Staring at Edgar's information on the screen, Chen Mo lost control of his expression.
He didn't even reply to the message; he just dialed the number directly.
"No way, what's wrong with this guy?" Chen Mo leaned back on the sofa, his tone full of absurdity. "What do you mean he's getting engaged? The film is opening on the island tomorrow, what kind of third-rate soap opera is he acting in tonight?"
A few seconds later, Edgar's steady voice came through.
"Sir, this is also information I just received."
In the top-floor office of the Vought Tower, Edgar stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, the data on his tablet rapidly updating.
"The public relations department had no contingency plans. Homelander posted the update directly through his personal social media account." Edgar turned a page of the report. "The public outcry has completely exploded."
"Is your Vought network made of paper? You don't even know your own top courtesan is getting married?" Chen Mo tapped his fingers on the table.
"The public relations department indeed did not submit any relevant reports." Edgar paused, then pulled up last night's surveillance footage. "However, based on his behavior last night, I have a reasonable hypothesis."
Chen Mo raised an eyebrow.
What speculation?
"It's likely that the high dose of stimulants damaged his cerebral cortex, causing him to develop a certain degree of cognitive delusion," Edgar, flipping through Homelander's medical records. "Coupled with his long-term psychological deprivation, he's prone to developing some absurd fantasies about family responsibility."
Beside him, Allen was eavesdropping.
He couldn't help himself and leaned closer to ask in a low voice, "What's wrong? Did Homelander get married?"
Chen Mo irritably pushed Allen's head away, telling him to be quiet, and then leaned back on the sofa.
"I seriously doubt that when this lunatic fights me on the island tomorrow, he might suddenly shout about love and bonds, and then suddenly unleash his power. Is he giving himself a buff?"
Allen, listening from the side, rolled his eyes and simply crossed his arms and sat back down in his chair.
Edgar immediately followed this line of thought and came up with a new strategy.
"Sir, now that he has suddenly revealed his weakness, we can utilize Vought's entire intelligence network to thoroughly investigate the true identity of this fiancé."
Before Chen Mo could speak, Edgar revealed the follow-up plan.
"If you can control her before the battle begins, you'll have a chance to break down his psychological defenses and increase your chances of winning."
Chen Mo listened but did not respond immediately. He lowered his head slightly, looking at his outstretched palm.
A wisp of dark red energy ripples seeped from his hand, surging and leaping in the air, emitting extremely subtle crackling sounds.
"Cancel this plan. I don't need this underhanded tactic." Chen Mo clenched his fist, and the ball of red light receded back into his palm.
"Sir, this will significantly reduce the risk of tomorrow's battle." Edgar's speech remained unhurried.
"I knew it the moment I saw him at the company during the day," Chen Mo said seriously. "He's really strong now."
Chen Mo licked his lips and grinned.
"Right now, he's a perfect feast. If I eat him, my evolutionary progress will definitely experience a huge leap."
He paused, his voice turning somber.
"Those underhanded tricks will only turn the meat sour and completely ruin its perfect quality."
There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone.
"Since this is your will, I will cancel the plan." Edgar immediately abandoned his persuasion, dutifully adding, "Please be careful; that energy level is truly unprecedented."
Just focus on finishing up your work.
Chen Mo hung up the phone, tossed it back onto the table, and stretched his neck.
"Alright, I'm leaving things at home to you." Chen Mo picked up his coat from the back of the chair, glanced at the clock on the wall, and said, "These next few days, remember the same thing: lock the door and mind your own business."
"Are you really going to Carnival Island to fight him tomorrow?" Allen asked, his expression tense as he watched his actions.
"We need to get something good to eat." Chen Mo walked to the door and glanced at Mia, who was sitting there quietly.
He walked over, gently tapped the little girl's forehead, and then turned to look at Allen beside him.
"Lock the door these next couple of days and wait patiently for me to come back."
Mia nodded obediently and hummed in agreement.
After settling the two children in, Chen Mo opened the window and fell backward.
The night wind instantly filled his clothes, and his body plummeted downwards, as enormous metal wings suddenly extended outwards.
The red and black afterimage shot straight up into the clouds and disappeared into the night in the blink of an eye.
"Wuhu! The big one is finally coming!"
A few minutes later.
At the horizon, the massive outline of Carnival Island finally came into view.
Chen Mo gradually reduced his speed, his metal wings slightly folding in the air, and he stopped below the clouds.
The senses, enhanced countless times by the Blacklight Virus, instantly detected the extremely abnormal movement.
The air, carried by the sea breeze, was thick with the stench of blood, and plumes of black smoke were rising from the center of the island.
Chen Mo looked down, his field of vision zooming in.
"They really have no sense of martial ethics whatsoever." Chen Mo raised an eyebrow, quickly guessing the situation.
The Homelander was supposed to be waiting for him in the center of the island didn't even stay there properly.
Before dawn, he launched a mad, indiscriminate Carnage on the island. The Superman that Vought had arranged to be used for testing and as human shields were almost all crushed by him like insects.
Chen Mo didn't seem to feel particularly sorry for him.
They're all third-rate stuff, so poor quality they wouldn't even fill a tooth gap if you put them all together.
Three superheroes in tight-fitting suits were scrambling to escape into the sea, leaving a long trail of blood on the beach.
Before they could escape into the sea, a thick, scarlet beam of light swept past them without warning.
The Heat Vision swept precisely across the beach, instantly catching up with the helpless deserters.
Before they could even scream, they were instantly burned to ashes on the beach.
Immediately following was a dull, loud bang.
A figure covered in blood suddenly rose straight up from the ruins of the villa, sunlight shining on his combat suit, which was blackened by smoke.
Homelander's golden hair was stained with dark red blood, and his chest heaved violently with extreme excitement.
He slowly turned his head, his gaze fixed on Chen Mo, who had just broken through the air, even from a distance of several hundred meters.
Their gazes met above the smoke-filled beach.
Homelander suddenly grinned, revealing an extremely neurotic, maniacal the Batman Who Laughs, and landed on an open space with an astonishing sense of oppression.
Right at his feet lay a superhuman who was barely clinging to life, still crawling out.
Homelander didn't even glance down; he simply raised his foot and crushed the man's head.
The sickening cracking sound of bones breaking was exceptionally clear on the beach, and red and white liquid splashed directly onto his leather boots.
With a frenzied expression, he suddenly raised his blood-stained finger and pointed it at Chen Mo in mid-air.
"Monster!"
Homelander's voice, amplified by his superpowers, boomed across the entire bay like muffled thunder.
"This is the feed you were saving for evolution, right?"
He laughed wildly, the red light in his eyes growing brighter and brighter, carrying an undisguised destructive desire.
"Today, I'm going to smash your plate clean, you monster!"
Chen Mo gave a slight smirk.
"Urgent! I need help online. What should I do if the hairy crab I'm going to steam eats all the scallions, ginger, and garlic?"