Chapter 109: Superman Training Plan

After the game officially starts, the Sanity bar in the upper right corner of the screen is full again.

"What is the principle behind this? If it really refers to rationality, it is using data to manipulate Superman's mind!"

"That's impossible. The magic that Superboy brought doesn't work like that."

"We can't discuss any results now. We can only draw conclusions when it really drops to a certain level, but that also means the situation becomes extremely dangerous."

They can only try to keep this ominous energy bar static, considering that the game doesn't even have a manual.

In the game, Clark found himself in Metropolis again, but this time he was not wearing a reporter's T-shirt suit, but Superman's primary color uniform.

"Are you okay?" Diana asked outside the game. "You looked a little tired just now."

"Maybe it's because I received too much information in a short period of time." Clark flew to a deserted place and whispered, "Luckily I have a super brain, otherwise I might think I am... the me in the game. For a while, I really thought I had lived my whole life as him."

"But I noticed that you reacted quickly."

"I saw you first, my friends, and no one knew that Clark."

As he spoke, he flew up a little and looked around: "I always feel like something is wrong. Is the city usually this quiet?"

The alley under his feet connected to a main street that was usually bustling with people. At this moment, the traffic lights were functioning as usual, but there were more than half as many cars on the street as on weekdays. The drivers who occasionally passed by all had serious and dazed expressions, as if they had received some major stimulation.

The Kryptonian AI seemed to be non-existent at this moment. People in and outside the game called it several times in succession but to no avail. It had no intention of speaking on its own unless a special plot was triggered.

"I have to find out what happened."

Superman flew to the street, and while waiting for the red light, he greeted a passing driver: "Good afternoon."

"Hello." The residents of Metropolis were used to Superman's appearance, but their eyes were slightly evasive when they looked at him, with pity and sadness. "What a terrible weather. Didn't you go to the Flash's funeral, Superman?"

When he said the first half of the sentence, the Metropolitan Hero subconsciously looked up at the cloudless sky above him. He was about to make a joke, but he was stunned by the second half of the sentence: "What? Whose funeral?"

He quickly glanced to the side - the Flash outside the game waved at him: "Calm down, I'm still alive, big blue guy. Listen to what he says."

"The Flash," the driver repeated. "A lot of people went, but I think people would understand if you didn't want to go."

"I... I'm sorry. I'll go first." Superman stuttered, "I don't-- you're right, I have to go check the situation."

He turned around and turned into a red and blue light across the sky of the city, always feeling that his back was still stabbed by the compassionate gaze. After a while, Clark, who had been running through the streets and alleys, had figured out the whole story, and said to his companion in shock: "The media said that the murderer of the Flash was Lex Luther, and the Luther here is the President of the United States!"

Barry shook his head. "I'm not surprised at all."

Batman asks, "How do you feel now?"

"I am angry and confused?"

"Very good, keep it up, don't let the surrounding environment affect you, always remember that everything that happens in the game is not real."

Superman blinked his blue eyes: "Anyway, I should go to the funeral now."

He inevitably felt depressed, and when he arrived at his destination, he did not land in front of anyone, but instead used his super vision to watch from a distance. The game AI did provide players with a close-up shot, and Barry said at first sight, "Wait, that's not me! The Flash in this world is Wally!"

"Your little assistant?"

"Oh my God! It's him! But why?"

Just now, the Flash was the calmest among them. Sometimes it was easier to learn of his own death than to accept the death of his companions. But now that his loved ones were lying three feet away, Barry immediately became the most emotional one: "Clark, please, can you come closer? I want to know what happened!"

The funeral was already halfway through, and the atmosphere was heavy and solemn. Clark saw Bruce and Diana from this universe standing at the front of the crowd, bowing their heads in silence. Someone in the distance was discussing what happened, and whispered, "...was it a nuclear bomb? I heard that the president launched a nuclear bomb, and I wonder if the Flash died because of it..."

"He keeps running and running, but as far as I know, apart from his super speed, the Flash is no different from us ordinary people..."

The audience clenched their fists unconsciously.

"Clark."

Batman's voice came from behind him, with a warning tone.

"I know. I just wonder, why couldn't Superman stop this from happening?"

"You shouldn't think like that. Don't you realize that you are being influenced by that body? Stay calm."

Batman glanced sideways at Barry as he spoke.

In fact, the Flash had to speak up to achieve the greatest reminder effect, but I don't know if it was a coincidence that the Flash who died was not himself but his young successor. As a result, people inside and outside the field were distracted, and Batman couldn't help but start to worry whether his friend was too deeply involved in the game.

The risks of the Arkham Knight universe are only endured once.

"I……"

Kryptonian AI suddenly spoke at this time: "You blame yourself for your companion's departure. You want to understand how things happened, but also want to avoid a cruel ending. Fortunately, you still have a chance - spend 5 Sanity points to turn back time to before the death of the Flash. Do you want to make a deal?"

Sounds like a paid item in a garbage game.

But the effect is truly impressive.

Clark glanced at the dazed Barry again and said, "Five points of sanity, not a lot."

"This is very important." Batman said word by word, "You only have a total of 100 points. We don't know what negative effects will occur after deducting a large amount of points, and we don't know whether it will be necessary to use it later."

"So we just sit here and do nothing and let this unfold?"

"And you don't even know if going back to the past is a side quest or not. Will it help us get to the end? Don't forget that our goal is to rescue you!"

"Both of you stop for a moment." The Green Lantern stood in the middle and made a pause gesture with his lantern ring. "Risks and rewards coexist, but I think there is a trap in the description of the game. How can we guarantee that we can change the development of the game after returning to the past, instead of just watching the Flash's... uh, death again?"

"I can go and take care of Luther." Superman looked at his companion without dodging, "At least we know who is the culprit."

Batman said coldly: "Then you can do it now."

“Okay!” Shazan said loudly, “I have a lot of experience playing games, and I think this is just a normal pay-to-win option. Paying Sanity will give you additional side plots, but there are no ending rewards. We can just leave it alone for now!”

"I agree." The Flash came to his senses and said, "There's no need to waste your sanity on this. Let's continue."

Batman bowed his head and chose 'no'.

Superman stopped talking. He turned around and found that Bruce and Diana from the game had walked over to him at some point.

"You're here, Clarke...my condolences."

The Son of Krypton nodded in response.

He was still a little angry, so his expression was stiffer than usual, and his voice was deeper: "What are you going to do next?"

"Go to our president. He can't do all this and then pretend nothing happened."

Luther is still alive and even sitting in the president's seat? This was Clark's first thought. Furious, he agreed to the heroine's proposal without hesitation. The three of them broke into the White House more smoothly than expected. The human armed forces were instantly defeated under the threat of superpowers, and they didn't even need to dodge bullets. Superman rushed into the president's office first. The familiar bald man was packing a suitcase. Seeing him coming, he was not afraid, and even smiled with ease: "I didn't expect you could wait until after the funeral to come."

"I didn't expect you to wait until today to think of running away. Where did your wisdom go?"

"I thought you were still going to wait for the people's sanctions as usual - the people, ha! I am now standing at the highest point of this country, who can judge me?"

"What did you do?"

"you do not know?"

Luther's mocking expression was so irritating that before his brain could react, Superman had already lifted his collar and said in an unprecedentedly threatening tone: "You want to start a war with a nuclear bomb."

"This is a permanent solution." The green-eyed bald man remained calm even when he grabbed his vitals. "They cannot see the beauty of my plan. They would rather fight with superhumans and ignore the risks of the future. They naively believe that the Justice League will protect the earth forever. This is the people's mistake, and I am correcting it."

"And you murdered the Flash!"

"That's right!" Luther shouted, "So Superman! Are you standing here facing me for your dead companions? Or for the law, justice and the will of the people? Admit it, Superman, you don't care about my guilt at all. I can see that you don't have those rules in your eyes now."

Before he finished speaking, he kicked open the drawer and placed his thumb on a threatening red button: "Want to give it a try?"

"Don't move. I have many ways to stop you."

"You will, Superman." Luther tilted his head with a smile, "But either way will result in casualties. Now, let me go. You should know in your heart that you need me - without sin, where would the world be a hero?"

Superman's fingertips suddenly tightened.

Several voices came from behind him at the same time: "Stop! Clark/Superman!"

At the critical moment, the Kryptonian AI spoke, startling everyone. The rhythmic tone carried a secret and strange tone: "You found the real murderer who killed the Flash. His unrepentant attitude made you angry. You gradually became tired of continuing to entangle with this wise man with no moral bottom line. As Lex Luthor said, why can't you choose to do it once and for all? Why can't you build a world where no innocent people will die? Why do you have to... Endure these struggles and unreasonable speculations? Who represents the people? Who decides justice? Your companions may not understand your change, but you are sure to correct their thoughts. Those people are your trustworthy friends, they will always support you and move forward with you, you will not be alone. Thinking of this, you feel that you are about to convince yourself, Kal El, you look at the former president in front of you, and finally make a decision: kill him/let him go again. "

Before his companions outside the game screamed, Superman was about to loosen his grip - Luther did need a lesson, but he didn't want to kill him yet. However, after the AI ​​spoke, he found that time was frozen and he couldn't retract his arm before making a choice.

"What kind of option is this?" He almost laughed out of anger, suppressing the strong grief and hatred in his body, "I don't want to kill him, choose the second one."

“…”

This should have been an option that could not be resolved, but Batman, who had always been responsible for coordinating decisions outside the game, did not make any move.

After a while, he said, "The game's narration is very interesting."

Superman took a deep breath and said, "Bruce, your focus should be on the right place. Remember you told me before that these were all fake?"

"You're right. But I also remember that we have to get through all the endings before we can pass the level - I think this is the first key point. Luther's life and death will lead to different endings." The alliance consultant paused at this time, as if there was something difficult to say. After a moment, he continued with difficulty, "Sooner or later, you will have to face the first option, Clark."

If this was a common villain's conspiracy, they could have stopped here and contacted outside help to find other solutions.

But this is a cosmic loophole. Behind Krypton's AI is the will of the universe.

"Don't worry. We want to save you from the game, and the one who makes the choice is the 'player', not the 'character'."

"Have you thought about what will happen after this? After I take action? 'Your companions may not understand your change, but you are sure to correct their minds.'" Superman stood still and kept holding Luther, "I can kill Luther, but what if the person I hold is you? Or any of you? My friends manipulated my hands to kill themselves in another world, and then told me that it was to save me?"

"Kal-El! You're overthinking it!"

Who is the one who is always pessimistic?

"No... don't call me by that name." The young man with a body of steel shuddered as if he felt the cold. His sky-like eyes lowered, revealing a hint of impertinent pleading. "Let's choose the second one first, okay?"