just this crude Underground Room facility, it was unrealistic to complete the final agent synthesis; he still had to wait for Professor Brink's equipment to arrive.
Furthermore, when researching Compound V and V1 later, there would be a lack of a large number of living experimental subjects available for consumption.
There was a lack of core data that Vought had accumulated for decades.
Lu Chen leaned back in his chair.
He began to construct a sandbox for the next step in his mind.
In those secret laboratories of Vought, what they lacked least were ready-made experimental data and living lab rats.
Once Wise finished the preliminary analysis, he would take a trip to Vought's laboratory.
Zero-dollar shopping.
He would pack up and take away all the research materials they had accumulated for decades, and while he was at it, snatch a batch of experimental subjects.
The development of the V1 agent had to be completely in his own hands; if it could really strengthen superpowers as the plot suggested, then that would be a huge profit.
He could let them line up for testing, and then seize it.
However, these were all matters for the future; Lu Chen withdrew his thoughts and took out his phone.
Exactly what stage had the capture operation for Kenji reached now?
That super Terrorists was very useful to him; if he intercepted him, he would have a backup plan to contact the government to confront Vought when necessary.
Lu Chen attempted to dial Hughie's number.
The operator's robotic prompt came through the receiver.
"The user you are calling is powered off."
Lu Chen hung up the phone.
His fingers slid across the screen.
Relying on Hughie's line alone was no longer viable.
Butcher was extremely guarded; it seemed he still had to try to obtain information from Vought's side.
Annie January was a good candidate; in order to capture Kenji, Edgar would later convene a battle meeting for the entire The Seven, and currently, Annie was not at daggers drawn with Homelander over the Hughie incident.
He didn't need her to pass on intelligence, that was too dangerous; he only needed her to tell him she had official business before the meeting, and he could contact Vought internal personnel to get the specific location, for example, Ashley.
But there was a problem.
A few hours ago, Cate Dunlap had a shouting match with Annie over the phone.
Annie must still be furious right now.
Lu Chen threw the phone onto the desktop and looked at the busy Wise; might as well use her.
"Stop for a moment," Lu Chen said.
Wise's fingers typing on the keyboard instantly hovered in place.
She turned around, waiting for instructions.
"Help me analyze a problem," Lu Chen said, crossing his hands. "A woman is currently in a state of extreme anger and grievance. The reason is that she discovered I maintained an intimate relationship with another woman, and that woman verbally attacked her. What is the optimal soothing strategy now?"
Wise froze for half a second.
That brain, claimed to be the smartest in the World, quickly mobilized all its computing power.
"Target identity?" Wise asked.
"Annie January. Starlight."
Wise turned to face the computer. Her fingers turned into a blur on the keyboard.
Annie's complete personal profile instantly popped up on the screen: growth trajectory, psychological assessment report, personality profile, and recordings of previous media interviews.
"Establishing behavioral logic model," Wise stared at the screen. "Personality traits: idealistic, subconscious resistance to Vought."
"Introducing current variables: jealousy, bruised self-esteem, territory infringed upon."
Rows of complex algorithmic formulas scrolled wildly across the screen.
Lu Chen watched those psychological analysis charts that were more complex than gene sequences.
Wise was using all her computing power to analyze a woman's thoughts.
Thirty seconds later.
The data stream on the screen suddenly stuttered.
Red warning boxes popped up crazily.
"Logical conflict," Wise stared at those red error codes. "The target's emotional feedback mechanism does not conform to known game theory models. There is unpredictable quantum state fluctuation between the anger threshold and the probability of compliance."
She turned her head and looked at Lu Chen.
"Unable to accurately judge," Wise gave her conclusion. "Option one: verbal apology combined with material compensation, has a 73% probability of intensifying the conflict and being judged as perfunctory.
Option two: display vulnerability to stimulate her maternal protective instinct. Failure rate is 85%.
Option three: adopt tough suppression methods, has an 81% probability of triggering her rebellious psychology."
Option four: shift the conflict, push the responsibility onto a third party. Failure rate..."
Lu Chen looked at Wise's face, which was full of frustration.
What is this?
The Wise do not fall in love? Or is a woman's heart a needle at the bottom of the sea?
"It is recommended to use physical amnesia methods," Wise proposed an alternative plan. "Sever the memory neurons related to that phone call. Success rate is 100%."
"Shut up, do your work," Lu Chen interrupted her.
Wise immediately turned around and plunged back into the cell analysis under the microscope.
Lu Chen picked up his phone again.
Coaxing people is something one has to rely on oneself for.
At worst, he would just accompany her in her nonsense a few more times.
He was just about to dial Annie's number.
The screen suddenly began to vibrate.
Lu Chen stared at the unknown incoming call jumping on the screen.
Calling at this time.
Butcher?
Or someone from Vought?
Lu Chen pressed the answer button. He didn't speak first.
The other end of the phone didn't speak immediately either.
Two seconds of dead silence. Only the extremely faint background noise of the current was being transmitted.
"Hello, Mr. Lu."
Calling him by his surname directly, it seemed to be someone who knew him.
"I am Stan Edgar."
"I apologize for disturbing you at this time, Mr. Lu Chen. Or, should I call you, Tianshu?" Edgar's words carried a kind of composure that controlled the whole situation. "I watched your few performances at school. Very, impressive."
Lu Chen leaned back in his chair.
He quickly deduced Edgar's motives in his mind.
Solicitation? Probing? Or had he already found out the whereabouts of himself and Wise?
"I am very happy to talk to you; may I ask what you are looking for me for?" Lu Chen threw out his question directly.
"Young people are always so impatient," Edgar chuckled on the other end. "Vought is currently facing some minor public relations crises. We need fresh blood to reshape our public image. I think we can meet and talk about your early enrollment matters."
Lu Chen looked at the centrifuge running at high speed in the distance.
"Wow, may I ask when?" Lu Chen asked.
"Tomorrow at ten in the morning. Vought Tower, the 82nd floor." Edgar paused for a moment. "I look forward to our meeting."
The phone hung up.
The busy signal echoed in the empty Underground Room.
Chapter 96: Black Noir Again
The busy tone faded.
Lu Chen put his phone back on the desk, his fingers mindlessly tapping twice on the metal surface.
Edgar.
The true helmsman of the Vought empire.
But why now?
Less than twenty-four hours after the scandal broke, Edgar had proactively extended an olive branch. The speed of it was off. There was only one logical explanation: Edgar had his eye on him before the scandal, and was now merely using the public relations crisis to speed up the recruitment process.
Lu Chen leaned back in his chair, his gaze drifting to the exposed pipes on the ceiling.
Going meant stepping into Vought's core territory. Their home turf, their rules.
But he would have to face it sooner or later.
Rather than passively waiting for Edgar's next move, it was better to step onto the chessboard himself and see how many pieces had been set.
Lu Chen withdrew his gaze and turned to Sage.
"Before the equipment arrives, stay here and keep pushing forward with the blood analysis. At the same time, look for a few reliable assistants. Let me know the moment you make a breakthrough."
Sage didn't even look up.
"Understood."
Lu Chen stood up, pushed his chair back into place, and turned to walk down the staircase leading to the surface. Behind him, the sound of Sage tapping on the keyboard resumed.
The next morning. Godolkin University dorms.
Lu Chen woke up before the alarm even went off.
Cate was pressed tightly against his side, her head resting in the crook of his shoulder, her arms and legs wrapped all over him.
Lu Chen gently lifted her arm away.
Cate let out a soft grunt, her brow furrowing as she tightened her grip, pressing herself even closer to him.
Helpless, Lu Chen used a bit of force to extricate himself from this human straightjacket.
Cate opened her eyes sleepily.
"What time is it..."
"Seven-thirty. Go back to sleep."
Cate squinted as she watched him change, suddenly waking up a bit more.
"Why are you dressing so formally?"
Lu Chen adjusted his collar in front of the mirror.
"Heading over to Vought Company."
Once dressed, Lu Chen leaned down to plant a kiss on the crown of her head, picked up his phone, and headed out.
The first-floor lobby of Vought Tower.
People streamed in and out. Employees were in a rush. Ashley stood at the entrance, constantly checking her watch. Today, she wore a professional suit, her hair styled meticulously, but her fingers were anxiously twisting the hem of her clothes.
Seeing Lu Chen walk in, she hurried over to greet him.
"Come with me. Edgar is already waiting," Ashley said quickly.
She sized up Lu Chen. The kid walked at an unhurried pace, his expression calm, completely lacking the trembling, nervous look other newcomers had when meeting the boss.
Ashley calculated in her mind. To be personally summoned by Edgar, was this kid about to be fast-tracked to the top? If he could divert some of Homelander's attention, it wouldn't be a bad thing for her.
"When you see Edgar later, watch your tone," Ashley instructed in a lowered voice.
Lu Chen nodded.
The two crossed the lobby and stepped into the private elevator. Ashley swiped her access card and pressed the button. The numbers flashed on the display.
The elevator doors opened. The hallway was covered in thick carpeting, completely absorbing the sound of their footsteps.
Stopping in front of the CEO's office door, Ashley paused.
"Wait for me here."
She knocked and went inside. The door closed behind her.
In the thirty seconds after Ashley vanished behind the door, a thought surfaced.
Edgar was an ordinary human. He had no superpowers. All it would take was placing a hand on his shoulder and giving a single Mind Control command—
The idea was highly tempting.
The door opened.
"Please come in," Ashley said, stepping aside to make way.
Lu Chen stood up straight and walked inside.
The office was larger than he had imagined. Massive floor-to-ceiling windows framed the New York skyline like a painting. Edgar sat behind the desk, dressed in a sharp suit, his hands folded on the desktop.
A middle-aged Black man. He wasn't particularly tall, even slender. But his eyes were calm and sharp, as if they could see right through what a person was thinking.
"Sit."
Lu Chen pulled out a chair and sat down calmly.
"This is the first time I've met you in person," Edgar said, sizing him up. "Not bad. Quite handsome."
"It's an honor to meet you, sir," Lu Chen smiled.
His Super Senses fully expanded.
Ashley's footsteps were fading into the distance. The door had closed.
But in this room,
there weren't just two people.
There were four.
Two extremely suppressed breathing patterns came from the lounge area on the right side of the office. Their heartbeats were steady, and their muscles were in a state of readiness, primed to explode at any moment.
Lu Chen's smile didn't waver.
"You must be wondering," Edgar leaned back in his chair, "why I'm promoting you so quickly."
Lu Chen nodded noncommittally.
"I'm sure you've seen the recent news. The company is facing some public relations issues, but rest assured, they will be resolved soon," Edgar said in a casual tone. "As for your resume, I've looked it over. It's very clean."
Lu Chen didn't reply, waiting for him to continue.
Edgar looked at his silent demeanor and nodded slightly, as if confirming something.
"However, your abilities don't seem to be limited to just the few you demonstrated at school."
The heart rates of the two presences hiding in the lounge area spiked by a level almost simultaneously.
Lu Chen fell silent for two seconds.
Then, he smiled.
"Indeed."
He raised his head, looking Edgar straight in the eye.
"At the very least, I can also do this."
Before his voice even faded,
an icy blue light flared in his eyes.
Heat Vision condensed in his pupils, the blue, high-temperature beams primed to fire, warping the air in front of him into visible heatwaves.
Two black shadows burst out of the lounge area.
Their speed was abnormally fast.
From a standstill to a full sprint, there was almost no acceleration phase in between.
Two identical figures clad in all-black tactical suits and full-face masks.
Black Noir.
Two of them.
Edgar raised a hand.
Palm facing forward, fingers slightly splayed. A simple gesture of restraint.
The two black shadows stopped simultaneously, standing silently beside Edgar like two sheathed blades.
Lu Chen also deactivated his Heat Vision, the blue light fading away.
Two Black Noirs. The previous one had already been killed—was this the second generation? No, they didn't seem like the second-generation Black Noir from the original plot. And this speed, this reaction time... they seemed to have undergone targeted enhancements and upgrades.
Vought's depth was deeper than he had imagined.
Old fox.
Lu Chen and Edgar made eye contact.
The two of them smiled almost simultaneously, as if the tension of those few seconds had been nothing more than a harmless joke.
"Very good," Edgar withdrew his hand and folded them on the desk once more. "I've seen your file. You were injected with multiple iterative versions of Compound V during your infancy. Theoretically speaking, since these compounds didn't conflict and kill you, it is indeed possible for you to awaken a substantial number of superpowers."
He paused.
"Your personality is also quite good. You know how to hide yourself when you're weak, unlike those fools in The Seven."
"Thank you for the compliment," Lu Chen smiled just the right amount. "So, what is your purpose in summoning me?"
Edgar didn't answer directly.
"On the surface, Vought looks like a talent agency for superheroes. We sell IPs, movie merchandise, and endorsement contracts," he tapped the desk lightly. "But at our core—we are a pharmaceutical company. All of those things are merely byproducts."
"So no matter which heroes are on display, they are all replaceable parts."
"But an error has occurred."
"A defective product."
Lu Chen paused for a beat.
"Homelander?"
Edgar nodded slowly.
"The Odessa Project. To create a near-godlike, ultimate superhuman to replace our first-generation ace, 'Soldier Boy'. In the end, it succeeded. However, because the rearing methods during his infancy weren't entirely successful, his personality is unstable. His ambition is gradually inflating."
His fingers stopped tapping.
"The chains we've imposed on him—love, approval ratings, public image, and so on—are still effective for now. But one day, if he is led astray, or if he finally realizes his own power..."
"He will become an uncontrollable nuclear bomb, dragging Vought and the enterprise I've dedicated my life to down into the flames."
Lu Chen leaned back in his chair, his fingers lightly interlacing.
How much of this was true? Sixty percent? Seventy percent? A man like Edgar would always feed you a mix of truth and lies, leaving you to guess which bite was honey and which was medicine.
But the core logic held up. Homelander was indeed the sword hanging over Vought's head.
"I understand," Lu Chen nodded. "But what does that have to do with me?"
Chapter 97: So you're the one called Lu Chen, huh?
He looked at Edgar, as if waiting for an answer, or perhaps pondering something else.
Edgar looked back at him.
He was looking for a payout.
A clever young man.
"I need you to join The Seven," Edgar began, his voice steady. "With the abilities you've displayed, and this rate of growth, I'm afraid even Queen Maeve might not be your match now."
Lu Chen smiled noncommittally. "That's Queen Maeve we're talking about, a veteran of countless battles. It's hard to say."
Edgar ignored this, continuing as if stating an established fact.
"After joining The Seven, your task will be to assess Homelander's psychological state and see how far he has gone. Then, when necessary, and under my orders, you will act."
Edgar didn't finish the rest of his sentence.
But the meaning was already clear.
He wanted him to take out Homelander when necessary?
The smile on Lu Chen's face faded.
"Edgar, are you joking?" he asked. "You know Homelander's strength better than I do. You're asking me to go to my death."
"Of course, you are not the only safeguard," Edgar's tone remained unchanged. "When the time comes, they will strike first."
Not the only one?
Lu Chen was slightly surprised. Vought still had an ace up their sleeve to counter Homelander? Who could it be? Relying on these Black Noirs? Or something else?
But his face still wore that "this is too dangerous" expression.
"Even so, the risk is too high. I'm just a student."
Edgar stared at him for a few seconds.
"What do you want?"
Here it comes.
Lu Chen really wanted to say, I want all of Vought.
But when the words reached his lips, they changed into something else.
"I want power, and I want money," Lu Chen leaned forward slightly. "Authority to mobilize a portion of Vought's resources, and enough money for me to squander. Finally, I need all the research data on Compound V."
For the first time, Edgar's expression shifted slightly.
He had long expected Lu Chen to ask for the moon. Power and money were easy. A nominal position, a sum of money—these meant nothing to him.
But the research data on Compound V...
"Mr. Lu Chen, you must understand one thing," Edgar tapped his fingers on the desk. "I am betting on your future, on your unreasonable rate of growth, not your present. I can give you authority and money. But the complete research data on Compound V? No."
He looked into Lu Chen's eyes.
"At most, I can only provide samples of different versions for you to 'reference'."
"Samples are useless. I want all the data from development to iteration," Lu Chen didn't budge. "I need to understand my own body and accelerate my growth. Otherwise, what can I use to fight a madman you all created to be a god?"
"The data is Vought's core asset."
"My life is my core asset, too."
The office fell silent.
The two Black Noir bodyguards stood straight, like two lifeless statues.
"How about this," Edgar broke the silence. "I cannot give you the permanent Compound V data. However, I can give you a Copy of the latest research on the twenty-four-hour version, Temporary V."
Lu Chen curled his lip.
Temporary V? That works. At least it gives the Wise One something to analyze.
"Deal."
Edgar took a black USB drive from the drawer, placed it on the desk, and pushed it over.
"This contains what you wanted."
Lu Chen reached out, took the USB drive, weighed it in his hand, and then stood up.
"Pleasure doing business with you."
He turned to leave.
"Mr. Lu Chen." Edgar's voice came from behind him.
Lu Chen stopped, but didn't turn around.
"You should be aware of the value of this USB drive," Edgar's voice was very flat. "I hope you can take it with peace of mind."
As soon as he finished speaking.
A flash of red light streaked past.
The scorching energy grazed the edge of Lu Chen's leather shoe, burning a charred little hole into the carpet at his feet, with heat rising from it.
One of the Black Noirs, who had been standing by Edgar's side the whole time, had eyes glowing with red light beneath his mask.
Heat Vision.
This second-generation Black Noir actually had Heat Vision too.
Lu Chen was genuinely taken aback. How much stuff was Vought hiding? Was this just Copy-pasting Homelander's abilities onto others? Or was it some other completely different product?
He didn't turn around, just replied indifferently.
"Understood."
With that, he strode out of the office.
Outside the door, Ashley was pacing back and forth. Seeing the door open, she immediately straightened up.
"Are you done talking?" she asked in a low voice.
Lu Chen nodded without speaking.
"Follow me. Edgar has given instructions; your future living arrangements have already been taken care of."
Ashley led the way, her high heels making dull thuds on the thick carpet. Her mind was in turmoil.
What on earth did this kid talk to Edgar about? It didn't look like a simple matter of joining The Seven.
Ashley didn't dare dwell on it further, forcing herself to focus on her work.
"This is your new apartment, on The Seven's floor. Apart from Homelander's, yours has the best view."
Ashley swiped open a heavy metal door.
A massive living room appeared before them, with nearly 360-degree floor-to-ceiling windows that kept the entire view of New York underfoot.
"The apartment has an independent gym, a recreation room, and a small pool. The company will send people to retrieve all your personal belongings from Godolkin University."
Ashley spoke quickly. "If you have any needs regarding your daily life, you can tell me directly."
Lu Chen walked around the apartment.
It was indeed very luxurious.
"Very good, but don't bother moving my personal items. I prefer living outside."
"Then... shall I show you around the work environment?" Ashley asked tentatively.
"Sure."
The two left the apartment, and Ashley led him toward the conference room on the other end of the floor.
"This is The Seven's conference room. The weekly meetings and some urgent PR meetings are all held here," Ashley introduced.
A huge circular conference table sat in front of a giant logo of The Seven. Behind each seat, the corresponding member's emblem was printed.
The seat belonging to A-Train no longer had its emblem.
Lu Chen's gaze lingered on that empty seat for a second.
Just then, at the other end of the corridor, the elevator door chimed open.
Annie walked out.
She was wearing her Starlight suit, apparently having just finished an event outside, with a trace of fatigue on her face.
When she saw Lu Chen standing at the conference room entrance, she froze for a moment, then a flash of undisguised joy appeared in her eyes.
But that joy lasted less than a second.
Her face quickly turned cold, becoming expressionless.
She walked straight over, stopped in front of the two of them, her gaze landing on Lu Chen, her tone cold.
"Why are you here?"
Lu Chen looked at her lightning-fast change of expression and felt like laughing.
Just as he was about to answer, a flippant yet oppressive voice came from behind Annie.
"Wow, wow, wow."
Homelander had appeared at the elevator entrance, no one knew when. He had his hands behind his back, his head tilted, with that signature smile on his face.
He strolled over, his gaze sweeping back and forth between Lu Chen and Annie.
"You look, familiar, don't you?"
Chapter 98: What Are You Barking About?
Homelander stood in the center of the corridor, hands behind his back, tilting his head to size up Lu Chen.
"You look… strangely familiar."
Annie January's body tensed up.
Lu Chen didn't move; his expression was calm.
He had indeed met Homelander before.
The last time was after Translucent went missing, when Homelander was tracking clues, and he had slightly delayed him for a few minutes.
"We have indeed met," Lu Chen said, his tone casual.
"I asked you for help when I was out for a night run nearby."
Homelander's expression changed.
With his hands behind his back, he began to pace slowly around Lu Chen.
One lap.
Ashley had already retreated half a step, standing against the wall, trying to minimize her presence as much as possible.
Two laps.
Homelander stopped.
He stood back in front of Lu Chen, a smile reappearing on his face, this time a bit wider than before, accompanied by a hint of exaggerated awe.
"Wow," he drew out the tail of the word.
"I didn't expect that.
The little guy who needed to ask me for help back then has transformed into a member of The Seven?"
He clapped his hands twice.
"That's truly a… U.S. Dream story."
Lu Chen smiled.
"Just lucky."
"I heard you were also specially recruited by Edgar?" Homelander put away his smile and asked directly.
"Not exactly," Lu Chen shook his head.
"I got here today entirely through my own efforts.
It's probably not the kind of private promotion you're thinking of."
Homelander paused.
He was listening to the heartbeat, the breathing frequency, and checking for any physiological reactions that would indicate a lie.
Homelander's eyebrows raised slightly, revealing a look of surprise.
Is it actually true?
"Then—" Homelander took a step forward, closing the distance between him and Lu Chen to less than a meter.
"What is your superpower?
Running fast?"
He tilted his head and glanced at A-Train's former seat in the conference room.
"After all, you look like you've taken over A-Train's spot."
"More or less," Lu Chen said.
"Speed is the main thing."
Homelander narrowed his eyes.
He didn't speak again.
The air quieted down.
Ashley's back was already pressed against the wall.
She was frantically calculating in her mind: If Homelander attacked now, which way should she run?
The elevator?
The stairwell?
Or just drop to the floor and pretend she didn't see anything?
Annie January spoke first.
"Captain," she stepped forward, standing between Lu Chen and Homelander.
"This is a new member arranged by the company.
Since he passed the evaluation, there shouldn't be any problems.
Didn't you say before that the team needed fresh blood?"
Her speaking speed was a little fast, but she controlled it quite naturally.
Homelander glanced at her.
No response.
Annie January's words hung in the air, unanswered.
Lu Chen moved at this moment.
He reached out and grabbed Annie January's wrist.
Annie January was stunned, then immediately understood that Lu Chen was protecting her.
"It seems our Captain is in a bad mood today," Lu Chen said, pulling Annie January back a step.
His tone was so casual that it didn't sound like he was talking to the most dangerous Superhuman in the World.
"We'll be going first."
He turned around, his peripheral vision sweeping over Homelander's gloved hands, which were always covered, and led Annie January toward the other end of the corridor.
What a pity.
He couldn't make contact, couldn't see his panel; those gloves blocked everything tightly.
Not today.
But there would be an opportunity sooner or later.
"Stop."
Homelander's voice came from behind.
Lu Chen stopped.
Annie January stopped too, her shoulders tensing up.
"You've met him," Homelander's voice was very relaxed, as if chatting.
"What do you think of Edgar?"
Lu Chen turned his head and looked at Homelander.
"The truth?"
"Of course."
"I don't really like having an ordinary person without superpowers as our boss," Lu Chen's tone was calm.
"Don't you agree, Captain?"
Silence.
One second.
Two seconds.
Then Homelander laughed.
"Hey, you can't talk about our CEO like that, rookie."
Homelander raised his hand and pointed in Lu Chen's direction.
"However,"
He paused and changed his tone.
"Alright.
Go spend some alone time with Annie January."
He spread his hands in a gesture of "please go ahead."
"I will help you integrate into our big family as soon as possible."
Lu Chen nodded and led Annie January away.
Annie January finally breathed a sigh of relief.
She looked at Lu Chen, her eyes filled with lingering fear and a hint of reproach.
Lu Chen just smiled and pulled her into his arms.
"Don't worry, our Captain is actually a pretty good guy."
In his heart, however, he was reflecting on the conversation just now.
You think you can scare me with two enhanced Black Noirs and make me your blade?
Your plan is quite good.
However, before using me as your blade, let's add some more Fire between you and Homelander.
Ashley followed far behind, not daring to interject a single word.
The three of them had just walked to the elevator entrance.
"Ding."
The door of another elevator next to them opened.
Stormfront walked out.
She was wearing her suit, her phone was still livestreaming, and the camera was pointed at her face.
"Alright viewers, I just came up from downstairs.
Today's training session ends here."
She looked up and saw the three people in the corridor.
She put her phone away.
The livestream ended.
Her gaze swept over Ashley, paused on Annie January for half a second, and finally landed on Lu Chen's face.
"Oh?
A rookie?"
She walked over, tilting her head to look Lu Chen up and down.
"Seems like you're getting along well with our old man Captain."
Stormfront's tone was casual, her mouth curling slightly.
"If you didn't get scared to tears, that counts as passing.
But, remember to bow and greet your seniors when you meet them."
She leaned in a bit closer.
"You yellow-skinned…"
Before she could finish her sentence.
Lu Chen's right hand had already gripped her throat.
The movement was so fast there was no warning.
One hand directly locked onto Stormfront's throat, lifting her entire body off the ground.
Stormfront's feet were ten centimeters off the ground.
Her eyes widened.
Her hands instinctively grabbed Lu Chen's wrist, but Lu Chen's arm didn't move an inch.
Annie January was startled.
Her first reaction wasn't to look at Lu Chen, but to look toward the end of the corridor.
Homelander was still there.
He hadn't left; he was standing in the same spot, arms crossed over his chest, tilting his head, watching this side.
On his face was an expression of keen interest.
He had no intention of intervening.
After confirming the information,
Annie January's eyes lit up.
I haven't even dared to scold him, and you dare to curse him!
The wall lamps on both sides of the corridor began to flicker, the light dimming and brightening.
The recessed lighting on the ceiling simultaneously flickered, and the light in the entire corridor surged in waves toward Annie January.
She raised her right hand, her palm aimed at Stormfront, who was being held in mid-air by Lu Chen.
Light energy gathered at her fingertips.
Ashley had already crouched down, hands covering her head.
Lu Chen looked at Stormfront's face.
"Why did you stop talking?" Lu Chen asked.
Chapter 99: Going Through Fire and Water, Ah, Homelander
"Why did you stop talking?"
Stormfront was suspended in mid-air, her feet kicking weakly.
Her throat was gripped tightly, air unable to enter her lungs. She clawed at Lu Chen's forearm with both hands, trying to pry open those hard fingers.
They didn't budge.
This is impossible.
Who was she? She was the perfect crystallization of the first generation of Compound V, a pure-blooded Superhuman spanning a century. Those scumbags with inferior genes didn't even have the right to look her in the eye. In her heart, a non-White Superhuman like Lu Chen could only be a second-class citizen.
Now, she had actually been lifted up by a second-class citizen with one hand?
The sense of humiliation even overshadowed the pain caused by suffocation. Purple plasma arcs began to dance on the surface of her skin.
Zzzzt.
The air in the corridor filled with the pungent smell of ozone. High-voltage current surged wildly from her wrists toward Lu Chen's arm. She was going to electrocute this ignorant second-class cripple into charcoal.
Lu Chen didn't dodge.
Not only did he not let go, he tightened his grip even further.
The electric current surged into Lu Chen's body, forcibly withstood by his own Superhuman physique. A slight stinging sensation came from his skin, but with Super Healing, he didn't care at all.
More importantly, the system was running.
[Copy capability detected]
At the other end of the corridor.
Homelander finally moved.
He still had his hands behind his back, walking with unhurried steps.
This woman had recently been livestreaming to steal his spotlight, treating him like a background prop. Now, watching her being choked by a newcomer until she rolled her eyes, a sense of unspeakable pleasure welled up in Homelander's heart.
But after all, he considered himself the Captain. He'd seen enough of the show; the rules still had to be established.
"That's enough."
Homelander walked to their side.
He extended both hands. His left hand rested on Stormfront's shoulder, and his right hand grabbed Lu Chen's forearm.
The moment they made contact.
Lu Chen felt a tremendous force coming from him.
Lu Chen took the opportunity to withdraw his strength and opened his fingers.
Bang.
Stormfront fell to the floor.
Homelander turned his head and glanced at Lu Chen.
This kid is pretty sensible.
He didn't rely on a little bit of ability to fight to the death, knowing who the real boss here was. Homelander's evaluation of Lu Chen instantly went up a notch.
Stormfront on the ground clutched her throat and began to cough violently.
Once air rushed back into her lungs and she recovered, she suddenly looked up.
Purple lightning flashed wildly in her hands.
A great humiliation.
She had lived for so long and had never suffered such a grievance. Plasma lightning quickly gathered between her hands; she was going to kill them. She would blast this newcomer, and that glowing blonde bitch next to him, all into charcoal.
The electric light illuminated the entire corridor.
Annie January stood behind Lu Chen, watching Stormfront, who still wanted to attack, without backing down. The building's circuits were forcibly drained by her, and the power supply system for the entire floor sounded an alarm.
The next second.
A pair of boots stopped in front of Stormfront's line of sight.
Stormfront looked up.
Homelander was already right in front of her. The distance between them was less than ten centimeters.
The temperature in the corridor rose sharply.
Homelander's eyes lit up with blinding red light.
"I said stop."
Homelander spoke very slowly. Every word carried a suffocating sense of oppression.
"Didn't you hear me?"
Stormfront froze.
The plasma lightning in her hands was still sizzling, but that momentum had been forcibly suppressed.
She stared at Homelander.
A man with absolute power, the perfect leader in her eyes.
She needed this man. She needed his pure genes and needed him to lead the army of Superhumans in the future.
Stormfront turned her head and glared viciously at Lu Chen and Annie January.
Murderous intent permeated the air.
But in the end, she dispersed the electric current in her hands. The purple light went out.
She stood up, brushed the dust off her suit, and stood to the side without saying a word.
The wild laughter in Homelander's heart was almost impossible to contain.
This bitch, wasn't she quite active during the livestream? Why isn't she arrogant now?
But he masked this emotion extremely well. The red light faded from his eyes, and that standard superhero mask was hung back on his face.
"That's it."
Homelander clapped his hands and turned to look at everyone in the corridor.
"The Seven is a team. It's a big family. We need to be united."
He raised his hand and pointed at Lu Chen and Annie January.
"Look, we have to learn from them and stand united against outsiders."
Lu Chen was calm, even nodding in cooperation.
"Alright, disperse." Homelander waved his hand with a magnanimous air. "With the addition of new members, remember to gather for a meeting tomorrow. Don't be late."
After saying this, he turned and walked toward his lounge.
Stormfront didn't look at anyone else, snorted coldly, and turned to walk in another direction.
The corridor became quiet again.
Ashley, who was crouching in the corner, finally dared to breathe deeply. She leaned against the wall and stood up trembling, her legs so weak they could barely support her body.
She survived. She survived again today.
She didn't dare to pay any attention to Lu Chen and Annie January, stumbling as she fled toward the emergency exit.
"Let's go."
Lu Chen turned his head to look at Annie January.
Annie January finally breathed a sigh of relief. The light at her fingertips quickly dimmed, and the flickering wall lamps in the corridor returned to normal.
The two walked into the elevator side by side.
The metal doors slowly closed, completely isolating the danger outside.
There were only the two of them in the elevator car.
Annie January's tense shoulders instantly slumped. Her back pressed against the cold metal wall, and she gasped for air.
That was too intense.
What happened in that minute was crazier than all the months since she joined The Seven combined.
She almost attacked Stormfront, even prepared to be stopped by Homelander and fired.
Because of Cate Dunlap's matter earlier, she had been holding back a fire in her heart.
But just now, the moment she saw Lu Chen pull her away and ignore even Homelander, that resentment suddenly dissipated.
He was a jerk, but he was a jerk willing to sacrifice for her.
Annie January bit her lip, her body leaning involuntarily toward Lu Chen. She reached out, grabbed the hem of Lu Chen's jacket, and leaned her head on his shoulder.
She didn't speak.
She just leaned there quietly.
Lu Chen felt the weight on his shoulder and extended his left hand, gently putting his arm around Annie January's waist.
Annie January's body trembled slightly, then she leaned in even tighter.
Crisis averted.
Lu Chen's attention had completely shifted to the system panel jumping on his retina.
The light screen unfolded before Lu Chen's eyes.
[Copy capability detected]
[LV3 Super Healing]
[LV4 Super Physique]
[LV5 Plasma Lightning]
[Definition: Can release high-energy plasma lightning. Possesses electrokinetic telekinesis properties, can forcibly charge targets such as human bodies, metal, vehicles, etc. Can rely on electric current repulsion to knock targets away from a distance, and can achieve high-speed flight driven by lightning.]
Lu Chen's gaze continued to scan downward.
At the very bottom of the panel.
[LV6 Immortality]
[Definition: Telomere solidification of cell division. Completely stops the aging process, ignores the erosion of time, and permanently locks physical functions in their peak state.]
Lu Chen stared at that line of text.
He fell into a dilemma.
Chapter 100: Riding the Evening Wind to My Hometown
Ding. The elevator gave a crisp sound, and the car swayed slightly. They had arrived at the first floor.
Lu Chen pulled his gaze back from the system panel. LV5 Plasma Lightning, LV6 Immortality—very tempting.
But curing LV5 would take 24 hours, and LV6 would certainly take longer. He needed to find a safe opportunity to catch that woman and slowly drain her.
The elevator doors slid open slowly, and the noisy sounds of the lobby drifted in.
He loosened his hand from Annie's waist, sliding it down to take hold of her hand.
Annie stood up straight and smoothed out her slightly disheveled coat. Her cheeks were flushed, but her breathing had steadied, and her eyes had regained their clarity.
Just now in the hallway, she had forcibly drawn power from the entire floor, posturing to fight Stormfront to the death.
What a silly girl. Did she really think she could stop that old monster who had lived for nearly a hundred years?
But this foolishness was truly touching; just as Annie believed she was shielding him from Homelander, love was mutual.
"Let's go."
Annie nodded and followed Lu Chen out of the elevator.
"No work today." Lu Chen held her hand and walked toward the entrance. "I'm taking you out for a spin."
Annie paused, her steps slowing by half a beat: "But Ashley said there's an exclusive interview this afternoon, and a talk show tonight..."
"Let her go to hell." Lu Chen didn't look back, pulling her through the revolving door. "Just say you were shaken up and need some psychological counseling. I believe she will understand us."
Annie couldn't help but burst into laughter.
The two bought some gear at a nearby mall. A New York Yankees baseball cap and a pair of oversized black sunglasses. Annie was now the nation's sweetheart, and the name Starlight was known across the U.S. Although Lu Chen had just debuted, his face had already been plastered across all major media outlets. If they didn't cover up, they would be caught by fanatical fans just a block away.
Lunch was settled at an inconspicuous Italian restaurant.
No flashbulbs, no teleprompters, no Ashley frantically gesturing from the sidelines. Just rich tomato meat sauce pasta and ice-cold cola.
Lu Chen leaned back in his chair, watching her twirl the last bit of pasta onto her fork.
"Eat slowly, no one is going to snatch it from you."
"You don't know, the nutritionist at the company even manages how many grams of carbohydrates I eat." Annie swallowed her food, took a large gulp of cola, and let out a small burp.
After eating their fill, they came to the square in front of St. Patrick's Cathedral.
A few gray and white pigeons paced on the stone path, fighting over the breadcrumbs Annie scattered. The sunlight slanted down through the Gothic spires, gilding the entire square in gold.
Lu Chen sat on a bench, watching Annie.
The breadcrumbs in her hand were gone, but she didn't go to buy new ones. She just stood there below the steps, looking up at the exquisitely carved cross above the cathedral doors.
The surrounding area was filled with the noise of tourists, but her silhouette seemed out of place, her whole being exuding a heavy weariness.
Lu Chen knew what she was thinking.
These past few days, she had been pushed by Vought Company to go on shows, do public relations, and issue denials to cover up the scandal of injecting infants with Compound V. She could numb herself when busy, but once idle, those suppressed things would come rushing back.
She had followed her mother to church since she was a child, praying every day, firmly believing that her superpowers were a miracle bestowed by God. She felt she was a chosen one, meant to use this power to do good.
And the result? There was no God. There were only blue chemical agents in test tubes.
Her faith, the cornerstone of her life for the past twenty years, was all a lie manufactured by Vought Company.
Annie turned around, walked back to the bench, sat directly on Lu Chen's lap, and buried her face in the crook of his neck.
"What's wrong?" Lu Chen instinctively wrapped his arms around her waist.
"I want to go home."
"Back to The Seven's apartment?"
"No." Annie shook her head, wrapping her arms tightly around Lu Chen's neck. "Back to Des Moines. I want to see my mom."
Lu Chen was silent for two seconds.
Donna. Annie's mother. The woman who made a deal with Vought, injected Compound V into her daughter, and then spent twenty years fabricating a "God's miracle" lie.
Annie going back now was definitely not for a deep mother-daughter reunion. She was going to demand an answer, to face that cruel truth. She needed to excise this festering flesh completely before she could truly start over.
It was painful, but it had to be done.
"Okay." Lu Chen patted her back. "We're going to Des Moines."
Going to Des Moines, Iowa—he could take her himself or fly, and both would be fast.
But after considering it, Lu Chen took Annie to a nearby used car dealership.
"Eighty thousand dollars, cash." Lu Chen slapped a thick manila envelope onto the office desk.
The car dealer was a tattooed, overweight Latino man. He squeezed the thickness of the envelope and glanced at the black 1969 Ford Mustang parked outside.
"The young man has an eye for cars. This is a pristine, fully restored, low-mileage, original black paint Mach 1. There aren't many people who understand this car anymore, but the price is enough." The fat man sized up Lu Chen's young face with a hint of suspicion. "But do you have a driver's license?"
"That is not within the scope of your business." Lu Chen hooked the keys off the table. "The money and the goods are exchanged. Once I leave this door, I don't know you, and you don't know me."
The fat man shrugged and swept the envelope into his drawer.
Ten minutes later, the black Ford Mustang let out a low growl and drove out of the used car lot.
Annie sat in the passenger seat, watching Lu Chen skillfully shift gears and turn the steering wheel.
"Do you really not have a driver's license?" She tugged at her seatbelt.
"I didn't have the money to take the test before, and now I don't have the time." Lu Chen stepped on the gas, the car surged forward, merging into the traffic on the main road. "Don't worry, even if there's a ticket, Vought's legal department will teach them how to behave. Those Vampires in suits need to do something useful."
Annie was amused by his righteous tone. She lowered her seat, took off her shoes, and curled her feet up onto the seat.
The Mustang drove onto Interstate 78.
The skyscrapers of New York were left behind, and the view gradually widened. On both sides of the road were endless woods and wasteland, and the setting sun dyed the skyline orange-red.
The wind poured in from the half-open window, blowing Annie's blonde hair into a mess.
She reached out and turned on the car radio. A few seconds of static crackled, and then it cut to an oldies station.
A dynamic drumbeat pounded out of the old speakers.
"Oh baby, baby, how was I supposed to know..."
Britney Spears' sweet and energetic voice instantly filled the car.
Annie's eyes brightened. She turned up the volume and swayed her shoulders to the rhythm. The repressed emotions found an outlet in this millennial pop song.
"Show me how you want it to be..." Annie shouted at the top of her lungs against the wind outside the window. She didn't care about being off-key; she just desperately tried to squeeze those emotions out.
Lu Chen held the steering wheel with one hand and rested his other hand on the edge of the window. He watched the girl in the passenger seat singing and laughing, his lips curling up unconsciously.
This was the taste of a living person.
Ahead was a straight road with no end in sight. Lightning flashed faintly in the clouds in the distance. They still had a long way to go to Des Moines, but they had plenty of time.
"Lu Chen!" Annie suddenly turned her head and shouted loudly, the wind tearing her voice into fragmented pieces.
"What?"
"Faster!"
Lu Chen didn't waste words. His right hand quickly downshifted, his left foot on the clutch, and his right foot slammed the gas pedal to the floor.
The V8 engine let out a deafening roar. The black Mustang, like a Beast off its leash, plunged into the wind ahead.
Chapter 101: Starlight under the starlight
The night in Des Moines was very quiet.
A black Mustang parked in front of a white two-story cottage, the last muffled rumble of the V8 engine echoing in the street for a few seconds before dissipating. Lu Chen killed the engine; he could smell the charred scent of the tires, the heat radiating from the rubber after a long-distance run steaming up from under the car.
Over a thousand kilometers. This old guy, nearly fifty years old, didn't miss a beat.
In the passenger seat, Annie stared at that white door, motionless.
Her state on the road had been changing. In the first half, she was still laughing, howling along with the radio for most of Pennsylvania. After entering Ohio, she quieted down, curling up on the seat with her eyes closed, but her breathing was uneven; she wasn't asleep. After passing Indiana, she began to constantly adjust her sitting posture, her fingers repeatedly rubbing the seatbelt buckle.
Now, the car had stopped, and she remained still.
Lu Chen did not rush her. He chose to drive so that Annie could sort out her feelings. On the road, he watched this girl boil her emotions from anger into resolve, and from resolve into the stiffness of this moment.
What must come, must come.
He reached out and took hold of Annie's fingers.
Annie's fingers twitched, then gripped back. She used more strength than usual, almost clutching. After a few seconds, she turned her head to look at Lu Chen. The streetlights shone in from the car window, outlining the contour of half her face.
"Do you need me to go in with you?"
Annie didn't answer immediately. She unbuckled her seatbelt, leaned over, wrapped her arms around Lu Chen's neck, and pressed her face against his shoulder.
She hugged him tightly. It was as if she were giving herself one last charge.
A few seconds later, she let go and pushed the car door open.
"Wait for me here."
Lu Chen nodded.
Annie got out of the car. Her baseball cap and sunglasses had long since been removed, her blonde hair fluttering slightly in the night breeze. She walked toward that door, without hesitation, without looking back.
Lu Chen leaned back in the driver's seat, watching her finish walking down that short stone path.
The doorbell rang.
A light turned on inside the house. The door opened, and a middle-aged woman in a bathrobe appeared at the doorway. Even from this distance, Lu Chen could clearly see the change on her face from surprise to guilt; it seemed that since the overwhelming scandal, she had also realized something.
Annie walked in.
The door closed.
Lu Chen rolled down the car window. The air in Des Moines was much cleaner than in New York, the night breeze carrying the scent of lawns and soil. The surrounding houses were all dark, and the entire street was left with only the buzzing hum of the streetlights.
For the first three minutes, there was no movement inside.
Lu Chen's super hearing could easily penetrate this distance, but he didn't listen carefully.
This was Annie's battlefield.
But in the fourth minute, a heart-wrenching question clearly pierced the night sky.
"So Dad didn't cheat and run off, did he?"
Donna's voice was muffled, as if she were arguing something.
"He opposed you injecting that thing into an infant's body! He was the only one who wanted to protect me! And you told me he took the money and left with another woman?!"
The sound of a chair falling to the ground.
"Twenty years! I've hated him for twenty years!"
Donna cried. She sobbed breathlessly, interspersed with broken "I'm sorry" and "Mom did it for your own good."
For your own good. A universal fig leaf. Stabbing a tube of blue serum into her own daughter's veins, and then using a lifetime of lies to cover up the nature of this transaction.
The house went quiet again.
This silence was longer than the previous one. Donna was saying something, her voice very low, as if she were explaining something.
About twenty minutes later, the cottage door slammed open.
Annie strode out, her face without tear stains, without anger, only a kind of heartbreaking blankness.
Behind her, Donna chased out, her bare feet stepping on the stone path, her face covered in tears. She reached out, seemingly wanting to grab her daughter's hem, apologizing incoherently.
"Annie! Annie, it's my fault, please listen to Mom."
Annie didn't look back. She pulled open the car door, sat in the passenger seat, and slammed the door shut.
Lu Chen didn't waste words and started the car directly.
The accelerator roared, the tires made a harsh friction sound on the ground, and the black Mustang sped away.
In the rearview mirror, Donna stood in the middle of the road, getting smaller and smaller, until she turned into an indistinguishable dot.
Annie didn't say a word.
Lu Chen didn't speak either, just drove the car out of the residential area and onto the highway.
He didn't head in the direction of New York. The car climbed along a country road and finally stopped on a hillside with an expansive view.
Lu Chen cut the engine, got out, walked around to the passenger side, and opened the door.
Annie looked up at him.
"Get out and sit for a while."
She followed him to the grass. The night breeze was much cooler than at the foot of the mountain. Overhead were large patches of stars, and the sky without light pollution looked like someone had torn a hole in it, revealing the dense spots of light behind it.
Lu Chen lay down on the grass, hands behind his head.
Annie stood for a few seconds, then lay down as well. The two lay side by side, shoulders touching.
The silence lasted for a long time.
"I started training at six." Annie suddenly spoke, as if talking to herself. "Up at four-thirty every morning, training until seven to go to school. After school, I'd keep training. On weekends, I'd participate in pageants, all sorts of Super Youth selections, Hero Rising Star competitions... one after another."
Lu Chen didn't move, listening intently.
"She said it was for my future. Said I was chosen by God and couldn't let down this gift. When I was thirteen, a girl almost took my ranking."
Annie paused.
"I played dirty, and she was eliminated."
"..."
"Because Mom said, if I didn't get first place, Dad's departure would be meaningless. I had to make every sacrifice worth it. I pushed myself with the hatred I held for that man, forcing myself into the shape she wanted."
Her voice finally carried a hint of sobbing.
"It's all fake. Every single bit of it is fake. My dad wasn't a jerk who abandoned us, my power isn't God's gift. She just made a business deal and then spent twenty years making me believe this deal was fate."
"What did she say?" Lu Chen asked.
"Crying. Apologizing. Saying it was all for my good, saying she had no other choice at the time." Annie gave a bitter laugh. "She can't even admit she's selfish."
The wind blew up from the hillside, carrying the scent of grass soaked in dew.
"I don't know what my goal is anymore."
Annie turned over, curled up, buried her face in the grass, and the repressed sobbing could finally no longer be contained.
"I'm so tired."
Lu Chen turned his head to look at her. Starlight spilled onto her side profile, her eyelashes wet.
He propped himself up halfway and pulled Annie into his arms. She buried her face in his chest, curling into a ball. Lu Chen's palm rested on her back, patting slowly, one beat at a time.
He didn't say useless things like "Everything will pass".
Once the foundation of faith collapses, the process of rebuilding is long and painful. Any words of comfort seem pale and powerless at this moment.
He just held her, letting her release the grievances and pain she had accumulated for twenty years, bit by bit.
I don't know how long it had been, but Annie's sobbing gradually subsided.
She leaned in Lu Chen's arms, eyes closed in exhaustion.
"What do you think of Vought?" Lu Chen asked suddenly.
Annie was stunned, raised her head from his arms: "What?"
"Vought. That company. What's your opinion of it?"
Annie blinked, not understanding why he was asking this at this time.
But she still thought about it and replied: "At first, I thought they were all real heroes. Protecting the people, saving the World, like on TV when I was a kid."
She paused.
"Later I realized, it's just the biggest vanity fair in the World. My job every day is to act, to play a character that doesn't exist. After the Compound V thing was exposed... we weren't even the chosen ones. Just products on an assembly line."
"Who knows how much filth is hidden behind it." Her voice became tired, "I'm thinking of giving up."
"Then do you want to change it?"
Annie didn't react: "What?"
"Vought." Lu Chen looked down at her.
Annie subconsciously replied: "Of course I want to, but just by myself, I can't..."
The sentence broke off halfway.
She suddenly sat up, staring at Lu Chen.
"You..."
Starlight shone on her face, the blankness and exhaustion on it being replaced by something else.
"You joined The Seven, the goal is Vought?"
Lu Chen lay on the grass, hands still behind his head.
Annie's lips opened and closed, her pupils reflecting the starry sky, and Lu Chen's face, calm to the point of being arrogant.
Chapter 102: The Evolution of Humanity
"You joined The Seven, is your goal Vought Company?"
Lu Chen didn't move.
Starlight spread across the ground; he pillowed his head on his arms, watching the patch of sky above that had been torn open.
Judging by the shock on her face, the hook had been cast perfectly.
You can't reason with someone who is disheartened; that would only make her more tired.
You have to give her a goal big enough—big enough to make her forget her exhaustion.
"Not just Vought Company." Lu Chen spoke, "The Seven is just a starting point."
Annie January's mouth opened slightly, but she didn't make a sound.
Lu Chen sat up, facing her.
The night wind pressed the tips of the grass in one direction; in the distance, car headlights occasionally streaked across the highway like meteors on the horizon.
"Let me tell you something." He patted the grass beside him, "Sit and listen."
"I was also injected with Compound V."
"When I was a child. In my infancy."
Lu Chen spoke as if he were talking about someone else, "Just like you, it wasn't some gift from God. A tube of blue serum, not even a transaction—just a test subject delivered to their doorstep."
Annie January looked at him.
Lu Chen knew she was waiting for the rest.
"I was taken in by a hospital. That hospital operated under the guise of a charity, but behind it was Vought Company."
Lu Chen said, "But my case was special. I was injected, but my powers never awakened. Later, I was transferred to an orphanage. Sixteen years just passed like that."
The wind blew into his collar, feeling a bit cold.
Annie January reached out, placing her hand over the back of his.
It was very light, as if she were afraid of breaking something.
"It wasn't until my eighteenth birthday that my powers finally awakened. But on the very day they awakened," Lu Chen paused, "I ran into a Superhumans attack."
"What?"
"A Superhumans appeared out of nowhere. I still don't know if their powers were out of control or if they did it on purpose. I had just awakened, and I didn't know how to do anything."
Lu Chen twisted his neck, "Fortunately, I was lucky and didn't die."
Annie January's hand tightened slightly.
She didn't say anything comforting.
After the confrontation with her mother tonight, she probably had an instinctive resistance to such words.
She just moved closer, resting her shoulder against his.
Lu Chen let her lean on him.
He had already planned out what to say and what not to say.
He could mention Butcher and his group, and Vought Company's dark secrets, but the System, his Copy ability, and the fact that he was a transmigrator would stay buried in his stomach forever.
"Later, I went to Godolkin University." He continued, "After that, not only did I meet you, but I also came into contact with some people."
"What kind of people?"
"William Butcher."
Annie January's body stiffened for a moment.
That name had been circulating on every major news channel, with wanted posters everywhere; he was a top priority for the FBI.
"You know him?"
"I've had contact with him."
Lu Chen said vaguely, "From him, I learned about some of the things Vought Company has done. It wasn't the'some hero's misconduct' level of stuff you see on the news. It's systematic. From top to bottom, from production to sales, the entire industrial chain is rotten to the core."
Annie January didn't respond.
She already knew some of this, but hearing it from someone else still felt shocking.
"You've also seen the attitude most Superhumans have toward people."
Lu Chen turned his head to look at her, "What did Stormfront call me in the hallway today?"
Annie January pursed her lips.
She had heard that racial slur clearly.
"That was when I started thinking."
Lu Chen's gaze fell back to the starry sky above, "What if I hadn't been able to awaken my powers? Before I was eighteen, I was just an orphan working in a convenience store. If I had been walking down the street one day and some Superhumans was having a craving or just in a bad mood, a casual energy blast would have been the end of me. No family, no friends. If I died, there might not even be anyone to stand up for me. Vought Company's PR department could have suppressed the whole thing within thirty minutes."
Annie January's breathing hitched.
She didn't turn her head, but she leaned in closer, wrapping her arms around his waist from the side.
"You went through so much before…" Her voice was muffled against his shoulder, "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Nothing worth mentioning."
Lu Chen's tone remained unchanged, "It's in the past."
Annie January rubbed against his shoulder with clear dissatisfaction.
But she didn't press the issue.
She lifted her head and tilted it to look at him: "So what is it that you really want to do?"
"Let me ask you a question first."
Lu Chen said, "Vought Company has created so many Superhumans, so many unrestrained powers scattered out there. What about the government? The Military? They haven't developed many weapons against Superhumans, and their relationship with Vought Company is suspiciously cozy. Why do you think that is?"
Annie January was stunned for a moment.
A few seconds later, Annie January wrinkled her nose: "That's right… logically speaking, when faced with power they can't control, they should either find a way to eliminate it or find a way to co-opt it. Why has the government always just let it be?"
"Profit."
Lu Chen said bluntly, "The higher-ups are making money. How many scandals involving Vought Company's Superhumans happen every year? How many actually go to court? How much do the people who help cover it up get paid? How much is the 'cooperation fee' Vought Company pays the federal government every year? And the cost? Just those dead or injured ordinary people. Who cares."
Annie January's fingers tightened against his waist.
"And Vought Company is smart."
Lu Chen continued, "They never show ambition for political power. Injecting newborns with Compound V has always been done in secret, which both maintains the lie that Superhumans are chosen by God and keeps the number of visible Superhumans under control. Aside from individuals on Homelander's level, the government feels they can still hold the line. Since it doesn't pose a threat and they can make money, why wouldn't they do it?"
Annie January let go, sat up straight, and faced him directly.
"So what do you want to do?"
Lu Chen looked at her.
At this moment, he was making a final decision on how far to go and how to say it.
Taking down Vought Company was true.
Obtaining the research data was true.
But the idea of "injecting everyone"… to Annie January, it represented fairness, the elimination of class, and giving those ordinary people oppressed by Superhumans the ability to fight back; to him, it was the goal that would allow his Copy ability to function at its maximum potential.
This distinction didn't need to be clarified tonight.
"Take down Vought Company." He said, "Get hold of all the research data on Compound V. Then, inject everyone."
Annie January leaned back an inch.
"What?"
"Complete the comprehensive evolution of humanity."
Lu Chen said every word with firm conviction, "When everyone has abilities, there will be no distinction between Superhumans and ordinary people; everyone will stand on the same level."
The night wind stopped.
Annie January stared at him, her lips slightly parted.
Her mind was likely rapidly turning over every layer of meaning in that sentence: feasibility, morality, consequences, scale.
Overthrowing Vought Company, she had thought about that.
Exposing the truth, she had thought about that too.
But Lu Chen's goal was too big.
He wanted to change the entire World order.
"This…" Her voice carried a complex tremor, "This isn't just changing Vought Company. This is changing the World."
"Yeah." Lu Chen replied.
Annie January's head lowered, then lifted again.
Lowered, then lifted.
She was processing it.
"You want to do this alone?"
"That's why I'm asking you."
Lu Chen smiled, turning his body to look at her, "Are you willing to help me?"
Annie January lifted her head, looking puffed up with indignation.
"Why did you hide your past from me? The contact with William Butcher and his group, the attack—you didn't mention a single word about these things."
Her tone was filled with obvious resentment, "Do you really have to carry everything by yourself?"
Lu Chen didn't explain.
Annie January huffed and turned her head to look at the distant night view.
"Let me think about it."
Lu Chen leaned over, resting his elbows on his knees, and moved close to her cheek: "A single tree cannot prop up a falling house, My Lord."
Annie January didn't respond, but the tips of her ears were slightly red.
"After all," Lu Chen's tone was lazy, "without the righteous Starlight, how can one defeat the evil Stormfront?"
Annie January held it in for three seconds.
"Pfft."
She used the back of her hand to cover her face, but she couldn't suppress the curve of her mouth.
Halfway through laughing, she backhanded Lu Chen on the chest, not lightly.
"Stop sweet-talking me."
But her body had already leaned back in, shoulder against shoulder, fingers interlaced.
The night wind blew across the hillside again, causing the waves of grass to flatten.
Annie January turned her head; the blankness and exhaustion on her face were gone.
In their place was—
"Fine."
A single word.
"This My Lord Starlight will reluctantly help little brother Lu Chen achieve this great goal."
Her voice trailed off with a lilt, intentionally putting on an air of superiority.
Lu Chen's mouth twitched, but he didn't respond.
He looked up at the sky, free of light pollution.
The stars filled the sky, as dense as shattered diamonds.
The chessboard was laid out.
Annie January, this piece, was played with no regrets.