"For example, we can do something with the medal platform."
"We make the medal platform into a stepped shape. You, Mr. President, stand at the very top, and Homelander stands one level below. This way we can highlight a superior-subordinate distinction."
Rick nodded and said, "This is indeed a method."
"Have the publicity department think carefully about how to use this medal ceremony."
Naturally, General Mack didn't need to relay this.
Later, the office secretary would notify the publicity department personnel.
———
Time flew by. In the blink of an eye, it was Monday.
[Early Morning]
Derrick was walking home.
He was a worker at a processing factory. He had just finished the night shift last night, and today he could take a day off.
Derrick, now in his thirties, because he was fat, had unstable income, and came from an ordinary family background.
So much so that he not only had no marriage prospects, he didn't even have a girlfriend.
This made Derrick always appear very self-conscious in front of people.
He always walked with his head down.
He liked to wear hats, and would pull them down very low, wishing he could stuff his entire head into them.
Outside, he didn't dare look people in the eye. When communicating with others, he would always stare at their feet.
All of this was a manifestation of lack of confidence.
He had no friends. Living alone in New York, he rented a single apartment.
The factory and the apartment were Derrick's entire life.
At this moment, Derrick passed by an alley.
He suddenly saw three men cornering a woman in the alley.
It seemed to be a robbery.
This was too common in New York.
This city was far from safe.
Thieves and robbers were as numerous as rats in the sewers.
The woman saw Derrick and quickly called out, "Hey, mister, please help me!"
The men immediately looked over. Their gazes fell on Derrick, and one of them said fiercely.
"If you don't want to die, get lost, fatty!"
Derrick shrank back timidly, glanced at the woman, then ran away with his head down.
He heard the men's laughter coming from the alley, he heard the woman cursing him.
Derrick's face burned hot.
He screamed inside.
'What did I do wrong!'
'I'm not Homelander!'
'I'm just an ordinary person.'
'Useless except for being a bit fat.'
'Why laugh at me.'
'Why curse me.'
'Shouldn't it be Homelander who should be laughed at and cursed?'
'He didn't show up in time, he doesn't deserve to be a superhero!'
Derrick fled back to his apartment as if running for his life. He had just entered the elevator when a hand reached over, and then a man with the reek of alcohol all over him stepped into the elevator.
This was Bart, who lived next door to him. An alcoholic, a drug addict, and a violent maniac.
"Hey, Derrick."
Bart sidled up with a grin, revealing a mouth of yellow teeth, and sniffed at Derrick's side, "I smell the scent of US dollars."
"You just got paid, right?"
"Lend me 10 dollars, I'll pay you back in a few days."
'You've already borrowed 10 dollars many times, but you've never paid it back.'
A voice in Derrick's heart screamed.
He even imagined smashing this guy's head with one punch.
Smack!
Bart slapped Derrick across the face.
"What are you spacing out for, the money!"
"Or do you want me to cut up that fat face of yours?"
Derrick immediately pulled out a few US dollars from his pocket and handed them to Bart with his head down.
Bart snatched them away.
At this moment the elevator doors opened, and Bart kicked Derrick in the butt, "Get lost, you fat pig."
Derrick didn't dare react. Only after he opened his door and returned to his own world did he raise his head.
He first took a shower, then took the leftover pizza from yesterday out of the fridge, then made himself a cup of coffee, and carried the pizza and coffee to sit in front of the computer.
On the internet, no one knew the fat and poor Derrick. They only knew the outspoken 'Dark Lemon.'
The internet was Derrick's heaven.
The keyboard was his bible.
On the internet, he was the god who judged all beings.
Derrick drank his coffee while logging into his Twitter. Opening the page, he saw that his comments about Homelander from a few days ago had already received over a hundred thousand likes.
Derrick couldn't help but cheer.
Closing his eyes, it was as if he could hear the praises of all beings.
He let out a long breath.
Then he began browsing the news.
Soon he saw a explosive piece of news.
At ten o'clock this morning, Homelander will go to the White House to participate in the general's medal ceremony.
Under this news, there were already quite a few comments.
Derrick's eyes shone, like a starving dog seeing a meaty bone. He bit into his pizza, and with his oil-stained fingers typed on a keyboard so worn that the letters were no longer visible.
'Dark Lemon: What? Homelander is going to be a general? How does a clown like that deserve to be a general? He's not even as wise as a dog!'
He hit the 'send' button and watched his comment appear in the comment section, then the like count came pouring in.
Derrick felt an indescribable wonderfulness.
'In reality, I may not be a superman.'
'But on the internet, I am omnipotent.'
Derrick felt smug, watching his comment receive countless admirers. He proudly picked up his coffee and took a sip.
Soon, a quarter of an hour before ten, Derrick turned on the TV to watch the live broadcast.
New York Television showed the scene at the White House. The President had already arrived on site.
The stepped medal platform was already surrounded by reporters. On the platform, microphones were as dense as a forest of guns, and cameras were all aimed at the medal platform. The reporters had their cameras ready, each with a tense face, like soldiers about to march onto the battlefield.
["This is New York Television, I'm reporter Catherine, reporting live for everyone."]
["There's still a quarter of an hour to go. Now we can see that the President and officials at all levels have basically arrived. The atmosphere is very lively."]
["This may become the most memorable day in the Federation's history."]
["Because today, the Federation will see the birth of its first superhuman general."]
["This will leave a heavy mark in history."]
On the TV, the beautiful female reporter was doing her report. Derrick kept staring at those long legs wrapped in black stockings, his mind somewhat unable to concentrate, and he couldn't hear what the reporter was saying.
Suddenly a dull roar sounded from the TV, giving Derrick a fright, and then he saw on the TV a figure descending from the sky.
By the time he stood up, the beautiful reporter on screen had already rushed over.
That was Homelander.
Today's focal figure.
Not only the reporter on screen, but reporters from other media also swarmed toward Homelander.
Watching the blond man on screen who was murdering a large amount of film, Derrick snorted heavily through his nose.
"What a clown!"
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