The space dolphins were all roaming free in space. Thea opened a long-distance portal, her divine consciousness searching until she grabbed a round little creature from the other side.
Suddenly pulled from the starry space into underground confinement, the space dolphin was very uncomfortable. Seeing Thea, it let out happy sounds, its big head rubbing against her calves.
Damn it! I'm a bit reluctant! Thea gently patted the dolphin's large head, feeling she'd spoken too definitively earlier. She should have loaned it to Lobo for two years instead of giving it to him!
Unfortunately, the words had been spoken. Mortals could go back on their word, but she, the Goddess of Trade, couldn't easily break a transaction.
She could only pat the dolphin's head and regretfully point at Lobo.
Earth dolphins had high intelligence, and this dolphin floating in mid-air was even smarter. Realizing its owner was abandoning it, its happy little face immediately fell, accompanied by ultrasonic calls that normal people couldn't hear.
Fortunately, Lobo had skills too. He emitted the same ultrasonic waves as the dolphin, and man and dolphin began communicating. The little dolphin was torn, but ultimately followed Thea's wishes and swam to Lobo's side.
"Hahaha!! You've gained The Main Man's friendship! For the next two years, I'll help you!" Lobo's face was still fierce, but he truly, truly loved dolphins. He rubbed his rough face hard against the little dolphin. When it spat water in his face, he didn't get angry but instead laughed happily.
Seeing her daughter's disappointment, Moira quickly changed the subject, asking quietly, "This guy won't go back on his word, will he?"
Thea's disappointment came and went quickly. Hearing her mother's words, she said cheerfully, "Lobo's reputation is excellent. He's never broken his word. He'll be our ally for the next two years."
Moira looked at the brute playing with the little dolphin. From this angle, he didn't seem as vicious as before.
Her fear dissipated, and the politician's mind returned. "Can Earth dolphins also attract him?"
Thea thought about it. In her memory, Earth dolphins had also attracted him. "Should be possible."
"Then that's easy." Moira immediately nodded. If he had preferences, he was easy to deal with. Likes dolphins, does he? She'd have her people raise dozens of them. Tying such a tremendously powerful fighter to Earth—was there any better deal than this?
Resolving a hidden danger early and turning an enemy into a friend was good for everyone.
Lobo's character had nothing to do with superheroism. Plus, this guy looked fierce and hideous. Say he was a superhero? Who'd believe that!
However, as a trump card for the government and A.R.G.U.S., Lobo would be very competent.
Even Amanda was considering: should she not send the cell designer to Siberia after all, but send him to raise dolphins instead?
Seeing Lobo and the little dolphin playing happily, they decided to continue their tour.
Thea wasn't about to indulge him. She'd given up her cute pet—at the very least, she needed to hear some results.
"Lobo, follow!" Her tone was almost like ordering a subordinate.
Lobo's expression first showed great anger, then gradually calmed, finally revealing what he considered a gentle smile. "You're the boss. I'll listen to you, listen to you!"
Holy crap! Seeing this scene, Amanda became even more determined about the importance of vigorously developing marine aquaculture. You bastard, I'll crush you with a thousand dolphins!
The cell designer at A.R.G.U.S. might need to be fired, but the planner still deserved credit. Also on this level, another cell was several hundred meters away with multiple partitions in between. The route was very winding. Even if one prisoner escaped, it wouldn't cause total collapse.
Thea specifically asked Lobo, "Do you know who else is on this level?"
He glanced at her, continued playing with the dolphin, and shook his head to indicate he didn't know.
The group walked to a cell filled with yellow light. Amanda pointed to a green-clad woman sleeping on her side inside. "Madam President, the woman you see now was captured with great difficulty after we sacrificed many agents. Her technological weapon is very... very peculiar."
"You mean that orb? Why haven't you confiscated her weapon?" Moira pointed to something floating beside the woman—like an eyeball magnified ten times or more.
"This weapon is beyond our understanding. It seems to have some kind of displacement ability. Even when we remove it and lock it away, it automatically returns to that woman's side."
"This weapon can absorb energy from the air and convert it into energy beams. We only discovered by accident that it has particularly poor resistance to yellow light, which is why you see what you see today."
Amanda made it sound easy, glossing over the agents who'd sacrificed in the process with just a few words.
Thea just watched without speaking. She recognized the woman being held.
The Emerald Empress from the 31st century. Her weapon was the Emerald Eye of Ekron, modified through technology. She didn't know what black-ops tech they'd applied, but they'd grafted some Green Lantern–like functions onto the Eye, which was why it could emit green light beams and react badly to yellow light.
Moira casually glanced at Thea. Thea gently shook her head. This woman, unlike Lobo, had no value herself.
The big eyeball weapon also had no possibility of widespread use. If Earth's military forces each had a modified lantern ring, that would be catastrophic. Even though Thea now mastered nearly three emotional spectra, she had to say that if emotional energy was abused, the universe would explode in a heartbeat.
The Emerald Empress also had no record of being rehabilitated. Let her continue staying in the cell.
Amanda was also watching her expression closely. Seeing her shake her head, Amanda felt relieved.
She continued leading them to see the last prisoner.
This cell was thicker and more massive than the previous two. From a distance, it looked like half a mountain peak cut at the waist, with a small portion hollowed out inside to contain the prisoner.
No electrical components, no mechanical devices. Most crucially, there was no light inside—not a trace of light.
"My apologies, Madam President, but this is the only way we can observe this prisoner." Amanda pointed to this thing that looked more like a boulder than a cell.
"Ridiculous! Amanda, what are we supposed to see?" General Lane, the current Secretary of Defense accompanying the tour, was very displeased. The Department of Defense knew nothing about these three prisoners. If Thea hadn't exposed it today, how much longer would they have been kept in the dark?
"Secretary, Amanda isn't lying. This prisoner really is very dangerous." Thea glanced inside twice and was genuinely startled. She quickly grabbed the old general who was about to argue with Amanda. This prisoner was very dangerous—at least to ordinary people, absolutely the highest danger level.
She turned to ask Amanda, "I want to ask a question. This target seems to exceed your capabilities. Can you tell me how you captured him?"
Amanda sighed. She wasn't trying to offend the Defense Department—she had no choice.
"We didn't capture this guy. He turned himself in. He claims his name is Johnny Sorrow. We investigated, and if the name is correct, he was previously a silent film actor who disappeared after an accident. When he reappeared, his appearance had completely changed. He claims he came to turn himself in on the orders of a deity called the King of Tears."
"Although we can't let you observe now, we do have previous footage." Amanda handed Moira a tablet.
Several people, including Thea, gathered to watch together.
The footage was very short—a well-dressed man concealing his face calmly walked into the A.R.G.U.S. base. Facing multiple weapons aimed at him, he very readily raised his hands in surrender.