American comics farmer: start by adopting the villain savior.

Chapter 214 The Capital: How can there still be honey traps in this metropolis?!
Metropolitan Department Store Jewelry
The afternoon sun shone through the huge glass curtain wall, making the store shine with a golden glow, but it could not dispel the suffocating atmosphere that had been created by the arrival of someone.

A boy with golden eyes and an icy expression stood listlessly in front of the counter.

A simple jacket wrapped around his tender shoulders, yet it couldn't conceal his innate aloofness.

He lifted the metal basket, which was almost half his height, and lightly placed it on the counter. Then, with a hint of impatience, he pushed it over, causing the basket to fall onto the gleaming glass surface with a crisp clatter.

"Whoosh whoosh-!"

Not an ordinary item
Diamonds, rubies, emeralds...

A galaxy of stars spilled onto the counter.

Shen Du raised his chin slightly, then uttered a cold, metallic word to the pale-faced, sweat-drenched salesperson inside:
"Pack."

"Okay...okay, young master..."

The salesperson's voice trembled almost imperceptibly, and he swallowed nervously.

Why is this little devil here again?!

Didn't we just ransack this place yesterday?!
Taking a deep breath, his desire for money made him dare not be negligent in the slightest. He immediately took out the most exquisite packaging box and velvet cloth, and began to wrap the jewelry piece by piece with almost piety.

After all, the commotion here had already attracted the attention of all the customers and staff on this floor of the department store.

People gradually gathered around, whispering among themselves, their eyes filled with shock and curiosity.

"Whose young master is this? Such an air..."

"It looks unfamiliar; it's not one of the places I usually come from."

"How much is this box worth?"

“Look at those bodyguards, they’re definitely not from ordinary families.”

The shopping bag, filled with countless luxurious jewels, was finally carefully wrapped up by the salesperson and piled up into a small mountain.

Shen Du then casually pulled out a card from his ordinary little jacket. It was completely black with a dark gold logo inlaid on the edge and handed it over casually.

"Swipe your card."

"hiss--!"

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd.

This guy is so scary!
"That's... a black card from the Luther Group?!"

"My God! He's Lionel Luther's son?!"

"Wait a minute, Lex Luthor is seventeen or eighteen years old, isn't he? How can he be this young?"

Various speculations spread among the crowd, and gossipy eyes almost set Shen Du's small figure ablaze.

However, Shen Du himself turned a deaf ear to it, as if the surrounding noise was just annoying mosquitoes and flies. He simply watched the salesperson complete the payment and take back the card with a blank expression.

Throughout the entire process, he didn't even glance at the price.

The transaction was complete, and Shendu waved his hand.

Several black-clad bodyguards, standing like iron towers behind him, immediately stepped forward and silently picked up all the shopping bags. Their movements were synchronized and clearly well-trained.

Shen Du, having completed the payment, didn't rush to leave. His eyes swept over the now-empty shop, his voice clearly filled with dissatisfaction:
"Really no more?"

The salesperson, wiping sweat from his brow, bowed so low he almost touched the ground, and carefully explained, "Young master... you bought a round last night."

"Later...later we were unfortunately robbed again by those clueless criminals. The police are still counting the stolen goods and haven't returned them to us yet...this batch really is all the last of our stock we have..."

Upon hearing this, Shen Du let out a cold snort, said no more, and turned to leave.

Her small figure stood tall, exuding a sense of aloofness and pride that seemed completely out of place for her age.

His bodyguards, dressed in black, surrounded him as they left Lacey Department Store, like stars around the moon.

As soon as they left, the oppressive atmosphere in the store instantly dissipated.

"my God……"

"Big news! Definitely big news!"

"He'll definitely be on the front page of tomorrow's newspaper!"

"I don't feel as good as Superman."

People were talking about it excitedly.

As for Shen Du, he got into the long-waiting limousine at the entrance.

He was completely unconcerned about the turmoil he caused behind the scenes.

He leaned back lazily in the leather seat, his gaze casually sweeping across the car interior.

He casually picked up a neatly folded copy of the Planet Daily from beside him.

The huge headline on the front page immediately catches the eye:
Is it a bird? An airplane? Or—Superman?!

Subtitle: Superheroes who save the Expo 2014!

—Written by: Perry White

Yesterday afternoon, a crisis suddenly broke out at the 'Tomorrow Expo' held in the city.

The attack by extreme environmentalist Raz triggered a series of explosions and structural collapses, endangering thousands of visitors.

Fortunately, at this critical moment, an unprecedented figure streaked across the sky, intervening with incredible speed and power, preventing a tragedy from occurring.

According to eyewitness accounts:
The figure moved with lightning speed and possessed immense strength, easily lifting heavy steel structures and using its body to block the impact of explosions.

Even more astonishing is his ability to fly, allowing him to traverse dangerous areas on numerous occasions.

However, this mysterious savior kept his face covered throughout the operation.

He seemed somewhat flustered by the gratitude of those he rescued, and even nearly tripped over his own red cloak when an old woman grabbed him, revealing a strength that seemed inconsistent with his powerful abilities.
An awkwardness bordering on 'shyness'?
After confirming that all those trapped were safe, he vanished into the sky like a whirlwind, leaving no word behind.

Given its superhuman abilities and flight characteristics.

This newspaper will temporarily refer to this newly emerged guardian as 'Superman'.

His sudden emergence has undoubtedly injected new hope and imagination into our city.

However, with the emergence of more and more new generation heroes, and the fact that they don't seem to have chosen to join traditional organizations like the Justice Society, perhaps...

Isn't it time for our venerable old heroes to take a break and hand over the stage to the younger generation?

Shen Du curled his lips downwards.

"Ah."

He let out a soft scoff, offering no further comment, and simply continued flipping through the newspaper.

On the next page, another eye-catching title popped up:
Captain Comet unleashes his power once again, swiftly wiping out bank robbers! A new generation is on the rise? The veteran hero remains strong!

Unlike the previous objective report.

This report details how the veteran hero Captain Comet swiftly subdued a group of criminals attempting to rob a bank, overflowing with praise for the enduring strength of this veteran hero.

But what about the title and the opening line, "The new generation is coming on strong"?
Yet it also seemed to subtly steer the conversation towards a comparison with the 'Superman' news.

His eyes narrowed slightly; even a god could tell at a glance…

Isn't this deliberately stirring up conflict and creating controversy?

He recalled a phenomenon his father, Locke, had casually commented on while watching the news on television.
It seems to be called... 'Inciting conflict'?
A hype tactic that uses any means necessary to generate buzz.

Sure enough, at the end of this report about Captain Comet, the editor thoughtfully added a line of bold text:

[Reader Interaction: What are your thoughts on Captain Comet and the newly emerged "Superman"? Who is more powerful? We welcome your submissions for discussion. The first 100 lucky readers will receive a limited-edition Captain Comet merchandise item! (Please send your submissions to the "Hero Discussion" section of the Planet Daily editorial department.)]

Shen Du: "..."

He stared at the line of text that made no attempt to conceal its commercial intent, and remained silent for a moment. A rare expression, a mixture of speechlessness and understanding, appeared on his usually expressionless face.

He tossed the newspaper back into its place and turned his gaze to the rapidly changing cityscape outside the car window.

The driver in the front seat looked in the rearview mirror and respectfully asked, "Young sir, where are we going next? Are we going to the expo to find Mr. Clark, or should we go straight back to the hotel?"

Clark?
Thinking of that person with the sheepish grin on their face this morning.
Using the excuse, "Shen Du, didn't you want to go shopping?", he hastily shoved his big, goofy brother into the arms of Ms. Grey, and then disappeared off to who-knows-where. Shen Du felt a bellyful of anger.

A flash of anger crossed his eyes, and Shen Du couldn't help but glance resentfully at the small delivery truck following behind the car.

It was stuffed full of the spoils he had just 'barely' looted.

But if Clark had come along, with his strength, would I have had to be able to barely buy this truckload of gold and jewelry because these few ordinary bodyguards couldn't carry it all?!
With a soft sigh, Shendu waved his hand and gave the order in a childish tone:

"Move everything from the truck in the back to my room at the hotel. Then, you won't have to do anything else."

"Yes, young sir."

The driver nodded in agreement, and was about to ask if he needed to confirm the moving details, however—

He glanced habitually at the rearview mirror, the words stuck in his throat.

"?!"

The back seat was empty!
Only one of the car windows was lowered halfway down at some point, and a gentle breeze rustled the expensive leather seats, as if no one had ever sat there.

The driver rubbed his eyes vigorously, making sure he wasn't seeing things.
Cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

not good
My rice bowl!

Meanwhile, hundreds of meters above the ground.

Above a fluffy, white cumulus cloud, the god lay lazily reclining in the air. An invisible force supported him, making his small figure appear even more extraordinary against the backdrop of the enormous cloud.

His eyes were half-closed as he looked down at the metropolis, which resembled a miniature model.

The traffic flowed like a river, and the pedestrians were like ants. The hustle and bustle of the entire city was reduced to a blurry shadow and a silent flow when it came to him.

A gentle breeze ruffled his soft hair, carrying the coolness unique to the high altitude.

"boring."

He whispered to himself.

It's unclear whether they're commenting on the never-ending city beneath their feet, or lamenting the monotonous emptiness of life since gaining physical form, which can only be temporarily filled with material possessions.

but.
In this almost stagnant and languid moment
Shen Du suddenly shivered.
An inexplicable, intense throbbing surged through his indifference like an electric current, precisely seizing his soul.

Is there...something delicious?

The thought instinctively surfaced, but he immediately dismissed it.

No, it's not the sweet, icy coolness of a sundae, nor the feeling of fullness that comes from food.

That's something more essential, something purer...

attract!

A primal urge that made his soul tremble and made him instinctively swallow his saliva.

The feeling was so complex it was hard to describe.
Excitement? Greed? Fanaticism? Pleasure? Joy? Astonishment?
He could not accurately describe this complex emotion with his limited human language.

It's not like hunger, it's more like...

The most primal call.

This thrill was greater than all the gold and jewels he had collected combined.
Heart-beating!

Shen Du's body tensed slightly, his eyes opened wide, and for the first time, his molten gold pupils clearly reflected emotions other than indifference and mockery.

A burning desire.

He cast his gaze in a specific direction in the metropolis, pinpointing the source of that strange fluctuation.

There is……

He remembered that place.

Glen Morgan Square? That place is full of pigeons.

There was no hesitation.

Golden light flowed from his fingertips, pouring into the clouds beneath him, gradually tinting the white cumulus clouds with a dazzling golden glow.

The clouds solidified, carrying him swiftly across the sky, drifting in that direction.

The wind at high altitude grew stronger, ruffling his soft black hair, but he didn't care.

Those molten gold eyes were fixed on the direction of the square, flashing with a sharp, predatory light.

He didn't know what awaited him there, but he knew that thing...

He must get it!

Riding the golden cloud created by his power, the god silently glided over Glen Morgan Square.

Instead of landing directly in an open area that might cause a disturbance, he precisely controlled the clouds and drifted towards a relatively secluded grove of trees at the edge of the square.

The clouds slowly descended, gently brushing against the ground, without even disturbing the birds resting in the forest.

Shen Du's small figure leaped lightly from the edge of the cloud.

I stood firmly on the soft grass, without even kicking up a speck of dust.

After regaining his footing, he did not leave immediately, but instead reached out and gently patted the golden cloud that had carried him there.

The cloud-like clouds seemed to have a life of their own, nuzzling affectionately against his palm, emitting a faint golden light.

Upon seeing this, a faint smile appeared on Shen Du's usually indifferent face.

With the dignified appreciation of the Creator when examining a satisfactory work.

"Go."

He whispered, "Go wait in the sky."

Jin Yun circled around him lingeringly for a moment before obediently taking off and silently merging into the azure sky.

Shen Du watched the clouds disappear, a rare patience appearing in his eyes.
He has always been generous with his special tenderness toward his creations.

Because they originate from him, are an extension of his will and power, they deserve to be treated differently from external objects.

Raising his eyes, Shen Du's gaze pierced through the sparse trees, precisely targeting the direction from which the strange tremor was coming.

Without further hesitation, he strode toward the 'source'.

Until
Penetrating the last few clumps of low bushes.

The sight before him caused Shen Du to pause abruptly, his usually indifferent golden eyes widening slightly, revealing an expression of disbelief.

In the center of a small clearing in the woods.

Sunlight filters through the layers of leaves, casting dappled, dancing light spots that spread like scattered gold across the lush green grass.

A little girl who looked about his age was lying on her back on the grass.

Holding an ordinary bottle of bubble solution, she pouted and focused intently on blowing bubbles.

but..
What normal person could blow such a bizarre thing?!
The dazzling, sharply defined diamonds refracted a rainbow of colors under the sunlight.

The intricately structured cross, gleaming with metallic luster, slowly rotates.

There was also a lifelike, transparent cat lazily stretching its waist.

Even more outrageous
There was also a raccoon dog with a few leaves on its ears, floating there with an adorable grin on its face...

These incredible bubble creations, refracting a mesmerizing glow in the sunlight, floated gently around the girl.

"."

The last time I witnessed a similarly absurd scene was with my own foolish older brother.

What is this? An impromptu Disney musical?
The gods watched in silence, their intense emotions subsiding at the sight before them.

Just then, the girl seemed to notice his gaze.

She stopped blowing bubbles and slowly, almost sleepwalkingly, sat up.

While humming a strangely melody, with its pitch rising and falling as if uttered entirely on a whim, she casually stuffed the bottle of magical bubble solution back into the pocket of her colorful dress.

then
She then raised her head and looked towards the capital.

Those heterochromatic eyes were particularly striking in the sunlight—

One is an emerald dotted with silver spots, while the other is an ordinary sapphire.

Logically speaking, even gods would be moved by the sight of such gold and silver treasures.
but.
At this moment, Shen Du's body stiffened.

Because in his field of vision
The girl in front of me is not a real human figure at all.

She is just a constantly flowing, ever-changing abstract patch of color!

Like a kaleidoscope soaked in spilled paint.

Pink, bright blue, fluorescent green, dazzling gold...

The colors frantically blended, separated, and distorted.

They mingled together in ways that defy aesthetics and physical laws, emitting dizzying energy fluctuations.

It has no fixed shape or outline.
It just flows and changes endlessly!

The girl seemed completely unaware of the cognitive impact she was having on the onlookers.

She simply tilted her head, and then spoke in a cheerful, innocent tone:
"You... smell like my brother..."

“It sounds familiar,” her voice was like the sound of crushed candy mixed with the sound of a candy, “but that’s not important. What’s important is that I lost the puppy my brother lent me. Its name was Barnabas.”

"Do you know where it is? I can't find it. It seems to have lost itself again, or... I accidentally put it in some pocket and forgot about it?"

Shen Du: "..."

He watched as the colorful patch stared at him.

Even the air around its body would conjure up colorful, distorted capital letters that had no clear meaning.
For example, a pink 'A' is melting, a blue 'Z' is tap dancing, and a green '?' is constantly expanding and contracting...

The gods fell into an unusually deep silence.

Faced with this abstract collection of concepts that could talk and create capital letters out of thin air to serve as subtitles, even he found it difficult to organize his thoughts effectively.

And
This isn't the most crucial point...

The key is
The intense tremor in his heart was rapidly subsiding.
Instead, a sense of utter astonishment and a desire to flee arose. Every cell in the newborn body was sending out alarms, and faced with this indescribable existence, an overwhelming urge to escape surged within it.

I got hooked
Or, as stated on television programs.
It should be called a honey trap, right?

Damn it
This guy.
Did she deliberately release that alluring scent to lure me in?!

(End of this chapter)