Superman's End Manual

The red-haired girl in the wheelchair murmured to herself, her head bowed, and gently tapped the floor with her cane, making a thumping sound.

Beside her, a man who was 2.2 meters tall, with black hair and black eyes, and a muscular, robust build—who could practically be called a giant—sat at the bar, wiping a greatsword with a rag, and calmly asked, "How could this happen?"

Gastro glanced at him sideways, released his cane, and said, resting his chin on his hand, "I don't know, who knows what that dice-wielding freak is up to?"

The moment his gaze fell upon him, Gastro's superhuman panel appeared in his eyes.

[Character's Name: Folins]

[Risk Rating: A++]

[Character Code Name: Vampire Hunter "F"]

[Character Background Introduction: One of the remnants of the hunter organization "Hell's Hymn". They are vampire hunters who grow stronger by consuming the blood of vampires. However, during the battle against the vampire progenitor "Queen Icharia", almost all members of Hell's Hymn were wiped out.]

As the top fighter of "Hellsong," Flinx possesses an extremely powerful physique, placing him at the pinnacle of A-class superhuman abilities.

Flinx raised his rugged face and said in a low voice to Gastro, "Are you sure you're not being played by it?"

"I do not know."

Gastro spoke softly, then raised his pale hand to support his chin, lowered his eyes, and gazed at the floor while gently tapping it with his cane.

"What exactly does that dice-obsessed guy want? He seems to know that there's a worm I raised inside Che Zhengchen, but he kidnapped Che Zhengchen, pulled out the worm, and then returned Che Zhengchen to him?"

She sighed and continued to think.

"But what's the point? Doesn't it want me to help it kill Blue Owl? But with its abilities, it could easily kill that superhero itself. Why does it insist on making me do it?"

"This should be a trap," Flinks said.

"I see." Gastro smirked. "Looks like the Dice Monster is on that player's side, the one hiding the vampire."

"Anti-dog?"

"It's not necessarily an anti-dog case. I might have been fooled. Anyway, as long as we find all the players in this city within a month, that's fine."

Gastro said calmly.

Flinx was silent for a moment, then said, "After we've identified them, what do you plan to do with those 'players'?"

“You are my family, Flinx, you, Link, and Howard are. And those players will do anything to become stronger in order to survive, and then they will kill you.”

Gastro rested his face on the bar, buried it in his arms, and whispered, “So, I have to find them before that happens… and kill them all, so no one can hurt you.”

"But I'm more interested in knowing, what will you do yourself?"

"I'm going to die. I'll die in a year."

Flinx opened his mouth slightly, his expression somewhat somber: "I don't want you to die, Stroll."

"Thank you, Flinx. But without you, I would have died long ago."

Gastro curled his lips slightly and said, "Back then, I was thrown into the slums, unable to move my legs, and I was bound by a vampire oath. If you hadn't rescued me, I would have died a terrible, terrible death... No one would remember me, I wouldn't even have had the chance to struggle, I would have just died like that."

She paused for a moment, then tapped the wooden floor lightly with her cane, speaking casually.

"In these ten years, you have taken me to so many places, the Arctic, Antarctica, Iceland, the United States, the United Kingdom, places I never dared to imagine before... the world is so vast."

"So I'm already very content, having you all by my side for so many years."

Flinks remained silent.

After a long pause, he finally spoke: “You are important to us too. Link said that when she first saw you in that slum, you were lying on the ground unable to move, and a group of children were stealing your food and kicking over your wheelchair. You lay on the ground crying for a long time, reaching out your hand to her and saying, ‘Save me.’”

He paused for a moment: "Link said that at that time she felt that no matter how dirty you were, you looked as dazzling as an angel, which made people feel sorry for you. She felt that if she didn't take you away, she would definitely regret it later and would be punished by God."

"So she took you away."

“For the past ten years, we have always treated you as our own sister. None of us would want to lose you. Especially me, Stroll.”

Upon hearing this, Gastro paused for a moment, then raised his head and looked directly into Flinx's eyes.

“I will save you, just as you saved me. Although you may think I’m being unreasonable, I’m a player… so only I know how dangerous those players are. Sooner or later they will turn into lawless monsters and then come to hurt you.”

"No, you don't have to do that."

Flinx paused, then continued awkwardly, "You...you're not someone who likes to hurt others, Stroll. I don't need you to hurt others for our sake."

“But I can’t wait for someone who could potentially harm you to get stronger. I can’t do that, Flinx.”

Gastro repeated it over and over, as if he were talking to himself.

"My only wish is to see the three of you still alive and well before I die. That would be enough."

She lowered her eyes and her voice softened, "Even if it's only for a year, I'm already very happy to be by your side."

Flinx hung his head, a sorrowful, indescribable expression on the giant's face. Finally, he said in a hoarse voice, "You will stay with us from now on... We will always be together, never to be separated."

"Yes, I know about your people's traditions. I also hope that you can take my ashes with you with you so that we can continue our journey together."

As he spoke, Gastro happily reached out and touched his leg, which did not respond to his words.

She said, "Take me to see farther places, Flinx."

"I will."

She said, "When I die, don't forget me, Flinx."

"I will."

She said, "Could you have hugged me then, Flinks? Actually, I was quite scared thinking about dying a year from now."

"I will."

She said, "Sing me another song then."

"I will."

She said, "You really... don't you think I look like an imposter at all, Flinx?"

"No, I'm certain, you are Steller. You are our angel."

She said, "But why is this happening? The memories in my head keep telling me that I am not Sterling, I am just someone who took her life."

“I…I’ve been with you for over ten years. Link, Howard, and I have watched you grow up little by little.”

Flinx was somewhat at a loss, stammering, "How could we not know it was you, Stroll? You, you've just been affected by something."

"So I am Strom, right?"

"Correct."

“That’s great. You know, in the memory that thing gave me, it said I was a girl with cancer named ‘Elise,’ and my parents abandoned me because they couldn’t afford my medical expenses.”

Gastro raised his head and said, "I felt so much pain, so much pain, so much pain... Staying in that hospital room, staring at the same ceiling every day, looking at those hateful chimneys and those hateful eaves outside the window, I felt like the world was a prison. And then I just died, nobody saved me, they all abandoned me..."

As he spoke, Gastro suddenly curled the corners of his mouth, his eyes hidden by his drooping bangs, "But it's good that you told me that it wasn't real... it was all just fake memories, and that I still have you all."

“I didn’t die when I was nine. You took me from that slum, you took me to so many places… and made me realize how big, so very big the world is!”

The girl in the wheelchair's voice was shrouded in jazz music, making it somewhat inaudible, but it was clear that she was calling out softly.

"It's not just about the bricks and tiles of slums, or the ceilings of hospital wards. You took me to see penguins, polar bears, and icebergs. They were magnificent! The Eiffel Tower was beautiful! I didn't realize there were places in the world where it doesn't snow, and places that are not just about war, pain, suffering, and quarrels."

“I feel very content. Even if that girl with cancer who died in the hospital ward really existed, she must have felt very content.”

"Actually, I'm starting to have trouble figuring out who I am. Sometimes I feel like I'm Ellis, and other times I feel like I'm Steller..."

"So can you tell me who I really am, Flinx?"

As Gastro spoke, he slowly raised his tearful eyes and stared intently at Flinx's face.

Flinx's eyes darkened, and he opened his mouth slightly, saying in a hoarse voice, "You are Stroll, our angel, a family member given to us by God, an irreplaceable being."

"Can I hug you?"

Flinks remained silent for a long time before slowly leaning forward and embracing the girl in the wheelchair.

He whispered hoarsely in the girl's ear, "Stroh, we will find the last vampire, lift the curse from you, and let you live."

Flink paused for a moment, a resolute glint in his eyes: "And then... although we don't yet understand what that 'system' is, nor do we understand what a 'player' is, we will ensure your survival, not just for this year, but we will always be together, going to more and farther places."

"Thank you, Flinks."

Gastro buried his head in Flink's shoulder and whispered.

"You're the best to me."

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 166 A Deal with the Ninja Sect Master

July 9, nighttime, Rainbow Lights Commercial District.

Beams of searchlights shooting from the top of the Superhero Building drifted across the night sky, slowly swaying back and forth, like a giant lighthouse, or like ghosts devouring the darkness.

Not far from the building, the eerie gray humanoid figure reappeared at the top of the tower.

This person is quite mysterious, and his whereabouts are unpredictable.

Sometimes it calls itself the Dice Monster, saying that's its real name; other times it calls itself the Strange Thing, saying that's its nickname, which only close friends and family can use.

Regardless, tonight.

The Dice Monster sat on the exhibition platform as always, swinging his long legs, banging on a gong and drum while shouting loudly through a megaphone.