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Chapter 314 Starr
At first glance, Orin Vale thought it was Kara. Because it really did look like her—a face with over ninety percent similarity, and the flawless, delicate skin unique to a Kryptonian.
But Orin Vale soon realized it wasn't her.
It wasn't because the Kara he knew wasn't as... well-developed. Alright, that was part of the reason; there was indeed a noticeable difference in comparison. But that was only part of it. The main difference was in age.
The girl in the photo clearly looked a bit more mature. If the Supergirl Orin Vale knew could be identified as a naive high school girl at a glance, then this one looked like a female college student.
"Her name is Karen Starr," Patok introduced from the side. "She's a business legend on Earth. She started from scratch and founded Starr Industries, gathering a large number of talented researchers.
Her company has made achievements in nanomaterials development and many other fields. And recently, she even bought an island and named it after herself. I hear she's built a villa and a private research institute on the island..."
Orin Vale narrowed his eyes slightly.
The more he listened, the more certain he became. He remembered where this character came from.
This was indeed Kara Zor-El, just not the one he knew.
This was the Kara from Earth-2, from one of the most important parallel worlds in the DC World besides the main one.
The Earth-2 Kara had the exact same origin as Supergirl and was also Superman's cousin. But after experiencing certain crises, she was accidentally stranded in the main world.
Because the main world already had a Supergirl, she called herself Power Girl, or PG for short.
PG was probably one of the rare characters whose large assets were written into her character design. Even in the comics, many people were deeply impressed by her exceptionally gifted curves. Coupled with the classic skylight design on her already tight-fitting uniform, the resulting cleavage looked even more profound, making it hard not to be impressed.
Clearly, the Power Girl stranded in this world had chosen to live incognito. She didn't seek out Superman to acknowledge their relation, nor did she ask the Justice League for help. Instead, she chose to use her superpower and super brain to start a company from scratch.
Now, under the alias Starr, she was a young, gorgeous, and super-rich woman who had appeared on the covers of various fashion magazines more than once—a tycoon of legendary status.
Quickly reviewing Power Girl's protagonist-like record of achievements in this world, and then thinking of his own Kara, Orin Vale fell silent for a moment.
He couldn't help but wonder: they were the same person from different worlds, with the exact same origin and abilities, so why did it seem like his own version wasn't very smart...
"What does Desaad want with her?" Orin Vale asked.
"It's still about the 'Quantum Tunnel'," Patok explained. "Michael Holt initiated this project, and the only one who ever collaborated with Cyberville on it was Starr Industries. But later, for some unknown reason, the project was personally halted by Michael Holt himself, and there's been no news since.
Some of Lord Desaad's informants brought back a report. It says that Starr, using some unknown means, secretly moved all the equipment and data from the laboratory she co-established with Holt to her private island.
Intelligence suggests she's continuing this research on her island. She might have even built a prototype..."
Orin Vale understood.
Unknown means? She probably just flew back and forth with the equipment on her shoulders.
So whether it was Holt or Starr, Desaad's target was the Quantum Tunnel all along.
"Thanks for the intelligence. It's quite helpful. But unfortunately, even so..."
Orin Vale turned his head, his gaze penetrating the dense steam to look in another direction.
"...I still can't let you get away."
In the direction he was looking, there was a second Patok, identical to the one trembling before Orin Vale, who was turning his head and running for his life!
The moment he realized he was exposed, the Patok in front of Orin Vale suddenly disintegrated with a splash, turning into a puddle of water on the ground.
This time it wasn't his body liquefying, but a kind of substitution jutsu achieved through his "Liquid Manipulation" ability. Patok had manipulated the groundwater, shaping it into a double of himself under his mental control to take his place in front of Orin Vale.
He then used the double to speak and relay intelligence, buying time for his main body to turn and run as far away as possible.
*As long as I can get as far away as possible before this terrifying Demon of Light notices...*
Thud.
Patok, running at full speed, kept turning his head to see if the demon was chasing him. However, he was so focused on what was behind him that he didn't even notice when he slammed headfirst into a solid obstacle.
His vision went black from the impact. He fell flat on his rear and tumbled backward several times from the immense recoil force.
Patok cursed inwardly. *Dammit, I really was too nervous. I even forgot to watch where I was going...*
*Huh? Wait a second.*
*I'm a New God.*
Shouldn't I just be able to smash through any obstacle with my incredible physique? How could I be thwarted like this?
Unless he had run into something harder and more immovable than himself.
For example...
Patok, who had just tumbled several times, stiffened. He slowly raised his head and, as expected, saw...
...that Demon of Light.
It was a clone, still in high-speed vibration, with blue electric current overflowing from its body. It floated calmly in front of him, watching him.
As if asking, "Where are you rushing off to, little brother?"
"Plotting a flight path to Starr Island..."
A few minutes later, when Orin Vale emerged, Starr Island was already marked on the display in front of him.
"Whoa, this place isn't small..."
Orin Vale examined the island on the map as he ascended into the sky.
He had to admit, this Kara from Earth-2 really knew how to live. She started a company, bought a mansion, bought an island, had her own private aircraft, private yacht, luxury cars, and a private satellite. And now, she had an island named after her...
Although Orin Vale didn't quite understand why a woman who could fly faster than any vehicle on Earth would buy so many aircraft and cars.
But it was clear she was enjoying her life in this world.
Kara's reason for investing in the Quantum Tunnel was easy enough to guess. She was probably also looking for a way home. That was something she and Orin Vale had in common. Orin Vale figured that a Kryptonian with a super brain, who had likely been studying parallel world theory for several years, might be able to help him with his own research.
"Sir," Pal interrupted his thoughts, "we are approaching Starr Island. However, I'm detecting a high-energy combat reaction and have identified the combat signal signature of a Kryptonian."
"A Kryptonian, here? Is our dear CEO in a fight with someone?"
"It's highly likely, sir. I'm also detecting a massive uranium-235 reaction, and..." Pal paused. "...what appears to be a nuclear reactor on the verge of detonation."
(end of chapter)
At first glance, Orin Vale thought it was Kara. Because it really did look like her—a face with over ninety percent similarity, and the flawless, delicate skin unique to a Kryptonian.
But Orin Vale soon realized it wasn't her.
It wasn't because the Kara he knew wasn't as... well-developed. Alright, that was part of the reason; there was indeed a noticeable difference in comparison. But that was only part of it. The main difference was in age.
The girl in the photo clearly looked a bit more mature. If the Supergirl Orin Vale knew could be identified as a naive high school girl at a glance, then this one looked like a female college student.
"Her name is Karen Starr," Patok introduced from the side. "She's a business legend on Earth. She started from scratch and founded Starr Industries, gathering a large number of talented researchers.
Her company has made achievements in nanomaterials development and many other fields. And recently, she even bought an island and named it after herself. I hear she's built a villa and a private research institute on the island..."
Orin Vale narrowed his eyes slightly.
The more he listened, the more certain he became. He remembered where this character came from.
This was indeed Kara Zor-El, just not the one he knew.
This was the Kara from Earth-2, from one of the most important parallel worlds in the DC World besides the main one.
The Earth-2 Kara had the exact same origin as Supergirl and was also Superman's cousin. But after experiencing certain crises, she was accidentally stranded in the main world.
Because the main world already had a Supergirl, she called herself Power Girl, or PG for short.
PG was probably one of the rare characters whose large assets were written into her character design. Even in the comics, many people were deeply impressed by her exceptionally gifted curves. Coupled with the classic skylight design on her already tight-fitting uniform, the resulting cleavage looked even more profound, making it hard not to be impressed.
Clearly, the Power Girl stranded in this world had chosen to live incognito. She didn't seek out Superman to acknowledge their relation, nor did she ask the Justice League for help. Instead, she chose to use her superpower and super brain to start a company from scratch.
Now, under the alias Starr, she was a young, gorgeous, and super-rich woman who had appeared on the covers of various fashion magazines more than once—a tycoon of legendary status.
Quickly reviewing Power Girl's protagonist-like record of achievements in this world, and then thinking of his own Kara, Orin Vale fell silent for a moment.
He couldn't help but wonder: they were the same person from different worlds, with the exact same origin and abilities, so why did it seem like his own version wasn't very smart...
"What does Desaad want with her?" Orin Vale asked.
"It's still about the 'Quantum Tunnel'," Patok explained. "Michael Holt initiated this project, and the only one who ever collaborated with Cyberville on it was Starr Industries. But later, for some unknown reason, the project was personally halted by Michael Holt himself, and there's been no news since.
Some of Lord Desaad's informants brought back a report. It says that Starr, using some unknown means, secretly moved all the equipment and data from the laboratory she co-established with Holt to her private island.
Intelligence suggests she's continuing this research on her island. She might have even built a prototype..."
Orin Vale understood.
Unknown means? She probably just flew back and forth with the equipment on her shoulders.
So whether it was Holt or Starr, Desaad's target was the Quantum Tunnel all along.
"Thanks for the intelligence. It's quite helpful. But unfortunately, even so..."
Orin Vale turned his head, his gaze penetrating the dense steam to look in another direction.
"...I still can't let you get away."
In the direction he was looking, there was a second Patok, identical to the one trembling before Orin Vale, who was turning his head and running for his life!
The moment he realized he was exposed, the Patok in front of Orin Vale suddenly disintegrated with a splash, turning into a puddle of water on the ground.
This time it wasn't his body liquefying, but a kind of substitution jutsu achieved through his "Liquid Manipulation" ability. Patok had manipulated the groundwater, shaping it into a double of himself under his mental control to take his place in front of Orin Vale.
He then used the double to speak and relay intelligence, buying time for his main body to turn and run as far away as possible.
*As long as I can get as far away as possible before this terrifying Demon of Light notices...*
Thud.
Patok, running at full speed, kept turning his head to see if the demon was chasing him. However, he was so focused on what was behind him that he didn't even notice when he slammed headfirst into a solid obstacle.
His vision went black from the impact. He fell flat on his rear and tumbled backward several times from the immense recoil force.
Patok cursed inwardly. *Dammit, I really was too nervous. I even forgot to watch where I was going...*
*Huh? Wait a second.*
*I'm a New God.*
Shouldn't I just be able to smash through any obstacle with my incredible physique? How could I be thwarted like this?
Unless he had run into something harder and more immovable than himself.
For example...
Patok, who had just tumbled several times, stiffened. He slowly raised his head and, as expected, saw...
...that Demon of Light.
It was a clone, still in high-speed vibration, with blue electric current overflowing from its body. It floated calmly in front of him, watching him.
As if asking, "Where are you rushing off to, little brother?"
"Plotting a flight path to Starr Island..."
A few minutes later, when Orin Vale emerged, Starr Island was already marked on the display in front of him.
"Whoa, this place isn't small..."
Orin Vale examined the island on the map as he ascended into the sky.
He had to admit, this Kara from Earth-2 really knew how to live. She started a company, bought a mansion, bought an island, had her own private aircraft, private yacht, luxury cars, and a private satellite. And now, she had an island named after her...
Although Orin Vale didn't quite understand why a woman who could fly faster than any vehicle on Earth would buy so many aircraft and cars.
But it was clear she was enjoying her life in this world.
Kara's reason for investing in the Quantum Tunnel was easy enough to guess. She was probably also looking for a way home. That was something she and Orin Vale had in common. Orin Vale figured that a Kryptonian with a super brain, who had likely been studying parallel world theory for several years, might be able to help him with his own research.
"Sir," Pal interrupted his thoughts, "we are approaching Starr Island. However, I'm detecting a high-energy combat reaction and have identified the combat signal signature of a Kryptonian."
"A Kryptonian, here? Is our dear CEO in a fight with someone?"
"It's highly likely, sir. I'm also detecting a massive uranium-235 reaction, and..." Pal paused. "...what appears to be a nuclear reactor on the verge of detonation."
(end of chapter)
