I am Japan

Upon seeing that he was from the same country, the wealthy businessmen immediately changed their tune: "Oh! Of course! Of course! Mr. Starr, please!"

They wisely dispersed.

Jessica breathed a sigh of relief, her shoulders slumping. "Fuck... thank you."

"Don't thank me," Wu Yanzu said in a low voice, with a hint of warning in his tone. "Straighten your back, Queen. You're a member of the Super Seven, not a prostitute standing on the street waiting for business."

Jessica's fleeting sense of gratitude was instantly dispelled by anger: "Can't you even utter a single human word?"

"I'm teaching you a lesson." Wu Yanzu held up his wine glass, his gaze sweeping across the room. "Look at those people, Jessica. They have money and power. But in front of me, they have to bow their heads."

Why?

"Because I have power. And now, I have turned that power... into a commodity they crave."

Wu Yanzu pointed to Ashley, who was chatting happily with a military official not far away.

"Do you see? What we need to do is not just be heroes, but also... power."

"I don't need any of that," Jessica said coldly. "I just want..."

"What are you thinking? Going back to Hell's Kitchen to catch thieves?" Wu Yanzu sneered.

"But……"

"No buts." Wu Yanzu interrupted her. "By the way, starting tomorrow, your special training will be doubled."

"What?!"

"Your fighting skills are terrible." Wu Yanzu took a sip of his drink. "You only know how to use brute force. If you encounter a real opponent, like that Hulk, or Thor... you'll be beaten to a pulp."

"I will teach you myself."

Jessica was stunned.

Teach in person?

Looking at Wu Yanzu's profile so close to hers, she didn't know why, but she didn't feel much repulsion. Instead, there was a hint of barely perceptible anticipation.

"...As long as you're not afraid of me beating you to tears," Jessica retorted defiantly.

"Ha." Wu Yanzu laughed, as if he had heard a joke.

Just then, a commotion broke out at the entrance of the hall.

The crowd automatically separated.

A man wearing a black trench coat, an eye patch, and a shiny bald head strode in.

Even in such a gathering of celebrities, the chilling aura of a secret agent emanating from him still caused the surrounding temperature to drop several degrees.

Nick Fury.

Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.

He didn't come alone. Behind him were "Hawkeye" Clint and... "Black Widow" Natasha Romanoff, whose face didn't look good.

Wu Yanzu narrowed his eyes.

"Oh? What a rare guest."

He put down his wine glass, straightened his cuffs, and took the initiative to greet her.

"Chief Fury!" Wu Yanzu's booming voice drew everyone's attention. "What brings you here? Are you here to celebrate my movie's box office success?"

Nick Fury stopped in front of Wu Yanzu, staring intently at him with his one eye.

"The movie was good, Starr." Fury's voice was flat, revealing neither joy nor anger. "Especially the ending. Very...creative."

"Creativity originates from life, Director," Wu Yanzu said with a smile.

"We're not here to talk about movies," Fury said bluntly. "We're here to talk about... your 'Super Seven'."

"Oh?" Wu Yanzu raised an eyebrow. "That's a trade secret."

“This is a matter of national security,” Fury said coldly. “You are building an unregulated superhuman armed force. The Security Council is… very concerned about this.”

"Unregulated?"

Wu Yanzu smiled.

He turned around and waved to President Matthew Ellis, who was chatting with several senators not far away.

"Mr. President! There's some misunderstanding here. Perhaps you could help Director Fury clear things up?"

President Ellis walked over, holding a wine glass. He looked radiant, and his approval ratings had rebounded considerably thanks to Homelander's support.

"Nick," the president said, looking at Fury with a hint of displeasure, "this is a private event. Furthermore, Homelander's team has direct authorization from the White House."

"Direct authorization?" Fury's expression changed. "Mr. President, this concerns national security..."

"Nick!" the president interrupted him. "I think we need more options. S.H.I.E.L.D. seems a bit overwhelmed lately?"

This statement directly hit Fury where it hurt.

The revelations from the "Rising Tide" organization have caused S.H.I.E.L.D. a major headache, and the internal investigation has created widespread anxiety.

Fury gave the president a deep look, then glanced at Wu Yanzu, who was standing next to the president.

He got it.

The tide is gone.

At least on a political level, he can no longer touch Homelander.

"Very good." Fury nodded. "Since it's the president's idea."

He turned to Wu Yanzu.

"But, Starr, I must remind you."

Fury stepped forward and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear:

"You manipulate public opinion, you woo politicians, and you even recruited that hacker girl."

"You think you're in control of everything."

"But this world... is far more complex than you think. Some things, hidden in the shadows... are ancient and dangerous."

Wu Yanzu looked at the one-eyed creature and simply smiled.

He leaned close to Fury's ear and whispered back:

Nick.

Do you know why I'm not afraid of shadows?

"because……"

A dangerous red light flickered in Wu Yanzu's eyes.

"...I am the sun."

Fury's pupils suddenly contracted.

The two stared at each other for three seconds. The air seemed to freeze.

"Let's go."

Fury flicked his sleeve and turned to leave.

Natasha glanced at Wu Yanzu, hesitated, then sighed and left with Fury.

Watching the SHIELD team slink away, Wu Yanzu's smile deepened.

……

Christmas hasn't arrived yet, and it hasn't snowed in New York, but the city is as if it's been thrown into a giant microwave oven.

Not because of the holiday, but because of that damn reality show—"Who's the Next Superhero?".

The propaganda machine of Water International Media is currently operating at full power, like a turbine fully fueled by nuclear fuel.

From Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles to Millennium Park in Chicago, from the beaches of Miami to rainy nights in Seattle, you can't escape it, and there's no way to avoid it.

Even if you bury your head in the toilet, as long as there's water in it, the reflection will probably show the shining face of the Chinese people.

This was Vought International's "saturation bombing".

Every screen, the side of every bus, the back of every subway seat.

Posters in red, white, and blue spread like a virus throughout the city and even the whole of America.

In the center of the poster, Homelander points a finger at you, his deep blue eyes seemingly able to see through to the most humble desires in the depths of your soul.

Below are lines of text depicting burning flames:

WHO IS THE NEXT?

"No matter who you are, no matter where you come from."

"If you have talent, Walter will give you wings."

On the big screen, the promotional video is playing on a loop 24 hours a day.

Homelander and Queen Jones were the first to be attacked, followed by five black silhouettes waiting in vain.

A deep male voice on the screen chanted loudly, "This isn't just a show; it's a ticket to Mount Olympus. Millions in prize money? That's the starting price. Global endorsements? That's standard practice. Most importantly... you'll be fighting alongside the Homelanders."

「报名日期：2012年12月24日—2013年1月1日。千万别让你的才华，烂在下水道里。」

……

……

An unnamed farm in Kansas.

Old John exhaled a puff of chewing tobacco and looked at his youngest son, Billy, who was standing on top of the barn.

"Watch closely, Dad!" Billy roared.

He jumped down suddenly.

He didn't break his leg.

Instead, he bounced up three feet off the ground... as if some invisible, powerful spring was installed in the soles of his feet.

"I'm Bouncy Boy!" Billy exclaimed excitedly, tumbling through the air like a runaway rubber ball. "I'm going to New York! I'm joining The Seven!"

Old John sighed and roared, "Get down here, you idiot, feed the pigs first."

But a glimmer of hope flashed in his eyes. Maybe... this kid really can do it? That's tens of millions of dollars.

……

Ohio, a high school.

The nerd who always got stuffed into the locker by the football captain was currently hiding in a toilet stall.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

"Come out! Four-Eyes! I know you're in there!" The bully outside was kicking the door.

The bookworm pushed up his glasses and looked at himself in the mirror.

He took off his glasses, and his body began to become transparent, disappearing completely into the air.

"You're finished." A whisper echoed in the air.

"When I get to Walter...when I become the Seven...I'm going to hang all your underwear on the flagpole!"

……

Miami, Florida.

The backstage area of ​​a cheap nightclub.

"Hurry up! The next one is 'Fiery Lady'! Don't keep the guests waiting!"

In the dressing room, Angela looked at herself in the mirror. She had a head of brilliant red hair, but what was most special was that when she was emotional, her fingertips would flow with a light like liquid flame.

"I'm leaving." Angela suddenly stood up and threw the revealing dance costume into the trash can.

"What? Are you crazy? You still owe the boss money!" the agent screamed.

"Tell that fat bastard," Angie stretched out her hand, a blazing fireball condensing in her palm, instantly burning a large hole in the makeup mirror, "...I quit."

She looked at the firelight reflected in the mirror, her eyes sharpening.

"I'm going to New York. I'm going to... Walter."

……