Chapter 42 Scales? Mutation.

It's like an epidemic is spreading rapidly. In just two weeks, more and more people have woken up to find strange, non-human organs growing on their bodies. The government has set up a team to investigate this problem, but unfortunately, no one has found the answer in the short term.

Some people who developed mutated 'symptoms' were treated as madmen or carriers of infectious diseases and were locked up in mental hospitals and prisons. Arkham Asylum and Brudhaven Hospital were both overcrowded with people who were either voluntarily or involuntarily locked up. The mental hospital that Wayne Enterprises and Osborn Enterprises had previously jointly established was also overcrowded.

When this terrible change finally manifested itself among government officials and a segment of the wealthy, no one debated whether those monsters should be locked up anymore; public opinion shifted to whether this signified a complete evolution. But ordinary people trembled with fear, secretly praying that such a fate wouldn't befall them.

Those who possessed the mutated characteristics became bizarre and unfamiliar, no longer resembling their former selves. They would roam the streets at night, gain immense strength, and look at their former relatives and friends with arrogance and wariness.

But not everyone thinks this change is bad; some people believe it is a blessing from God, representing the emergence of a better new human being in the world.

They believed that the new humans, as a minority group, should have privileges, so they gathered together and formed a new force.

Fortunately, the superheroes have already taken action, and so far there have been no incidents of riots caused by these mutated humans.

"Still nothing found?" Dick asked Batman anxiously.

After subtly questioning Alfred several times about whether Bruce had indeed developed the strange reversed triple helix pattern, Dick chose to temporarily trust Batman.

The current situation is too bizarre; they seem to be left with no choice but to passively wait for these mutated humans to strike. The number of mutated humans is increasing, yet they cannot find the source of the mutation at all.

Constantine stated bluntly that the alien life form inside Allen had shown signs of becoming uncontrollable.

“Originally, Allen was supposed to be the one imprisoning that thing,” Constantine said, ruffling his blond hair in frustration, “but now… I suspect Allen has chosen to cooperate with the monster, because only he has the means to release it.”

Dick's heart skipped a beat; he finally understood the uneasy feeling he had had when he questioned Allen several times before.

Worst of all, he hasn't been able to contact Alan for a week now. Even Harry can't get any news about Alan.

As planned, Harry feigned illness at home while he, posing as Daredevil, went to see Lex Luthor. Luthor didn't seem to realize his identity, but he didn't immediately agree to Harry's request to see the real Matthew Murdoch.

After that, Allen never sent out any more messages.

“We must find Alan Osborn first,” Batman said. “He is the source of everything.”

The bat computer displays a dense array of tiny red dots showing the distribution of mutated humans in various regions. Clearly, everything is centered on Brudhaven, with the mutations spreading outwards like a tidal wave.

Bruce turned to Dick: "Nightwing, control your emotions."

Dick lowered his eyes, looking at the crumpled document in his hand, and pursed his lips without saying a word.

**

The outskirts of Brodhaven.

No one knew that another laboratory had appeared out of nowhere in just a few weeks. The location was above Allen's former underground laboratory.

The Luther Group announced that it had made an overseas investment and partnered with the city of Bruderhaven to establish this human genetic research laboratory.

The laboratory resembled a lighthouse standing in the suburbs, its slender, tall structure inlaid with unknown crystals. Luther claimed that this was a new type of explosion-proof glass developed by their laboratory, but only Allen knew that it was definitely not explosion-proof glass at all.

It is part of the alien creatures that Luther possesses.

Luther wasn't himself, and therefore had no idea how close his connection with the alien creature had become. He could vaguely sense a feeling of merging with the lighthouse-like structure, and he knew that this was something Luther had done to accelerate his fusion with the alien creature.

The LexCorp established an experimental team to study mutated humans, and while conducting research, they requested Allen to provide them with more genetic information.

Luther looked with satisfaction at the bizarrely shaped monsters imprisoned in the Lighthouse Laboratory: "Allen, how does it feel to control humans with your abilities? I've noticed there are more and more mutated humans lately. Has your perverse sense of humor finally been unleashed?"

If anyone were to pay attention, they would likely notice that the routes of those mutated human activities all passed through the outskirts of Brudhaven to some extent. Some were ships passing through Brudhaven harbor, others were planes flying over it, and the overlapping routes were near the lighthouse. Allen knew that with Dick's keen senses, he wouldn't miss it.

It's unclear whether Luther views alien creatures as too useless or too useful. He still believes that Allen has created a virus capable of widespread transmission and infection, and has ordered his research team to replicate it as soon as possible.

Allen scoffed, "Isn't this just your twisted sense of humor?"

After saying that, he closed his eyes wearily.

Beneath the white lab coat, what supported Allen standing on the floor was no longer a pair of human legs, but a snake-like tail. Dark green scales silently coiled beneath the experimental table, then irritably tapped the floor.

Luther stared with some fascination at the small scale growing under Allen's eye and the IV tube connected to the monster on his back, wondering in his mind how much of Allen's human sanity he still possessed.

By now, Allen's thoughts and soul must have been almost completely devoured by the monster.

This is what he wanted.

The monster is easier to control than Allen. As long as Allen agrees to merge with the monster, he will be the one who is devoured in the end, while the alien monster that is easily deceived by humans will be left behind.

'Trishker', right? That's a great name.

Allen opened his eyes impatiently, looking at Luther who was still there, and stabbed the pipette in his hand like a dart at Luther's face.

The polyethylene pipette tip flew past Luther's cheek like a steel nail before slamming into the wall.

Allen spoke, his voice hoarse as if it had been rubbed with sandpaper: "What are you still doing here? Are you waiting for me to serve you tea?"

"...I just wanted to ask you, do you remember Dick?" Luther asked tentatively. "Dick Grayson, your good friend in Brudhaven, he seems to have been infected too..."

A struggle crossed Allen's pale face, and his fierce eyes seemed to go blank for a moment. A few seconds later, he turned to Luther: "Of course I know. Bring him here now. I want to see him with my own eyes... I want to see his mutation!"

Upon hearing this, Luther's eyes darkened for a moment, it was unclear whether he felt sorry for Allen or for Dick.

However, he was quite willing to do it.

Nightwing was so convincing as Daredevil that he couldn't even tell the difference, but his collaboration with that Daredevil wasn't so simple, and Allen occasionally made mistakes due to his blind arrogance.

Luther's smile widened, and he nodded to Allen: "Of course, no problem. I'll bring him to see you tomorrow."

**

Nightwing followed closely behind Luther, carrying Matthew's short stick.

The long passage seemed to have no end, with stone staircases slowly descending, making Dick feel as if he were walking in a medieval castle.

But it seems there is no difference. No matter how much Lex Group claims that the laboratory it built uses the latest materials, it cannot stop the lighthouse from exuding an air of decay and antiquity from the inside out.

"What's wrong, not feeling well?" Luther asked casually. "I thought you'd be happy."

"I'm about to see the results I've been waiting for, of course I'm very happy," Dick said perfunctorily. "How much longer do we have to walk? If we keep going like this, I'll start to suspect that you're planning to abandon me after I've served my purpose and kill me."

Batman was inside the Batcave, intently watching the scene on the screen. The sight felt strangely familiar, as if he had seen it there before.

He squinted and retrieved a photo from the folder.

Newgrange Tomb is a prehistoric tomb located near the River Boyne in County Meath, northeast Ireland. The approximately 200,000-ton stone mound and the foundation composed of 97 megaliths form this passageway-like burial site. Each rock is carved with a reversed triple helix, said to be a totem of ancient civilization, symbolizing life and the continuous universe.

Dick walked slowly forward along the corridor, deliberately displaying every engraved pattern on the wall to the camera under the bright lights.

However, after they continued forward, turned a corner, and passed a stone tablet, they could no longer receive any signals from Dick in the bat cave.

Dick hadn't noticed this until Luther stopped and turned around.

Luther gave Dick a strange smile: "Welcome to the new world, Dick."

Dick's muscles tensed instantly, but before he could react, the stone gate in front of him and Luther burst open.

It was pitch black inside, as if no light could penetrate the room. Dick looked around warily, but could not glean any useful information in the darkness.

The infrared night vision device embedded under the mask seemed to have lost its function. This place was like a hellish abyss, where any prying gaze would be swallowed up unless one possessed the eye of God.

Suddenly, a pair of familiar green eyes appeared in the darkness, emitting a dim light.

Something cold seemed to touch Dick's cheek.

Are they scales?

Dick realized this belatedly.

Immediately, he felt a tremendous force coming from his waist, which pulled him directly into darkness.