Harem Streamer System: Every Crime I Broadcast Wins Me a Superheroine - Chapter 56

Chapter 56: Conclusions
Woodhull Private Hospital – ICU Hallway…

Dark Elf stood in a dark corner.

Gwen was rushed in on a stretcher and medics barked instructions and navigated the tight hallway with precision.

Dr. Rosen was at the helm.

Thanks to Emma, who made a call and promised to handle all the expenses, the doctor wasn’t afraid to use the full limit of their medical technology.

“Third-degree burns, massive internal damage, possible respiratory complications… God, where do you find people with these kinds of injuries?”

Dr. Rosen muttered in exasperation.

She still hasn’t forgotten about the masked vigilante that came here a some time ago.

The woman snapped her gloves into place.

“Oh, Emma… you want to overwork me, don’t you?”

Her assistants didn’t respond; they were too busy stabilizing Gwen’s vitals.

Dr. Rosen shook her head as her expression darkened.

“Forget it. Focus. I want her in the ICU yesterday!”

The team disappeared through the swinging doors and left Dark Elf in heavy silence.

“Finally…”

She leaned against the cold wall as her own injuries protested against every movement. Her hands clenched as she stared at the now-empty hallway.

“Stay alive, kid…” she muttered under her breath.

With that, she turned and vanished into the night.

—

Hospital Entrance – Minutes Later…

Scott and Emma burst through the glass doors, both of them frantic but in different ways. Scott’s breathing was ragged while his legs still trembled from exhaustion and the residual effects of the gas.

“Where’s the elf?” he demanded in a hoarse voice.

Emma glanced around quickly.

Her sharp eyes scanned the area.

“Hold on, babe, I’ll do a quick search.”

Before he could respond, she was gone and the wind she created whipped at his face.

… zip────WHOOOOSH!!

Within seconds, she was back, shaking her head.

“No sign of her.”

Scott ran a hand through his hair as he exhaled sharply.

“Great. Just great.”

Emma stepped closer and cupped his face with her small, slender hands and forced him to look at her. Her beautiful, yellow eyes were steady and warm, even as her voice held a slight edge.

“Hey…”

She spoke softly and affectionately.

“Don’t be so hard on yourself, okay? We don’t know if Dark Elf’s with us or against us, but she saved Gwen. That counts for something. Can we just… focus on that for now?”

Scott closed his eyes and let out a very shaky breath before finally nodding.

“You’re right. You’re right. Thanks, Emma.”

A small smile spread across her face, and she leaned in to press a soft kiss to his lips.

—

ICU Hallway – Half an Hour Later…

Scott and Emma sat together on one of the hard plastic benches outside the ICU. Emma’s hand was wrapped tightly around his to ground him as they waited. His body felt like it could give out at any moment, but he stayed upright, refusing to break until he knew Gwen was okay.

Emma patted his knee gently.

“I’m gonna grab us some snacks, alright? You’ve gotta be starving by now.”

Scott managed a weak smile. “Yeah. Thanks, Em.”

She winked at him and zipped away, leaving him alone in the silent hallway.

Moments later, he heard hurried footsteps.

… Huh?

Looking up, his stomach plopped as he saw Grace and Tess storming toward him.

Their faces was half panic, half fury.

Scott stood and approached them cautiously.

“Tess, Grace, listen—”

Tess cut him off as her finger pointed directly at him like a weapon.

“Haven’t I done enough for you──?! I know I’m not your mother, but haven’t I done enough for you?!”

His mouth opened, but no words came out.

Tess’s voice rose, raw and trembling.

“I got a call that my daughter is in critical condition, and you—you were missing, she was missing, and now this?!”

She threw her hands in the air.

“Do you have any idea how much I’ve had to deal with in the past month because of you?! How much more do you think I can take before I break? I’m not a machine, Scott! You can’t keep making me suffer like this!”

“Tess… please, just listen to me—”

“NO!”

Tess screamed.

Her eyes were red, and her voice cracked with emotion.

“Shut your mouth! I don’t want to hear it! I don’t care what you have to say!”

Grace stepped between them and placed a gentle hand on Scott’s chest.

“Scott, maybe it’s best if you give us some space for now. This is a lot for her to handle.”

Scott’s hands balled into fists at his sides.

His shoulders were vibrating.

“I get it, okay? I get it.”

He looked at Tess.

“I hope Gwen gets better. I really do.”

His voice was soft but heavy with pain.

Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked away very exhaustedly.

Grace turned to Tess with furrowed brows.

“Don’t you think that was a bit too harsh?”

Tess didn’t answer. She simply marched toward the ICU doors with a face of stone.

—

Emma had been standing in the corner, her arms full of canned drinks and snack bars. She didn’t make a sound as she watched Scott walk away with his shoulders slumped in defeat.

Her usually bright smile darkened, and her grip tightened around the cans.

She took a shaky breath and whispered to herself.

“Scott…”

━ ━ ━ ━

New York City…

The Peak groaned as he struggled to his feet while every fiber of his body ached like hell.

“FAAAACK! I need that bitch to hit me harder in the balls next time… ohoho, it feels so fuckin’ good!”

His once-pristine super suit was now covered in dirty and debris, while his legs wobbled dangerously as he stood in the ruined intersection.

The air reeked of smoke, charred metal, and desperation.

From afar, a growing sound drew his attention.

Voices, cameras clicking, and hurried footsteps.

A crowd of civilians, reporters, and photographers surged toward him like he was sugar.

The Peak straightened up, brushed off the grime with a weak smile plastered across his bruised face.

“Showtime…”

He forced himself to stand taller despite the throbbing pain all over his body.

The first to arrive was none other than Judy Cho.

The sharp-eyed anchor from Metro 7 News.

She skidded to a halt, microphone in hand, and turned to face the camera with a look of disbelief.

“I can’t believe this, but… it seems The Peak has saved us from… whatever catastrophe struck the city!”

The murmurs of the gathering crowd quickly swelled into excited chatter.

“Wait, The Peak? That guy?”

“Didn’t think he could handle anything bigger than a PR campaign…”

“Isn’t he the one who saves cats from trees?”

“I thought he was all talk!”

The Peak’s left eye twitched.

He clenched his fists, forcing the trademark smirk to stay plastered on his face.

“Oh, they love to underestimate me, don’t they?”

He managed to keep smiling, albeit like a psycho.

Ignoring the pain in his side, he strutted toward Judy as his battered body screamed with every step. As he reached her, he draped an arm over her shoulder and rested nearly all his weight on her.

“It’s your boy, The Peak!”

He announced with exaggerated charm.

“Yes, yes, I’ve done it again. Another crisis averted, another city saved by yours truly. You all should be thankful to live in a world with someone as great as me.”

Judy’s forced smile barely masked her discomfort as she tried to shift his weight off her without drawing attention.

『Fuck, I thought Nightwatch would be the one to stop all this. Sigh~ I wanted to interview him…』

“Uh, right… The Peak, the people want to know—how did you manage to stop all this destruction? Especially when other heroes with force-genes struggled?”

The Peak let out a hearty laugh.

“Oh, Judy, Judy, Judy… I’m different, you see.”

He puffed out his chest.

“What can I say? Talent. Dedication. A little bit of genius. And, of course…”

He flashed his best smile at the camera.

“A heart of gold. But alas, I can’t give away all my secrets. I’ll have to save that for my next motivational seminar! Or better yet—my new book and upcoming movie! Stay tuned, heroes. I’m here to teach you how to be great like me.”

The crowd’s whispers turned into applause.

“Well, he is still standing…”

“And he does look like he’s been through a lot…”

“No other heroes are around. It must have been him…”

The hesitant claps snowballed into a chorus of cheers and chants.

“PEAK! PEAK! PEAK!”

The Peak’s originally confused grin widened as he began clapping for himself.

“Haha! Alright! Now that’s what I’m talking about! Peak Squad, let’s go!”

Judy shot him a sidelong glance as her professionalism barely held up under his obnoxious display. Her eyes drifted downward and narrowed slightly as she noticed something… off.

“Uh, Mr. Peak…”

She pointing her microphone toward the dark, damp stain on his pants.

“What’s that?”

The Peak froze as his smug expression faltered for just a split second.

The foul odor from him already said what that wet area in his pants was, but Judy asked nonetheless.

“Uhh… it’s… blood!”

The Peak confidently answered.

“Battle scars, Judy! Proof of my heroic sacrifice. Pretty gnarly, huh?”

He flexed weakly for emphasis.

Judy blinked, unimpressed, but the crowd erupted into another round of cheers.

“The Peak bleeds for us!”

“He’s a real hero after all!”

“Damn right!”

The Peak yelled as he threw a fist in the air.

“I’m a man of the people!”

As the chants grew louder, The Peak basked in the misplaced glory as the pain in his body was all but forgotten. He turned to the camera with his most dazzling smile.

“This city doesn’t deserve me… but it needs me.”

The applause roared.

Behind the crowd, Rope Girl watched silently from a rooftop, her arms crossed.

She sighed deeply as she shook her head.

“Unbelievable…” she muttered.

But even she had to admit, for all his flaws, The Peak sure knew how to put on a show.

━ ━ ━ ━

Rooftop…

A gust of wind blew past the rooftop, carrying with it a faint whoosh that barely sounded in the quiet night.

Emma appeared in an instant with her hair wild from the wind as she scanned the area.

Her chest heaved as she tried to calm herself down.

“Did he already leave?”

She paced along the edge of the rooftop.

“No… no, I would’ve noticed. I’d know.”

She turned in circles as her sharp yellow eyes darted around until they finally caught a familiar figure.

There he was—Scott.

Sitting at the edge of the building with his legs crossed, his posture hunched, and his gaze locked on the entirety of Meteor City below. The city lights reflected faintly in his eyes, which looked far older than his years.

Emma stopped pacing.

She placed her hands on her hips and took a deep breath.

“Okay, Em… you got this. He’s had a hard time. Probably the worst day he’s had in… ever. And yeah, you don’t have a magic fix. But you don’t need one.”

Her fingers curled into fists briefly before she shook them out.

“It’s your job as his girlfriend—not wife, stop jumping the gun—to be here for him. That’s it. Just… be there. I’m not doing this to score emotional points from him or gain some of his love. All I want is to be there for him!”

Decision made, Emma zipped toward him in a blink and settled down beside him at the edge of the rooftop. She dangled her legs over the side, swinging them playfully as she gave him a soft smile.

Scott noticed her out of the corner of his eye.

He forced a weak, tired smile and gestured to her arms, which were still loaded with snack bars and drinks.

“Oh. You finally got the snacks…”

His voice sounded very hoarse.

Emma nodded.

“Yup. And you should eat one already. You look like you’re about to pass out.”

She reached out and grabbed his face gently, squishing his pallid cheeks as she tugged them apart playfully.

“Come ooonnn, Scottie. Eat my snack… OR you can eat MY snack~ ♡”

Scott let out a small, breathy laugh and swatted her hands away.

“Alright, alright. Geez, you’re persistent.”

He grabbed one of the bars from her pile, tore it open with his teeth, and took a massive bite. Chewing slowly, he finally chuckled—a real, unforced sound.

Emma grinned and pouted dramatically.

“Awww~! I’m so jealous of that wrapper.”

Scott gave her a pointed side-eye as his lips twitched in some amusement.

“That’s… a little desperate, don’t you think?”

Emma shrugged with a wide grin. “Meh. Your loss.”

She unwrapped her own snack bar and took a delicate nibble and swung her legs idly.

The night settled around them.

Scott chewed in silence for a moment, but the sadness in his eyes hadn’t fully disappeared.

It clung to him like a heavy and suffocating cloud.

Emma noticed, of course. She always noticed.

She leaned closer, her tone softening.

“You okay? I saw those women yelling at you earlier. Were they, like… your parents or something?”

Scott snorted bitterly.

“Parents? No. I wish my parents would scold me—or, I don’t know, acknowledge that I exist once in a while.”

Emma frowned, unsure how to respond.

She sighed heavily, then wrapped an arm around his shoulders to pull him closer.

“Come on, babe. What’s wrong? You can talk to me.”

Scott’s jaw clenched. His teeth ground together audibly as he struggled to form words. Finally, he let out a shaky breath and spoke with a low and rough voice.

“You want the truth? Fine. Here it is.”

Emma stayed quiet as her grip on him tightened slightly.

“I’m tired, Em. I’ve been fighting for so long today, I can’t even remember when I started. And now I’m here, watching Gwen suffer while her mom tears me apart like I’m some kind of criminal. Meanwhile, I’ve got poison in my lungs, my body’s screaming from all the hits and bullets I’ve taken, and I’ve barely eaten or drunk anything since this morning.”

His voice cracked slightly, but he pushed on.

“I’m hurt. I’m angry. I want to go home, but being here just… it makes me feel like I’m going to explode. Like I want to—”

He cut himself off as he exhaled sharply and rubbed his hands over his face.

He stared down at his hands and his face hardened.

“And on top of all that, I’ve got blood on these hands now. Sure, it was necessary. I had to do it. But it… it doesn’t change the fact that I feel—different.”

Emma watched him carefully.

Her heart broke a little more with every word.

This was the first time that she genuinely felt like someone else’s pain was her pain.

『I’m not altruistic in any sense if I’m being honest. I haven’t truly embraced that side of heroing… but whenever I look at the young man in front of me al-, all I-, all I want to do is take away all his pain and endure it for him.』

Finally, she sighed and leaned back slightly.

“Scott… do you want to be a hero?”

He blinked, caught off guard by the sudden question.

“What does that have to do with anything?”

She tilted her head and kept her gaze steady.

“Just answer me. Do you want to be a hero?”

Scott hesitated, then nodded. “Well… yeah.”

Emma reached out and pressed her finger to the center of his forehead to poke him gently.

“Then quit complaining and be one.”

Scott blinked again, stunned into silence.

Emma smiled softly as her tone went a little firmer.

“Look, Scottie. I need someone to look up to, okay? And right now, you’re not exactly painting a great picture for the legend of the man I can’t stop loving.”

For a moment, Scott stared at her as his cracked lips twitched faintly. Then, slowly, a small, genuine smile broke through the clouds of his exhaustion.

“Yeah. You’re right…” he murmured. “Thanks, Em.”

Emma grinned and gave him a playful nudge.

“Anytime, Scottie. Now hurry up and eat. You’re no good to me dead.”

They sat there together, the city sprawled out below them, and for the first time that day, Scott felt a little lighter.

“So…” Emma mumbled.

Scott smiled at her. “So… what?”

Their hands crawled towards each other and soon they wrapped tightly together.

Emma smiled even more, and Scott did the same.

“So, wanna screw me back at my place?”

“Aaaaand, you ruined the precious moment…”

“Sorry, habit…”

Emma’s face turned sad.

Scott then gave her a suggestive, side-eye.

“I guess I’ll have to screw you to get out some of my frustrations, huh?”

“YES!”

Emma’s eyes lit up like bulbs.

Her reaction shocked even Scott, and he already expected that kind of response.

━ ━ ━ ━

Note: Finally, Emma and Scott will get spicy next chapter. Just two more chapters and we’re done with vol. 1. For obvious reasons, Scott will be living with Emma from vol. 2.