The Bells of Doom Have Sounded

"So, what are we going to talk about?"

Billy Butcher sat on his seat, fidgeting restlessly. He had never felt like this in his entire life; the small stool beneath him felt so uncomfortable today. The only reason he wore an expression as if he had hemorrhoids and was constipated was one...

It was the white-robed stranger in front of him, who not only punched a hole through their secret meeting spot but also smiled and said, "Oh, my dear little shits, why don't we have a nice chat about how to kill Homelander, that big shit?"

The man in white went straight to the point with a smile.

"Take down Homelander?!... With a nuke?!"

Billy Butcher thought seriously for a moment and replied.

"No, no, no, you don't seem to understand what I mean. My question isn't how to kill Homelander. If it's about killing Homelander, you don't need to lift a finger; I can eliminate him anytime. What I'm asking is how we can make the Homelander in the hearts of the free people die. Simply put, I need your help to bring Homelander down from his pedestal."

The man in the white, form-fitting suit explained his meaning.

"Simply put, you want us to help you destroy the sanctimonious image Homelander has built in people's minds, right?"

Billy Butcher's interest was piqued. This was exactly what he wanted to do. He wanted everyone in the world to see Homelander's true face, then drag him to court, and make that scumbag pay for his wife and child with his life.

"Yes! And no."

The man in white nodded slightly, then shook his head.

"It's not just about destroying him; it's best to make him a rat everyone wants to beat to death! Drive him insane! Make him go on a killing spree! And then..."

The man in white laid out his plan.

"And then turn the driven-mad Homelander into a tyrant, a demon king, a monster, so everyone fears him, hates him. At that point, you step in and kill him! Gain fame and fortune?!"

Billy Butcher continued the man in white's words, gritting his teeth, his voice almost a growl from the depths of his throat, he roared angrily.

"That's the idea..."

The man in white nodded; that was precisely his intention.

"I understand..."

"So what do you want me to do?! Or rather, when do you want me to act?"

Billy Butcher nodded and continued to ask.

"First, you need to gather enough evidence to make Homelander gg..."

The man in white presented the first point.

"No problem, leave the evidence to me."

Billy Butcher indicated there was no issue.

"Second, why don't you introduce me to the Deputy Director of the CIA?"

The man in white looked at Billy Butcher and asked.

"The Deputy Director? Oh, of course, I'll take you tomorrow."

Billy Butcher was taken aback. He was a bit curious why the man in white knew he knew the Deputy Director of the CIA. However, considering the man's origins from Vought, Billy Butcher could understand; it wasn't something difficult to investigate.

"Very good..."

"In that case, that's all for now."

"Oh, right. I'm taking this guy with me."

The man in white walked over to the cage and, with a look of disgust, dragged out the limp, mud-like Deep.

"Okay."

Billy Butcher nodded slightly upon hearing this.

"Goodbye."

The man in white finished speaking, turned into an afterimage, and flew out of the large hole in the roof, disappearing into the night sky.

"So, are we really going to cooperate with him?"

After the man in white flew away, Hughie looked at Billy Butcher and asked. [6][9][s][h][u][x][.][c][o][m]

"Of course."

Hughie heard this, and Billy Butcher nodded gently, expressing affirmation.

"Aren't you afraid he's a liar?"

Hughie looked at Billy Butcher, asking with some suspicion.

"What do you think we have that would be worth him deceiving us for?"

"The gap between us is too vast. If he really intended to attack us, he could have just flown down, thrown a couple of punches, and we'd be an unresisting, forgotten mess."

As Billy Butcher spoke, he lit a cigarette. The aroma of the tobacco stimulated every nerve in his body. He felt that today was the closest he had ever been to achieving his revenge.

"Everything will be alright."

Billy Butcher reassured himself.

The next day...

When a white woman, appearing to be in her late forties or early fifties, walked into the office in high heels, carrying a handbag, her brisk steps faltering as she saw the people inside, her face immediately fell.

"Hey! What the hell are you doing in my office?"

The woman asked the man in the room furiously.

"I came in through the front door, no one stopped me."

The man was Billy Butcher, a familiar face around the office.

"Listen, get out of my office right now."

The woman said to Billy Butcher with utmost seriousness.

"Don't be so heartless, Susan!"

"Our acquaintance should allow me to chat with you for a few minutes, right?!"

Billy Butcher said helplessly, listening to Susan.

"My impression of you is only of those days when I was young and foolish, messing around with you in a bar bathroom. You're a bastard who only thinks of using me."

Susan said angrily.

"Don't be so cold, maybe I'm here to help you."

Billy Butcher frowned slightly, his eyes filled with pain and sorrow, as well as endless anger like a volcano about to erupt.

"Help me? Tell me how you, a beggar who lost his job, plan to help me?"

Susan chuckled lightly upon hearing Billy Butcher's words. She wanted to see how this man, covered in scars from fighting for his wife, would help her.

"To help you solve the hidden danger of the Vought Family trying to interfere with the military, to help you completely eliminate Homelander, that lawless and enormous threat."

Billy Butcher faced Susan, his eyes filled with deep emotion.

"Fuck out!"

Susan looked at Billy Butcher's affectionate gaze and said calmly.

"If you're going to daydream, then do it at home by yourself, don't drag me into it! You asshole!"

Susan looked at Billy Butcher's eyes with disgust.

"I'm hurt, Susan, I'm really hurt."

"I'm not joking with you at all, I'm really confident I can take down Homelander."

Billy Butcher's eyes were complex, and he put on a show of being very pained.

"Spit it out, don't waste my time."

Susan sat domineeringly in her leather chair, crossed her legs, and said coldly.

"What do you think is the best way to deal with a Superman?"

Billy Butcher asked Susan theatrically.

"A nuclear bomb."

"Hey! Asshole! Listen carefully, don't think I'll sacrifice an entire city to deal with Homelander."

Susan answered without thinking, while warning Billy Butcher.

"No, the best way to deal with a Superman like Homelander is to find a Superman who is stronger than him. 69ᏕᏂᏬጀ.ፈᎧᎷ"

Billy Butcher shook his head, raised an eyebrow, and explained the answer.

"What?!"

Susan was stunned by his words, finding herself unable to quite understand what Billy Butcher meant.

"Please allow me the honor of introducing someone to you."

Billy Butcher said, turning to look outside the office.

"He possesses speed faster than A-Train, skin tougher than Translucent, and strength greater than Homelander. The famous Free Man... Mr. Jupiter!"

Billy Butcher said softly with a smile on his face, addressing the outside of the door.

Then...

The entire office fell silent.

"?"

Susan looked at Billy Butcher in silence, her eyes seeming to ask, "Bastard, if you dare to mess with me again, don't expect to get out of Blackgate Prison for the rest of your life."

"Fuck!"

Billy Butcher cursed under his breath and walked out of the office.

As Billy Butcher stepped outside, he finally understood why Jupiter wasn't coming in...

Jupiter was lining up to sign autographs for the CIA staff.

"Fuck!"

Billy Butcher cursed at the scene before him, then ran up to the staff.

"Listen up, you idiots who ran out here for autographs during work hours. Get back in line and wait your turn. If you want an autograph, learn some patience and don't get in our way."

Billy Butcher yelled at the staff.

"Hey! Who the hell do you think you are, talking to us like that!"

A staff member, unwilling to back down, shouted angrily.

"Shhh..."

"That's Billy Butcher, the Deputy Director's little lover."

A CIA agent recognized Billy Butcher and quickly grabbed the staff member, explaining.

"F*ck?! So now you can be a kept man just by looking like that?"

The staff member muttered under his breath upon hearing this.

"I heard that..."

Billy Butcher noted the name tags of the staff members discussing him, vowing revenge.

"Mr. Free Man, please come with me. I'll help you meet Deputy Director Susan."

Billy Butcher said softly to Jupiter.

"Alright, sorry folks, please excuse me while I finish my work."

Jupiter said softly to everyone.

"Of course, sir, your work is the most important."

After Jupiter finished speaking, the staff and agents said in unison.

"Thank you."

Jupiter smiled slightly and followed Billy Butcher into the office.

"Wow, this beautiful lady must be Ms. Susan. She's indeed as lovely as Billy said."

Jupiter entered the office, looked at Susan, and complimented her with a smile.

"See that, Susan?"

"I've been praising you behind your back."

Billy Butcher seized the opportunity, building on Jupiter's words.

"Heh, that's the first sensible thing you've said in years, coming from your dog's mouth."

Susan chuckled. Although she spoke dismissively, the slight smile on her lips showed she was quite happy.

"Hello, Mr. Free Man, I'm Susan, Deputy Director of the CIA."

Susan introduced herself concisely and extended her hand to Jupiter.

"As you can see, I am Jupiter Grayson, also known as Free Man. You can call me Jupiter or Free Man, either is fine."

Jupiter gently shook Susan's outstretched hand and said with a smile.

"Alright, Mr. Grayson, please tell me in detail what you intend to do."

Susan got straight to the point.

"You will sue Vought and Homelander in court for their crimes, letting the whole world know that Homelander is not a god, nor a hero, but merely a scoundrel and a criminal. I'll handle the rest."

Jupiter liked Susan's directness, her no-nonsense approach, and her efficiency. He explained what he needed her to do.

"Sue Homelander..."

"Heh, do you want to see a massacre?"

Susan chuckled softly. She understood Jupiter's intention. Once they exposed Homelander's atrocities, he would quickly become the target of public outrage. She knew, without a doubt, that Vought would shift all blame to Homelander to protect themselves. Homelander would be completely ruined. At that point, to salvage their public image, Vought would undoubtedly promote a new figurehead. Who that figurehead would be was obvious.

"I will deal with him."

Jupiter said confidently.

"A verbal promise?"

Susan was skeptical. She didn't believe Jupiter could kill Homelander, who was the most powerful person in the world. How could such a powerful being be taken down by a newcomer?

"The Invisible Man is dead."

Jupiter pondered for a moment, then said softly.

"The Invisible Man is dead?!"

Susan and Billy Butcher exclaimed simultaneously. They exchanged a look, their eyes filled with shock. They couldn't fathom that the seemingly invincible Invisible Man was actually dead.

"Yes, I swung my palm and smashed his giant melon into pieces, just like this..."

Jupiter said, raising his hand. With a gust of air, it stopped inches from Susan's face.

The forceful palm wind made Susan's cheek ache.

"WTF..."

Susan watched the palm-sized heart in front of her throb, "thump-thump." She swore she had never been so close to death in her life.

"Heh, you thought my slogan was just a catchphrase?"

"Listen, you just need to do what I need you to do. I'll handle the rest."

"This isn't a request, it's an order..."

Jupiter turned his back on Susan after speaking.

Before leaving, Jupiter grabbed Billy Butcher and pulled him to his side. "Go investigate all these hospitals. You can find anything you want in there. Oh, and you can also check on A-Train's little lover, The Female. If you go early enough, you might find some leftover Compound V."

After speaking, Jupiter left without paying any mind to Billy Butcher or Susan.

"WTF, that scared the shit out of me."

Susan patted her heaving chest after Jupiter left.

"So, what do we do?"

Billy Butcher asked Susan.

"Since they want to play dirty, let them! Damn supes!"

Susan was truly terrified. She decided to take a gamble according to Jupiter's plan. Whether it succeeded or not, at least one of Jupiter or Homelander would die, right? It couldn't possibly be worse than a situation where both Homelander and Jupiter were alive.

"Okay!"

Billy Butcher smiled when he heard Susan's words. He had been waiting for this. Unlike Susan, he wanted Homelander dead at all costs. He just wanted revenge for his wife; nothing else mattered.

The next few days were very peaceful.

For example, A-Train successfully defeated Shockwave with Compound V, once again becoming the fastest man in the world.

Starlight completed her first mission under Jupiter's guidance.

A-Train's little girlfriend, The Female, got happy after taking Compound V, crushed her landlord's watermelon, and ended up covered in ketchup. She was caught red-handed by Billy Butcher's team.

Oh, and also...

"Thank you, Free Man, thank you for your help! Thank you for saving me from those bastards."

The Deep wiped tears from the corners of his eyes, thanking Jupiter.

"No need to thank me. Your willpower defeated the enemy. You are a true hero, and I am proud of you!"

Jupiter spoke pleasantries.

"By the way, brother, I'm going to Fukushima. I will definitely defeat those bastards who slaughter dolphins. I will save the dolphins!"

The Deep gently touched his heart, vowing that he would succeed in saving the dolphins.

"I believe you, you can do it!"

Jupiter patted The Deep on the shoulder. Since The Deep wanted to go to Fukushima, a place more disgusting than a sewer and filled with nuclear waste, what else could Jupiter do but offer encouragement? He just didn't know if The Deep would mutate like the marine life there; that would be too terrifying.

"Goodbye, brother!"

The Deep sat on the cruise ship, tears and snot streaming down his face, waving goodbye to Jupiter. He cried like a seasoned salted fish.

"Farewell, The Deep."

Jupiter turned his back. While The Deep was busy saving dolphins, he would discover that by the time he finished, everything in the Vought Family would have changed. Homelander would be gone, the leadership would have a new name, and as for The Deep, fuck, if Jupiter said he'd let The Deep rot in the sewers, he'd definitely let him rot there.

The Deep would never return from Fukushima in his life...

Meanwhile, after bidding farewell to his "good friend" The Deep, Jupiter stayed at Vought, waiting patiently...

Until Starlight received a call...

"Seven minutes ago, a plane flying from Paris to Chicago was hijacked. Now is your chance to show your strength. If we can save this plane this time, let's see who will stop us from interfering with the military..."

Starlight pulled Homelander, Queen Maeve, and Jupiter, speaking to them sternly.

"This doesn't require so many people. Leave it to Maeve and me! Trust me, we'll give you a satisfactory answer!"

Homelander waved his hand at Starlight, indicating that he and Queen Maeve would handle it.

"I trust you."

Starlight smiled slightly at Homelander. Ever since the Baltimore mayor incident, Starlight had placed immense trust in Homelander.

"Very good..."

Homelander smiled slightly, a sinister glint flashing in his eyes. He nodded at Jupiter and, pulling Queen Maeve along, walked out of Vought Tower.

"Don't be angry. He's always been like this, doing whatever he wants."

Starlight said softly to Jupiter.

"Of course, he's like an ignorant child..."

Jupiter smiled faintly as he watched Homelander's retreating back. For someone who was about to die, all he could do was smile at their back while giving them the international friendly gesture.

"Act..."

The moment Homelander left with Queen Maeve, countless people received a message on their phones. The message was short, only two words: "Act." In the next second, the entire world seemed to descend into chaos. Negative news about Homelander swept across the internet like a tidal wave. The mayor of Baltimore even held a press conference, accusing Homelander of his assassination attempt...

In an instant, doubts about Homelander and the entire Vought Family erupted online...

Listen! The bell tolling the end of Homelander's reign has sounded.

A show is about to begin! The righteous superhero Jupiter utterly demolishes the thug Homelander~