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Chapter 4: You Are the Real Hero
🕑 Added 2024-07-09 05:24:22 +0000 UTCGetting a cab in New York usually meant flagging one down on the street, and it was quite expensive.
Fortunately, Cyrus was in the city center, where taxis were plentiful. In more remote areas, you could wait half an hour without seeing a taxi pass by, which was why many American families chose to own cars.
"Hey buddy, where you wanted to go?" A bright orange taxi pulled up in front of Cyrus, the driver appearing to be Chinese.
" I need to go to this address directly." Cyrus showed the driver the address on his phone.
"Okay, we'll be there in half an hour." The driver seemed familiar with New York's geography.
"Are you immigrant?" the driver asked as soon as Cyrus got into the cab.
"My family moved to the U.S. over ten years ago."
"Your English is pretty good then." Being talkative seemed to be a common trait among most taxi drivers, including the one next to Cyrus.
As the driver navigated the streets, he chatted with Cyrus, who didn't mind the conversation.
"Wow, you actually work for Vought Corporation. My son really loves your company's Homelanders. Homelanders are his idols. By the way, do you have Homelanders' autograph? I could buy it for $200."
Cyrus saw plenty of superhero stickers inside the cab. Vought's marketing was indeed powerful; superheroes seemed to be everywhere in New York, from street billboards to beverage packaging.
"I don't have Homelanders' autograph, but I do have a ticket to his fan meet."
This ticket was a perk for Vought employees' families, which Cyrus couldn't use. He handed the ticket to the driver, who initially wanted to pay for it but was refused by Cyrus.
"I get these every few days, especially Homelanders' tickets."
Homelander was actually pretty good to his fans, as long as he was in a good mood; he seemed to enjoy being adored.
"And you, my friend, you are the real hero." The driver mimicked Homelander's catchphrase as he drove with one hand.
When Cyrus got out of the car, the driver didn't ask for his fare but instead gave Cyrus his phone number, telling him to call directly next time he needed a ride.
The Swordsmanship Master was an elderly man with a white beard, and his dojo was laid out somewhat like a taekwondo studio, immaculately clean.
After changing into his training clothes, Cyrus waited with about a dozen other students for Master Johnson to arrive.
The next moment, cries of excitement erupted among Cyrus's fellow students.
"It's Queen Maeve!" Many of the students were Maeve's fans, so they were thrilled to see Queen Maeve appear at the dojo. Some even screamed in excitement, but Cyrus remained calm in comparison.
Tall and graceful, Maeve warmly posed for photos with her fans, clearly accustomed to such small-scale events.
"Master Johnson used to be my teacher, so I came to visit him."
Maeve explained why she was here, with cameras constantly clicking behind her. It was evident this was a planned marketing event, especially since Vought Corporation held a significant stake in this dojo.
"Maeve, the noisy world has crushed your heart's desire to become stronger. You disappoint me." Although petite, Swordsmanship Master Johnson stood tall and exuded a strong aura just by standing there.
Johnston's words caused a freeze in Maeve's smile; she awkwardly ran her fingers through her reddish-brown hair.
Seeing this, her staff swiftly escorted everyone out of the dojo.
Cyrus vaguely remembered that Maeve's personality wasn't actually bad; it was just that spending too much time with superheroes tended to breed bad habits.
"Let me see how much of my swordsmanship I've imparted to you." Master Johnston tossed a wooden sword to Mave.
Taking the wooden sword, Maeve thrust it towards a rubber dummy.
In an instant, the resilient rubber dummy was pierced, showcasing strength that left Cyrus envious onlookers.
"You're only able to pierce the dummy because of brute force; your control over your own strength is less than that of a student who's been here for less than a month." Johnston didn't mince his words.
"How is that possible?" Maeve furrowed her brows, utterly disbelieving that a student who had been training for only a month could surpass her.
Uh-oh!
As Johnston's words fell, Cyrus, who had been trying hard to keep a low profile, sensed trouble brewing.
Sure enough, Johnston's hawk-like gaze quickly found Cyrus among the crowd.
"Cyrus, come demonstrate your swordsmanship."
Facing his proud protege, Master Johnston's demeanor noticeably softened, his expression even becoming kindly.
There was no way out; Cyrus reluctantly stepped forward.
"Have we met before?" Mave looked at the Guy in front of her, feeling a sense of familiarity, as if she'd seen him somewhere.
"A month ago, I played a robber in the short film you shot."
"Oh, it's you." Despite Cyrus's words, Mave still couldn't recall.
Seeing the puzzled expression in Queen Maeve's eyes, Cyrus knew she had definitely forgotten who he was.
Taking up the wooden sword, standing on the soft rubber mat, Cyrus casually swung the sword, then proceeded to slash or stab at the dummy several times. His movements were so fast that most people didn't even see clearly; they only saw a few streaks of sword light floating in the air.
Only Maeve, with her exceptional dynamic vision, could fully see Cyrus's movements.
"Forehead, throat, heart—each hit is fatal. Your control over force is just right." Maeve's gaze turned solemn as she spoke softly.
"Not bad, your movements are quick and precise, without any dragging. What's lacking now is just real combat experience." Master Johnston nodded approvingly. Honestly, he felt that Cyrus now was like Maeve a few years ago, astonishingly talented in swordsmanship. Moreover, Cyrus's killing power was stronger and more suitable for practical combat.
"Your swordsmanship is indeed impressive."
Mave extended her left hand to Cyrus. "Are you interested in participating in the selection competition for superheroes?"
Cyrus hadn't expected Maeve to extend an olive branch to him; suddenly, he felt his scalp tingle, and in his mind.
