Let Homelander Weigh His Strength

Lu Heng landed on the rooftop of an abandoned apartment building and pulled out his phone.

#Guardian vs A-Train# was the number one trending topic across the nation, overshadowing both the presidential debate and the Super Bowl pre-game hype.

Combining videos from every angle, the total views across all platforms had already surpassed one hundred million.

One hour, one hundred million views!

The top-rated comment in the section read:

@New York Observer: I've watched this fifty times. A-Train was at full sprint, and he swatted him away with a single slap—a single slap! Do you guys understand what this means? Homelander is only a gear faster than A-Train. If Guardian's strength can single-handedly stop A-Train's sprint, then the gap between him and Homelander might not be as wide as we imagined.

There were twenty thousand replies under that comment, and it had turned into a chaotic mess.

It was all power-scaling debates, with some people even bringing in comic book characters.

The result was a flame war that ignited the entire comment section.

No matter which world it is, as soon as you bring up power-scaling discussions, the comment section is basically doomed.

Lu Heng swiped twice and closed the app.

He didn't know if this @New York Observer was just guessing, but one thing was certain: the gap between him and Homelander really wasn't that large.

If he truly had to compare them...

It was a toss-up.

He might even have the upper hand in close-quarters combat.

The Viltrumites were a natural warrior race; they automatically accumulated past combat experiences into their genes.

Homelander had only received psychological training since he was a child—training that actually acted as a debuff—so when it came to close-quarters combat, he had no technique to speak of, relying purely on brute force to perform miracles.

However, now was not the time to get cocky.

Vought's reaction was faster than he had anticipated.

As expected.

His phone vibrated.

A text message from an unknown number.

[Mr. Guardian, I am Madelyn Stillwell, Vice President of Vought International. I would like to meet with you to discuss what happened today, as well as your future.]

[Tomorrow at two in the afternoon, the seventy-second floor of Vought Tower. If you are willing.]

Vought lived up to its reputation; they had actually tracked down his phone number.

Should he go?

Lu Heng barely hesitated.

Of course he was going!

He needed Vought's platform.

It was for the money, for the fame, and for the key NPCs inside that building.

There were no fewer than ten key characters in that building alone.

If he wanted to farm ability points efficiently, he had to get close to these people and participate in their destinies.

The next day, two in the afternoon.

Vought International Tower.

Lu Heng walked through the front entrance wearing his Viltrumite soldier uniform.

Dozens of people in the lobby turned to look at him simultaneously.

A security guard's hand hovered over his radio, but after one glare from Lu Heng, he didn't dare move a muscle.

The receptionist at the front desk squeezed out a professional smile.

"Mr. Guardian? Please this way. Ms. Stillwell is waiting for you on the seventy-second floor."

In the elevator, Lu Heng looked up at the floor numbers ticking by.

Vought Tower.

The headquarters of The Seven.

It was also the most central location in the entire series of The Boys.

The doors opened.

Madelyn stood at the elevator entrance, dressed in a well-tailored gray suit, her hair perfectly in place, her makeup flawless, and a smile hanging at just the right angle on her lips.

A standard Vought executive, and also the object of Homelander's secret affection.

"Mr. Guardian." She extended a hand. "Thank you for gracing us with your presence!"

Lu Heng shook her hand.

She led him through the corridor and into a massive conference room.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows lay the entire skyline of Manhattan.

Coffee, fruit, and a dessert that looked expensive were laid out on the table.

Madelyn sat down opposite him, her hands folded on the table.

"I'll be blunt." Her smile faded slightly, becoming more formal. "We have conducted a detailed internal investigation into what happened yesterday."

"After finishing his community run, A-Train was subjected to remote mind control by a super-powered criminal, which caused him to go on a rampage while in a state of delirium."

"It was fortunate that you intervened in time to prevent a tragedy."

Lu Heng almost laughed after hearing this.

Mind control.

As expected of Vought's PR department.

They had packaged A-Train's drug-fueled rampage as the actions of a "victim controlled by a villain." In doing so, A-Train's image was instantly reversed into that of an injured hero.

The party responsible for this should by no means be Vought, but rather that super-powered criminal.

As for whether such a person existed, Vought's prisons and underground laboratories held plenty of test subjects.

Furthermore, this narrative conveniently gave Lu Heng a perfect positioning.

"Because of this incident, we have realized a grave problem," Madelyn continued, her tone becoming heavy.

"Super-powered crime is becoming increasingly rampant. Not only are ordinary citizens suffering, but even members of The Seven could become targets. We need a... more professional response plan."

She looked at Lu Heng, not feeling the slightest bit of shame for her lies.

The skin of a capitalist was indeed thick enough.

"You are that solution."

Lu Heng raised an eyebrow.

"Vought's top management unanimously agrees that the strength and style you have demonstrated are completely different from traditional superheroes. You don't do shows, you don't perform, you only get things done." She opened the tablet in front of her and displayed a document.

"We would like to invite you to join a brand-new project, independent of The Seven, as a superhero dedicated to sanctioning high-level threats posed by super-powered criminals."

"You would report directly to Vought's highest level of management."

"You would not be bound by the daily affairs of The Seven."

"You would have independent operational authority."

"And... salary and resource support that exceeds the level of The Seven."

Madelyn pushed the tablet toward Lu Heng.

On the screen was a contract.

<Vought International, Special Consultant for Super-powered Threats -- Guardian>

Lu Heng glanced at the key terms.

Annual salary: 12 million dollars.

Exclusive apartment (Midtown Manhattan).

Exclusive team (agent, PR, logistics).

Media exposure priority: S-level (equal to The Seven).

Operational clearance: A-level (second only to Homelander).

Contract duration: Three years, renewable.

Breach of contract clause.

That section was blank.

Interesting.

They didn't fill in the penalty for breach of contract, which meant Edgar didn't intend to tie him down with clauses.

Behind all of this, it must be Edgar pulling the strings; based on Madelyn's performance in the original show, she didn't have this kind of finesse.

Too brilliant!

With one move, they not only solved the problem of A-Train's negative image but also cleverly neutralized the adversarial situation between Guardian and Vought.

Since you want to uphold justice, I will give you that opportunity, but... you must join our platform.

Vought's strongest PR wasn't those elites in the cubicles, but the person behind the scenes on the top floor who orchestrated everything.

"Your video went viral. I don't believe that was unintentional. We need to turn our image around, and you need exposure and resources!"

Seeing that Lu Heng was hesitant to sign, Madelyn laid the topic out clearly.

"We are getting what we each need!"

"So the official statement will be..." Lu Heng closed the tablet.

Capitalists were greedy, that was true, but none of them were stupid.

"Vought has always been concerned about the issue of super-powered crime, and your appearance has shown us a solution."

Madelyn said immediately, "The A-Train incident proved the severity of this threat, and Vought has decided to establish a specialized position for a sanctioner."

"You are both a hero and a Guardian... protecting not only ordinary people but also ensuring superheroes are not exploited by criminal forces."

She paused for a moment.

"We are giving you an opportunity to act as an arbiter!"

Lu Heng remained silent for a moment before readily agreeing.

"As for the contract... I can sign it..."

Madelyn's mouth twitched, and a cold, imperceptible sneer flashed in her eyes.

So much for upholding justice; he's just a merchant waiting for the highest bidder. Why put on this act of being a moral compass?

"But I have two conditions." Lu Heng held up two fingers.

"Please, go ahead."

"First, I want to participate in The Seven's internal activities, whether it's meetings, mission briefings, or media announcements."

"Although I am not affiliated with The Seven, I need to know what they are doing... After all, my duty is to deal with superhuman threats, so I must know what the superhumans under Vought are up to."

Madelyn's smile remained unchanged, but Lu Heng noticed her heartbeat beginning to accelerate.

"That can be arranged."

"Second."

"Is Homelander away on business? He hasn't shown his face in a long time, and I want to see him."

He wants to see Homelander? Is he really that brave?

Madelyn's fingers trembled. Although she wanted Homelander to tear the man before her to shreds, Edgar was the one who held the power of life and death.

If she messed this up, not even Homelander could save her.

"...Of course!" She quickly regained her composure. "In fact, he is very eager to meet you as well!"

Eager to kill me, more like.

Lu Heng stood up and took the contract.

"Then it's settled."

He pushed the door open and walked out.

Madelyn sat in her seat, and only when Lu Heng's figure disappeared at the end of the corridor did she slowly lean back into her chair.

She closed her eyes and let out a long breath.

Then, she picked up the phone.

"Mr. Edgar, he signed it."

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the line.

"As expected of a smart man. Did he mention any additional conditions?"

"He did. He wants to attend all of The Seven's internal activities, and also..."

Madelyn's voice faltered for a second.

"He wants to see Homelander."

Another two seconds of silence followed.

"Let Homelander gauge his abilities, but don't let things reach a point of no return. I like to keep two options open."