Lucas landed on the rooftop of an abandoned apartment building and pulled out his phone.
#Guardian vs. A-Train# was the number one trending topic in the US, overshadowing the presidential debate and the Super Bowl hype.
The videos from various angles combined had already surpassed 100 million views across all platforms.
One hour, 100 million views!
The top-rated comment in the comment section read:
@New York Observer: I watched it fifty times. A-Train was sprinting at full speed, and he slapped him away with a single hand—one slap! Do you understand what this means? Homelander’s speed is only one tier faster than A-Train’s. If Guardian’s strength can stop A-Train’s sprint with one hand, then the gap between him and Homelander might not be as big as we think.
There were twenty thousand replies under this comment, and it was a complete mess of arguments.
It was all power-scaling debates, and some people even brought in comic book characters.
As a result, a flame war exploded across the entire comment section.
No matter which world it is, as soon as power scaling is brought up, the comment section is basically ruined.
Lucas scrolled a couple of times and then closed it.
He didn’t know if this @New York Observer was just taking a wild guess, but one thing was certain: the gap between him and Homelander was indeed not that big.
If they really had to be compared...
It would be fifty-fifty.
He might even have a slight advantage in close-quarters combat.
Viltrumites were a natural warrior race, automatically accumulating past combat experiences into muscle memory and storing them in their genes.
Homelander had only received some psychological training growing up—which was more of a debuff anyway. When it came to close-quarters combat, he had basically no technique to speak of, relying entirely on raw, miraculous strength.
But now was not the time to be smug.
Vought’s reaction was faster than he had anticipated.
Sure enough.
His phone vibrated.
A text message from an unknown number.
[Mr. Guardian, I am Madelyn, Vice President of Vought International. I would like to meet with you to discuss what happened today, as well as your future.]
[Tomorrow at 2:00 PM, the 72nd floor of Vought Tower. If you are willing.]
As expected of Vought, they had indeed found his phone number.
Should he go?
Lucas barely hesitated.
Of course he would!
He needed Vought’s platform.
It was for the money, the fame, and the key NPCs in that building.
There were no less than ten key characters in that building alone.
If he wanted to efficiently farm Evolution Points, he had to get close to these people and become involved in their fates.
...
The next day, 2:00 PM.
Vought International Tower.
Wearing his Viltrumite Soldier suit, Lucas walked in through the main entrance.
Dozens of people in the lobby turned to look at him at the same time.
A security guard put his hand on his walkie-talkie, but after a glare from Lucas, he didn’t dare to move.
The receptionist at the front desk squeezed out a professional smile.
"Mr. Guardian? Please come this way. Ms. Stillwell is waiting for you on the seventy-second floor."
Inside the elevator, Lucas looked up at the floor numbers ticking by.
Vought Tower.
The headquarters of The Seven.
And the most central location in the entire series of The Boys.
Ding!
The doors opened.
Madelyn stood at the elevator entrance, wearing a well-tailored gray suit skirt. Her hair was immaculate, her makeup perfect, and a polite, practiced smile hung on her lips.
A standard Vought executive, and the object of Homelander’s obsession.
"Mr. Guardian," she said, extending her hand. "Thank you for gracing us with your presence!"
Lucas shook her hand.
She led him down the corridor and into a massive conference room.
Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows was the entire Manhattan skyline.
On the table were coffee, fruit, and an expensive-looking dessert.
Madelyn sat opposite him, her hands clasped on the table.
"I’ll get straight to the point!" Her smile faded slightly, becoming more formal. "We have already conducted a detailed internal investigation into what happened yesterday."
"After finishing his community run, A-Train was subjected to remote mind control by a Supe criminal, causing him to go on a rampage in a state of delirium."
"Fortunately, you stepped in and stopped him in time, preventing a tragedy."
Lucas almost laughed out loud upon hearing this.
Mind control.
As expected of Vought’s PR department.
They spun A-Train’s drug-fueled rampage into being a "victim controlled by a villain." Just like that, A-Train’s image was instantly salvaged into that of an injured hero.
The one who should be held responsible was absolutely not Vought, but that Supe criminal.
As for whether this person actually existed, Vought’s prisons and underground labs held plenty of test subjects.
Furthermore, this narrative conveniently provided Lucas with a perfect position.
"Because of this incident, we have realized a serious issue," Madelyn continued, her tone turning heavy.
"Supe crime is becoming increasingly rampant. Not only are ordinary citizens suffering, but even members of The Seven can become targets. We need a... more professional response plan."
She looked at Lucas, not showing the slightest bit of shame for her lie.
The skin of capitalists was indeed thick enough.
"You are that response plan."
Lucas raised an eyebrow.
"Vought’s executives unanimously agree that the strength and style you displayed are completely different from traditional superheroes. You don’t put on a show or perform; you just get things done." She opened the tablet in front of her, displaying a document.
"We would like to invite you to join a brand-new project. You would be a superhero independent of The Seven, specifically dedicated to neutralizing high-level threats from Supe crime."
"Reporting directly to Vought’s highest level of management."
"Free from the constraints of The Seven’s daily routines."
"With independent operational authority."
"And... salary, benefits, and resource support that surpass those of The Seven."
Madelyn slid the tablet in front of Lucas.
A contract was displayed prominently on the screen.
Vought International, Special Consultant for Supe Threat Response—Guardian
Lucas scanned the key terms.
Annual salary: Twelve million dollars.
Exclusive apartment (Midtown Manhattan).
Dedicated team (agent, PR, logistics).
Media exposure priority: S-class (equal to The Seven).
Operational clearance: A-class (second only to Homelander).
Contract term: Three years, renewable.
Liquidation damages clause.
That column was blank.
Interesting.
They hadn’t filled in the liquidation damages, which meant Edgar didn’t intend to bind him with clauses.
Edgar had to be the driving force behind all of this. Judging by Madelyn’s performance in the original show, she didn’t have this kind of tactical mind.
Brilliant!
With one move, he not only resolved A-Train’s PR disaster but also cleverly defused the opposition between Guardian and Vought.
Since you want to champion justice, I’ll give you the chance. However... you must join our platform.
Vought’s strongest PR wasn’t the elites in the cubicles, but the mastermind pulling the strings on the top floor.
"Your video went viral. I don’t believe that was a mere coincidence. We need to salvage our image, and you need exposure and resources!"
Seeing Lucas hesitate to sign, Madelyn laid her cards on the table.
"We both get what we want!"
"So, the public narrative is..." Lucas closed the tablet.
Capitalists might be greedy, but they certainly weren’t stupid.
"Vought has always been concerned about Supe crime, and your appearance showed us a solution,"
Madelyn said immediately. "The A-Train incident proved the severity of this threat. Vought has decided to establish a dedicated position for a punisher."
"You are both a hero and a guardian... not only protecting ordinary people but also safeguarding superheroes from being exploited by criminal forces."
She paused.
"We are giving you the opportunity to act as a judge!"
Lucas fell silent for a moment, then readily agreed.
"The contract... I can sign it..."
Madelyn’s lips twitched, a barely perceptible sneer flashing in her eyes.
So much for upholding justice. He was just a businessman waiting for the right price. Why pretend to be the conscience of the industry?
"But I have two conditions." Lucas held up two fingers.
"Please, go ahead."
"First, I want to participate in The Seven’s internal activities, whether they are meetings, mission briefings, or media announcements."
"Even though I don’t belong to The Seven, I need to know what they are doing... after all, my duty is to respond to Supe threats, so I need to know what Vought’s Supes are up to."
Madelyn’s smile didn’t waver, but Lucas noticed her heart rate beginning to accelerate.
"Very well, I will arrange it."
"Second."
"Is Homelander out of town for commercial activities? He hasn’t shown his face in so long. I want to meet him."
He wants to meet Homelander too? Is he really that bold?
Madelyn’s fingers trembled. Although she wanted Homelander to tear the man in front of her to shreds, Edgar was the one who held the real power over life and death.
If she messed this up, even Homelander wouldn’t be able to save her.
"...Of course!" She quickly regained her composure. "In fact, he wants to meet you very much as well!"
More like he wants to kill me, right?
Lucas stood up and took the contract.
"That’s that, then."
He pushed open the door and walked out.
Madelyn sat in place. It wasn’t until Lucas’s figure vanished at the end of the corridor that she slowly leaned back in her chair.
She closed her eyes and let out a long breath.
Then she picked up the phone.
"Mr. Edgar, he signed."
There was a silence of two seconds on the other end.
"A clever man, as expected. Did he propose any extra conditions?"
"Yes. Participating in all of The Seven’s internal activities, and..."
Madelyn’s voice paused.
"He wants to meet Homelander."
Another two seconds of silence.
"Let Homelander size up his abilities, but don’t let things get too awkward. I like to have a backup plan."