What's Wrong with One More Girlfriend?

"Homelander?" Hearing Qi Li bring up the name, Starlight visibly froze for a moment before shaking her head. "No, no! He's... well, he's not quite what I pictured. I mean, he isn't as warm and approachable as he appears on screen, but he's still a really good guy. Whenever the other members are busy discussing movie offers, merchandise revenue, and profit shares during meetings, he always reminds everyone to focus on saving people..." In Starlight's telling, Homelander was more like a stern patriarch, and in a way, could be considered a competent team leader. Qi Li had gained a more grounded perspective directly from Starlight, a fellow member of the Super Seven. He began to wonder if he had been overthinking things. Perhaps in a local superhero scene teeming with eccentrics, there really was an anomaly like Homelander who actually behaved like a normal superhero from other American comics. After all, Starlight had interacted with Homelander in person and was on his team. Or was she simply too new to see the full picture? The two were about to continue their conversation when a panting female voice suddenly cut in: "Fuck! Starlight, finally found you! A-Train's race is already over, so why are you still hiding out here? Come on, you have an interview right now!" With hands on her hips, Ashley Barrett ran up to Starlight, gasping for breath. Starlight gasped in surprise. "It's over already? I'm so sorry! I lost track of time talking." She hastily stood up and did not forget to introduce Ashley to Qi Li: "This is—" Ashley looked at Bronze and recognized him immediately, thrusting out her hand. "Director of Talent Relations at Vought, Ashley Barrett. Great to meet you, Bronze." With that, her gaze darted between Starlight and Qi Li several times, her eyes suddenly lighting up. "So you two have been hanging out together this whole time! That's fantastic publicity material. In the public eye, two bitter, fierce rivals are actually secret lovers behind the scenes. That contrast... What the fuck! It'll completely blow up the traffic!" Starlight's eyes widened dinner-plate round, and she blurted out an immediate refusal: "NO!" Qi Li, who was shaking Ashley's hand, shook his head as well. "Sorry, I already have a girlfriend." Ashley gave an indifferent shrug. "Mind adding one more to the mix?" *** On the other side of the venue. Butcher led Hughie briskly outside the stadium to regroup with Marvin. To his surprise, he found Frenchie waiting there as well. "What happened?" Butcher walked straight up to Frenchie, demanding expressionlessly. Frenchie rubbed his nose hard and quickly explained, "I saw..." A moment later, in an exceedingly foul mood, Butcher summed up the entire situation: "So, you saw that bastard Bronze playing a little murder game, you got spotted, and some bloody psychic cunt beside him mind-controlled you to take us all out. Good thing your withdrawals kicked in and broke the trance. And the bloody result is: we didn't get any Compound V, we're on Bronze's radar, and we don't have a shred of evidence on him." "Whoa..." Hughie stood by, utterly shocked. He had never imagined Bronze was that kind of person. What Butcher said earlier had actually been true. Furthermore... Thinking back on everything that had just occurred, Hughie finally connected the dots. He looked at Butcher with a mix of surprise and boundless gratitude. "Butcher, you saved my life!" Butcher cast him a sidelong glance and replied casually, "You got lucky. I was just passing by." *Was that really it?* Hughie stared blankly. "Hey, guys!" At that moment, Marvin, who had been silently staring at his phone, spoke up. "I think we've got a new lead." Marvin turned his phone screen toward the group. On the surveillance playback, Popclaw was pulling out a vial of Compound V that looked all too familiar to them and injecting it straight into her arm. Butcher's eyes locked onto the screen, and his lips curled into a fierce smirk. "We're heading to that bitch's place right now!" *** *Roar—* Raging flames ignited inside the grocery store, swiftly incinerating everything within—bodies, bloodstains, viscera, and all other traces. Luke had not expected to be summoned for this kind of work. In the end, he had still agreed. Not only because Kate had stated point-blank that she would force him if he refused, but also because of what she said: *"We're superhumans, and we're classmates. If we don't look out for our own, who will? An outsider?"* Once everything was finished, Luke drew back his flames. Looking at the charred, blackened room, he let out a long breath. He turned to Kate beside him. "Those two who died were scumbags, right?" Kate smiled and nodded. "Of course." *** Everyone at the Metropolitan Football Stadium today had certainly had their eyes opened. That naturally included the group from Godkin University. "One day, I'll be standing on that track too, becoming the fastest man alive!" Rejoining the others, Dean's eyes blazed with fighting spirit. Unable to wait another second to begin training, he called out a quick goodbye to the group, snapped on his goggles, and sped away with a sharp *whoosh*. As usual, Qi Li wrapped his arm around Kate and flew them back. Luke quietly watched the two depart. Beside him, Andre asked, "What's on your mind?" "Nothing," Luke said, shaking his head. He had simply gained a slightly deeper understanding of Qi Li and Kate. Truth be told, they were indeed quite a match. *** Back on the Godkin University campus. Kate was invited by Dean Shetty for afternoon tea. After parting ways with her, Qi Li was walking back along the campus path. "Qi Li!" Ellie Han, who had clearly been waiting for quite some time, suddenly popped up, staring at him with eager eyes. "Ellie, what's up?" Qi Li asked without breaking his stride. Ellie Han nodded, complaining indignantly, "I was going to watch the Race of the Century with you guys, but Kate ambushed me! She deliberately made sure I couldn't come along!" "Oh," Qi Li replied flatly. Ellie Han was taken aback by his indifference. Assuming she had not made herself clear enough, she took a deep breath, her cheeks flushing slightly as she confessed, "Actually... I just wanted to be by your side. Just like yesterday—you can beat me, curse at me, do whatever you want, and I'll take it. But Kate! Hmph! She's way too selfish!" Qi Li finally stopped in his tracks. He turned his head to look at Ellie Han. Among the wild, mind-boggling array of bizarre proclivities found across the Godkin student body, hers was actually fairly common and fit right into conventional expectations: she was simply a masochist. Yesterday, Qi Li had beaten her senseless, and she had clearly loved every second of it. That was why she was so desperate to cling to him now. Ellie Han confidently puffed out her chest and pulled in her waist. She possessed supreme confidence in her figure, maintaining physical metrics far stricter than even the girl group idols back home. Yet Qi Li did not spare it a second look. He merely glanced at the distinct ABC styling across her face, tossed out a cool remark—"Come talk to me when you develop normal taste"—and walked away. Leaving Ellie Han completely dazed in the wind.