Press Conference

"So what exactly happened during the rescue?"

Microphones, flashbulbs, a Vought International backdrop, and a prime-time slot at eight.

For Maeve, this interview was unlike any other.

For Homelander, what had once been heaven had become hell.

"We received word from the Air Force that there were three hijackers," Homelander said, his eyes already glistening.

"But while everything was still going smoothly, a fourth hijacker took control of the two pilots in the cockpit."

"I didn't think. I used my lasers on instinct, and damaged the plane..."

As he spoke, Homelander lowered his battered face, looking devastated.

"The sudden turn of events left us at a loss. There was no time to check the passengers' identities, so we could only tell them to get back to their seats."

"The turbulence sent the passengers into a panic. That's why Homelander shouted at them."

Maeve took over. As she spoke, those faces appeared in her mind.

The faces of people crying and begging her not to leave them behind.

"We were frantic. Homelander said we had to act immediately, so we went outside the plane to see if we could..."

Maeve's voice caught.

"Then a man came out of nowhere, lifted the plane, and saved the passengers."

"I want to thank him from the bottom of my heart. Thank you, Mr. Superman."

The facts of their account were true enough. Their motives, though...

Vought International had made a huge gamble: that this "Superman" was genuinely a good man.

After all, with powers like his, why wouldn't he become a star and make a name for himself? Was he supposed to hide away as some lowly reporter, dating a coworker?

So they decided to hold this press conference on the assumption that the mysterious man would not come forward and expose Vought International.

"We tried our best, but we did arrive a little late, and the information we were given wasn't complete."

Homelander regained his composure and went on.

"If we'd been part of the national defense system, this tragedy could have unfolded far less chaotically."

Without hesitation, Homelander shifted part of the blame onto the military.

"Those good people wouldn't have had to suffer such a terrible fright, either," Maeve added softly.

She meant it. But to her, the real point was that if Superman had been their colleague, a whole string of tragedies would never have happened.

At the very least, the man called Superman wouldn't fly to the other side of Blue Star, kill someone under the pretext of fighting a supervillain, then fly back.

Maeve did not dwell on it. He clearly had no intention of getting involved with them.

Otherwise, he would have shown up by now and exposed them on live television.

With the rumored "Superman" nowhere in sight, the reporters were already mostly convinced by the press conference.

"Homelander, may I ask how you got those injuries?"

"I was overwhelmed with regret. I'm strong, but not strong enough to do everything. I was so frustrated that I struck myself."

"As a superhero, I faced a situation beyond what I thought I could handle."

Homelander lowered his head. He hated admitting it, but only by doing so in front of the public could he keep that man from flying over.

"Does that mean Vought International is abandoning the bill it has long pushed for, the one that would bring superheroes into national defense?"

It was another pointed question. Madelyne, now in the camera's focus, smiled.

"We'll keep working hard. Not only to become part of the system and work closely with the government, but also to train our superheroes to be stronger."

When the press conference ended, everyone who had been interviewed behind the table let out a long breath.

"Thank God he didn't come..." Homelander muttered.

This blow had left a deep psychological scar.

Lately, he had not even dared think about his great race.

Even if he established it, one word from that man would be enough to disband it.

"Is the composite ready?" Madelyne had no time to focus entirely on Homelander.

"Yes. We put together a rough 3D model from the video."

"Put the criminal investigation department on it full-time. Everything else can wait. Find out where this man went!"

Madelyne's tone left no room for argument. This "Superman" had become everyone's main topic of discussion.

"After everything I've done, one screwup turns me into his stepping stone?" Homelander clutched his head as he stared at the heated discussion on the screen, still unable to believe it.

"Yes, that's exactly what happened. That's why I told you to give it everything you had and get everyone out safely."

That had never been Homelander's plan. The moment he saw the fourth hijacker, his clever little mind had gone to work.

He had wanted the plane to crash into the sea and the passengers to be torn apart.

Of course he had damaged the plane deliberately. Somehow, though, the man who had been shot in the head had not died, either.

And the man who had appeared out of nowhere had taught him a brutal lesson.

Homelander had not trained in a long time.

As far as he was concerned, his power already stood at the pinnacle of the world. Why would he need to improve?

Now he no longer thought that way.

"Rorschach, was that you?"

Starlight called and got straight to the point.

"What?" Rorschach genuinely did not understand what she meant.

"The man who saved everyone on the plane and then beat up Homelander. Was that you?"

Starlight sounded serious. She was not joking.

Vought International had issued an order: if anyone spotted the man in the composite while on patrol, they were to persuade him to join The Seven.

Rorschach had worn makeup, and with his bio-field protecting it, he had not needed to worry about it smudging.

Still, between a woman's intuition and a few similarities, Starlight had caught a glimpse of Rorschach in him.

"Of course not. I don't have eyes that lovely and blue. Besides, I'm weak."

Around Starlight, Rorschach did not need to worry about revealing how powerful he was.

The girl might be naive, but she learned fast.

After barely a month in New York, she was already at home among the superhero elite.

"Really? I still think he looks a lot like you... But you don't have that scar."

Rorschach had deliberately painted a faint scar on his forehead.

His aim, of course, was to make Vought International's search even harder.

He had changed his skin tone, eye color, and even his most distinctive features. As if Vought International could find him now.

"So, I'll see you at the gathering?"

There was already a playful note of anticipation in Starlight's voice. She truly wanted to see Rorschach again soon.

The way he looked at her without treating her like a superhero fascinated her.

"Yeah. See you there."