HISD Chapter 106 Dream and Reality, Four Years Later
Ten days had passed since the SSS-class Mist Incident.
That day, in the real world, the high command of both the Eastern and Western Federations held simultaneous press conferences to announce an unprecedented project.
The project would unite East and West, mobilizing the full strength of the Xinglong Empire!
At that moment, in the Eastern Federation's jurisdiction, near the edge of the Mist, stood the city of Fuyuki.
Although its population had shrunk by nearly one-third compared to the previous year, due to its proximity to the Mist's edge, Fuyuki remained the largest city in the Qin Autonomous Region, with a bustling and prosperous central district.
At this hour, nearly every resident of Fuyuki was glued to the television, or scrolling through news on their phones.
On the screen, a bespectacled woman stared in disbelief, mouth agape. "My god! They're going to wall off the entire thousand-kilometer Mist-covered area, with electric grids starting a hundred meters from the border!"
This meant Xinglong had officially abandoned the territory consumed by the Mist, designating it as a forbidden zone for humankind.
It also marked the first time in human history that a catastrophic event had been declared unsolvable.
Across the city, on the top floor of a hotel, a black-haired girl stood by the window, her lips parting in a calm, knowing tone. "It's not surprising. If it cannot be resolved, the only choice is to abandon the territory swallowed by the Mist."
"Miss…" Chen Hong, her caretaker, looked on with worry. "What about us?"
"Chen Auntie," the girl asked softly, "did you finish registering the company I asked you to?"
"It's done." Chen Hong lifted a document, showing the papers.
The file read: Application for DreamT Technology Company.
"Then continue with the arrangements."
The girl's gaze lingered on the name, her lips curving into a faint smile that lit the room before returning to her composed elegance. "Good."
Chen Hong acknowledged quickly, already busying herself, though inwardly marveling at her young lady's decisiveness.
The girl remained at the window, wine-red eyes gazing past the city to the rolling wall of Mist.
"I will wait here for you…" Dream Tifa whispered. She had already waited years; waiting longer did not matter.
…
Inside the forbidden Mist Zone.
At the heart of the fog lay the ruins of Tianhe City.
Among crumbling towers, all creatures of the Mist—whether the crawling spiders or towering black goats—groveled in terror, quaking on the ground.
Above them floated a monstrous figure clad in jagged gray bone spurs, radiating a suffocating aura of annihilation. A witch's doll dangled from its waist.
Its closed eyes never opened, even as it descended once more, sleepwalking through the ruins, slaying and erasing all that crossed its path.
It was both sovereign and executioner here, the life cycle incarnate.
Wave after wave of Mist creatures teleported in from other dimensions, only to be wiped out, their existence erased. The balance held steady, until the number of new arrivals dwindled.
Perhaps one day, no more would come…
…
DC Universe Dreamscape.
Earth.
The Hollow Sea at the planet's core.
Under the rainbow glow of crystal light, pterosaurs and schools of fish fled in panic from the island, sensing the crushing presence of destruction.
The sovereign of this domain was on the move.
Yi Meng, in his Doomsday form, stood over two meters tall, clad in a black Kryptonian war suit. In his left hand, he toyed with a metal cube. In his right, a chain bound the throat of a towering alien clad in silver armor—Steppenwolf. He dragged him like a dog as he rose through the ocean vortex, bursting from Earth's seas into the sky, then arcing down toward Mars.
He landed in the heart of a Martian city, chain rattling as Steppenwolf crashed at his feet, broken and humiliated. The once-arrogant New God dared not even breathe loudly, terror etched into his very genes. He endured in silence, vowing inwardly to suffer until Darkseid's return.
But the city around them was no battlefield. It was an inferno.
Martian bodies, whether red, white, or green, convulsed in flames. Their psychic cries echoed across the ruins, then fell silent as life bled away. A psychic plague had swept the species, their collective mind ensuring that once one was infected, all would burn.
Yi Meng's crimson eyes narrowed. The Martians were finished. Another civilization had reached its end.
At least the Martian Hunters who had left before the outbreak might still appear again, perhaps on Earth. And in the meantime, Steppenwolf made for a fine punching bag.
Just as Yi Meng prepared to leave, a flicker of movement caught his attention. He flew toward the Martian outskirts, dragging Steppenwolf with him.
There, amid the burning ruins of a triangular fortress, lay a tiny green figure. Neither solid nor spectral, the little Martian girl clung weakly to the ground, tears streaming from her eyes.
"Mommy…"
From inside the flames came the last scream of her mother: "Kem… Flower… live on…"
The child, Flower, could barely move. Infection burned inside her. Death was moments away.
And then the ground shook, a dust storm erupting as Yi Meng landed, Steppenwolf chained at his side.
…
Later, on the shores of the Hollow Sea, Atlanna stood in awe. She greeted the returning Doomsday King respectfully, while Steppenwolf once again hung beaten and bloodied, pinned to the floating mountain.
But in her arms was something new—a small, green, jelly-like Martian child, fast asleep. She whispered softly in a tongue Atlanna did not know, grief etched in her face.
Atlanna glanced at Yi Meng's retreating figure. She dared not question him. She sighed. "One more to raise won't matter…"
Their group was becoming stranger by the day.
…
Sitting on the sun-lit sand, Yi Meng closed his eyes. He had not saved the child for pity alone. She carried within her the psychic legacy of Martian civilization—knowledge and memories that could one day be drawn out. And she, too, might grow into a training partner.
"On the Marvel side, I must linger for years. On the DC side… perhaps even longer."
Two dreamscapes, two anchors. He had to balance them carefully. In Marvel, he had three years of plans ahead. In DC, his task was simpler—remain as Doomsday, keep his reason, and harvest whatever technology and knowledge the dream provided.
Krypton was gone. Now Mars too had fallen.
"An era ends. We endure and wait… for the next age to begin."
He closed his crimson eyes, letting the sunlight fall over him, destruction resting dormant within its warmth.
…
Four years later, by DC Dreamscape time.
The Hollow Sea still gleamed bright.
With a splash, a boy of four or five burst from the water, blue eyes shining. He wore a child's tight combat suit, clutching a silver trident in triumph.
"Sea Aunt! I caught a fish!" he shouted, holding the trident high.
Atlanna, silver hair flowing, hurried to dry his face with a towel. "Good, Clark. Very good."
The boy grinned, handing her the trident. She hesitated, then smiled softly. "Clark… later today, you will meet someone."
The boy's eyes widened in awe. "The King?"
Atlanna's smile lingered, though worry crept into her gaze. "Yes… the King of Destruction."
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