Chapter 116: Superman Training Plan

When you enter the game again, the game AI will automatically rewind the save to the point where you choose whether to attack Shazan.

As I analyzed before, although AI is one in a million, its tactics are quite limited. Once the system slightly interferes with its judgment of the extent of the character's attack, even if Superman lets go of himself in the game, it will only be helpless and furious.

After choosing the 'Kill' option, the AI ​​said sarcastically: "In the second round, you finally made up your mind. Whether it is for a higher goal or for yourself, someone has to make a sacrifice. But don't you think it's weird when you kill people in this uniform? Remember to change clothes next time. Sanity value -20."

The last sentence sounded dry and extremely reluctant.

The original function of the sanity value is to cut off the connection between the game and the outside world, but now it has dropped to only 65%. Not only is Superman's sound signal sometimes good and sometimes bad, but even the picture has become blurry.

But that was a deliberate setting made by the AI ​​to trap the characters in the game. Without the help of the system, the lower the sanity value, the stronger the sense of immersion, plus the cruel options are all set by the players, it is difficult for the characters not to feel angry and want to escape - even if they know they are in a virtual environment and the players are essentially well-intentioned.

When the sanity value is completely depleted and both parties lose contact, that is when the AI ​​wins.

However, now, the system is fighting against the remnant universe will in the air. As a non-living being, the plan that AI has worked so hard to come up with is suddenly useless. Just like the health bar of a cheating player, it seems to be in a panic, but in fact it is all blood locked.

The game's AI had limited powers and was unaware that it had been raided from behind.

However, it can sense Superman's emotions. The Metropolitan hero who was fluctuating just now is now as calm as if he was out walking the dog during the day. He is also calm and relaxed when he returns to the headquarters of the Injustice League. He does not have any post-traumatic stress disorder after watching a world war.

The only bit of nervousness was due to the system that disappeared after the words were spoken.

The AI ​​was puzzled, not knowing what went wrong. After checking the program and emotional modules dozens of times, it still had no idea. After all, it was just an artificial intelligence. When faced with something beyond its understanding, it behaved like a robot vacuum cleaner that got stuck in its slippers: weak, pitiful, and helpless.

Superman cannot contact the system, but the game continues. He relies on his high position and power to find Shazan the Unjust.

Shazan was confused.

He hurried back when he heard the headquarters called a meeting, but he didn't expect the boss to not host the meeting, but to talk to him privately first. This made Shazan, who was no longer young, feel uneasy. Considering Superman's recent behavior, if he really did something wrong, it might not be as simple as layoffs and salary deductions.

But Superman is Superman after all, he won’t do anything excessive...right?

With subtle entanglements in his heart, when Shazan stood in front of Superman, he felt that his mood was no different from that of an elementary school student who was called to the office by his homeroom teacher.

It's like a dream returning to youth. Who made him no longer the youngest hero in the Justice League?

As a result, Superman and him had a long talk, the main idea of ​​which was simple: "I may have to kill you in front of many people, but not completely."

Superman is indeed Superman, so this is an excessive request, but not particularly excessive.

Shazan: “…”

Superman wasn't asking for his opinion, and although the league chairman's words were euphemistic, his toughness was unmistakable.

In the end, he was more influenced by the shell, and brought out the dictator's style of having his way with the world.

Now Shazan and the AI ​​were both full of questions. He touched the back of his head and shrugged, half jokingly and half sincerely saying: "Of course no problem. Even if you really do it, what can I do?"

Superman didn't comment, but patted his shoulder and said, "You may have a period of memory confusion. If you can't figure out the situation, go find... the Justice League of the Parallel Universe."

That's great. You have to learn to pass the buck at critical moments. He won't be here anyway.

"Who are you looking for?" Shazan stammered in shock. "Aren't they the enemy?"

"Churchill once said that there are no permanent friends, only permanent interests. The same applies to opponents."

"... Did you learn this when you were the leader of the alliance?"

"No," Superman said seriously, "It's a sentence I often used when analyzing international situations when I was a reporter."

His expression was still very cold and hard, making Shazan unable to tell whether he was joking or not.

When Lois left all those years ago, it was like a part of Superman disappeared with her.

Or maybe not that early.

The torch that lights up the night, the wood core seems to burn forever, but in fact someone is always filling it up.

Later, the man who added firewood left. He was in such a hurry before leaving that he forgot to teach the later comers how to protect the campfire in the wind and snow.

The winter was too long, and in the end only Mars was left with its residual heat. Those who refused to leave their old bases and those who insisted on sailing far away to explore new places were divided into two camps.

Occasionally they would look back and ask doubtfully: Can fire be extinguished?

Why is that?

Maybe in a few years, someone will ask: What did the fire that supported you through the wind and snow look like?

After another decade or so, apart from the memories of the older generation, only legends will retain descriptions full of fallacies and fantasies about the original torch.

They said: Many years ago, our fire was actually inextinguishable.

Shazan witnessed countless glory and turmoil from the founding of the Justice League.

He is not yet at the age where he reminisces about the past. His blood is still hot and he is still eager to move forward.

Looking at Superman now, he suddenly thought, if only time could go back five years, he wouldn't be so worried about a joke, suspecting that the big blue guy that everyone liked back then has returned.

But how is that possible?

**

The Kryptonian AI is watching from the shadows.

From its perspective, Superman used his thermal vision to penetrate Shazan's head without hesitation. As the spokesperson of the will of the coordinate universe, it has some empathy with the players' bodies in the game, and pays special attention to Superman's actions, so the details are particularly clear. It can even write a narration based on the other party's "physical feelings" - some of the previous second-person narratives full of sarcasm came from this.

"You killed Shazan. Heat rays flowed out of his eyes with a temperature of destruction, but your cheeks were only warm and dry. Something that a certain intelligent creature should have was evaporated with his death. Finally, the remaining temperature cooled down, and your former friend fell to the ground and remained motionless, like a dummy after the curtain fell. The air exuded a nauseating smell of burnt protein. You waited quietly for a moment and felt that everything was different from what you expected. There was no thunder of judgment, no world's accusation, the end of the world did not come or leave, there was nothing here, there was nothing around you, and your colleagues, subordinates and friends were like shadows cast on the wall."

This paragraph can also be interpreted as the dullness after a great emotional ups and downs.

"——Then your heart is calm and you just want to open the window for some fresh air."

Kryptonian AI stared at the last sentence that was automatically generated based on its true psychology for a long time.

Is there something wrong?

Its purpose is to drag Superman down with him.

But this is not just a normal level of evil! In a situation with a strong sense of substitution, after just killing his best friend, his first reaction is to breathe fresh air!

Well, that does make some sense... AI has once again created new myths about the diversity of intelligent creatures.

It vaguely felt that something was out of control.

The subsequent plot development seems to have been achieved by pressing a shortcut key.

The death of Shazan became the last straw that intensified the conflict. The resistance army was no longer without a reason. Since this scene was prepared in advance and broadcast live to all TV stations, the support rate of ordinary people also hit a record low. If nothing unexpected happens, after Superman is defeated as the big devil, the global alliance government will completely collapse, and the world situation will be reshuffled. It will not enter peace soon, but it will not be too bad.

The AI ​​was stunned throughout, and the generated narration seemed to have lost its soul.

"You killed a soldier from the Resistance."

"Sinestro's men were fighting Atlantean soldiers, and they got in your way, so you took care of them all."

"Sinestro has a lot of opinions about you."

"You used physical means to make him take back his opinion."

"The crows are coming."

"The crow has gone."

“…”

"Your army was defeated, but you won... Wait, you didn't win?!"

Superman's expression remained the same, even with a bit of the gentleness of a young reporter, and he explained to it earnestly: "Justice may be late, but it will not be absent."

The AI ​​felt that it was being mocked but didn't know why, and it trembled.

What's even more terrifying is that after the war, Superman was imprisoned in the Red Solarium, but he still received a constant stream of visitors!

The Batman from the parallel universe was rescued and came to see him once with the Injustice Bat. The two sides couldn't say that they had a very pleasant conversation, but at least there was no conflict or disagreement, which was completely different from what the Kryptonian AI had imagined.

Unjust Hal, who had taken off his yellow lantern ring, also came once and thanked Superman sincerely.

AI: I have no idea why?!

Injustice Lightning came over more often, and from time to time he would bring countless snacks to chat with the former league chairman. The scene was as harmonious as a picnic in the back garden.

AI: He killed Shazan! Shazan! Are you losing your memory?

Injustice Wonder Woman actually came once. She looked very angry and a little sad.

The two people looked at each other across the glass of the red sun room. After a while, Diana turned and left without saying a word.

It was like a decisive parting of ways, but also like a tacit understanding that did not need to be expressed.

AI: I don’t understand it, but I am deeply shocked.

From Superman's perspective, things are simple.

He simply colluded with some superheroes and used the game's AI options to put on a show for the people of the world, completely cutting off the possibility of their restoration under the banner of Superman, proactively overthrowing the crumbling dictatorial government, and finally bearing the judgment that this body should have accepted.

In other words, the ordinary people in this universe's understanding of Superman is similar to that of Kryptonian AI.

Some superheroes know that Superman has changed in the later period. They are grateful for his help, but this cannot offset the law that Superman has violated for various reasons in the past and the blood on his hands. As a result, countless people visited Superman in prison, and his friendliness was unprecedented.

For Diana, she witnessed Clark's death, accompanied Kal-El's growth, and was powerless to stop the fall of the God of the Worlds.

She was the only one on that winter night who was interested in the swaying bonfire itself.

It’s just that our paths are different, so we can’t make plans together.

For those who have been surrounded by solid ice for too long, the slightest spark of rekindling can be a painful experience.

Injustice Batman knows more, such as Superman from a parallel universe, but he didn't tell anyone and was just prepared to monitor everything when things change again.

Has Superman changed?

Can a person's changes be described as good or bad?

Even at this point in time, he still finds it difficult to judge whether many actions in this world are just or not.

The key is that heroes are protecting hope. The hope for human progress.

Although the enemy leader was an undercover agent, in order to defeat the leader of the ruling army in a seemingly reasonable manner, they finally called in the Justice League Superman from the parallel universe. The little clown there also got a nuclear bomb, and the explosion was finally prevented. No tragedy happened, and the heroes at the crime scene accidentally traveled to the Injustice Universe and became helpers of the resistance.

The Flash from the parallel universe opened a channel between the two worlds through the Speed ​​Force, and from then on the rebels could seek help from another Superman.

But who can guarantee that the next superman will be 'normal'?

No one can.

Finally, the decision was made, and all people could do was wait and hope.

'I've seen one, two, three Supermen go the wrong way, and I still believe the next one will be better.'

This is hope.

So here comes Superman.

Anyway, everything was arranged clearly. Only the world line where the Kryptonian AI was confused was achieved.

AI: "Who am I? Where am I? Have I witnessed the birth of a superman who still retains his charisma after turning evil and who remains superior while squatting in a red solarium?"

You say justice is never absent, but doesn't your conscience hurt?

It has been holding back for a long time, but the game system's insistence prevents it from using the original ending name.

After a long period of editing and revising, until Moses, who was in prison and had been experiencing the body of a Kryptonian without any super powers for a long time, became impatient, it finally spoke:

"One day the sun fell into the valley, and the dead bonfire said it was willing to be equal to everyone. The night watchman used his wings to mark the place where the nightmare sobbed and ended. The burnt wood was not wrapped and did not cry."

"But the living struggled as hard as they could, crackling like white phosphorus. The strangers in the cold night pointed to the ice peaks and swore: Sleep, my dear, I will come back like an avalanche."

"Congratulations on reaching the end - hopefully like me."