Volume 4: The Last Day Chapter 73 Ghost Story Time! When Superman said: I hate humans!
"You said his last name was Zedd?"
In the underground laboratory of the military base, Damian looked at Mason beside him in astonishment and said:
"The Superman in this world isn't... Wait! I'm a little confused, let me sort this out, this isn't right!"
"In a world where your grandfather can be Batman and your grandmother is the Joker, you're still obsessed with whether Superman's name is Clark Kent?"
Mason glanced at the rice beside him and said quietly:
"Should I complain about your narrow-mindedness or criticize your poor ability to accept things? Look at the family crest next to him! Is that the Superman symbol you are familiar with?"
Damian looked up and followed Mason's finger, and sure enough, there was a black Kryptonian text on the edge of the biological experiment chamber.
The outer frame is a shield-shaped outline like Superman's iconic S shield emblem, but the text inside is not an S but a somewhat mutated Kryptonian symbol, which looks like a C written upside down.
"But I've seen in the database in the Batcave that General Zod is the mortal enemy of the House of El."
Damian stared blankly at the frightened, skinny man in the experimental chamber. He whispered:
"So the last Kryptonian sent to Earth in this world is Zod's descendant? His two identities are switched? This is really hard to understand."
"What if I tell you that the person in front of you is not the last Kryptonian?"
Mason reached out and pressed the control panel next to him, lifting the external blockade of the bio-capsule.
He whispered to Damian:
"If I told you that the Krypton in this parallel world not only did not perish, but instead grew into a super-authoritarian civilization that invaded everywhere in the universe, wouldn't you jump up in surprise?
I don't think you want to know who is the leader who is currently leading the Kryptonians to destroy and annex everywhere. Well, don't worry about these details that will not appear in our story.
Come, lend a hand and bring him out.
Look at him. These idiots who imprisoned him have been studying him for so many years. Didn't they discover the strange connection between Kryptonians and the sun?
They trapped a human god deep underground where there is no sunlight. If he can become powerful like this, it would be a miracle."
Mason and Damian walked into the bio-capsule, and the old man hid in the shadows, guarding the entrance with two guns in hand.
The two men approached the weak and miserable Kryptonian huddled in the corner and wanted to help him up, but the latter screamed in fear when he saw their outstretched hands.
"Why is he so scared?"
Damian said in surprise:
"What did the people here do to him?"
Mason didn't answer.
He squatted down and grabbed the slender wrist of the struggling Far Zod, and pulled up the white clothes on his arm.
Then he and Damian saw the needle holes on the poor man's arm that could not heal at all due to long-term weakness. There were densely packed needle holes and some surgical marks that left permanent scars.
It should be the injury caused by the people in the base who have been drawing blood and taking biological tissue samples from him for a long time.
Even Damian, who had been educated in "wolf culture" since childhood, couldn't stand this scene. The little madman was just cold-blooded, but he was not cruel.
It was rare for him to deliberately torture his enemies like this.
As someone who had received scientific education since childhood, he knew that such injuries had far exceeded the requirements of the experiment. It was simply that the people at the base were using this Kryptonian to conduct many inhumane destructive experiments.
“These beasts!”
Damian cursed and threw out a batarang, shattering the red sun energy lamp above his head that would weaken the Kryptonians.
But Mason shook his head.
He took out a bottle of healing potion and a bottle of energy potion and half-forced the extremely weak Kryptonian in front of him to drink them, then forcefully supported him and walked him out, saying as he walked:
"It is impossible not to conduct experiments when encountering such a rare living alien specimen. I can understand the necessity of various experiments conducted on him by this world.
The only thing that makes me feel regretful is that their research methods are too crude.
Look at the various experimental projects here, all of which are wasting Kryptonians' precious blood, time and strength in the most unimaginative ways.
What a waste!
This is simply a crime.”
"You are just as cold-blooded!"
Damian protested, but Mason didn't explain.
He just half-carried the weak poor man out of the bottom-level laboratory, and did not forget to take some Kryptonian blood samples stored there.
When the old man escorted them to the upper level of the base, they saw Hal Jordan sitting in a chair and talking with Little Flash. It was unknown what method Little Flash used to make this ace pilot not only not sound the alarm, but instead sit next to him and listen to his story calmly.
“This…what’s going on?”
However, when he saw the skinny Kryptonian being brought out, no matter how good-tempered Barry was, he couldn't suppress his anger.
He and Superman are truly good friends.
Seeing his buddies in another world being tortured like this, Xiao Shan suddenly regretted that he had been a little gentle when he knocked those researchers out just now.
He rushed forward to check, but the Kryptonian looked at Hal Jordan who was following him in fear.
Perhaps the military uniform on Hal reminded him of some bad memories. He made a whining sound from his throat and waved his arms to hide next to Mason like a primitive man.
Apparently it was the potion Mason had just given him that made him feel his health return, making him realize that Mason was really helping him rather than hurting him.
It was normal for him to feel threatened in this situation and ask Mason for help.
"I...I didn't know there was..."
Hal was also at a loss as to what to do when he saw the miserable condition of the poor man before him.
The young man had no bad intentions. He used his pilot jacket to cover his military uniform, but when he saw the hatred in the Kryptonian's eyes, he could only lower his head helplessly, took a step back, and whispered:
"I'm sorry. I apologize for everything they did to you."
"If you want to express your apology, maybe you can find a more effective way."
Mason stared at Hal Jordan and said:
"Our friend is in urgent need of sunlight. We need him to regain his strength, and the sunlight on Earth alone cannot do this. If you really want to do something for him, activate the spacecraft in the base and take him to space.
If there are aliens hiding here, there must be alien spaceships, right?"
"I……"
As a soldier, Mason's request obviously made Hal Jordan very embarrassed, but at this moment, Flash reached out and held the wrist of this friend from another world.
He said:
"Help him, Hal, and help us.
The world is in danger, you should do the right thing instead of continuing to help the evil! Serving Amanda Waller is not something to be proud of.
Whatever you can do in another world, I believe you can do it now.
Didn't you tell me that ever since you were a kid you've had a feeling that you've been waiting for one big moment your whole life? There are some things in this world that only you can do, and no one else can.
But that definitely doesn't mean you'll be riding in one of those suicide flying coffins that those crazy military men have arranged for you to ram into the Undersea People's ships.
It's not like that!
You have to show your courage and fearlessness!
Only in this way can you get the recognition of the missing ring, and only in this way can you become a true Green Lantern."
"But the Atlanteans are planning to destroy humanity, Barry! We have ample evidence."
Hal countered:
"Only that speedster has enough speed to get past their anti-aircraft fire and destroy their doomsday weapons! I only have one chance!
I am not afraid to give my life to this world.
I have no fear of this outcome in my heart, yet you are asking me to flee from my duties."
"Okay, gentlemen, stop arguing!"
Mason stopped the quarrel between Xiao Shan and Hal. He looked at the pilot in front of him and said:
"You now have two choices. The first is to follow the orders given to you by your superiors and gamble on the possibility that the underwater people have not prepared for your attack in advance.
The second is to follow our actions.
Really try to solve the problem from the source instead of just seeing the slight waves in front of you.
I don't have that much time to convince you, Hal.
Even if you don't want to, I have a way to start that aircraft! I want you to recognize the reality that we are giving you a chance to be a hero, and you are wasting it. "
"It's useless even if you solve the doomsday weapon, young man."
The old man, whose whole body seemed to be shrouded in shadow, stared at Hal Jordan. His scarlet eyes under the specially made bat mask stared at Hal Jordan, which made him feel extremely pressured.
He said in a gloomy voice:
"The technology of the Atlanteans is overwhelming that of humans. They don't even need that weapon to ensure the destruction of humanity. That weapon was not prepared for humans at all.
That was used to perish together with the Amazons.
Wake up, Hal, you can't save humanity by committing suicide.
This is the most meaningless way for you to die. I can't guarantee that what we do will be useful, but if we succeed..."
Hal hesitated.
He looked over at the frail Kryptonian being supported by Mason.
The latter obviously couldn't speak much, but he certainly understood the language of the Earthlings. He was very quiet at this moment, as if he was listening and trying to think about the current situation.
"That aircraft requires General Lian'en's authority to open."
Hal clenched his fists and said:
"There's no point in helping even if I wanted to. General Lane went to Washington. He's not here at all."
"We don't need any damn permissions, we just need a pilot!"
Mason asked:
"Are you willing to help?"
Seeing that Hal Jordan was unable to make a decision, Mason didn't waste any more time. He turned to the old man and said:
"You can fly a plane, too. Go to that aircraft! Fly it out!"
"I don't think flying a private jet is the same as flying an alien craft like that."
The old man complained a little, then he saw Mason make a "card insertion" gesture and said to him:
"Use that chip! Let your old friend help you. Cyborg's data mind can easily crack the permissions and activate it. The rest is up to your senses.
Anyway, our Kryptonian has a body of steel, so he will be fine even if he encounters a plane crash.
As for you, old man, I don't think that among all the ways Batman could die in all the parallel worlds, falling to death is a possible option.
He and I will be waiting for you outside."
After saying that, Mason helped the Kryptonian walk quickly out of the base.
It was early morning, and as they walked out of the entrance and onto the coast, all they could see was the rising sun.
The bright light illuminated the weak Kryptonian's eyes, and it was so dazzling that he raised his hands to cover his face.
But even without Mason's reminder, this poor man who had been trapped underground for several years could feel that every cell in his body was cheering for the sunshine.
He continued to absorb energy from the yellow sun, and in just a dozen seconds, he went from being unable to walk to being able to stand up on his own.
When Mason removed his fingers, the skeleton-like Kryptonian looked at him with gratitude.
Then he stretched his body towards the sun, opened his arms and bathed in the morning sun. For the first time, a peaceful light appeared on his face that was full of pain.
He could feel the sun calling him.
"Their destructive tests did some pretty bad things to your tongue and vocal cords. I was going to give you a minor surgery."
Mason whispered behind Far Zod:
"But I think with the Kryptonian's healing power, you can solve those little troubles on your own. You can understand, you are learning, and in this world without Batman to assist you as an 'external brain', your super intelligence finally has a place to use.
Go ahead, Zod.
Tell me what’s in your heart, what you want to say to the world.”
"I hate you..."
Like a child trying to speak for the first time, or a voice muffled by a damaged vocal cord, the lips of the Kryptonian bathed in the sun moved slightly, and he said to Mason:
"You are in trouble and you need me, but why should I help you? Why should I help a group of villains who have tortured me like so many years?
This world has never shown me any kindness, so why should I give you help in return?"
"First of all, I'm not from this world. Second, you asked a good question, and I'll give you the answer later."
Mason looked down at his watch, then turned back to look at the flight passage that was slowly opening on the rock behind him.
An alien aircraft with a strange shape roared out, but it obviously couldn't be well controlled and rolled around in the air. Finally, it crashed into the rocks in front of Mason at a speed that left an afterimage.
Fortunately, it was strong enough, otherwise this impact would be enough to destroy it completely.
"Click"
The cockpit popped open and the old man jumped out, covering his bruised forehead.
He shook his head and said:
"No, this thing is too fast, I can't drive it. Maybe it's because I'm too old and my reaction time can't keep up. Even with Victor's help, I can't..."
“This aircraft was left behind by the alien named Abin Su. It was built for space travel, and its minimum cruising speed in the atmosphere is Mach 5.
The overload that needs to be endured when driving it can break an adult's neck in an instant, so special training is required to control it.
Old man, although your body is strong, it is really not suitable for this kind of "extreme sports".
Let’s give young people a chance.”
When the old man was trying to explain to Mason why he crashed into the mountain, a familiar voice sounded from behind everyone, and Hal Jordan, wearing a full set of special flight suit and holding a green flight helmet, walked out.
He looked at the aircraft that had crashed into the rocks in front of him, sighed, put on his helmet, and said to Mason and the smiling Xiao Shan:
“Let me do it!
They need the best pilots, so they recruited me, and I've been training for months to get our alien friend into space, so he can better enjoy the sunlight.
Although I doubt it will cure him.”
He looked over to the thin Kryptonian standing next to Mason, eyeing him with a wary look.
Hal said very seriously:
"If this can express my apology... I just want to tell you that not all humans are beasts who only know how to hurt others."
"Very well, Hal and Zod are going to go to space, I will stay here and use the specialized equipment at this base to repair some things that may be of use ."
Mason handed an Isu communicator to Barry and the old man, and pointed to the harbor in the distance and said to them:
"Barry, escort the old man and Damian into Luthor's research ship and hide there until Zod's 'Superman Transformation' is complete. Destroying the Atlantean doomsday weapon is also one of our goals.
But don't act rashly, and don't let them find you."
"Um."
Barry made a "come on" gesture to Hal, then put his hands on the old man and Damian's shoulders, and disappeared with a whoosh.
In the bright sunlight, Hal Jordan had already helped the still weak Kryptonian into the cockpit. At the moment the hatch closed, the Kryptonian, who was looking at the sky, suddenly turned back and said to Mason:
"You just said 'Superman'..."
"Well, that's your code name for the future."
Mason watched Hal Jordan skillfully pilot the aircraft into takeoff, and easily break through the blockade of several base escort fighters and soar into the sky.
As he turned and walked back to the base, he said to the Kryptonian in the aircraft through the aircraft's communicator:
"Whether your last name is Zod or Al, there is no one in this world who is more suitable to be a 'Superman' than you. Perhaps you cannot become a symbol of hope in this world.
But trust me.
You can do more than just save a world at war.
Next, please allow me to take a moment of your time to introduce you to the 'K Team'. I believe that you can become a friend and companion with the same aspirations as us...
Uh, that’s all.
Hal, after entering the Earth orbit, let Victor take control of the spacecraft. I think young people of your age should take some time to think about their future career plans. "
Mason looked at the alien fighter plane taking off and said:
"You have courage, but you haven't seemed to find the right way to use it. It's like you're living in the shadow of your own greatness. Give it a try, Hal. Try to be someone the world really needs."
