The Deep searched the wreckage and found that this small private plane didn’t have a black box like a commercial airliner, so he immediately began swimming back to the surface.
After breaking the surface of the water, a rope ladder was tossed down from the helicopter.
The Deep climbed up, and the group returned to Vought International headquarters in New York.
It had been afternoon when The Deep set out, but by the time he returned to the company, it was already the early hours of the morning.
Upon returning to the company, The Deep didn’t call Madelyn to report.
Instead, he knocked on the door of Homelander’s office first.
After a short wait, Homelander pulled the door open, his face looking rather displeased.
“Deep, give me a reason not to pop your gills.”
Whoa!
The Captain sounded so badass.
The Deep grinned and kept it brief.
“I just got back from the Atlantic.
I was checking out the wreckage of a plane.”
Homelander’s expression instantly changed.
The Deep added, “Madelyn sent me.”
*Whoosh!* Homelander instantly dragged The Deep into the office and threw him onto the sofa.
Homelander’s face was cold as ice, a single blue vein slowly throbbing on his forehead.
The Deep knew that as long as Homelander was willing to talk to you—even if he kept saying he was going to kill you—nothing would usually come of it.
But if he just stared at you calmly, his eye twitching slightly, then the next second, Homie would literally rip your heart out.
“What did you see?” Homelander asked calmly.
But The Deep could clearly see Homie pressing his right thumb against his index finger, cracking the knuckle with a soft pop.
The Deep drew his gaze back, lifted his head, and answered honestly without showing fear or arrogance.
“I saw burn marks from extreme heat along the tears in the fuselage.
Specifically, there were two parallel cuts, spaced exactly like a pair of human eyes.
You did it.
You used your laser vision to destroy that plane.”
“Oh?!” Homelander smiled.
It was that kind of smile where he forced his facial muscles upward, controlling his expression so precisely that even the exact amount of teeth showing was calculated.
When Homie smiles, your life hangs in the balance.
The Deep, however, remained completely unhurried.
“Captain.
I haven’t reported this to Madelyn yet.”
Huh?
The smile instantly vanished from Homelander’s face.
His eyes narrowed.
“Why?
Madelyn was the one who gave you the mission.
Why did you report to me first?”
“Because you’re my captain!”
The smile on The Deep’s face was so genuine that Homelander’s mouth parted slightly, and he instinctively wanted to put his index finger into his mouth to bite it.
The Deep continued, “Captain, if you need me to cover this up, I can tell Madelyn the plane crashed due to engine failure.”
Homelander didn’t answer right away.
Instead, he sat down next to The Deep.
Usually, Homelander’s position in The Seven was always dead center.
Even when sitting, he had to occupy the head of the V-shaped table.
Most of the time, he would hover slightly off the ground, arms crossed, looking down at you from above.
Deep down, Homie was incredibly arrogant; he didn’t even view the likes of The Deep as the same species.
He considered himself a god.
But this time, Homelander sat right next to The Deep, viewing his action as a grand act of grace.
Patting The Deep’s thigh with a large hand, his expression remained cold, yet he asked, “Deep, I want to hear your thoughts.”
The Deep smiled.
“Captain, there is an old Chinese saying: ‘To achieve wealth and honor but not return to your hometown is like wearing splendid silk robes in the dead of night.'”
Hearing this Chinese proverb, Homelander fell into deep thought.
Homelander wasn’t stupid; he was just desperately starved for affection.
Those who managed to survive him were always those who knew how to exploit his emotional void.
With just a little nudge from The Deep, Homelander already understood his meaning.
The Deep continued, “Captain, any effort that Madelyn doesn’t know about is just wasted effort.”
Homelander’s brow rose, clearly swayed by The Deep’s words, but he still had his own concerns.
He muttered, “But I ruined Madelyn’s business.
She’ll be mad at me.”
*Homie, stop acting like a fucking virgin!*
Playing the role of Homie’s emotional guru, The Deep hit the nail on the head.
“If Madelyn really loves you, she will only be touched by what you’ve done.”
These words instantly cleared the fog in Homelander’s mind like a sudden revelation.
His entire face lit up, his mouth parting into a smile that, in The Deep’s eyes, actually looked as pure and innocent as a child’s.
It had to be said that Homie was a highly contradictory figure.
For others, a pitiful person always has something hateful about them.
But Homie was a hateful person who also had a pitiful side.
Homelander looked at The Deep, a trace of appreciation in his eyes.
“Deep.
I didn’t expect your brain to undergo a second puberty.”
Homelander twirled his two index fingers around his temples, looking like Ikkyu-san.
“Did you snort something before you left?
If that’s what makes you smart, I’ll have to get you some of the good stuff in the future.”
The Deep really wanted to smash this bitch’s face with a punch.
But in reality, he only laughed apologetically.
“Then I’ll report the truth to Madelyn right now.”
The Deep took out his phone and was about to call Madelyn when Homelander stopped him.
Meeting The Deep’s puzzled look, Homelander gazed tenderly in the direction of Madelyn’s home and explained, “She’s asleep.
Don’t disturb a nursing mother’s rest.”
*Homie, you motherfucker!*
Homelander personally escorted The Deep out of his office.
At the doorway, Homelander said, “Deep, swap seats with Translucent from now on.”
Seats in The Seven’s conference room weren’t just chosen at random; they represented a strict hierarchy.
Homelander continued, “By the way, I’ll also suggest adjusting your commission to Madelyn.
Two percent is too pathetic for an outstanding member like you.
You should be getting at least four percent like Translucent, if not more.”
An increase in status naturally brought an increase in earnings.
In this fertile soil of capitalism, the scent of crisp, ink-fresh US dollars represented everything.
“Thank you, Captain.”
“Call me Homelander.”
“Yes, Captain.”
Homelander flashed a bright, helpless smile, but he secretly noted The Deep’s insistence on calling him “Captain.”
As The Deep walked away, Homelander muttered to himself while closing the door, “Speaking of which, I don’t think I’ve seen Translucent all day.”
He wouldn’t just be missing him today; he wouldn’t be seeing him ever again.
In the entire Vought International tower, only The Deep knew where Translucent was.
Right now, he was getting electroshock therapy from Butcher’s crew.
…
The Deep returned to his private office.
As he walked toward the bedroom, pieces of his suit dropped to the floor one by one.
Starlight woke up groggily when she heard the door handle turn.
Glancing at his silhouette, she saw it was that smelly fish.
She closed her eyes again, mumbling sleepily, “Why are you back so late today?”
The blanket at the foot of the bed was lifted.
Immediately after, the girl let out a soft whimper.
The insides of her knees pressed gently against both sides of his temples.
“Don’t do this, Deep.”