thefictionvixens Page 1366
Page 1366
But then news came that the real Superman had come back from the dead and killed a fanatical terrorist leader.
If this was merely encouraging news, then the subsequent announcement ignited the entire world. Soon, the world was engulfed in endless debate: "Superman has been resurrected and has become unprincipled"—was this a good thing or a bad thing? Almost all politicians were in a panic; the last thing they wanted was for aliens to interfere with their sacred power.
For the first two days, many thought it was just a baseless rumor, but two days later, the "Superman" who had risen from the grave quickly proved the rumor true with his actions. Within two days, "Superman" appeared on many battlefields around the world, and whether it was terrorists or invaders from other countries, all forces that threatened civilian lives suffered heavy blows from "Superman." He even had soldiers on the battlefield send messages to the leaders of some countries, threatening that if they did not back down, Superman's next visit could be to their capitals.
· ·Requesting flowers····· ·······
Clearly, Superman's actions these past two days have garnered far more global attention than the shock of "returning from the dead after six years of anonymity." This is something Superman has never done before; he not only saved lives but also used his personal influence to participate in the global political landscape. Panic grips the entire global political arena, as if a sharp blade named Superman is hovering over the heads of world leaders, something they clearly cannot accept.
Public opinion is divided. A woman interviewed on the streets of New York said, "I don't care about politics or anything profound. All I know is that when governments and the United Nations do nothing in the face of terrorist threats, it is Superman who saves us all from danger, so I don't think it's a big deal. My family and I are ready to vote for him."
0...
In a television interview, a bestselling author eloquently stated on camera: "Superman's actions are controversial, and I personally find them unacceptable. He willingly engages in complex international issues, and now we even see him abandoning the moral principles that once bound him." "So, if the law can't restrain Superman, who can?"
“But perhaps he oversimplified complex international issues,” or “or perhaps we overcomplicated them,” one viewer countered. “Maybe Superman finally discovered what he should have done long ago, and maybe that’s why God sent him to Earth.”
The debate raged for two full days across the world, but it showed no signs of ending. The protagonist of the debate, the resurrected "Superman," broke through the atmosphere at supersonic speed, flew into the dark and silent space, and closed his eyes to enjoy the sunlight on the horizon.
He fanned himself with his cloak, as if frozen in a gravitational vacuum, and slowly opened his eyes, gazing at the azure planet before him, his heart filled with deep love. It was so beautiful, like a pearl floating in this dark, boundless universe, lovely yet so fragile.
His bright blue eyes could see every corner of this beautiful planet, and every gunshot and every scream seemed to echo clearly and loudly in his ears.
He can hear all the arguments and objections in the world, but he doesn't care.
He only wanted to protect the Earth he loved.
Chapter 1679 Changes
Tuesday, in a plaza in downtown Metropolitan City.
The metropolis was shrouded in darkness today, with gray, overcast clouds casting a shadow over the entire city, and light raindrops falling from them. The skyscrapers were silently soaked, and every inch of air carried the damp scent of the city.
The heavy rain didn't deter the excited crowd from gathering in Metropolitan Square, umbrellas lining the street, creating a sea of colorful fabric that resembled a flower field from the air. Just over a month earlier, the people of Metropolitan had gathered in this very square to celebrate the arrival of the new Superman, and this time, the theme was also Superman.
The debate surrounding the controversial changes to Superman reached its climax this Tuesday, particularly heated in Metropolis, Superman's birthplace, and finally turned into a public discussion today. In today's debate, the most ardent supporters and opponents of Superman's current practices were selected as representatives for and against each other, with each side choosing a dozen or so representatives to form a small team, ready to engage in a heated debate on the Superman issue. "033"
The debate was scheduled for 9:00 AM, but by 8:00 AM the square was already packed with excited people. Even before the debate officially began, the participants were divided into two camps, arguing fiercely. Many held signs with slogans against the debate, while others supported Superman and expressed their solidarity. The argument intensified, and the atmosphere became extremely heated before the clock struck nine.
At 8:50 a.m., representatives from both sides of the debate took the stage, where they were briefly introduced by the host. The main square fell silent for a moment before the host delivered the opening remarks.
However, the debate never officially began. Just as the moderator introduced the representatives of both sides and was about to deliver their prepared speeches to start the debate, the main character of the debate suddenly appeared on stage in his own name.
Yes, this is the long-discussed Superman himself. With the help of the wind and shadow, two thin raindrops descend from the sky, landing in the center of the stage. Countless water droplets dance around his bright cape, and transparent ripples spread across the stage from him.
The host's mind went completely blank for a moment; the speech he had memorized vanished from his memory. But there was nothing to be ashamed of, for hundreds of people in the square reacted the same way. Everyone stood frozen in place, the debaters standing like statues on either side of the stage, with only the continuous downpour serving as proof of the passage of time.
Superman stepped forward, his red leather shoes splashing through the puddles on the stage, naturally becoming the center of attention. Countless cameras were pointed at him, the footage simultaneously broadcast on major video websites and news channels, with countless people sharing this moment on their screens via electronic data.
He stared at everyone coldly, like a knife, and under his gaze, everyone involuntarily lowered their heads. Superman looked away and said loudly, "I know why you're here. Many of you think what I've done is too much, too radical, and doesn't deserve your approval. But I want to say that everything I've done isn't for praise or recognition, not in the past, and not in the future. Everything I've done is simply because it's necessary."
He paused for a moment, but no one dared to interrupt him; the square became so quiet that not even a cough could be heard.
“I know you all have a lot of questions, like why I’ve changed so much.” He continued, “Actually, I don’t know either. I think it’s just that the experience of being brought back from the dead has allowed me to see more. I’ve seen countless sufferings and tragedies on this planet, and countless things I had the ability to change, but for various reasons, I didn’t do so in the past, which I regret. But now, with this opportunity, I want to assure the world that I will not let tragedy happen again, even if I have to get my hands dirty.”
As soon as he finished speaking, a helicopter rushed into the silent room and landed not far from the stage, its fuselage bearing the Daily Planet logo. An impatient hatch opened in mid-air, and Lois Lane jumped out before the helicopter had even fully upright, hurrying towards the stage and stopping five feet away from Superman.
She successfully caught Superman's attention. He turned his head to the side, met her gaze across the room, and fell into a long silence.
If Superman were truly in darkness and there was only one person left in the world who could bring him back to the light, Lois Lane would be the first choice. If it weren't for that damned "doomsday invasion" six years ago, they would already be married.
Louise sighed weakly, calmed her erratic breathing, and then asked, "Where did you go?"
He didn't answer.
"What happened?" she continued unhurriedly. "Tell me, I can help you. Whatever happened, we can deal with it together."
“I’m sorry, Louise,” he finally spoke, but his voice was cold and mechanical. “No problem today.”
Louise was stunned.
He ignored Louise, turned to face everyone, and continued nonchalantly, "I haven't finished speaking. Not just warlords and terrorists, but all the villains in this world who cause bloodshed and tragedy, who bear the burden of human lives, I warn you, your good days are over. All evil will be punished... starting with the worst."
Without another word, he soared into the air like a rocket. A shockwave, mixed with rain, erupted on the stage once more. Louise recoiled in shock, staring incredulously at the direction in which the small dot in the air had disappeared…
He didn't even turn around to look at her.
At this moment, Xu Fu, who had been watching the scene live online from his dormitory, went outside without saying a word and dialed Kara's phone number, who had returned to work at Nasino: "Kara? Did you see it?"
“I saw him.” Kara’s voice was clearly excited. “Clark, he’s not right. We have to find him… I’m going to Metropolis right now. He needs our help.”
“Or perhaps there are others who need help,” Xu Fu said. If they let this Superman continue what he’s doing, the events will soon affect all the other Supermen, including them. Superman is declaring war on the entire world, and soon, everyone with superpowers will have to choose sides in the impending war.
No matter which side you stand on, it means that the current balance will be broken, and everyone's peaceful life will become a thing of the past.
"Did you hear what he said at the end?" Xu Fu frowned and said, "I have a bad feeling, as if he's going to do something even crazier than what he's doing now."
Meanwhile, in Gotham City, at the Bat Cave.
"All sins will be punished... Let's start with the most serious ones."
The image on the giant monitor of the Batcomputer froze in place, with Bruce Wayne staring blankly at Superman's face on the screen.
“This doesn’t look like…good news, sir.” Alfred stood behind him, also frowning as he stared at the Batcomputer screen. “You think it’s Master Clark?”
“I don’t know, Alfred.” Bruce clasped his hands together. After a moment, he stood up from his seat, convulsing. “But the worst has happened, Alfred, I have to go out and get this big guy.”
"Big guy? Sir, you didn't mean..., did you?"
Bruce looked him straight in the eye and said, "Yes, Alfred, absolutely right."
Alfred frowned and hesitated for a long time, but he couldn't help but say, "I don't think it's that bad, sir."
“No,” Bruce stood up stubbornly and walked toward a dark corner at the back of the cave, “it’s worse than that.”
Chapter 1680 Arkham
The morning drizzle turned into a downpour, a steady, uncontrollable drizzle, as if a floodgate had been opened. Gotham City is usually an impregnable city, but after nightfall, it becomes a ghost town, darkness lurking in every imaginable corner, especially on a rainy night.
When talking about Gotham City, one cannot ignore Arkham Island. It's a small island on the outskirts of Gotham City, connected to the main city only by a drawbridge. The island may harbor the world's most insane asylum, Arkham Asylum. It's no exaggeration to say that even the air inside the Gothic castle reeks of a terrible stench; no sane person would willingly spend more than an hour in such a place—it would be a tremendous test of willpower.
The gate may bear a sign that reads "Arkham Asylum," but everyone in Gotham knows that Arkham is actually the most dangerous prison in the world. The insane people inside are more insane than you can imagine, and no matter how well prepared you are, they can always catch you off guard.
Tonight, another batch of madmen will be locked up in Arkham's cells. The heavy drawbridge leading to Arkham Island slowly lowers, and heavy rain pours down from it. Cars with thick armor shields smoothly cross the bridge, the word "Arkham" emblazoned on their black bodies.
As vehicles passed, the suspension bridge roared down and rose again, the rain-soaked chains creaking and clanging in the night. The guards on duty carefully checked the documents of passing vehicles, repeatedly verifying them in the system before allowing them to pass. No wonder they were so cautious: considering the frequency of escapes from this mental hospital was almost once a week on average, it wasn't difficult to ask them to be extra careful.
Thunder rumbled in the sky, and a bolt of lightning suddenly ripped through the darkness. The prison guard standing at the gate glanced casually at the night sky and nearly cried out in surprise. He saw a blue figure draped in a red cloak soaked with moisture, floating several meters in the air, incredibly conspicuous in the darkness. The pale lightning illuminated a dignified and solemn face, its cold gaze like that of a god looking down upon the mortal world.
Superman
The guard whispered a reminder to his comrade on guard duty, both of them gripping their guns tightly. Given Superman's dangerous remarks that morning in Metropolitan Plaza, they didn't think he would be here at this hour to greet Arkham's prisoners in a friendly manner.
Superman landed softly, his red combat boots making no sound as they touched the puddle. He stared coldly at the two prison guards and said in a low voice, "Get out of my way."
This was not a request, but an irresistible command. The two looked at each other, realizing they had no other choice.
"boom!"
With a deafening roar louder than thunder, the super-replica alloy gate of Arkham swung backward, its metal latches snapping off by a powerful force from the outside. Countless raindrops scattered across the rain-soaked ground as Superman, like an unstoppable war god, passed through the heavy gate and stepped into the Arkham complex.
Alarms blared throughout Arkham, instantly plunging the notoriously military-secure asylum into high alert. Guards armed with submachine guns and rocket launchers poured out from every corner, while automated turrets, funded by Gotham's Wayne Enterprises, appeared in every part of the complex, unleashing a hail of fire on the intruders.
However, this will certainly not have any effect.
A steel-clad figure, carrying tons of firepower, hovered steadily upwards, its eyes spewing forth pillars of scorching fire. Thermal lasers swept across the area, instantly reducing all the automated turrets to burning scrap metal. Missiles from portable rocket launchers hurtled towards him, but he easily crushed them into fireballs with his bare hands. He switched his thermal vision to burst fire mode, destroying all the guards' weapons in seconds, then ignored them and raced towards the dark castle. The guards exchanged bewildered glances, none daring to step forward to stop him...
Arkham is a historic building with a complex structure. Most of the cleaner prisoners, or those without serious violent tendencies, are held in the above-ground areas with relatively high freedom of movement. Nightmare criminals, on the other hand, are mostly held underground, in a special resurrection zone where everyone is a super-crazy lunatic who, once released, could turn Gotham upside down.
Because the building was made of lead, Superman couldn't comfortably use his light vision, but that didn't matter. He had been here many times when partnered with Batman and knew the area intimately. He smashed through the floor, landing vertically in front of the steel door to the emergency room on the ground floor. A synthesized female voice sternly demanded he introduce himself, but he ignored it, reaching out and ripping the door off, completely disregarding the 10 volts of electricity connected to it.
He tossed the extra door panel aside like a scrap of paper, unaware that a dark iron fist was already waiting for him outside. Caught off guard, a beautiful uppercut struck him in the chin, sending him flying through the air before crashing heavily to the floor. He rolled several times, barely getting to his feet, when his vision was blocked by a massive steel baseball bat. Before he could even utter a word, that cannonball-like metal fist slammed into his cheek. Superman, like a red kite, swept across Arkham's corridors, flew over the gate, and tumbled into the muddy, rainy ground.
Superman rubbed the slightly sore corner of 033's mouth with his fist, slowly stood up, and looked up at the imposing figure that appeared at the gates of Arkham. Thick steel boots creaked in the rain, and a steel bat over two meters tall stood in front of the gate, his eyes flashing blue, his armor gleaming in the rain.
"Bruce Superman said expressionlessly, 'I should have known you'd interfere at this crucial moment. I can't believe it; after all these years, you're still keeping it all bottled up. That's quite your style.'"
"Clark," Batman gritted his teeth, trying to remain calm in front of his friend who should have been dead six years ago, "You don't have to do this. Tell me what happened, I can help you... Damn it, please let me help you, we didn't have to come to this."
"Get out of my way," Superman commanded coldly and stubbornly. "I don't want to hurt you, Bruce. But I will if necessary."
Batman stared at the electronic screen, his gaze fixed on a pair of blue eyes that had begun to pull him away, and remained silent for a long time.
“If you remember even half of what you know about me,” he murmured, “you’ll know my answer.”
"very good"
Superman growled softly, clenching his fists. His eyes closed slightly, and when he opened them again, deep red blood vessels appeared in his eyeballs.
Chapter 1681 Batman vs. Superman
Batman shot through the outer walls of Arkham Manor like a black cannonball, tumbling and landing on the muddy ground outside the manor; the cape hanging from the back of his Iron Manor was covered in mud and grime. His body left a deep trail about ten meters long in the ground, his heavy armor buried deep in the hard earth.
He had almost forgotten how powerful Clark's punch was, but this one remained vivid in his memory. Despite the protection of his expensive armor, the force of Superman's punch still displaced almost every organ in his body, and every bone in his body seemed to be protesting, as if it were about to fall apart. Pain swept over his entire body like a tidal wave.
"Stand up, Bruce. You have more important things to do," he said through gritted teeth.
Superman appeared before him as if by teleportation, his black hair flashing past the sides of his red boots. He looked coldly at the stubbornly reclining Batman and said in a deep voice, "You'd better stay lying down, Bruce. It's for your own good."
Batman knelt on one knee, staring at him through his shimmering blue glasses.
"No," he said.