Chapter 203: Homelander, Who Overturns All Understanding
Although this thing could awaken the potential genes inside the human body and grant people superpowers, the abilities each person awakened were different.
But putting aside the hidden unstable costs...
Even after a successful awakening, the upper and lower limits were just as exaggerated.
The upper limit was Homelander.
In the original setting of The Boys, Homelander represented the pinnacle of what this compound could produce.
A weaker version of Superman, he had been raised on Compound V since infancy.
He possessed super strength, flight, heat vision, super defense, X-ray vision, super hearing, and more.
He did not have Superman's absurd biological force field, nor did he have freeze breath.
But his stated strength was still extremely exaggerated.
In terms of static lifting strength, he could lift and swing an entire seventy-five-ton passenger plane with one hand. In the original official setting, his maximum static lifting strength was around 1,200 to 1,500 tons.
His single-punch explosive force was between 3,000 and 4,000 tons.
The equivalent force of a flying collision was at the 8,000-ton level.
He could also fly at supersonic speed in the atmosphere, catch up to and fly alongside supersonic fighter jets, reaching between Mach 30 and Mach 50.
Not the kind of performance shown in the TV series.
His super defense could make him immune to physical damage below nuclear-explosion level.
All of this was enough to prove the upper limit of Compound V.
It was far stronger than the super-soldier gene serum currently developed and refined by the Technology Department. However, its lower limit was also much lower.
Low-end examples included people like Gecko, Rubber Man, and Termite—ability users with practically useless powers.
Their physical capabilities were not much different from those of ordinary people.
Compound V had no clearly defined versions.
There was only the original Compound V, which originated during the Nazi era. In the early days, Vought used it for infant injections, creating people like Homelander and Queen Maeve. The death rate was high, the effects were uncontrollable, and some cases granted immortality or abnormal strengthening.
Its abilities also relied heavily on continuous or regular supplementation of V1. Long-term use could cause irreversible physical damage, mental instability, or premature death.
Next was Temporary Compound V.
Although it was an improved version, it still had fatal side effects. After three to five injections, death from cancer was inevitable.
The last was Permanent Compound V, an optimized later version. It still carried risks when used on adults, but it could stably grant superpowers. Its side effects were suppressed by the company. It was not truly an upgraded version, but rather a management optimization.
Overall, it was a genetic technology with very high potential.
And as it happened, the timing was rather convenient.
Under Matthew, the genetic division of the Technology Department was the earliest and most complete department.
It was full of talent.
Combined with the super-soldier gene serum, which had already been stabilized and iterated through several versions, they were the pinnacle in this field.
Matthew believed that if he handed the Compound V synthesis technology to them, it would likewise give them a brand-new direction.
If they could stabilize it, remove the side effects, and lock in a certain limited version, then the help this genetic drug could bring would be enormous.
However, after Matthew carefully looked through this synthesis technology...
He instead felt that if they wanted to remove those side effects and stabilize certain abilities within a fixed range, it would be very difficult to produce someone on Homelander's level.
Many things worked both ways.
Instability and side effects represented an unpredictable mutation. With a large enough sample size and enough lives gambled, one could bet on producing a Homelander.
But stability and no side effects would instead sacrifice that unpredictable mutation.
It would also easily fix the upper limit permanently.
Take Homelander, for example. His strength and defensive ability were basically fixed within that range. Training meant nothing to him, because he could no longer continue improving.
To Matthew, that was the truly unacceptable flaw.
Thousand-ton-level strength, super defense, and flight were very well-rounded, but Matthew believed that whether it was the Astartes, Raven, or Grey Knights, their potential was limitless.
Sooner or later, they would grow to that height, and perhaps far beyond it.
Forget it. He would leave these things for the scientists in the Genetic Department to worry about.
No matter what, this half-year sign-in had indeed not been a waste.
Matthew stood up from the pool, and Emily, the female butler who had long been waiting nearby, walked over and handed him a bath towel.
Matthew accepted it openly, wiped his body, and walked into the villa.
Tonight was truly not bad.
…
A run-down auto repair shop in a forgotten corner of Hell's Kitchen.
Frank stood bare-chested at a metal worktable covered in an assortment of weapons — light and heavy, a full spread of options. His build and the hard angles of his face projected a kind of cold, settled menace that filled the room without effort.
He was in a good mood. Because on a snowy night like this, he had killed quite a few sinners again.
Aside from the weapons on the table, there was also a blackboard standing not far away, with an information chart pinned to it.
On it was the Hell's Kitchen gang information he had recorded.
Large and small factions were connected by red lines.
Frank was a warrior, but not a reckless one. Even though his body had now been strengthened and had surpassed ordinary people, he still would not look down on others.
After all, Hell's Kitchen had no shortage of capable people.
For example, that big Black man, Luke.
He was bulletproof, and ordinary weapons could not break through his defense at all.
Frank had once wickedly considered what method he should use to break through the man's defense and even formulated a series of plans.
This was simply his habit.
He turned his head and glanced at the information chart, locking onto one picture.
It was a gang boss.
Frank decided that the next person he would find was him.
Frank was now full of energy. Just as he was about to refine his follow-up plan, his brows suddenly moved. Without changing expression, he picked up a gun from the table and was about to retreat.
But a familiar voice sounded beside his ear.
"Frank, you're still as cautious as ever. It took me quite some time to avoid your traps."
Hearing this voice, Frank, who had been about to retreat, stopped.
He looked ahead, toward the narrow passage at the workshop entrance, where a seemingly messy pile of things left only one way in and out.
From the shadows, a bald Black man in a black leather coat, with a black eyepatch over his left eye, walked out.
"Fury?"
"It really has been a long time."
Frank showed no joy at seeing an old friend. Instead, he frowned, full of vigilance.
He'd known Nick Fury for a long time — but their first meeting hadn't been a particularly pleasant one. He understood what Fury was capable of. After that incident, Fury had disappeared, and Frank had never crossed paths with him again.
He hadn't expected the man to come looking for him now.
"I heard your situation hasn't been too good recently." Nick Fury walked openly to Frank, his voice low and carrying a hint of weakness.
Frank sharply noticed this and said in surprise, "You're injured?"
"Technically, I'm already dead." Nick Fury made a little dark joke.
Frank remained unmoved. Catching the implication behind Fury's words, he replied coldly, "I don't want to get involved in your business, Fury. I have my own matters to deal with."
"What if I told you I knew the truth behind your family's murder?"
...
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