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Chapter 313: The New God's Target
When the New God cried out in alarm, the group of Intergang thugs were still standing there in a daze.
Who? What monster?
Weren't you the one who told us to bring Michael Holt here?
However, the next moment, a brilliant light flashed. When the blinding glare that stung their eyes subsided, they refocused their vision and discovered that "Michael Holt" was now enveloped in a suit of red-and-silver armor.
Everyone instantly understood.
Oh, *that* monster.
Zero-point-one seconds for the armor to deploy. For the current Orin Vale, the armor's combat functions weren't really necessary. He still wore it, on one hand, to conveniently carry special items and auxiliary equipment, and on the other, simply to have a "uniform" when he transformed.
In almost the same instant, a streak of lightning flashed through the group of Intergang thugs. All their equipment was useless; they were all knocked to the ground before their nerves could even register what had happened.
There was only one person present whose reaction time allowed him to barely comprehend what was happening.
That was the New God.
His name was Patok. Although he was of the Divine Race, he was nothing special on Apokolips, a planet teeming with New Gods. He was just a low-level grunt and had only come along on this trip to run errands for Desaad.
But he knew very well how ridiculously powerful this creature on Earth called Ultraman was. He also knew that this was a problem for the higher-ups, not something a minor grunt like him could ever hope to handle. Therefore, the moment he recognized the enemy's identity, there was only one possible decision.
Flee immediately!
Orin Vale took out every Intergang member in an instant to ensure no one escaped, only then turning to lock onto Patok's position. Having finally caught a New God, he naturally wouldn't just kill him offhandedly—at least not before asking his questions. And even if he were to act, he couldn't be too casual about it. After all, the data from a New God's death was incredibly precious; he had to prepare in advance so as not to waste such a resource.
Orin Vale's figure flashed like lightning as he rushed toward Patok, his five fingers shooting out to grab him.
In that same second, a figure darted out from the side, unexpectedly appearing in front of Patok. With his accelerated thoughts, Orin Vale got a clear look—it was one of the Intergang men in black who had already been knocked unconscious.
The New God had used an ability similar to telekinesis, leveraging his racial talent for super speed to instantly pull a person in front of him, attempting to use him as a shield to buy time.
A human shield, is it?
But Orin Vale's path didn't change at all as he continued his charge in a straight line. A glimmer of light flashed from his body, his figure blurred, and he passed straight through the body of the man in black, his speed completely unimpeded.
Patok was aghast.
This monster can even phase!
His clever gambit had not only failed to buy him time to escape, but the extra movement had also wasted his opportunity.
The New God's terrified eyes clearly reflected the afterimage of the steel-clad demon moving at superspeed. Its five fingers spread open, clamping onto his face like a cold sentence of judgment.
*Splish-splash—*
"Huh?" Even Orin Vale was a little caught off guard by this.
The moment his five fingers latched on, the New God's entire body dissolved with a splash, as if turning into liquid, collapsing into a large pool of water on the floor.
Orin Vale looked down and swept the area with his Ultra Vision, instantly recognizing on an atomic level that the pool of water was still the New God. This must be one of his abilities, allowing him to transform his body into a liquid state.
The abilities of the New Gods were strange and varied; water manipulation and liquid transformation weren't surprising.
Just a moment after hitting the floor, the large puddle of water instantly seeped through the cracks in the floor tiles, heading straight underground.
And beneath this layer of floor tiles was, without a doubt, an extensive network of groundwater!
Just as the old saying goes, the best place to hide a drop of water is in the ocean. The sea was a bit too far to save him now, but the groundwater was right beneath his feet. The moment the enemy of light appeared, Patok's mind raced, and he decided on his escape route almost by reflex.
*If I rush into the flowing groundwater, not even this Ultraman will be able to catch me easily, right?*
He stared intently at the filthy sewage in the dark, narrow tunnel.
*As long as... as long as I can reach that place...*
Success!
Patok plunged into the water, his heart wild with joy. However, the excitement lasted only for an instant before it vanished, replaced by...
"Hot, hot, hot, hot, hot, hot!!!"
The New God's scream echoed through the pipe system. The sewage throughout the entire tunnel was boiling, and scorching hot steam filled the pipe. The New God screamed like a pig being slaughtered, fearfully reverting to his physical form amidst the billowing white vapor.
"A moment ago, I scanned your liquid structure. It seems that while that form is convenient, its resistance to high temperatures isn't very good."
Orin Vale, who had phased through the wall and dropped down, followed unhurriedly from behind.
"Normally, the body of a New God can withstand extremely high temperatures. But for you, in your liquid form, what's your boiling point? A thousand degrees? Two thousand?"
Patok wrapped his arms around his chest and huddled in a corner, trembling like a terrified little girl who had been thoroughly bullied.
In the instant before he reverted to his physical form, a part of his liquefied body had already evaporated.
"Alright, now let's talk about something I'm interested in. For example, where is Desaad?"
Orin Vale looked at Patok. Patok looked up at him, his face a picture of misery.
"I don't know... Lord Desaad doesn't disclose unnecessary information to low-level subordinates like us. Especially after..."
He paused, swallowed, and cautiously stole a glance at Orin Vale.
"...after being frightened by you, he's become exceptionally cautious. No one knows where he is."
"By me?"
Orin Vale said innocently.
"Really? Am I that scary?"
*You really have no clue at all, do you.*
Patok thought to himself, but he didn't dare to meet Orin Vale's gaze and just gave a hollow laugh.
"He has always been a cautious person..."
"Then start with what you do know," Orin Vale said. "Why Michael Holt? What do you want with him?"
"Because of his 'Quantum Tunnel' project," Patok confessed honestly. "It's something that might be able to break through the world's barrier..."
"A device for traversing worlds, I know. But why?" Orin Vale asked. "I mean, isn't that kind of technology supposed to be what you guys from Apokolips are best at? Your boom tubes—one 'boom' and you can go wherever you want. Isn't that much more advanced than some quantum tunnel?"
"Lord Desaad's Mother Box has been locked somehow," Patok said weakly. "Both his and mine. We're trapped in this world... Of course, it's not that the Mother Box is completely useless, but its functions have been restricted."
"For example, we can teleport anywhere on this planet, and maybe even go to places a bit farther away, like other planets in the Milky Way, such as Almerac or something... but we can't go home. We don't know what's wrong with the Mother Box, and none of us are engineers. So..."
Orin Vale fell into thought.
This was new. It was different from some of his previous speculations. The reason Desaad was staying here might not be for some strategic purpose or because he was plotting some conspiracy... or at least, that might not be the whole story. The reason he was still here could actually be because he was trapped and couldn't leave.
"So, Michael Holt, one of the smartest people in the world," Orin Vale asked, "Desaad wants to capture him because he wants his help developing the quantum tunnel?"
"Yes, but it's not just Holt. There's another person he wants—a woman he described as 'very special'."
Patok confessed honestly, and with a wave of his hand, he conjured a holographic photo out of thin air.
An exceptionally beautiful blonde woman.
However, for any ordinary person seeing this photo, besides her beauty, another point was impossible to ignore, one that could be summed up in a single word: Large.
They were simply so large they seemed to have a strange magnetic pull on one's gaze, making them impossible to ignore.
Of course, that wasn't what Orin Vale focused on.
The moment he saw the photo, he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
Kara?
(end of chapter)
When the New God cried out in alarm, the group of Intergang thugs were still standing there in a daze.
Who? What monster?
Weren't you the one who told us to bring Michael Holt here?
However, the next moment, a brilliant light flashed. When the blinding glare that stung their eyes subsided, they refocused their vision and discovered that "Michael Holt" was now enveloped in a suit of red-and-silver armor.
Everyone instantly understood.
Oh, *that* monster.
Zero-point-one seconds for the armor to deploy. For the current Orin Vale, the armor's combat functions weren't really necessary. He still wore it, on one hand, to conveniently carry special items and auxiliary equipment, and on the other, simply to have a "uniform" when he transformed.
In almost the same instant, a streak of lightning flashed through the group of Intergang thugs. All their equipment was useless; they were all knocked to the ground before their nerves could even register what had happened.
There was only one person present whose reaction time allowed him to barely comprehend what was happening.
That was the New God.
His name was Patok. Although he was of the Divine Race, he was nothing special on Apokolips, a planet teeming with New Gods. He was just a low-level grunt and had only come along on this trip to run errands for Desaad.
But he knew very well how ridiculously powerful this creature on Earth called Ultraman was. He also knew that this was a problem for the higher-ups, not something a minor grunt like him could ever hope to handle. Therefore, the moment he recognized the enemy's identity, there was only one possible decision.
Flee immediately!
Orin Vale took out every Intergang member in an instant to ensure no one escaped, only then turning to lock onto Patok's position. Having finally caught a New God, he naturally wouldn't just kill him offhandedly—at least not before asking his questions. And even if he were to act, he couldn't be too casual about it. After all, the data from a New God's death was incredibly precious; he had to prepare in advance so as not to waste such a resource.
Orin Vale's figure flashed like lightning as he rushed toward Patok, his five fingers shooting out to grab him.
In that same second, a figure darted out from the side, unexpectedly appearing in front of Patok. With his accelerated thoughts, Orin Vale got a clear look—it was one of the Intergang men in black who had already been knocked unconscious.
The New God had used an ability similar to telekinesis, leveraging his racial talent for super speed to instantly pull a person in front of him, attempting to use him as a shield to buy time.
A human shield, is it?
But Orin Vale's path didn't change at all as he continued his charge in a straight line. A glimmer of light flashed from his body, his figure blurred, and he passed straight through the body of the man in black, his speed completely unimpeded.
Patok was aghast.
This monster can even phase!
His clever gambit had not only failed to buy him time to escape, but the extra movement had also wasted his opportunity.
The New God's terrified eyes clearly reflected the afterimage of the steel-clad demon moving at superspeed. Its five fingers spread open, clamping onto his face like a cold sentence of judgment.
*Splish-splash—*
"Huh?" Even Orin Vale was a little caught off guard by this.
The moment his five fingers latched on, the New God's entire body dissolved with a splash, as if turning into liquid, collapsing into a large pool of water on the floor.
Orin Vale looked down and swept the area with his Ultra Vision, instantly recognizing on an atomic level that the pool of water was still the New God. This must be one of his abilities, allowing him to transform his body into a liquid state.
The abilities of the New Gods were strange and varied; water manipulation and liquid transformation weren't surprising.
Just a moment after hitting the floor, the large puddle of water instantly seeped through the cracks in the floor tiles, heading straight underground.
And beneath this layer of floor tiles was, without a doubt, an extensive network of groundwater!
Just as the old saying goes, the best place to hide a drop of water is in the ocean. The sea was a bit too far to save him now, but the groundwater was right beneath his feet. The moment the enemy of light appeared, Patok's mind raced, and he decided on his escape route almost by reflex.
*If I rush into the flowing groundwater, not even this Ultraman will be able to catch me easily, right?*
He stared intently at the filthy sewage in the dark, narrow tunnel.
*As long as... as long as I can reach that place...*
Success!
Patok plunged into the water, his heart wild with joy. However, the excitement lasted only for an instant before it vanished, replaced by...
"Hot, hot, hot, hot, hot, hot!!!"
The New God's scream echoed through the pipe system. The sewage throughout the entire tunnel was boiling, and scorching hot steam filled the pipe. The New God screamed like a pig being slaughtered, fearfully reverting to his physical form amidst the billowing white vapor.
"A moment ago, I scanned your liquid structure. It seems that while that form is convenient, its resistance to high temperatures isn't very good."
Orin Vale, who had phased through the wall and dropped down, followed unhurriedly from behind.
"Normally, the body of a New God can withstand extremely high temperatures. But for you, in your liquid form, what's your boiling point? A thousand degrees? Two thousand?"
Patok wrapped his arms around his chest and huddled in a corner, trembling like a terrified little girl who had been thoroughly bullied.
In the instant before he reverted to his physical form, a part of his liquefied body had already evaporated.
"Alright, now let's talk about something I'm interested in. For example, where is Desaad?"
Orin Vale looked at Patok. Patok looked up at him, his face a picture of misery.
"I don't know... Lord Desaad doesn't disclose unnecessary information to low-level subordinates like us. Especially after..."
He paused, swallowed, and cautiously stole a glance at Orin Vale.
"...after being frightened by you, he's become exceptionally cautious. No one knows where he is."
"By me?"
Orin Vale said innocently.
"Really? Am I that scary?"
*You really have no clue at all, do you.*
Patok thought to himself, but he didn't dare to meet Orin Vale's gaze and just gave a hollow laugh.
"He has always been a cautious person..."
"Then start with what you do know," Orin Vale said. "Why Michael Holt? What do you want with him?"
"Because of his 'Quantum Tunnel' project," Patok confessed honestly. "It's something that might be able to break through the world's barrier..."
"A device for traversing worlds, I know. But why?" Orin Vale asked. "I mean, isn't that kind of technology supposed to be what you guys from Apokolips are best at? Your boom tubes—one 'boom' and you can go wherever you want. Isn't that much more advanced than some quantum tunnel?"
"Lord Desaad's Mother Box has been locked somehow," Patok said weakly. "Both his and mine. We're trapped in this world... Of course, it's not that the Mother Box is completely useless, but its functions have been restricted."
"For example, we can teleport anywhere on this planet, and maybe even go to places a bit farther away, like other planets in the Milky Way, such as Almerac or something... but we can't go home. We don't know what's wrong with the Mother Box, and none of us are engineers. So..."
Orin Vale fell into thought.
This was new. It was different from some of his previous speculations. The reason Desaad was staying here might not be for some strategic purpose or because he was plotting some conspiracy... or at least, that might not be the whole story. The reason he was still here could actually be because he was trapped and couldn't leave.
"So, Michael Holt, one of the smartest people in the world," Orin Vale asked, "Desaad wants to capture him because he wants his help developing the quantum tunnel?"
"Yes, but it's not just Holt. There's another person he wants—a woman he described as 'very special'."
Patok confessed honestly, and with a wave of his hand, he conjured a holographic photo out of thin air.
An exceptionally beautiful blonde woman.
However, for any ordinary person seeing this photo, besides her beauty, another point was impossible to ignore, one that could be summed up in a single word: Large.
They were simply so large they seemed to have a strange magnetic pull on one's gaze, making them impossible to ignore.
Of course, that wasn't what Orin Vale focused on.
The moment he saw the photo, he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
Kara?
(end of chapter)
