Volume 4: The Last Day Chapter 87: Run! Barry! Kai Run!
"Things are a bit complicated and can't be explained in just a few words."
When Mason returned to the Atlantis mothership from the time maze, a crowd of people surrounded him. He knew what they wanted to ask, so he waved his hand and said to them:
“To sum it up, a group of outsiders with consciences like us have come here with equipment that can help this world completely transfer before the apocalyptic collapse.
I know you may be tired, but you must act now.
Find a way to contact local authorities, use their channels to prepare the entire world for connection, send out a gathering message to the world, and then someone will be in each region to guide them through the transfer gate to the new world."
"But there is less than a day left until destruction!"
The old man said in a hoarse voice:
"Is this in time?"
“This is the second good news I want to tell you.”
Mason pointed to the closing crack in the time maze behind him and said:
“Little Flash who came with me will take over from your Barry Allen to keep this system running. I don’t know how long he can last, but it should be possible to buy a few more days.
As for the efficiency of my colleagues, you don’t have to worry about it at all. This is not the first time they have done this.”
"There will always be people who don't believe such a big thing."
Damian whispered:
"This happened too suddenly. What should we do when facing those stubborn elements?"
"I don't know, but they have ways."
Mason shrugged and said:
"If they really don't want to leave, then they can stay here. I'm not begging them to live. In the face of such a doomsday situation, stupidity is an unforgivable sin.
Okay, let's take action.
I will go and see the prisoners."
He walked forward past the crowd and gave instructions as if assigning tasks:
"Selina and Talia are going to Paradise Island, and King Shark is taking your 'loyal servants' to Atlantis. The people in these two places are 'strategic support' and will be sent to our base world.
Zha Kang will contact you.
Their transfer will be done last. I want them to see the destruction of the world with their own eyes so that they will follow us obediently. "
This arrangement made Talia's eyes light up, while Catwoman curled her lips.
When Mason walked into the cabin of the Doomsday Ship, he immediately saw the Fenrir Armor parked there.
This big treasure had obviously been used by the old man before. The ice gun module on its left arm still exuded a cold aura, which was obviously the result of high-power operation.
In the shadows behind the dark and huge power armor, Far Zod, wearing a black battle suit, was standing there with his arms folded, like the coldest jailer guarding a frozen prisoner.
He is wearing a dirty yellow battle suit with a red lightning logo on his chest. The details are basically the opposite of Barry Allen, representing this guy's strong dissatisfaction and malice towards the Flash.
Reverse Flash!
"Mr. K!"
Seeing Mason emerge from the darkness, Harley Quinn, who had just recovered a little from a sleep and was now "guest starring" as a security guard beside Zod Superman, immediately called out in surprise.
She ran over excitedly and carefully checked Mason's condition.
After confirming that Mr. K was not injured, the worry on his face disappeared. He took Mason's hand and held it in his arms, sticking to him and following him to the frozen Reverse Flash.
This guy's speed force is as amazing as Barry's speed force.
Even though he was frozen, he was healing quickly, but the injury on his left leg caused by Gungnir's projection did not improve at all.
The weakness caused by the divine power was affecting him. This kind of power that was higher than reality was always difficult to deal with, especially for a runner who relied on his speed. A broken leg was basically equivalent to destroying most of his abilities.
The unfortunate guy was hit in the thigh by Barry's Gungnir's lightning and escaped from the time maze in a panic, but ended up running headfirst into the encirclement set up by Mason outside.
It can be said that his response was pretty good.
Despite having a broken leg, he still relied on his miraculous speed to avoid most ambushes.
However, when faced with the Fenrir armor that had just been upgraded with an Anti-Flash module and was being personally piloted by the vicious, sophisticated and deadly old man, his reaction was less than perfect.
He was slowed down as soon as they met, and was shot by the Death Shooter when he had time.
Then, while struggling with Venom and Black Cat, he was like a headless fly and bumped into the hands of Fal Zod who was waiting for him.
The Kryptonian who had just gained power obviously couldn't keep up with the speed of the Speedster, but facing a Reverse Flash with a broken leg and many injuries, he only needed to seize the opportunity and punch hard to solve most of the problems.
"This guy is dangerous, Mason."
The thin Zod crossed his arms and looked at the scars left on his chest. He said:
"Just now, I almost had my heart torn out by his vicious attack. If you hadn't made arrangements in advance, this one enemy alone would have been enough to kill us all."
"You just haven't gotten used to your powers yet, Zedd."
Mason shook his head and said:
"When you grow up a little more, Reverse-Flash won't be too much of a problem for you. Even relying on Kryptonian instincts will be enough to keep up with his super speed.
But you still have plenty of time to learn and grow. Now I need you to keep an eye on it while I talk to this guy.
Harry, stand back a little bit."
"It's okay."
Harry hid beside Mason and winked at Mr. K.
“I dared to put a can of Joker’s laughing gas on me. If this yellow guy dared to get close to me, he would be sprayed in the face. Even if he killed me, I would still be infected.
I learned this from Mr. J. The principle is not complicated. I have completed the modification. "
She patted her clothes on her chest and pulled open her collar to let Mason see the "mutual destruction" system she had set up. This overly intimate action and the white flower made Zod next to her turn his head.
This Kryptonian who spent the first half of his life in prison is surprisingly simple.
Of course Mason was not a dirty person, he immediately stopped Harley's behavior. He was not too worried that Harley would hurt herself by randomly combining the Joker's laughing gas.
Although she looks crazy, Harley Quinn is also a top student with a doctorate degree. She is very smart and often helps Mason. She always has her own understanding of strange engineering items.
"Go ahead, I'll protect you!"
Harley leaned on a baseball bat, threw a piece of bubble gum into her mouth, and protected Mason with her big dog, looking alert and wide-eyed.
Mason stepped forward and put his hand on the ice. The magic fire melted the frozen ice and soon released Reverse Flash's head.
The ice created by this upgraded freezing gun only looks simple.
Its internal structure is different from that of ordinary ice. This weapon carefully produced by Star Laboratory has the ability to suppress the speed force, making it difficult for speedsters to break free from the cage through body resonance.
"Who sent you?"
Mason stared at the Reverse Flash in front of him and asked:
"Which faction serve?"
"I serve myself, fool! Unlike you, who become a tool in the hands of others."
Reverse Flash probably guessed that he would not be able to survive anyway, so he was very single, neither begging for mercy nor talking nonsense, and said to Mason with a sneer in the cold air:
"You can never truly kill a speedster. I can always return from time."
"Returning from 'time'? Interesting."
Mason narrowed his eyes and said:
"I asked Barry, it's easy for you speedsters to travel through timelines in your own world, but it's basically impossible to accomplish something like 'resurrection from the dead' in a super-time flow system that coexists with parallel world systems.
After all, the Speed Force doesn't exist in every world, but you are so confident that time will be your friend.
It seems that the person who sent you has mastered some power beyond the time flow.
Hmm, let me think about it. There are only so many individuals in the parallel world who can control time without involving the cosmic level, and there are only a few behind-the-scenes culprits who can make Reverse Flash willing to be a striker. Among them, the most dangerous and famous one...
Do you serve Kang the Conqueror?
He is also a member of the Council of Hope? "
This inference made Reverse-Flash's pupils change slightly, and he began to refuse to answer any questions, but this reaction made Mason confirm that he had guessed correctly.
"Don't worry, Reverse-Flash, I won't kill you. I'm not a cruel person."
Mason stroked the Speed Force pinky ring on his little finger and said:
"I am very interested in your anti-speed force. This unique power that can cut off the connection with the speed force may become a magic weapon for me to defeat some difficult enemies in the future.
So I now formally invite you to join my research project and stay in the 'warm little box' I prepared for you as a research subject for a long time."
"You can't trap me!"
Reverse Flash cursed:
"Everyone who has tried this has failed. You will be the next one to die in my hands!"
"Well, then please allow me to introduce you to one of the super inventions of the Isu civilization's black technology."
Mason snapped his fingers and whispered:
"That thing is called a 'Time Stasis Pod'. You can tell what it is used for just by the name. Don't worry, my current skills are not enough to create an unknown technological creation of this level..."
He took out the modified prototype of the freezing gun from his bag, aimed at Reverse Flash and pulled the trigger. The latter's head was quickly frozen again under the impact of the dark blue energy.
He looked at the crystal clear ice in front of him and said softly:
"So until I can make the time stasis chamber, you will have to spend some time in the ice."
"Mason! Are you really going to do this?"
Zod, who was watching, frowned and said:
"It only takes one small mistake for him to escape, and it's a huge risk."
"I know, so I will send a strong man to guard him."
Mason looked at Zod and said:
"I now officially appoint you as the 'Hazardous Object Custodian' and 'Jailer' of Team K. Are you willing to accept my invitation and join us in discovering and helping more people in need in the parallel world?
Mr. Farr Zod."
Mason's extremely formal invitation made Zod hesitate.
He was suspended in the air and looked up at the heavy, dark ship structure above him, as if his eyes were looking through obstacles at the stars. After a few seconds, he rubbed his forehead and said:
"I can still hear the call from the stars, it is there when I am weak, and it becomes clearer as I draw strength from the sun.
My people are waiting for me among the stars, Mason.
I have remembered the mission for which I was sent to Earth.
I and other Kryptonian children were launched from our home planet to civilizations across the universe. We were ordered to lurk and meet our invasion fleet at the right time to complete the conquest and colonization.
From this point of view, it seems that the Earthlings' imprisonment of me is not entirely out of malicious intent.
I have my mission...
And I’m wondering if I should finish it.”
Mason didn't answer but just looked at Zod, who turned his head and finally revealed a subtle smile on his thin face that didn't resemble Superman at all.
He relaxed his shoulders and said:
"However, I have learned the truth. This world was destroyed seventeen years ago. I am only living in an illusion of the past. This world has no value to my people.
Including me, who was sent into this world as a sentinel, I have become a worthless member.
so……
Missions and missions be damned, I've had enough of this."
He held out his hand to Mason and said:
"Kryptonian Far Zod applied to join Team K. I long for a free life that truly belongs to me. But Mason, I am not here because I admire your ideals or agree with your philosophy...
You know.
My current knowledge is not enough for me to think about such complex and profound issues. I join you only because I believe in you. "
"That's enough! Maintain this trust, and we will never let you down again."
Mason's hand linked with Zod's.
Amid the cheers as Harley took out her camera and started clicking pictures, the attacker that Team K needed most finally arrived.
——
"Are you sure you're ready?"
While the outside world was busy and tense, in the core area of the Speed Force Matrix deep in the time maze, Barry Allen, who looked like a faded photo in the time silhouette, said to Flash, who was walking back and forth at ten times the speed of sound as a "warm-up exercise":
"Once you get on top, you have to keep running so that you can keep generating speed force to push the entire matrix. If you slow down a bit, you will be dragged forward by the entire matrix.
You have to go faster than the Matrix can!
This will prevent the speed force in your body from being drained away, and that is already close to your maximum speed."
He said worriedly:
" You are too young, Barry. You haven't grown to your full potential yet. Your shoulders may be too immature to bear the weight of running around the world."
"I'm not as good as you."
Xiao Shan looked around and said with a pout:
"But you have no other choice but to make do with me. As for the risks...believe me, when I used the cosmic treadmill to travel through twelve parallel worlds in seven days and became extremely exhausted, I already knew how terrible the risk of exhausting the speed force was."
Barry, who was as optimistic as a young boy, looked up at the old Barry Allen above his head, who was old and skinny but still running.
A complicated look appeared in his eyes, and after a few seconds, he said:
"But this is a world, you know what I mean? Another Barry, this is what I always wanted to do back home but never got the chance to do.
I was always reckless and awkward compared to my peers, and I always felt unworthy of being a part of a team of the greatest heroes in the world.
And now, I finally have this opportunity.
After I return, I can proudly declare to them that I can finally stand with them with full confidence...
I saved seven billion people alone!
Please!
That’s super cool, okay?”
He grinned and waved to the other Barry.
Then with a whoosh, he arrived at the core area of the speed force matrix. He felt the terrible pressure pressing on his young body little by little.
He stretched out his hand and placed it on the arm of old Barry, who no longer had the strength to run.
Old Barry, who had abandoned everything and run in the Speed Force Matrix for seventeen years, seemed to be awakened at this moment. He opened his cloudy eyes with difficulty on his face full of wrinkles and age spots and looked at the young man behind him.
The face surprised him.
It was like seeing myself many years ago, just as full of energy and vitality.
"You're already tired, Barry."
Xiao Shan said softly:
"You should rest now, let me run. I promise everything will end well, I promise!"
These words made the old Flash give his last difficult smile.
The moment he stopped running, what was left of his torso flashed like a stream of light, sacrificing the last bit of his existence to the Speed Force in exchange for the system to continue moving forward.
Spots of light danced around the young Barry, as if he was saying goodbye to himself. In the spinning golden spots of light before his eyes, Xiao Shan, holding the worn-out battle suit in his hands, vaguely heard an old voice urging him to move forward.
"Run, Barry, run."
The tired voice said so.
So Xiao Shan took a deep breath and stepped forward in the terrifyingly pressured matrix. The next moment, more vigorous speed force burst out from him, driving this old system forward.
Golden lightning was flying, illuminating the entire area.
It's speeding.
Just like a runner who never stops, he moves forward along the track racing against fate, just like the light that lit up on that rainy night. The lightning chose him, and he must return with greatness.
Let's start now.
