Living in the basement was a thin, old man. Though calling him "old" might be a bit harsh, since he was only in his forties. However, due to his lifestyle and health issues, he appeared to be in his sixties or seventies. Butcher and Mother's Milk didn't underestimate him.

From the way he walked and the muscles subtly visible under his white shirt, it was clear he was a martial arts expert. The various equipment in the basement also suggested he could easily take on both Butcher and Mother's Milk, even though he wasn't a superhuman.

"So, who are you? Are you from Vought?" the "man" asked, frowning, after leading Butcher and Mother's Milk inside.

Butcher still wore his infuriating smile and replied, "Of course not. We're actually here because Homelander sent us."

"Homelander? Vought's favorite? Why did he send you here?" The man sneered, clearly not fond of Homelander.

Seeing this, Butcher seemed even more pleased, as he hated Homelander too. Finding someone who shared his dislike felt like finding a comrade. However, Butcher didn't waste time and said, "Homelander wants to take down Vought. He sent us to find you because you were once a member of Vought's board and the only one who was also a superhero."

"sending two shady-looking guys to ask for my help against Vought? Is it April Fool's Day?" The man mocked, saying, "Tell me your real purpose."

Butcher shrugged and said, "Homelander really sent us, and we really plan to go against Vought. Otherwise, why would we come to a place like this to find a washed-up superhero?"

"Maybe to mock me, bully me, or maybe kill me to silence me. Who knows what you're thinking?" The man was sarcastic. Butcher raised an eyebrow, seemingly ready to retort.

Fortunately, Mother's Milk intervened, saying, "Alright, alright! We're not here to argue. Let's be civil, okay? Tek Knight, trust us. We're not lying. Let's get to the point. We heard you have a terminal illness?"

Tek Knight looked at Mother's Milk and said, "Yeah, I have a tumor in my brain."

"And if I said we could help you cure it, would you help us take down Vought?" Mother's Milk asked.

Tek Knight laughed and said, "Cure it? How? The world's best doctors can't do anything about this tumor, and no superhuman has the power to heal it. Do you think you, two ordinary people, and Homelander can cure my brain tumor? Don't joke."

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

"We can't, but Homelander says he can. That's why we're confident in asking for your help," Mother's Milk insisted.

The man before them, once famous but now forgotten, was a member of Vought's other superhero team, the Payback. His hero name was "Tek Knight," and he was the only non-superhuman among them.

Tek Knight once had significant wealth and used it to enter Vought's board. However, he chose to engage in hero activities with Payback instead of participating in Vought's decisions or plotting from behind the scenes.

But for some reason, he got involved in several scandals and, under public pressure, announced his retirement a few years after becoming active, disappearing from the public eye.

After his departure, Payback members also disbanded. Currently, only a few members like Crimson Countess, Soldier Boy, and Eagle the Archer are active. Eagle the Archer is now a second-generation hero and has little to do with Payback.

Despite being part of Vought, Tek Knight was a true hero, unlike the morally corrupt superheroes of this world. He genuinely wanted to save people, which is why he trained in martial arts and built his armor.

Moreover, Tek Knight knew many of Vought's secrets, including a lot of dirt on other heroes, which is why Roger wanted Butcher to find him.

Unfortunately, Tek Knight had a brain tumor. Despite it being benign, its location made it too risky for any doctor to operate on it. Having exhausted all options for treatment, he chose to live here.

It wasn't because he liked this place, but because he could still play his superhero games at night. If Roger hadn't sent Butcher to find him, he would likely die here in a few months due to the environment and the tumor, as he hadn't taken his medication for a long time.

But now, the situation had changed. If Tek Knight agreed to help, Roger would find a way to extend his life and look for a cure in other worlds.

Mother's Milk looked at Tek Knight with sincere eyes. Tek Knight met his gaze and suddenly said, "I don't trust Homelander."

"Homelander knows you won't trust him, so he had us bring this," Mother's Milk said, pulling out an old-fashioned cell phone.

"What does this mean?" Tek Knight asked, puzzled.

"He wants to talk to you directly," Mother's Milk explained.

Taking the phone from Mother's Milk, Tek Knight was silent for a while. Finally, his tone softened, no longer as sharp as before. He asked, "What do I do?"

"Call the number at the top of the contact list," Mother's Milk replied.

Tek Knight followed the instructions and found the number, then dialed it.

The phone rang, and after a few seconds, Roger's voice came through, "Hello?"

"Homelander?" Tek Knight asked, frowning.

"It's me. Surprised?" Roger answered.

"A bit. If I didn't know you, I would think this is a joke by the company. So, you fell out with Vought and plan to replace them?" Tek Knight inquired.

Roger replied, "It's not that simple. I need you to expose all the dirt you've collected on the superheroes."

"... Are you crazy?" After a pause, Tek Knight asked the same question Maeve had.

On the other end, Roger smiled wryly. Why did everyone ask that?