wjnovel Chapter 213 Supergirl, A Sudden Change
Chapter 213 Supergirl, A Sudden Change
Chapter 213 Supergirl, A Sudden Change
While the gang of scoundrels, who had just robbed dozens of banks and were all warmly welcomed, were questioning their existence, what was Chen Tao doing?
He was at Superman's house.
Metropolitan area, weekend, 9:00 a.m., in the living room of Clark Kent and Louis Lane's shared apartment.
"Woof!"
"Oh, good job, good dog." Chen Tao fed Xiao Ke a piece of cream cheese. Heaven knows why Clark would feed dogs this kind of thing, but it doesn't matter.
He had been waiting for Louis and Superman to finish for 72 minutes, and he still had to pretend to arrive just in time. He was exhausted.
Why is Superman so carefree?
Chen Tao grew angrier and angrier. Without thinking, he shoved the triangular piece of cheese into Xiao Ke's mouth, nearly choking the dog.
"Woof woof woof?!"
Chen Tao heard Clark's footsteps coming from behind him, and he stood up.
"How's your recovery going, Clark?"
"The same as always."
Clark was dressed in casual home clothes, holding a cup of American-style Chinese tea, which contained goji berries and all sorts of random herbs.
He yawned, and Super Dog floated up to his forehead, drifting around like a flying cotton ball.
"Now that you don't have superpowers anymore, aren't you worried that one day your dog might accidentally sit on and break it?"
Chen Tao saw Super Dog Xiao Ke affectionately squatting on Clark's forehead. He knew that Xiao Ke was not actually exerting any force, but was just floating, but this posture was still very dangerous.
"You know, the probability of a pet killing a person may be very low, but it's definitely not zero."
Xiao Ke's human-like dog face immediately rolled its eyes.
"It's alright, Little Krypton is adapting very well." Clark patted Little Krypton's head, then yawned, wiped away his tears, and said, "So, what did you want to see me about?"
"Can't I contact you if there's nothing wrong... Okay, there is a new problem." Chen Tao said, "Something's happened again."
His expression was somewhat serious, and Superman quickly picked up on the signal emanating from his body language, shooing away the little Krypton still clinging to his forehead, and then sat up slightly: "You continue."
"Steppenwolf attacked the location where the government stored the Mother Box, and then left without a trace. Mudface told me that the clone he left there to impersonate the Mother Box was completely destroyed. This means that both the government and Steppenwolf know that I faked the Mother Box."
"The strange thing about this is how Steppenwolf knew where the Mother Box was stored? I have used technical means to prevent the real Mother Box from responding to Steppenwolf's messages, so Steppenwolf mistakenly believed that the real one was in the hands of the government... but he was able to find the location accurately."
Superman nodded and continued:
"This shows that the government is infiltrated like a sieve. Whether it's our people, Darkseid's people, or other forces, the government has no secrets from them."
"That's why I went to such lengths, even resorting to forgery, to get the master box out of the government's hands," Chen Tao said.
"They have no ability to keep it, yet they cling to it stubbornly. The problem is, I can't negotiate with them, so I just make a fake one. That's a complete and utter humiliation of them."
"Once this situation was discovered, our relationship immediately plummeted. This not only greatly impacted my subsequent plans, but also presents me with a difficult problem now."
Chen Tao took a deep breath.
Responding to Clark's gesture of "you continue," Chen Tao told him:
"We have welcomed a new Kryptonian spaceship."
With a crash, Clark suddenly stood up, knocking over the goji berry tea on the table, which fell to the ground and shattered.
"Clark, what happened?"
Louise's voice came from the bedroom. Clark told her, "It's nothing, I just accidentally knocked over a glass."
He forced himself to sit down, but had no intention of tidying up at all.
"It's not a large spaceship like General Zuo De's, nor is it a pet-sized escape pod like Super Dog Xiao Ke."
Chen Tao said, "It is a genuine adult escape pod."
Clark felt a slight tremor.
"My parents..."
"No, it's your cousin," Chen Tao told him. "Your cousin, Kara Zo El."
"The timing of her arrival is very delicate; I estimate that the government is now almost driven mad by insecurity."
"Wait, how did you know her name? Is she already in your hands?"
"Under my surveillance. I used technology to land this escape pod on Earth before the government discovered it, to ensure that your cousin would be facing an empty wilderness when she disembarked from the spaceship, rather than heavily armed soldiers, and that she would have ample time to escape before they arrived."
Chen Tao said:
"But they're not blind, and the technology now is not what it was 20 years ago. Such a large spaceship crashing—no matter how I try to cover it up, the government would have noticed when it broke through the atmosphere, no matter how slow they were to do it."
Chen Tao said:
"Then they will hunt down the creature that is still escaping from the Kryptonian escape pod that just arrived on Earth, at any cost. And the fact that I gave the government a fake Mother Box earlier brought our relationship to a freezing point."
"So this time, they are very likely not as easy to talk to as they were before regarding the issue of Super Dog Small Spending."
"What can I do?"
It's so comfortable talking to smart people. Without Chen Tao even asking, Clark directly stated his purpose for coming. His close relationship with Louis hadn't drained his brain: "To prove my identity to that new Kryptonian?"
"Absolutely correct," Chen Tao said.
"We need Superman, but if we don't have Superman... Supergirl will do too."
20 minute later.
After leaving the Clark family, Chen Tao's emotions were far more turbulent than they appeared on the surface.
The impact of this event on him was no less than when Warner Bros. announced to everyone before his transmigration, "We have decided to replace Superman with Supergirl. The DCEU is officially over."
(Note: DCEU refers to the film series that began with Man of Steel in 2013.)
Originally, because Superman lost his superpowers, he had almost given up on placing his hopes on him and even started looking for the next person he could entrust Gotham to.
He even considered training Bane to be Robin, and then turning him into Batman!
Then reality slapped him hard in the face. Bane's first reaction to being made Batman wasn't elation but fear. Now, he's probably off somewhere on Earth living a pastoral life with the bald zombie Black, and has no intention of fulfilling his wishes at all.
Gotham is basically being held together by Nightwing, Deadshot, Poison Ivy, and a few other members of the Suicide Squad. Otherwise, the more he and Superman suppressed their emotions before, the more violent the rebound will be now.
But now, Supergirl's appearance has given him renewed hope. He can train her, perfectly replicating the training he prepared for Superman on Supergirl, and then, and then...
His long-held idea of retirement no longer seemed so far-fetched. The plan, interrupted by Superman losing his powers, was about a smooth transition…
The temptation was so strong that Chen Tao was almost already imagining what kind of results he would get after doing so.
But just then, a phone call interrupted Chen Tao's thoughts.
He answered the phone, and Alfred's image appeared on the 3D projection screen after a long absence.
"Mr. Bruce, your date with Miss Diana Prince is about to begin—"
"I won't be late, and Alfred, that's obviously not a date."
Chen Tao said, "I'm just asking for her help, and to do some more experiments. Maybe I'll help her out a bit more if I get the chance, and also to test her attitude, discuss some things, and finally have her train me or someone else for a while..."
That's all.
"Ah, yes, yes, yes," Alfred said. "So I advise you not to be late."
"If I hadn't waited for Clark and Louis for so long... never mind." Chen Tao shook his head: "But I made it in time."
He glanced at his watch: "I'm at least 30 to 20 minutes earlier than I expected."
Gum!
At the same time, Clark looked at Louis as he walked out of the room. Even the steel body that wouldn't blink an eye in the face of Doomsday suddenly swallowed hard and broke out in a cold sweat.
"Clark." Then he heard Louis say to him, holding his phone, "Look, look! The store just released a Superman-themed wedding dress and groom's tuxedo! They're gorgeous!"
Clark immediately understood the girl's implication.
……
……
……
So, how can an ordinary person intending to assassinate the US president get close to him?
The mechanical superhero stood thousands of meters in the air, observing the world below with his superhuman eyesight.
It was early morning, and a misty fog shrouded the White House—the center of the nation's highest power—in a hazy light.
In the humanities, a new way of dividing time has emerged: before the advent of Superman and after the advent of Superman.
The White House security perfectly demonstrated this amazing change.
The mechanical superhero scanned the entire layout of the White House with his X-ray vision.
The teleportation jamming devices covering the outer perimeter of the White House provide complete coverage. The development and installation costs of the entire system are enough to support several generations of a small country.
The mechanical superman's gaze lingered on the patrolling security personnel.
X-ray glasses, if needed, can even see through lead plates, and no weapon can be smuggled inside.
The mechanical superhuman's X-ray vision scanned the entire entrance through the walls.
A metal detector that also functions as a superpower detector. It can detect any superpower, and this checkpoint can isolate most dangers... Hmm? What's with this final water spraying process?
Who is this supposed to protect against, and what is its significance?
Uh... why would they require a blood test?
The mechanical superman frowned, then glanced at the ground again.
Yes. Even the floor is covered in detectors, recording the identities of those who enter and continuously comparing their weight and other vital signs. This is a 24/7 monitoring system, primarily used to combat shapeshifters…
Wait, this checkpoint wasn't there a few days ago, and they've added new defensive measures.
The agents patrolling the corridors receive real-time background information on everyone they see, used to verify facial features and other personal data—leaving no stone unturned, a precaution against shapeshifters.
But why be so wary of shapeshifters?
The mechanical superhero stood silently high in the sky.
Who is my target?
Of course, it's the president.
Why should I do this?
You'll find out soon.
How can I achieve my goal?
It's obviously not easy.
But I can still manipulate them. It doesn't even require superpowers. Just a little... manipulation.
The most basic rhetoric, the images, videos, audio, and news obtained from various media channels—this information is so easily manipulated by me, and it's convenient to guide the recipient in the direction I want.
So-called brainwashing is about pre-setting an answer and then implanting it into someone else's mind.
The mechanical superman's gaze pierced through the layers of buildings and landed in the conference room.
"I'm telling you, General Erin, the president will not agree."
The robotic superhuman overheard someone say, "The entire nation is worried that the superpowering of law enforcement will place the country under fascist rule. Frankly, our cabinet shares the same opinion with the president."
"The mechanical superhero is different from Superman; he is a human being from Earth."
You see, by manipulating thoughts, even a weak will can be influenced with simple techniques.
Gently push them toward the ideas they believe to be correct.
General Erin said, "For the past few months, I have been trying to convince you that we are powerless against those superhumans outside."
"While this country is constantly in crisis, you're busy covering up your own political dirty laundry. Don't think I don't know—aren't you just afraid that this new Superman will one day enforce the law on you?"
To change a country's policies, you need neither guns nor fists.
"But don't you guys think about it? If Batman decides to sink the West Coast and build an underwater Batcave, who do you think can save you?"
They gently pat you on the shoulder, give you the right answer, and then they'll help you convince others.
"You need to take a holistic view."
The mechanical superhero heard General Erin say.
He clearly saw the president's wavering, and the mechanical superman shook his head.
Of course, sometimes we need more direct methods.
boom!
The violent explosion was reflected indifferently in the mechanical superhero's pupils.
He saw the sonic boom blast open, and countless Parademons surged towards the White House.
He slowly lowered his head, and then fell like a shooting star.
"roar!!!"
The Parademons easily breached security, killing indiscriminately in the White House corridors to conceal their specific targets. Those who opposed law enforcement by superhumans, those obstacles, their dying screams were all too pleasing to the ear.
A Parademon broke through numerous obstacles and bared its fangs in the president's office. It easily dispatched the last few bodyguards around the president.
The president could even smell the putrid stench emanating from the gaping maw of the Parademon.
Then, in the next moment, the mechanical superhero tore through the ceiling of the room, and the "S" on his chest and that terrifying half-human, half-machine face gleamed in the misty morning air and sunlight.
He gripped the Howling Parademon's jaws, his eyes shooting out destructive red lasers. With the Parademon's agonizing screams, the mechanical superman ripped it in two. Green blood splattered onto the floor like a fountain.
The silent humanoid creatures and the wailing, roaring, yet powerless behemoths formed a stark contrast.
The mechanical superhero turned around, gently tossed the already dead Parademon to the ground, wiped away the green blood splattered on its half-steel face, and hovered in front of the president.
"Mr. President, your security measures are inadequate."
To be honest, this was supposed to be a very intimidating entrance, a carefully designed entrance by the mechanical superhero.
"You need me—"
brush!
But before the mechanical superhero could finish speaking, he was drenched by the automatic sprinkler in the president's room. That thing was purely mechanical, without any electronic control.
"It has been confirmed that the target was not Mudface in disguise."
A crisp electronic sound came from inside the room.
Have a wonderful morning free of mud!
Robot Superman: "..."
Who set up this idiotic security system?
Amanda Waller stood beside the president, his brow furrowed.
I finally finished writing! Waaah, I fell asleep while writing yesterday! Oh, I'm so sorry, so sorry... Ah, I'll go back to sleep for a while now...
(End of this chapter)