Chapter 26.
A few days passed quickly, and Li Yue had temporarily settled into this world. With Wednesday's help, he avoided numerous potential complications.
During these days, Li Yue did nothing but wait for news. He finally understood just how popular "superheroes" were in –this universe. Every billboard adorning high-rise buildings, every snack package in supermarkets, and countless merchandise items featured superhero imagery.
In truth, this wasn't so different from Li Yue's previous life, except that in his former world, the faces plastered everywhere belonged to celebrities and social media influencers instead.
Meanwhile, at Vought Company headquarters—a building reminiscent of the Avengers Tower from the Marvel universe—a meeting was about to take place.
Knock, knock, knock!
Someone rapped on Madeline's office door.
"Come in!" Madeline called from behind her luxurious desk.
A professionally-dressed woman entered, holding a tablet. "Vice President, the results from the superhero screening have arrived. Please take a look," she said, handing the device to Madeline. This was Madeline's assistant.
After glancing at the information displayed, Madeline's expression darkened. "What's this? Why are there two candidates? Weren't you instructed to select only one successor for Lamplighter's position?"
"Vice President, here's the situation," the assistant explained. "We had essentially determined Lamplighter's successor—a girl called 'Starlight.' Her superpowers are impressive, she possesses strength far beyond ordinary humans and can emit dazzling light beams. Most importantly, she has an attractive face and sweet smile, making her highly suitable for integration into The Seven."
Madeline nodded slightly. Indeed, a beautiful girl with a charming smile would gain quick public acceptance, bringing valuable benefits to the company.
"Then why have you submitted information on two candidates?" Madeline asked, puzzled. If they had already decided on a candidate, why present her with two options?
"Just days before concluding our selection process, we received another video submission. After reviewing it, our staff became uncertain about the final choice. We felt you should determine which candidate would be more suitable to replace Lamplighter in The Seven."
"Oh? Your team couldn't decide? Now I'm curious to see this video." Madeline tapped the play button on the tablet.
The video wasn't long—barely over a minute. Yet after watching it, Madeline found herself unable to quickly calm her racing thoughts.
The footage appeared to have been shot in a wilderness setting. A young man briefly introduced himself to the camera before demonstrating his abilities.
Almost instantly, his body became surrounded by countless lightning bolts. His eyes transformed to a silvery white, as if lightning itself flooded his eyeballs. The whole effect made him resemble Thor manifested in the mortal realm.
Following his gestures, thick dark clouds gathered overhead. Wind howled and thunder rumbled across the sky. Suddenly, music began playing in the video—its rhythm perfectly complementing the man's powerful presence.
The display of raw masculinity grew increasingly intense. While watching, Madeline couldn't help but feel a sense of being overwhelmed by his power.
Finally, the figure moved. His legs tensed, leaving deep impressions in the ground as he leaped to a height of tens of meters. The background music swelled to an exciting crescendo at precisely the right moment.
The man descended with tremendous force, right fist clenched, directly targeting a massive boulder weighing hundreds of tons. His speed was extraordinary—like a dazzling meteor falling to earth, his body illuminated by countless electric discharges.
BOOM!
When he struck the boulder, an explosive sound erupted. The enormous rock shattered completely, fragments flying in all directions.
As the dust settled and the stone fragments clattered to –the ground, the figure stood unharmed, the lightning surrounding him gradually dissipating. The video ended shortly thereafter.
Several dozen seconds passed before Madeline regained her composure. It wasn't that she lacked experience—as –a Vought executive, she had encountered countless superhumans, including powerhouses like Homelander.
But this man's abilities were only part of the equation. What truly mattered was his capacity to evoke awe. Witnessing his power, one couldn't help but feel like a mere mortal in the presence of a god incarnate.
"I've made my decision," Madeline declared after taking several deep breaths. "We'll bring this man into The Seven to replace Lamplighter."
She paused, then added, "Wait, let me review the other candidate as well."
Though Madeline doubted anyone could surpass what she'd just witnessed, curiosity compelled her to examine Starlight's file thoroughly.
Several minutes later, she set down the tablet and contemplated briefly.
"My decision stands. The man will take Lamplighter's position," she announced. "However, the girl named Starlight can also be brought in as an alternate. When The Seven's popularity begins to decline, she can replace one of the members and officially join the team."
Finally, Madeline delivered her decision to her female assistant.
"But Vice President, that man isn't American. I'm afraid..."
"What do you know? Controversy creates greater value. Do as I say," Madeline dismissed her assistant's concerns. A woman who had risen to become Vice President of Vought Corporation was certainly not someone to be underestimated.
"Set up their public relations teams immediately to control the narrative. We need to announce their addition at this year's shareholders' meeting. Don't mess this up."
As the assistant turned to leave, Madeline added, "And resolve the A-Train situation as soon as possible. Make sure the victim's family signs the confidentiality agreement quickly." She paused.
"That's all. You may go."
Once alone, Madeline smiled to herself.
"Homelander, you can't rule the roost forever. It's time you found someone who could be called a worthy opponent."
Meanwhile, Li –Yue, who had been waiting patiently for several days, finally received a call from Vought Corporation. He had officially become a member of The Seven!
His efforts hadn't been in vain. Li Yue had spared no expense in having Wednesday create that impressive video. To maximize the impact, he'd even appropriated Thor's exclusive background music.
"Hehe, Homelander, I'm coming for you," he murmured with satisfaction.
At the same time, a girl with long blonde hair also received a call from Vought Corporation.
Listening to the voice on the other end, Starlight felt a twinge of disappointment that her expectations hadn't been fully met. Nevertheless, her face broke into a genuine smile. At least she had taken her first step on the path to becoming a superhero.
After ending the call, Starlight immediately shared the good news with her mother, who was equally thrilled.
For a while, Starlight basked in her happiness, unaware that her future path as a "superhero" would be shrouded in darkness, with only the faintest glimmer of light to guide her way.
At that moment, in Hughie Campbell's home, the young man was watching the news on television. He had just buried his girlfriend.
On screen, A-Train claimed he had been pursuing bank robbers when Robin accidentally stepped into the middle of the road, causing the tragedy. But Hughie knew with absolute certainty that Robin had been standing beside the road, not in the middle of it.
Anger coursed through him. He couldn't understand why A-Train, the superhero he had once admired, would completely shift blame onto his deceased girlfriend, acting as if he bore no responsibility whatsoever.
Hughie angrily switched off the television, unable to stomach A-Train's smug face any longer.
Knock, knock, knock!
The sound at his door forced Hughie to rise from his seat despite his foul mood.
"Hello, Mr. Campbell? I'm a legal counsel from Vought Corporation. I've come to discuss the matter of your girlfriend. May I come in?"
An unexpected visitor stood at Hughie's doorstep—a man in formal attire, a lawyer sent by Vought.
"Come in," Hughie replied, curious about how Vought planned to address Robin's death.
He led the visitor inside, and they sat across from each other at a small table.
"Mr. Campbell, we at Vought deeply regret the accidental death of your girlfriend. I was sent here out of humanitarian concern," the lawyer began smoothly.
"If you sign this confidentiality agreement and promise not to discuss your girlfriend's death with anyone in the future, you'll receive our compensation. Please consider our offer."
The lawyer handed Hughie a check. Looking at the amount—tens of thousands of dollars—Hughie felt his anger surge.
He wanted nothing more than to throw the check in the lawyer's face, slap him a few times, grab him by the collar, and physically throw him out. But Hughie, timid since childhood, could only imagine these actions, lacking the courage to follow through.
"I hope you'll consider our offer," the lawyer prompted after Hughie's prolonged silence. "This money could provide you with comfort for quite some time. Perhaps even enough to find yourself a new, more beautiful girlfriend."
Having read countless people in his line of work, the lawyer had immediately identified Hughie as someone who would eventually choose the path of least resistance.
"I'm sorry, but could I have a few more days to consider?" Hughie finally asked.
Though not the answer he'd expected, the lawyer understood—after all, Hughie had only recently buried his girlfriend.
"Of course. When you're ready to sign the agreement, please call us." With that, the lawyer departed.
Later, Hughie's father approached him.
"Hughie, I think you should sign the document. I don't believe Robin would blame you from the afterlife," he said gently, trying to persuade his son.
"Dad, I can't sign it," Hughie protested. "I want to gather evidence and file a civil lawsuit on behalf of Robin's parents for 'negligent homicide.' I want to bring Vought to court and get justice for Robin."
Hughie couldn't accept his father's suggestion. His conscience told him that signing the agreement would make it impossible to face Robin in the afterlife.
"Hughie, you need to understand—nobody will seek justice for an insignificant deceased person, especially not against Vought Corporation, which manages superheroes worldwide," his father reasoned.
"Besides, your character is exactly like mine. You must have some self-awareness. Since childhood, you've avoided confrontation. In matters like this, you don't have the fighting spirit needed. So listen to your father's advice and let it go."
Hughie felt rage building inside him—whether from his girlfriend's situation or from being so accurately called out by his father as someone who lacked courage and routinely submitted to life's pressures, he wasn't sure.
"I'm going to work," he snapped, storming out of the house.
"Ugh," his father sighed deeply, watching him leave....
Evening arrived, bringing with it the Vought Corporation shareholders' meeting. Li Yue would be attending as the official successor to Lamplighter's position in The Seven.
Vice President Madeline planned to use this gathering to introduce the two new superheroes—Li Yue and Starlight—to the world, ensuring they would quickly begin generating substantial profits for Vought.
At the event, Li Yue finally saw the show's heroine, Starlight, in person. While not immediately stunning to him, she possessed a captivating quality. Young and vibrant, she radiated enthusiasm and expectation about her future as a superhero.
Unfortunately, she had no idea that tonight would completely transform her perception of what being a superhero truly meant.
"Hello, I'm Li Yue. It's a pleasure to meet you. Your outfit looks beautiful tonight," Li Yue greeted Starlight with a compliment.
"Hi, I'm Starlight! I watched your audition video—your abilities are incredible! I've become your fan. I'm not upset about losing to you, you completely deserve it. Please take care of me going forward!"
Starlight responded politely, almost like an enthusiastic fan, her eyes filled with admiration.
"Don't worry, I'll look out for you. If anyone bullies you, just tell me. I'll beat them so badly their own mother won't recognize them!" Li Yue assured her.
"Haha, you're so funny! What kind of beating leaves someone unrecognizable?" Starlight laughed. "But I appreciate the sentiment. If you need help in the future, don't hesitate to ask me either!"
Watching Starlight laugh so innocently and charmingly, Li Yue felt a sense of relief. She was still pure-hearted, unaware that upcoming events would drastically alter her destiny. Although Li Yue had his own agenda for joining The Seven, he still wished to change Starlight's fate for the better. Somehow, looking at her reminded him of his own sister.
...
During Li Yue and Starlight's pleasant conversation, Madeline finished her speech on stage and invited Starlight to step forward and introduce herself to the audience.
"Go on—be confident. You look beautiful," Li Yue encouraged her.
Taking a deep breath, Starlight walked onto the stage with confidence.
As expected, Starlight's appearance was well-received. A beautiful female superhero was easily accepted by the public. Just as in Li Yue's previous life, attractive people always enjoyed certain privileges.
Starlight's debut was flawless. As she exited the stage, it became Li Yue's turn.
"Good luck!" she whispered as they passed each other.
Li Yue smiled and walked confidently toward center stage. He wore a costume specially designed for him by Vought—dark blue fabric adorned with a large golden lightning emblem on the chest and a flowing red cape behind him.
While not exactly what Li Yue would have chosen, his outfit was considerably more impressive than those worn by other members of The Seven.
"Go home! We don't need foreigners protecting us! We only want American superheroes!" a hostile voice shouted as soon as Li Yue took the stage.
...…
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