Thud.
Everyone present felt their heart sink as they stared at Homelander.
No one dared move.
"What is he going to do? Betray Vought?"
The Deep stared wide-eyed, even breathing cautiously. He began weighing whether to support Vought or Homelander.
Madelyn looked utterly grim. She knew perfectly well that Homelander's words were both a defense of Soldier Boy and a rejection of her.
A public rejection.
Nothing like this had ever happened before.
Ever since Homelander became the leader of The Seven, whatever the outside world thought, everyone inside Vought knew one thing:
Homelander would always side with Madelyn.
This was Madelyn's greatest backing in maintaining her position as vice president, a vital component of her power, and Vought International's cash cow.
And now, for the first time, a crack had appeared in that relationship.
Madelyn took a deep breath and forced herself to speak. "John, Redwell Research Center is an important Vought asset."
"Soldier Boy is destroying company property. Don't forget, the company is your home."
Homelander's heart trembled at the word "home," and he glanced at Madelyn.
She tugged her neckline open slightly, as though by accident.
Homelander's Adam's apple bobbed. His craving for milk nearly flared up.
But on the tablet in his hand, Soldier Boy had not stopped moving for even a moment.
Homelander forced his gaze away, his voice frighteningly calm. "Until I return, no one is to take a single step out of this office."
Madelyn's breath caught. Suddenly, he felt like a stranger. This tool, who had always followed her around seeking approval, was drifting further and further away from her.
And the person responsible for all this was Soldier Boy, who had appeared only a day ago.
On the surveillance feed, Soldier Boy continued his interrogation.
The researchers wailed and begged for mercy. Some even wet their pants.
But Homelander's vision grew increasingly blurred, those words echoing endlessly in his ears.
"Today, his old man is here to stand up for him."
Stand up for him.
The phrase was unfamiliar, so unfamiliar that Homelander struggled to understand it.
Why would anyone stand up for him?
Why?
He was Homelander, the strongest superhero in the world. He no longer needed anyone to protect him.
Did he?
Homelander clenched his teeth.
He tried to suppress that strange emotion inside him, but the harder he pushed it down, the tighter his chest became, as though something were melting.
The next moment, Homelander tossed the tablet aside, turned, and flew out.
Fortunately, this time he did not shatter any more glass. He left through the window he had smashed not long before.
A sonic boom swept through Vought Tower, and Homelander vanished into the night sky.
Madelyn stood where she was, silent for a long time.
Translucent asked cautiously, "What do we do?"
Madelyn did not answer. She only stared out the window, her heart sinking further and further.
Where Homelander had gone was obvious, yet he had left without even asking her opinion.
This was defiance against Vought, and precisely what she least wanted to see.
"Ashley." Madelyn drew her gaze back, her tone icy.
"Ma'am, I'm here." Ashley Barrett timidly raised her hand. She knew she was done for.
"Who gave you permission to take it upon yourself to show Homelander the surveillance footage?" Madelyn looked ready to eat her alive.
Ashley inwardly cursed her rotten luck. "Ma'am, let me explain."
"No need."
Madelyn strode away, the rhythmic clicks of her high heels receding.
"The company has no use for dead weight. You're fired."
Boom!
Ashley's world seemed to be torn apart by a powerful bolt of lightning. She slumped helplessly, her years of effort dissolving into nothing.
"Wait!" The Deep suddenly called after Madelyn. "Homelander said we weren't allowed to leave the conference room."
Madelyn's steps faltered. Then she took several deep breaths, her chest heaving violently, and walked even faster.
Her high heels clicked with tremendous vigor.
The Deep rubbed his head, looking a little embarrassed.
Maeve gave The Deep a disdainful glance. "If you're going to pick a side, stick with it."
Then, ignoring The Deep's regretful expression, she walked over to Black Noir to inspect his injuries.
"Oh my God," Queen Maeve exclaimed. "Was Homelander trying to kill you?"
Black Noir's injuries were too severe. His wounds were hideous, and he lay soaked in a pool of blood. Even his superhuman healing struggled to repair damage this extensive.
He raised a sheet of paper and handed it to Maeve.
Maeve took it.
On the paper were the words: I'm sorry.
Maeve frowned slightly. Had Black Noir peeped on her using the toilet too, just like Translucent?
Only when she saw Black Noir laboriously raise his hand and point in the direction Homelander had left did she realize the message was not meant for her.
"Fuck, you need treatment right now." Maeve hurriedly pulled out her phone and contacted Vought's medical team.
There was no other choice. Homelander had forbidden them from leaving the conference room, so the medical team would have to put up with bringing their equipment over.
On the streets of New York.
The sonic booms exploding overhead drew pedestrians to a halt. They looked up, thinking it was a low-flying fighter jet.
But all they could see were thick clouds beneath the moonlight.
Behind the clouds was Homelander. He flew faster and faster, the fierce wind wrenching at his cape.
His mind was even more chaotic than the wind.
"I'm just going to take a look," Homelander said quietly, as though trying to convince himself.
But without realizing it, he accelerated again. Clouds were torn apart one after another, and New York's lights blurred into streaks beneath his feet.
He just wanted to go faster, then faster still.
A few seconds later, that familiar place finally came into view.
Sixty kilometers, an hour's drive for an ordinary person, had taken Homelander less than half a minute.
"What the fuck did this dumbass do to Homelander?"
"I think he recorded experimental data."
From far away, Homelander could already hear voices coming from the Superhero Breeding Room. They belonged to Soldier Boy and that young man.
He landed, his cape stirring in the wind.
Most of the security personnel had been incapacitated. Only the few stubborn holdouts had been torn apart by Soldier Boy.
When they saw Homelander, they thought their savior had arrived. But Homelander merely swept a glance over them and went on his way.
He even stepped on a security guard blocking his path.
The young man had already been knocked unconscious by a punch from Soldier Boy, only to be jolted awake by that step.
The closer Homelander drew to the Superhero Breeding Room, the slower he moved.
He did not know how to feel when facing Soldier Boy.
At last, he reached the elevator, pressed his lips tightly together, and pushed the button.
The elevator descended smoothly, stopped with a gentle jolt, and opened its doors.
"What did he do to Homelander?" Soldier Boy held up an old man with thinning hair.
The young man beside him looked thoughtful. "Uh... I don't know. He rarely showed his face."
"He once mocked me along with Marty." Homelander cleared his throat softly twice, breaking the deadlock.
Everyone turned in unison. Seeing that the newcomer was Homelander, they sank into even deeper despair.
They all knew what they had done to Homelander. They could only pray that he would not join the ranks of their tormentors.
Before you continue