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Chapter 375: The Fallen Savior
The collapsed debris of the Daily Planet had long been cleared away. Only the fallen globe from its roof seemed to have been left in place as a memento, much like the monument in the plaza.
Orin Vale stood before the monument for a few minutes, slowly reading every name engraved upon it, before leaving in silence.
No words or explanations were needed; these scars were the truest reflection of the suffering this world had endured.
When he pushed the door open and returned to the shop, a whirlwind was sweeping through the living room. Orin Vale remembered the room being a complete mess when he left—they had only hung the signboard for their newly acquired shop, not yet having had the time to arrange the furniture and displays. But in the short time he was out, the living room had been completely transformed.
The methodical display made the entrance look much cleaner and more spacious. The hall was minimalist and elegant, with a clear layout. On one side was a long bar counter, its back wall a mosaic made from various coffee beans. On the other side was a comfortable seating area, furnished with new chairs and armchairs.
The "whirlwind" also stopped when it noticed him enter. It turned out to be Karen, moving at superspeed.
"Ah, you're back. Helena's new furniture arrived, and I just moved it in. I also made a simple meal. Want to eat together?"
Although Earth-2 was the two girls' home, they were now homeless. Karen used to live with Superman and Lois, but they were both gone now. As for Helena, it went without saying; all that remained of her family was a lifeless old mansion.
Neither of them wanted to go back. At the same time, if the battle were to start again, they would need to act together. For now, they were in a phase of gathering intelligence before the war. Therefore, this temporary shop served as their base.
Orin Vale didn't stand on ceremony. He walked to the dining table and pulled out a chair. Power Girl had already used her superspeed to lay out a table full of steaming hot dishes.
The main course was roast chicken legs, with roasted pumpkin and onion as side dishes, and a cream of mushroom soup. Karen's cooking skills made Orin Vale look at her with new respect. His first instinct was to wonder why, despite being the same person, his Karen didn't possess such skills. But then he immediately recalled that the kitchen back there was completely monopolized by the Old Wizard, so it seemed there was really no room for anyone else to get involved.
Only after Karen called out "Dinner's ready!" several times did Helena reluctantly come down the stairs, hugging her tablet. When she reached the table, her fingers were still swiping across it.
"Don't look at that while you're eating."
Karen pushed Helena's portion of roast chicken leg in front of her.
"First, see if my cooking has gotten any worse."
Helena didn't even look up. "You've forgotten. I ate your cooking every day when we were in the other world."
"That's because a certain someone said she wasn't interested in cooking," Karen pouted.
Helena picked up her spoon and took a sip of soup, but still didn't put down her tablet. "We've been away for too long. A lot has happened in this world during this time. We need to get up to speed as quickly as possible."
Orin Vale understood. Translated, it basically meant they had missed an entire season's worth of plot and were now speed-watching to catch up.
"The situation isn't optimistic. Many nations and regions have already fallen," Helena said grimly. "The infrastructure has been hit hard, and the internet too. Due to wartime restrictions on civilian internet use and severe infrastructural damage, information gathering has become much more difficult than in the past."
"But nothing can stump my best detective friend, right?" Karen asked, eating her roasted pumpkin.
"There are still many gaps in the intelligence, but there are indeed some things worth noting."
Helena said in a low voice, swiping on the tablet. The high-tech bracelet on her wrist projected the image she swiped into mid-air, as if it had been pulled right out of the tablet's screen.
It was a Gotham news report, dated one month ago, before the Gotham Gazette was razed by aliens. At that time, Gotham City had not yet become a dead land.
The headline was written in large letters.
"The Ghost of the Dark Knight?"
The accompanying picture was blurry, apparently taken on a cellphone. But the dark silhouette, the flowing cape, made it impossible not to connect it with a certain figure they were all familiar with.
The content could also be roughly guessed.
After a long time, and after Batman was explicitly reported to have been sacrificed in the counter-attack on Apokolips, it was the first time someone had sighted a figure suspected to be Batman on the streets of Gotham.
Karen was so surprised she almost bit through her fork.
"Do you think that's...?"
"I don't think so," Helena frowned. "Dad is dead. I saw it with my own eyes; I was on the battlefield. He wasn't like you, Karen. He was just a mortal. He didn't have a second life."
"Then this?"
"Maybe it's just another madman in a batsuit," Helena said irritably. "Regardless, I'll find him, and maybe I'll rip that uniform off the impostor."
"Maybe he just wants to help. At a time like this, we need all the help we can get."
Karen shrugged and glanced at Orin Vale.
"What about you? What are your plans for being in this world?"
"I have some history with Apokolips. Because of some unpleasant little disagreements, it's highly likely they won't let me off easy," Orin Vale said casually.
Karen pondered for a moment.
Unpleasant little disagreements?
She had been on the neighboring Earth and knew exactly what happened during the Apokolips invasion there. This big shot before her had, you could say, single-handedly beaten back the forces of Apokolips, and even dragged the legendary Lord of Apocalypse on a parade across the galaxy...
To describe it as a blood feud would be an understatement.
"You two go ahead and handle your own business. Don't worry about me, I have my own plans," Orin Vale said with a smile. "In fact, the weekend is over. I have to go to work tomorrow."
Karen quickly understood what he was referring to.
Orin Vale had now assumed General Chaka's cover identity. This made him a high-ranking member of the World Army, giving him easier access to intelligence through that channel.
In an era of war and with the internet crippled, much of the intelligence could indeed only be obtained through the World Army.
"What about you? Any plans?" Orin Vale asked, looking at Karen.
"I..."
She opened her mouth, but quickly stopped short.
Her gaze shot straight across the dining table, fixed on the wall-mounted television. A news replay was playing on the screen.
"To the humans of this Earth."
"You have already paid a painful enough price and shed enough blood. Now, on behalf of the great Apokolips, I once again give you this merciful opportunity."
"Those who submit shall prosper; those who resist shall perish. Surrender, and you can at least save your lives. But if you insist on resisting, we are more than happy to see it through to the end."
"And finally... everything for the great Darkseid!"
The man floated in mid-air with a determined expression, his eyes, emitting a red glow, were filled with madness. He wore a black and red uniform, suspended high in the air on the screen, his dark cape fluttering as if soaked in dried blood.
On his chest was a deep, despairing black "S".
That was Superman. The man once regarded by this world as a savior had now become a symbol of despair.
Karen clenched her fist, a red glow igniting in her clear eyes as well, like a burning rage.
"I'm going to find him," she said.
(end of chapter)
The collapsed debris of the Daily Planet had long been cleared away. Only the fallen globe from its roof seemed to have been left in place as a memento, much like the monument in the plaza.
Orin Vale stood before the monument for a few minutes, slowly reading every name engraved upon it, before leaving in silence.
No words or explanations were needed; these scars were the truest reflection of the suffering this world had endured.
When he pushed the door open and returned to the shop, a whirlwind was sweeping through the living room. Orin Vale remembered the room being a complete mess when he left—they had only hung the signboard for their newly acquired shop, not yet having had the time to arrange the furniture and displays. But in the short time he was out, the living room had been completely transformed.
The methodical display made the entrance look much cleaner and more spacious. The hall was minimalist and elegant, with a clear layout. On one side was a long bar counter, its back wall a mosaic made from various coffee beans. On the other side was a comfortable seating area, furnished with new chairs and armchairs.
The "whirlwind" also stopped when it noticed him enter. It turned out to be Karen, moving at superspeed.
"Ah, you're back. Helena's new furniture arrived, and I just moved it in. I also made a simple meal. Want to eat together?"
Although Earth-2 was the two girls' home, they were now homeless. Karen used to live with Superman and Lois, but they were both gone now. As for Helena, it went without saying; all that remained of her family was a lifeless old mansion.
Neither of them wanted to go back. At the same time, if the battle were to start again, they would need to act together. For now, they were in a phase of gathering intelligence before the war. Therefore, this temporary shop served as their base.
Orin Vale didn't stand on ceremony. He walked to the dining table and pulled out a chair. Power Girl had already used her superspeed to lay out a table full of steaming hot dishes.
The main course was roast chicken legs, with roasted pumpkin and onion as side dishes, and a cream of mushroom soup. Karen's cooking skills made Orin Vale look at her with new respect. His first instinct was to wonder why, despite being the same person, his Karen didn't possess such skills. But then he immediately recalled that the kitchen back there was completely monopolized by the Old Wizard, so it seemed there was really no room for anyone else to get involved.
Only after Karen called out "Dinner's ready!" several times did Helena reluctantly come down the stairs, hugging her tablet. When she reached the table, her fingers were still swiping across it.
"Don't look at that while you're eating."
Karen pushed Helena's portion of roast chicken leg in front of her.
"First, see if my cooking has gotten any worse."
Helena didn't even look up. "You've forgotten. I ate your cooking every day when we were in the other world."
"That's because a certain someone said she wasn't interested in cooking," Karen pouted.
Helena picked up her spoon and took a sip of soup, but still didn't put down her tablet. "We've been away for too long. A lot has happened in this world during this time. We need to get up to speed as quickly as possible."
Orin Vale understood. Translated, it basically meant they had missed an entire season's worth of plot and were now speed-watching to catch up.
"The situation isn't optimistic. Many nations and regions have already fallen," Helena said grimly. "The infrastructure has been hit hard, and the internet too. Due to wartime restrictions on civilian internet use and severe infrastructural damage, information gathering has become much more difficult than in the past."
"But nothing can stump my best detective friend, right?" Karen asked, eating her roasted pumpkin.
"There are still many gaps in the intelligence, but there are indeed some things worth noting."
Helena said in a low voice, swiping on the tablet. The high-tech bracelet on her wrist projected the image she swiped into mid-air, as if it had been pulled right out of the tablet's screen.
It was a Gotham news report, dated one month ago, before the Gotham Gazette was razed by aliens. At that time, Gotham City had not yet become a dead land.
The headline was written in large letters.
"The Ghost of the Dark Knight?"
The accompanying picture was blurry, apparently taken on a cellphone. But the dark silhouette, the flowing cape, made it impossible not to connect it with a certain figure they were all familiar with.
The content could also be roughly guessed.
After a long time, and after Batman was explicitly reported to have been sacrificed in the counter-attack on Apokolips, it was the first time someone had sighted a figure suspected to be Batman on the streets of Gotham.
Karen was so surprised she almost bit through her fork.
"Do you think that's...?"
"I don't think so," Helena frowned. "Dad is dead. I saw it with my own eyes; I was on the battlefield. He wasn't like you, Karen. He was just a mortal. He didn't have a second life."
"Then this?"
"Maybe it's just another madman in a batsuit," Helena said irritably. "Regardless, I'll find him, and maybe I'll rip that uniform off the impostor."
"Maybe he just wants to help. At a time like this, we need all the help we can get."
Karen shrugged and glanced at Orin Vale.
"What about you? What are your plans for being in this world?"
"I have some history with Apokolips. Because of some unpleasant little disagreements, it's highly likely they won't let me off easy," Orin Vale said casually.
Karen pondered for a moment.
Unpleasant little disagreements?
She had been on the neighboring Earth and knew exactly what happened during the Apokolips invasion there. This big shot before her had, you could say, single-handedly beaten back the forces of Apokolips, and even dragged the legendary Lord of Apocalypse on a parade across the galaxy...
To describe it as a blood feud would be an understatement.
"You two go ahead and handle your own business. Don't worry about me, I have my own plans," Orin Vale said with a smile. "In fact, the weekend is over. I have to go to work tomorrow."
Karen quickly understood what he was referring to.
Orin Vale had now assumed General Chaka's cover identity. This made him a high-ranking member of the World Army, giving him easier access to intelligence through that channel.
In an era of war and with the internet crippled, much of the intelligence could indeed only be obtained through the World Army.
"What about you? Any plans?" Orin Vale asked, looking at Karen.
"I..."
She opened her mouth, but quickly stopped short.
Her gaze shot straight across the dining table, fixed on the wall-mounted television. A news replay was playing on the screen.
"To the humans of this Earth."
"You have already paid a painful enough price and shed enough blood. Now, on behalf of the great Apokolips, I once again give you this merciful opportunity."
"Those who submit shall prosper; those who resist shall perish. Surrender, and you can at least save your lives. But if you insist on resisting, we are more than happy to see it through to the end."
"And finally... everything for the great Darkseid!"
The man floated in mid-air with a determined expression, his eyes, emitting a red glow, were filled with madness. He wore a black and red uniform, suspended high in the air on the screen, his dark cape fluttering as if soaked in dried blood.
On his chest was a deep, despairing black "S".
That was Superman. The man once regarded by this world as a savior had now become a symbol of despair.
Karen clenched her fist, a red glow igniting in her clear eyes as well, like a burning rage.
"I'm going to find him," she said.
(end of chapter)
