American comics farmer: start by adopting the villain savior.

Chapter 146 A Miracle – Descends on Gotham.

"Boom! Boom boom boom—!!!"

now
Several bolts of violent lightning, as thick as buckets, no longer flickered randomly!
Instead, it was a divine spear of punishment precisely guided by an invisible hand!

Tearing through the gloomy sky, it crashed down relentlessly with destructive force!

The target was Clark, who was struggling to get out of the deep pit!
“Uhhhhhh——!!”

The blinding lightning completely engulfed him!
The escaping electric arcs were like countless whips, lashing everything around them!
But for Clark
"It's no use, Uncle!"

Amidst the lightning, his hoarse yet still frantic roar echoed:
"I am Clark, and I will not lose!"

He violently shook off the remaining lightning, the red stone ring flickering. Although his body was smoking and his skin was burned in many places, his scarlet eyes burned with an even more stubborn obsession.

He took a deep breath, trying to tear the sky apart with his thermal vision, continuing to draw power from the sunlight—

However.
The figure appeared high above him.

"Clark should be back soon."

The steady voice pierced the thunder with its coldness.

He held his hands loosely in front of him, and the electric arcs leaping around his body began to intertwine and converge with unprecedented complexity!
Not just the lightning in the sky, but also the energy he himself emitted.
And the enormous electrical energy that Clark just repelled with his bio-force field and dissipated into the air!
They are all constrained and compressed by an invisible yet powerful magnetic field!
“Sizzle, sizzle—!!!”

Spin! Accelerate! Rotate!

A blue-white plasma sphere emitting a piercing, high-frequency ringing sound!
It took shape between Locke's hands at a speed visible to the naked eye!
The light at its core was so bright that it was impossible to look directly at it, and the energy fluctuations it emitted caused severe distortion of the surrounding air!
"Your power comes from the sun, rough and direct."

"And my power comes from the rules."

The next moment, Locke swung his hand forward sharply!
That super-condensed plasma sphere, containing terrifying energy, was like a falling blue comet!

Trailing a distorted trail of light, ignoring the distance in space, it struck Clark's crossed arms as he tried to block!

"BOOM!!!!!!"

This time!
It was no longer a violent explosion, but a far more terrifying purification!
"No—!! No! This is impossible!!"

The madness on Clark's face was replaced by horror!
He could clearly sense that this force was not simply an impact or heat; it was breaking him down.
Purify itself!

He was overwhelmed by intense, unimaginable pain!

Even in the instant when all his attention and energy were focused on resisting that fatal blow—

"ended."

That deep voice, like a final judgment, rang in his ears.

The real killer move isn't actually that dazzling plasma ball.

But
The "Platinum Star," which had been hovering to his side like a shadow, had caught him in that perfect moment!
He concentrated all his power, speed, and the terrifying kinetic energy of Locke, amplified by electromagnetic force, into a single punch!
Time seemed to stretch out infinitely at that moment.

A purple fist, crackling with hissing blue-white arcs of electricity, traversed the barriers of time and space with unparalleled precision! A solid, unerring strike…

"Euler!!!"

It slammed into Clark's unsuspecting jaw!
"Crack!"

A sharp, teeth-grinding cracking sound rang out!
Clark's head snapped back, and the crimson in his pupils went out and faded.

All his movements, all his struggles, all his roars, came to an abrupt halt with that one punch.

It was completely blasted apart by that punch.

The world in my eyes was plunged into endless darkness.

His body snapped, and he fell backward like a puppet, crashing heavily onto the scorched, smoking ground, losing all sound and falling into a coma.

At the very moment he fell…

A very faint cracking sound rang out.

The ring on his left finger constantly emitted an ominous red glow, drawing away from and suppressing him.
—Redstone.

Overwhelmed by the aftershocks of that extreme collision and the erosion of the plasma.

"Crack——!"

Completely shattered!

It turned into a dozen or so dull, red fragments, scattered around his charred hands and in the dust on the ground.

The unsettling red glow then completely died out.

An eerie silence fell over the battlefield.

All that remained was the sizzling sound of raindrops hitting the scorching ground, and the occasional muffled thud of collapsing building ruins in the distance.

Locke fell from the sky, and the lightning surrounding him and the powerful Stand slowly disappeared.

He stood in front of Clark, remained silent for a moment, and then let out a barely perceptible sigh.

Actually, what follows...
That's the most troublesome thing, because once Clark wakes up and finds out what he did, it will be a real problem.
"Om-!"

A buzzing sound interrupted Locke's thoughts.

The space behind him rippled without warning.

A mysterious and complex magic circle composed of purple light appeared in the air.

Immediately afterwards, a tall and slender figure stepped gracefully and silently out of the magic circle.

She was still wearing a well-fitting black magician's suit, a top hat, and the half of her face peeking out from under the brim was exquisite and aloof. Her long black hair was tied into a ponytail and hung down her back.

He emanated a powerful magical aura.

Zatanna Zatala.

Her eyes swept over the chaotic battlefield.

Clark in a coma
On the fragments of the ring.
Finally, the gaze settled on the silent Locke.

"It seems."

Her languid yet unmistakably amazed voice broke the silence, "I'm a step too late, Mr. Locke."

"This 'family dispute'..."

"...You've already solved it yourself."

“No, Miss Magician, you’ve come at the perfect time.”

"????"
-
National City.

Outside the window, the city bustles in the evening, while inside, there is a warm and tranquil atmosphere.

A female college student wearing black-rimmed glasses and with dazzling blonde hair dragged her slightly tired body back to her apartment and casually tossed her backpack onto the single sofa.

That delicate, cool face, though revealing, couldn't hide her weariness, even now as she returned home.
Only then did I finally become languid.

A few strands of hair fell loosely to her fair neck, swaying gently with her movements, and she sank into the soft sofa cushions like a puddle of mud.

"Ugh... the damn final paper is finally over..."

With a few soft cracking sounds from her spine and shoulders, dispelling the soreness from sitting at her desk for so long, the girl stretched out her slender arms without any regard for appearances, groaning as she gave a big yawn.

Then, she closed her eyes and groped around in the gaps between the sofas, relying on her sense of touch.

After a moment, I finally found the familiar remote control in the gap of the sofa and lazily pressed the switch.

"Zi——!"

The television screen lit up, emitting laughter from a sitcom, filling the room with lively background noise.

She completely emptied her mind, staring unfocused at the monotonous plaster lines on the ceiling, enjoying this moment of peace without having to think.

"Beep beep—! Beep beep—!"

The languid atmosphere in the room was broken when her phone, which she had casually tossed onto the glass coffee table, vibrated violently at an inopportune moment.

The screen lit up, clearly displaying the name of my college classmate and friend.

The girl frowned, slowly reached for her phone, her movements showing a hint of reluctance at being disturbed.

Lisa usually doesn't call her at this time.

"Hey, Lisa, what's wrong..."

Before she could finish speaking, she was interrupted by an excited voice on the other end of the phone, almost cracking with excitement.

"Kara! Quick! Turn on the TV! GCN, Gotham News! God! This is insane!"

The voice on the other end of the phone was filled with unbelievable excitement.
This instantly sobered Kara up considerably, and a strange unease swept over her.

The languid mist in his eyes quickly dissipated, revealing his clear and sharp essence beneath.

Although she still didn't understand, she sat up straight as instructed, letting her soft blonde hair slip down her shoulders.

Then she picked up the remote and quickly switched to the news channel that Lisa had mentioned.

"This is a live stream from GCN—"

The live broadcast appeared on the TV screen, causing the next question she was about to ask to get stuck in her throat, making her gasp for breath.

Chaotic streets, towering flames, and the center of the image.
Those two figures colliding at inhuman speed!
"OMG……"

Kara muttered to herself unconsciously, her blue eyes behind her glasses wide open.

She pursed her lips slightly, her usual casual and languid expression replaced by a heavy focus.

She saw
That scorching red gaze tore through the sky, turning everything it touched into molten slag.
On the phone, Lisa was still excitedly chattering about "superhumans," "mythical wars," and "unbelievable," but Kara was completely oblivious.

Her entire being, every single Kryptonian cell.
They were all captivated by the images on the screen and the subtle, deep-seated resonance they felt.

until--

"boom!"

On the screen, a bolt of blue-white divine lightning, tearing through the sky, suddenly descended!
A man enveloped in destructive lightning descended like a god.

Immediately afterwards, a piercing noise replaced everything else, and the television screen was instantly filled with a blinding amount of static, emitting a sickening hissing sound.

Almost at the same time, the ceiling light flickered twice, emitted a soft moan, and went out completely.

All the electrical appliances in the apartment stopped running.

Only the faint light from the streetlamp shining through the window outlined the blurry shapes of the objects in the room, casting interplay of light and shadow on her delicate profile.

There was a power outage, but not because of the lightning shown in the picture.

"Is he the person you've been searching for, Ms. Danvers?"

A gentle male voice suddenly broke the silence behind her.

Kara turned around.

Then she saw a middle-aged man in a dark suit and sunglasses, seemingly weightless, silently hovering next to the window she had forgotten to close, with half of his body already leaning in.

Startled by this bizarre entrance, the girl rolled her eyes in annoyance and muttered:
"Couldn't you just walk through the main gate, General Swanwick, esteemed Secretary of Defense?"

"If you keep appearing and disappearing like this, I'm really going to report you to the FBI for trespassing!"

"..."

The man paused for a moment, a hint of helplessness in his eyes.

Then, his figure flickered and disappeared from the window.

The next second, the apartment door lock clicked softly, and the door was pushed open.

The man walked in steadily from the doorway, as if he had been politely waiting outside and had just been invited in.

"Your brother, Karl-El, whose name on Earth is Clark Kent, he seems to be..."

He cleared his throat, awkwardly trying to change the subject, his gaze falling on the television screen, which was now covered in static, even though nothing could be seen there anymore.

"He was controlled."

Kara interrupted him, her tone certain, her brow furrowed, "Look at the ring on his hand. The red stone, that must be what's affecting his mind."

"Just before the video cut out, that stone was flickering abnormally."

As a Kryptonian, even through a screen, she had a vague sense of those special energy fluctuations, especially the kind of energy filled with negative emotions.

"it is good."

The man nodded, his words concise and to the point.

He turned around and intended to leave.

"Where are you going?"

Kara instinctively stood up from the sofa and pressed for an answer.

The man stopped and turned to the side. His face showed little expression, but his tone was one of matter-of-fact calm:
"I have to go and see."

As he spoke, his body outline began to blur and change.

The skin turned bluish-green, and the skull stretched and deformed.

In the blink of an eye, he transformed from a composed middle-aged politician into a tall, green-haired alien with red eyes, wearing the same suit.

He's more used to it this way.

"."

Looking at his inhuman form, Kara remained silent for a few seconds, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

"Aren't you going with me?"

The man's voice grew deeper, tinged with a hint of doubt.

He knew that Kara had been searching for her surviving cousin for a long time.

"No."

Kara turned around, her back to him.

His gaze fell on the blurry outline of the coffee table in the dark room, and his voice was somewhat muffled.

"..."

A brief silence fell over the room. Only the faint noise of the city outside the window could be heard.

Until a cool evening breeze blew in through the crack in the window that wasn't completely closed, gently stirring the curtains.

Kara was startled awake by the wind. She sighed, walked over irritably, and slammed the window shut and locked it, cutting off the outside noise.

After doing all this, she subconsciously looked out the window.

The night sky over the city was tinged with a reddish hue by light pollution, but a faint crescent moon could still be seen hanging in the sky.

The cool moonlight shone through the glass, casting its light on her slightly bewildered and melancholy face.

It illuminated her slightly trembling eyelashes and fair skin, making her seem to be enveloped in a faint silver glow, so beautiful that it was almost unreal, yet also exceptionally aloof.

She found him.

Crossing the stars, they found the only remaining one in this vast universe.
Blood relatives.

Complex emotions swirled within her, ultimately dissipating into an almost inaudible sigh as the room grew lively with the power restored.
-
"Mr. Locke, are we really going to do this?"

Standing with Locke on the devastated streets of Gotham, Zatanna's delicate brows furrowed as she gazed at the ruins of buildings that looked as if they had been gnawed by a giant beast and the still-smoking scorched earth.

Her concern wasn't about the repair itself, but rather the method Locke proposed—

Using her most powerful but also most dangerous wide-range irony magic, she performed a rapid repair that was almost like reversing time.

This magic is indeed incredibly powerful, enough to distort the rules of reality, but the cost is equally enormous, especially the extremely demanding drain on the caster's mental strength and magical energy.

“A responsibility that must be fulfilled.” Locke’s gaze swept over the devastation born of his battle with Dio, his eyes calm, his voice steady. “When a child causes trouble and breaks things, a parent has to clean up the mess and take responsibility for compensation. But this time…”

He paused, his tone revealing little reproach.

It's more like a statement of fact tinged with helplessness.

"The noise was a little too loud."

"Ah."

Seeing that Locke had made up his mind, Zatanna said no more.

She took a deep breath and carefully took out a crystal ball from her magic hat.

Inside the sphere, there seemed to be a nebula slowly swirling, emitting a faint magical glow.

“Mr. Locke, the price of irony magic is no small matter. It usually requires the caster to pay a corresponding amount of mental and magical power in exchange,” she explained solemnly. “But this ‘Crystal of Misfortune’ can temporarily serve as a medium to transfer the main cost of the magic.”

"When I begin chanting the ironic incantation, please do not hesitate to continuously pour your vast magical power into this crystal ball. The repair process will begin simultaneously, and the cost will be shared by the crystal and you."

“Although the damage is highly concentrated,” Zatanna said, looking around and speaking more gently, “it’s not as bad as you might think. It’s mainly these few buildings and the supermarket that have been reduced to ruins. The surrounding streets and infrastructure are not the most severely damaged.”

“But I still hope you will act within your means,” she emphasized. “The Crystal of Indestructibility has its limits, and excessive output of magic will also damage your essence.”

"clear."

Locke spoke succinctly, extending his large hand, palm up, indicating that Zatanna could begin immediately.

Electric arcs danced and converged at his fingertips.

It makes a faint crackling sound.

Seeing that Locke was determined, Zatanna also held up the Crystal of Calamity with both hands, closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and when she opened them again, her eyes were filled with focused magical light.

She began to chant in a strange, inverted tone.

It begins to distort reality.

"It has been restored to its original state!"

"The lifting mechanism is shattered!"

"Disappearance of scars!"

"Om-!"

With each illogical word she uttered.

The surrounding space also began to fluctuate strangely.

The scattered pieces of steel and concrete trembled slightly, as if being pulled off the ground and floating in the air by invisible threads.

At the same time, Locke pressed his palm down without hesitation!
In an instant!
The immense and pure power of thunder, like the waters of a bursting dam, surged into the crystal!
“Buzz——!!!”

The crystal burst forth with dazzling light.

The nebula inside it is spinning wildly at an unprecedented speed!

Its volume also seemed to expand slightly.

It greedily absorbed Locke's energy and transformed it into the primal power driving the ironic magic.

then
And so, driven by Zatanna's rule-breaking chanting and Locke's vast magic, they were able to continue.

—An incredible miracle occurred. The massive building debris rose from the ground, flew precisely back to its original position, and fit together perfectly, the cracks closing instantly in a flash of light.

The molten metal resolidifies and is reshaped.

The collapsed load-bearing column stood up on its own.

Even the goods that had fallen off the supermarket shelves flew back to their original positions, and the scorch marks on the packaging began to fade.
The restoration process was faster than anyone could have imagined, yet it carried a strange sense of order.

The damaged streets were restored to their original state, and the cracked ground was restored to its original condition, as if an unseen giant hand was using the sky as a blueprint to piece together this broken city model.

As Zatanna's chanting grew faster, Locke's magical output also continued unabated.

The light of the Cheng'e Crystal had become so intense that it was impossible to look directly at it. Fine cracks began to appear on its surface, and it emitted a humming sound as if it could not bear the weight!
Until the last brick is returned to its original position!
The last scorch mark disappeared, and the last pane of glass returned to its transparent state.

"Crack!"

A crisp popping sound rang out!
The Cheng'e Crystal seemed to have reached its limit, and suddenly shattered, turning into a cloud of fine crystal dust that dissipated into the air.

A powerful magical backlash spread out, causing Zatanna to take a slight step back, her face turning somewhat pale.

The electric arcs around Locke dimmed considerably in an instant.

He remained standing firmly in place, though his breathing was slightly heavier.

However, mental fatigue is also unavoidable.

Fortunately, the neighborhood that had resembled a post-apocalyptic scene had been restored to its original state. Buildings stood tall, streets were clean, and supermarkets were brightly lit.

It was as if that earth-shattering superhuman battle had never happened.

Only a faint, lingering smell of ozone and extremely subtle magical ripples remained in the air.
This suggests that something incredible has just happened here.
Combat and repair.

Zatanna let out a long sigh, wiped the sweat from her brow, and looked at Locke:
"It's over, Mr. Locke. It's back to 'normal'."

Gazing at the restored street, a complex emotion flashed in Locke's eyes, which ultimately turned into a soft sigh.

"Yes. Thank you for your hard work, Miss Zatanna."

"But I have one more thing to do next."

He suddenly raised his head, his gaze seemingly piercing through the barriers of space, looking into the void, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable allure.

"Shen Du. I know you're watching."

"."

After a brief silence, a slightly guilty yet coquettish, childish voice suddenly rang out beside Locke.

"Father, I just came to take a look."

To Zatanna's astonishment, a small, translucent Eastern dragon covered in fine golden scales emerged hesitantly from the space behind Locke's head, circled his neck once ingratiatingly, and finally landed on his shoulder.

"Can we lend the rules to Dad?"

Locke turned his head and gently tapped the little dragon's forehead with his fingertip.

Based on the electromagnetic waves he previously released, which covered the entire area.

He could clearly sense that about forty or fifty innocent citizens had suffered injuries of varying degrees due to this sudden disaster, including fractures, burns, and excessive shock.

However, the most injured
Perhaps he was the butler beside a young boy.

“Father, that’s too dangerous,” Shen Du said reluctantly. “Besides, I’d have to steal it from my brother.”

“I’m the father, and what I say goes.” Locke’s tone was calm but carried ultimate authority. “Even Salafir has to listen to me.”

"So that's what you said~"

"Shen Du" chuckled.

"?"

Locke didn't have time to ponder the meaning of that smile.

The "Divine Capital" had already floated up and was facing Locke. Its dragon eyes, which were originally like molten gold, suddenly burst out with an incomparably pure light!
Then it slowly flowed into Locke's eyes.

An indescribable power flowed through Locke's limbs and bones at that moment.

Rules for Recovery
—Temporarily added.

then
A higher level of power that is difficult to describe!

They began to quietly gather around Locke.

That was not destructive energy, but a rule containing infinite vitality!
Without making any exaggerated movements, Locke simply stood there quietly.

The leaping lightning in his eyes was replaced by a soft, pure platinum-gold light.

Then, he gently exhaled.

"Om..."

There was no earth-shattering noise.

There was only a low, resonant hum that seemed to echo deep within everyone's soul.

An invisible, pure white ripple originated from Locke's body.

Like ripples on the surface of water, or like the halo spreading out when a supernova explodes.

It spread out in all directions in an instant at an incomprehensible and unavoidable speed!
It silently passed through the wall, over the steel bars, and swept past the terrified people.

Wherever this white light passed, miracles occurred.

A homeless man, clutching his bleeding arm, huddled behind a broken wall.
Suddenly, the intense pain subsided like a receding tide.

He looked down in astonishment, only to see the granulation tissue in the deep, bone-revealing wound writhing wildly, healing almost instantly without leaving a scar, leaving only new skin.

In a corner of the supermarket, a woman whose consciousness was already beginning to fade suddenly felt a surge of fluid enter her body. Incredulously, she tried to move her body and found that it was perfectly fine.

And, in the shadow of the very heart of that battle.

That loyal old butler.
An invisible white light gently brushed over his body.

The charred, dead skin peeled off, revealing the new, healthy skin underneath.

Severe internal injuries and fractures healed completely in a fraction of a second, the weak heartbeat became strong and powerful, and the pale complexion returned to normal.

Even under Bruce's astonished gaze, she unintentionally let out a soft hum.

that's all.
The whole of Gotham
All those who were injured in the disaster just now, regardless of the severity of their injuries or where they were, were swept by the same healing ripple at this moment.

Pain is erased, wounds are healed, diseases are dispelled, and even death cannot take them away!
Even mental fear and post-traumatic stress disorder are soothed by a gentle force!

at last.
Only a profound peace and tranquility remained.

A brief silence—

"God... my leg... my leg is healed!"

An unbelievable voice rang out on the street.

"A miracle...no, this is a divine intervention!"

Some people trembled as they touched their unharmed bodies, tears welling up in their eyes.

"It's him! It's the man in the lightning! He not only stopped the disaster... he also healed us!" More and more people realized what was happening and turned their gaze to the figure that was still standing quietly.

At first, there were scattered murmurs and exclamations, but then, like wildfire, they converged into a louder and more unified shout.

The relief of surviving the ordeal combined with this incomprehensible healing power transformed into the purest and most fervent gratitude and awe.

"miracle!"

"Thanks you!"

"Are you an envoy sent by God?!"

No! He is God himself!

Shouts began to rise from all directions, and more and more people emerged from their hiding places, looking in Locke's direction.

There were workers covered in dust, homeless people in tattered clothes, and citizens still in shock.
But at this moment, they all wore the same expressions of shock and gratitude.

They dared not approach, but could only gaze from afar with the most devout eyes at the figure that was shrouded in white light, like a god!

Some people even knelt down on one knee without realizing it, making the sign of the cross on their chest.

Gotham
This city of darkness and sin is now enveloped by an unprecedented hope.

Standing beside Locke, Zatanna felt the overwhelming roar of the crowd. Her mouth gaped slightly, her eyes filled with shock.

She had witnessed countless forms of magic, but such a large-scale, almost reality-altering, group healing was completely beyond her comprehension.

Meanwhile, the "Divine Capital" perched on Locke's shoulder proudly raised its little head, as if it had contributed to the cheers.

The white light gradually faded, and the rule symbolizing 'recovery' in Locke's eyes slowly disappeared.

The weariness on his face seemed to have deepened, but his eyes remained calm.

They didn't even pay attention to the shouts that echoed throughout Gotham.

He simply said to the little dragon on his shoulder:

"Alright, you've had enough fun. It's time to give the rules back to your brother."

"Oh…"

"Shen Du" seemed a little unsatisfied, but still obediently closed his eyes.

The flowing golden runes were quickly drawn out of Locke's body and returned to his own.

He then yawned, seemingly having exhausted himself, and twisted his body to disappear into the space behind Locke.

With a soft chuckle, Locke turned around and looked at Zatanna, who was still in shock.

"It's time for us to go."

"Om-!"

Time stood still.

When Zatanna suddenly came to her senses and her pupils refocused...

The surrounding environment has completely changed!
Her high heels were treading on the rough cement ground; this was no longer the Gotham street that had just been renovated and was still filled with the sounds of bustling crowds.

Instead, it was a cold, empty rooftop of a building, high up where the wind howled.

And not far ahead of them—

Clark Kent lay unconscious on the ground, breathing steadily, as if he had simply fallen into a deep sleep, though a trace of struggle remained between his brows.

Meanwhile, on the other side, a sophisticated woman, dressed in elegant attire and exuding a noble and even queen-like aloofness, was carefully supporting Dio, who was now in a daze after removing the Stone Mask.

These are nothing to worry about.
What made her heart clench most was that figure that she absolutely could not ignore.

—A big green bald head!

He stood quietly in the center of the rooftop, looking at them with a peaceful yet scrutinizing gaze.

"Mr. Ron Jones?"

Zatanna's delicate brows furrowed instantly, almost blurting out the words.

Obviously
Even she knew a thing or two about this Martian hunter who was famous in the magical world and the supernatural world.

Instinctively, Zatanna stepped forward, slightly turning to the side to shield Locke, whose aura was clearly weakened. Although Martian Manhunter's reputation wasn't bad, the timing and circumstances of his appearance were too strange, leaving her no choice but to be wary.

"."

Being directly pointed out, Martian Manhunter's inhuman features revealed a hint of extremely human helplessness.

"Relax, Miss Zatara."

His voice was gentle, with a rhythm that had a strange, calming quality.

"The fact that I am standing here indicates that I have no malicious intent."

His gaze passed over Zatanna and landed on Locke behind her, a hint of barely perceptible mockery in his tone: "In a sense, in official records, I usually represent the 'good guys.' Isn't that right?"

"This defensive posture seems somewhat misplaced."

"It's alright, Zatanna."

Gently patting Zatanna's tense shoulder, Locke indicated that she didn't need to be nervous. He then took a half step forward and met Ron's gaze: "Let's get straight to the point, sir who has come from afar?"

“I like you, Mr. Locke.”

"?"

I like your straightforwardness.

Rong En's expression remained unchanged, as if it had just been a slip of the tongue.

“Next,” he resumed his businesslike, composed tone, “the Department of Extraordinary Activities Investigation (DEO) under the Department of Defense will take full control of the site.”

"The official characterization will be highly consistent."

"This was just a 'highly classified energy weapon experiment accident,' or more vaguely, an 'outbreak of unknown paranormal phenomena.'"

"The Gotham government will receive the highest level of gag order, and all related reports and on-site records will be classified as top secret, prohibiting any form of disclosure."

Really.
Locke looked speechless.

Your government is riddled with infiltration.

“Really.” Rong En nodded.

"Don't misunderstand." He then added, as if remembering something, "I can't read your minds, but your expressions just now were too easy to understand."

"."

“Mr. Rong En, has anyone ever told you that your emotional intelligence is too low?” Zatanna said irritably.

".have."

"."

“Mr. Ron,” Locke cleared his throat and said, “what’s the point of this cover-up? Too many people have seen it. A simple question would reveal the truth.”

“I understand your confusion, Mr. Locke.”

"but"

"Seeing" and being confirmed are two different things."

Rong En explained calmly, as if stating a simple fact, “DEO’s technical department will use all means, including but not limited to top-tier hacking, web crawling, and appropriate official pressure.”

"All blurry videos and photos that have already circulated online will be labeled as special effects, movie trailers, or Halloween pranks. We will conduct a comprehensive online cleanup and information guidance."

He paused, then added a very convincing reason:
"Besides, this is Gotham. The citizens' acceptance and skepticism towards 'strange events' are both ridiculously high. More importantly..."

Ron's gaze swept over the unconscious Clark on the ground and Dio leaning against Elana.

Finally, let's return to Locke:
"All substantial evidence has disappeared. The injured have been miraculously healed by you, the destroyed buildings have been perfectly repaired by you and Miss Zatara, and even the old butler, Mr. Alfred Pennyworth, who should have been seriously injured or even killed, has been forcibly saved from the clutches of death by you."

"There were no casualties, no losses, only some 'urban legends' and 'online rumors' left, which are not difficult to deal with."

"."

Locke was silent.

He had to admit that although Ron’s plan sounded domineering, it was indeed the most effective and protective method available at the moment.

To reduce a conflict that could trigger global panic to a 'gotham everyday ghost story' that can be explained by science or conspiracy theories.

Well, this is Gotham, after all.
No?
"What do I need to pay?"

Locke got straight to the point.

He knew that official agencies would never provide a free lunch, especially for a cleanup operation of this scale.

"hey-hey."

A very faint smile appeared on Martian Manhunter's face as he opened his palm:

“It’s very simple. Mr. Locke, I am Swanwick, the Director of the Department of Extraordinary Activities (DEO) and also the Secretary of Defense of the United States.”

"We are now formally inviting you to join DEO as our special advisor."

"And you only need to fulfill one responsibility."

"—It's about these two extremely dangerous and unstable superhumans."

“Dio Kent, and Clark Kent.”

"To be placed under 'secret surveillance' for no less than ten years, supervised by the DEO. How about that?"

"."

really.

Locke knew perfectly well what the other party was planning.

This is clearly a two-birds-with-one-stone approach: wanting him to control the two troublesome children while also incorporating the more powerful "Kent" himself into the cooperative system.

But it must be said...
Looking at Ron's emotionless red eyes, Locke shook his head and chuckled helplessly.

“You win, Mr. Swanwick. I accept this ‘invitation’.”

"Do not…"

Ron Jones, the Martian manhunter, unusually corrected him with a touch of humor, pointing to Clark and Dio on the ground:

Strictly speaking, 'Locke' lost this round and had to accept the terms. But…

His gaze deepened slightly.

“As the head of the Kent family, you are a winner.”

"You protected your children, and you protected this city, and even the world, from the greater harm they could have caused."

"Now, you've also secured a relatively smooth transition period and 'legal status' for them at the official level. From a parent's perspective, this is a great victory."

"."

"Mr. Ron, has anyone ever said that your jokes are really that lame?" Locke said speechlessly.

Rong En was slightly taken aback, but then understood.

He smiled and did not refute.

"Then, I look forward to working with you in the future, Advisor Locke."

"I've gone to take care of some things. And now, I'm leaving this place to you."

The words fell.

His body began to become blurred and transparent, like watercolor blending into the air.

It eventually disappeared completely from the spot, leaving only the howling wind on the rooftop.
And a group of 'people' with different identities and complex relationships.

(End of this chapter)