What Makes You Think I'm Homelander?

"Only three days had passed?"

The time flow between the two universes differed quite drastically.

"I stayed in that universe for over half a year, but only three days passed here."

Ron thought about it. He had spent more than half a year over there, yet only three days had passed here. That would not do.

Wouldn't that mean spending ten days or half a month here would mean several years passed over there? It would be easy to miss certain things.

"I need to use the system's ability to adjust the time difference."

Although the system did not possess the ability to control a universe's time, it could record spacetime coordinates and make those coordinates flow through time at his chosen speed.

This would achieve the effect of controlling the time difference.

It would consume some additional Ability Points, though not much.

Ability Points: 32,000

Compared to the Ability Points he possessed, it would only cost a negligible amount.

After adjusting the time flow to a suitable rate, Ron began considering matters concerning The Boys Universe.

"Compound V is a good thing.

"Not even the consistently chaotic and rule-breaking DC and Marvel Universe have anything capable of turning ordinary people into superhumans in large numbers."

He murmured softly, glancing outside.

Although he appeared to have disappeared, it did not seem to have affected his younger brother Ryan.

He wondered whether his mother, Becca, had told a "gentle" lie—perhaps that his older brother had gone away for travel or work.

Or perhaps Ryan simply did not care about his disappearance at all.

After all, their relationship was not particularly close.

This family had never given him the slightest warmth. Becca looked at him as though he were a freak and secretly taught Ryan not to imitate him. He had no interest in spending all day playing with a child, either.

"There's nothing worth missing."

Looking toward the sky, Ron appeared high above the azure heavens with a faint boom, coldly looking down at the prison-like neighborhood below.

In the distance, tall gray walls formed a circle, enclosing an area several miles wide.

This was the place that had trapped him for eight years. It could no longer contain him now.

If he wanted to, he could easily destroy this place.

But there was no need.

"Since Becca likes living in this safe greenhouse with her precious younger son, they can have it."

He gave a cold, mocking smile.

Ryan, as Homelander's son, had inherited the Homelander Physique, yet he had practically been raised into uselessness. When Homelander was the same age, his powers had long since manifested, and he could easily fly at several times the speed of sound.

Yet Ryan was still in the yard playing with sandcastles and toy cars, more innocent than children his own age, without displaying even the slightest extraordinary ability.

But Becca believed that was better for Ryan.

"Vought International."

With another flash, Ron murmured as he teleported several miles away. Scarlet energy flames immediately enveloped his body, and he broke the sound barrier in an instant.

Boom!

A cone-shaped sonic boom cloud exploded behind him, the sound spreading like thunder. He continued accelerating, streaking through the sky like a scarlet meteor at speeds far beyond sound toward the distant horizon.

"How is it? Have you found him?"

On the upper floors of Vought International headquarters, Vice President Madelyn had just finished The Seven's replacement announcement conference. She hurried back to her office with brisk, decisive steps, loosening her tightly fastened cuffs as she pressed the phone button and impatiently demanded an answer.

"No, ma'am.

"We searched everywhere. One thing is certain: he should no longer be in that place."

After a moment of silence, a helpless voice cautiously answered from the other end. They had searched that place from top to bottom and found nothing.

The Seven was Vought International's signature superhero team. One of its members, Lamplighter, had retired not long ago. The company had held open auditions for a superhuman replacement and, after discussion, finalized the candidate and held a press conference tonight.

Introducing the new hero joining The Seven should have been the company's top priority at the moment. Yet Madelyn, who had attended the press conference as vice president, could not help but leave after saying only a few hurried words.

Because there was something a hundred times more important.

"Keep looking. Search outside. I'll send people to help you, but you must bring him back.

"If anyone else finds out about him, you and your team can wait to be fired!"

Madelyn shouted into the phone. At this moment, besides irritation, she felt fear.

That mother and her two sons had always been the hidden trump card that she and the company used to prevent Homelander from losing control. Although she had accurately exploited Homelander's twisted, mother-obsessed psychology born from his lack of love and kept him under her control—

It was not all that reliable. Like a lion tamer who appeared able to make a brutal lion obediently follow commands, roll over, and jump through hoops, the tamer's worry and fear of the lion never truly ceased.

"I walk along the edge of danger every day. One card isn't enough. I need another!"

She thought impatiently. That way, if the lion went out of control, she would have something to restrain it and protect herself.

"Ma'am, is there anything I can do for you?"

A man's faintly magnetic, teasing voice suddenly came from behind her.

Still holding the phone, Madelyn turned and saw someone sitting on the waiting sofa in her office. Covering the receiver, she instinctively snapped at him.

"Who are you? Who let you in?"

Leaning casually against the sofa, Ron looked at her with amusement. He gave a cold smile but said nothing.

"Wait."

She hurriedly glanced at the photo in the files displayed on the nearby computer. The handsome young man in the picture, with deep black eyes, was exactly the same.

"Stop looking. He's here with me."

Madelyn stared at Ron with an ugly expression as she replied to the person on the phone. She immediately regained her composure and decisively hung up.

"Looks like you don't value us very highly, either."

Madelyn had failed to recognize him at first glance. Ron tilted his head back and spoke indifferently.

Did she think he, Becca, and the others were merely important tools?

That as long as they could be found in the "secret warehouse" when needed, nothing else mattered?

"You really are just like they said.

"You don't resemble an eight-year-old child at all."

Madelyn walked over, utterly unafraid of Ron's sudden appearance in the room. She remained composed, carrying herself with the bearing of a formidable businesswoman.

After all, she was the woman who could keep the world's strongest superhero, Homelander, firmly in her grasp.

"When your mother has treated you like a freak since childhood, you mature twice as fast."

"Is that so?"

Madelyn approached and perched against the side of his sofa. Smiling gently, her eyes softened, revealing a hint of maternal warmth.

"So you couldn't stand that place anymore and ran away from home?"

"I'm curious. Can you tell me how you did it?"

Naturally closing the distance like a kind older woman, she gently reached for his chest.

"Do you think I'm Homelander?"

Ron pushed away her hand, frowning as a piercing scarlet glow surfaced in his eyes.

Did she really think that tactic would work? Did she think he was Homelander, starved for affection?

That "giant infant Superman" who could be tamed with a motherly hug full of affection and a little sip of breast milk?