Chapter 113: Nolan brutally beats his own son! Punches Omni-Man away with a single punch! What will you have after five hundred years?
Eve looked at Mark, who was stumbling to his feet in the distant ruins, and then at the expressionless Nolanhovering mid-air, saying anxiously, "We have to stop the two of them, otherwise the city will be destroyed."
In the ruins, Mark gasped for breath as blood continuously flowed from the wound on his temple, dripping down his cheeks onto the broken bricks beneath his feet.
He raised his head, looked at his father, and asked with a trembling voice, "Why are you doing this?"
Nolan hovered in mid-air, his gaze sweeping over the shattered buildings around him, the overturned cars, and the smashed corpses on the ground, saying in a flat tone, "This is all your fault. Because of your resistance, these people died."
He withdrew his gaze and let it fall back onto Mark, his voice unhurried: "Mark, how many more people have to die is up to you. Besides, what they do has no meaning at all. Joining the Empire is the correct choice. And deep down in your heart, you know I am right."
Mark lowered his head, the blood from his temple dripping drop by drop onto the gravel at his feet.
His voice was hoarse and trembling: "Right? You say humanity is pathetic, and those words are meaningless."
He raised his head, his eyes brimming with tears as he looked at the father he once admired the most, forcing the words out from deep within his throat: "What about Mom? Is her life meaningless too?"
Nolan looked at him, the expression on his face unchanged, and replied in the same flat voice, "From the perspective of the big picture, yes."
Mark's tears slid down the corners of his eyes, his voice choked with sobs, every single word trembling: "How can you say something like that? How can you talk about Mom like that?"
He closed his eyes, tears squeezing out from the tightly shut slits of his eyes.
The next second, he abruptly opened his eyes wide and let out a heart-wrenching roar: "Liar!"
Mark exerted force with his feet, shooting toward Nolanlike a cannonball.
Left fist, right fist, his punches struck Nolan's face continuously like a torrential rain, every single punch using up all his strength, every single punch carrying the fury of being betrayed by his closest family member.
"Ah!" He roared, his right fist gathering all his strength, and smashed it fiercely against Nolan's left cheek.
Nolan's head was knocked to the side by this punch, and his body spun a full circle in the air before stabilizing.
He raised his hand to wipe away the blood seeping from the corner of his mouth, his eyes still devoid of any fluctuation.
Mark rushed up again, throwing a punch at him.
Nolan reached out and steadily gripped Mark's forearm, his five fingers tightening like a steel hoop.
Looking into his son's red-rimmed eyes, he said calmly, "This is the first time I'm telling you the truth."
As his voice fell, he grabbed Mark's arm and slammed his entire body fiercely toward the ground.
Mark's body plummeted into the ground like a meteorite, smashing through the asphalt road surface, smashing through the foundations, and crashing straight into the depths of the subway tunnel.
Without the slightest pause, Nolan's figure chased after that falling figure and plunged down.
Mark struggled to crawl up, but Nolan had already caught up to him.
He pressed down on Mark's head, forcefully pressing his entire face against the ground as gravel and dirt embedded into his cheeks.
Mark braced his hands on the ground, his fingers digging desperately into the soil, using all his strength to break free as a hoarse voice squeezed from his throat: "I have to save them."
Nolan grabbed Mark by the head, lifted him up, flew in front of the subway tracks, and thrust his body toward the direction of the tracks.
The train's headlights rapidly approached from the depths of the tunnel, and the piercing whistle was deafening.
Nolan's voice rang in Mark's ear, calm and icy: "Perhaps this time you'll come to your senses."
Mark dug his hands desperately into his father's fingers, staring fixedly at the train rapidly approaching in the tunnel, and said with a trembling voice, "No, no."
Just at that moment, Marcus's figure appeared beside Nolan, his right fist smashing fiercely into his jaw.
Nolan's body crashed through the ground like a cannonball, shooting straight up from the subway tunnel, piercing through layers of rock and asphalt, and flying toward the sky.
Marcus reached out to catch the falling Mark, exerted force with his feet, and flew up following them.
High in the air, Nolan stabilized his posture and wiped away the blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.
He looked at the person who had once driven away the Berserker Beast, knowing that he might not be a match for Marcus, but still spoke out: "This is a matter between our father and son. I hope you won't interfere."
Marcus let go of his hand, allowing Mark to hover in mid-air by himself.
He shifted his gaze to Nolan and said in a calm tone, "As long as you two don't fight in the city, I won't care about you."
Having said that, he turned and flew into the distance, leaving the battlefield to this pair of father and son.
Nolan watched Marcus's receding figure and fell silent for a fraction of a second.
The next second, his figure had already appeared in front of Mark, punching him fiercely in the abdomen.
Mark was blasted flying, soaring toward the outside of the city like a meteor.
Nolan chased after him, landing another punch on Mark, punch after punch, until he battered Mark all the way to Mount Everest.
Mark's body slammed heavily into the snow-capped mountain, snow and gravel shooting into the sky, blasting a huge crater into the mountain body.
Nolan flew to the edge of the crater, landed in front of Mark, raised his fist, and smashed it onto him punch after punch.
The muffled sound of fists landing on flesh echoed in the silent snow mountains; Mark's face gradually swelled and deformed, his entire body soaked in blood.
At this moment, Nolan's fist paused in the air, trembling slightly a few times.
Looking at Mark's miserable state, he squeezed out a word from between his teeth: "Damn it."
He collapsed limply beside Mark, gasping heavily for breath.
He turned his head sideways, looked at the unrecognizable face beside him, fell silent for a moment, and then abruptly stood up, roaring at Mark: "Why are you forcing me to do this! Is your resistance just to watch everyone around you die!"
He pointed both hands at his own head, his voice exploding across the snow mountains, every single word carrying irrepressible fury and pain: "Think, Mark! You will outlive every living thing on this planet! You can live until this world crumbles into dust and scatters with the wind! Everyone and everything you know will disappear!"
Nolan looked at Mark's horrific face, turned his head away, and closed his eyes.
A moment later, he opened his eyes, looked at Mark, and asked with a roaring voice, "What will you have after five hundred years?"
Mark lay in the deep crater, tears streaming from his swollen eyes.
His lips moved with difficulty, his voice weak yet clear: "You, Dad. I'll still have you."
Nolan's expression froze at that very instant.
Shock, pain, guilt, struggle—all emotions intertwined and surged across his face.
He straightened his body, raised the hands stained with his son's blood, and looked down at them.
He glanced at Mark again; Mark seemed to sense his gaze as well, his swollen lips moving slightly to squeeze out a single word: "Dad."
The muscles on Nolan's face twitched violently, all his emotions turning into a tangled mess.
Why are you forcing me to do this! Is your resistance just to watch everyone around you die!
Finally, he kicked off hard with both feet, shooting into the sky like a meteor, flying toward the depths of the Universe, never looking back.
Chapter 114: Delta Craves Battle, Marcus Subdues the Parasitic Demon Single-Handedly
One year later, inside the villa's lobby.
Marcus moved his thoughts slightly, and a pitch-black spatial passage silently tore open, electric arcs dancing along its edges.
Eve stood in front of him, looked at him, and said earnestly: ‑You must be very careful in other worlds.‑
Marcus nodded, his tone steady: ‑No problem.‑
Eve floated up, reached out to hug him, pressed her lips against his ear, lowering her voice with a hint of warning: ‑Although I agreed to you having other women, bring back fewer sisters for me in other Universes.‑
Marcus's expression stiffened slightly, he gave a dry cough, and said somewhat awkwardly: ‑Got it.‑
Eve let him go, took a step back, and waved her hand.
Marcus also waved goodbye, then with Kumoko lying on top of his head, he turned around and walked into the spatial passage with Milong and Delta.
The passage slowly closed behind him, isolating Eve's figure on the other end.
Just as he stepped out of the spatial passage, before his feet could stand firmly on the unfamiliar city streets, a violent energy fluctuation came from afar.
Marcus raised his head, his gaze piercing through the gaps between the skyscrapers, locking onto the creature that was wreaking havoc in the center of the city.
That was a giant monster entirely purple in color, with ten thick legs growing from its abdomen, a row of sharp spikes standing erect on its back, and two huge arms sweeping wantonly across the ground, causing buildings to collapse and vehicles to fly wherever it passed.
Several tentacles extended from its back, frantically absorbing the electricity in the city's power grid, and its purple body was slowly expanding with the injection of energy.
That purple creature looked up and let out a heaven-shaking roar, its voice echoing among the tall buildings of the city: ‑Superman! Get the hell out here!‑
‑Ivo.‑ A voice resounded from high in the air.
Marcus and the creature called Ivo raised their heads at the same time, seeing the figure suspended mid-air.
A blue and red tight combat suit, a red cape flapping fiercely in the wind, and the S-shaped emblem on his chest exceptionally eye-catching under the sunlight.
It was none other than Superman, Clark Kent.
Ivo bared his mouth, revealing two rows of jagged sharp teeth, his voice low and full of mockery: ‑You're finally here.‑
Superman hovered in front of Ivo, his blue suit still immaculate amidst the previous shockwave, his red cape snapping behind him.
His gaze was calm and resolute as he spoke: ‑Take it out on me if you have anything, don't hurt the citizens of Metropolis.‑
Before he finished speaking, Ivo's huge claw swept across horizontally, slamming fiercely into Superman.
Superman's body smashed into the ground like a cannonball, blowing open a giant crater tens of meters in diameter in the middle of the street, with gravel and asphalt fragments splashing everywhere.
‑Hahaha, what if I say no!‑ Ivo laughed loudly, raising that heaven-obscuring giant claw to smash fiercely toward Superman at the bottom of the crater.
With a loud bang, the ground was battered into another giant crater once more.
Ivo's laughter stopped abruptly, and he let out a puzzled grunt: ‑What?‑
An angry shout exploded from beneath the claw.
Superman held up that giant claw‑which was larger than his entire body‑with both hands, slowly standing up from the bottom of the crater.
The muscles on his arms bulged, and with a fierce forward push, Ivo's massive body was pushed back several steps by this immense strength before stabilizing.
After Ivo stood firm, those scarlet eyes stared fixedly at Superman, his voice filled with greed: ‑I want more energy!‑
As his voice fell, the tentacles on his back sprang out like venomous snakes, flying toward Superman.
Superman soared into the air, his red-and-blue figure dodging rapidly in mid-air, the tips of the tentacles brushing past the edge of his cape.
He dodged left and right, shuttling through the encirclement of dozens of tentacles, but the tentacles were too numerous and too fast, and eventually one of them wrapped around his waist.
The remaining tentacles swarmed up, binding him tightly.
The tentacles began frantically extracting the energy within Superman's body, purple light surging into Ivo's body along the tentacles.
His body expanded rapidly at a speed visible to the naked eye, his originally hunchbacked torso straightened up, his ten legs became even sturdier, the spikes on his back stood erect one by one, and his size nearly doubled.
Sensing that there wasn't much energy left to absorb inside Superman, Ivo casually threw Superman onto the ground. Superman's body rolled a few times in the pile of gravel, struggling to prop himself up, but didn't even have the strength to raise his head.
On the street, Delta looked at Ivo's massive size, her amber eyes lighting up, and her tail wagging rapidly behind her.
She excitedly turned to Marcus, her voice full of eagerness to try: ‑Boss, can I go help!‑
Marcus reached his hand up to his head, and Kumokojumped along his arm onto his palm.
He gently handed Kumoko into Delta's hands, and Deltasubconsciously caught her with both hands.
Marcus reached out and stroked Delta's head, gently rubbing his palm between her soft cat ears, and said in a gentle tone: ‑I know you want to fight him. But let me handle it this time. We still need to find a house later.‑
Delta hugged Kumoko, nodded obediently, and her ears twitched slightly in his palm.
Marcus turned around, exerted force under his feet, and his figure flew toward Ivo like a silent bullet.
Ivo's giant claw was raised high, casting a shadow that enveloped the entire street, and was about to smash fiercely toward Superman lying on the ground.
Marcus's figure appeared in front of Ivo's chest, his right fist slamming solidly into his chest.
A loud noise exploded over the entire city.
Ivo's massive body was sent soaring into the air by this punch, his ten legs kicking flailingly in the air.
Marcus didn't give him any breathing room, his figure closely following up, his fists battering Ivo continuously like a rainstorm.
Every punch exploded a circle of shockwaves, and every punch drove Ivo's body higher.
Under the continuous heavy blows, Ivo's body kept absorbing the energy on the fist tips, growing larger and larger, yet he was getting further and further away from the ground.
The city's buildings shrank into individual blocks beneath his feet, and the atmosphere approached overhead.
He waved his giant claws trying to counterattack, but Marcus avoided them one by one.
Ivo's scarlet eyes stared fixedly at the tiny figure in front of him, letting out a furious roar: ‑Who are you!‑
Marcus did not answer.
The muscles of his right arm tightened, and the purple energy within his body poured entirely into his fist tip, a dazzling purple light lighting up on his fist.
He exerted force from his waist and abdomen, slamming this punch with full force into Ivo's chest.
Ivo's huge body flew out of the atmosphere like a purple meteorite, flying toward the depths of the Universe, getting smaller and smaller, until it disappeared into the dark starry sky.
Marcus retracted his fist, hovering at the edge of the atmosphere, watching Ivo's figure completely disappear at the end of his vision.
He withdrew his gaze, turned around and flew toward the ground, landing beside Delta and the others.
Chapter 115: Can't Figure Out the Plot Anymore
Amidst the pile of rubble, Superman recovered a portion of his stamina, propped up his body, flew up from the bottom of the crater, and caught up with Marcus, who was about to turn and leave.
The red and blue figure hovered in front of Marcus. Looking at him, Superman's tone was filled with gratitude: "Thank you for saving me, and for saving Metropolis."
Just as Marcus was about to speak, an enraged roar came from the sky: "You monster! Don't even think about driving me off Earth!"
The two of them looked up at the same time.
Ivo's originally hundred-meter-large body had shrunk to the height of a three-story building, the tentacles on his back spitting out energy frantically, pushing him to extend a giant claw and dive rapidly toward the ground.
Kumoko, perched on top of Delta's head, raised her front leg to point at Ivo in the sky, blinked her several eyes, and her crisp voice was filled with confusion: "Master, is there something wrong with this monster's brain? Clearly, he's the monster himself."
Marcus ignored Kumoko.
Exercising force with his feet, his figure flew like a straight black line toward the giant claw extended by Ivo.
The instant he approached, his right hand transformed into a hand-blade, directly piercing through that giant claw, bursting out from the back of the claw with a cloud of purple blood mist.
He didn't stop, his figure continuing forward, and his hand-blade straightly pierced Ivo's chest, his whole person passing right through his massive body.
After entering Ivo's body, Marcus saw the main body wrapped layers upon layers by flesh and meridians.
A grayish-skinned, emaciated man was curled up at the core position of the torso, his body stabbed full of energy pipelines connected to the giant beast.
Marcus reached out, his five fingers clasping Ivo's neck, and pulled him out from that mass of flesh.
Having lost the control of its main body, that purple giant beast instantly turned into stone, the heavy stone statue smashing down toward the city ground.
Superman below immediately flew up, his hands steadily catching the stone statue that was still disintegrating mid-air, gently placing it on the open space amidst the ruins.
In the air, Ivo, whose neck was being choked by Marcus, tightly clasped Marcus's fingers with both hands, kicking his two legs wildly in the air.
His Face had swollen into a dark purple due to suffocation, and a hoarse roar squeezed from his throat: "You alien monsters."
Marcus didn't let him continue speaking.
He slowly increased the strength in his hand, his five fingers slowly tightening, and Ivo's struggle became increasingly fierce, his fingernails scratching white marks on the back of Marcus's hand.
Just as Ivo's resistance grew weaker and weaker and his eyes began to roll up, Superman flew up, hovering in front of Marcus, his voice steady and resolute: "Don't kill him."
The force in Marcus's hand did not loosen; he shifted his gaze to Superman, asking in a calm tone: "Are you sure you want to let him go? He tried to kill you, after all."
Clark's gaze fell on Ivo's Face, twisted from suffocation, and he fell silent for a moment.
He spoke, his voice not loud but every word clear: "I know. But we don't have the right to kill."
He withdrew his gaze, looking at Marcus, with not the slightest wavering in those blue eyes: "Only the law can judge him."
Marcus looked at Superman, and after a moment said indifferently: "You really are naive."
He let go of his hand, and Ivo's body plummeted straight down from mid-air.
Superman immediately swooped down, steadily catching Ivo before he hit the ground.
Ivo's head tilted weakly to one side, the weak rise and fall of his chest proving that he was still alive.
Marcus hovered high in the air, looking down at the red and blue figure below holding the unconscious enemy, and said calmly: "This time, for the sake of your Face, I won't kill him. Next time, I won't hold back."
Having said that, he didn't stay any longer, turning around to fly toward Delta and the others.
After landing beside them, Marcus tilted his head toward the group, taking them and flying toward the other end of the city.
Chapter 116: Pulled Out a Little
A month later, Marcus, with Kumoko on his head, continuously flashed between specialty markets all over the world. Seafood from Tokyo's Tsukiji, spices from Istanbul, desserts from Paris, and street food from Mexico City were all collected into his space bracelet.
As for why Delta and Milong weren't with them, they were too tired last night and were still sleeping in the villa.
After he and Kumoko finished buying their last item in Beijing, they flew back to the metropolis. As they passed through the clouds and the city's outline just began to unfold beneath their feet, his gaze was drawn to a scene in the middle of the road: a short-haired blonde girl in a white T-shirt, black jacket, and jeans was standing in the very center of the road, facing a truck speeding towards her, and had assumed a battle stance.
The truck driver's eyes widened in terror as he frantically stomped on the brakes, the tires screeching harshly against the ground and leaving two charred marks.
Just as the truck was about to hit the girl, Marcus appeared beside her, his hands on her shoulders, and led her to the side of the road.
Marcus held the girl's shoulders and looked down at her face. The moment he touched her, he knew this girl was not simple; the strength she instinctively generated when resisting was at least level four.
The girl was also looking at him. She raised her head, her clear blue eyes unhesitatingly scrutinizing the black-haired young man in front of her, and asked, "You're very strong. Are you the leader of this planet?"
Marcus released her shoulders and replied calmly, "No."
The girl was not deterred by his brief answer and continued to press, "Even if you're not the leader, you must be the strongest warrior on this planet. What is your name, please?"
"Something like that," Marcus extended a hand. "My name is Marcus. What's yours?"
The girl reached out and clasped his hand; her palm was small but held a strength completely inconsistent with her build. She replied readily, "My name is Kara."
Marcus released her hand. Kara, he remembered that name, Clark Kent's cousin. However, he didn't know if she arrived on Earth at this time, as he had only watched the movie 'Man of Steel'. He stopped thinking about it and asked, "Kara, do you have something you need to do on Earth?"
Kara's nose twitched slightly, her gaze following an ice cream truck slowly driving around the corner. Her eyes moved with the truck as she said, "I came to Earth to find my cousin." Her eyes still glued to the ice cream truck, she added, "My cousin sent me a message saying he was very lonely. So I came."
Marcus followed her gaze to the ice cream truck playing a cheerful melody, then turned and walked over. A moment later, he returned to Kara with an ice cream and handed it to her: "You can tell me your cousin's name. I'll see if I know him."
Kara took the ice cream, looking down at the pink and white, slightly melting treat, a clear look of confusion on her face. She tentatively extended her tongue and gently licked it. Cool, sweet, soft — several textures she had never experienced before melted on her tongue.
Kara's eyes widened slightly, and she couldn't help but take several more licks, then looked up, a ring of white cream still on her lips, and mumbled, "His name is Kal-El."
Chapter 117: Taking Kara Around Metropolis, Finally Meeting Superman's Cousin
Hearing the name "Kal-El", Marcus knew this was Superman's Kryptonian birth name.
He didn't say much else, merely telling Kara, "I know where he is."
Kara's pretty eyes lit up, the ice cream still held near her lips, and her voice carried surprise: "Really? You know my cousin?"
"If you want to find him, I can take you right now," Marcussaid in a casual tone.
Kara hesitated instead.
She looked down at the ice cream in her hand, licked it a few times, and didn't even notice the cream smudged on the tip of her nose.
A moment later, she raised her head, her blue eyes flashing with a hint of hesitation and even more anticipation: "Before we go find my cousin, can you take me to learn a bit about Earth first?"
Marcus looked at her, a puzzled expression surfacing on his face.
Noticing his gaze, Kara quickly raised her other hand to her mouth and gave a couple of soft coughs.
The tips of her ears turned slightly red, her gaze drifting toward the nearby ice cream cart and then back again, trying hard to make her voice sound strictly businesslike: "Don't misunderstand. I just want to know how my cousin is doing here, which is why I want to understand Earth."
She lowered her head to take a few more bites of ice cream, getting another ring of cream around her lips, and mumbled an addition: "There is definitely no other reason."
Watching her eat the ice cream until her face was covered in it, Marcus nodded and said in a calm tone: "Got it."
Kara quickly shoved the rest of the ice cream into her mouth, the coldness making her squint and shake her head.
Opening her eyes with un-wiped cream still lingering on her lips, she said to Marcus: "Alright, let's go."
Marcus took her into Metropolis's most bustling commercial street.
Then he led Kara into a clothing store.
Staring at the walls filled with dresses, jackets, and jeans, Kara pressed her whole body against the glass of the display case, flattening the tip of her nose.
Marcus had the clerk pick out a few styles suited for her, and Kara walked into the fitting room holding a pile of clothes, emerging not long after wearing a beige dress and sandals, awkwardly tugging at the hem of her skirt as she looked up to ask Marcus if it looked good.
Marcus nodded.
Kara changed into another outfit of a denim jacket paired with black leggings, turning left and right in front of the mirror, then changed into a white T-shirt printed with the Stars and Stripes paired with high-waisted shorts, striking a strongman pose in front of the mirror.
In the end, she walked out of the store wearing her original white T-shirt and black jacket.
Passing by a Polaroid photo studio, Kara stood at the entrance for a while, looking at the sample photos in the window.
Marcus walked inside, bought a set, pulled her over to the street-side fountain, and raised the camera to aim at her.
Kara was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly placed her shopping bags at her feet, straightened her back, crossed her hands in front of her, and put on a serious yet stiff expression on her face.
The shutter sound rang out, and the photo slowly slid out.
Kara leaned over to look at herself gradually appearing on the photo paper, then looked up at Marcus and requested another shot.
This time she stood on the edge of the fountain pool, her arms spread wide, her blonde hair blown by the wind, with a huge smile on her face.
The photo slid out once more, and Kara held it in her hands, looking at it for a long time.
Wandering until noon, Marcus took her to a street-side snack stall.
Eating a hot dog for the first time, Kara's eyes widened to the size of saucers upon biting into the first one, and then she ate three in one breath.
She tasted french fries dipped in ketchup, waffles drizzled with chocolate sauce, and Chinese roujiamo freshly clipped from the oven, every single bite causing her to let out satisfied gasps of amazement.
Passing by a milk tea shop, Marcus bought her a cup of boba milk tea. Kara took a sip, choked on a brown sugar pearl and coughed twice, then lowered her head and sucked hard again, her mouth packed full of soft, chewy pearls, her cheeks bulging like a hamster.
Walking to Metropolis Park, Kara squatted down at the edge of the lawn and gently touched a dandelion with her finger.
The fluff was blown apart by the wind, and she looked up at those little white umbrellas flying into the sky until they disappeared into the sunlight.
She stood up, patted the grass debris off her knees, turned her head, and said to Marcus: "Let's go find Kal."
Marcus nodded, lightly tapped his foot, and his entire body soared into the air.
Kara closely followed behind him, the two of them flying one after the other across the skyline of Metropolis.
"Does Kal live around here?" Kara caught up to Marcus's side, her voice drifting away in the wind.
Marcus turned his head slightly and answered in a casual tone: "He doesn't live here. It's just that his work is here."
Kara's eyes lit up, her flight speed increasing by a fraction as she moved close to Marcus, her voice full of excitement: "Kal's work? What is it? Is he a warrior or a guardian? A scientist? A leader or something?"
Marcus let out an "uh", thought about Superman's positioning in this world, and opened his mouth to reply: "He can be considered a guardian."
Hearing the three words "guardian", the smile on Kara's face stiffened slightly for a split second.
A trace of complex emotion flashed through those eyes, but she quickly suppressed it.
She put her excited expression back on, her voice carrying a trace of covered-up briskness: "We've wandered around this city for so long and haven't encountered any attacks. Since he protects this city so well, his strength must be very powerful."
Marcus nodded and answered in an affirmative tone: "Superman, which is to say Kal. His strength is indeed very strong."
Finishing his sentence, he raised his arm and pointed at a building below, "He is right inside there now."
With those words falling, he took the lead and flew toward that television station building.
Kara hurriedly followed, and the two of them sneaked in through the main entrance while staff members were entering and exiting.
The lights in the studio were dazzling, and the audience seating was completely filled with people.
Kara stood in the last row, her gaze passing over layers of crowds to land upon the figure on the stage clad in a blue battle suit with an S-shaped emblem printed on the chest.
Her breathing stopped for a split second.
That emblem, she recognized it.
It was the family crest of her uncle's household, and also the symbol of her cousin, Kal-El.
On the stage, a man wearing a maintenance worker uniform reached out to point at Superman, his voice echoing throughout the entire studio: "Superman, remember this, Earth belongs to the people of Earth, not to you."
Having said that, the man turned around and walked down the stage.
Chapter 118: Utter Disappointment! Kara Orders Superman to Submit to the Empire
Kara stood in the last row of the auditorium, her hands tightly gripping the back of the front-row seat, her knuckles turning white.
She watched the man in the jumpsuit on the stage finish those words while pointing at Superman, and then watched Superman stand in front of the microphone, his facial expression showing no fluctuation as he listened quietly.
Her brows furrowed, her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but she swallowed it back.
Kara released the seat back and walked toward the stage.
The host on the stage was smiling brightly as they invited Superman and several other guests to walk to the center of the stage.
After Superman stood still, the host spoke loudly into the microphone, announcing that Superman had been elected as the person most welcomed by the people of Metropolisthis year.
Warm applause erupted throughout the audience, and a silver-haired female guest beside Superman stood on tiptoe and gently kissed him on the cheek.
Down in the audience, Lois Lane watched this scene, tears welling up in her eyes.
She turned around, squeezed out from between the seats, and walked quickly toward the studio door.
Superman on the stage kept his gaze following her retreating figure; seeing her leave, he murmured something to the host and was about to walk off the stage.
Kara happened to walk up in front of him.
She raised her head, her blond hair somewhat messy from walking fast just now, a smile blooming on her face, her voice full of uncontainable excitement: "Finally, I have looked for you for so long, and I have always looked forward to meeting you."
"Sorry, I have important things to do." Without waiting for her to finish, Superman dropped those words, swept past her side, and chased in the direction Lois had left.
Kara stood in place, the smile on her face freezing.
Her expression sank bit by bit.
Marcus walked to her side, glanced at the direction Superman had disappeared into, and said in a calm tone: "Aren't you going to chase after him?"
Kara abruptly raised her head, turned around, and strode toward the hallway.
She chased into the hallway, raised her foot, and kicked open the heavy door at the end of the hallway.
The door panel slammed hard against the wall, producing a deafening crash.
Superman and Lois, who were whispering in the hallway, were interrupted simultaneously, and both turned to look at the doorway.
Kara stood in the center of the door frame, her chest heaving violently, her blond hair draped over her shoulders.
She stared at Superman, her voice suppressing anger: "Kal-El of Krypton, I received the signal you sent out, and the beacon crossed your galaxy to reach me."
She paused, took a deep breath, and her voice grew increasingly hurried: "When I learned that there was another surviving Kryptonian, I hurriedly undertook Transmigration across countless galaxies to come here—"
Her gaze swept past Lois and landed on Superman's face again, her voice suddenly rising sharply: "Only to see this hypocritical show!"
Hearing her angry tone, Superman instinctively took a few steps forward, blocking in front of Lois.
He looked at the blond girl before him, her face taut with anger.
He hesitated for a moment and spoke: "You are Kara? My cousin?"
Kara did not respond to Superman's question.
She spoke, her voice several shades deeper than before: "You truly disappoint me."
Superman's expression did not change; he just stood silently in place.
"I originally thought I had found a powerful fellow clansman."
Kara's gaze swept across Superman's suit, passed over the S-shaped emblem on his chest, and then swept past the female reporter behind him: "Yet you allow yourself to be manipulated by a bunch of fragile lives."
Her feet slowly left the ground, and her entire body levitated mid-air.
Her voice echoed throughout the hallway: "I know the outside world is full of temptations. But a true Kryptonian can overcome all difficulties."
Superman looked up at her, his brows slightly furrowed, his tone carrying obvious confusion: "What are you talking about?"
"I give you two choices."
Kara raised her right hand, and the bracelet on her wrist lit up with a dazzling white light; countless nanoparticles poured out from the bracelet, spreading upward along her arm, and in a moment they condensed into a black and white mecha on her body.
The surface of the mecha gleamed with a cold metallic luster, and the shoulder armor bulged high.
She looked down at Superman, her voice becoming even deeper and more majestic after being amplified by the mecha: "Conquer this planet with me."
She paused for a fraction of a second, her voice turning cold: "Or, submit to the new Krypton Empire."
Superman extended both hands, making a soothing gesture.
He looked at the cousin before him, entirely enveloped in mecha, with a serious tone: "No, Kara. The Krypton Empireno longer exists."
A cold voice came from the mecha; that voice did not belong to Kara, being mechanical and solemn: "The Empireis eternal. Kara, the Empire does not need the weak. Take him down."
Kara let out a loud shout, the thrusters behind the mecha suddenly lighting up, and her entire body turned into a black and white stream of light, her right fist carrying terrifying kinetic energy as it smashed toward Superman.
Superman raised his arms to block at the very last moment.
Bang!
The shockwave generated by the collision exploded from between the two of them, and the glass windows on both sides of the hallway shattered simultaneously, fragments pouring down like rain.
The shockwave, carrying shattered glass and wall plaster, swept in all directions; Lois, standing behind Superman, was blown flying by the pressure wave, slamming heavily onto the floor at the end of the hallway and letting out a cry of pain.
Chapter 119: The Aerospace Battle Concludes! Kara Heads to the Universe with Superman
"Lois!"
Superman shouted, subconsciously turning his head to look at the situation behind him.
Kara did not let this opportunity pass.
With a stomp of her feet and a flash of her figure, she instantly appeared behind Superman and kicked him fiercely in the back.
Bang!
Superman's body crashed back from the doorway, smashing through several rows of seats before stopping.
The audience in the studio screamed and fled in all directions, while the host crouched in the corner of the stage with a pale face.
Superman climbed up from a pile of shattered seats.
He looked around, seeing the faces full of terror, the trembling staff on the stage, and Kara hovering at the doorway.
Superman withdrew his gaze, slammed his feet down hard, and shot straight up into the sky, shattering the glass ceiling of the studio.
He hovered mid-air, turned to face Kara, and his voice pierced through the wind into her ears: "I don't want to fight you. But I won't let you hurt anyone."
Having said that, he turned around and flew toward the outskirts of the city.
Kara immediately gave chase.
The two collided a few times in the air, each collision bursting into a ring of shockwaves that shattered the glass windows along the street.
Taking advantage of the force of one collision, Superman pulled back to create some distance, looking at the pursuing Kara with earnestness in his tone: "Kara, you don't need to do this."
"You don't understand." Kara's voice came from the mecha, cold, hard, and firm, "We are Kryptonians."
As her words fell, she rushed in front of Superman, grabbed the S-shaped emblem on his chest with her left hand, and smashed a fierce knee strike into his stomach with her right hand.
Superman's body arched under the heavy blow, and taking advantage of the momentum, Kara twisted her waist and spun around, throwing him far away.
Immediately afterwards, Kara pursued him closely.
Superman steadied his figure in the air, whipped his head around, and shot scorching red lasers from his eyes toward Kara.
Kara did not dodge.
The lasers accurately struck her mecha shell, and the black and white armor began to crack starting from the chest.
The moment the mecha shattered, Kara burst through the peeling armor fragments, raised her right leg high, and kicked Superman in the chest.
Bang!
Superman's body slammed toward the ground like a meteorite, crashing heavily onto an open space at the edge of the city.
Dirt and gravel soared into the sky, and the ground was smashed into a deep pit tens of meters in diameter.
Superman propped his body up from the bottom of the pit, raised his head to look around, and saw a few citizens who hadn't run far yet watching this side in terror.
He raised his arm and waved at them, his voice hoarse yet urgent: "Run!"
After shouting, he raised his head and looked at the hovering figure in the air.
Kara's outermost mecha had already shattered and peeled off during the previous laser exchange, revealing the form-fitting black battle suit underneath.
She looked down at the crowd fleeing in all directions on the ground, a flash of hesitation crossing her blue eyes.
A voice came from the bracelet, cold and majestic: "You are hesitating. Is there a problem, Kara. You must obey orders."
Kara's eyes lost their light the moment that voice sounded.
Her expression became hollow, and she answered in a mechanical and flat voice: "No. I will obey orders."
She threw her head back and let out an angry shout, her eyes suddenly shooting scorching red lasers directly at Superman on the ground.
Looking at the citizens still fleeing around him, Superman let out a roar: "No!"
He opened his mouth, and a white freezing ray gushed out from deep within his throat.
The two energy beams collided fiercely in mid-air, red and white tearing at each other crazily, and the bursting shockwave uprooted the surrounding trees, sending dirt and grass flying all over the sky.
The voice came from the bracelet again, this time with an even colder and harder tone: "Kara, latest command. Bring Kal-El to me."
Kara looked down at the bracelet.
The moment of her Divided Soul, Superman slammed his feet against the ground, his entire body rushing toward higher altitudes like a counter-flying meteor.
Kara immediately raised her head and pursued closely.
As he ascended at high speed, Superman suddenly turned around, shooting lasers from his eyes again right down at Kara.
Kara's expression remained unchanged.
Several devices detached and flew out from behind her, hovering in front of her.
When her lasers passed through those devices, they were amplified layer by layer, and the originally slender red beam instantly expanded into a thick torrent of energy, instantly overpowering Superman's lasers.
Superman was hit head-on by the amplified lasers, dragging a wisp of black smoke as he plummeted from high altitude and crashed heavily back to the ground.
Just as he propped his body up from the bottom of the pit, Kara was already hovering before him.
Her blonde hair was blown scattered across her shoulders by the wind, and the expression on her face was hidden in the shadows.
"Kara, don't be like this." Superman raised his head to look at her, a trace of blood hanging from the corner of his mouth.
"This is for the Empire." Kara's voice had no fluctuations.
She raised her right fist and smashed it into Superman's face with a punch.
Superman's head jerked sharply to one side, those blue eyes slowly closed, and his entire body went limp on the ground.
Kara stood in place, looking down at the unconscious Superman.
She raised her other hand to press the bracelet, and several devices flew out from behind her, hovering around Superman and releasing energy beams to trap him entirely in the middle.
Kara watched those beams firmly lock Superman down, standing silently in place without moving.
The voice came from the bracelet again: "Kara, report your location."
Kara did not speak, her lips pressed tightly into a line, her fingers slightly curling at her sides.
"My daughter." The voice in the bracelet sounded again, this time carrying a hint of gentleness.
Kara's eyelashes trembled.
She closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, her voice returned to the mechanical and flat tone from the beginning: "Returning now, Father."
Having said that, she turned around and flew toward the Universe, dragging Superman behind her.
As soon as she rushed out of the atmosphere, she saw a dark red figure hovering ahead.
Marcus was wearing that black and red battle suit, suspended beneath the starlight, watching her.
Kara stopped her figure, her fingers slightly curling at her sides, and her chest heaving gently.
She wrapped Marcus in a Bio-field, her voice calm: "Are you here to stop me."
Marcus shook his head.
He reached out his hand, a silver-gray space bracelet lying in his palm, and with a gentle toss, the bracelet flew toward Kara.
"No. I am here to deliver something to you." His voice clearly entered Kara's ears, "Use your Mental Energy to sense what is inside."
Kara caught the bracelet, looked down at it for a moment, and extended her Mental Energy into it.
A few seconds later, she raised her head, a trace of slight loosening emerging on that originally expressionless face as the corners of her mouth moved.
She looked at Marcus, her voice softening a bit compared to before: "Thank you. I still have to go back to see my father, so I'll be leaving first."
Marcus nodded: "Goodbye."
"Goodbye." After saying that, she turned around and flew deep into the Universe, dragging Superman behind her, who was surrounded by energy beams.
The deep blue light of the thrusters dragged a long wake across the starry sky, gradually shrinking until it disappeared deep into the darkness.
Chapter 120 Lois Visits
Marcus withdrew his gaze and turned to fly in the direction of Earth.
Kumoko, who had been quietly resting on top of his head all this time, suddenly raised her front legs and gently tapped his forehead, a hint of confusion in her voice: "Master, Superman is actually a pretty good person, why aren't we helping him?"
Marcus didn't slow down his flight speed as he passed through the atmosphere, the lights of Metropolis unfolding beneath his feet.
He replied in a calm tone: "Superman is indeed a good person. However, that is their family business after all, and we shouldn't meddle."
Kumoko tilted her head to think for a moment and didn't ask any further.
Marcus continued to fly toward the direction of the villa.
Meanwhile, Lois Lane sat on her apartment sofa, holding a tablet computer with her fingertips constantly swiping across the screen.
Her eye sockets were still somewhat red, her hair was casually tied behind her head, and a few stray locks were scattered on both sides of her cheeks.
The television was broadcasting the news, with images constantly switching—Superman crashing through the studio glass, Kara floating mid-air, and the two fiercely colliding above the city. Every single frame was repeatedly rebroadcast.
"Citizens of Metropolis, we have just witnessed the alien threat to Earth." The person on TV spoke in a solemn voice, "Superman is no hero at all. He is an invader, the vanguard of an alien military force. Superman and his people have already declared war on humanity."
The scene shifted, and a few large characters appeared on the screen: Human Defense Corps.
"Regarding this alien threat, we already have a solution. To protect Metropolis, martial law has now been implemented. When Superman invades, we will be fully prepared."
Jimmy Olsen turned off the TV, pacing anxiously behind Lois, his fingers constantly clutching his curly hair: "How could this happen? Clark has been kidnapped, and Waller is still finding ways to ruin his reputation!"
Lois lowered her head, her fingers pausing on the tablet for a moment, and said in a very soft voice: "I also broke up with him."
Jimmy stopped in his tracks, opened his mouth, and before he could say anything, Lois had already stood up.
She handed the tablet to Jimmy, and the screen displayed information about Aamer Tech's jump ship.
Her voice resumed its usual competence and decisiveness: "It doesn't matter. We will find Clark and bring him home. Using this."
Jimmy looked down at the blueprint of the streamline spaceship on the tablet, his brows furrowing into a knot, and he raised his head to say worriedly: "How are the two of us supposed to break into S.T.A.R. Labs and steal a spaceship?"
Lois reached out and swiped on the tablet, and the screen switched to a photo: a figure clad in a dark red combat suit was floating in mid-air, with a U-shaped emblem printed on the chest.
She turned the tablet over to show Jimmy, and said with a resolute tone: "Ask someone to help us."
Jimmy stared at the photo, his mouth wide open, his voice pitching a full octave higher: "We don't even know where Cosmic Superman is, how are we supposed to ask him for help?!"
Lois put down the tablet, picked up the jacket draped over the sofa armrest, and said while putting it on: "I know where he lives."
Jimmy froze in place, his eyes wide open, his voice suddenly exploding: "What?!"
At the entrance of Marcus's villa, the night was deep, and the streetlights cast a dim yellow circle of light on the edge of the lawn.
Jimmy stood outside the door, craning his neck to look at the house in front of him, and asked Lois in a lowered voice: "Are you sure it's here?"
"That's right." Lois replied, reaching out to press the doorbell.
Ding-dong!
Inside the villa, Marcus, Delta, and Milong were preparing to go upstairs to rest.
Hearing the doorbell, his footsteps paused for a moment. He turned around, walked to the door, pulled it open, and saw Superman's girlfriend and the nervous, glasses-wearing young man standing behind her.
Marcus's gaze swept across their faces, and he asked: "Is there something you need?"
Jimmy leaned closer to Lois, his mouth almost touching her ear, and said in a low voice: "Is he really Cosmic Superman?"
Lois didn't answer Jimmy. She looked straight at Marcus, her tone crisp and solemn: "Cosmic Superman, I hope you can come with me to rescue Superman."
Marcus did not respond to her request.
He leaned against the doorframe, looked at Lois, and asked in a flat tone: "I've only made a move a few times over the past month. How did you know I am Cosmic Superman?"
Lois seemed to have expected him to ask this.
She raised her hand to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear, and explained in a steady voice: "Although you rarely take action, quite a few times you had a spider on top of your head. I investigated, and recently a person with a spider on their head appeared around this area."
Jimmy, standing beside her, quickly pulled a check out of his pocket and handed it to Marcus with both hands.
His fingers trembled slightly, but his voice was full of sincerity: "So we came here just to ask for your help. As long as you rescue Superman, I am willing to give you all my money."
Marcus glanced down at the number on the check: two and a half million.
He didn't reach out to take it, but simply shook his head and said in a calm tone: "I cannot help you."
Lois and Jimmy spoke at the same time, their voices filled with anxiety and incomprehension: "Why?!"
Jimmy extended his hand forward again, the check almost pressing against Marcus's chest, a hint of eagerness creeping into his voice: "Is it because the money isn't enough?"
Marcus shook his head again, his tone still flat: "No."
Their anxiety was written all over their faces; Lois's fingers tightly clutched the hem of her jacket, and fine beads of sweat oozed from Jimmy's forehead.
They pressed simultaneously: "Then what is it because of?"
Marcus was silent for a few seconds.
Looking at Lois and Jimmy, his voice was steady: "When all is said and done, Superman and Kara are family. As an outsider, I shouldn't meddle in their family business."
He paused, his tone softening a bit with a hint of reassurance: "You don't need to worry too much either. Kara won't hurt Superman. All she wants is for Superman to rebuild the Krypton Empire with her."
He turned sideways and said to Lois and Jimmy: "You should go back first and get a good sleep. Perhaps there will be a turning point tomorrow."
After saying that, Marcus turned and walked into the house, gently closing the door.
Jimmy stood at the doorway, still holding up the check in his hand, looking at the tightly shut door with his mouth open.
Lois stood in place, looking at the closed door. A moment later, she turned around, her voice calm: "Let's go. We'll find someone else."