Susan in the Crosshairs

Magneto considers himself a new race surpassing humanity and whose private life was incredibly chaotic before retiring to marry and have children: What you say makes so much sense, I'm speechless.

Loki shrugged. "I disagree with this stubborn Mutants. You're more suited to be with Homelander. Your brainwaves and your physical form are invisible; you wouldn't even be detected if they were eavesdropping under their bed."

"And the Mutants little girl."

The Mutants girl, Katy, glared at him. "I'm an adult, and I can do this too. When I merge with space, I'm almost non-existent."

If it weren't for concerns about the young woman's reputation, she would definitely have presented real-life examples as evidence.

"I think I understand now," Ron said, as if he had solved some world-class mystery. "You've all really fallen in love with Li Lin. You don't want to leave him."

"You just realized? It was true from the beginning." Susan raised an eyebrow. "Also, Darling's name is John Ax."

("It was real from the start," Madison mocked, mimicking Susan's tone and manner. "If she knew her darling's name was fake, tsk tsk.")

("As long as the feelings are genuine, that's fine." Wang Yuyan looked shyly at Basil.)

Even though they've been married for a long time and have been intimate more than once, she's still as shy as a young girl.

("Young Master Li, when will this mission end? You have already achieved your goal. Perhaps I am starting to miss A'zhu A'bi.")

(The current club's space-time is linked to the Boys Universe and is independent of all other universes. Therefore, Wang Yuyan and other club members can only stay within the club and accompany Basil.)

(Basil: Hey, you know what, I miss them too.)

(Although A'zhu and A'bi also joined the [Dream Kingdom], they were not guild members and were not independent in the timeline; they were affiliated with the system through the guild.)

(Lessie, Narcissa, Alice, Rosalie, Victoria, and Ainuma are in the same situation.)

(Not to mention the two Hermione, the two Luna, Pansy, who haven't joined either the club or the "Dream Kingdom.")

(These images flashed through Basil's mind one by one, his lips moving involuntarily. "Let's end it with Starlight's capture. After discovering the poisoning attempt failed, she will definitely take action herself.")

"You're finally back."

Inside the cave covered with signal-blocking paint, Starlight gazed at the black mecha with bat motifs falling from the sky, her words filled with a hint of eagerness.

"I have lived up to your expectations." The visor opened, revealing the face of the [Tyke Knight]. He removed a silver ring device from his right arm guard and handed it to Starlight, who had eagerly flown to him.

"Is this it?" Starlight injected the light and electricity that she had absorbed and transformed into into her body. Almost visibly, her body surface began to be covered with transparent rhomboid cubes, which then disappeared into nothingness after the coverage was complete.

"It can last for an hour, but if you are the user, you can replenish its energy continuously," said [Tyke Knight]. "Each small square will block your bioelectrical signals and disguise them."

"There is also a high-energy-consuming mode, which can disguise facial features and hair color."

"Even if it's damaged in battle, you can repair it as long as," he pointed to the ring-shaped device worn on his thigh, "Its main body isn't destroyed."

"Very good." Starlight stroked her skin, and even her senses could hardly detect anything unusual. "Your efforts this past month have not been in vain."

"What about this past month?" [Tyke Knight] questioned. "Although there are only 10 grams of Venom, if it's used three times, it's enough to kill [Homelander's ] lover three times."

"Firstly, the upcoming school trip will be a better opportunity to strike, and secondly, do you remember our plan?" Starlight suddenly said, "To send the video of Homelander's infidelity to Mind Control, making her lose her mind and entangle Homelander so that it would be easier for Black to poison her."

"Isn't that all in the past? Homelander's Biokinetic Field is too strong, like the sun that's hard to look directly at. Similarly, in the video recreated by the Reenactment, Homelander and Shadowcat, who are pressed against his body, are extremely blurry and can't be seen at all, like two humanoid mosaics."

"Therefore, [Mind Control] did not take it seriously."

"As for Xuanse, it has been confirmed that he was trying to deceive us into taking action and to eliminate our manpower."

"So what if the video was directly modified and censored, to the point that even the person who reenacted the scene thought the original video was like that?" Starlight said.

"Someone has long considered [Mind Control] as part of the most stringent protection plan." The [Tyke Knight]'s expression changed.

Only the Boys Designer can do this.

If the reception of information is protected in such detail, one can only imagine how well the food we eat is protected.

"After many failures, I traced back and discovered unusual details," Starlight sighed. "We should have realized this sooner. She is an insurance policy; even if Homelander awakens his memories, she can still influence his insurance policy through her abilities."

"So, I'm preparing to change my target." Starlight changed the photo on the screen for [Mind Control], and a picture of a beautiful woman with dark brown hair and wheat-colored skin appeared. "[Invisible Woman] Susan Stone."

"She also had an affair with Homelander?" Tyke Knight changed his mind. "No, I mean, they were boyfriend and girlfriend."

He knew that their targets were people who would stir up emotions in Homelander, people important to him.

Therefore, the relationship between the two is definitely not limited to physical intimacy.

"'Enough to poison Homelander's mistress three times,' and coincidentally, he has exactly three mistresses." Starlight said with a hint of jealousy and disdain, "Mind Control Kate Dunlap, Shadowcat Katy Pride, and Invisible Woman Susan Stone."

"Why the Invisible Woman?" the Tyke Knight asked. "Is she the best at her job?"

"She's the boldest," Starlight said. "As the third party, she still managed to get closer to the main character and become her best friend."

"I have to say, both [Shadowcat] and she are good choices."

"They all have close relationships with several S-class individuals."

"The death of any one of them could trigger a huge chain reaction."

Starlight's answer did not satisfy [Tyke Knight] very much. "Isn't it possible for [Shadowcat] to combine with other substances and even life forms, and even if it is poisoned, it can combine with them to maintain its life, and finally discard its poisoned body to successfully enter the healing pod and wait for [Grim Reaper] to treat it?"

"It has nothing to do with that," Starlight said. "What's important is her relationship with Mind Control. This is the third time that woman Dunlap has encountered someone who can't be read by mind."

"The expression on someone's face when the third spring they found in the barren desert dried up must have been... it must have been quite something."

[Tyke Knight] quickly lowered his head, because what he saw on Starlight's face was clearly nostalgia.

Were they once friends?

"That woman is absolutely insane," Susan grumbled as she walked into Katy dorm. "I don't know how Darling could like her."

Katy tiptoed and patted Susan's shoulder reassuringly.

In her and Susan's dorm room, she heard Susan complain many times.

Professor Dunlap's attitude towards her was inconsistent.

As unpredictable as the weather in London, England.

Susan didn't even know if she was now considered to be getting closer to Professor Dunlap.

"Actually, there's a reason." Li Lin threw back the covers and got up from Katy's bed.

"When did you arrive?" Susan blushed, partly because she had been seen in a shameful way, and partly because of Li Lin's exposed tendon-bound body.

Even though she had seen it many times, touched it many times, and slept on it many times, she still couldn't help but blush and feel her heart race every time she saw it.

"What's the reason?" Unlike Susan, Katy was still sore from the previous experience, grasped the crux of the matter.

Upon hearing Katy's question, Susan also came to her senses. Li Lin said, "Kate has always felt that her ability is a curse. Everyone's thoughts, good or bad, are laid bare before her eyes."

Even the most upright and optimistic person is bound to have dark thoughts at times.

"And because she received everything equally, she ended up having no friends."

"Until she met [Starlight]."

"Back then, Starlight was called Annie January. She was a little girl from a small town in Iowa who harbored the simple dream of protecting the world."

"Annie January's Starlight ability was still very weak at the time, and she could only Absorbing Man light and electricity, but her ability was already beginning to take shape."

"This makes it almost impossible for Kate to read all of Annie January's thoughts, but that's just right, allowing Kate to see Annie January's golden heart without being distracted by distractions."

"They quickly became friends and talked about everything."

"Until... I came along."

"What does this have to do with Darling?" Susan asked, puzzled. "Didn't she get her brain messed up by the sudden appearance of memories and become a villain?"

"This happened a long time ago," Li Lin said. "I was the second person Kate discovered who couldn't read minds."

"And it's a man, a man who makes them all feel good about each other."

"Annie January was already somewhat insecure because of her own weak abilities, and having Kate, an A-level ability user (at the time), as her friend."

"She believes that Kate became her friend because of her special abilities."

"My appearance made her afraid of losing her friend, but at the same time made her despise herself and fall in love with her friend's boyfriend."

"But the reason the two of them separated was because Kate discovered that Annie January had tried to seduce me, but failed."

"So she no longer trusts her female friends." Susan, somewhat annoyed. "Thinking they all came because of you, Darling? That's ridiculous. Well, we really do have something going on, and more than one thing."

"Most importantly, you reminded her of Annie January," Li Lin said, "Her former best and only friend."

Katy gloated, "If Professor Dunlap finds out about your relationship with the big guy, she'll definitely kill you."

"How about..." Susan's heart skipped a beat, "Darling, let's stop at just having an affair and stop wasting time on dates."

Li Lin was speechless for a moment.

The correct translation is that we only maintain a physical relationship, and then separate after things are harmonious.

"Are you planning to skip the school trip to Hawaii this time to avoid suspicion?" Katy was overjoyed. "Then all of that big guy's spare time will be mine."

"When did I say I wouldn't go?" Susan had just been listless, was now fully energized.

——

Three days later.

Before leaving.

Inside Ralph and Ron's dormitory.

Magneto is organizing a meeting.

"This study trip is something we should all pay attention to, especially you, Susan."

"Huh?" Susan, who was wondering where to make fried rice since she wasn't on a date, pointed to herself. "Me?"

Magneto nodded. "Yes, it's you."

"In Hawaii, there will never be such comprehensive defenses as those within the academy."

"As the injector of [Compound V], Kate Dunlap is indeed immune to most conventional weapons, but that is far from enough."

"You need to stay by her side at all times and be ready to deploy your shield at any moment."

"Long-range sniping and poisoning can both pose a threat to her."

"You have good reason to believe that you've been getting closer to her lately. I've noticed that you're getting more intimate with her."

"Not bad, it seems you haven't put all your attention on men."

At this point, Magneto's brow relaxed, which was arguably the only good news he had received recently.

But Susan didn't think so.

It was precisely because she and Kate became good friends, truly good friends, that her guilt intensified.

——

Hawaii, Peo Valley Beach on the Big Island.

It is hidden by a 2,000-foot cliff, and it takes a strenuous three-mile hike for a normal person to reach it.

The spectacular Karuain Falls and the even larger Welly Falls, with their fine, dark sand and calm, clear turquoise water, are enough to make up for all the fatigue of getting here.

But for Superman, this distance is just a stone's throw away.

On the beach, Susan, taking a rare moment of leisure, hugged a coconut and enjoyed the cool shade under a parasol.

I closed my eyes, trying my best to block out the sounds coming from my ears.

"John, do you remember the school trip in the third year of junior high?"

"I remember carrying you across the entire Pacific Ocean. From high above, the Hawaiian Islands looked like sapphires adorning the Pacific."

"All I remember is the sea breeze, phew, it was so cold."

"."

Finally, the sound gradually faded, as if it came from a dream, or like an echo in an empty valley, spreading out along the mountain ridge and disappearing.

Susan drifted off to sleep.

Among the third-grade students, a young man with vertical pupils inadvertently swept across the sky. Amidst the surrounding voices saying, "Look, that's Homelander," he lowered his gaze and disappeared into the crowd, walking towards the direction of the Peo Valley beach outside the Big Island.

"There is no Susan." Magneto was on another coast, noticed the two figures flying across the sky almost ten minutes later than the young man with vertical pupils.

However, he did not use Superman's sight and hearing.

It's not even through a magnetic field.

Because the two were not flying very fast, their movements were visible even to the naked eye.

But in his search for Susan, he adopted a magnetic field perspective.

"There." He turned his head to look in Susan's direction. "Is she asleep?"

The silver metallic skin instantly enveloped the man, and with a flash of electricity, he vanished from the spot.

He, who could fly, chose to proceed from the other side of the cliff.