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"Luther, what on earth are you planning to do?!"
As the infected horde began to retreat, Krakoa, who had been fighting them, finally spotted Lucian and the group standing with him.
"What am I planning? What I need to do is to eliminate the majority of the infected with the least possible sacrifice!"
Lucian agreed with Talia's idea to eliminate the infected, but he hadn't spoken up for her. He knew Superman would never approve, or more accurately, Superman would never carry out such a plan himself. While a mass elimination of the infected was possible, it couldn't be done with the help of Superman or his trusted allies.
Unfortunately, Talia's protests had failed, and she didn't fully grasp the power of such a massive infected army. Lucian, however, was different. Though his armor alone couldn't defeat them all, he possessed a brilliant mind and had devised a way to accomplish the task.
As he finished speaking, the sound of flapping wings filled the air. Hawkman and his partner, Hawkwoman, flashed in and landed next to Lucian.
"Looks like not everyone's here yet," Hawkman said, looking around. He didn't see the others they were waiting for, so he said nothing more. Hawkwoman, however, looked confused. She didn't understand what her partner had planned; she had just followed his request to bring him to the portal.
"I'm here."
It wasn't long before Pied Piper, in his green costume, and his partner, David Singh, a former Central City police officer, arrived almost simultaneously. Just like Hawkman and Hawkwoman, Pied Piper seemed to know exactly what was happening, while David had no clue.
After meeting up, Hawkman and Pied Piper exchanged a nod and moved closer together.
"Are you ready?" Pied Piper asked.
Hawkman nodded.
The next moment, Hawkman activated his speed, and they both instantly appeared inside the portal.
"Wait! What are they doing?!"
Seeing their partners enter such a dangerous place, Hawkwoman and David could no longer stay silent. They immediately shouted at Lucian for an explanation.
Clark Kent, who was standing nearby, looked at Hawkman and Pied Piper and a sudden realization dawned on him. In his time as a hero, he had met many people, including Pied Piper. Though their relationship wasn't close, Clark knew what Pied Piper's abilities were.
Pied Piper's music, played on his flute, could control people's minds. It was a proven fact that the infected retained some form of intelligence. Therefore, Pied Piper's music would naturally affect them. While it was nothing compared to the control of the Anti-Life Equation, it was still enough to actively draw the infected to him.
"That's right!" Lucian confirmed, seeing that Clark had pieced together his plan. He didn't hesitate to explain it directly.
"Hawkman brought Pied Piper deep into the Dark Dimension. Pied Piper will then play music to lure all the infected. They will be so focused on attacking him that they will lose their ability to dodge. In this way, they can kill the witch, Eve, who is at the heart of the Dark Dimension. Once Eve dies, the infected will be unable to open the portal, trapping them in the Dark Dimension forever and ending their threat to humanity."
To convince Hawkman and Pied Piper, Lucian had spent a great deal of time learning about these "third-rate heroes" he had never paid attention to before. His efforts paid off. Lucian convinced them of the plan's necessity, and they agreed to it.
"They will both sacrifice themselves to solve the greatest threat to all survivors."
(To be honest, this plan is quite a thin one.)
"No, I can't just watch Hawkman die like this!"
After hearing Lucian's plan, Hawkwoman didn't argue. She knew Lucian had only persuaded them; it had been Hawkman's own choice to go. But that didn't mean she would stand by. Even if it meant her own death, she wanted to die alongside him.
Hawkwoman flapped her wings and flew into the portal. David, however, was helpless. He was an ordinary man, and even if he wanted to join Pied Piper, he had no way to cross the army of infected to reach him.
"Why not notify Superman now?" Clark asked. "With his speed, he might be able to rescue them after they kill Eve."
Clark didn't immediately condemn Lucian's seemingly cruel plan. He understood the immense threat the infected posed to survivors. But now that the plan was underway, wouldn't it be better to tell Superman and let him rescue Hawkman and Pied Piper? Clark couldn't accept that these self-sacrificing heroes would die this way.
"I see, is that what you think?" Lucian said. "If you really told Superman, he would probably do as you said and rush in at the last minute to rescue them."
Clark and Superman are one and the same, and Lucian knew Superman well enough to know that if he told him the plan now, he would act and might very well succeed in rescuing them.
"But at what price?"
This simple question silenced Clark. What was the cost? Clark had never considered it, but now that Lucian had brought it up, he had to face the difficult reality.
"I have not studied the Dark Dimension and its black magic. I can't guarantee how quickly the portal will collapse after the witch, Eve, dies. In such a situation, are you going to tell Superman the plan and let him take that risk? What if Superman can't come back?"
What if he couldn't come back? Superman was everyone's hope. Lucian had to admit that. The reason the survivors had held on this long was largely due to Superman's existence.
"I cannot allow Superman to be in danger because of this. No matter how noble the actions of Hawkman and his friends are, they are insignificant compared to Superman..."
It was a simple, harsh truth. Because Superman was too important, such a risky task had to be left to others.
At that moment, the sound of Pied Piper's flute began to echo, and all the infected started gathering inside the portal. Even Eve, who controlled the portal, began to move uncontrollably.
The plan had already begun.