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Chapter 446: ...It's Here!
Looking at Crane's still-gentle smile, Lex Luthor's heart filled with extreme hatred as whimpering sounds escaped his mouth.
He gasped for breath, his chest heaving like a broken bellows, as the bullet lodged in his chest slowly drained away his life force.
Crane squatted down and whispered into Luthor's ear, "Mr. Luthor, you are a smart man, but when dealing with certain people, intelligence alone is far from enough."
"From the moment I opened the drawer, the signals in this room were jammed. This is a little gadget I begged Shockwave to develop for me; it can block all forms of transmissions. So, don't even think about getting a message out."
Crane wore a regretful expression. Although he didn't know why Tony wanted him to kill Luthor, it didn't matter.
He glanced regretfully at his carpet, which was now stained with blood. It would have to be thrown away.
Luthor glared at Crane, his eyes filled with indignation and fury.
"You wanted to study the Kryptonian's body, but did it ever occur to you that Tony wants to study your body too...?"
Crane's words made Luthor's eyes widen.
Luthor desperately wanted to ask why, but he no longer had the chance. His life force faded away bit by bit, and filled with indignation, he breathed his last.
Even at the moment of death, he couldn't understand why Tony wanted to kill him.
To be honest, Crane didn't quite understand either. He recalled Tony's words.
"If Luthor comes looking for you, don't hesitate—just kill him. He won't come to me. He's a smart man and cherishes his life, so he'll only go to A.R.G.U.S. to find you."
"Luthor has never been a man who stays in his lane. His ambition is etched into his very bones. Once he's figured you out completely, he'll kill you and move on to his next target."
"If he doesn't come to you, then let it be. But the moment he takes action, that in itself is an incredibly dangerous signal."
...
Crane took out his glasses-cleaning cloth and wiped his hands. It was a habit of his. Whenever his hands were stained with blood, he would always take out a handkerchief to wipe them, as if trying to clean away phantom bloodstains.
Crane didn't spare Lex Luthor's body a single glance.
Tony wanted him to kill Luthor, so he did. It was nothing more than that. Crane was very clear about his position: he was a blade in Tony's hands, a high-level one that possessed intelligence and thought.
Tony had given him immense authority and limitless potential, granting him an unimaginable degree of freedom. This freedom was so great that it sometimes kept the timid Crane awake at night.
Crane worked diligently on the tasks Tony assigned him. It was the only way he could feel grounded.
This extreme delegation of authority had once made Crane's heart pound with anxiety.
Over time, however, he had slowly grown accustomed to it.
"The moment you reveal even a sliver of ambition, the hunter has already set his sights on you..." Crane muttered, stepping over Luthor's body, its eyes wide open in death.
Only Luthor's wide, bloodshot eyes remained, staring fixedly in one direction, as if lodging an accusation, hurling curses, and roaring in defiance. But all of that... would fade away with his life.
Lex Luthor—the man who served as Superman's nemesis across various universes, a man possessing a cosmic-level intellect—was truly dead.
Tony had no intention of recruiting him. Luthor's supreme intellect would have certainly been a great help to his research, but it was better to put down a wolf that was always plotting to bite back.
Luthor was a wolf, his mind filled with schemes. He was always growing stronger, dragging down those who once looked down on him, only to viciously trample them underfoot.
To him, anyone, even so-called friends, was always temporary.
Tony was more than happy to eliminate this kind of person.
It was just as Tony had instructed Crane. If Luthor had made no move and simply waited a while longer, Tony would have left Earth on his own, and wouldn't have bothered with him.
But in the end, Luthor was simply not the type to lie low. He took the initiative to come knocking, seeking a partnership.
The moment the wolf showed its fangs, Tony had him put down as easily as swatting an incredibly intelligent pest.
But no matter how great his intellect, he was powerless before the prescient and mighty Tony.
No one was going to play mind games with Luthor. It was simpler to just crush him outright.
"Are you sure he's dead? Send the body to me. Oh, and remember to put two more bullets in his chest, then break his neck and limbs. Who knows if Luthor has some method of resurrection."
Upon receiving Crane's call, Tony gave the instructions calmly, then hung up and returned to his experiment.
Given enough time, Luthor might have actually figured Tony out, perhaps even deciphering the nature of his power.
Make no mistake, Luthor truly possessed that kind of talent.
If the timeline had progressed normally, a Luthor doppelganger from a certain universe would have eventually replaced Darkseid to become the new "God of Apokolips."
But in this universe, at least, Tony had killed him, saving himself from future trouble at the man's hands.
Poor Lex Luthor. He could never have imagined that Tony knew him so thoroughly. He died a frustrating, ignominious death, and his body was now destined to become Tony's research material.
From within the dim laboratory, only Tony's intermittent voice could be heard.
"Experiment number three hundred and ten, failure."
"Experiment number three hundred and eleven..."
...
In the Viscous Blood Domain, not far from the Prime Universe, an immense warship was laboriously traversing the space.
The tangible, viscous energy created immense resistance against the spaceship, forcing it to travel at a snail's pace. Of course, this pace was relative; the ship's current speed was already over a million times the speed of light.
This was a warship belonging to the Watchers, used for travel between universes and capable of navigating the Blood Domain.
"I can't believe the crisis in the Prime Universe has actually been resolved!"
"I just wonder who intervened. Could it have been the Living Tribunal? Or one of the ancient gods who couldn't bear to watch any longer?"
"Don't be ridiculous. As if those ancient gods would care about the life and death of a single universe. My guess is it was a native of the Prime Universe."
"Regardless, we no longer need to seek refuge with our brethren in other universes. We can resume our observations in the Prime Universe. Speaking of which, that fellow Uatu really hit the jackpot. He must have recorded some incredibly valuable data."
Inside the warship, a group of Watchers, with their characteristically large heads and small bodies, lounged about comfortably, chatting with one another while sipping unknown beverages.
Not long ago, when Trigon attacked, they had hastily fled the Prime Universe, intending to seek refuge with their brethren in other universes. But now, that was no longer necessary.
They were now returning to the Prime Universe to resume their duties as observers of the various galaxies.
They were completely at ease now; nothing could be more relaxing.
"If only I hadn't left," one of them said with regret, cursing his own cowardice for not staying behind with Uatu to record that unprecedented battle.
In the Prime Universe, a multiversal being had apparently defeated Trigon!
It was a miracle!
As observers of the Prime Universe, they should have felt joy and pride, but now they were left with the bitter taste of their own cowardice for having fled.
The Watchers' passion for major events was unimaginable. Had there been even the slightest chance of survival, they would never have abandoned the opportunity to observe and chosen to flee instead.
"But who could have imagined that someone could actually defeat Trigon? And a native being, most likely. It's a true miracle," another Watcher remarked, smacking his lips and taking a long, satisfying sip of his drink.
The Watchers continued their conversation, gazing out the window at the crimson, viscous energy.
It couldn't be helped; navigating the Blood Domain was just this arduous. But they could afford the time. The lifespan of a Watcher was nearly infinite, so this was but a minor delay.
"When I get back, the first thing I'm doing is finding Uatu and making him show me a replay of the whole battle!" one of them shouted.
The other Watchers nodded in agreement, clamoring that they would also find Uatu to see the scene for themselves.
Just then, a tremendous bang echoed through the ship, causing the entire warship to shudder violently.
The Watchers fell silent, looking at one another and seeing the shocked expressions mirrored on each other's faces.
"Did we... hit something?"
The sudden impact left the Watchers stunned.
"How could there be anything in the Blood Domain?!"
(end of chapter)
Looking at Crane's still-gentle smile, Lex Luthor's heart filled with extreme hatred as whimpering sounds escaped his mouth.
He gasped for breath, his chest heaving like a broken bellows, as the bullet lodged in his chest slowly drained away his life force.
Crane squatted down and whispered into Luthor's ear, "Mr. Luthor, you are a smart man, but when dealing with certain people, intelligence alone is far from enough."
"From the moment I opened the drawer, the signals in this room were jammed. This is a little gadget I begged Shockwave to develop for me; it can block all forms of transmissions. So, don't even think about getting a message out."
Crane wore a regretful expression. Although he didn't know why Tony wanted him to kill Luthor, it didn't matter.
He glanced regretfully at his carpet, which was now stained with blood. It would have to be thrown away.
Luthor glared at Crane, his eyes filled with indignation and fury.
"You wanted to study the Kryptonian's body, but did it ever occur to you that Tony wants to study your body too...?"
Crane's words made Luthor's eyes widen.
Luthor desperately wanted to ask why, but he no longer had the chance. His life force faded away bit by bit, and filled with indignation, he breathed his last.
Even at the moment of death, he couldn't understand why Tony wanted to kill him.
To be honest, Crane didn't quite understand either. He recalled Tony's words.
"If Luthor comes looking for you, don't hesitate—just kill him. He won't come to me. He's a smart man and cherishes his life, so he'll only go to A.R.G.U.S. to find you."
"Luthor has never been a man who stays in his lane. His ambition is etched into his very bones. Once he's figured you out completely, he'll kill you and move on to his next target."
"If he doesn't come to you, then let it be. But the moment he takes action, that in itself is an incredibly dangerous signal."
...
Crane took out his glasses-cleaning cloth and wiped his hands. It was a habit of his. Whenever his hands were stained with blood, he would always take out a handkerchief to wipe them, as if trying to clean away phantom bloodstains.
Crane didn't spare Lex Luthor's body a single glance.
Tony wanted him to kill Luthor, so he did. It was nothing more than that. Crane was very clear about his position: he was a blade in Tony's hands, a high-level one that possessed intelligence and thought.
Tony had given him immense authority and limitless potential, granting him an unimaginable degree of freedom. This freedom was so great that it sometimes kept the timid Crane awake at night.
Crane worked diligently on the tasks Tony assigned him. It was the only way he could feel grounded.
This extreme delegation of authority had once made Crane's heart pound with anxiety.
Over time, however, he had slowly grown accustomed to it.
"The moment you reveal even a sliver of ambition, the hunter has already set his sights on you..." Crane muttered, stepping over Luthor's body, its eyes wide open in death.
Only Luthor's wide, bloodshot eyes remained, staring fixedly in one direction, as if lodging an accusation, hurling curses, and roaring in defiance. But all of that... would fade away with his life.
Lex Luthor—the man who served as Superman's nemesis across various universes, a man possessing a cosmic-level intellect—was truly dead.
Tony had no intention of recruiting him. Luthor's supreme intellect would have certainly been a great help to his research, but it was better to put down a wolf that was always plotting to bite back.
Luthor was a wolf, his mind filled with schemes. He was always growing stronger, dragging down those who once looked down on him, only to viciously trample them underfoot.
To him, anyone, even so-called friends, was always temporary.
Tony was more than happy to eliminate this kind of person.
It was just as Tony had instructed Crane. If Luthor had made no move and simply waited a while longer, Tony would have left Earth on his own, and wouldn't have bothered with him.
But in the end, Luthor was simply not the type to lie low. He took the initiative to come knocking, seeking a partnership.
The moment the wolf showed its fangs, Tony had him put down as easily as swatting an incredibly intelligent pest.
But no matter how great his intellect, he was powerless before the prescient and mighty Tony.
No one was going to play mind games with Luthor. It was simpler to just crush him outright.
"Are you sure he's dead? Send the body to me. Oh, and remember to put two more bullets in his chest, then break his neck and limbs. Who knows if Luthor has some method of resurrection."
Upon receiving Crane's call, Tony gave the instructions calmly, then hung up and returned to his experiment.
Given enough time, Luthor might have actually figured Tony out, perhaps even deciphering the nature of his power.
Make no mistake, Luthor truly possessed that kind of talent.
If the timeline had progressed normally, a Luthor doppelganger from a certain universe would have eventually replaced Darkseid to become the new "God of Apokolips."
But in this universe, at least, Tony had killed him, saving himself from future trouble at the man's hands.
Poor Lex Luthor. He could never have imagined that Tony knew him so thoroughly. He died a frustrating, ignominious death, and his body was now destined to become Tony's research material.
From within the dim laboratory, only Tony's intermittent voice could be heard.
"Experiment number three hundred and ten, failure."
"Experiment number three hundred and eleven..."
...
In the Viscous Blood Domain, not far from the Prime Universe, an immense warship was laboriously traversing the space.
The tangible, viscous energy created immense resistance against the spaceship, forcing it to travel at a snail's pace. Of course, this pace was relative; the ship's current speed was already over a million times the speed of light.
This was a warship belonging to the Watchers, used for travel between universes and capable of navigating the Blood Domain.
"I can't believe the crisis in the Prime Universe has actually been resolved!"
"I just wonder who intervened. Could it have been the Living Tribunal? Or one of the ancient gods who couldn't bear to watch any longer?"
"Don't be ridiculous. As if those ancient gods would care about the life and death of a single universe. My guess is it was a native of the Prime Universe."
"Regardless, we no longer need to seek refuge with our brethren in other universes. We can resume our observations in the Prime Universe. Speaking of which, that fellow Uatu really hit the jackpot. He must have recorded some incredibly valuable data."
Inside the warship, a group of Watchers, with their characteristically large heads and small bodies, lounged about comfortably, chatting with one another while sipping unknown beverages.
Not long ago, when Trigon attacked, they had hastily fled the Prime Universe, intending to seek refuge with their brethren in other universes. But now, that was no longer necessary.
They were now returning to the Prime Universe to resume their duties as observers of the various galaxies.
They were completely at ease now; nothing could be more relaxing.
"If only I hadn't left," one of them said with regret, cursing his own cowardice for not staying behind with Uatu to record that unprecedented battle.
In the Prime Universe, a multiversal being had apparently defeated Trigon!
It was a miracle!
As observers of the Prime Universe, they should have felt joy and pride, but now they were left with the bitter taste of their own cowardice for having fled.
The Watchers' passion for major events was unimaginable. Had there been even the slightest chance of survival, they would never have abandoned the opportunity to observe and chosen to flee instead.
"But who could have imagined that someone could actually defeat Trigon? And a native being, most likely. It's a true miracle," another Watcher remarked, smacking his lips and taking a long, satisfying sip of his drink.
The Watchers continued their conversation, gazing out the window at the crimson, viscous energy.
It couldn't be helped; navigating the Blood Domain was just this arduous. But they could afford the time. The lifespan of a Watcher was nearly infinite, so this was but a minor delay.
"When I get back, the first thing I'm doing is finding Uatu and making him show me a replay of the whole battle!" one of them shouted.
The other Watchers nodded in agreement, clamoring that they would also find Uatu to see the scene for themselves.
Just then, a tremendous bang echoed through the ship, causing the entire warship to shudder violently.
The Watchers fell silent, looking at one another and seeing the shocked expressions mirrored on each other's faces.
"Did we... hit something?"
The sudden impact left the Watchers stunned.
"How could there be anything in the Blood Domain?!"
(end of chapter)
