The shooting was taking place in a bustling district crowded with pedestrian traffic.
Even with the police carrying out an evacuation, plenty of onlookers lingered around the perimeter, holding up their phones to snap videos and photos of the skyscraper.
Add to that the fact that this was Manhattan, New York—the natural focal point of the nation, if not the entire world.
Just as Kate had said, this was truly a golden opportunity to step in and make a name for oneself.
Qi Li, however, was in no rush. Turning to Kate with a smile, he said, "You certainly paid attention in class."
Professor Brink often taught his students to distinguish between an ineffective rescue and an effective rescue.
Take Starlight rescuing that girl, for instance: had the girl not come forward on her own afterward to speak out, it would have been a textbook ineffective rescue—the kind that could easily ruin a superhero's career.
And the shooting in the skyscraper right in front of them was naturally the most ideal kind of effective rescue.
Hearing this, Kate curved her lips, her tone playfully coy. "Of course. Otherwise, how would a certain someone have any homework to copy?"
*Rat-tat-tat—*
Inside the building across the way, another burst of gunfire rang out.
Qi Li cast a casual glance outside, then raised an eyebrow at Kate. "Then I should really return the favor to student Kate. Professor Qi Li's class is about to begin. Are you ready, Kate?"
Kate didn't catch his drift, assuming this was some kind of suggestive code word. Though her legs were still somewhat wobbly, as a superhuman, she nodded with resolute tenacity.
And then, she truly did learn something new.
Qi Li asked seriously, "Kate, do you know who New York's city protectors are?"
Kate thought for a moment and replied somewhat uncertainly, "Isn't it... the Seven?"
Qi Li nodded and explained, "The Seven's jurisdiction isn't limited, but New York is undeniably their home turf. How do you think they'd feel if an outsider stole a crime-fighting gig right out from under them in New York?"
Kate looked puzzled. "Even so, it's still stopping a crime. Shouldn't they support and praise it?"
Qi Li chuckled. "Let me put it another way. That skyscraper out there is like the arena last night, and the Seven are the 'me' scheduled to take the stage and rake in massive popularity. Now imagine an outsider suddenly barging in, stepping onto their ring, hijacking the starring role meant for them, and taking all the fame that was supposed to be theirs. How do you think the Seven would feel?"
This time, Kate understood completely.
Her classes had taught her that professional crime-fighting required a stage, lighting, camera crews, and even personal makeup to look camera-ready.
Its ultimate purpose was not just to stop crime, but to elevate one's own fame.
Just like that building with its incessant gunfire—it was a prepped stage, merely waiting for the lead actors to make their entrance.
Only, who got to be the protagonist wasn't decided on a first-come, first-served basis; it was pre-booked.
A sense of confusion inevitably crept into Kate's mind.
It stemmed from her most basic, instinctive perception.
Wasn't stopping a crime supposed to happen as quickly as possible? The longer it dragged on, the more harm the criminals were likely to inflict on innocent people.
Did people really have to wait just because the real stars hadn't arrived yet?
For a moment, Kate felt conflicted.
She agreed with the professional crime-fighting procedures taught at school, after all, as they averted numerous legal risks and served the long-term career of a superhero.
Yet it was still fundamentally different from the superheroes she had believed in growing up.
She had never given it much thought before.
Now, however, with Qi Li pointing out that it wasn't a matter of him refusing to act, but that the stage outside didn't belong to him in the first place, Kate gained a profound new understanding.
She shared her doubts with Qi Li.
Qi Li stroked Kate's still-damp blonde hair and laughed softly. "Welcome to the adult world, Kate."
Back in Los Angeles, even as a local fighting crime, he had received death threats from Steelclaw.
Let alone here in New York, where the Seven Tower stood tall.
Members of the Seven wouldn't even need to intervene personally; to protect the rock-solid commercial value of its premier cash cow, Vought would never permit an outsider to cut in uninvited.
Qi Li turned his gaze back to the skyscraper.
Given the renowned efficiency of Vought's Crime Analytics, they were definitely monitoring the situation by now.
So, from the Seven, who would be arriving next...?
*Boom—*
A deafening roar suddenly tore through the sky.
Qi Li looked up.
A conspicuous cape emblazoned with the American flag streaked across the horizon in an instant, touching down smoothly before the building's entrance.
A dashing female figure scaled walls and leaped across rooftops, weaving through the skyscrapers at speeds imperceptible to normal eyes, coming to a halt at the entrance almost at the exact same moment.
The arrivals were none other than Homelander and Queen Maeve.
The moment the crowd around the building recognized the duo, an eruption of passionate cheers and whistles broke out.
The true masters of the stage had arrived.
Homelander wore a warm, affable smile, waving skillfully to the surrounding crowd and mingling effortlessly with his adoring fans.
Beside him, Queen Maeve stood with hands on her hips. Though thoroughly annoyed inside, she still put on a practiced, professional smile for the cameras.
In the blink of an eye, what should have been a shooting scene had turned into a celebrity meet-and-greet.
"I'd bet good money they rehearsed that just to show up in sync," Qi Li said, rubbing his chin as he watched the lively spectacle not far away.
Kate was no longer conflicted. Staring at Queen Maeve in the distance, her eyes sparkled. "She's so badass!"
Many female students at Godkin University idolized Queen Maeve. Even after Starlight joined the Seven, stripping Maeve of her status as the sole female member, that admiration hadn't waned in the slightest.
After all, how could a walking light bulb compare to a queen who delivered bone-crushing, flesh-and-blood punches and hit harder than any man?
Having spent so many years shut away at home in the past, Kate similarly admired the traits associated with Maeve: bravery, rebellion, and fearlessness.
After a while, the fan-greeting session wrapped up.
Qi Li noticed Homelander say something to the police captain, and in the next second, he rocketed skyward. Banking into a horizontal dive, he smashed through the skyscraper's glass window and breached the upper floors.
As for Queen Maeve, she presumably took the elevator.
"It's over."
Qi Li withdrew his gaze and drew the curtains shut.
Kate turned her attention back to her food.
Once her energy was fully replenished, whether intentionally or unintentionally, Kate lifted her gaze to look at Qi Li.
Qi Li understood in an instant.
This was a novice driver who had passed the initial anxiety of learning and was now looking fresh, confident, and bold enough to ask for advanced lessons.
In that case...
Qi Li scooped Kate up into his arms, sparking a second round of instruction amidst her startled gasp.
Afterward, Kate snuggled in Qi Li's embrace. Once her ragged breathing slowed, she gave it some serious thought, tilted her face up, and said, "Qi Li, what if I change my major?"
Chapter 35