Become a Homelander and a Marvel superstar

VGD Training Base.

Steve Rogers, wearing a tactical vest and holding a whiteboard, stood in front of the lined-up cadets.

His current role is the head instructor of VGD.

Listen up!

Steve's voice echoed throughout the training ground, clear to everyone without needing a megaphone.

"In front of the camera, you are stars, you are idols. But on the battlefield, you are just targets!"

"The enemy won't show mercy just because your uniforms look good, nor will they stop firing just because your fans are screaming."

"Forget about those damn autographs and photos here. Learn how to cover your teammates, learn how to crawl out of a pile of corpses with a broken leg!"

"Did you understand?!"

"Understood, sir!"

Dozens of newly signed city heroes roared in unison.

Steve nodded in satisfaction and continued:

"I know you have superpowers. Some of you are invulnerable to blades and bullets, some can grow spikes all over their bodies, and some can stick out their tongues three meters long."

"But in my eyes, you're just kids waving loaded guns around randomly!"

"Superheroes are more than just flexing muscles. They are about judgment, restraint, and protection!"

Steve pointed to the simulated tactics board behind him.

"Lesson One: Side Damage Control. If you destroy an entire street just to catch a petty thief, you're not a hero, you're a bastard!"

……

Just as Azu was watching Steve train the new recruits with great interest through the floor-to-ceiling window, the office door was pushed open.

Ashley burst in, looking utterly devastated.

"Mr. Homelander! Something's happened!"

"Has the sky fallen, Ashley?" Azu asked upon hearing this.

"It's worse than the sky falling!" Ashley waved her tablet, exasperated. "Wade! That freak! He's gone!"

"Gone?" Azu raised an eyebrow.

"Just two hours ago, he received his first signing bonus, five million dollars!" Ashley screamed. "And then he vanished! His phone is unreachable, and the GPS shows his locator was thrown into the belly of a dead fish in the Hudson River!"

Azu squinted his eyes.

"That brat..."

"What should we do then? Should we launch a city-wide manhunt?" Ashley stomped her feet in frustration.

"No need, he's no longer in New York." Azu waved his hand dismissively. "Let him be."

"But sir! He's a member of the group of seven, that's a breach of contract..."

"Ashley," Azu interrupted her, "don't you know Wade? He's a mad dog. If you put him in a cage, he'll bite through the bars."

Azu sneered.

"Once he's squandered all the money, or gotten into some trouble he can't handle, he'll climb back up."

"Then I'll show him what the strictest father is like..."

"Release a statement saying Deadpool is on a 'top secret overseas mission.' Don't let the media think we can't control him."

"...Yes, sir."

……

Washington, D.C., the Tri-Wing Building.

Alexander Pierce sat in his office with a cup of coffee that had gone cold in front of him.

Outside the window, a giant GG logo floating on a drone was facing his window, displaying Homelander's arrogant smiling face, as if silently mocking him.

"It's been two months."

Pierce's voice was low and filled with suppressed anger.

"For two whole months. Those old fogies in the Security Council are still going on and on about other things."

On the sofa opposite him sat Agent Sitwell, constantly wiping the sweat from his brow.

"Sir... Vought's influence is too great," Sitwell said nervously. "Ever since President Ellis's speech on Capitol Hill, most member states have been inclined to purchase Vought's defense services."

"Some council members even proposed reducing the size of S.H.I.E.L.D. and using the funds to support Vought's global expansion."

"I suspect that Walter has bribed some of the board members."

"Snapped!"

Pierce abruptly swept the coffee cup to the ground.

"If Vought completely monopolizes global defense, S.H.I.E.L.D. will have no room to survive, and neither will Hydra."

"We can't wait any longer."

Pierce turned around, his eyes turning ruthless and resolute.

"Since they think the world is safe... then let's show them just how fragile the world really is."

He looked at Sitwell.

"Activate the global dormant teams of 'Hydra'."

"But sir, that would kill many of us..."

"Sacrifice is necessary for order," Pierce interrupted him coldly. "We need chaos. Only in chaos and fear will those foolish council members remember the necessity of the Insight Plan."

Pierce gave the order.

"Target: Those wavering non-permanent members of the Security Council, such as Japan, Poland, India, and Brazil..."

"Create chaos. Explosions, attacks, assassinations. I want to plunge these countries into panic. I want them to understand that only a preemptive strike like 'Operation Insight' can protect them."

"Yes, sir. And... what about the continental United States?"

"Homeland..." Pierce narrowed his eyes, his gaze falling on the computer monitor.

That was a promotional photo from Waters' official website, featuring a group photo of several heroes from second-tier cities.

"Doesn't Walter have many city guardians?"

"Then let the world see just how vulnerable their guardians are."

"Sitwell, go and awaken the Winter Soldier."

"It's time... to teach those brats in their bodysuits a lesson."

"I want everyone to see that if Walter's heroes can't even protect themselves, how can they protect the world?"

……

For the next month, the world was plunged into a strange unease.

First, a large-scale gas attack occurred in Ginza, Tokyo, and thousands of people were hospitalized due to poisoning.

Immediately afterwards, several important government buildings in South Africa were razed to the ground by car bombs.

Poland's energy pipeline was blown up, plunging half the country into a blackout.

Brazil has also seen an armed coup, with the rebels using high-tech weapons of unknown origin.

The Security Council is in complete chaos.

SOS calls poured into Water International like snowflakes.

"Mr. Homelander! We need help!"

"Fatherlanders! Please save our people!"

Ah Zu couldn't stop smiling as he looked at the letters of request from all over the world.

"Ashley, plan out the route for the group of seven. Jessica and I will go our own way; we don't need to book plane tickets."

"This is the 7-member group's first world tour."

Azu stood up and straightened his cloak.

"We're going to be saviors. Notify the photography department to clean up the lenses. At least 200 Hummingbird drones must be deployed in every country the seven-person team passes through."

And so, throughout the month, the whole world saw that red and blue figure.

Each appearance was accompanied by thunderous cheers.

His global popularity is also visibly rising.

……

However, while Azu was enjoying the cheers of floods and tsunamis around the world, a shadow was quietly spreading over the American mainland.

Chicago, late at night.

Heavy rain.

The "Wind City Guardians" team, consisting of three city heroes contracted by Vought, is currently hiding in a container in an abandoned factory.

"Damn it! Who's that?! Is that guy even human?!"

Captain "Iron Arm Joe" clutched his severed left arm. His arm was as hard as steel, yet it had been broken by that person.

"I...I didn't see it clearly..." another hero, "Sonic Girl," trembled. "He was like a mechanical ghost...my sonic attacks couldn't even budge him..."

"Thump."

A heavy footstep landed on top of the container.

The three looked up in alarm.

Lightning ripped through the night sky.

A man wearing a half-face mask, whose left arm gleamed with a metallic sheen, was looking down at them.