Chapter 108: Superman Training Plan

After starting the game, the game interface seen by outside "players" is different. In addition to the subtitles that come with the Kryptonian AI, there is also a deep red progress bar at the top of the screen, which now shows 100%, but there is no label on what it means.

While the AI ​​was describing the situation, the voice of Batman on the screen was low and deep, which was his usual tone when threatening criminals: "Who are you? How did you get on Bruce Wayne's yacht? How did you fight off the Death Clock? What do you want to know from Dick Grayson? Why is your birth certificate forged? Answer me now, or else--"

"The yacht and funeral clock he mentioned never appeared." Bruce said outside the game, "The cause and effect of the event are not determined by the player, and the same is true for the NPC's behavior. Otherwise, this sentence should remove the extra information that is not known to the player, unless they are foreshadowing in the later stage."

Steel Bone: "I also think that what this passage reveals is somewhat unnecessary. This is a tutorial level, and in theory, the information given by the AI ​​narration is enough for us to make a decision."

"I reserve my opinion," Shazan shook his head. "Whether the purpose of this game is good or bad, it only takes one sentence to make me want to continue playing - what on earth did Superman do on Batman's yacht?"

“…It’s not about options.”

"What if?"

"Excuse me," the in-game Superman said politely, "I'm still here with Bruce holding my head. Whatever I did to his yacht, I should have a defense."

"What the chairman said makes sense. Batman violated the suspect's human rights." Green Lantern said, "I suggest we fight back."

Batman: "Second."

The Flash choked on his own saliva and couldn't help coughing for a long time: "...Do you really want to choose this one? Although Batman has already discovered the abnormality, but... okay."

“I think the game AI can control time and fix the behavior of the superhero in the game to certain specific options. But it may not be able to interfere with the actions of other NPCs.”

Or if this is a cosmic loophole, then these NPCs at least existed at some point in real life, rather than being virtual paper figures written in code.

The Kryptonian AI, which is magically activated, is actually equivalent to the time controller and space converter in the singularity universe. Once Superman does not move forward according to the route it sets, the scene will be returned to the starting point.

That is the nature of options.

No wonder the system says that Superman faces 'iron laws that cannot be changed'.

AI, to some extent, represents the evil will of the universe.

The tutorial levels provide an opportunity to verify this assumption, but players also need to consider the character's feelings - Superman is their comrade-in-arms and their friend.

Superman asked, "What if you chose the counterattack option and I didn't do it?"

"Let's give it a try."

Bruce presses the button outside the game.

Clark on the screen didn't move.

Time passed by minute by minute. Ten seconds later, a warning sign appeared on the screen. The AI ​​said: "It is detected that the character has not responded for a long time or behaved inappropriately. Negative game warning. Mission judgment failed. Read the built-in save point. Sanity value -1. Note: The sanity value of the tutorial level will return to the initial value when the official game starts."

In the blink of an eye, the deep red energy bar in the upper right corner dropped to 99%.

At the same time, the game's 'Batman' disappeared, and Clark sat back in front of the window in an instant. With the Kryptonian's reaction speed, he didn't even realize how things happened. The laptop was intact, and the AI ​​repeated the opening narration again - the scene reappeared, and time went back.

Like a miracle.

People were stunned and speechless for a moment, and Wonder Woman whispered, "Hera, behold."

Other points that require special attention include:

"The cost of playing negative games is to deduct Sanity points. What on earth is this? It sounds dangerous."

The second time, with the same option, Clark did not stop, but turned around and grabbed Batman's neck and threw him against the wall, leaving a hole as big as a washbasin.

System: “He will understand.”

Superman thought to himself, "Maybe. In fact, sometimes I really want to do this, sometimes."

People just need to be a little harder on themselves.

Outside the game, the superheroes looked at the sky and the earth but not at their colleagues. Aquaman asked, "Isn't this the consequence of reduced sanity?"

"He meant you could be gentler."

Superman did not answer his teammate's question. He raised his other hand and took off the Batman mask: "Please knock on the door next time, Bruce."

Outside the game, Cyborg said: "Superman can hear what we say, but the NPC in the game can't see us and will wonder who he is talking to. So when the AI ​​doesn't give the option to stop time and there are outsiders present, he can't communicate with us directly."

"But Clark's tone is too... friendly." Batman frowned, "I haven't met the other one yet."

"You know me." As expected, Batman's blue eyes showed confusion, "Who are you...what are you?"

"I'm an intern reporter." Superman pushed his glasses pretentiously. "If you have time, can you let me interview you? I'm very interested in both Batman and Wayne."

Shazan could no longer control his desire to complain: "Don't tell me this is your first acquaintance."

Batman replied expressionlessly: "No."

Clark's answer was Batman's flash bullet.

He could resist this, but he let go.

Sure enough, the next second, the room was empty, with only the Batman cape held in Superman's hand indicating the arrival of the uninvited guest.

Superman twirled the torn corners of his cape: "The game has a higher degree of freedom than I imagined, and most of my actions are unrestricted."

He used his super hearing to check the heartbeat of Batman who had jumped out of the window and found that his emotions were only slightly fluctuating, and he was far from panicking.

"What a pity," he picked up the scrapped computer again, "According to the plot, I really need to interview him."

"You can do anything now. This Clark Kent hasn't become Superman yet."

The evidence is that there are no Krypton-related items in the room, nor is there a Superman uniform.

"Yes." Clark looked at the framed photo in the bookcase. "I grew up with Martha and Jonathan."

He has more...choices?

The black cape of the urban legend Gotan swayed slightly in the wind blowing in from the window.

The AI ​​then spoke: "You had a one-sided friendly conversation with Batman. Holding the equipment left by the superhero in your hands, you feel that you have been inspired by the spirit. You want to achieve great things, but your love for your family always holds you back. Do you decide to put on the cape of the Dark Knight and become Superman?"

“…”

When the options are given, time stops again.

Clark repeated: "'Put on the cape of Batman and become Superman'? Seriously?"

There was a continuous laugh outside the game, and it stopped when the alliance chairman looked over.

"We're not laughing at you, we're remembering something happy."

Clark tentatively put the cape over his shoulders and leaned in front of the mirror to examine his image.

He could hear his colleagues' uncontrollable laughter again.

These people have no intention of covering up!

"I think it's pretty good." The Green Lantern panted and said, "Do you need a pilot's helmet and goggles? I can lend you one. If you cover your face with them, no one will know who you are."

Superman resolutely put down his cape: "It's just a tutorial level, let's try another option."

Refuse to be superman. This has never happened before.

Superman is Clark Kent.

But what if Clark Kent no longer intends to be Superman?

So weird.

This is just a tutorial to get started with the game.

But just thinking about it makes me wonder, why did this happen? How come there is no Superman in this world?

The laughter outside the game gradually died down, and everyone looked at each other: "Are you sure, Big Blue?"

"Why not?" Superman looked around at them. "It's just a choice. We have to figure out how the game works."

After a moment of silence, Batman said, "He's right. We still don't know how the game determines the ending. Even if it only gives options at important turning points, do we need to play until Superman dies of old age?"

Shazan hesitated, "In fact, some endings of this kind of game may come out very soon... Well, I'm not sure, why not try it first."

Others had no objection.

As the rules of the game state, sooner or later they will try every option, realistic or outrageous, to complete the game.

The moment he made the decision, Clark suddenly felt his heartbeat become unbalanced for half a second.

System: "Be careful, the rules of the game are in effect."

But Clark didn't hear the system. He didn't know what was going on.

For a moment, he seemed to become a spectator, and seemed to be fully immersed in the "role". He watched "himself" grow up in the wheat fields in the countryside of Kansas, and when he first learned to fly, he didn't know how to land, and Jonathan Kent came to rescue him in a plane. The middle-aged man put a rope around his ankle, and he approached the soil that nurtured him like a drifting kite.

He sees himself dating beautiful girls and taking road trips with friends. He tries to use his abilities to help others. Sometimes he is like a hero, sometimes he is a monster. Only Martha says to him: "You are a wishing star. You are my dream come true."

He was growing up, he was wandering around, he was trying to be a good guy with a lot of free time, but Lex Luther said he was stupid, his friends thought he was short-sighted.

They quarreled, and he escaped to the universe, where he met an alien holding a lamp ring, who told him that he did not belong to the earth and that his hometown would never see him again.

A huge sorrow and emptiness enveloped him at that moment, and he didn't know whether it was due to the loneliness of eternal existence or the confusion of having no way out.

He realized that he might not be able to live up to everyone's expectations.

He can be Superman, but Superman is not God.

"You think your decision might be a mistake, that Batman might have limited your thinking. You don't know. But you decide to give yourself a vacation. You choose to put aside those things that temporarily confuse you and go back to the place that will always accept you and love you. One day, such a place will no longer exist, and you will still have to put on your other cape to save the world. But who can predict it? At least now you have a short rest."

"Congratulations on reaching the end of the tutorial: No Peace."

The next moment, Clark found himself standing on the grassland at the game login interface.

He couldn't help but half-kneel down, breathing softly, and felt his forehead twitching violently, transmitting the pain deep into his brain.

"I feel like... I feel like I've been going on for a long time."

He whispered, still feeling the palpitations from before.

"How long have you been there?"

"—less than five minutes, Clark. Only sporadic images on the screen, and the game AI still speaking narration. What did you see?"

"I don't know." After returning to the start screen, Superman's clothes changed back to the three primary colors of the uniform. But for a moment he seemed to still be standing in Martha's cabin, his blue eyes like the clear sky with confusion and physiological moisture, "I saw myself."