Hughie

He was calculating his next plan in his mind.

It would be best to pay Hughie Campbell a visit.

He needed to try and alter the trajectories of key characters; his intuition told him that this was where the bulk of the rewards lay.

Beyond that, Vought would certainly come knocking.

Someone like Madelyn wouldn't allow an unknown superhuman to build up a reputation right under Vought's nose; she would either recruit him or send Homelander to deal with him.

Given his current Level 1 strength, he probably wouldn't be able to win if Vought sent Homelander.

Homelander's standard speed was supersonic, while he was only subsonic.

Homelander could toss a twenty-ton passenger jet with one hand; his strength was several times greater than his own.

The gap was still too wide.

Therefore, before reaching Level 2, he had best avoid a direct confrontation with Homelander.

He needed to develop stealthily and play it safe—no reckless moves!

A new notification quietly popped up on his panel.

[Estimated in 8 hours (11:00 AM), the video will enter the mainstream media cycle, and you will receive a large amount of Ability Points.]

[Estimated within 24 hours, online channels alone can accumulate: 2,000-4,000 Ability Points.]

Lu Heng looked at these numbers, his eyes brightening slightly.

If the online channels could provide two to four thousand, plus the three thousand seven he already had...

And adding in what he would earn by patrolling the streets tomorrow during the day.

He could level up to Level 2 in a single day!

As a Viltrumite Soldier, his combat power would at least multiply several times over, though he would probably still be at the level of an infant back on Viltrum.

But at that level, even if Homelander showed up, he would at least be able to hold his own in a fifty-fifty fight.

Let's do this, brothers!

Make it quick!

Seven hours later.

New York, early morning.

The original owner's old phone was buzzing with notifications, waking Lu Heng up; the screen was flooded with news alerts.

[NBC: Mysterious superhuman "Guardian" appears in Brooklyn, solving at least nine crimes in one night!]

[CNN: No record in Vought's database—who exactly is the Guardian?]

[Fox: Does the Guardian pose a threat to national security? Experts are deeply divided.]

[New York Times: Overnight, Brooklyn's crime rate drops by 12%.]

Lu Heng glanced at his panel.

Current Ability Points: 5,903 / 10,000

They had increased by over two thousand overnight, all from the passive collection of online sentiment.

And the points were still constantly generating, as if they were breeding!

With this round of mainstream media coverage, the traffic during the day would far exceed last night's.

He stood up and looked down from the edge of the rooftop.

The streets below were already bustling, and the television in the breakfast shop on the corner was playing the video of him from last night.

Several people eating breakfast in the shop were all craning their necks to watch.

"I'm telling you, The Seven at Vought are all useless hacks; they only know how to package themselves and don't do any real work!"

"That's right, this is what a real superhero looks like!"

"Hey! Do you think this guy will get recruited by Vought?"

On the panel, the number grew by a little more.

+23

Lu Heng withdrew his gaze.

He pulled on a hoodie and blended into the morning rush-hour crowd.

Twenty minutes later.

Lu Heng stood in front of an electronics store.

The sign read "Bob's Electronics—Professional Audio and Home Theater."

Through the glass door, he saw a thin young man standing behind the counter, listlessly tinkering with an old-fashioned stereo.

Hughie Campbell.

This guy looked even thinner than he did in the TV show, and his eyes were a bit dark, as if he hadn't slept well last night.

If you can't find the book by its title, try searching for the author; perhaps the name was just changed!

A panel popped up with a notification:

[Key Character Confirmed: Hughie Campbell]

[Current Emotional State: Indifferent, Weary]

[Potential Ability Point Value: Extremely High]

Lu Heng pushed open the glass door.

Hughie looked up, offering a professional, practiced smile: "Hey, welcome in. Is there anything..."

His smile faltered for a moment; he felt as though he had seen the person before.

"...anything I can help you with?"

Lu Heng walked up to the counter and casually picked up a pair of headphones to examine them.

"I'm looking to buy a speaker. My budget isn't high—do you have any recommendations?"

"Uh... what kind are you looking for? Bluetooth or wired?"

"Which do you think is better?"

Hughie was taken aback; it felt like it had been a long time since a customer had asked for his opinion.

"Personally, I prefer wired. The sound quality is much better, and Bluetooth can have a bit of latency..."

Lu Heng listened while observing him.

On the panel, Hughie's emotional state shifted to something slightly more pleasant, likely because a customer was finally willing to listen to him.

At his core, this kid was just a pushover.

Kind, timid, and lacking confidence.

In the original series, he grew almost entirely through passive circumstances; even in the latest fifth season, he was still a bit of a bleeding heart.

But good people weren't a threat—only fools were.

"By the way," Lu Heng asked casually, "your girlfriend doesn't work with you?"

Hughie's hand paused.

"How did you know I have a girlfriend?"

"Just a guess. You have a red string and a hair tie on your wrist—they're a girl's, right? That red string is braided quite thoughtfully."

Hughie subconsciously glanced at the red string on his wrist, his expression turning a bit shy.

"That was braided by Robin. Her craftsmanship is a bit rough, but... it's better to keep the peace."

"Smart man, brother. You've already mastered the underlying logic of romance."

Hughie scratched his head. "Thanks for the compliment, but why did you suddenly ask that?"

Lu Heng smiled without answering.

He had already obtained the information he wanted: Robin was not with Hughie today.

A-Train's collision happened on the street while Hughie and Robin were walking together.

Today should be safe.

"I'll come back for the speaker another day." Lu Heng placed the headphones back on the shelf. "Oh, by the way, is there anything good to eat around here? I just moved in."

"Oh!" Hughie's eyes lit up. "The sandwich shop on the corner is great. The owner is an old Italian guy, and he's really generous with the cheese..."

The two chatted idly for a few moments.

As Lu Heng left the electronics store, Hughie called out from behind him: "Hey, hope to see you again!"

[Key Character: Hughie Campbell]

[Emotional Shift: Indifferent → Slightly Pleasant → Initial Goodwill Established]

[Ability Points Gained: +156]

Current Ability Points: 6,059 / 10,000

One hundred and fifty-six.

Just by chatting for a few minutes and putting him in a better mood, he had gained one hundred and fifty-six points.

The treatment for key NPCs was indeed different from that of ordinary ones.

If he saved Robin and completely rewrote Hughie's fate, the rewards shouldn't be small.

Lu Heng walked along the streets of Brooklyn, his phone vibrating again.

He pulled it out to check; it was another news notification.

[Breaking News: A-Train to participate in the Brooklyn community run tomorrow!]

Lu Heng stopped in his tracks.

Brooklyn.

Community run?

A-Train?

It truly took no effort at all; I was just wondering how to pinpoint the date Robin was killed, and this prompt appeared.

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