Hearing the mission assignment, Scott immediately sat up straight and habitually buckled the belt around his waist.
"Ready, Officer!" Scott was full of energy. "I have truly jumped out of hell now! Those days of petty crime are gone forever! I am ready at all times to fight evil and save the innocent!"
"Very good, maintain that resolve."
Homelander nodded with satisfaction.
"Your first mission," Homelander said in a low voice, issuing the command.
"Is to go to Hells Kitchen in New York. Go undercover into a massive transnational criminal organization..."
"And then..." Homelander stared at Scott's gradually freezing face.
"...help me find the whereabouts of something. If there's an opportunity, use your specialty to steal it."
Hearing the words "steal it," the corners of Scott's face, which had just been filled with righteousness, began to twitch uncontrollably.
"Scott, don't be limited by appearances."
Seeing Scott's heavily discouraged look, Homelander's tone became earnest and meaningful.
"Do you think fighting crime only means wearing a uniform and punching people on the street? That's not all of it."
"This World isn't black and white, Scott. Light exists because someone is blocking the darkness for us."
"Some evils are hidden in abysses that the law cannot reach. The Police can't handle them, and even a Superman flying in the sky can't root them out."
"To destroy the darkness, someone must be willing to give up their reputation and voluntarily dive into the darkness to walk among those demons."
"And those who dare to take off their glamorous clothes, walk alone into dark alleys, and endure misunderstanding and loneliness just to bring that sliver of light back to the human World—they are the true heroes."
"Tell me, Scott! Who says... only those standing in the light are heroes!"
Who says only those standing in the light are heroes?! These words lit up Scott's heart like a bolt of lightning.
His breathing became heavy, and the fighting spirit reignited in his eyes.
Seeing the change in Scott, Homelander struck while the iron was hot.
"You aren't going to steal something, Scott. You are going to destroy an evil empire. This is the highest form of justice!"
"Once you find the whereabouts of that item, Vought will immediately close the net and wipe out that criminal organization in one fell swoop!"
Homelander painted a beautiful blueprint: "At that time, I promise you, you will receive an S-Rank hero contract from the Vought International. All the media in the U.S. will give you overwhelming coverage, and you will be in the spotlight."
"Think about it... at that time, how proud Cassie will be when she brags to her classmates at school that her dad is the Armored Knight who destroyed the dark organization."
"And your ex-wife, Maggie. The look of deep regret in her eyes when she realizes what kind of man she gave up."
These words accurately hit all of Scott's sweet spots.
At the thought of that image, Scott's adrenaline began to surge wildly.
For Cassie's smile, to prove himself to everyone.
What did a trip into the darkness matter?
One who dives into the darkness can also be a Knight of Light!
Scott was bursting with a raging Fire, his brain completely flushed with blood as he slapped his chest hard.
"I'll do it!" Scott's voice was loud and resonant. "Officer, say the word! What organization am I going to? What am I looking for?"
Ho ho... good boy.
Homelander nodded with satisfaction, seeing that he was completely on board.
"That organization is called... The Hand. They have a core stronghold in New York's Hells Kitchen."
"And the thing you are looking for is very special. It is known internally as... Dragon Bone."
"Dragon Bone?" Scott was somewhat puzzled. "Sounds like a fossil from the Jurassic period."
"You will naturally find out what it is after you enter. "
"Once you arrive in Hells Kitchen, someone will secretly assist you in infiltrating their internal organization."
Scott nodded, firmly committing the mission details to memory.
Then, he rubbed his hands somewhat hesitantly and asked cautiously:
"Officer, uh... is this mission urgent? Can I wait until after this weekend to set off?"
He lowered his head sheepishly, "I just promised Cassie that I'd go have dinner with her this weekend and tell her stories about me being a hero. I don't want to disappoint her..."
After hearing this, Homelander laughed tolerantly: "Of course, no problem, Scott. A man who doesn't value his family can't become much of a great hero."
"And you don't need to rush to New York immediately. Before officially executing the undercover mission, you must first report to the Vought San Francisco branch."
"You need to undergo four weeks of high-intensity special training. Learn how to perfectly control your new armor and learn some necessary combat skills."
"Enjoy your family dinner, Armored Knight. Report to the San Francisco branch on Monday morning."
Scott breathed a sigh of relief, a bright smile blossoming on his face.
"Thank you, Daniel. I promise, I definitely won't let you down!"
At that moment, the car happened to arrive downstairs at the apartment building where he was staying.
Scott gripped the belt tightly, his eyes full of vision for the future as he pushed open the car door and stepped into the bright San Francisco sunshine.
"Drive, back to the hotel," Homelander instructed, watching Scott leave.
The driver stepped steadily on the accelerator, skillfully merging into the traffic.
"Sir, can he really handle the undercover mission for The Hand?" Skynet took over a T-1050 inside the car and raised a reasonable question.
"His personality contains too much unnecessary compassion. The Hand, an organization that has existed for centuries, is not easily fooled."
"That is exactly why he is the right candidate."
Homelander explained patiently.
"Scott spent three years in hard labor at San Quentin. His file is clear to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and even the local Police stations. He has a clean background, no government ties, and no roots in the underworld. He is a talent whose life was ruined by a moment of impulse."
"This kind of marginalized person struggling to survive in the mud, in desperate need of money and protection, is exactly the kind of target an organization like The Hand likes to recruit. As long as Scott shows his value, combined with some scripts we arrange for him, he can definitely break into their inner circle in a short time."
Skynet nodded: "I understand. I will arrange for T-1050s to secretly clear some obstacles for him, ensuring that everything The Hand knows is what we want them to see."
"Do it cleanly." Homelander closed his eyes and continued his calculations.
In fact, there was only one reason why he had suddenly decided to place this chess piece and was even willing to let Skynet hand over the latest research technology to Scott.
Dragon Bone.
Or rather... lifespan.