Inside, The Seven fan zone.
Starlight sat behind the signing table, her smile like a mask, perfect without a single flaw.
With every signature, every time she looked up to take a photo with a fan, she clearly felt her exposed skin being leered at.
"Starlight! I... I really like you!"
A timid voice spoke up.
Starlight looked up and saw a girl of about ten years old, wearing the first platinum version of her suit from her debut; it covered her whole body, and its lines were full of power.
She felt a bit dazed, as if seeing herself years ago, also harboring a dream of being a hero.
"Thank you, dear," Starlight said softly, picking up a poster, signing it, and handing it over. "You look very cool in that suit."
"Really?" The little girl hugged the poster, looking innocent. "I'm saving my allowance! Soon I'll be able to buy this new V-suit you're wearing... Mom says I'll be as beautiful as you when I wear it!"
Annie leaned down behind her for a photo, her smile fading slightly; she felt as if she had been stripped bare and thrown onto a stage.
The little girl's innocent words stung her more than any foul language could.
She instinctively crossed her arms over her chest, trying to cover her exposed skin.
This small gesture was like a spark dropped on a dry prairie, triggering a chorus of boos.
From the back of the line, a man with greasy long hair and a lecherous gaze whistled. "Yo! Why hide it? Show a bit more for everyone to see; isn't that why you're wearing that outfit?"
Beside him, a burly man in a baseball cap immediately chimed in with a laugh. "Exactly! Coming out dressed so slutty, why act pure? Hurry up, strike a sexy pose, and I'll post it online to get you some followers!"
Black Noir, who had just finished signing a poster, turned to look but had no intention of defending his teammate.
The little girl looked back at the two men in confusion, then at Starlight. Her eyes quickly reddened, replaced by confusion and sadness.
Starlight's pupils lit up with a dangerous white light, and she clenched her fists as humiliation and rage surged in her heart.
She stood up, about to go forward and teach those foul-mouthed people a lesson, to make them shut up in the most direct way.
"Annie!"
Ashley pressed down on her shoulder with a serious expression, warning her in a cold, low voice, "Do you want to ruin everything? Think of your family, think of the contract! Smile, ignore them, and keep signing!"
Starlight hesitated, took two deep breaths, broke free from Ashley's grip, leaned down to hold the little girl's shoulders, and whispered, "Listen to me, the one you're wearing is the best one. It represents light, it represents protection! This one I'm wearing... is trash! It's worthless! Completely worthless!"
Ashley, standing closest, heard her clearly, and her face turned ashen.
Wade, transformed into the Asian girl Vivian, stood at the corner of the backstage area and took it all in.
Looking at Starlight's humiliated yet restrained profile, an absurd thought flashed through his mind: if anyone dared to force him to work in underwear-like gear and mocked him to show more skin, he would definitely smash the signing table into their faces on the spot.
By the booth, Starlight had a dark expression; after a few words with Ashley, she walked quickly toward the backstage.
The light in the backstage corridor suddenly dimmed, falling from an absurd farce into cold reality.
Starlight leaned against the rough wall, her eyes full of anger; she punched the wall, instantly creating a web of cracks.
"Annie...? Is it really you?"
A female voice, laced with a bit of concern, spoke up.
Annie looked up warily; through her tear-blurred vision, she saw an Asian girl walking out from the corner.
She recognized the face: Vivian.
The person who had encouraged her, comforted and supported her during her last moment of confusion—a "die-hard fan" she subconsciously felt she could trust.
"Vivian?" Annie instinctively turned away, not wanting the other to see her in such a wretched state. "What are you doing here?"
"I... I came with the Sisterhood Society to support you and volunteer," Wade said, stepping forward and taking her hand, his brow slightly furrowed. "Annie, why are you dressed like this?"
Annie's eyes instantly reddened, and she pulled him into a nearby lounge.
As soon as the door closed, Starlight immediately sought a hug and burst into tears.
She poured out her experiences at the company, being forced by the president, costume designers, and creative directors to change her suit and persona... Not only was she being looked down upon and pointed at, but she also felt terribly sorry to the fans who had always supported her.
Wade listened silently, soothing her emotions and sighing, "Being a superhero is exhausting, isn't it? You must be feeling suffocated."
"What hero?" Annie's nose stung, and tears welled up. "They... they make me feel like a... like a whore!"
"It's not your fault, Annie." Wade took out a tissue and handed it to her. "It's Vought. They could have promoted a female role model like Queen Maeve, but instead, they forced this contrasting 'glamorous slut' persona on you."
Annie wiped her tears and snot, weakly defending, "They said it's the market trend and demand..."
"Market trend?" Wade shook his head and sighed. "Professor Brink at our school explained and analyzed Vought's business model for us in detail."
"They just want to establish a non-conformist idol to quickly extract value... They chose a 'girl next door' supe like you to attract a base of fans, and then used a'sex bomb' image to create buzz and squeeze out huge short-term profits."
"They don't care what happens to you in five or ten years. Once you no longer fit their latest market trend, you'll be ruthlessly replaced."
These words were like a cold scalpel, bloodily slicing open the reality that Annie had been unwilling to face.
She remembered the way the company executives looked at her like they were evaluating merchandise during meetings, and she remembered Ashley constantly emphasizing 'buzz,' 'traffic,' and 'topicality.'
Wade observed her expression and said in a low voice, "How are your colleagues in The Seven? Have they shared any experience with you?"
"They... except for Queen Maeve being a bit nice to me and The Deep avoiding me, none of them really want to talk to me." Annie blew her nose, her voice raspy. "It feels different from what I imagined superheroes would be like."
"Think about why they don't have to dress like you do?" Wade patted the back of her hand and said solemnly, "Because there are interests, entanglements, and capital supporting them."
"But, but I'm a newcomer. I don't know anything, and no one is teaching me," Annie muttered to herself. "What can I do?"
Wade chimed in at the right moment, whispering in her ear, "Annie, you can't be passive forever. They control your image, your 'persona,' but what if... what if you also held some of their... well, some of their less-than-glamorous 'little secrets'?"
"Just like how you dealt with The Deep before—the fact that he's avoiding you... isn't that the best proof?"
Annie suddenly looked up. "You want me to..."
Wade looked at her with sincerity. "I'm not teaching you to hurt people. I just think that in a complex place like that, sometimes knowing a bit more allows you to protect yourself better."
"If you can't even fight for your own interests, how can you be a superhero who protects others, right?"
"For example... some minor financial issues. Or certain immoral transaction records? Even just some inconspicuous emails or chat logs... at a critical moment, they might give you the chance to fight for what you truly want."
"Start by changing back into the Starlight suit that truly represents you and belongs to you."
Annie leaned on his shoulder, no longer crying.
These words grew wildly in her mind, entangling with her inner anger, resentment, and that never-extinguished hero dream.
The suppression from the higher-ups, the humiliating verbal abuse, the disappointed looks of young fans... Annie raised her fist, looking at her slightly trembling hand, and repeatedly muttered, "Shady, inconspicuous... records?"
"Contact me once you've figured it out; I'll help as much as I can." Wade pressed the tissue into her hand and stood up. "I should go; I still have to work."
"Vivian, thank you!" Starlight suddenly hugged him tightly and sniffled. "I won't let you down—for the people who support me, and for myself."
Wade patted her back and comforted her for a good while before leaving the lounge.
He walked along the backstage corridor, looking at his warm palm.
[Abilities:
Photoelectric Manipulation/Conversion, Super Strength, Super Durability
Genetic Sequence Recording... 30%]
"If developed to the limit, could I even directly absorb and utilize the light of stars? Maybe one day, I could stand in space and use the sun as a power bank..."
Thinking of this, even he felt the idea was a bit crazy.
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