Just playing around.
Butcher's heart sank the moment he heard Kevin's reason for staying in this world.
Before this, he had thought Kevin was an easy-going Supe. Because there were Supes like Starlight and Lamplighter, Butcher's feelings towards Supes were no longer as hateful as before.
He even thought that perhaps not all Supes were jerks.
But now, seeing Kevin's smiling face, Butcher understood that the jerkiness of Supes didn't lie in their personalities, but in their abilities.
When one possesses the power to do whatever one pleases without anyone stopping them, even the best person will become unreasonable.
Just like Kevin in front of him, seemingly easy-going, he was actually no different from Homelander.
He didn't treat the people of this world as human beings.
Perhaps in his eyes, the people of this world were just NPCs for his entertainment.
Butcher's idea made no sense. If Kevin knew, he would definitely feel that he was being wronged.
However, Butcher couldn't possibly tell Kevin his thoughts.
Staring intently at Kevin for a long time, Butcher said, "You should go."
"I'd like to go, but who was it who initially made me stay in this world for Hughie's safety? Do you think I want to be in this world?"
"...I'll go get Hughie now. Then, whether you want him to send you back or take him with you, I don't care. I only have one request: ensure his safety."
Taking a deep breath, Butcher conceded.
He realized that leaving an unstable factor like Kevin in this world was more dangerous than targeting Vought.
Perhaps Kevin himself had no intention of harming anyone, but now no one knew what he would do next.
Butcher hated the unknown.
Because the unknown represented things outside of the plan, it meant everything would deviate from the original trajectory and become uncontrollable.
So even if it meant losing Kevin's help, he didn't intend to let Kevin remain in this world.
However, Butcher obviously didn't know an old Eastern saying.
That saying was, it's easy to invite a god, but hard to send one away.
"Sorry, I've changed my mind now."
...What?
"I suddenly find this world quite interesting and want to play here more. Of course, if you want Hughie to send me back, it's not impossible, but I'll definitely come back later."
Kevin said with a rogue-like expression.
Butcher stared deeply at Kevin. He took two steps forward and seriously said to Kevin, "I'll give Hughie to you to send you back, and then you never come back again, okay?"
"Butcher, do you remember what I said when we first met? Who gave you the courage to negotiate with me? I'm willing to talk to you out of our acquaintance in a parallel world, not because I'm genuinely afraid to do anything to you guys."
Kevin's smile remained, but there was little amusement in his eyes.
If Butcher had decisively let Hughie send him back at the very beginning, Kevin probably wouldn't have developed an interest in this world.
But now, after being unable to return for a long time, Kevin felt somewhat annoyed.
Because he didn't know what the other The Boys world was like now.
Logically, Kevin had paused time in that world, so he didn't need to worry about things there for now.
However, judging by the time it took for the other Hughie to travel back and forth, the time in the two The Boys worlds was basically synchronized.
Kevin couldn't guarantee that time in the other The Boys world was still paused.
After all, this was different from traveling to Marvel or DC; those were different universes, but now these were similar and close universes.
Perhaps when Kevin returned, time in the other world would resume flowing.
However, because Kevin had already dealt with everything in the other The Boys world, even a short disappearance wouldn't cause problems, so he wasn't too anxious.
But even so, Butcher's stubborn refusal to let Hughie inject Compound V had started to make Kevin impatient.
Going out to impersonate God of Mist and 'play' also had the intention of passing the time.
Of course, Kevin also understood that Butcher and the others were unaware of Compound V's effects and were worried about Hughie's body after injection, so they planned to be cautious and observe the situation first.
But understanding is one thing; it doesn't mean Kevin can accept it.
Kevin wasn't their closest friend, so he had no reason to understand and accept them.
Kevin's attitude made Butcher realize that he truly had no way to deal with this Supe in front of him.
Taking a deep breath, closing his eyes and pondering for a moment, Butcher's tone softened: "Okay, then let's continue to negotiate. What will it take for you to let go of this world?"
"Don't make it sound like I'm a world-destroying villain. So far, our interests are consistent. I help you deal with Vought, and you let Hughie inject Compound V to send me back. These don't conflict with each other."
"But your actions today could very well lead Vought to push for Compound V within the military!"
"They can't do it."
"How can you be so sure?!"
"Because I still have a trump card I haven't revealed... Alright, let's stop here for now. Someone's calling you, pick it up."
Kevin used the excuse of someone calling Butcher to end the conversation.
Butcher had intended to ask Kevin what his trump card was, but when he saw the caller ID, he had no choice but to leave Kevin and answer the phone.
Because the caller was his mother.
Butcher walked to the side to make the call. Kevin moved further away from him, not listening to the content of his conversation with his mother.
Kevin walked to a nearby wicker chair and sat down, looking at Rebecca and her son Ryan, who were talking with Mallory in front of the villa, and became slightly lost in thought.
He missed Annie a bit.
His fiancée, Annie.
Before, because he could return at any time, Kevin's longing for Annie wasn't so strong.
But now, realizing that he might not be able to return for a long time, Kevin finally had that feeling of lovers in a passionate relationship separated by distance.
Wanting to call, wanting to text, but unable to do so, even meeting became a luxury. This feeling was truly awful.
If it weren't for this unexpected situation, Kevin himself wouldn't have known that he was also afraid of being alone forever.
Seeing everyone in the villa busy with their own affairs, Kevin suddenly felt a bit bored.
No longer paying attention to the villa, Kevin casually checked his skill tree, wanting to see if the skill icon related to 'God of Mist' had changed.
He had only sat for a while when he received a call from Barry:
"Kevin! You absolutely won't believe what I saw!"
?
Barry's opening words left Kevin full of questions.
But the next moment, Barry's words made him instantly stand up from his chair.
"I saw Ghost! She even helped me find Miss Annie and Miss Annie's mother! Of course, that's not the point, the point is she seems to be from the same world as you!"
"Where are you? Send me your location now! Immediately!!"
"Uh... we're at... Sorry, Miss Ghost, where is this? Oh..."
Barry and Ghost's voices came through the phone. Not long after, Barry said to Kevin, "In a derelict ship in the harbor..."
"Wait for me, I'll be there right away!"
Ending the communication with Barry, Kevin eagerly rushed to the location Barry sent.
He hadn't expected that sending Barry to save Starlight would lead him to the person he was looking for!
Now, without Hughie, Kevin might also have a way to return to his own world!
...
Flames burned on the lawn, and the once cozy cottage was now a pile of ruins.
Homelander stood amidst the ruins, his face terribly grim as he looked at the already ruined cottage in front of him, his fists clenched, almost crushing the gloves on his hands.
Stormfront stood beside him.
She noticed Homelander's emotions and expression and spoke, "It seems the person you wanted to show me isn't here."
...
Homelander ignored Stormfront.
His anger was almost bursting through his brain; he had no mood to deal with his current girlfriend.
In fact, if Stormfront hadn't stopped him just now, he would have destroyed more than just this cottage.
Let's briefly explain what happened.
After their last falling out, Homelander was persuaded back by Stormfront less than a day later.
It must be said that Stormfront truly understood Homelander. With her understanding of him, her love for him, and her 'sincerity' in revealing everything to him, she moved Homelander and brought him back into her embrace.
The rest was simple.
With Stormfront, who was very knowledgeable about the internet, they successfully incited a group of people online who supported them in forming a Supe army.
Using Super Villains as an excuse and target, they incited the public to pressure the America government, demanding the release of Compound V to allow more people to become Supe.
Things went smoothly.
Unimaginably smoothly.
The public's dissatisfaction with the recent rampage of Super Villains had been suppressed to the extreme; they needed an outlet.
Stormfront gave them such an outlet, igniting their inner anger and madness, using this emotion to push the government to agree to the release of Compound V.
Then, after today's routine speech, Stormfront saw a woman holding a child in the audience.
She remembered her own daughter.
Her deceased daughter.
Homelander saw her expression, and with the intention of making his girlfriend happy, he took Stormfront to see his biological son.
Ryan.
Homelander thought this would make Stormfront feel better, and even thought about taking Ryan and Stormfront out to eat together, like a real family of three, like a real family.
The result...
When Homelander and Stormfront arrived at Rebecca and Ryan's secluded place, they couldn't find anyone.
They only saw Vought's security team there.
After the security team's explanation, he learned that Rebecca and Ryan had been taken away by an unidentified Supe.
Upon hearing this news, Homelander's emotions instantly exploded.
Losing control, he was like a furious child, grabbing and smashing things, destroying anything he saw.
His heat vision ignited the house and lawn, and the entirely wooden cottage was thus reduced to a pile of ruins under Homelander's 'loss of control'.
Stormfront did not stop Homelander. She knew Homelander needed to vent, just like the ordinary people she incited, he needed a place to vent.
Otherwise, it wouldn't just be the house that got hurt.
Standing aside and waiting for a while, feeling Homelander's emotions showing signs of calming down, Stormfront dared to approach and take his hand, saying, "Anger solves nothing. We need to find the Supe who took your son."
...Edgar...
"It couldn't have been Edgar. He wouldn't do something that would anger you, but he definitely knows something. We can go ask him."
Stormfront understood Edgar.
As a racist, she naturally hated Edgar and wished he would die immediately.
But undeniably, Edgar's existence was fundamental to ensuring that the mountain of Vought would not collapse.
At the same time, Stormfront also understood that Edgar would not actively provoke Homelander.
This did not align with Vought's strategy.
Nor did it align with Edgar's shrewd persona.
So this wasn't done by Edgar; it must have been someone else.
A new enemy who dared to snatch people right under Vought's nose.