Chapter 181: Chosen

As everyone anticipated, events unfolded predictably. Phoenix, after attempting to assassinate a member of the Seven, was branded a criminal overnight. Homelander, leveraging his considerable influence, successfully painted him as a supervillain.

Meanwhile, the entire team of the Boys—William Butcher, Hughie, Frank, Mother's Milk, and Kimiko—gathered in front of the television, intently watching the news unfold.

The screen displayed a reporter passionately condemning Phoenix for various alleged crimes, using exaggerated and incisive language, and assigning him a slew of baseless accusations.

Accusations such as sexual offender, murderer, and even racist were recklessly thrown around.

As the broadcast continued, every member of the Boys watched with clear disgust.

"Do you believe any of this?" Mother's Milk, a formidable-looking black man with a rough and deep voice, was the first to break the silence.

"Not a single word!" Frank shot back immediately.

"I think he killed Stormfront because he found out something, right? Maybe some hidden crimes from her past," Hughie speculated.

"As long as he's against those bastards, it doesn't matter who he is. If he could take down Stormfront, he can surely take down Homelander too," Butcher stated firmly.

Kimiko stayed quiet, listening intently.

They were still discussing when Hughie suddenly urged everyone's attention back to the screen.

"Listen! Look at the TV!"

Instantly, all eyes were glued back to the broadcast.

After a moment, Frank, usually the most even-tempered among them, exploded, "Holy shit, is this for real?"

The group watched intensely, not wanting to miss a single detail.

"This isn't just another one of their shows, is it?" Mother's Milk questioned skeptically.

On the TV:

"Stormfront has been linked to Nazis, and photographs have emerged showing her with Nazi high command, including Goebbels and Göring. These photos suggest she might have been the wife of Frederick Vought, the founder of Vought International."

Simultaneously, numerous photographs of Stormfront at her wedding with the founder of Vought Company flashed across the screen.

"There have been strong protests from various countries. I can't believe I have to say this today!" The news anchor's voice carried a tone of disbelief.

Suddenly, the screen switched to a black man declaring, "Nazis are all evil!"

Following this, a humorous cartoon appeared, depicting an animated Stormfront with a Hitler mustache, surrounded by Nazi soldiers, all marching in a style reminiscent of Hitler.

In the background, a children's rhyme played mockingly: "Stormfront is the Nazi star, with her fists she ends lives."

Then, Phoenix appeared on the screen, delivering a punch through Stormfront's heart from behind.

"Well… That was quite something!" Hughie chuckled, breaking the tension.

"Wait, did you and Annie do this, Hughie?" Mother's Milk inquired, eyeing him suspiciously.

Hughie immediately waved his hands defensively, "No, definitely not us!"

"So, everything is clear now!" Mother's Milk concluded, piecing together the revelations. "Why she's thought to have died decades ago, why she harbors so much hate against black people, why Annie said she was biased against A-Train!"

"Whoever did it, they did a quite good job!" Frank added, appreciating the effective exposure.

However, the only one who wasn't smiling was Butcher. He watched the news expressionlessly and shook his head before turning to leave.

Hughie, puzzled by Butcher's reaction, remarked, "What's up with him?"

"Just leave him be; he's always like that," Mother's Milk replied, dismissing the concern with a wave of his hand.

***

Meanwhile, in a dimly lit hospital room, Stormfront lay on a bed, her life hanging by a thread, sustained only by sheer willpower.

As she watched her Nazi affiliations being exposed on the TV, her body convulsed violently, and her face was etched with despair.

At that moment, a figure approached her bedside—it was Homelander.

"How are you today?" Homelander asked softly, his voice laced with concern.

Upon seeing Homelander, a flicker of solace crossed Stormfront's face.

"You're here; I feel much better now," she replied weakly, the relief evident in her tone.

"Look at you now," Homelander said gently, caressing Stormfront's face with a tender touch.

But Stormfront quickly dismissed her own suffering, "No, no one is suffering as much as you, including me."

"How so?" Homelander inquired, puzzled.

"Because you are my lover, silly!" Stormfront expressed tenderly, a sad smile touching her lips. "Others will use this revelation to hurt us!"

"But don't worry, dear, remember, no matter what happens, I will always be by your side," she continued, her voice a whisper of devotion.

Homelander felt a tear escape his eye as he listened to her words.

"Dear, I know you will face unimaginable challenges, but don't let idle talk affect you. You possess great power; you are the epitome of our kind. You need to lead an Aryan superhuman army to dominate the world, to remove all others, to make everyone fear you, to establish a realm centered around you!" Stormfront urged with fervor.

"What? NO!" Homelander immediately recoiled from the idea.

"YES!" Stormfront insisted, her voice firm despite her frailty.

"NO!" Homelander repeated, his voice rising, "How many times must I say it? We don't need a so-called master race, I am the master race, that's the point!"

"No, you must do this!" Stormfront pleaded, her eyes pleading.

"I've spent a hundred years, and fate finally brought us together, this has to be your destiny!" she implored with all her remaining strength.

Yet, Homelander shook his head, "Have it your way then," he replied, his voice a mixture of frustration and resignation.

"No!" Stormfront tried to shake her head, too weak to move much.

"Rest now," Homelander said softly, his tone mixed with finality as he turned and left.

Stormfront was left alone, her quiet plea echoing in the empty room, "No, don't go, please!"

***

On the talk show, Homelander sat across from the host, his usually sunny and cheerful demeanor absent, replaced by a somber expression that clearly indicated he was in a poor mood.

"Let's talk about this obvious issue that the media has been doggedly pursuing," the host began, probing into a sensitive topic. "How could you not have known Stormfront was a Nazi?"

"I was blind, blinded by love," Homelander responded calmly, his voice even but carrying a weight of regret. "But crisis brings change. In the past year, I've taken time to slow down and focus on myself, allowing everyone to see the real me without any disguise. I'm actually happy about that."

"We all know what that's like," the host nodded in understanding.

"Yes, exactly!" Homelander agreed, eager to convey his newfound self-awareness. "Listen, I'm not perfect, Cameron, far from it. I know my body is bulletproof, everyone knows that, but inside, this heart isn't invulnerable. Just like you, I am human!"

"So, I want to continue to say sorry to everyone," he added sincerely, acknowledging his past mistakes.

As Stormfront had predicted, the revelation of her Nazi identity had overwhelmed Homelander. Despite his steel-like exterior, his heart was not equipped to handle the immense pressure, and he was nearly breaking down under the scrutiny.

Meanwhile, as Jon had anticipated, the revelation of Stormfront's Nazi ties instantly transformed Phoenix's public image. Overnight, he shifted from being perceived as a supervillain to being hailed as a hero who had attacked a Nazi.

According to reports, the details about Stormfront's Nazi past were personally delivered to the media by Phoenix, a move that effectively cleansed his reputation.

"I am the Phoenix, about 60 kilograms, 1.78 meters tall," Jon declared confidently in front of the camera, dressed in Phoenix's uniform, his smile radiating confidence to the selection committee.

With only five members left, the Seven urgently needed to replenish their ranks. They launched global selections, an opportunity no aspiring superhero wanted to miss. The chance to join the Seven was a once-in-a-lifetime honor.

Yet, most hopefuls were not eyeing the spot vacated by Stormfront; they knew it was already reserved for the hero who had defeated her, the Phoenix.

"So, please demonstrate your superpower," the interviewer requested.

"Is that necessary?" Jon, dressed as Phoenix, asked with a casual shrug.

"Sorry, this is a process we must go through," the interviewer apologized, treating Phoenix with extra courtesy since he was already the internal choice for the Seven.

This decision was the will of the people. In light of the severe backlash from Stormfront's Nazi revelations, inducting the superhero who vanquished a Nazi into the Seven was seen as an excellent move to rehabilitate Vought's image.

Jon shrugged again, snapped his fingers, and flames immediately engulfed his body, a display of his formidable power.

After demonstrating his abilities, Jon had to introduce himself, a part eagerly anticipated by the interviewer due to the mysterious aura surrounding Phoenix, who seemed to have emerged from nowhere.

"My name is Jon. I grew up in a remote mountain area. My parents couldn't afford to raise me, so they sold me to an organization named Flash. There, I was given a drug that endowed me with superpowers, later identified as Compound V. I wasn't allowed to interact with the outside world, so I grew up isolated, ignorant of any external information.

Eventually, I escaped from Flash. My first true exposure to the world was overwhelming, but then I learned about the Seven on TV. That's when I realized my abilities could serve a greater purpose, not just for evil. So, I stowed away on a ship to this country, and upon disembarking, I was immediately struck by the beauty here, even the air smelled sweet. I love this country and am determined to protect its people. Even after discovering Stormfront's true nature, I knew I had to act. I will fight evil relentlessly to safeguard humanity."

Jon delivered his fabricated story flawlessly, without a hint of deceit on his face—whether it was a well-rehearsed tale or he was a natural liar remained unclear.

Notably, throughout his interview, Jon was connected to a lie detector, and his pulse remained steady, never exceeding 85 beats per minute.

His tale, though filled with elements of hardship, was exactly the kind of redemption story that resonated with Americans.

After the interview, Jon left his contact information and returned to his temporary residence to await the outcome.

He was uncertain about the results. If he failed to join the Seven, he was prepared to revert to his earlier, ruthless method—tracking down new superheroes through the memories of those he had vanquished and eliminating them one by one.

Should it come to that, there would be no need to maintain the cleansed identity of Phoenix. He would proceed without disguise.

The phone rang.

"Hello," Jon answered. After a brief pause, a cold smile spread across his face. "I was chosen?"