Edgar: You're a Defective Product

After the interview ended, the staff began packing up the equipment.

Homelander waited obediently outside until Lu Heng came out.

"Guardian, my good brother, thank you so much for earlier!"

Homelander's tone was utterly sincere.

He had tried to ride Guardian's popularity earlier and had nearly been left speechless by the cameraman's retort. Not only had Lu Heng bailed him out, but he had also helped him earn a good reputation in return.

In Homelander's eyes, Lu Heng had become a true friend.

Lu Heng looked unconcerned.

"Nothing. It was nothing."

Homelander lowered his voice. "Those things you said... about me giving you the opportunity—I know that wasn't the truth!"

"How wasn't it the truth?"

Lu Heng stopped walking and corrected Homelander.

"Think about it. You're Vought's public face. You have priority on any mission. If you'd wanted to go on this Middle East mission, no one could have stopped you."

"You didn't go, so didn't that mean you gave it to me?"

Homelander froze for a moment.

Was... was that how it worked?

He had not gone, so Guardian had gotten the chance to carry out the mission.

And that had led to this huge gain.

Looking at the outcome, he really had yielded this one!

"But..." Lu Heng led Homelander to an empty corner and whispered, "this interview wasn't that simple."

Homelander looked confused. "What was so complicated about it? Wasn't it just an ordinary interview?"

"No, no, no. If you think that, you're being far too naive!"

Lu Heng's expression turned solemn. "Do you know why Edgar deliberately sent me on that mission, then had me take the interview alone?"

"What's going on here can't be explained in just a sentence or two."

"But one thing is certain: he's targeting you!"

Homelander's brow twitched.

"Targeting me? Why? I've been doing my job well!"

"See? You said it yourself." Lu Heng guided him along. "Think about it. It's precisely because you've been doing too well. You, Homelander, have practically become Vought's trademark. Your brilliance has overshadowed everyone else."

"That isn't good for launching diversified products. It only makes Vought's image more one-dimensional. As for capitalists, they've only ever been the ones controlling others. How could they possibly allow themselves to be controlled so easily?"

"So Edgar is promoting me in order to suppress your momentum. Think carefully—haven't there been signs of this lately?"

Seeing how logical Lu Heng's analysis was, Homelander thought it over carefully and realized it really did seem that way!

When A-Train's drug use was exposed and damaged his reputation, what had Vought done?

They had forcibly buried A-Train's scandals.

Then there was The Deep. Madelyn had stopped him from holding a press conference and kicked those two bastards out.

As a result, that video of Starlight had leaked, and he had ended up suffering an unjust accusation instead.

Now Edgar had deliberately bypassed him when assigning missions, letting Guardian claim all the glory alone.

One incident after another—without carefully examining them, he never would have seen the intention behind them.

Homelander's heartbeat began to race.

"That isn't even the scariest part. The scariest part is that they're planning to pull a switcheroo!" Lu Heng continued stoking Homelander's anger.

"What's a switcheroo?"

As expected, Homelander asked on his own.

Lu Heng explained, "It's a crude form of transfer. Since capital can't control you but can't abandon your commercial value either, it can only use this method to transfer the exposure, traffic, and public support that originally belonged to you onto me."

"Once the public gradually gets used to a new face, they'll think Vought's poster boy doesn't necessarily have to be Homelander!"

"Guardian is pretty good too!"

Lu Heng spread his hands. "Of course, I'm only one replacement among many. Once I can no longer be controlled, they'll use the same methods to bring me down too."

Homelander stood rooted to the spot.

Once his thoughts started spiraling, they could not stop.

"No, no, no. This is wrong!"

"How can they do this!"

"I'm Homelander! I'm Vought's true poster boy! I'm the strongest superhuman on this planet!!"

[Key Character Homelander—Emotional Changes: Vigilance, Anger, Resentment]

[Ability Points Obtained: +1,834]

Now we're talking!!

"So that's why you said those things on the show." Homelander finally realized.

"Of course. We're homies. Thinking they could drive a wedge between us with such petty tricks was just naive!" Lu Heng said.

"Thank you, brother!" Homelander's eyes grew moist.

Homelander was moved!

"But this won't do!"

Lu Heng struck while the iron was hot.

Homelander seemed to understand the meaning in his eyes and hurriedly shook his head.

"Oh! Bro! No, no. You want to kill Edgar? He's Vought's..."

"Vought's boss?"

Lu Heng's face filled with disdain.

"Homelander, have you ever considered this? You possess the strongest power in the world, so why do you have to obey an ordinary man? Even if that ordinary man only uses you, toys with you, and tosses you aside the moment you become useless!"

"B-because he is..."

That was right!

Edgar was merely an ordinary man. Why had he been afraid of him deep down?

Homelander suddenly realized it.

"You finally understand. This is what I wanted to tell you. All the superhumans Vought created are clearly stronger than Edgar, so why are they all afraid of him?"

"Because throughout your upbringing, he had people deliberately condition your minds, making you fear him from the very foundation of your being, unable to oppose any of his decisions."

"Reality shouldn't be like this. We aren't Edgar's slaves. We are the humans of a new world!"

Homelander's worldview seemed to collapse.

He—the most beloved superhuman in America—had been psychologically conditioned since childhood?

Impossible!

That was absolutely impossible!

"Do you know why even Madelyn can control you? I don't want to say more for now, but you can investigate it yourself."

After Lu Heng had added enough fuel to the fire, he stood to the side and quietly watched Homelander change.

In the original story, Homelander had slowly discovered this truth. Now, Lu Heng would be responsible for speeding up the process!

A monster that made all of America tremble would begin here.

"I don't believe it. I'm going to find Madelyn and Edgar!"

Homelander smashed through the glass and vanished into the sky in an instant.

Lu Heng shook his head. Homelander's mind was far too immature. Even if he flew over and asked them, would they admit it?

"That's right. You're a defective product!"

Edgar stood by the window, utterly dismissive of Homelander.

"You were programmed from the moment you were born. From now on, you can only serve Vought until the day you die. Perhaps in the eyes of the American public, you're an all-powerful superhuman!"

"But to me, to Vought, you are nothing!"

"Now return to your post. You may enter only when I call for you!"

Edgar's expression did not change. Even when facing America's strongest superhuman, his face did not redden and his heart did not race.