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*****
"Superman? The Evil Superman?"
Hearing Du Zhuo's frantic label for Clark, the trio stood frozen in place. Clark, in particular, looked utterly bewildered.
What? How had he suddenly become a "demon"?
The man named Du Zhuo scrambled backward in terror, instinctively flinging a handful of seeds into the air. Mid-flight, the seeds sprouted into thick, twisting vines that lunged toward Clark like prehensile tentacles, intending to bind him.
Clark's eyes flashed, and he prepared to dodge. However, little Lamb let out a huff and opened his mouth wide. A blast of searing flames erupted, incinerating the vines into drifting ash in an instant.
What kind of power is this now? Mike was speechless. It seemed the number of abilities Lamb possessed was becoming impossible to track.
With a blur of movement, Oren appeared beside Du Zhuo, placing a firm hand on the man's shoulder. "He's not the Black Superman," Oren explained helplessly. "He's... he's from another world. He's here to help us."
Du Zhuo froze. Recalling Oren's mission, he let out a weary, sheepish laugh. "Sorry. It was just a subconscious reaction."
"I understand," Oren said, his eyes tinged with a faint sadness. "I'm taking them to see my Aunt now. By the way, how long was I gone?"
"Not long. About an hour."
Oren nodded. It was a bit longer than he had anticipated, but still within the expected timeframe.
"Let's go."
Oren signaled to Mike and the others, leading them deeper into the facility. As they walked away, Du Zhuo sighed, his expression filled with pity. He knew how much the boy suffered because of the Black Superman's actions.
Slap! Du Zhuo smacked his own mouth. "Dammit, why did I have to bring that up? Stupid mouth!"
The group followed Oren into the heart of the resistance base.
The facility was built directly into the desert, shielded by a sophisticated energy barrier that provided perfect camouflage. It wasn't an expansive base, housing only about three hundred people, but every single inhabitant was either a super-powered warrior or a specialist with a vital talent.
The leader of this base was Gwen.
As for the "Black Superman" Du Zhuo had mentioned...
A shadow of grief crossed Oren's face. He let out a heavy sigh before speaking slowly. "Yes. The Black Superman is my father—this world's Clark."
Mike's eyes narrowed. "What happened to him?"
Oren gritted his teeth. "He and my mother were taken over. They are being controlled by the Phoenix."
Controlled?
Mike pondered this for a moment and gave a curt nod. "I see." Given the mental prowess of a Phoenix Force host, the fact that they could dominate Clark's mind wasn't entirely surprising to him.
"Let's go meet Gwen," Mike said calmly. Clark felt a chill run down his spine; he knew that tone. His father was angry.
Oren nodded and stole a cautious glance at Mike. "Aunt Gwen... she's a little different than she used to be. In a moment..."
"I understand. Lead the way."
Mike nodded, and an oppressive aura began to radiate from him, causing Oren's heart to skip a beat.
A few moments later, Oren knocked on Gwen's door. When the trio heard the weary, weathered voice from inside granting them entry, Mike felt a slight sense of relief. Judging by the sound of her voice, Gwen was in better shape than he had feared.
However, the moment the door swung open and Mike saw her, his pupils constricted. In a blur that neared teleportation, he was across the room.
Gwen saw a shadow flicker before her eyes, but she didn't tense up; her spider-sense remained silent. When she finally processed who was standing in front of her, her face flushed with sudden, overwhelming emotion.
"Dad!"
A trembling cry broke from her throat. Her eyes turned red instantly. Like a child who had been bullied at school and finally made it home, she lunged forward and buried her face in Mike's chest.
Mike gently stroked Gwen's hair, listening to her muffled sobs. He patted her back tenderly. "There, there... don't cry, don't cry. Daddy's here. I'm here."
At his words, Gwen began to cry even harder.
Watching the scene, Clark's gaze turned icy. What exactly had Gwen gone through? How much suffering had she endured to break like this?
Oren, however, wore a small smile. It had been a long time since he'd seen his aunt release her emotions so unreservedly. This feeling of having someone to lean on... she must be so happy.
The years of repressed resentment and pressure finally washed away in her tears. After a while, Gwen pulled back, looking slightly embarrassed at the damp patch on Mike's shirt. "I... I lost control for a second."
Mike wiped the tears from her cheeks. "There's nothing to be embarrassed about in front of your father."
Gwen nodded, but then her gaze suddenly turned sharp and cold as she looked at Oren.
Oren immediately raised his hands. "I didn't see anything! I won't say a word!"
Gwen nodded in satisfaction. But when her eyes landed on Clark, her pupils shivered. "Brother."
Clark studied her as he walked closer. "You're even stronger than I imagined," he praised softly. "And even more remarkable."
Gwen gave a weak laugh. "You look exactly the way I remember. Seeing you like this... it's good. Really good."
This was the Clark of her memories. Not the Black Superman.
Thinking of this world's version of her brother, Gwen sighed and pulled Clark into a hug. In this world, she had no father; Clark had essentially raised her. To her, he was an older brother, but he functioned as a father figure. His fall to mind control had been just as painful for her as it was for Oren.
Clark returned the embrace firmly.
Gwen then noticed little Lamb standing to the side, watching her with a mix of curiosity and sadness. She looked at Clark curiously. "Who is this? Your son?"
Clark's expression shifted instantly. "No! No, no, he's not mine. He's my brother—Dad's son. He's your brother, Lamb Kent!"
"What?!"
Gwen cried out in shock, stepping quickly toward the boy. "You're my brother?"
"Mhm!"
Lamb nodded vigorously, but his eyes were fixed on Gwen's left arm and left leg.
They were mechanical.
In this world, Gwen's left limbs had been replaced by cybernetics. Though the metallic parts had a sleek, aesthetic beauty that gave her a rugged, fierce look, the first thing Mike and the others felt was heartache.
With her cropped hair, mechanical limbs, and the aura of a hardened soldier, this version of Gwen looked like a blade forged in hellfire.
Lamb reached out to touch the mechanical arm, asking softly, "It must have hurt a lot, didn't it?"
Gwen froze. Seeing the genuine heartache in the boy's eyes, she smiled and patted his head. "I believe you're my brother now."
Lamb pursed his lips and suddenly pressed his small hands against her. Before Gwen could ask what he was doing, a brilliant golden light erupted from Lamb's palms.
It was warm, holy, and incredibly peaceful.
Gwen felt as though she had been submerged in a golden hot spring. For a moment, she was overcome by comfort. But then, a sharp, itchy sensation began to spread through her.
Startled, she looked down. Her severed arm and leg were regrowing at a rate visible to the naked eye. Her mechanical limbs detached and fell away automatically. Seeing her lost flesh and bone return, Gwen's eyes filled with disbelief and excitement.
Mike stood to the side, rubbing his chin with a smile. He had intended to heal her himself, but Lamb had beaten him to it. However, the sheer variety of Lamb's powers was becoming ridiculous. He was used to it by now, but every new manifestation still caught him off guard.
"Even being surprised has become a habit, hasn't it?" Mike muttered, tapping his forehead.
"Thank you, Lamb!"
Lamb gave a radiant smile and patted Gwen's shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll protect you!"
"Thank you!" Gwen used her brand-new hand to rub Lamb's hair. It felt soft and fuzzy... her sense of touch had returned.
While the mechanical limbs didn't hinder her combat ability, they felt nothing, and they occasionally malfunctioned. "Nothing beats the comfort of your own hands!" Gwen sighed, unable to stop herself from patting Lamb's head again. The texture was great.
"Aunt, what's the plan?" Oren asked, glancing at Mike. "Are we going to launch a direct assault?"
"A direct assault?" Gwen rolled her eyes, then paused as she looked at Mike. Actually... that might actually work.
She couldn't help but ask, "Dad, can you defeat the Phoenix?"
"I don't know," Mike said, shrugging. "I've never fought her."
Gwen thought for a moment. "We have some combat footage of her. It might help you understand what we're up against. Also..." She licked her lips. "Dad, I really miss your cooking."
Mike chuckled. "Alright. I'll cook for you."
While Gwen took Clark and Lamb on a tour of the base, Mike had Oren lead him to the garden they had seen earlier to harvest some vegetables.
They ran into Du Zhuo, who was busy watering the plants. After a brief greeting, Mike stepped into the rows. Perhaps due to Du Zhuo's powers or his meticulous care, the vegetables were thriving. After picking a selection, Mike thanked Du Zhuo and left quickly.
Du Zhuo grabbed Oren, whispering mysteriously, "Is this the helper you brought back? Just how strong is he?"
Oren grinned. "Very strong. I have total confidence in him!"
"Confidence? The 'can kill the Phoenix' kind of confidence?"
"Hehe!" Oren gave a cheeky smile and hurried away, leaving Du Zhuo frustrated.
"Is that a yes or a no?" Du Zhuo muttered, scratching his hair in annoyance.
Meanwhile, Mike had reached the resistance base's kitchen.
His body moved like a phantom, appearing in every corner of the kitchen simultaneously as he prepared a meal for Gwen at superhuman speeds. In just a few minutes, he had completed eight dishes and two soups. To the utter shock of the resident cooks, he vanished from the kitchen as quickly as he had arrived.
"It smells incredible!" the cooks remarked, sniffing the air.
"Who was that guy?"
"Oren brought him in. He should be fine."
"Man... I really want to know what that tastes like."
Back in Gwen's room, looking at the familiar dishes laid out before her, Gwen felt her heart melt. Tears threatened to fall again. But she wasn't a child anymore; she took a deep breath, calmed herself, and looked at Mike. "Thank you, Dad."
"Try them. I remembered these were all your favorites," Mike said with a smile, handing her a pair of chopsticks.
Gwen nodded and took them. With just one bite, memories buried deep in her heart were triggered, and a smile spread across her face. It was the exact taste from her memories.
Gwen looked at the four people around her. "Don't just watch me. There's plenty for everyone."
"Yay!" Lamb cheered, grabbing his own bowl and chopsticks before looking at Mike for permission. Mike nodded, and Oren and Clark sat down with smiles.
One bite, then another...
Gwen noticed that the four of them were constantly piling food into her bowl. The mountain of food was getting higher by the second. "You guys eat too," she said, both happy and exasperated. "Don't mind me. I'm not a pig; I can't eat this much." She protectively covered her bowl, eyeing the four of them warily.
Mike laughed. "Alright, we'll stop."
"I don't think anyone's giving me any food," Lamb grumbled, pouting as he grabbed a chili pepper for himself.
"Wait, isn't that spicy?" Oren asked in surprise.
Lamb glared at Oren. "If you know it's spicy, why haven't you put some other food in my bowl yet?"
"Hahaha!" Gwen laughed heartily and quickly served Lamb some food. Mike gave Lamb a mock-glare but also smiled and added a portion to the boy's bowl.
The hour passed quickly as they ate and chatted. Suddenly, Clark spoke up. "Weren't you going to show us the combat footage of the Phoenix?"
Gwen snapped out of it. "We were having such a good time I almost forgot the serious business."
She pulled out her phone and tapped the screen a few times, bringing up several video files.
The first video was of the destruction of New York. A blurry figure hovered in the air. As if testing her power, she gave a casual wave of her hand, and a massive skyscraper below disintegrated into sand.
Then, as if she had found a fun new toy, her fingers danced. Everywhere she pointed, objects turned to dust. From a single building to an entire block, the woman was rapidly adapting to her power. Finally, a low laugh echoed from the sky. The woman spread her arms, and a massive shockwave of energy rippled outward from her. Everything caught in the wave disintegrated layer by layer until the entire city was nothing but a desert.
Watching this, Mike's eyes flickered, while Clark's expression grew grim.
The second video began.
It was a battle. The Phoenix was once again the lead, but her opponent was... Clark.
The fight ended almost instantly. Clark's speed was terrifying; the recording equipment could barely track his movements. The first clear shot of his face came when he appeared right next to the Phoenix.
But then, Clark seemed to be caught by an invisible force. His body froze in mid-air, and his struggling slowly ceased as he drifted toward the Phoenix's side.
(End of Chapter)