Chapter 106 Butcher gets roasted by the soldier.
"This is a small punishment from me to you, John!"
Lucas stood with his hands behind his back, floating in mid-air.
"I brought Soldier Boy back simply to annoy Clara; I want to crush her spirit!!"
Homelander looked shocked. "Killing is one thing, but you want to crush her spirit too?"
"Nonsense. That old Nazi is constantly working against me. Do I look like I have a good temper? What, are you feeling sorry for her?"
Homelander waved his hands repeatedly. "Absolutely not! I won’t ever do that again!"
"Then... what about the Wonder Man situation?"
"I’m going to make a sequel! The script is already discussed. Regarding Wonder Man as an anti-hero, there are a few more superhero shows coming up. You’ll make a cameo as the Butcher!"
Homelander: "..."
So you’re just bullying me here, right!
However, Homelander did breathe a sigh of relief, because Guardian bringing Soldier Boy back wasn’t to replace him.
It was specifically to deal with Clara.
If he killed Clara himself, would it make Guardian cool off, and then get rid of that old popsicle?
Homelander didn’t reject this idea.
He didn’t realize that this scene his good brother had arranged for him had a second act.
Clara was just an appetizer.
The main event was still to come!
[Homelander — Emotional change: Unease, relief, dependence and trust, inexplicable peace of mind]
[Evolution Points gained: +8, 200]
Night fell.
In Brooklyn, inside a run-down strip club.
Soldier Boy was sitting alone at the bar, downing whiskey glass after glass.
On the first day of returning to this era, he felt incredibly irritable.
Clara...
Sigh!
What’s so great about that brat? Isn’t it just that she can fly?
Compared to him, Homelander was just a freak wearing a cape, yet Clara was into that look.
"Mind if I sit down, pal?"
A voice with a heavy London accent sounded beside him.
Soldier Boy glanced sideways.
The Blacks, gays, transgenders, Asians... and now an Englishman. Are there even any authentic locals left in America?
Wait was there ever a thing called authentic local in America?
Butcher, wearing a black trench coat and covered in stubble, sat down next to him.
"It’s you! What, didn’t come with your teammates?" Soldier Boy didn’t even look up.
"Of course not, big hero!" Butcher grinned and poured himself a drink. "Soldier Boy, America’s first king, a poor wretch sold out completely by his own teammates."
"If my friends were here, I wouldn’t be so easy to talk to!"
Soldier Boy snorted, his face full of disdain.
"Just say what you want!"
"Partnership!" Butcher got straight to the point.
"I have a list of your old teammates! Don’t you want revenge? Our goals are actually the same, pal!"
"I hate those Supes, especially that blonde bitch wearing the flag! I wish they’d all go to hell, and you want revenge!"
"Work with me, and I’ll help you send those bastards to the grave. Deal?"
Soldier Boy thought about it seriously, then put down his glass.
"Fuck off!"
Butcher was stunned.
"I’ve already given my word to someone else. Keeping promises is what a man should do," Soldier Boy said indifferently.
"Someone else?"
Butcher sneered. "Who? That Guardian who put you back on a pedestal? Pal, you’ve been played by him!"
Butcher said with an unnatural expression, "That Guardian is a mad dog raised by Vought. He’s more controllable, which makes him more dangerous than Homelander!"
"That guy is full of empty platitudes about morality, doing nothing but buying people’s hearts—charity, savior, his goal is to overthrow the American government!"
"He brought you back just to use you as a blade!"
Soldier Boy didn’t deny it, but he turned to look at Butcher.
"Kid!"
"I’ve lived for nearly a century!"
"I’m not a fucking idiot!"
"It’s true that Guardian uses me as a blade, but how are you any better?"
Butcher’s expression changed.
"I read the newspapers too, kid!" Soldier Boy picked up his cigar, took a puff, and blew the smoke into Butcher’s face.
"The Little St. James Island incident was done by Guardian, that much is true, right!"
"He is a hero in the true sense, daring to declare war on those big shots in Congress. His words are even more inflammatory than the one Clara believes in!"
"But what do you think my view should be?"
"Protect the country, put on armor, and go be an enemy to the three hundred children that Guardian is protecting?"
"That’s not what a man should do, kid!"
Soldier Boy looked proud. "I actually pity you. You don’t know your own boundaries. Justice is justice, and Supes are Supes."
"When that kid was saving lives, where were you, the anti-Supe hero?"
Butcher was speechless for a moment.
His confidence faltered even more.
"I admit, there are many scumbags among Supes, and I am the strongest one of them."
Soldier Boy seemed to dare to admit it.
He said, "But Supes are not the bane of this society. The capital that created them, the ones who pushed these people to the forefront as commodities, that’s the real problem!"
"And as for someone like you, with a head full of nothing but hatred, doing anything to achieve your goals, even treating all Supes as enemies—you’re an antisocial element. Are you any different from a Nazi?"
"If there were a new type of mustard gas in the future that could wipe out all Supes in one go, you wouldn’t hesitate to drop it, would you?"
"Even if the target were a child who had no idea what was going on?"
"Even if the target were Guardian, who is doing good deeds to save this goddamn country?"
Soldier Boy put down his glass and stood up. "Think about it carefully. Don’t spread your hatred to such a wide range."
"If you have the ability, go get revenge; if you don’t, then stay tucked away. Stop coming out to scheme and provoke. Be a real man, okay!"
After speaking, Soldier Boy dropped a few crumpled bills and walked out of the bar without looking back.
Leaving Butcher alone, frozen in place, his face ashen.
He didn’t expect Soldier Boy to be so hard to recruit.
He thought the guy would be eager for revenge, but he didn’t expect to be left speechless by his retort.
It looks like another fanboy brainwashed by Guardian.
...
On the other side.
Lucas was lying comfortably in bed, Starlight curled up in his arms, asleep.
On the other side.
Maeve was scrolling through her phone.
"What are you thinking about?" Maeve suddenly patted Lucas.
Because Lucas was holding the controller, but on the big TV in front of them, that Western outlaw had already been pounced on by a mountain lion.
"Oh, I’m thinking about some funny things."
Lucas loaded the save file.
"Oh? What funny things? Tell me about it."
Maeve reached her hand under the quilt.
"I’m just looking forward to what might happen next. Don’t you think it will be very interesting? Soldier Boy and Homelander, a pair of biological... father and son!"
Maeve lifted the quilt and crawled inside.
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