The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Tony left, but Steve stayed behind.

"Do you have any other plans tonight? I'm not too comfortable with the atmosphere here. How about we go somewhere else for a few drinks?"

"Sorry, Captain, but I have an interview on The Tonight Show tonight," Wu Yanzu replied.

"A talk show?" Steve frowned. "That kind of... entertainment program? Are you sure? They ask some... very strange questions."

"I know." Wu Yanzu smiled. "But people have the right to know their heroes, don't they? Steve, we can't hide behind masks forever."

Steve nodded thoughtfully.

"...Maybe you're right."

"Ding! Special popularity points gained +2000!"

The old popsicle's approval was pretty easy to get.

Soon, after attending the charity gala, generously donating one hundred million dollars, and reaping a huge wave of popularity, he hurriedly took to the skies again and headed for his next show.

He understood the importance of an "image" all too well.

"Fuck..." Tony watched his departing figure and took another swig of champagne. "I hate that guy. I swear, sooner or later, I'm going to build an Anti-Homelander suit and grind that damn smiling face of his into the ground."

"I'm afraid you'll have to get in line, Mr. Stark." A cold female voice came from behind him.

Natasha Romanoff approached with a martini in hand, her gaze fixed on Wu Yanzu's retreating back as well.

"Oh, look who it is, my dear Natasha." Tony raised an eyebrow. "What, do you want to 'frictionalize' him too?"

Natasha ignored his crude remark and simply said, "Fury's assessment report is out. He... is dangerous. More dangerous than Loki and Hulk combined."

"Dangerous? No, no, no. He's just a glory-hungry egomaniac." Tony was dismissive.

"Tony, he's too perfect. And in this world... nothing is 'perfect.'"

"Unless," Natasha took a sip of her drink, leaving a mark from her red lips on the rim of the glass, "he's pretending."

"...Welcome back! Tonight's guest! Honestly, I never thought I'd be able to invite him... ladies and gentlemen, make some noise for—Homelander!!"

The studio of The Tonight Show nearly had its roof blown off by applause and screams.

To heavy metal background music and earth-shaking cheers, Wu Yanzu stepped onto the stage of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in his ever-pristine uniform, wearing a perfect smile.

"Whoa! Whoa! Have a seat, have a seat!" Host Jimmy dramatically fanned himself. "Oh my God, Homelander! In my studio! This is insane!"

"Thank you, Jimmy. It's a pleasure to be here." Wu Yanzu sat down gracefully.

"No, no, no, I should be thanking you!" Jimmy patted his chest theatrically. "Seriously, man, this outfit... do you dress like this all the time?"

"Uh, you could say that." Wu Yanzu gave a bashful smile like the boy next door. "It... is comfortable. And, you know, I need to be ready for work at any time."

The audience broke into good-natured laughter.

"Hahahaha! Work! I love that!" Jimmy laughed. "Your job is catching robbers, while mine is catching guests... so, I want to ask something everyone is curious about."

Jimmy leaned closer, pretending to be mysterious.

"Can you... really fly? Or do you use thrusters like Stark?"

"Well..." Wu Yanzu glanced at the ceiling, then... right in front of the entire audience, he slowly... rose from the couch.

His feet floated half a meter off the ground as he hovered in midair.

"!!!!!!"

The studio instantly exploded!

"Oh my God!! He can really fly!!"

"That's so cool!!"

"Ding! Popularity points gained +541!"

"Ding! Popularity points gained +632!"

"..."

Wu Yanzu slowly descended and shrugged. "Sometimes, this comes in pretty handy for avoiding New York traffic."

The entire audience burst out laughing again.

"Wow." Jimmy dramatically wiped away sweat. "Homelander. Seriously, you're the first guest I've ever had make an entrance by flying. That's so cool."

"We all know you're Anthony Starr. You... you went through that terrible shipwreck and then disappeared for a year. Now, you've returned as a hero... can you tell us what you went through during that year?"

This was the "script" Vought's PR team had prepared long ago.

The right amount of "confusion" and "determination" appeared on Wu Yanzu's face.

"Jimmy... honestly, there are a lot of things... I can't remember clearly."

"I only remember the freezing seawater. I thought I was going to die. But... I survived, and I received this 'gift,' or perhaps... this curse."

He began his vague narrative.

"It took me a long time to learn how to control it. I didn't dare come back. I was afraid... afraid that I was a monster."

"..."

The studio fell silent, and the cameras gave him a close-up.

"Until the Battle of New York." His voice was low and powerful. "I saw the hole in the sky. I saw people crying. In that moment, I understood."

"The reason I came back was to protect them."

"Wow..." Jimmy was deeply moved by those words.

"You're not a monster, Homelander." Jimmy spoke emotionally. "You... you're an angel. You're our guardian angel."

"Ding! Popularity points gained +1245!"

"Ding! Popularity points gained +1058!"

"Ding! Popularity points gained +1178!"

"..."

A "touched" smile appeared on his face at just the right moment.

"Thank you, Jimmy."

The talk show was a tremendous success.

Homelander's image as an approachable, witty, justice-minded hero swept across America overnight.

Vought struck while the iron was hot and immediately arranged the next reality show—visiting children who had lost loved ones in the Battle of New York.

Afterward, he arrived at the focal point of this "publicity stunt"—St. Agnes Children's Hospital.

This place took in children injured during the Battle of New York.

The hospital director excitedly came forward to greet him. "Oh, Mr. Homelander! Your presence here is... truly, truly a gift from God!"

"It's what I should do, ma'am." Wu Yanzu's voice was full of magnetism.

He entered the activity room, where all the children watched him quietly.

There was admiration, reverence, and a little fear of a stranger.

Wu Yanzu swept his gaze across the room.

Suddenly, he locked onto a little girl in the corner.

She was frail and thin, wrapped in a blanket. Though several months had passed since the incident, she seemed not to have emerged from its shadow, clutching a brand-new Homelander action figure tightly to her chest.

Wu Yanzu's award-winning actor radar activated instantly.

She's the one.

He knew what he needed to do now.

Slowly, step by step, he walked over to the little girl.

He said nothing and merely crouched down.

Despite his large frame, he crouched until he was at her height.

"What's your name, sweetheart?" His voice was gentle enough to melt ice and snow.