Harem Streamer System: Every Crime I Broadcast Wins Me a Superheroine - Chapter 262

Chapter 262: Deep-seated Guilt
Scott tugged off the last piece of his Nightwatch gear.

“And that’s the end of that…”

He stuffed it deep into a duffel bag, and slipped into a black dress shirt and pants.

Civilian mode.

His bones ached, his mind was full, and all he wanted was food for the girls, some fresh air, and five minutes without someone throwing a punch at his face.

A neon sign flickered half a block away.

[LONG DRAGON NOODLE HOUSE]

[IF YOU LEAVE HUNGRY IT’S YOUR FAULT]

Perfect.

The bell chimed softly as he stepped inside.

The restaurant smelled like soy sauce, ginger, and a hint of old incense. Behind the counter, Mr. Wong… tan, wrinkled, wise, and built like he’d been lifting sacks of rice since the Cold War, looked up from his newspaper.

He grinned.

“Ah! Smart boy is back.

The man shuffled forward.

“Your order—extra-large family pack, enough to feed whole army—already ready.”

Scott smiled.

“Thanks, Mr. Wong. I’m picking up for—”

Before he could finish, Mr. Wong vigorously jabbed a finger toward him.

“Boy. Why you still not marry my daughter?”

Scott blinked. “Huh…?”

From behind the counter, Nancy froze like she’d been shot with a stun ray.

She was a Mixed White and Asian lady that wore a cute apron and carried her hair in a messy bun.

She was pretty.

But the embarrassment on her face hid that.

Her ears turned red. Then her cheeks. Then her neck.

“D-, DAD!”

Mr. Wong shrugged, completely unbothered.

“What? He smart. You smart. He polite. You polite.”

He pointed at Scott’s face.

“He handsome. You… also acceptable.”

He waved dismissively.

“Good match.”

Nancy choked on her own spit.

“DAD! Stop embarrassing me in front of Scott!”

Mr. Wong ignored her entirely.

“She is very good girl. Intelligent like you. Good manners. Can cook. Clean. Do laundry.”

He grabbed Scott by the collar.

“What more you want?”

Scott scratched the back of his neck.

He was trying so hard to hide his awkward smile.

“Uh… Mr. Wong… Nancy is great. Really. But I don’t think a girl’s ability to do housework is… uh… a selling point for anyone in this century.”

His looked away in shame and smiled miserably.

『Especially since both Emma and Gwen can’t cook or clean for shit… I literally do everything.』

Mr. Wong leaned in and whispered loudly.

“She just shy. She like you very much.”

Loudly enough that Nancy heard every word.

She slapped both hands over her face.

“OH MY GOD.”

Scott laughed nervously as he tried not to combust from secondhand embarrassment.

Mr. Wong patted his shoulder warmly.

“Here. HERE! I add extra crab rangoons. Your girlfriend like those, yes?”

Scott blinked… Gwen did like those.

“Thanks, Mr. Wong.”

He hoisted the mountain of paper bags like he was carrying a week’s worth of groceries alone.

Nancy peeked over the counter with a face so red you’d think it was a tomato.

Scott waved.

She squeaked and vanished back into the kitchen.

Wong and his daughter both watched him leave.

Nancy sighed dreamily.

“Haaahh… he’s so perfect~”

Mr. Wong clasped his hands as he swayed on one foot like a blushing schoolgirl.

“Yes… sooo perfect…”

Nancy stared at him. “Dad?”

The old man quickly coughed, whipped out a rag, and started furiously cleaning the counter.

“I BUSY. VERY BUSY.”

══════

8 minutes later.

Iron Mills Factory.

Reporters still buzzed around like gnats.

Flashbulbs popped.

Police circled the perimeter.

Firefighters and paramedics gathered near their trucks with food containers in hand.

And in the middle of it all…

Emma, Gwen, and Vixen sat on the hood of a patrol car while Marcus squatted on the bumper playing his handheld console like he wasn’t a hostage three hours ago.

Scott parked his GT-R.

He grabbed his paper bag fortress and stepped out.

The first to notice him—

“SCOTT!”

Emma and Marcus shouted together.

Marcus sprinted over like an excited puppy.

“DUDE you missed everything! We were abducted by this super-assassin guy called Grave who later turned out to be my supposedly dead uncle. Then Nightwatch came to save the day again and this time he talked to me… okay, he didn’t really talk to me… but let’s say he did!”

He drummed on Scott excitedly.

“So now that I know my uncle is one of the world’s most dangerous assassins doesn’t that mean there’s a chance I could have kung-fu in my genes!?”

He immediately launched into a pathetic crane kick.

A little more and he’d have home in a stretcher.

Scott tilted his head.

“I’m… not sure that’s how genes work, bud.”

Gwen waved him over.

“Hey, loser! Quit standing there and bring the eats!”

Her smile was blinding.

Scott smiled back and walked over.

Emma clapped like she was five.

“Please tell me you got those little fried things I like!”

“I got them.”

Scott set the bags down.

Emma beamed at him.

Then she poked Vixen with a finger.

“Hey, you want some?”

“…”

Vixen watched the food like she wanted to join.

But awkwardness coated her entire face.

She gave Emma a tight-lipped smile.

“Ah—thanks, but, um… I have a shoot tomorrow.”

She pointed behind her with both hands.

“Gotta sleep early.”

Emma blinked.

“Oh. Uh… okay?”

Vixen nodded stiffly. She turned to Scott.

“We should… talk later?”

Scott nodded. “Sure.”

They both leaned in for a hug.

Switched to a handshake.

Then back to an almost-intimate hug.

Then Vixen panicked and settled for an awkward light pat on his shoulder.

“Take care of yourself, okay?”

“I’ll call you…” Scott said gently.

She walked off.

Scott turned back to Gwen and Emma.

Emma was already devouring noodles.

Gwen was waging war with chopsticks.

“How do these even WORK?!”

Gwen shook them at the sky like a curse.

Emma’s cheeks were puffed like steamed buns as she chewed difficultly.

She eyed Scott with a strange look.

Scott frowned. “What?”

Emma swallowed hard.

“I dunno how to explain it but… there’s some weird vibe between you and that Vixen chick.”

Scott raised a brow. “What vibe?”

Emma shrugged and resumed obnoxiously loud chewing.

“I’m not saying you’re cheating or anything… but it’s that ‘I wanna fuck you’ vibe.”

She pointed between Scott and herself.

“Same vibe we had. Difference is—ours made sense. I know how fuckable beast-girl types are. It’s that damn pussy grip and those innocent faces they make in bed—don’t fall for it though. That’s all they can offer.”

She inhaled a massive slurp of ramen and moaned happily.

Scott internally panicked.

『There is absolutely no way I can ever tell them about adding another girl… that would be stupid. I’m already on thin ice with Emma. I can’t lose her.』

He sighed.

And then—

“LORD SCOTT!!!”

His soul jumped out of his skin.

He turned.

Brigid charged like a missile, arms flailing, grin wide.

Jake followed behind her at a normal human pace.

He was running before but got tired quite easily.

Brigid leapt and wrapped her arms and legs around Scott like a koala then squeezed.

A very affectionate squeeze.

She did it well enough for him to feel her curves.

Scott panicked and caught her before she toppled over.

Brigid’s face went pink.

Her brain sprinted straight into depravity.

『His abs! His arms! His body is melting my womb!』

She snuggled into him like he was a heated blanket.

A little tighter and she’d have peed herself.

Out of excitement, of course.

Horrified, Scott gently pried her off and placed her on the patrol car beside Gwen and Emma.

“Huh?”

Brigid blinked like she’d been betrayed.

Scott gave a small, tired smile.

“I’ll be right back. Fresh air. I just need a minute.”

He walked away.

Brigid flopped dramatically.

“Loooord Scott! Come back to bed already!”

Gwen blinked. “Bed where?”

Brigid scrunched her face.

“LET ME BELIEVE WHAT I WANT!”

Gwen snorted. “Whatever.”

She suddenly managed to grip a fat dumpling with her shaky chopsticks.

“YES—!”

It fell.

“Noooooo…”

She hissed like an angry goblin.

Jake sighed and adjusted his hair.

“Here. Let me show you how to use them—”

“Oh please. Of course a nerd loser would know how to use them. MeeeHHH.”

She stuck her tongue out at him.

“That was RUDE!” Jake snapped.

They instantly devolved into bickering.

Emma stayed quiet, staring at a retreating Scott.

“Hmmm…”

She murmured softly as she narrowed her eyes.

Scott walked.

Past the patrol cars, past the firetrucks, past the crowd of reporters barking questions.

Now he was just deep into the cold night.

He kept walking until the Iron Mills Factory was nothing but noise in the background.

He didn’t look back once.

His footsteps echoed across the cracked pavement as he slipped into a quieter street — dark, empty, the kind of place where streetlights flickered like they were afraid of the dark too.

He exhaled hard.

He needed five minutes. Just five minutes.

･･･

Emma followed him.

Well… “followed” was a really gentle word for what she was doing.

She supersped from one corner to the next.

A blur behind a mailbox.

A streak behind a dumpster.

A gust of wind on top of a bus stop.

Her expression scrunched with worry.

『What is he doing…? Okay, that’s weird. Why’s he walking off alone like that?』

She tilted her head.

『He didn’t look mad… so what is it…?』

She zipped to the side of a building and peeked again.

Scott kept walking deeper into the street.

Emma pressed her lips together.

『Is he… hiding something from us?』

He turned down an alley.

Emma blinked.

Then she was gone.

A thin streak of lightning-thin speed cut through the block as she suddenly reappeared at the alley’s mouth and flattened her back against the wall like she was in a spy movie.

She peeked.

And what she saw made her breath stopped.

Scott was standing a few meters away…

Talking to Vixen.

Her stomach twisted.

Her fingers trembled as they pressed to her hoodie.

Her face fell slowly, painfully, like her heart was dropping inside her chest.

“He really was cheating…” she whispered.

She didn’t sound angry.

She sounded… disappointed. Almost hollow.

A girl who expected better.

『After everything we’ve been through… and what we’ve done for each other… I thought he’d finally get he didn’t need other women around him.』

She hated the feeling of not being enough.

That was one reason she hated relationships.

『The first guy I actually like… the first guy I actually saw as the best option to date… and he’s the one who makes me feel like I’m not enough…』

She let out a quiet, shaking sigh and leaned her head against the brick wall.

Then—

“I’m not so sure…”

A voice said casually.

“Scott’s not a cheater.”

Emma snapped upright.

She turned to see Gwen standing there as she chewed a long piece of beef jerky.

Gwen peeped into the alley beside her.

She looked completely unbothered.

Like she was watching a mildly interesting TV show.

Emma side-eyed her.

“What do you mean not a cheater…?”

Gwen shrugged.

“Come on, Em. You of all people know Scott’s not that kind of guy. He’s literally the last person who’d cheat. I could put my money and life on that. I’ve known the guy since we were kids. His middle name is Evelyn, for fuck’s sake… he can do no wrong.”

She snorted, nearly choking on her beef jerky.

“I swear, that middle name alone cracks me up.”

She tried not to laugh.

“I look for excuses to say it.”

Emma didn’t laugh.

Gwen nudged her shoulder.

“Look, all I’m saying is that there’s probably a really good explanation. Not like he’s actually cheated yet. So don’t jump to conclusions, okay?”

Emma gave a weak nod and both girls peeked from the corner again like nosy raccoons.

In the alley, Vixen’s face was drenched in sadness.

Big, watery eyes and a tight chest like someone had just sucker-punched her emotions.

She took a step toward Scott.

“There’s no way you’re actually saying that, right? We haven’t even done anything… that doesn’t mean you’re being unfaithful or—”

Scott raised a hand and stopped her cold.

His expression firm and tired.

But he never looked more sure of himself.

“I don’t want to have this talk any longer.”

He kept his voice quiet.

“I just think… we shouldn’t see each other again.”

Vixen froze in place.

Scott continued.

“And I’m going to tell Fortress the same thing. So don’t think it’s just you. I have two girlfriends. I don’t want to screw that up by acting like I can get more.”

Emma felt her heart twist.

Gwen’s chewing slowed.

Vixen slapped a hand over her chest.

Maybe she was trying to steady herself.

“But can’t you make an exception?”

She stepped closer.

There was crazed desperation in her eyes.

That same desperation Emma had in her eyes whenever she talked to her friends about Nightwatch.

Like she knew they had a future together.

Vixen said everything and anything.

“I’m sure Emma and Gwen would un—”

Scott lowered his head.

Cut her off again.

“I won’t do that. It’s disrespectful. You don’t treat people you love like that.”

He clenched his fist.

“I’m sorry. Really, I am.”

He couldn’t look at her.

Vixen breathed hard and bit her luscious lip so hard it trembled painfully.

As if letting go would make her cry like a baby.

Her eyes glimmered with unshed tears.

『I want to say he never liked me… but Scott McQueen isn’t that type of man.』

She swallowed painfully.

『He liked me… for real. It wasn’t about me being this erotic hero that he wanted to bang one time and be done with it. I know he likes me for me. I can’t even like myself that way so it felt so special to me.』

Her fists slowly unraveled.

『So I can’t… ruin what he has with them. I’ve talked with them and I know they’re good people. I can’t be the person who gets in the way of that.』

A deep breath.

Then she forced the brightest, most harmless smile in the world.

“That’s fine…”

She spoke with a shaky cheeriness.

Scott’s jaw tightened.

He could see right through the fake smile.

It hurt him.

She stepped forward… and kissed his cheek softly.

Then she turned and walked.

Scott didn’t turn around. Not once.

“Vixen?” he called after her.

She stopped.

“If you were my girlfriend…”

He said quietly, still facing away.

“I’d reject every single woman for you too. I’d never want you to feel second to anyone. You’re beautiful. You’ve helped me. You’re… the kind of woman anyone would be lucky to have.”

Vixen’s breath hitched.

Scott continued.

“But I have to value the girls I’m with.

He placed a hand on his chest and smiled solemnly.

“Not out of duty… but because they’re that special.”

Vixen smiled warmly.

It was a small, clean smile.

“They’re lucky to have you.”

She whispered as she walked off.

She felt deep heartbreak, but also deep acceptance.

･･･

“Emma. Emma. EMM—”

Gwen slapped Emma’s back repeatedly.

“We gotta scram! She’s gonna see us!”

Emma just… stared down the alley.

Emotionless. Blank. Completely spaced out.

Gwen slapped again.

“EMMA she’s literally coming this way—”

Emma snapped awake.

She grabbed Gwen like a sack of potatoes, and faded away with a sonic crack.

Moments later they stopped in front of a random bank.

Emma set Gwen down gently.

Gwen staggered and held her chest with a grin.

“Whoa. Kinda like a rollercoaster.”

She giggled a bit.

“Terrifying, but in a fun way.”

Emma didn’t even blink.

Still sad.

Still staring into nothing.

Gwen put her hands on her hips.

“So… I take it you’re making another exception?”

Emma lifted an eyebrow slowly.

“And why exactly would I do that?”

She shoved her hands into her hoodie pockets.

“That doesn’t even make any sense. I won’t reward my boyfriend with more women for doing something any decent human should do. Let’s go.”

Gwen snorted. “Fair.”

══════

Hours later.

Early morning in the mansion.

Gwen yawned as she left her room and trudged downstairs like a zombie.

Marcus passed her on the staircase with a slice of toast hanging from his mouth.

“Morning, Aunt Gwen!”

Gwen glared.

“Can you not call me that? I’m nineteen. I’m not some cardigan-knitting suburban aunt.”

Marcus snorted. “Sure, whatever.”

She blinked at him.

『This kid was a hostage TEN HOURS AGO and he’s already going back to school. What a nerd. I’d milk that excuse for three months. AT LEAST.』

She yawned again and reached the living room.

Then stopped.

“Eh?”

Emma sat on the couch, perfectly still, hands in her lap and a distant look on her face.

“Hey, Em. Why the long face?”

Gwen teased.

“Still thinking about the alley yesterday?”

Emma didn’t respond.

Gwen laughed to herself.

“Damn, I should’ve made it a bet. Could’ve gotten a few bands out of you.”

Still no response.

Gwen frowned and sat beside her.

Their tender thighs touched.

She draped an arm over Emma’s shoulder.

“Everything okay…?”

Emma shook her head.

“I’ve been a horrible girlfriend.”

Gwen blinked. Then scoffed.

“Impossible.”

Then she gave Emma a suspicious side-eye.

“Please, don’t tell me you’re really gonna fall for the Scott McQueen propaganda. I swear he always does this and acts like he doesn’t know anything. That perfect son of a bitch. He does everything so well he guilt-trips you, zero effort.”

She held up a finger like a professor lecturing.

“When we were little, I legit thought I wasn’t a good enough daughter because Scott was so damn useful around the house especially with electronics.”

Emma didn’t smile.

She pulled out her phone.

“I have to call Vixen. And Fortress.”

Gwen stared.

“For what…?”

“They deserve a chance with Scott…”

Emma said quietly.

She started searching for their number on the Hero Agency’s hero database.

“And Scott also deserves one with them.”

“Eh?”

Gwen blinked.

“Where’d THAT come from?”