American Comics: Multiverse of Madness

448. The Cannibal.

(T/N): Since it's Christmas there is mass release.

Merry Christmas

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Alex was not a bloodthirsty person, nor did he have any tendencies toward brutality or psychological disorders.

On the contrary, Alex was a very honest and straightforward individual. His approach to solving problems was always based on kindness, preferring diplomacy over violence.

No matter the situation, Alex always hoped to resolve issues through communication, rather than through fists or magic, which he considered violent solutions.

As the saying goes, studying culture is for good communication with others, while learning combat is to make others communicate well. However, now, for the first time, Alex felt that communication was futile.

Much like how Nick Fury ended up dying in an alley, Alex believed there was no need to communicate with cannibalistic people.

Eating your own kind was no longer a matter of savagery—it was something that couldn't be called human anymore. It was more akin to a monster from the Supernatural Universe, a being that should be categorized as a creature.

As for dealing with a monster, killing it was the best solution.

Butcher's approach of gathering evidence and bringing it to legal judgment wasn't impossible, but for Alex, it felt like too much trouble.

"What are you planning to do? Don't tell me you're going to kill him in front of everyone, using the face of the A-Train. That'll attract Vought's attention. If The Seven get involved, we'll all be exposed!"

Of course, Butcher's implication was clear—he was more concerned about his own exposure. After learning about Alex's shapeshifting abilities, Butcher understood that Alex had the means to cleanly remove himself from the situation.

If Alex really used A-Train's appearance for such an act, it would be like dancing a jig on Vought's face.

Today, Alex could use A-Train's face, and tomorrow, he could use the appearance of a "Homelander." With such an unstable factor in play, Vought would never allow a superpowered person like Alex to exist unchecked.

"Don't worry. I'm not that stupid," Alex replied.

Unlike Butcher's thoughts, Alex had a much deeper perspective on the issue.

Mystique's powers were indeed useful. On the surface, Alex could use them to counterbalance Vought, making them look bad in public relations, leaving them overwhelmed.

But that was only on the surface. If his abilities were exposed to Vought's gaze, they wouldn't be stupid. They would undoubtedly implement stricter measures to deal with him.

The simplest method would be to smear him in return.

After all, very few of The Seven were clean. It wasn't just "Homelander"; even the heroes from Vought in other cities weren't saints.

Unlike the gullible public, only those within Vought knew what these superpowered individuals were really like behind closed doors.

Since Alex could use their faces to cause a PR disaster, Vought could turn the tables and clean up their image at the same time.

What? You say "Homelander" killed civilians during a mission? Sorry, that wasn't "Homelander," it was a fugitive disguised as him.

What? You say Eagle caused many deaths due to his incompetence? Sorry, that still wasn't Eagle; it was a fugitive disguised as Eagle. Actually, Eagle was on a more important mission elsewhere.

If Mystique's abilities were exposed, Vought could easily use it to cover up any crisis, blaming all the controversial events on Alex. In this case, it would only help Vought.

Even when A-Train ran over Hughie's girlfriend, turning her into a bloody mess, Vought could easily shift the blame onto Alex.

As long as Alex wasn't caught as a super-criminal, Vought's heroes would be protected, and the public's admiration for the heroes would only grow.

Controlling public opinion was one of Vought's specialties.

They could hype up how important their heroes were, while simultaneously painting a picture of a murderous demon who could turn into anyone, feeding the public's fear.

At that point, Vought could even extend their reach to the military, using the situation as leverage to officially integrate superheroes into the national system, thus placing Vought at the very center of power.

And this was just what Alex could think of at the moment; he understood how much chaos would follow behind it.

However, exposing his powers to Butcher wasn't a bad thing. First, Alex didn't want to interact with Butcher in his true form moving forward. Second, it allowed him to leave a lasting impression on Butcher.

With Butcher's abilities, he was still of some use, at least in this world, where he could provide Alex with considerable convenience.

Staring at Butcher, Alex's lips curled into a small smile.

"This will all be resolved tonight, and it won't cause any ripples, as long as you help me clean up the traces."

Butcher had just recovered from his shock at Alex's superpower. Now, sensing the weight of Alex's words and his meaningful gaze, he understood what Alex meant.

Butcher silently nodded and pointed to the north.

"There's a sewage treatment plant about two kilometers from here. It won't take long to drive there."

"Alright, let's meet there in an hour," Alex nodded.

"No, I need to go with you." Butcher had no trust in Alex, and naturally, he wasn't willing to place his bets on a stranger. "This is my target, remember?"

Alex understood Butcher's thoughts and didn't press the issue. After all, Butcher was someone he could use, and throwing out a little "bait" was part of the plan.

After a pause, Alex feigned an unhappy expression, but ultimately didn't refuse.

"Fine, but you'll only be a spectator. I work alone. I don't like being disturbed, and I certainly don't like unnecessary complications, so I hope you understand and don't overstep."

Butcher stared at Alex for a long time before breaking into a smile.

"Alright, I'll just grab my popcorn and watch the show."

After parting ways with Butcher, Alex turned and shifted back to his previous appearance as a white man, then retraced his steps, attracting no excessive attention along the way.

When he returned to the hall, he immediately noticed that the number of people had increased. The place was now bustling, filled with men and women in elegant attire.

Everyone had a drink in hand, chatting in small groups, engaging in socializing before the birthday party officially began.

Perhaps none of them knew that the real star of the birthday party was currently upstairs, engaged in a very intense "activity."

Descending the stairs, Alex recalled the layout of the place from memory. He first checked the location of the cameras, hidden in a ventilation duct—very discreet, though he had no idea how Butcher managed to secretly place the cameras there.

Following the direction of the camera's coverage, Alex soon found where Lyle was.

From a distance, Alex saw Lyle and noticed that, unlike in the footage, the real person seemed even more energetic than expected.

It was his slightly aggressive gaze that always gave off a violent, bloodthirsty vibe. Although he tried to hide it well, Alex saw it clearly.

Especially the way he was eyeing Emma, it was as if he could drool at any moment.

Straightening his collar, Alex took a few steps toward Lyle.

It was evident that even though Lyle was a celebrity, the people at this party were far from ordinary.

Most only watched him from afar, and a few who approached were simply fans asking for autographs or pictures.

True fans like Emma, who actively engaged with Lyle, were still in the minority.

"Lyle Chris?"

Alex walked up to him, interrupting his chat with Emma.

"It's me. Who are you?"

Hearing Alex's voice, both Lyle and Emma stopped and looked up, curious. Since Alex had changed his appearance, Emma didn't recognize him right away.

"My name is Clark Parker, I'm a reporter for Newsday. Can I have a few minutes of your time?"

Alex was very polite, his tone as smooth as a spring breeze. Unnoticed by the others, a press badge had appeared around his neck.

"Oh, hello, hello. Of course, go ahead."

Lyle smiled slightly, showing a lot of goodwill. After hearing Alex's introduction, he immediately moved to the side, creating space and signaling for Alex to sit down.

Although he was already a big name in the wilderness survival scene, when compared to The Seven or other major heroes, he still didn't hold a candle to them.

So, in this situation, Lyle was very polite to any reporter, as he hoped to gain more exposure.

Moreover, Newsday was a famous local media outlet, so even if Alex didn't deserve special attention, he had to respect the background of the media outlet.

For someone of his stature, being interviewed made Lyle happy—at least it meant he wasn't irrelevant yet.

"Mr. Parker, you wouldn't mind if this young lady sits in, would you? She's a very promising girl."

When Alex sat beside him, Lyle casually asked.

His tone was full of the kindness of an older brother looking after a younger one, which made Emma's expression immediately shift to one of disbelief and excitement.

In response, Alex smiled faintly.

"I don't mind, but..."

As he spoke, Alex leaned in slightly, getting closer to Lyle's ear and whispering.

"You wouldn't mind her knowing that you plan on making her your midnight snack, would you?"

In the next moment, the friendly smile on Lyle's face immediately froze.

.....

30 advanced chapters on p@treaon
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449. Deserved Death!
450. Acting.
451. The Truth?!
452. A New Possibility.
453. Infiltrating Vought International!