Vought Tower.
Translucent came scrambling out of the locker room.
He didn't even stop to get dressed before going to see Homelander.
The office was dimly lit.
Holding a glass of milk, Homelander stood before the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows, looking down at New York below.
"Captain."
Translucent's voice came from the doorway.
He was still invisible.
His ragged breathing and the smell of blood in the air gave away the sorry state he was in.
Homelander turned around, his blue eyes narrowing to slits, full of disgust and coldness.
"You look like a rat that's been chased by wild dogs, Translucent."
"What about the thing I told you to investigate?"
Translucent hurriedly became visible and dropped to his knees, stark naked on the expensive carpet.
He clutched his stomach, his wound still throbbing as cold sweat poured down his body.
"I-I checked, Captain."
Translucent swallowed, his voice shaking uncontrollably.
"A-Train is clean. He wasn't lying last night, and he didn't hide any Compound V."
"Oh?"
Homelander paced over to Translucent and looked down at him.
"Then how did you get those injuries?"
"Don't tell me A-Train beat you up like this while he was injured."
"Captain, A-Train was scared out of his mind."
Translucent didn't dare delay. The words came tumbling out.
This was the story Chen Mo had taught him.
"I'd just gone to his locker room to search it when he suddenly rushed in."
"He was in a really unstable state. When he saw me, he thought another monster had come after him."
"He attacked me like a madman, screaming, 'Stay away!' as he hit me."
"Fear made him completely lose control. I let my guard down for a moment and took a few hits."
"Captain, that guy's a coward who's scared out of his wits. All he can think about is how to keep his spot in next month's challenge. He'd never dare fool you or scheme behind your back."
Homelander stared intently at Translucent, his nose twitching slightly.
The air seemed to stand still. Translucent trembled, sweat pouring off him.
A few seconds later, Homelander snorted with laughter.
"Scared out of his wits? Heh, useless nigger."
"Since he passed the check, and you were stupid enough to get beaten up like this, we'll leave it at that."
Homelander waved a dismissive hand.
"Get out and put some clothes on. Don't dirty my carpet."
"Yes, Captain! Thank you, Captain!"
Translucent scrambled out.
In the lounge next door, Queen Maeve leaned against the couch, smoking, her eyes full of mockery and weariness.
On the other side of Vought Tower.
The entire public relations department was working like mad.
They had just held a press conference announcing that the Seven would be welcoming a new member.
The pure-hearted rising star selected through an open audition, "Starlight" Annie January.
The story was about to begin.
In the suburbs of New York, inside a secluded safe house.
Chen Mo had restored his own delicate Asian features and was sitting in the spacious basement.
"Chen Mo, I found everything you wanted."
Dark circles under his eyes, Allen handed him a thick file and a tablet.
He treated Chen Mo like a god, and his efficiency was frightening.
"Good work, Allen."
Chen Mo took the tablet and swept a fingertip across the screen.
Translucent had become the perfect shield, and Homelander's suspicions had been eased for the time being.
For the sake of commercial value, Vought's public relations department had also cut back on the "injured" A-Train's public appearances.
That gave Chen Mo precious time to grow stronger.
The Blacklight Virus was powerful.
But without enough superhuman genes to feed it, he still couldn't stand up to Homelander.
Those low-level superheroes on the streets were all small fry.
Finding a real feast would take some work.
Three locations were circled in red on the tablet.
Godolkin University.
Red River Institute.
Sage Grove Center.
"These three places appeared in the original show too. I won't say how powerful they are, but there are definitely plenty of different superpowers there. There's also a chance to devour Storm and Lamplighter."
A flash of dark red passed through Chen Mo's eyes.
Allen swallowed and pointed at the screen as he explained.
"The secrecy around these places is terrifying. I had to use a dark web backdoor just to dig up a few scraps."
"Godolkin University looks like a superhuman college on the surface, but it's really an arena and a concentration camp. The promising prospects there have all sorts of strange abilities. Some can control blood, and some have mental powers."
"Red River Institute looks like an orphanage on the surface."
"But the ones locked up inside are all superpowered children whose Compound V injections failed or who were abandoned after losing control of their powers. To Vought, it's a recycling center for defective products."
"As for the last one, Sage Grove Center..."
Allen's voice was trembling.
"It's a secret facility beneath a psychiatric hospital. Everyone locked up there is an adult superhuman on death row or a lunatic."
"Vought conducts live-subject stress tests there. Even their own security guards don't dare mess with the monsters inside."
Allen's words made the Blacklight Virus inside Chen Mo stir with excitement.
Hell?
No.
They were grand imperial feasts piled high with delicacies from land and sea.
"The young people at Godolkin University can enrich my range of abilities."
"The out-of-control children at Red River Institute can stimulate the virus to mutate."
"And Sage Grove Center..."
Chen Mo's lips curled into a cruel, fanatical smile.
"Those lunatics and death-row inmates are the real top-tier experience packs. They can bring about a qualitative change in my power."
He needed to be stronger.
The current "High-Speed Train" wasn't enough.
He was nowhere near strong enough to deal with Homelander.
During this precious period of recuperation, he had to carefully plan how to deal with the superhumans at those three facilities.
"Very good, Allen. For now, go find safe houses."
"I'll scout things out myself."
Chen Mo stood up, and blue-black viral tissue spread over his body, reshaping itself into A-Train's suit.
"Understood, I'll get right on it." Allen nodded frantically.
Chen Mo walked over to the mirror and pulled down his goggles.
In the mirror, that arrogant face curled into a cold smile.
Starlight had joined the team.
The Boys' grand show had begun too.
But beyond the stage, Chen Mo was making his move.
"Homelander, Starlight, the Boys..."
"You go ahead and play."
"Just wait until I've grown a little stronger."