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After explaining the whole situation to Maeve, she sat on the sofa, deep in thought.
She finally understood why Kevin was in this position and not anyone else.
First, Kevin possessed strength, and second, Kevin's methods truly surpassed the other Supes of The Seven.
No matter how much Kevin self-deprecatingly called himself an idiot with an unintelligent brain, in reality, he was far superior to the members of The Seven.
He knew how to assess the situation, seize opportunities, and would try to avoid Homelander when his strength was weak. Once he became powerful, he wouldn't bow down like a grandson in front of Homelander.
In Edgar's eyes, this was just perfect.
After successfully passing Edgar's tests several times, Kevin's natural progression to Vice President of the English Management Department was no longer incomprehensible.
However, even though Maeve understood all this, she still worried: "You've completely provoked Homelander now; he won't give up so easily."
"Of course, I know, but he has no other choice now," Kevin said, leaning back in his chair and twirling a pen. "Unless he's willing to give up everything he has and kill me at any cost, otherwise, he can only listen to me."
This was the reality Homelander needed to face now.
As long as he still wanted his fans, still wanted to be cheered by the public, and gain everyone's affection, then he had to accept the current situation.
He couldn't just do whatever he wanted to Kevin.
Because Kevin wasn't an ordinary person who would just stick out his tongue and die if Homelander shot him with his eyes.
Once Homelander personally did something to Kevin, it wouldn't be long before the feud between Homelander and Kevin was exposed in the media.
Then everyone would know what kind of person Homelander truly was.
Kevin had the means to deal with Homelander and believed that he wasn't someone who would easily get emotional.
And even if, for argument's sake, Homelander truly disregarded everything and tried to do something to Kevin, Kevin still had a way to stop him.
Not by strength, but by something else.
Butcher's wife, Becca, and her son, Ryan, their current location was already known to Kevin.
Kevin believed Homelander would be very interested in this news.
"Honestly, Kevin, I think you're a bit terrifying now."
Maeve looked at the calm Kevin and sighed.
Even she had never imagined Kevin would go this far.
She had thought Kevin's presence might cause changes within The Seven, but she had never imagined such a significant change.
However, on the other hand, Maeve didn't think Homelander would give up so easily.
So before leaving, Maeve still reminded Kevin: "But you still need to be careful. You and I both know what kind of person Homelander is."
"I know, don't worry."
Homelander might be unwilling, but what could his unwillingness achieve?
Maeve wasn't on his side, Black Noir had always been Edgar's person, Starlight and Kevin were on the same side, leaving Homelander with only A-Train.
In a situation where Homelander couldn't act himself, would A-Train really dare to do anything to Kevin?
Moreover, A-Train's retirement wasn't far off.
After Maeve left, Kevin took out another file from the desk.
It was the proposal for Shockwave to join The Seven as a new member.
...
In The Seven's lounge, Homelander stood amidst the wreckage, his gaze cold as he looked towards the adjacent wall.
In that direction, separated by a few walls, was the Vice President's office, which originally belonged to Madelyn and now belonged to Kevin.
Homelander stared in that direction, clenching his fists, then took a deep breath, slowly calming his agitated emotions.
As for venting, he had vented enough.
The table in The Seven's meeting room was shattered by him, and everything in the lounge was destroyed, leaving the entire room looking like a crime scene.
Continuing to be angry would be futile; the fact that Kevin became Vice President wouldn't change at all. It would be better to think about how to deal with Kevin.
For someone as arrogant as Homelander, it was completely unacceptable for a minor, overlooked figure in the team to suddenly become his direct superior.
Before this, Homelander could be very friendly to Kevin, even entrusting him with The Seven's financial management, giving him greater power within The Seven.
But all of that was based on the premise that Kevin wouldn't threaten him.
Now that Kevin had clearly threatened his status and power, Homelander's attitude would instantly change, turning into a predatory beast.
But unfortunately, he couldn't do anything.
However, what Homelander couldn't do, someone else could do for him.
Whoosh—
A gust of wind stirred the scattered papers and wood fragments on the floor. Along with this wind, A-Train appeared before Homelander.
Upon arriving, he immediately saw the damaged furniture on the floor, and after a moment, he moved his gaze from the furniture, swallowing, and looked at Homelander: "...Ho... Homelander? You called for me?"
"Yes, I called for you. Don't worry about the things on the floor, let's talk somewhere else."
Homelander exhaled, a kind smile appearing on his face.
A-Train couldn't fathom his thoughts, and seeing him already leaving the room, he could only follow.
Taking the elevator to the top of Vought Tower, once he confirmed no one else was around, Homelander said to A-Train: "I called you here, and I believe you can guess why."
A-Train instantly thought of one person: "Because... The Deep?"
"Yes, it's him."
Homelander's expression was calm, maintaining his captain's demeanor in front of A-Train. His voice was steady as he slowly said to A-Train: "He's taken over. We... no, rather, you won't have an easy time after this."
"I... I don't understand... I don't seem to have... provoked him?"
A-Train was very confused.
He might have had some grievances with Kevin before, but in A-Train's opinion, those grievances shouldn't be enough for Kevin to specifically target him.
After all, to say something a bit impolite to Homelander, if Kevin were to target anyone, he'd target Homelander, it shouldn't have anything to do with him.
"No, no, no, you've got one thing wrong, A-Train." Homelander turned around, walked towards A-Train, and poked his finger at his heart: "Whether you provoked him or not, he intends to get rid of you. You know why, don't you? You... here... are sick."
The secret he had been hiding was exposed by Homelander face-to-face, A-Train's pupils constricted, and his breathing and heartbeat accelerated in sync.
The fact that he suffered from heart disease was currently known only to him and his brother; no one else knew about it.
A-Train had never intended to tell anyone.
Because once people knew that he, a speedster, suffered from heart disease, his future and prospects would be over.
A-Train had thought he had hidden it well, but he didn't expect Homelander to reveal it in one sentence.
Seeing A-Train's heart rate increase due to nervousness, Homelander gently comforted him: "Calm down, A-Train, calm down. I don't want to send you to the hospital here."
"Captain, I... I didn't mean to hide it, I..."
"Shh, I'm not blaming you, A-Train. What does your heart disease have to do with me? I'm not the Vice President."
Homelander scoffed: "The real threat to you is The Deep. He knows you have heart disease and he's prepared to replace you. Do you know what I just saw? I saw his proposal to bring Shockwave into The Seven.
"Clearly, the first thing he'll do after taking office is replace you."
"What!? No... He can't do that! How can he do that! We... we're colleagues! We were even classmates before! He—! F***!!"
A-Train, who had been relatively calm, instantly became agitated upon hearing this.
The new Vice President was about to force him out of The Seven. Although this came from Homelander's mouth, A-Train didn't think Homelander was lying to him.
He just found it hard to believe that Kevin would actually do something like this.
Homelander, like the most reliable senior and the most caring big brother next door, comforted A-Train with a helpless expression: "There's nothing we can do. After all, he's the Vice President, and he's not Madelyn. Even if I suggested you stay, he probably wouldn't accept."
"No... I can't leave The Seven! Captain, I... I want to stay, I can't leave The Seven yet!"
A-Train turned to Homelander, pleading.
The Seven represented not only honor but also wealth.
Everything A-Train had now—his food, clothing, housing, all his assets—came from The Seven.
Once A-Train retired, he would lose everything he currently had.
He was not like The Deep, who was already in a high position. The Deep, even if he left The Seven, would still be the Vice President, and he wouldn't earn much less than before. In fact, with his Vought shares, he could earn even more in the future!
But A-Train couldn't. If he retired, he would end up like those faded second and third-tier heroes, sitting in his room every day, watching his old videos and feeling sorry for himself.
A-Train couldn't accept this.
Seeing A-Train pleading bitterly before him, Homelander's face showed compassion:
"Sorry, what I say doesn't count now. The person you should really find is The Deep... No, now you should call him... 'Mr. Moskowitz'? Pfft, Mr. Moskowitz, the clownfish who used to serve us tea and water, now he can be called 'Mr.'"
Homelander knew how to fan the flames.
After he finished speaking, A-Train's eyes visibly reddened.
Yes.
How did it come to this?
The guy who was nothing in The Seven, someone everyone could bully, how did he suddenly stand above them?
A-Train knew that The Deep's strength had somewhat increased, but there should be a limit to how strong he could get, right?
Suddenly, the gap widened so much that A-Train couldn't accept it.
What he found even more unacceptable was that The Deep actually wanted to fire him?!
Why?!!
Seeing that A-Train's emotions had been stirred, Homelander smiled slightly. He leaned close to A-Train's ear and whispered: "Go give him a lesson, A-Train. Show him who's the Boss in The Seven, and while you're at it, avenge your girlfriend, Popclaw. Her death was because of him, wasn't it?"
"Popclaw..."
"Yes, if he hadn't found out about Compound V, how could Popclaw have died? It's all his fault."
Homelander completely absolved himself here.
It was he who forced A-Train to eliminate Popclaw, the one who knew too much, and A-Train had only complied.
Now, he turned around and blamed The Deep.
But A-Train, already enraged, believed him.
Thinking of the loving moments with his girlfriend, and the scene where he was forced to kill her, A-Train felt a surge of sadness and anger.
It wasn't enough that he harmed his girlfriend; he also wanted him to leave The Seven. Under the weight of both new and old grievances, A-Train was now filled with hatred for Kevin.
Seeing this, Homelander knew the time was right.
He patted A-Train's shoulder and whispered: "You know what to do, A-Train."
With that, Homelander soared into the sky and left.
Leaving A-Train alone on the rooftop of Vought Tower, sinking deeper and deeper into his hatred for Kevin.
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