Derek went viral in an instant.
That very day, the moniker "Pig-Riding Warrior" spread like wildfire across social media.
To make matters more sensational, Derek was already one of the headliners in the heavily hyped Campus Showdown. Riding the heat of the "Pig-Riding Warrior" craze, what was originally supposed to be an internal Godkin University duel broke containment and exploded into the broader public eye.
On Vought's pay-per-view channel alone, preorders for the match skyrocketed to ten million.
A-Train of the Super Seven made a high-profile announcement that he would attend the event in person. Rumors even circulated that Taylor Swift herself intended to be there.
Godkin University was thrilled; Vought was thrilled; Qi Li was thrilled; everyone was thrilled with this outcome.
The achievement of "Derek Alone in Tears" was officially unlocked.
Only, right now he was undergoing treatment in proctology, with no time to make any public statements—nor would anyone have permitted him to speak.
As for whether he would miss the duel?
A superhuman's constitution was remarkably resilient.
Even after enduring such agony... or perhaps ecstasy, since nobody else had been in his shoes to truly fathom Derek's state of mind at the time. Regardless, Derek would still be able to show up for the match in peak condition as scheduled.
With Derek on temporary medical leave, Qi Li's schedule became even more packed.
Talk shows, commercial shoots, television appearances...
Aside from Hailey Miller throwing a curveball with a few questions that clearly weren't on the agreed-upon list, everything went smoothly.
Just like that, a week flew by, and the day of the duel arrived.
***
"Qi Li, as we all know, one year ago you had a serious altercation with Red Colossus. It even made the front-page headlines in Los Angeles that day, didn't it?"
"...You have quite a memory."
"A month after that incident, Red Colossus was suddenly found dead in front of the Wilshire Building. What are your thoughts on that?"
"My thoughts? Hailey, since you're so invested in this matter, you must have seen his autopsy report."
"Yes. An overdose of drugs led to delirium, ultimately resulting in a fall from a great height. But Qi Li, don't you think the timing is a bit too coincidental? Only a month after his clash with you, Red Colossus died?"
"What a bloody bitch!"
Sitting on a beat-up sofa, Butcher watched Hailey Miller interviewing Qi Li on the television, his lips curling into a sharp sneer. "What do you reckon, Frenchie?"
He glanced toward the Frenchman beside him.
Frenchie, coming down from a high, chuckled raspy-like. "Just like you, mate—a rotten bitch right down to the core! Only she's a pretty one, and you're not."
Butcher's grin didn't waver. "Thanks for the compliment."
"Hey, guys, got the pizza and drinks," a voice called out as the door swung open. Hughie walked in carrying two large bags of food.
Frenchie eagerly stepped up to take them off his hands. "Our petit Hughie is back."
Hughie handed the bags over, hesitated, and couldn't help but protest, "Hey, could you please stop calling me 'petit Hughie'? I'm six feet tall."
Frenchie quickly promised, "No problem, petit Hughie."
Hughie shook his head in resignation.
Seeing Butcher still glued to the screen, Hughie followed his gaze. Qi Li was on camera right at that moment.
"Around three million people die in America every year. Illness, car accidents, shootings, drug overdoses, suicides, tornadoes, floods... You could even be perfectly fine one second and drop dead of natural causes the next. Red Colossus was no exception. I'm no exception, and neither are you. Life is unpredictable; that's just how the world works. Don't you agree, Hailey?"
"Wow, he actually makes a lot of sense!" Hughie said, standing right by the TV and nodding in agreement.
Butcher got up to grab a drink from the bag, remarking casually, "Just another wanker."
Hughie turned to him, puzzled. "He's Bronze. I've read plenty of news reports about him. He's saved a lot of people over the years."
Butcher picked up a paper cup, shoved a straw in, and turned back with a voice dripping with mockery. "Right, and our dear Hughie was A-Train's biggest fan once upon a time. Oh, and Translucent—the bloke our Hughie blew to pieces—used to be America's sweetheart, too."
Hughie was left speechless.
Still, he muttered under his breath, "There have to be supes who are actual heroes."
"No! Every last supe is a cunt! And that kid on the telly whose arse is burning bright with fame right now is no different—not if you knew what he's been up to before. Still..."
Butcher stared hard at Qi Li on the screen, a sudden grin spreading across his face. "Tonight, we're his biggest fans. Get ready. Tonight, we're going to watch the kind of supe bloodbath I love most. Best case, they tear each other to pieces and both end up in the ground."
Butcher took a sip through his straw with relish.
Hearing this, Hughie looked thoroughly confused. "Wait, aren't we supposed to be investigating Popclaw?"
Frenchie sidled up to him and explained, "Tonight, A-Train is going to watch the pretty boy's match, and Popclaw posted on social media that she's going too."
Hughie looked back and forth between the two of them. "So..."
Butcher crushed the empty cup in his fist. "So, we're going to check if Translucent's dying confession was true—see if A-Train and Popclaw really are shagging each other. Besides, it's not like it'll take much of our time, will it?"
***
At seven that evening, at the Vought International Hotel and Spa.
A vibrant crimson carpet was rolled out before the entrance.
One luxury car after another arrived in orderly fashion, pulling up at the edge of the carpet. As the doors opened amidst a barrage of flashing cameras, high-society elites and top-tier celebrities stepped out one by one.
At the same time, Vought's pay-per-view channel launched its live broadcast. A barrage of live comments flooded the screen as viewer numbers broke record after record.
In the backstage green room of Campus Showdown, Qi Li had already arrived.
Dressed in his blue-and-gold battle suit, he stood by the window, quietly watching the bustling traffic outside.
"You don't look nervous at all," Sigrid said, walking up beside Qi Li. Tonight, she wore a white women's pantsuit.
Qi Li chuckled softly. "Should I be?"
Sigrid paused to reflect. "Right. You have no reason to be." She changed the subject. "Free tonight?"
Qi Li shook his head.
Sigrid gave an understanding nod. "Spending it with that new girlfriend of yours—Kate, was it?"
Qi Li simply smiled without answering.
Sigrid remained unbothered. "Next time, then. Don't tell me you're the type to be wrapped around a girl's little finger."
"Deal," Qi Li answered briskly this time.
"By the way, if I were you, I'd go see Kate right about now. The way she's acting, she doesn't look at all like a woman gearing up to cheer on her boyfriend. More like she did something behind your back and feels guilty about it. But who knows?"
Before walking away, Sigrid dropped that parting warning.
Qi Li didn't look surprised in the slightest. He nodded. "I was just about to."
Chapter 25