This Is Not Your Choice

After A-Train finished his nearly inaudible "sorry," Ashley let out a cheer and took the lead in applauding.

"What is responsibility?"

"This is."

"Although A-Train did not actually need to make this trip, the responsibility of being a superhero still brought him here to apologize personally to the victim's family."

"Our company will also provide the family with a humanitarian condolence payment."

"Our lawyers will deliver it later. That concludes today's matter."

"If anyone has anything else they would like to know, you can come to Seven Tower, where we—"

Just then, someone interrupted Ashley. "Please wait!"

Ashley frowned almost imperceptibly, then swiftly put on a smiling face and looked at Hughie.

"Is there anything else, sir?"

Hughie looked somewhat embarrassed. Under the media's gaze, his expression was tense, but he still stepped forward. "Did anyone hear A-Train's apology just now?"

"I certainly didn't."

"Look, he won't even take off his sunglasses. He refuses to look me in the eye."

"I don't think that was an apology. It felt more like going through the motions!"

Mr. Hughie stared at his son in surprise.

In his memory,

Hughie had always been timid and passive, much like himself.

But today, right now!

He actually dared to step up and say something like that.

That took courage!

A-Train shook his head, took off his sunglasses, and looked at Hughie. "That's enough, man," he said quietly.

At that moment,

he seemed to see something, and his expression shifted slightly.

Hughie remembered his girlfriend's hands.

Robin had been smashed to pieces in the collision.

Now, in the coffin at the cemetery, the only thing that could be buried was those hands!

It made him furious, and that rage gave him limitless courage.

"Apologize!"

"Look at me and apologize loudly!"

"Apologize to Robin, who died!"

Ashley was about to mediate when she suddenly froze, then stopped.

The media, the reporters,

all raised their cameras. The flashes went off incessantly, as though they were documenting this extraordinary moment.

At that moment, Hughie felt like a warrior.

He was fighting a sacred war!

Then,

a streak of red drifted into the corner of his eye.

Then he saw the edge of Stars and Stripes.

A hand containing boundless power lightly settled on his shoulder, and Hughie heard someone behind him speak in a deep voice.

"He's right."

"A-Train."

"Whether you're an ordinary person or a superhero,"

"if you do something wrong, you have to apologize."

"That is the most basic character."

Homelander!

Hughie turned around and saw the handsome, sunny-faced Homelander, with his blond hair and blue eyes, standing behind him.

Becoming his powerful support!

And

Homelander agreed with what he had said!

It made Hughie so emotional that his eyes reddened.

A-Train closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Only then did he look up at Hughie.

"I'm very sorry."

"Mr. Hughie."

"I'm sorry."

"For what I did, for everything."

"I apologize!"

Clap clap clap.

Azu took the initiative to applaud.

"That was very well said, A-Train."

"I'm proud to have a teammate like you."

A-Train nodded, finally feeling relieved.

At that moment,

Hughie asked, "I accept his apology, but is this really over?"

"Doesn't he have to face legal punishment?"

A-Train abruptly raised his head and glared at Hughie. "Hey, nerd, don't push your luck," he said through gritted teeth.

The media all turned their cameras toward Homelander.

Ashley hurriedly said, "As for prosecuting A-Train, our legal department is currently following up on it. Why don't our friends in the media come with us to Seven Tower? Our legal counsel will provide everyone with a satisfactory answer."

"Of course he has to face punishment."

A voice cut in.

Interrupting Ashley.

In an instant,

Ashley felt the urge to resign.

After all, with a boss like Homelander who loved making trouble, no matter how capable she was, she could not handle it all.

Yes.

That line, "face punishment," had come from Azu.

A-Train thought he had misheard. He looked up at Azu, then took two steps forward. "Homelander, you're joking, right?" he asked quietly.

Azu smiled at the cameras, gently patting A-Train on the shoulder as he replied quietly, "I'm serious."

Then he spoke loudly.

"I know many people are worried that superheroes have no restraints."

"Here, I can guarantee everyone this."

"Superheroes must also obey the law."

"They must obey the standards of conduct expected of citizens."

"They must take responsibility for their actions."

"So, yes."

"A-Train will be investigated. But as for what punishment he will receive—"

Azu looked at Hughie and shrugged. "Sorry, only a judge can decide that. I'm not a judge."

"But I will make sure he sees one."

"Won't I?"

"My friend."

That final sentence was directed at A-Train.

A-Train said quietly, "Homelander, this isn't funny."

Azu replied with a smile, "I already said it. I'm serious."

A-Train spoke quickly. "If I go to prison, what happens to my endorsements? I've got a new movie about to start filming."

"The penalties for breaching all those contracts won't be a small amount."

"The company won't let anything happen to me!"

Azu chuckled. "You may not know this."

"This morning, Edgar and I just reached an agreement."

"From now on, I have the final say over The Seven."

"So if I say you have to see a judge, then you have to see a judge."

"Understand?"

A-Train shook his head. "No, no, I'm not going to prison. I'm absolutely not going to prison!"

Azu's smile did not change. "This is not your choice."

A-Train looked up at the sunny smile on the handsome man's face, yet he could not see a trace of warmth in his eyes.

Then,

Azu turned to Hughie. "I'll personally take A-Train to the police station."

Whoosh!

A sudden gust of wind rose.

Ashley's hair was swept up by the wind and fluttered into the air.

When it fell back down, tiny drops of warm red liquid landed on her face.

She still wore her smile, but one scream after another rang out beside her.

She looked toward the media, and the smile slowly vanished from her face.

She saw blood, shattered bones, organs, and torn clothing.

They had been mixed together.

Then smeared across the road, staining the reporters' clothes red.

The tightly packed crowd of media now had a passage running through it.

The ground along that passage was covered in blood.

"A-Train disregarded the law and attempted to evade justice, even going so far as to kill people to clear his way."

Homelander's voice made Ashley turn around.

She saw the man draped in Stars and Stripes slowly rise off the ground.

He declared righteously,

"From this moment on, A-Train is no longer a member of The Seven."

"I will personally punish him!"

Having said that,

Homelander shot into the sky.

After pausing briefly in midair, he flew away at high speed.

Only then

did Ashley finally react and understand what had happened.

Thinking of the consequences this would bring,

Ashley could not help grabbing at her hair, tearing out several golden strands.