Chapter 4: Diana
"It looks like we're going to be busy for a while... Prepare a plane for me; I'm heading North. It's time."
As he spoke, Batman executed a few agile flips and leaps to clear the obstacles in his path, rushing to the edge of the building as if preparing to jump. However, the words the white thief had just spoken caused him to hesitate for a brief moment.
"That's because they know he's dead, isn't it?"
"I mean Superman. He's dead. Who can we count on now?"
The white thief gazed up at the sky, speaking with a hint of bewilderment in his voice.
These words caused Batman to pause for a split second; he turned his head slightly to cast a fleeting glance at the man—lost in his own thoughts—before leaping off the building once more. His bat-cape unfurled, and he glided away into the night.
This sequence serves as a direct continuation of the plot from the previous film, *Batman v Superman*. At the conclusion of that story, Superman was killed by the film's main antagonist, Doomsday, and subsequently laid to rest.
However, in the storyline of this film, he is destined to be resurrected.
As for Batman's mention of heading North, his objective is to assemble the team of superheroes he has identified through his research.
At this moment, these heroes have yet to become active in the public eye; each remains hidden away in their own corner of the world.
The roster includes:
Barry Allen (The Flash), Diana (Wonder Woman), Arthur Curry (Aquaman—King of Atlantis), and Victor Stone (Cyborg)—a bio-mechanical being transformed by the power of a Mother Box.
Meanwhile, Superman remains buried beneath the earth.
Although a few other members of the Justice League—such as Green Lantern and Shazam—do not appear in this particular film, the core heavyweights of the League are essentially all present.
The story has only just begun, and Superman's grave has yet to be disturbed; there is no rush to get involved just yet—it can wait until the team has fully assembled.
So, what exactly was Lin Bai doing after he left that place? Shopping, of course!
Buy, buy, buy!
Snacks, game consoles, game cartridges—and a computer, which he then loaded to the brim with movies, TV series, and anime.
Having been cut off from modern society for billions of years, Lin Bai was now completely immersed in the blissful ocean of modern capitalism.
It truly is the case that you never realize how good something is until you've lost it...
If you were to ask where Lin Bai got the money for all this fun?
The *Original Text*, of course. As long as he could get his hands on a single U.S. dollar bill, the *Original Text* could use that sample to replicate an infinite number of copies. Even details like the serial numbers could be altered according to Lin Bai's will.
Lin Bai could even go so far as to replace the portrait on the dollar bill with the face of a certain... someone...
*Ahem.*
Let's not go there; the Sword of Damocles is already hanging right over his head.
Theoretically, these are all genuine bills—perfectly usable. As long as he avoids spending massive sums—like billions—that might attract official scrutiny, there are absolutely no issues.
As for where Lin Bai obtained that initial dollar bill...
Come on—this is Gotham City, after all.
Gotham City: a place of "simple folk." Arkham: a place teeming with "talent."
Add to that Lin Bai's face—which practically screams "rich guy" at a glance—and how could he possibly lack for a few "simple citizens" willing to come along and hand over their cash?
So, where did he pack all these things to take them with him?
The *Original Text*, naturally. Since the *Original Text* is capable of collecting every treasure and prototype invention within its designated star sector, it stands to reason that it possesses a means of storing physical objects.
Objects such as snacks... or game consoles.
Furthermore, any item recorded within the *Original Text* becomes permanent and immune to wear and tear; any degradation or damage it sustains will revert once it returns to the *Original Text*, restoring it to its original pristine state.
In other words... infinite refills on his bubble tea, or a game console with an infinite battery life! If anyone were to discover that Lin Bai was currently using the *Original Text of Wisdom*—a tome reputed to be omniscient and omnipotent—as a personal ATM and portable locker, they would likely drop dead from sheer outrage right on the spot.
Time was in ample supply; Lin Bai's immediate objective was quite relaxed in nature, and its overall importance wasn't particularly high.
Seizing this opportunity, Lin Bai took the time to change into a set of modern-day clothing. After all, the *Golden Armor of the Sun* he was wearing was far too conspicuous—it looked less like attire and more like a performance art piece.
A designer suit worth tens of thousands of dollars...
*Tsk.*
Capitalism truly corrupts the human heart.
...
Having finished purchasing a few "daily necessities," Lin Bai strolled leisurely along the streets of Gotham City.
*Hmm... yes, they were indeed necessities...*
He began to ponder in detail the precise moment he should choose to insert himself into the storyline.
The specific plot arc where Superman goes berserk immediately after being resurrected by Batman and the others—that might be a good entry point.
He could burst onto the scene out of nowhere and subdue Superman right there on the spot.
The only catch was that, if he didn't unleash his Noble Phantasm, there was no guarantee he'd actually be able to subdue him.
Of course, with the *Golden Armor of the Sun* equipped, Superman wouldn't be able to beat Lin Bai to death anyway; but in that case, unleashing a Noble Phantasm would be entirely unnecessary.
After all, Karna is a Heroic Spirit famously described as being "decked out in ancient nuclear weaponry."
Leaving aside his ultimate Noble Phantasm—the EX-rank *O Sun, Abide by Death*—
Consider merely his *O Brahma, Cover the Earth*.
Fired from his right eye—which bears the divine mark of Brahma—it manifests as a colossal beam of destructive energy. It is an Anti-Army Noble Phantasm; this single ability alone packs the explosive punch of a nuclear warhead.
It would level Metropolis completely, reducing the entire city to rubble.
If that were to happen, let alone joining the Justice League, the heroes would probably forget all about fighting Steppenwolf and turn their sights on taking *him* down first. While he wasn't exactly afraid, Lin Bai certainly didn't want to end up being treated as a boss monster for others to fight for no rhyme or reason.
Fortunately, though, he wouldn't actually have to defeat the "darkened" Superman; he just needed to put on a bit of an act. Once Superman's girlfriend showed up later, he would instantly calm down.
After that, he could simply tag along with them to fight Steppenwolf.
When it comes to fighting, how could there *not* be bloodshed? He could take the opportunity to collect a few blood samples for the *Codex* to analyze.
Perfect!
Wait...
A sudden surge of memories in his mind brutally shattered Lin Bai's fantasy.
It turned out they really *didn't* bleed during their fights. Superman went without saying—no matter the brawl, he wouldn't even lose a single hair. As for The Flash, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman? Even more ridiculous—they didn't even suffer a scraped knee!
And don't even get him started on Cyborg; the guy didn't have any blood to begin with.
The most absurd part was—damn it—Batman. The others were either Kryptonians, deities, or wielders of the Speed Force; but he was human—purely human. Yet, he waded right into a battle alongside a bunch of monsters capable of tearing apart giant mechs with their bare hands, and he emerged from the whole ordeal still full of vigor.
By the looks of it, the worst he suffered was a minor scrape.
This wasn't just catching a petty thief; this was fighting Steppenwolf! A world-ending catastrophe—a threat that, in ancient times, required a united front of numerous factions just to drive him away!
It was irrefutable proof: Batman was DC's favorite son.
...
Lin Bai rubbed his hair with a sense of melancholy.
Now what? He walked right up to them and said:
"You guys there? Hook me up with some blood—chop chop!"
Even though Lin Bai had fought Steppenwolf alongside them, he didn't believe that simply helping them out in a single battle would be enough to make them trust a complete unknown—a "ghost" who had seemingly materialized out of thin air.
After all, the technology in the Justice League universe was by no means primitive—particularly in fields like cloning. The members of the Justice League weren't fools—especially Batman.
Besides, what Lin Bai intended to do with that blood was, in truth, practically a form of cloning itself. Was that really something he could go around telling people? Otherwise...
A terrifying thought suddenly surfaced in Lin Bai's mind...
As he dwelled on it, the expression on his face grew increasingly sinister—he looked just like a Gotham-style villain fresh out of Arkham Asylum, as if he had suddenly immersed himself in some earth-shattering plot...
*Or I could just kill them all...*
......
"Haha."
Lin Bai gave a dry chuckle and shook his head, his expression gradually returning to normal.
He certainly didn't belong to the "Chaotic Evil" alignment; why go around needlessly branding himself a "World-Ender"?
Still...
...
"Master, provided you remain within a certain proximity to the target for a sufficient period, the *Codex* can directly perform a 'Rule Analysis.' Aside from requiring a little time, it does not necessarily require a blood sample..."
As if sensing the elaborate internal drama playing out in Lin Bai's mind, the gender-neutral voice within his head calmly offered an explanation.
Immediately thereafter, a stream of information was transmitted from the *Codex* directly into Lin Bai's brain. This served to address the fact that—having only recently acquired the *Codex*—Lin Bai was still unfamiliar with many of its specific capabilities.
The *Codex*'s "Blood Analysis" and "Rule Analysis" are two distinct abilities. The former requires only a blood sample and is completed almost instantly; the latter requires a bit more time, but its scope extends far beyond mere bloodlines—it can analyze and replicate even abilities such as the Flash's Speed Force or Cyborg's cybernetic powers. Naturally, the closer the proximity, the better the results. ...
"In that case, it seems we'll have to move our plans forward just a little bit..."
Having heard the *Original Text's* explanation, Lin Bai reverted to his usual cold demeanor and murmured softly, shifting his gaze toward the sky.
Suddenly, his entire body burst into scorching flames—the very fire of the Sun. The extreme heat was so intense that it caused the surrounding air to visibly warp and shimmer.
The designer black suit he wore—worth tens of thousands of dollars—was instantly incinerated into nothingness by the searing heat. At that very moment, the golden armor of the Sun Wheel manifested upon his body. Lin Bai made no attempt to conceal his power; right there on the public street, he unleashed his magical energy without the slightest restraint.
Witnessing this spectacle, the people nearby scattered in terror. Clearly, the citizens of Gotham City were well-versed in such situations; their speed and efficiency in fleeing were far superior to those of the average person.
In an instant, the entire street was cleared out, leaving behind a profound silence.
Lin Bai leaped directly into the air. The propulsive force generated by the solar flames instantly propelled him to speeds several times that of sound; a resounding boom echoed across the heavens as he left a long, white contrail in his wake before vanishing into the distance.
At this moment, Batman was not in Gotham City; he had already boarded a plane to seek out Aquaman. However, that mattered little—sooner or later, their paths were bound to cross...
...
England, London
Inside a certain church in London... A terrorist attack was currently unfolding.
A small terrorist cell, armed with explosives and holding hostages, was preparing to blow up the entire four-block radius surrounding them.
Unfortunately for them, their plan was doomed to fail—for this place was home to one of the Justice League's most formidable powerhouses: Diana, Wonder Woman, Daughter of Zeus.
Infiltrating the church, she bound a lookout with her Lasso of Truth to extract information, then charged straight into the room where the terrorists were holed up, neutralizing the majority of their combatants in a mere matter of seconds.
She then hurled the bomb—which had already entered its final countdown—high into the sky.
"Boom!"
The bomb detonated in the heavens with a thunderous roar, unleashing a powerful shockwave and a fiery blast. However, because the explosion occurred high above, it inflicted minimal damage upon the people and structures on the ground below.
Having been preoccupied with the urgent task of disposing of the bomb before it exploded, Diana had not yet managed to deal with the terrorist group's ringleader.
Seeing the situation spiral out of control, the leader raised his assault rifle, intending to gun down every single hostage in the room.
But just then...
A divine spear—a shimmering apparition of crimson light with a crystalline sheen, resembling a massive greatsword—descended from the heavens, piercing through the church's vaulted dome and instantly severing the terrorist's rifle-wielding arm. The arterial blood pressure pumped fresh blood from the man's wound, sending it spurting a considerable distance right into the crowd of hostages; the terrorist's still-warm blood splattered onto the faces of many people.
After severing the terrorist's arm, the ethereal spear of light shattered as if it were made of actual glass, scattering across the ground before dissolving into a myriad of shimmering energy particles.
Deprived of his arm, the terrorist collapsed to the ground, writhing violently in excruciating agony. With veins bulging and his face flushed crimson and twisted in a grotesque grimace, he howled and wailed in torment.
This was merely a phantom spear—a construct formed by Lin Bai channeling and condensing his own magical energy. However, the head of this particular spear-construct was significantly larger than usual, making it bear a striking resemblance to a greatsword.
Lin Bai had even deliberately held back a great deal of power, endowing the ethereal blade with nothing more than sheer cutting capability. Had he not done so—had that "Spear of Thunder-light" struck the ground with its full, unbridled force—the immense energy contained within would have instantly detonated.
Such an explosion would have, on the spot, inadvertently fulfilled the terrorist's ultimate objective:
To kill the hostages, and to obliterate the four city blocks surrounding the area...
In truth, Lin Bai could have been far more precise; the descending spear-construct could have sliced the terrorist clean in two, right down the middle from head to toe.
However, mindful of the children present—and wishing to spare them the trauma of witnessing such a gruesome spectacle—Lin Bai chose to exercise a modicum of mercy, shifting the point of impact ever so slightly.
*I really am such a kind soul,*
Lin Bai mused to himself.
...