V. G. D training base.
Steve·Rogers is wearing a tactical vest and holding a writing board in his hand, standing in front of the students who are lined up.
His current identity is the chief instructor of V. G. D.
"Listen!"
The voice of Steve echoed in the training ground, and everyone could hear it clearly without the need for a loudspeaker.
"In front of the camera, you are stars and idols. But on the battlefield, you are just targets!"
"The enemy will not show mercy just because your uniforms look good, nor will they stop shooting just because your fans scream."
"Here, forget about those damn autographs and photos. Learn how to cover your teammates, and learn how to crawl out of the pile of dead people with a broken leg!"
"Do you understand?"
"Understood! Sir!"
Dozens of newly signed city heroes roared in unison.
Steve nodded with satisfaction and continued:
"I know you have super powers. Some of you are invulnerable, some of you can have thorns all over your body, and some of you can extend your tongue three meters."
"But in my eyes, you are just kids waving around with loaded guns!"
"Superheroes are not just about showing off muscles. They are about judgment, restraint, and protection!"
Steve pointed at the simulated tactical board behind him.
"Lesson 1: Collateral damage control. If you destroy a street just to catch a thief, then you are not a hero, you are a bastard!"
Just as Homelander was watching Steve training newcomers in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows with great interest, the office door was pushed open.
Ashley rushed in with a broken face.
"Mr. Homelander! Something happened!"
"Is the sky falling? Ashley." Homelander asked after hearing this.
"Worse than the sky falling!" Ashley waved the tablet in his hand, angrily, "Wade! That pervert! He's gone!"
"Gone?" Homelander raised his eyebrows.
"Just two hours ago, he got his first signing fee, five million US dollars!" Ashley screamed, "Then he disappeared! The phone couldn't be connected, and the GPS showed that his locator was thrown into the belly of a dead fish from the Hudson River!"
Homelander narrowed his eyes.
"This damn boy..."
"Then what should we do? Should we launch a city-wide manhunt?" Ashley stomped his feet angrily.
"No need, he is no longer in New York." Homelander waved his hand, looking indifferent. "Let him go."
"But sir! He is a member of the Seven, this is a breach of contract..."
"Ashley." Homelander interrupted her, "Don't you understand Wade? He is a mad dog. If you put him in a cage, he will bite off the railings."
Homelander sneered.
"When he squanders all his money or gets into trouble that he can't solve, he will come back."
"When the time comes, I will let him know what the strictest father is..."
"Issuing a notice saying that Deadpool is performing a 'highly confidential overseas mission'. Don't let the media think that we can't control people."
"... Yes, sir."
Washington, Triskelion.
Alexander Pierce is sitting in the office, with a cup of cold coffee in front of him.
Outside the window, a huge advertisement floating on a drone was facing his window, with the arrogant smiling face of Homelander on it, as if silently mocking him.
"It's been two months."
Pierce's voice was deep and filled with suppressed anger.
"For two whole months, those old guys from Security Council are still talking about it."
On the sofa opposite him, Agent Sitwell was sitting, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
"Sir... Vought's influence is too great." Sitwell said tremblingly, "Since President Ellis's speech in Capitol Hill, most of the council members have tended to purchase Vought's defense services."
"Some directors even proposed to reduce the establishment of S.H.I.E.L.D. and instead fund the global expansion of Vought."
"I suspect that Vought has bought some of the directors."
"Crack!"
Pierce slammed the coffee cup to the ground.
"If Vought completely monopolizes global defense, S.H.I.E.L.D. will have no room to survive, and neither will Hydra."
"Can't wait any longer."
Pierce turned around, his eyes becoming vicious and decisive.
"Since they think the world is safe... let's show them how fragile the world is."
He looked at Sitwell.
"Start 'Hydra''s dormant group around the world."
"But sir, many of us will die..."
"For the sake of order, sacrifice is necessary." Pierce interrupted him coldly, "We need chaos. Only in chaos and fear will those stupid directors remember the necessity of Project Insight."
Pierce issued the order.
"Target: Security Council those wavering non-permanent members, Japan, Poland, India, Brazil, etc..."
"Create chaos. Explosions, attacks, assassinations. I want to put these countries into panic. I want them to understand that only a preemptive strike like 'Project Insight' can protect them."
"Yes, sir. Then... where is United States's native land?"
"Local..." Pierce squinted his eyes and focused on the computer monitor.
That was a promotional photo on the Vought official website, which showed a group photo of several heroes from second-tier cities.
"Don't Vought have many city guardians?"
"Then let the world see how fragile their guardians are."
"Sitwell, wake up 'Winter Soldier'."
"It's time... to teach those brats in tights a lesson."
"I want everyone to see that Vought's heroes can't even protect themselves, how can they protect the world?"
Over the next month, the world fell into some strange restlessness.
First, Tokyo and Ginza had a large-scale poison gas attack, and thousands of people were poisoned and hospitalized.
Immediately afterwards, several important government buildings in South Africa were razed to the ground by car bombs.
Poland's energy pipeline was blown up, causing a power outage in half the country.
Brazil even broke out an armed coup, and the rebels used high-tech weapons of unknown origin.
Security Council turned into a mess.
The distress calls flew to Vought International like snowflakes.
"Mr. Homelander! We need help!"
"Homelander! Please save our people!"
Homelander looked at the request letters from all over the world and smiled from ear to ear.
"Ashley, plan a route for the Seven. Jessica and I will travel alone, so there is no need to book a flight."
"This is the Seven's first global tour."
Homelander stood up and straightened his cloak.
"We are going to be the savior. Notify the photography department to polish the lens. In every country that the Seven passes through, at least 200 Hummingbird Drones must be arranged."
So, during this month, the whole world saw that red and blue figure.
Every time he appears, he is accompanied by cheers like a roaring mountain and a tsunami.
His global Popularity Points is also rising visibly.
However, while Homelander is enjoying the cheers of flash floods and tsunamis around the world, the shadow of United States's home country is quietly spreading.
Chicago, late at night.
It rained heavily.
The "Wind City Guardians" team, composed of three urban heroes signed by Vought, is hiding in embarrassment behind a container in an abandoned factory.
"Damn! Who is that?! Is that guy human?!"
Captain "Iron Arm Joe" was holding his broken left arm. His arm was as hard as steel, but it was broken abruptly by that person.
"I, I didn't see clearly..." Another hero "Sonic Girl" trembled, "He's like a mechanical ghost... Even my sonic attacks can't shake him..."
"Boom."
A dull sound of footsteps landed on the top of the container.
The three of them looked up in horror.
Lightning cuts through the night sky.
A man wearing a half-face mask, with a cold metallic light flashing on his left arm, was looking down at them.