Lois Lane was completely baffled.
But even more baffled than her was Lex Luthor.
"I can't locate the energy source. The operating system... it's passable. The style suggests Victor built the main framework, with Cisco adding some algorithms, but it's not complete. He must have other ways of powering it.
But even with parts of the battlesuit dismantled, I can still deduce the location of the energy module from the existing energy structure..."
Luthor looked at the White Knight, which was undergoing modifications in the modification chamber, then at the scanned battlesuit schematics beside it.
Promethium was extremely rare and hard to acquire; even Luthor didn't have much in storage.
Moreover, while incredibly strong, its inherent properties made it difficult to react chemically with other substances.
Ordinary chemical processes like electroplating were naturally unusable. Luthor had made a Promethium-based Composite Coating from Promethium and carbon nanotubes to plate the White Knight.
This was the most economical and effective method.
"If I'm not mistaken, the battlesuit is actually powered by Watt himself. But according to the collected data, he already possessed the ability to control battlesuits before encountering The Flash in Central City. Yet, according to Arkham Asylum's records, he hasn't undergone any human modification, just simple psychotherapy. Could it be... that he's an individual who mutated early in the evolutionary process of humanity?"
Luthor's gaze was deep as he silently speculated in his mind.
Meanwhile, the Promethium plating had completely covered the White Knight's exterior, transforming it into a matte black.
"HOPE, paint the exterior of this battlesuit, restore its previous color and design."
Luthor spoke to his self-built AI.
"Yes, sir. Painting is estimated to be completed in five minutes."
The mechanical arms inside the modification chamber began spraying metallic paint onto the battlesuit.
And when Qingshui returned with the news, he saw the newly modified White Knight.
*"Click!"*
Victor opened the briefcase he was carrying, and out flew items like a Speed Force Dagger and a Freeze Gun. Qingshui also extended his material, connecting it to the White Knight, breaking it down into more than a dozen modules, which then reassembled with the other items in front of him.
[Puppet Name]: White Knight
[Overall Parameters]:
Height: 2.12 meters
Weight: 159.91 kilograms
Material: Lightweight alloy, Promethium-based composite materials, Graphene-Enhanced Elastomer...
Energy: None
Operation Method: Chakra Threads
[Puppet Rating]: S- (S)
[Overall Evaluation]: An armored combat Puppet, an intelligent product of the high integration of modern engineering and Puppetry. Equipped with heavy firepower and freezing devices, high-energy weapons, and thrusters. Extremely strong defense, capable of low-altitude flight. When combined with a designated operator, its basic performance can be further enhanced, and its flight capability significantly improved.
Note: When activating the Speed Force components within the Promethium Dagger, the White Knight's speed will be greatly increased, but its durability will rapidly decrease, and this function will be unavailable when the Speed Force is depleted until it is recharged. When this function is activated simultaneously with the freezing device, its effectiveness is significantly reduced.
The Puppet's overall combat power had been significantly enhanced!
"Besides the Promethium plating, I've added a few things to your battlesuit. I've installed high-energy particle cannons on the chest and hands, and Hall Thrusters on the back, legs, and arms to enhance its flight capability. Also, I noticed your battlesuit's operating system isn't very complete, so I've prepared this for you."
As Luthor explained, he pulled out a USB drive.
"This is Lexos, an AI independently developed by LexCorp. It can help you control the battlesuit better."
Lexos, as in lexos, was a simplified version of Luthor's own AI, HOPE, possessing essentially the same underlying code but with a trimmed-down database. However, it still had strong learning capabilities.
Qingshui took the USB drive but did not insert it into the White Knight.
This would be equivalent to handing over part of the White Knight's control to Lex Luthor.
To be honest, Qingshui believed Luthor had definitely left something behind on his White Knight.
So, he planned to find an isolated network host after this incident, and together with Victor, study Lexos.
He didn't necessarily want to create an identical version, just some weak AIs for specific applications would be enough.
Through Transparent World, Qingshui hadn't yet detected any suspicious items like trackers or listening devices.
After all, with Victor watching, Luthor wouldn't be so obvious if he were doing such things.
But Luthor might have added something to the thrusters, energy cannons, or modified the original chips.
After this incident, Qingshui would not only study this USB drive but also dismantle the White Knight. Most of the parts would no longer be used; instead, Luthor's equipment would be taken for research, and he would build a new one himself.
Even if it was a stripped-down version, or even if he couldn't build one, it would be safe enough.
Thinking this, Qingshui spoke to Luthor:
"Thank you. I've already investigated Superman's information and weaknesses."
Luthor's face immediately lit up, and he made a gesture to invite him to speak.
"They come from a planet called Krypton, but the planet was destroyed long ago. Superman's parents sent him to Earth before the planet's destruction. On Earth, Kryptonians become powerful after being exposed to the energy of a yellow sun."
"And the substance that counters Kryptonians is a radioactive material born from Krypton itself, a special mineral called Kryptonite. I think we can send people to Smallville, the place where Superman first landed from outer space, to search for this substance."
"Additionally, since Kryptonians lived on Krypton, which was affected by Kryptonite, I imagine Zod's ship must also contain Kryptonite to mimic the Kryptonian environment. This might be a useful point during combat."
Qingshui introduced himself to Lex Luthor, sharing the information he had "collected."
A smile appeared on Luthor's face.
"Excellent. Knowing their weakness gives us a better chance of eliminating these aliens."
...
...
The next day.
Outside a military base in Kansas, a formation of armed US soldiers stood ready, watching a spaceship slowly descend in front of them. Superman floated in the air before it.
Above the military, the sound of propellers churning the air echoed.
Over a dozen helicopters arranged themselves in formation, hovering overhead.
Luthor, dressed in a suit and wearing a communication headset, sat in the back of an AH-64 Attack Helicopter.
He had used his connections to arrive here as a military scientist consultant.
-----------
Machine Translation by: https:// beta.randomtranslator.com/
Read 1111+ original & fanfic translations in English, Español, Português, Deutsch, Français, or Русский at: https:// beta.randomtranslator.com/
Join our Discord: https:// discord.gg/NSWvfN7vua
-----------