An argument

Soldier Boy glanced back at Homelander, his gaze as brazen as ever.

"Got the files?"

Homelander felt a little uncomfortable under his stare. "Of course. That old bastard Edgar wouldn't dare keep anything from me."

Soldier Boy chuckled.

He knew all too well what Homelander was like at this point in time.

Even if Edgar pointed at his nose and said, "Homelander, your hand got my dress shoes dirty," Homelander wouldn't dare say much in response.

Forget it. He wants to show off in front of his old man. No need to call him out.

Smack, smack, smack, smack.

Sharp slaps rang through the Super Infant Laboratory.

With a cigarette dangling from his lips, Soldier Boy swung his hand so fast it left afterimages.

The old man who had mocked Homelander along with Marty soon had a badly swollen face.

Several of his already sparse teeth were knocked out.

Then Soldier Boy tossed him aside like garbage.

"Hey, wait a minute." Homelander felt ignored.

Soldier Boy looked at him, his gaze a little impatient.

Homelander tried to look annoyed, but inside, he was happy.

In the end, a twisted smile appeared on his face.

"Who gave you permission to do this for me? I can do it myself. I don't need anyone's help."

After speaking, he secretly watched Soldier Boy's expression, running his super hearing at full power.

Homelander wanted an answer.

"What the fuck did you say?" Soldier Boy frowned. "By the time a pussy like you works up the guts to do this, these old dogs will have fucking retired."

Homelander took half a step back, feeling a little guilty.

Soldier Boy's eyes widened. I stand up for you, and you're not even grateful?

"Looks like you're still in your rebellious phase." He flexed his wrist and advanced on Homelander.

Homelander remembered the bruises on his face. Although they had long since healed, he remembered just how strong Soldier Boy was.

"Wait." Homelander waved his hands repeatedly. "Calm down. That's not what I meant."

Soldier Boy stopped. "Quit hemming and hawing. What the hell are you trying to say?"

Homelander was under immense psychological pressure. Even the paternal authority Edgar represented in his mind frightened him a little.

How much more so with Soldier Boy, his actual father?

"I, I just..." Homelander's eyes darted around, unable to come up with a reasonable excuse.

"Fuck, you're acting like a homosexual," Soldier Boy snapped irritably.

Fortunately, Homelander was quite intelligent when he was willing to use his brain. "What I mean is, if you want to get revenge for me, I can lead the way."

Soldier Boy raised an eyebrow and turned around. "Then hurry up. I've still got a shitload to do."

His tone made it sound like a trivial errand.

Homelander glanced sideways, took a deep breath, and exhaled hard, puffing out his cheeks like a frog.

He hadn't been this nervous in a long time.

"Get over here. What did this one do to you?"

Soldier Boy's impatient voice reached him. In front of him was a researcher who had already wet himself in terror.

Homelander looked at Soldier Boy's back. That tall, broad back exuded strength, along with a hint of security.

That very sight left Homelander staring for a long time, until Soldier Boy urged him again.

"He was in charge of the High-Pressure Chamber." Homelander recognized the man at once.

With that came the excruciating pain of his entire body being compressed.

He gave a twisted smile and slowly walked over, badly wanting to fire his heat vision.

Noticing something was off with Homelander, Soldier Boy gave him a long look.

He understood that Homelander was recalling his childhood memories.

Homelander had an exceptional memory, almost never forgetting anything he saw.

But that also meant he could never forget the pain this laboratory had inflicted on him.

The torture of his childhood had never left him.

Soldier Boy knew full well that correcting Homelander's warped personality would be a long process.

Making the people who had hurt him taste pain before his eyes would undoubtedly speed up that process.

There was a wet ripping sound.

The researcher in Soldier Boy's hands split in two.

Cries of alarm immediately filled the laboratory. A few with weaker nerves vomited on the spot.

Some wanted to run, but didn't dare.

"All right, you dumb kid. Keep up," Soldier Boy said.

Blood splashed onto Homelander's face, but he didn't care.

At that moment, a feeling unlike anything he had ever experienced rose from deep within him.

He suddenly realized that this kind of relationship between people could exist.

Nothing to do with deception or self-interest, just simply being on your side.

Homelander went to look at the researcher's corpse, then glanced at Marty, who had passed out from the pain.

He stood there for a long time, feeling relieved. Some knot that had bound him for decades loosened.

By the time he came back to his senses, Soldier Boy had been waiting for him for a long time.

Although he hadn't urged him on, his eyes looked as though he were staring at a dumbfuck.

The corner of Homelander's mouth twitched. "He was in charge of mixing all kinds of lethal poisons to test my tolerance."

The man in front of Soldier Boy shook like a leaf. Before he could get a plea for mercy out, he was "off to a better place."

The atmosphere in the laboratory was oppressive and terrifying.

Father and son kept a certain distance between them, like walking reapers.

Every step spelled doom for the researchers.

Even the researchers who had never taken part in the experiments on Homelander struggled to breathe.

Who knew whether Soldier Boy might get carried away with the killing and wipe them all out?

So much time had passed without anyone stopping him. They already knew Vought had abandoned them.

"Oh, this one's a new face."

Homelander's emotionless voice rang out.

He looked expectantly at Soldier Boy.

"All right, chickenshit. This has nothing to do with you. Get lost." Soldier Boy patted the pale-faced woman in front of him.

Homelander's gaze shifted. What he wanted to see was Soldier Boy killing everyone connected to the laboratory for him.

So what if they hadn't participated in the experiments? They were just a few ordinary people.

"Wait," Homelander suddenly said.

The woman shuddered violently. The hope that had just flared up was instantly extinguished, and she turned back in despair.

Homelander's gaze fell on him, the faint red glow of heat vision appearing in his eyes.

"She knows everything that happened here. If we let her leave, she'll tell people about what happened today."

Homelander's voice was calm, yet it made everyone's scalp prickle.

The woman collapsed to the floor. She knew she wouldn't survive.

"Why does she have to die?" Soldier Boy glanced at Homelander, a cigarette dangling from his lips.

Homelander found the question absurd, as though someone had asked why the sun shone.

The answer was always self-evident.

But he still explained patiently, "She'll cause trouble."

"Trouble?" Soldier Boy laughed. "I suspect your superhero name was made up by some guy who does nothing but sit at home picking his assh*le."

Homelander froze for a moment. When had he ever heard such a vulgar personal insult?

Soldier Boy pointed at the woman. "Did she abuse you?"

Homelander stayed silent.

"Did she use you as a lab rat?"

Homelander remained silent, his killing intent not diminishing in the slightest.

Soldier Boy frowned and suddenly raised his voice. "Answer me!"

Homelander trembled slightly and answered instinctively, "No."

"Then what gives you the right to kill her?"

Homelander opened his mouth and found he couldn't answer. He had never considered the question.

In his world, ordinary people were as worthless as ants by the roadside. He killed them whenever he wanted.

Soldier Boy walked over to the woman and reached down to pull her to her feet. She was crying too hard to speak, trembling all over.

"Get lost," Soldier Boy cursed casually.

The woman froze, unable to believe it. Only after Soldier Boy cursed at her again did she react, stumbling toward the exit.

Homelander stared fixedly at her retreating back, his heat vision growing brighter and brighter. "No, we can't let her leave."