American comics: You're asked to fish, but you catch a Superman template?

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Xu Fu's heart ached slightly. Although the materials for this trial suit were sourced from the Lonely Fortress, saving some money, it wasn't cheap overall. How could he not be heartbroken that it was torn to shreds after just one battle?

Xu Fu optimistically thought, "Let's just consider it a test, a test of the real world. At least I've proven in practice that I'm not yet suited for combat, am I?"

Chapter 1791 Meeting

New Alliance Headquarters, Hall of Justice.

The battle against the parasite was the first collaboration between the new Justice League in recent months, and a brief meeting afterward was inevitable. After the parasite was handed over to the relevant authorities, the young heroes arrived at the Hall of Justice and are now sitting around a round table talking to each other, a scene somewhat like a school recess.

"So this outfit was custom-made for me?" Kara sat down next to Xu Fu and winked at him.

“That’s the plan,” Xu Fu sighed helplessly. “But as you can see, there are still many problems to solve. First, there’s the issue of lighting. Once we wear it, it can neither absorb solar energy nor be protected from radiation. Second, it’s not very shock-resistant. Like today, I felt it would fall apart after a few bumps. I only have a few ideas right now, but no matter which one gets approved, it will still require a lot of money…”

Xu Fu stopped in his tracks. He noticed that Kara was looking at him with a gentle and appreciative gaze. Her emerald eyes were like a clear spring, so captivatingly green.

"What's wrong?" He was a little confused by that expression. "Did I say something wrong?"

“No, I’m just grateful.” Carla gently removed his hand from under the table. “This idea… is so thoughtful, thank you.” She paused, tilted her head, smiled, and lowered her voice, “If I kissed you right now at breakneck speed, do you think anyone would notice?”

"Who knows?" Xu Fu moved a little closer, seemingly unintentionally, and said with a smile, "Why don't you try and see?"

Kara stuck out her tongue: "I won't try. You're still the chairman of the league; be mindful of your influence in public!"

Oh, so I'm the chairman of the alliance. Xu Fu had completely forgotten about this if she hadn't mentioned it. Even things like strategizing and issuing orders during battles were all Helena's responsibility. Meeting summaries and such were the work of his honorary mentor, Batman. He himself felt that the chairman's position was utterly meaningless. On the contrary, he felt that his role as chairman was like a flag—no need to express his opinions or speak; he just needed to stand there bored and let people watch him flutter in the wind.

Thinking this, he subconsciously turned his head towards Helena, whom he considered the true leader of the team. But he seemed to notice that the instant he turned his head, Helena had already buried her head in the screen in front of her, muttering something. He suddenly had a strange feeling that throughout his conversation with Kara, Helena had been coldly watching him, only pretending to casually bury her head the moment he turned around.

But is that even possible? I mean, it must be a hallucination, right?

Suddenly, Xu Fu noticed that Helena was the only one at the table who was alone. Mike, Wally, and Sisco seemed to have a lot in common; the three of them sat on the left side of the table, chatting about movies or rock stars, occasionally letting out knowing laughs. Xu Fu and Kara sat near the doorway of the table, their heads close together, whispering to each other like any young couple deeply in love. Only Helena remained on the right side of the table, staring coldly at the screen, unsure of what to do.

Everyone was used to it, so no one thought anything was wrong. Helena Wayne was difficult to get along with; her communication with anyone was restricted, and she almost refused to say another word unless absolutely necessary. She was also the most difficult person to get along with because she had no personal interests; in other words, you simply couldn't strike up a conversation with her.

But Xu Fu couldn't help but wonder, was this really a good idea? What if she wasn't as cold and carefree as she seemed? She was human too; didn't she ever feel lonely and wish someone would chat with her to relieve her boredom?

Xu Fu thought that maybe he should try to strike up a conversation with her, but he couldn't come up with a suitable topic after racking his brains for a long time. He couldn't very well say, "You look so beautiful and cute today, could you?"

He didn't have time to think about the answer before his free time ran out. The automatic door clicked open, and Batman walked into the room with an imposing aura, seemingly freezing the atmosphere instantly. Everyone fell silent, as if a teacher had just finished school and was walking up to the podium with lesson plans and a set square.

The meeting was officially declared open. Batman analyzed the video of the new Justice League's battle, pinpointing the problems with each member. He meticulously analyzed each person's strengths and weaknesses in the fight, much like a teacher patiently explaining to each student after an exam. Meanwhile, Green Lantern and Flash were secretly playing pinball under the conference table using Green Lantern's ring, only to be caught red-handed by Batman.

"These are most of the issues we analyzed during this alliance operation," Batman said softly, glancing around at everyone before continuing, "Finally, I want to point out the biggest problem we discovered, which relates to a specific member of the team..."

As Mike spoke, almost everyone's eyes were on him, even he himself looked away, puffing out his chin, almost certain that Mike was talking about him. It was no secret that this guy acted recklessly, without thinking, never following orders or tactics, and was always forgetful. Not to mention, in this battle against the demonic parasite, if he hadn't disobeyed the Huntress and fed the parasite so much energy at once, things wouldn't have turned out the way they did.

But unexpectedly, Batman's gaze fell on Xu Fu: "I'm talking about you, the new Superman."

Xu Fu was stunned, pointing at himself in surprise: "Who, me?"

Not only him, but everyone else was also surprised. Kara even spoke up to defend herself, saying, "But Xu Fu almost single-handedly defeated the parasitic demon!"

Others thought the same way: this battle was basically Xu Fu's doing, and no matter whose fault it was, it seemed that he shouldn't be the one to take the blame.

“Yes, alone.” Batman emphasized the word “alone,” “but you must be a team, you must be the backbone of the team. Maybe you took on an enemy alone, but it won’t be that easy every time. You must learn to cooperate, to work together, and you must take on this responsibility.”

"Alright, you're in charge, so it's up to you." Xu Fu nodded helplessly, indicating his understanding.

“…The huntress will be next.” Then he turned his gaze to his daughter. She frowned slightly: “What’s wrong with me?”

"You also failed in your role within the team." Batman's tone was calm, his voice cold and solemn, even though he was referring to his daughter. "You were supposed to devise a battle plan, assigning tasks based on each team member's abilities and strengths. The new Superman's mission is to unite everyone into a team, and you were the cog in that machine that kept it running."

“But these people won’t listen to me,” Helena said, frowning. “I can’t lead a bunch of unruly soldiers into battle.”

“I will obey orders…” Cisco weakly raised his hand, but everyone simply ignored him.

“That’s your problem too.” Batman said indifferently. “No one in the League is a soldier accustomed to following orders, which is a good thing in some ways. You have a responsibility to consider everyone’s personality and make the team work together seamlessly.” He paused, then asked coldly, “Any more questions?”

Helena did not refute "No," but simply said "I don't object."

“Well then, unless there are any further questions, the meeting is adjourned.” Batman looked around at everyone and said softly, “There’s one more thing: starting this week, the Justice Hall’s surveillance system and satellite communications are officially online. From this headquarters, we can monitor disasters and any anomalies around the world. So starting today, there should be personnel on duty 24 hours a day at headquarters. I’ve already loaded the schedule into the computer, starting with Shockwave.”

“Huh?” Cisco pointed to himself in surprise: “But I was planning to…”

Under Batman's icy gaze, his words sounded hesitant, as if the look emanating from behind the white glasses possessed unparalleled lethality. Instinctively, he corrected himself, "...Oh no, I meant I plan to stay at headquarters a while longer, haha..."

"Alright," Batman said calmly. "Then everyone else who has nothing to do can leave. Meeting adjourned for today."

The young heroes stood up and headed for the exit. Mike and Wally patted Cisco on the shoulder as they left, their eyes filled with sympathy. Cisco stood up bitterly, walked to his duty room, poured himself a cup of coffee—he really needed it on this long night.

In the end, only Batman's father and daughter remained.

"Hunter" Batman called to Elena as she stood up, and she turned around in confusion.

“We need to talk,” he said.

Chapter 1792 Distraction

Helena got up and returned to her seat, but Batman said quietly, "Speak quickly, I still have two more drug dealers to arrest."

Throughout his conversation with his father, he maintained the calm tone characteristic of a robot.

“It’s still related to what was revealed during the battle,” Batman said. “But it concerns you personally, so I’ve decided to talk about it privately.”

"yourself?"

“Very good,” Batman said, “you were distracted during the fight.”

Helena frowned: "I didn't."

However, Batman seemed not to hear her argument and continued, "You have some things on your mind that have nothing to do with fighting, and you're letting them drag you down and become a burden. In fact, this isn't the first time; I've noticed your behavior for a while, but I've always believed you could handle it yourself. However, lately I've found that things seem to be getting worse, not better, so I had to talk to you personally..."

“Stop talking,” Helena said coldly. “I told you I didn’t. I know my business very well….”

"I am your father"

Helena raised an eyebrow. "Seriously, you're moving out of here? Fine. Even before Mom left, how much energy did you spend solely on your little daughter? How many Christmases did you spend flying over the rooftops of Gotham City and leaving us in that 080 furry mansion? Yes, we're trying to mend our bad relationship, and I'm willing to give you a chance to make amends for your shortcomings as a father, but we're only just getting started. Maybe you really are my father, but you don't really understand me."

After saying a few words, Batman remained silent for a while. Although his expression was hard to read, like a formatted hard drive, he was clearly apologetic. Helena couldn't help but regret her words: deep down, she knew her father had also had a hard time these past years, and perhaps she shouldn't have been so harsh.

“You’re right,” Batman said softly. “I’m sorry about Helena. I’ve never been a good father, and that’s what I owe you. Perhaps in that sense, I don’t understand you.” He paused, his tone softening considerably. “But at the same time, I’m still your teacher. I’ve trained you, and I can tell you when you’re distracted and when you’re not. I hope you understand that I just care about you.”

Helena was about to say something when she was interrupted by a voice coming from the doorway: "Really? I think she's great (bbfi)."

The father and daughter turned around together and saw an alien woman in a red and blue uniform appear in the doorway, a warm smile on her face. Clark stepped forward and added with a grin, "She seems to have no problems at all. Her behavior is exactly like yours when you were young, very..."

Batman stared at him through his glasses, the rest of his sentence caught in his throat. Batman immediately softened his tone: "What are you doing here?"

“I thought you were going to have a family reunion.” Clark seemed a little embarrassed. “I came to see Xu Fu and Kara. We agreed to have a simple meal together as a family reunion.”

"Then let's go eat," Batman issued the expulsion order.

"Alright, sorry to bother you, you can go now." Clark made a helpless gesture and hurriedly left the room.

The conversation continued, only slowing down slightly after this brief interlude. Batman said, "I'm just worried about you, Helena. You know how much I emphasized during your training not to let your emotions control you, and to try your best..."

"So now I have to give in to my emotions again?" Helena snorted.

Batman looked at her, half believing and half doubting.

“Oh, are you kidding me?” Helena suddenly understood what he meant and replied coldly, “No, you’re overthinking it. That’s impossible.”

“I know you’ve been telling yourself this over and over again because you’re afraid to accept this possibility.” Batman’s voice softened for once. “My relationship with your mother wasn’t smooth sailing either, so my situation is similar to yours, and I completely understand. Emotions can’t be explained by logic. Sometimes, emotions are so intense that even the strongest will can’t resist them…”

"What are you muttering about in there?" Helena couldn't help but interrupt him again.

Batman paused for a moment, then said, "You like him, don't you?"

Helena jumped to her feet, losing her composure for the first time today. "I didn't do it!"

Of course, she knew who Batman was referring to and found it utterly ridiculous. While she couldn't deny that there were things she liked about this Kryptonian kid, to say she liked him? That was simply absurd. To be honest, Helena had never felt like she liked anyone. She considered feelings child's play, something written in romance novels to coax innocent little girls into tears, and had nothing to do with her.

However, Batman's words were like a pebble thrown into calm water, sweeping across her mind. The face of that annoying Kryptonian boy kept appearing in her mind: clear blue eyes, handsome features, a god-like posture hanging high in the air, and an omnipresent presence that always came to her rescue and turn the tide whenever she carried out the most difficult missions.

She suddenly realized that this wasn't the first time the boy's image had appeared in her mind; she dreamed of him almost every night when she closed her eyes.

The damned Kryptonian Helena was confident that her mental defenses were as solid as a city wall, capable of withstanding any hypnosis and mental attack. She created an opening in the unconscious Kryptonian child and unconsciously stuffed that grinning face into her dreams.

Suppressing and hiding emotions is Helena's forte, but these emotions are like an unstoppable stream; if kept hidden for too long, they will eventually burst forth.

“This is not your fault,” Batman continued. “You’re a great kid, very smart and very talented from a young age, and I’m proud of you in every way. But there’s one thing you’re not special about, and that’s not surprising, because you didn’t have a good role model growing up.”

"Alright, that's enough. I'm an adult, I can take care of myself, I don't need you to tell me how to live my life." Helena turned and walked out the door, her purplish-black cloak billowing behind her.

"I've said before that I just care about you and have no intention of interfering in your life. But first you have to stop running away and face the problem."

Helena didn't linger and walked out of the conference room. The automatic doors slammed shut behind her, leaving only the Dark Knight in the empty hall.

Chapter 1793 Multiple Choice Questions

“Order whatever you like,” Clark said with a smile, handing the menu to Xu Fu and Kara sitting opposite him. “It’s on me tonight.”

Josie's Fast Food was a restaurant Clark highly recommended. Despite being a distance from his apartment and the Daily Planet, he always liked to eat there whenever he had the chance.

The shop owner, Josie, was a burly middle-aged woman with curly red hair and a large pregnant belly, struggling to move between the tables. Clark was clearly a regular customer, as the proprietress had been very kind to him. When she saw Mr. Kent enter, she smiled and asked what had kept him waiting so long. Clark adjusted his glasses and said, "I've been too busy lately, and my job as a reporter isn't good..." "Speaking of which," she added, "you seem to have lost some weight in the last few days, proprietress. Is your diet working?"

The proprietress smiled and said, "That's because you have good taste. I used the diet pills I used last time, and you're the only one who's seen the results."

Hearing this, Xu Fu couldn't help but scrutinize the overweight old woman, thinking: If this is the result of weight loss, what should she look like? Perhaps Superman isn't as much of a fraud as everyone says.

The three ordered food and began to chat. Clark and Kara started by talking about their work; since they were the same age, they had a lot to talk about. So, for the first few minutes, Xu Fu listened to them chat across the straw, discussing everything from neighborhood relations to national affairs, sharing their experiences and insights as media workers.

Clark then inquired about their company setup and wanted to know if everything was going smoothly. Xu Fu replied that everything was going well, and they would be able to move into the large office building the company had chosen next month; currently, they only had a few small workspaces.