PFC Chapter 4350 Body of Steel (55)
Chapter 4350 Body of Steel (55)
Chapter 4350 Body of Steel (Fifty-Five)
Clark couldn't quite describe his feelings at that moment. After all, he hadn't actually encountered any danger, nor had he suffered the loss of loved ones. But he understood that this was the fundamental difference between him and Batman.
Batman, too, has lost loved ones in a truly tragic way. But at least in the end, it seems he did nothing. Clark doesn't know if he was incapable of doing anything, or unwilling to. He only knows that if he were to experience the same thing, the world would be changed.
Even now, though he hasn't experienced any truly devastating events, he's gradually changing the world. The Sky Eye Society might disappear because of him, Luther has the opportunity to create more inventions, and various factions might reassess their relationship with extraterrestrials.
Will Batman accept this change?
More importantly, can Clark accept Bruce becoming a victim of this change?
In the past, Clark wouldn't have hesitated for a moment. He would simply do what he wanted to do. But now, he's uncertain. If Batman were to actually stop him, he's unsure whether, after careful consideration, he would choose to give up.
Clark couldn't accurately summarize or generalize how Batman had shaken him. From initially realizing that Batman was just a mortal who could be hurt and bleed, to gradually witnessing his immense power amidst his own struggles, Clark, for some reason, preferred to see himself as the climber who challenged the gods. Perhaps that was indeed the case.
Defeating God and replacing God is an inevitable step on the path to control and change. But Clark was unwilling to imagine Bruce falling, harboring a deep-seated resistance and fear.
Through the layers of rain, Clark looked into Batman's eyes. What should have been a cold, icy sea now held emotions he couldn't decipher.
“Are you going to stop me?” Clark asked.
“You need to prove to me that you really have the power to change,” Batman said. “This will be the last time, my friend.”
Clark took a deep breath and swooped down towards him. He intended to grab Batman and lift him into the air. But Batman seemed to have anticipated this; he first dodged with a somersault, then his grappling hook wrapped around Clark's arm. As Clark turned and took flight again, Clark leaped into the air, unfurling his cape as he glided downwards.
Clark followed behind him. The two walked one after the other through the skyscrapers and rain-soaked mist of the metropolis. It looked like a battle, but more like a stroll in the rain. It wasn't a good time to talk, but Clark still asked, "How did Damian die?"
“He fell from the building,” Batman replied. “He was kidnapped, and when I went to rescue him, I was blinded by rage and only focused on attacking the kidnappers. He fell while struggling.”
This answer didn't surprise Clark. He had already guessed that Batman's advice might have come from his own experience. Even so, he still felt very sad.
"That kidnapper..."
"he died."
"Did you kill him?"
“Not really,” Batman said after a pause. “He was asking for trouble, and I just didn’t save him.”
"If I..."
"Clark, change is a one-way street. That means once you start, you have to find a way to remove whatever obstacles you encounter. Some things make you a hero if you do them to the end, and a sinner if you don't."
Clark felt his breath catch in his throat. He realized Bruce was talking about him. Batman had actually been gone for a long time. And people didn't see him as a powerful and righteous superhero, but rather as a fleeting monster in a tight suit.
Batman finally stopped on the rooftop of a shorter building. He looked at Clark and said, "Advice from a loser might sound ridiculous. You're younger and stronger. But you'll also encounter obstacles that you can't overcome no matter what you try. Clark, I'd like to know what you'll do then."
A sense of foreboding flashed through Clark's mind. He instinctively stepped back, trying to distance himself from Batman, but it was too late. He saw Batman press a button on his belt. A bright purple light suddenly illuminated the edge of the rooftop of the building to his left rear.
Sizzle—!!!!
A blinding, intense beam of light flashed by. A laser beam shot straight at Superman. When the light faded, a gaping hole appeared in Clark's chest. His expression froze in shock before he plummeted. In the midst of excruciating pain and fading consciousness, the last thing he saw was a bat spreading its wings and swooping through the dark clouds.
"Superman!!!"
Someone let out the first scream, followed by a massive crowd gathering. Then came the police and the military. Everyone who witnessed the scene peered out of the building. Someone else shouted:
"Superman is dead... He's dead!!!"
"No! How could he have died so easily?!"
"He's not dead! He couldn't possibly be dead!"
Amidst gasps of astonishment, Superman's body slammed heavily to the ground. His incomparably magnificent, towering steel frame bled, just like any ordinary mortal. The blood spread and mingled with the rain, until it dyed the entire world red.
The azure eyes gradually lost their luster, and the pupils began to dilate. The body's self-repairing mechanisms continuously attempted to heal the wounds, but the mysterious energy constantly resisted. A tug-of-war ensued, with neither side able to gain the upper hand.
Amanda ran over too. Upon seeing Superman's "corpse," she screamed and immediately began directing the police officers present: "He's dead! I need his body! Quick, get his body to Bellife Prison!!!"
No one moved. Everyone simply stared in disbelief at the scene. They couldn't believe that such a powerful god had fallen. This fact continued to assault their reason.
"You bastards! Look closely, he's dead!!! This is yet another victory, and his corpse will be the most precious treasure, my spoils of war..."
Before she could finish speaking, she felt many cold gazes lingering over her. She suddenly realized that among the soldiers and police officers she used to command, quite a few were looking at her coldly.
"Are you all crazy?! I'm your boss! I'm ordering you to take the body to Belliv prison. I need to examine him immediately!" Amanda was frantic and didn't care about her subordinates' feelings at all, just kept repeating that she wanted them to collect the body.
She knew all too well that Superman's corpse would be incredibly valuable. His power was undeniable. If she could uncover the secret to his strength, or even turn his body into weapons, she might be able to control the world.
Ultimately, her subordinates did as she instructed. They cautiously approached Superman's body. The first officer to reach out discovered that Superman's body was still warm, as if he were still alive. And because they were close enough, he could clearly see that the wound on Superman's chest seemed to be healing. Although the process was very slow, it was repairing itself.
He glanced back at Amanda, seeing her狰狞 (zhengning, meaning ferocious) and greedy expression. In the blurry rain, she looked like a monster ready to devour its prey. His Adam's apple bobbed, he took a deep breath, and waved his hand, saying, "Bring the body bag."
The subordinates looked at each other, but still went to get a body bag. All the police officers who had handled the body remained silent, simply putting the tall body into the bag before putting it into the police car.
The police car disappeared into the darkening sky. Everyone who witnessed it was deeply shocked. First, they saw Superman display his unassailable power like a god. But then, this powerful god fell, not at the hands of his enemies, but at the hands of Batman.
People started bringing up Batman's name again. Why had this long-dormant monster reappeared, and why was he at odds with Superman? Nobody knew, but everyone was curious.
Batman, returning home on a rainy night, took off his Batsuit. He didn't even leave the changing room; he simply sat down in a chair. His lips were tightly pressed together, his expression appearing both icy and numb.
After a while, he smelled the aroma of coffee. When he went outside, he saw Schiller sitting on the sofa with two steaming cups of coffee in front of him. Bruce went over and sat down, vigorously wiping his face and letting out a long sigh.
“I know you’re upset too, but there’s nothing we can do about it. Based on our current investigation, the dark forces that have invaded this time are definitely related to magic, or at least not conventional forces. If Clark Kent can’t get through this, he won’t be able to lead the Earth any further.”
“I think we should at least have informed him,” Bruce said. “He was completely unprepared, which proves he never expected me to attack him with magic. I shouldn’t have…”
“Alright, it’s too late to repent now.” Schiller shook his head, put down his cup, and said, “We still have a problem to deal with.”
Amanda Waller?
“She’s no problem. I’m talking about Zod. He may have been defeated by Superman, but he’s not dead. He’ll be back sooner or later.”
Bruce took a deep breath and said, "Alright. Since he's a monster created by Luther, he must know his background. I'll go ask him."
After Bruce left, Schiller heard a gasp from the communicator: "You killed Superman???"
“I didn’t kill him,” Schiller said. “Batman did.”
"This is even more terrifying, okay?!" came the incredulous voice of Batman from the comms. "How did you even convince him?! How could a Batman kill Superman???"
"Don't worry about that, we have our own rhythm."
“I don’t see the necessity for this.” The Great Adventurer’s tone became slightly more serious, then he said, “You’d better not be settling a personal score. Even if Superman needs to be wary of magic, is it really necessary to use such extreme methods?”
“That is certainly a reminder, but that’s not the point,” Schiller said.
"What on earth do you want to do?"
"To build a true body of steel."