Chapter 41.
Li Yue was now staying in a house where a tech-savvy contact had acquired a false identity for him. The tracking chip implanted by Vought Corporation had already been smashed to pieces by Li Yue himself. As a result, no one—except Starlight—knew that he was still alive.
Li Yue wasn't at all concerned about the public's scorn or the media's condemnation. If his guess was right, the tides were about to turn.
Meanwhile, Madeleine, the Vice President of Vought Corporation, couldn't ignore the storm brewing around her. Ever since the media had broadcasted the incident, most of the general public—those who followed the news and gossip—had sided with Homelander. After all, he was a symbol, a spiritual leader among superheroes.
Vought now faced a crucial decision. The first option was to align with public sentiment—publicly support Homelander and denounce Thunder's actions as unlawful.
The benefit of this path was clear: it would resonate with the public, win the favor of the masses, and help Vought minimize financial losses in the aftermath. However, the risk was just as significant. If Thunder truly had the power to defeat and kill Homelander, as shown in the video, then supporting Homelander would mean turning Thunder into a powerful enemy—one possibly even stronger than Homelander himself.
The second option was to back Thunder. But this would infuriate the public and wouldn't necessarily earn Thunder's goodwill. Still, there was a slim chance that showing support might leave a favorable impression on him and deter any future hostility toward Vought.
However, Madeleine had sensed something in her recent conversation with Thunder. He showed no respect for her or for the company. It was clear he held no affection for Vought, and expecting neutrality or alliance from him seemed like a fantasy.
In that light, supporting Homelander seemed the safer bet. Yet Madeleine couldn't ignore the possibility of Thunder retaliating. If he turned against Vought, they wouldn't stand a chance—not against a superhuman capable of killing Homelander.
Madeleine was truly caught in a dilemma. She couldn't make up her mind. But as Vice President, and with no guidance from the company president or other senior executives, the decision fell squarely on her shoulders.
Of course, she could also choose to remain silent—neither supporting Homelander nor Thunder. But that approach would lead to mediocrity. It might avoid the worst outcome, but it wouldn't bring any benefits either. In the absence of a firm stance, Vought would undoubtedly face backlash for its inaction. People would point fingers, accusing the company of cowardice.
Madeleine's head felt like it might explode. She had received countless inquiries throughout the day, many from people of influence—individuals she couldn't afford to offend. Earlier, these same people had offered comforting words. Now, they demanded answers.
After much deliberation, Madeleine finally made her decision. She called her assistant into the office.
"Prepare a press conference in one hour. Make sure all major media outlets are present. Also, increase security at the venue—make sure there are no surprises."
The assistant nodded and turned to leave, but Madeleine stopped her.
"Wait—have we identified the person who posted the video?"
"Yes, Vice President," the assistant replied. "Our tech team traced the source. The uploader was a Russian national. But when our people reached his residence, the place was empty. Not a soul in sight. It seems he left in a hurry."
"Later, we discovered that he suddenly booked a plane ticket and rushed back to Russia," the female assistant reported. "It seems he realized we were onto him, so he fled in a hurry. Vice President, should we continue the pursuit?"
She looked to Madeleine for guidance, not forgetting to ask the next step.
"Hmm... since he's returned to Russia, let it go," Madeleine replied after a moment's thought. "We're not in a position to make bold moves in Russia, especially not with everything else going on."
"Understood. I'll proceed with preparations for the press conference," the assistant responded, then turned and left.
Madeleine didn't dwell on the matter. She had already considered giving up the search. After all, the initial order to locate the uploader was issued in the heat of the moment, meant to suppress the video's spread before things escalated.
But now, even if they captured the person responsible for releasing the footage, the damage was already done—it wouldn't change much.
Time passed quickly. Within the hour, news of Vought Corporation's upcoming press conference had already reached major media outlets. Reporters from every corner—large networks and small publications alike—rushed to the Vought headquarters.
Speculation about the battle between Homelander and Thunder flooded every platform. Though theories varied, the overwhelming public sentiment leaned in favor of Homelander, with many condemning Thunder.
"And now Vought is holding a press conference—could this mean they've reached a conclusion?"
That was the thought on nearly every reporter's mind as they arrived on site.
Unlike usual events, this press conference featured no other superheroes—only Vice President Madeleine was present.
As per protocol, Madeleine began with a brief opening statement, outlining the purpose of the conference. Then came the much-anticipated Q&A session with the press.
"Ms. Madeleine, how does the company explain today's battle between your superheroes, Homelander and Thunder? What caused the conflict?"
A female reporter stood up and asked directly, wasting no time on pleasantries.
"I was just as shocked as everyone else when I first heard the news," Madeleine began. "Like the public, I was confused and deeply concerned."
"But both Homelander and Thunder are superheroes under our company's umbrella. That makes Vought partly responsible for what happened. I sincerely apologize to everyone affected by this incident. It's regrettable that it has caused so much trouble."
She paused before continuing, "At the moment, we are working diligently to uncover the full truth. I assure you, we'll provide a clear and complete explanation soon. We just ask for a little more time and patience."
Madeleine had come well-prepared. Her statement conveyed regret, transparency, and a promise to investigate. She made it clear that the company had no prior knowledge of the conflict and was taking the matter seriously.
Another reporter stood up, asking what was on everyone's mind.
"Public opinion is overwhelmingly in favor of Homelander, portraying him as the just party trying to stop Thunder from committing a crime. Thunder is being cast as the villain. May I ask—who does your company believe is in the right?"
"I'm sorry," Madeleine replied calmly, "but I can't comment on that just yet. Until our investigation is complete, no one can say for certain what really happened. However, I can promise you this—Vought will always stand on the side of justice. We will never shield criminals."
Her voice was steady, sincere, and full of conviction.
Buzz…
Despite the gravity of the press conference, the vibration of mobile phones suddenly echoed throughout the room. Almost every reporter instinctively glanced at their screens.
"Shocking Reveal! Is Homelander the Real Villain? Netizens Furious! After Watching This, You'll Understand the Truth Behind the Battle Between Homelander and Thunder!"
The sensational headline lit up on everyone's phones. Though the wording felt like clickbait, the content proved otherwise.
The article included detailed text and multiple images. One photo showed a mid-sized passenger aircraft grounded on a beach—reportedly the hijacked Atlantic flight. It confirmed that all 118 passengers had survived the incident, expressing their immense relief at having made it through alive. The article also honored the pilot, co-pilot, and crew members who had been tragically killed by the hijackers.
But the true bombshell came from the passengers' own statements.
According to the article, during questioning, every passenger shared a shocking revelation.
Attached to the report was a video—an apparent post-incident interview.
In the clip, a reporter could be heard interviewing one of the survivors.
"Hello! How are you feeling after everything that happened today?"
The reporter's tone was enthusiastic, but perhaps a bit tactless, given the situation. These people had just survived a hijacking and a near-death experience. They had barely escaped the jaws of death—finally free from that haunting fear—and here was someone shoving a microphone in their face, asking how they felt.
"Oh my God… I still can't believe we survived. I thought I was going to die!" the middle-aged woman said, her voice trembling as she spoke into the reporter's mic. "We should be most grateful to Thunder—not only because he saved all of us, but because he stood up to Homelander and fought to protect us!"
Though she tried to remain composed, the fear and trauma of the experience were still evident on her face.
"What happened exactly? Can you describe it in more detail?" the reporter urged, clearly sensing a major scoop was unfolding before her.
"At first, we never imagined something like this could happen," the woman said. "When Homelander and Thunder arrived, made quick work of the hijackers. Everyone cheered—we thought we were finally saved."
"To be honest… I never had much goodwill toward Thunder, mostly because of what I'd heard about his past and also because of his Asian heritage. I always thought if he didn't show up alongside Homelander, he wouldn't get to share in the applause and gratitude."
"But now… I want to apologize for ever thinking that way. I owe Thunder a heartfelt apology, because he is the real superhero."
She paused, her voice quivering.
"Homelander… he's a fraud. The moment he came out of the cabin, something about him changed. His whole demeanor—it was cold, distant. He didn't want to save us anymore. He just wanted to escape alone. Thunder confronted him about it, even when Homelander's eyes started glowing red—threatening him."
"Even then, Thunder didn't back down. He stood his ground without hesitation, and then… he punched Homelander straight out of the plane!"
As the interview continued, the video showed more testimonies. Over and over again, the passengers expressed similar feelings. They condemned Homelander and offered deep thanks to Thunder.
One particularly moving scene came from a mother clutching her child tightly as she recounted her ordeal.
"I begged Homelander to save my baby," she said, tears welling up. "But he just looked at us… and walked away. I don't blame him, not entirely—it's his choice whether to help us or not. But in my heart, I will always be grateful to Thunder. Because of him, my child survived."
"When my daughter grows up, I'll tell her about this day—the day Thunder, a true hero, saved us. I'll teach her to help others selflessly, like he did. Even if she'll never be as powerful as him, she can still be kind and brave."
"Hello! How are you feeling after what happened today?" the reporter asked another survivor, a gruff-looking man with a fierce expression.
"Feeling?" the man snorted. "I just stared death in the face, and you're here asking me how I feel? What is this, a movie review?"
He glared at the camera.
"I almost got turned into bones and dust! And now you want a post-crash commentary? My biggest urge right now is to punch you bloodsuckers straight in the face!"
The video shook violently as chaos erupted on screen. For a moment, it cut to black. In the background, the audio picked up sharp cracking noises—likely the man swatting at the crew—followed by the reporter's stifled yelps.
Back at the press conference, it felt like time had paused. The atmosphere had shifted from formality to unease.
Madeleine's assistant rushed over, phone in hand, and showed her the video.
Madeleine watched in silence, her expression unmoved—but deep down, she was shaken. She didn't need confirmation.
She knew this was real.
After all… no one knew what kind of person Homelander truly was better than she did.
"Ms. Madeleine, I believe you've just seen the breaking news. Do you have any explanation or comment?"
A young female reporter couldn't wait and quickly stood up to question Madeleine.
"This news… like everyone else, I've only just seen it. I'm just as shocked and skeptical. What's been reported hasn't been confirmed yet, so we can't say for certain that it reflects the truth."
"So please be patient. Once we've fully investigated the matter, I promise we'll give everyone a complete and transparent explanation. And if it turns out the video is accurate, I assure you that Vought will unconditionally support the righteous party — which, in this case, would be Thunder."
"However, that's only if the contents of the video are proven to be real."
Madeleine maintained her usual calm and professional tone, offering a generic response — one that neither confirmed nor denied anything. She was clearly trying to buy time, repeating that the truth had yet to be confirmed. But she also emphasized that Vought stands for justice.
Bzzzz...
Just as the reporter was about to follow up, her phone vibrated again.
She glanced at the screen—and her expression immediately shifted to one of shock.
"Ms. Madeleine, you just said that your company will unconditionally support Thunder. Then may I ask — the statement Thunder just released, regarding Compound V and the so-called Infant Plan — does Vought also unconditionally support and admit to that?"
The reporter didn't even bother putting her phone away. Her voice was sharp and direct, cutting through the tension in the room like a knife. And as expected from a professional, she had skillfully turned the conversation toward a much more dangerous topic.
On stage, Madeleine froze. The moment she heard the names Compound V and Infant Plan, her face paled. Her usual composed expression vanished.
"This press conference is over."
She abruptly stood up and walked off stage, ignoring the chaos that erupted behind her as the reporters shouted questions.
"Vought Corporation... what a mess!"
That was the collective thought running through the minds of everyone in the room.
...
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