American comics farmer: start by adopting the villain savior.

Chapter 120 The Blood of the Red Stone Mask. It gave me a new life.

"Don't I look like him?"

A genuine look of bewilderment crossed Clark's face.

Those eyes, now golden again, looked over.

Yes…

Not like.

This is not a difference in appearance or strength, but something deeper and more essential.

He was not like the Clark Kent in Locke's memory, who grew up surrounded by love and sunshine.

“That child wouldn’t be like you now.” Locke smiled gently. “The child I remember grew up in a warm, kind world.”

"He will fill the world with laughter and joy, instead of the way it is now."

"Even if the world is full of war and division, his solution is to help humanity grow."

"Instead of directly controlling everything and turning humans into docile 'worker ants,' thereby 'solving' all potential crises caused by human free will once and for all, and locking humanity up tightly."

"efficiency."

"Isn't this good, Uncle?"

Clark tilted his head slightly, seemingly seriously considering the question.

"Is the 'efficiency' you're talking about the narrow, short-sighted efficiency that humanity pursued in the old days?"

"It is a low-level efficiency that produces more useless goods, stimulates endless internal competition, and generates countless contradictions and self-destructive factors."

"And my heaven."

He paused, his gaze fixed on the distance, seemingly able to pierce through the clouds and reach the starry sky.

"What we are pursuing is the ultimate goal of the survival and expansion of civilization on a cosmic scale."

"—It is the efficiency of absolute survival and absolute development."

“Individual creativity and initiative may bring some meager and unpredictable value increments, but compared with the chaos, uncertainty, internal friction and risks they also cause.”

“Insignificant, or even negative.”

"By eliminating all these unstable variables, I obtained an absolutely stable, absolutely controllable, and absolutely predictable system."

"This is the highest and most perfect form of efficiency."

"In my system, every human being's time is used effectively to serve the ultimate goal of civilization."

"They consume minimal energy and produce a stable and predictable workforce."

"Isn't this the ultimate utilization of 'human resources'?"

“This is not just a human problem, Clark.”

Locke's voice carried a heavy worry as he gazed at the overly neat yet seemingly lifeless wheat field in the distance. "You talk about efficiency, about the ultimate use of resources..."

"But have you ever calculated the enormous material resources consumed to keep your 'perfect machine' running?"

"You extract minerals from the depths of the planet, drain the oceans to refine energy, and level mountains to build those magnificent, endless structures... Is all of this really 'without wasting resources,' as you say?"

"."

"Uncle, you're joking."

Clark seemed unable to suppress a laugh.

He slowly raised his hand, his palm facing the setting sun on the horizon, as if he wanted to hold the entire star in his palm.

"You're worried about material waste..."

"But have you ever thought about this?"

"The solar system alone has almost inexhaustible resources, and I..."

"They can be obtained easily."

"If I wanted to, I could get them today from Jupiter's moons, from the asteroid belt, from Mars..."

“We can even bring in almost unlimited minerals and energy from any planet in the universe to meet the development needs of ‘Heaven’ at any stage.”

"The resource bottlenecks that plagued humanity in the old days do not exist for me."

His voice was calm, yet it carried a chillingly absolute confidence.

“You think they are ‘walking dead,’ but I think they are ‘parts’ that ensure the progress of civilization.”

"Uncle, you are now questioning my perfectly functioning machine from an overly emotional human perspective."

"Look at the empire under my command, look at those magnificent interstellar ships."

"The old world is constantly struggling on the brink of self-doubt, infighting, and destruction, while my world is steadfastly spreading human power and order throughout the entire cosmos."

"This is a feat that human civilization, which relies on laxity and individual initiative, could not achieve even in ten thousand years."

"And under my absolute order, it is gradually becoming a reality."

"This is me, Clark Kent—"

"The will of 'God'!"

god.
?
Upon hearing this, Locke finally couldn't suppress a trace of sorrow on his face.

"yes……"

"Clark."

He said softly, his voice filled with helplessness.

"This is the root of the problem..."

"You are no longer... a 'human'. You are a 'god'."

That's right...

Clark in this world views humanity in a way that transcends the realm of 'humanity'.

He calmly discussed the optimal use of 'human resources', the stability of 'components', and the elimination of 'variables'.

He looked down upon all living beings as an engineer examining parts on an assembly line, a chess player manipulating pieces on a chessboard, or a deity planning the fate of an ant colony.

He is no longer a 'person' with normal humanity and logic.

His thinking, his logic, and his scales for measuring value have all completely shifted...

'god'!
Would a 'god' think in the same way as a human economist or manager?

will not.

His logic has already shifted towards 'God'.

Humans are merely parts in his hands.

In his hands, humanity is merely a replaceable 'cog' to ensure the perpetual operation of the grand machine of civilization.

He doesn't need thinkers, artists, or innovators.

All he needs are 'cogs' that are absolutely obedient and have no self-awareness.

A 'part' that executes commands perfectly, without complaint, and without any deviation.

For him, such 'quality' and 'reliability' are far superior to a hundred 'people' who may be highly efficient but have their own thoughts and are full of uncertainty!
Humanity has been 'restrained' and has lost its soul in this man's hands.

In fact, the focus of their debate wasn't even on so-called 'efficiency'.

Rather, it is a fundamental conflict on the core value of "what makes a person human".

Clark.
He defeated Locke using logic and strength that surpassed human abilities.
But it's clear that he has completely lost the most fundamental thing—

That understanding of pain, embracing vulnerability, believing in choice, and respecting freedom...

human nature.

When the two sides in a debate operate on completely different logical systems and value dimensions, language itself becomes ineffective.

In this world, there is probably no one who is still a flesh-and-blood 'person' who would be convinced by Clark's cold logic.

Clark Kent.

He became a true 'god among men'.

It became Earth
God.

This is probably why Bruce rebelled against him, but Themyscira was on his side.

After all, to those 'gods' on Earth, humans are nothing more than ants.

So why did it turn out this way?
If Locke's guess is correct, then it can only be—

"Don't try to hide it from me anymore, Clark."

Gazing at the last rays of the setting sun on the horizon, the farmer's voice carried a sigh of having seen through everything.

"You became 'god' and turned the whole world into what it is now..."

"The real reason is to deal with a terrifying threat that could destroy the Earth, one that even you find somewhat overwhelming, right?"

He paused slightly, piecing together the scattered clues in his mind, his tone growing increasingly resolute:

"Only during the most extreme periods of war."

"The importance of discipline and obedience will be elevated to a level far exceeding that of individual initiative and creativity."

"You might think that humanity's naturally loose and free state is like a pile of loose sand, completely incapable of coping with this unknown and terrifying ultimate crisis."

"so…"

"You must use the most ruthless methods to forcibly integrate the entire civilization into a unified, efficient system, completely under your control and at your beck and call..."

"Weapons of war".

And most importantly

Locke's voice carried a heavy sense of bewilderment.

"on you"

"—Does it flow with my blood and Dio's blood?"

That's right.

Locke sensed it the moment he saw Clark.

That familiar aura wasn't just something from my memory.

It's more like a resonance between bloodlines!

really
Clark's gentle expression froze for a fleeting moment, almost imperceptibly.

It then dissolved, turning into a mixture of knowing helplessness.

"So... I can't hide it from you after all, Uncle?"

He smiled slightly, a hint of helplessness in his eyes at having his truth exposed by his closest relatives.

A brief silence enveloped the two, with only the whisper of the wind in the distant fields.

“A god has invaded our world,” Clark said softly, “causing me to die once, or rather…”

"Let all three of us die once."

"you…"

"Then he left me with the only chance to be resurrected."

mask
blood.
Dio left behind a red stone of unknown origin.
"The blood and flesh of my loved ones gave me life. The combination of the mask and the redstone triggered an incredible resonance."

"The rays of the sun..."

"Hundreds of millions of refractions and focuses were performed on the surface of my dying body!"

"It's not treatment, uncle."

"That was a trial."

His tone gradually rose, and his eyes seemed to replay that glorious yet sorrowful scene.

"In the invisible ripples in the blood of my loved ones, in the endless light and heat, and under the baptism of the sun's most essential power, I was reborn in the fortress of solitude."

Clark slowly clenched his fist.

The surrounding air seemed to tremble slightly due to the invisible force emanating from it.

"Me after my rebirth..."

"To become stronger. To become more...perfect!"

This is not self-praise, but a coldly objective statement.

"After that, I went to Apokolips..."

"They broke that god's spine with ease."

"Hmm... more accurately, it's about severing a powerful avatar of some evil deity in this universe?"

“I killed him, and…” A burning light flashed in Clark’s eyes, “I accidentally absorbed a part of his original essence that should have belonged to him alone.”

"so now."

"That deity has avatars throughout the multiverse, as well as his descendants, followers, and countless greedy individuals who have inherited fragments of his power..."

"They sensed my presence, and they sensed the change of ownership of this power."

"They're coming."

"For revenge, and also for..."

"Buzz—!"

An incredibly fine beam of energy, distorting light, emanated from his eyes, curving in an unbelievable arc, precisely erasing a cluster of wildflowers blooming in a distant flowerbed, reducing it to nothingness.

Omega Vision.

The ability derived from the Omega effect can directly erase any existence from its source!

This is the power belonging to the new gods of the Apocalypse. Even after Darkseid's death, the Omega Effect will automatically return to Apocalypse to find the next person with the qualifications of a 'god', ensuring that the power is not lost.

but.
Since Clark killed Darkseid on Apokolips, then as someone who also possessed the qualities of a 'god'.

He directly obtained the power belonging to the new god of revelation!
“Actually, I don’t just treat the citizens of Heaven as ‘parts’.” Clark smiled and said helplessly, “My Omega Effect is just a fragment, so it must rely on ‘constraints’ to exist.”

"If there were no 'constraints,' then this..."

"Omega effect".

Locke picked up where he left off, and said in a deep voice, "Then it can't be used, so you need an extremely large amount of 'constraint' energy to power him and yourself in order to prepare for future wars, right?"

"?!"

The composure that Clark had maintained on his face was finally broken.

He abruptly turned to look at Locke, his face revealing genuine shock for the first time, even...

A tense expression!
"Uncle...you?! He...he's already started invading your world?!"

There was a hint of urgency in his voice.

It seems that they are worried that everything they are doing is in vain.

"No."

Locke shook his head and patted his arm reassuringly.

"I only found out by chance."

He gave a vague explanation.

"..."

Clark relaxed slightly, but the seriousness in his eyes did not lessen.

"Is that so? Then..."

"Alright."

He looked into the distance again, his tone returning to its previous calm, but with an added air of resolve:
“That evil god and his Apokolips legion could take revenge on me and on this universe at any time.”

"To reclaim the Omega fragments."

"That guy seems to be obsessed with becoming 'complete,' so the part of the power that is parasitic on me is like a missing jewel in a crown to him. They will do everything they can, even across countless universes, to absorb it back."

Clark's voice was soft as he recounted an impending fate.

"all in all."

He turned his head and gave Locke a smile that was so bright it was even more dazzling than the setting sun.

"Uncle, don't worry."

"You will all be safe until I am completely devoured or killed."

"Their goal..."

"Right now, it's just me and this universe. You and Dio, and Mom and Dad, they will all be safe."

"..."

Locke was silent.

He turned his head and looked at the big boy beside him who seemed to be shouldering the safety of the entire multiverse, his feelings extremely complicated.

real…

Is it just to protect them?
The Omega effect requires users to have a clear desire.

Locke didn't need to think too much to know that in the vast multiverse, there were countless Locke Farms and countless pairs of Jonathan and Martha.
And this Clark before us, everything he has done, the oppressive 'heaven' he has built.

It was like the brightest torch lit in the boundless darkness, drawing away all the moths.

It draws away the attention and hatred of all Darkseid's incarnations, followers, and greedy individuals who crave the Omega Power Shards!
What will happen next is crystal clear, even to a child's eye.

Countless Darkseids, leading their endless armies of Parademon, will relentlessly pursue the missing Omega fragment, striving to perfect themselves and reunite the One...

A frenzied surge into this universe!
Heading towards Clark Kent!
This man, almost selfishly, turned himself and the world he was protecting into a huge, ultimate firing range that attracted all firepower.

He even tolerated the resistance fighters.

They allowed Luther to develop Doomsday.

Yes, he has become so selfish that he even plans to develop the Doomsday as a weapon of war!

Inhuman and ruthless – perhaps this is the only word to describe Clark?

but.
Locke is not qualified.

Even if everyone opposes him, rebels against him, and curses him!
But only one.
The Kents can't.

“Clark…”

Locke's voice was a little hoarse as he raised his hand and placed it heavily on the man's shoulder.

Feel the power within that body, a power capable of shaking the stars, yet at this moment it seemed utterly lonely.

"Besides me..."

"Locke without other universes"

"And no other Jonathan and Martha from any other universe... would know about this."

His gaze was fixed on Clark's eyes.

"No universe will thank you, Clark."

"It's alright, Uncle."

Clark shrugged.

"Since my parents passed away, my only goal has been to protect us and our little family."

"But Louise is gone, Dior is gone, and finally even you are gone."

"It means nothing anymore, not this world, not even this universe! To me, it's meaningless."

"It's just a larger, lonely fortress."

"Sorry, I'm just a selfish 'god'. So from now on, I'll be protecting everyone, haha."

"Isn't Bruce and the others so eager to kill me, to release or destroy the Omega power within me, precisely because of this 'selfishness'?"

His tone was calm, even tinged with understanding.

"They were afraid. Darkseid's invasion back then shattered this universe, and it terrified them... They didn't want to experience that despair and helplessness a second time."

"Um…"

"So now, the positions have reversed, and it's time for me to say the words they used to question me."

Superman, how could you be so selfish?!
You may be sacrificing your own family, but you are protecting the Earth!

Recalling past memories, Clark couldn't help but say, "They were unwilling to sacrifice our universe for the survival and peace of countless other universes!"

"That's because they're unwilling to sacrifice their own interests."

"They don't deserve to be called heroes of justice!"

"They are the selfish ones."

"Isn't that right, Uncle!"

Thus, Clark delivered these startling remarks with such calmness, even with a strange sense of justice.

Even Locke was taken aback.

But then, Clark seemed to suddenly remember something extremely absurd and ridiculous.

He couldn't help but chuckle softly.

It instantly shattered the almost suffocatingly heavy atmosphere.

"It's really funny."

"Uncle, did you see Bruce's expression just now?"

The emperor's face held an almost childlike teasing expression:
"He actually thinks..."

"Because I absorbed the power of Omega, my mind was corrupted and possessed by Darkseid's will. I felt that I had become the puppet of that dark lord, and that everything I did was Darkseid's conspiracy. Hahahaha!"

"..."

Upon hearing this, Locke couldn't help but cough twice and awkwardly looked away.

He casually touched the "Divine Capital" that was still chewing on the side.

How could he possibly suspect Clark? Absolutely not.

By the way, this guy humiliated Bruce like that.

Locke could sense a strong personal grudge without even thinking.

"All right…"

The smile on his face gradually faded, and Clark turned around, his back to Locke, the setting sun casting a long shadow of his tall figure.

His eyes remained gentle, yet they held an unyielding final decision.

"Uncle, let's go back."

He said softly, his tone carrying a hint of reluctance, but more so a sense of relief.

"Go back to your universe, go back to your mom, dad and Dio."

"For me, being able to see you again by some twist of fate before the final moment arrives, just like on countless ordinary days in the past, to have a meal together and talk..."

"That's enough."

"Thank you."

His gaze was deep, as if he wanted to imprint Locke's image on his face.

"From some unknown universe...yet it gave me all of this..."

"Uncle Locke."

After saying that, he gave Locke no further chance to try to dissuade him or say goodbye.

With lightning speed yet with utmost gentleness, he tucked "Shen Du," who was still gnawing on roasted meat, back into Locke's arms.

Then, in the blink of an eye before Locke could react, his arm rose up as if by magic.

He nudged Locke in the chest with his elbow with an extremely quick yet exceptionally gentle motion!
The warm smile that Locke knew so well reappeared on his face.

She waved to him forcefully, one last time.

"boom!"

Accompanied by the shattering of the Speed ​​Force particles.

Locke felt an immense yet incredibly gentle and precise force enveloping his entire body.

The surrounding scenery.
The farm, the sunset, Clark's smiling face—

It began to rapidly blur and distort, eventually transforming into a pure golden sea of ​​light.

His consciousness seemed to be detached, and he fell into a state of weightlessness.

The next moment, the golden light suddenly collapsed inward, along with Locke and "God Capital" within it, completely dissipating into nothingness, as if they had never existed in this universe.

Clark Kent was all alone in front of the empty porch.

The smile on his face slowly disappeared, and that gentleness and relief lingered for only a moment.

He stood there quietly, gazing at the distant horizon.

The sun had completely set.

The last rays of sunlight painted the sky, also casting a cold, blurred outline on his lonely figure.

In the end, all the light disappeared below the horizon.

The long night is about to fall.

it's time.

Clark took a deep breath, and the last trace of warmth in his eyes vanished completely.

Hope wanes, darkness triumphs.

"Barry."

he whispered.

next moment.
A golden light flashed by.

The man who was supposed to die, as Giorno had said, appeared here instead.

"What's wrong, Your Majesty?" Barry Allen said helplessly. "Where do you expect me to run errands now? I just faked my death and ended my undercover career; I'm really exhausted. Wait a minute."

"You don't want me to charge your uncle's watch, do you? You're trying to squeeze every last drop out of me, aren't you!"

"."

"Go and inform Diana and the others that war is about to begin."

A cold expression appeared on Clark's face.

He ignored Barry's antics and spoke in a firm, unquestionable command:

"I sensed their presence; they came."

"us."

"We must never let those guys restrain themselves and become the only ones who can succeed."

"For the multiverse."
-
[Author's Note: The "restraint" setting is not something I made up. My fellow readers.]

In the DC Universe, Darkseid embodies 'restraint,' while Clark embodies 'hope.'

(End of this chapter)