A Deal

Aldrich sensed a shift in the crowd behind him as they started to look up at Solomon, getting sucked into the magnetic charm and personality he had worked to build up over the years. They were not on Solomon's side yet because they likely still resented him in some capacity for not helping Haven, but Solomon navigated this resentment well by showcasing humility.

Solomon admitted he could not save everyone, and offering to rebuild Haven with his personal foundation made him seem like someone that truly cared. At the very least, even if Solomon had not won over their hearts, with this move, he managed to get them to see him in a neutral light.

But Aldrich had a response for this. If Solomon thought that this was enough to get Aldrich to back down, then the rank 1 hero had sorely underestimated Aldrich.

"Oh, did I hear that right?" said Aldrich. "You want to help Haven? You want to rebuild it?"