I'm doing bidirectional science popularization in American comics

"You're awake!"

"You're awake, sir!"

"7788, you're finally awake."

This scene made Number 7788 feel a headache coming on, and he immediately got up and touched his butt.

Well, it's barely intact.

But soon, he realized something was wrong.

My mental state seems to be much worse than before.

"Strange, what on earth happened?"

"I think I was bumped by something, and when I woke up I was here."

Number 7788 looked puzzled, because he still remembered the moment Depp knocked him unconscious.

He had absolutely no recollection of being used as a guinea pig and a source of experimental materials, or even being infected with a virus.

For number 7788

It's like you just close your eyes and open them, and you're lying naked on the ground.

"Sir, you were captured by a guy. And just now, that guy threw you out of the protective shield."

They've been arrested?

Throw it out?

I suspect you son of a bitch are lying to me!

With crimson light gathering in its eyes, Number 7788 shot directly at the talkative guy's thigh.

Five or six seconds later, the man's thigh snapped off.

Number 7788 snorted coldly, but was very puzzled inside.

Because last time I shot this guy in the thigh, it only took me four and a half seconds.

Perhaps it's because I just woke up and am not feeling well.

Number 7788 comforted himself in this way.

Upon hearing that Lucius's research was complete, Bruce immediately mobilized the resources belonging to the Wayne family.

All the sprinkler trucks in the city were replaced with diluted versions of the virus created by Lucius.

Hundreds of water trucks began spraying water continuously throughout the process. These viruses can survive for more than three days in a dry environment, and can definitely hold out until the arrival of those clones of the motherland.

Meanwhile, the new Bat Mech is nearing completion.

Compared to the previous version, the current Bat Mech has superior protective capabilities, and its eyes have turned a blood-red color.

The countdown to the shield disappearing is in thirty-seven minutes.

Everyone gathered together with solemn expressions.

Although everyone had done their best, Bruce remained quite pessimistic.

He knew exactly how strong those creatures that kept flying and patrolling in the sky were.

This almost made Bruce overturn his own understanding.

And those guys number in the thousands, it's despair-inducing.

"I hope we can all live, and I hope Gotham can pull through this."

Bruce said with a melancholy expression.

Lucius, dressed in a white lab coat, also looked worried.

Although his virus could cause fatal damage to Homelander clones, that would take time to develop.

Right now, what they and Gotham lack most is time.

Seeing this, Depp patted the guy's butt and said, "There's always a way out. There's always a way to get through this."

Bruce slapped Depp's hand away and said, "Sometimes I really don't feel like a Gothamite, or even an American."

Depp waved awkwardly.

"Stop fooling around."

"I think you're more like a Chinese person."

"Bruce, let's talk about strategy for a bit first."

Bruce became even more curious after Depp dodged the question.

But he also knows what's most important right now.

The fate of Gotham hinges on this.

Furthermore, Bruce believed that the chances of safety and survival were far less than those of danger and death.

However, compared to Bruce's worried expression, Depp seemed much more relaxed.

At this moment, Depp remained silent, seemingly communicating in secret with someone.

Ivy said, "How about we give those guys up there a few more Final Blooms?"

Depp shook his head and said, "At their speed, if they hadn't been caught off guard, they definitely wouldn't have been affected by the blast. Those guys would have escaped to a safe area before the final explosion."

"Well, those guys are really tough to deal with."

Ivy said angrily.

Seeing this, Depp turned around and looked at the crowd.

Everyone's face was clouded with worry.

Clearly, the pressure from Homelanders had instilled a sense of despair in everyone.

Almost none of them believed they could hold Gotham.

Even though Depp had played exceptionally well before, there were simply too many enemies.

Even if Depp could kill ten, or even a hundred or a thousand Homelander clones, so what?

Most of them couldn't even withstand a single attack from a Homelander clone.

And now they are willing to stand here, following Depp and Bruce to protect this city.

It's because their roots are here, and those roots could be Gotham City itself, or they could be Johnny Depp himself.

Or perhaps, it's that indomitable will unique to Gotham.

Everyone was on high alert, and the Homelander clones in the air seemed to have noticed them as well.

Those Homelander clones also began to gather above Depp and his group.

Soon, thousands of Homelander clones gathered densely, like dark clouds, over Gotham City.

At the very front of them stood number 7788, dressed in a distinctive black suit with a sinister look in his eyes.

Beneath the persistent dark clouds over Gotham City, these creatures, like demons, looked down upon the masses on the ground.

Strangely enough, there were gray clouds in the sky over Gotham.

Depp once used his ability to control the weather to try and dispel these dark clouds.

But after failing more than ten times, Depp finally gave up.

These dark clouds seem to have long been integrated with Gotham, becoming an integral part of it.

Depp looked up at the Homelander clones in the sky and raised his right hand, giving them the middle finger.

Upon seeing this, number 7788 in mid-air immediately unleashed a heat ray at the guy who dared to mock him.

However, the protective shield still exists, and the heat rays only create small ripples on the shield.

"Damn otherworldly beings, once this protective shield disappears, I'll tear you to pieces!"

-----

In Smallville, Clark, having received a message from Depp, changed into a new outfit and prepared to head to Gotham City to provide assistance.

He had just run outside the town when he noticed something.

They then immediately turned back to the town entrance.

There, several portals, swirling with sparks, floated in mid-air.

Soon, a bald woman wearing a yellow monk's robe came out.

"You are...?"

Clark asked warily.

But the person just smiled and didn't answer.

After him, a person wearing red armor emerged from the previous portal.

"Is this Gotham?" Tony looked around curiously. "It doesn't look like a big city at all; it's just a small town."

Upon hearing this, Clark became somewhat angry and said:

"This is Smallville, not Gotham!"

Clark then walked up to Tony, poked the Mark armor with his finger, and said, "I'll let you off the hook because you're an Iron Man fan, but you're not allowed to insult my hometown again!"

Seeing this, Tony immediately squatted down and burst out laughing.

"Hahahaha, you're quite the character. Are you perhaps a fan of Iron Man?"

Tony looked at the young man in front of him with great curiosity.

Clark nodded upon hearing this: "Of course! But... who exactly are you?"

The Ancient One remained silent, simply looking at Clark with curiosity.

She could sense a completely different aura emanating from Clark.

This boy seems to have the ability to draw everyone around him.

"No," the Ancient One thought to herself, "it seems that this world, this universe, and even this plane of existence are all revolving around the boy in front of me."