483. The Prelude to Battle…
The eting ended, and Butcher stepped out of the house into a secluded corner of the yard.
Quickly taking his phone out of his jacket pocket, he put it to his ear.
"You must have heard everything, right?"
"Loud and clear," ca a calm voice from the other end of the line—it was Alex.
Hearing Alex's response, Butcher's expression grew serious. He gazed at the villa and spoke softly.
"Just as you predicted, Mallory stord off after being provoked by Soldier Boy. I handed over command to him as planned, but I'm curious—what's your real goal in doing this?"
"Colonel Mallory is a smart woman. There's an old saying: 'The compassionate cannot lead troops.' She climbed to her position because she can foresee how things will unfold," Alex said quietly. "Her decision to leave is proof that she has tacitly agreed to this. Consider it a mutual understanding—now we can proceed with our plan."
Butcher frowned deeply and replied imdiately, "Don't tell you're seriously planning to let Soldier Boy take command of all this. He's an idiot—the dumbest I've ever seen. If he's in charge, he'll march straight into Vought Tower head-on. That's a suicide mission!"
"Isn't that exactly what you want, Butcher?" Alex's voice grew colder.
"Eradicating supes, killing Holander—what could be better than letting them tear each other apart? Don't tell you've suddenly started caring about the lives of ordinary people."
"But you're sending all of us to the gallows! Do you know how many supes Vought can summon? Sure, the people you've gathered are skilled, but no one can fight off a horde alone. Those bastards might even convince the kids at Godolkin University to join the fight," Butcher said, his frown deepening further.
He realized he couldn't quite grasp Alex's intentions anymore. From the mont they t, everything had spiraled into an unpredictable direction.
"Of course I know," Alex said calmly. "But there's no turning back now. This is Vought at its weakest—and also its most dangerous. If you hesitate now, all our efforts will have been for nothing."
Suddenly, Alex's tone shifted, a faint chuckle escaping as he added, "Oh, by the way, Becca wants to talk to you."
"What did you say?!" Butcher was caught off guard.
The next mont, a woman's voice ca through the phone.
"Butcher, is that you?"
Hearing the voice, Butcher froze on the spot. He knew it too well—a voice that had haunted him for years. Now, hearing it again, his heart skipped a beat.
"B-Becca..."
"Oh my God, it's really you. I never thought this day would co. Truly, Butcher, I'm so sorry," Becca's voice trembled with emotion.
"Becca, where are you? Are you safe? Tell —how have you been all these years?" Butcher asked urgently, pressing the phone tightly against his ear as if afraid to miss a single word.
"I'm fine. Vought has kept under house arrest all these years. They even built a town for and Ryan, saying it was to give Ryan a better upbringing," Becca explained.
"Ryan?" Butcher repeated the na, stunned and at a loss for words.
Becca realized she shouldn't have ntioned that. As Butcher's wife, she knew that having a child with another man—especially soone like Holander—was a devastating blow to him.
But as a mother now, Becca had to take responsibility for her son. She understood why Vought had confined her and Ryan—it was because Ryan was Holander's son. He would inherit Holander's powers, potentially becoming even stronger.
In this situation, Becca wanted her son to grow into a true hero—not a monster like Holander.
Becca had spoken impulsively, overwheld by the joy of finally talking to Butcher again. She couldn't help but share everything with him, including Ryan.
"I'm sorry, Butcher. I didn't an—"
"It's okay. I understand," Butcher interrupted before she could finish.
He had already learned about Ryan from Alex beforehand. Though it was hard to accept, he had ntally prepared himself for the revelation.
Hearing the news directly from his wife, Butcher reluctantly accepted it. After all, things had already reached this point, and there was nothing else he could do.
At that mont, the phone suddenly emitted a crackling noise, as if soone had forcibly taken it from Becca's hands.
Then, Alex's voice ca through.
"That's enough for now, Butcher. Our deal still stands. As long as you complete this mission, I'll ensure your family is safely returned to you."
Hearing this, Butcher clenched his fists tightly.
He had already suspected Alex, but things had progressed to a point of no return. For years, the only thing keeping him alive was the hope of finding his wife, Becca.
Now, with Becca firmly in Alex's grasp—ostensibly for her safety—they both understood it was a veiled threat, even if not explicitly stated.
Hanging up the call, Alex silently stared at the phone in his hand before applying pressure and crushing it into powder.
He knew exactly what Becca ant to Butcher. To keep Butcher in line, he had to keep Becca as leverage, ensuring she stayed under his control.
He had to guarantee her safety while also preventing her from reuniting with Butcher too easily. Only by doing so could he ensure that Butcher followed the path Alex had ticulously planned.
Butcher didn't trust him—this was sothing Alex had understood from the mont they first t. No matter what he did or what they went through together, Butcher's hatred for supes ran too deep to ever truly change.
Moreover, Alex's formidable combat abilities only heightened everyone's wariness, not just Butcher's. With Alex around, everyone naturally grew cautious.
For this reason, Alex knew he couldn't operate in the open. Doing so would make him a target for everyone. While he didn't mind the attention, his current physical form wouldn't withstand the consequences.
Adding to this was the increasing pollution, particularly around Vought Tower. In Alex's eyes, the building was like a smokestack spewing massive amounts of toxic energy.
To combat this pollution required a decisive strike, much like taking down Vought itself. To achieve this, Alex needed to carefully construct a series of interlinked plans. Only by doing so could he complete his mission.
From start to finish, Alex had only directly intervened once—during the confrontation with the Seven. He knew that Vought would never send Holander to handle such a minor issue.
By the ti Vought learned that the Sage Grove Center had been attacked, it was already too late. Even if they sent Holander, recovering the evidence would have been impossible.
Given the situation, having Holander attend a press conference to manage public relations was the optimal choice. Sending the Seven, each with their own hidden agendas, to address the issue aligned perfectly with Vought's interests.
Alex had calculated the companies' typical moves perfectly, choosing to reveal himself at just the right mont.
Taking down the Seven not only disrupted their operations but also allowed him to cover Butcher's team as they rescued Soldier Boy. From the mont Soldier Boy returned to the United States, Alex could seamlessly retreat into the shadows.
Now, no one's attention would focus on Alex anymore.
Butcher and his team faced Vought's desperate counterattack. anwhile, Vought's upper echelons were fracturing. Edgar, struggling to secure his own survival, would be forced to rally supes against Soldier Boy.
In doing so, Alex's movents would remain hidden, and their focus wouldn't linger on him.
Even if so suspected another powerful supe lurking in the shadows alongside Soldier Boy, they wouldn't have the capacity to deal with him.
The only person Alex needed to be wary of was Butcher.
But what could Butcher do now? Vought was still researching the "Compound V24" formula, and it wasn't yet ready for practical use. Even if Butcher wanted to wreak havoc, he didn't have the tools or ans to do so.
Besides…
Alex turned his head and offered Becca a kind smile.
With this woman firmly in his grasp, Butcher had no other options left. This epic battle would ultimately erupt under the watchful eyes of the entire world.
.....
30 advanced chapters on p@treaon
For advance chapters: /Uchiha_Itachi007 (replace @ with a)
484. The Hero Appears.
485. Gathering at Vought Tower!!!
486. Ready to Explode!
487. Chaos!!
488. Holander vs. Soldier Boy!!!
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