Starting from scratch, Batman crushed my dream of getting rich

Chapter 550 The past

The hostage died suddenly just as the CIA was preparing to launch a full-scale prosecution against Vought, and his head was blown off by superpowers. Even a fool could guess who did it.

However, the problem lies here: superpowers have only existed for a little over ten or twenty years, and there are many loopholes and loopholes in the law.

In other words, this incident cannot be used to prove that Vought was murdering someone to cover it up, nor can it be used to launch an investigation or prosecution against Vought, because according to Vought, superpowered people are born that way—and since they are born that way, it is normal for there to be hermits hiding in New York who do not want to be professional superheroes or simply villains.

As for why there were so few, if almost none, superpowered criminals in society before—how could Walter possibly know such a thing? It couldn't be because he assassinated all the out-of-control test subjects who didn't join the company in order to maintain the holy halo of his "divinely bestowed superpowers," could it?

We, Water, are an upright and honest company. How could we possibly do such a thing? This is pure slander. We will send out our top-tier legal team and legal department to show you what the iron fist of fair justice in capitalism is!
Putting aside whether this theory is right or wrong, the current situation is that the witness is gone. Although the compound V and video materials in his possession are enough to give Walter a hard time, the way he obtained them is somewhat questionable. Walter can argue that it was a complete frame-up—and the Ministry of Justice might actually cooperate with public relations, plus Walter's social influence, to make this forced explanation appear as the truth to others.

Walter has cultivated his superhero image in New York for so many years and done so much marketing, so the public's trust in him is extremely high. Even after the Homelander incident not long ago, Superman and Maeve, who saved the day, are still Walter's heroes.

A living witness, especially one from a terrorist organization, can be very effective in persuading others.

"If it weren't for the big fish over in the sage grove, this dirty trick of silencing them would have been really troublesome."

Ma Zhaodi countered the Butcher's question: "What was the situation like at the CIA hostage handover? Was it a confined space? Why didn't Walter silence them earlier, and only acted now?"

"The handover location is in the wild, where there shouldn't be many people, so it should be very safe."

The Butcher replied, "A group of CIA gunmen, plus Susan herself, and Congressman Newman, an ally who opposes Vought's proposal to include superheroes in the military. These are the two sides present, plus their respective groups."

"Have all the people you brought been checked?"

"We've checked everything, but we haven't found anything. Logically speaking, both sides have trusted confidants with them."

"Then how could it explode?"

Ma Zhaodi smacked his lips: "This assassination-type superpower user is quite secretive. I don't know how his superpower works, or how to avoid it. The only thing that's certain is that if we leave him there, the group of people we caught in the Sage Forest are unlikely to live to see the trial."

"Sage Forest hasn't caught anyone yet."

"The operation over there is unlikely to fail. If even Superman could pull this off, how could they possibly lose?"

Ma Zhaodi shook his head: "Remind the CIA to interrogate all the people they catch there locally, and don't bring them to New York. Keep a close eye on them."

“Those idiots know this themselves, I don’t need to remind them.”

For some reason, the butcher's voice sounded somewhat agitated.

"Have you heard anything from Superman or Queen Maeve in Waterley recently? Or any news from before would be fine too."

Ma Zhaodi raised an eyebrow: "News about what?"

"About Becca."

"your wife?"

Ma Zhaodi's expression turned serious: "Tell me about her situation."

"You can help me look it up."

"You need to explain clearly so we can know where to start. Otherwise, with just a name, searching for it is like looking for a needle in a haystack."

The butcher remained silent for a long time.

"A few years ago. About six months before the Black Robe Squad was formed, back when Beja was still around."

"We both work at Water Corporation, and we're both considered mid-level employees."

"You actually worked at Water?" Ma Zhaodi was quite surprised: "Water was really short-staffed a few years ago, they were desperate for jobs."

Stop talking nonsense.

The butcher cursed, "Back then, Becca and I had our futures bright in Walter, we'd even planned how many kids we'd have after we got married." "And then?"

"."

The butcher remained silent for a while before finally deciding to keep it brief.

"Then, my wife was coerced by Homelander. That bastard sexually harassed her, and then she just disappeared."

"Disappeared?"

"Yes, it's as if this person doesn't exist in society."

The butcher replied sullenly, "The people at the company have absolutely no recollection of her and just go about their work as usual; when I went to her sister's house, her whole family told me she died in an accident; the police also told me she was dead."

"I understand. She has simply disappeared from your life; in reality, she is dead."

"Fuck you, Beja is still alive."

The butcher cursed fiercely, "I went to her grave, smashed the tombstone, dug it open, and the coffin was empty."

"Have you ever considered that things could get very complicated if it weren't empty inside?"

"Don't try to lecture me."

The butcher said impatiently, "Anyway, this matter is definitely related to Walter, which is why I wanted to ask you, with such a big incident involving Walter recently, has that old bastard Edgar made any moves? In the chaos, someone might have leaked information about Bega."

“I’ll have Superman, Maeve, and the Invisible Man keep an eye out for you. Maybe Superman can go and ask Homelander directly.”

Ma Zhaodi replied, "But it seems that nobody remembers your wife anymore. Superman has never heard the name 'Becca' since he joined Vought."

"That bastard Homelander must remember."

Judging from his tone, the butcher's expression probably wasn't very pleasant.

At that moment, Ma Zhaodi's phone rang.

"Hmm? News from the Invisible Man?"

He only had time to glance at it twice before another phone call came in; it was from Breast Milk and Frankie.

"Old Ma, the matter in Sagewood is over. Storm is hanging by a thread now. We should get Butcher to call the CIA to clean up the mess."

"Understood, they'll be here soon."

Ma Zhaodi responded, "We also had some unexpected gains here. We'll talk about it later."

He hung up the phone and then called the butcher.

"The matter at Sagewood Forest is resolved. Call Colonel Mallory first, then call the CIA—let the colonel know that the lamplighter who burned his granddaughter and grandson has now been chopped to pieces."

"understood."

The butcher responded, but he didn't think Mallory would be happy about it.

Revenge cannot undo the damage already done; it can only offer some solace to the victims. That is its sole purpose, and its actual effect is negligible.

But that's precisely why it had to be done, because it was the only useful thing that could be done later on.

Ma Zhaodi had no time to lament the passing of spring or the coming of autumn.

The message from the Invisible Man was an unusual and unexpected bonus.

(End of this chapter)