Oa.
Hal followed the three Green Lanterns to this ancient Planet.
Kilowog and Tomar-Re still disliked him, so they didn't communicate with him throughout, but Boudicca was quite friendly towards him.
It was Hal's first time seeing so many aliens, and also his first time traversing the Universe in the flesh, so everything he saw felt new and exciting.
There were all sorts of alien races here, but what surprised him was that...
Most races had humanoid appearances.
Although their looks varied wildly, many had two arms and two legs, and facial features that conformed to human aesthetics.
There were even many aliens who, apart from their skin color, were almost indistinguishable from Earthlings.
If Dane had been there to hear his question, he would have surely told him it was more than that.
In the U.S. comic book World view, most humanoid life forms don't even have reproductive isolation.
Interstellar half-breeds are simply everywhere; Clark and Lois's future child is a good example.
This isn't just true in the Universe; in the Magical Realm, there's no such thing as reproductive isolation between creatures from different dimensions.
Trigon, born in the Dark Dimension, can have offspring with human females; demons can combine with humans to produce half-demons; gods can combine with humans to produce demigods, and so on.
Ultimately, this is because the U.S. comic book World is not truly naturally evolved; it's a World that developed under the premise of creationism.
Dane sometimes even suspected that the gods of the U.S. comic book World used the same set of DNA when creating all life, with only different expression directions causing the differences in appearance.
If that were truly the case, then this creator was far too lazy.
He wasn't even willing to design new genetic methods and new life forms, such as silicon-based life.
While Hal was looking around curiously, many aliens were also looking at him with the same expression.
Not only because Earthlings were extremely rare on Oa, but also because they had already received the news.
An Earthling had inherited the lantern ring of Abin Sur, that great Green Lantern.
Many people felt indignant.
They believed Abin Sur had only chosen this Earthling out of desperation.
This wasn't their wild guess; in fact, there were many people on Earth who met the green lantern ring's selection criteria.
At least Batman, or Dane, Diana, and others, were all more suitable to be green lantern warriors than a pilot at the time.
But they weren't close enough, so they all became backups.
In the comics, Abin Sur's lantern ring actually had other candidates, such as Guy Gardner.
Due to the distance, he became a backup's backup, falling behind Hal.
According to the inner thoughts of many alien Green Lanterns, there were many races in the Universe far more suitable to be Abin Sur's successor than Earthlings.
But there was no choice; the lantern ring had already chosen him.
Kilowog led the group flying towards the Central Conference Hall. At the entrance, they were stopped by another team of Green Lanterns.
Kilowog rumbled, "We have brought the Earthling Hal Jordan by order of the Guardian."
He still refused to acknowledge Hal as a member of the Green Lantern Corps, even more so after being thoroughly beaten by Dane.
But he was a warrior who knew shame and wouldn't vent his failure on Hal, though one shouldn't expect him to have a good tone.
The green lantern Police guarding the door shook their heads:
"Sorry, Kilowog, it's not that I won't let you through, but the Guardians are discussing a very important matter with Sinestro and don't have time for you right now."
"What happened?" Tomar-Re suddenly remembered that Sinestro had led a team to battle Parallax earlier, hadn't he?
Could something have gone wrong?
Indeed, the Police replied, "We only know that out of the more than three hundred Green Lanterns who went to battle Parallax, only Sinestro returned alive, and he was severely injured..."
Hal's pupils contracted violently when he heard his words.
More than three hundred Green Lanterns like him died just like that?
He couldn't help but lower his head and look at his lantern ring. Was this job really so dangerous?
Father, if I sacrifice myself in the pursuit of justice, will you be proud of me... And, Carol...
But not long after, someone came out from inside and whispered something to the Police officer.
He then turned his head, looking Hal up and down: "The Guardians have decided to see you. Go in."
With that, he moved aside.
Hal looked left and right at the other Green Lanterns, shrugged, and walked in first.
To his surprise, upon entering the hall, it wasn't indoors but had become outdoors.
There were no paths to walk on here, only towering mountains.
"We're Green Lanterns, we fly." Boudicca smiled at him and flew forward, enveloped in green light.
Kilowog and Tomar-Re followed, and Hal quickly followed suit.
Not far from the central area, he finally saw man-made objects.
It was a huge platform, with ten tall stone pillar seats around it, but one of them was already broken.
On each of the remaining nine high platforms sat a blue, big-headed Little Blue People.
Please forgive Hal for describing them this way; their only difference from Smurfs was that they weren't cute enough, each looking like a serious old man.
It made Hal can't help but think of politicians on Earth.
And in the open space in the middle, surrounded by them, stood another red-skinned Green Lantern.
He had pointed ears, a hippie-like beard, and a wide forehead.
Sinestro saw Hal Jordan, and a strange feeling suddenly arose in his heart, as if it were destined.
But this feeling was fleeting, making him wonder if it was just an illusion.
"Newbie, what are you waiting for?"
Boudicca and the others stopped there: "You can only walk the rest of the way yourself. Our mission is complete."
Hal nodded and flew to the center of the platform, stopping.
He looked up, a little frowned.
You say these Little Blue People are really something; they're short, so why do they sit so high?
Do they like being looked up at?
One of the Little Blue People spoke.
"Earthling Hal Jordan, you must know."
"The Green Lantern Corps is a very sacred organization, and not just anyone can join it."
"They bear immense responsibility; each member must be capable of patrolling one of the 3600 sectors, but..."
His words were interrupted by Hal before he could finish. He hated listening to long-winded nonsense...
"Like one Police officer per jurisdiction?"
The Guardian speaking choked for a moment, stammering, "Yes, I think so."
The Guardian knew the knowledge of various Planets in the Universe, so he could understand the meaning of "Police."
Hal continued, "My uncle was once a Police officer, working in Coast City for 30 years."
The Guardian was a bit embarrassed by Hal's interruption and could only continue, "Yes, but..."
Hal kept muttering, as if lost in his own memories: "He used to let me operate the Police siren. He was a very good man."
Sinestro saw Hal making the Guardian stumble without any timidity, and the corner of his mouth curled up imperceptibly.
The Guardian finally couldn't help but raise his voice: "But this is far from enough!"
Then his speaking speed began to quicken: "The Green Lantern ring is a very complex tool; it requires the user's intense mental focus."
Hal stood still, confidently crossing his arms: "Then I think I already know how to use it."
The Guardian then remembered the scene of him flying with the lantern ring just now. One of the Little Blue People named Lanakka honestly said:
"He really knows how to use it."
The Guardian who spoke first couldn't help but call his name: "Lanakka!"
But the other party immediately changed the subject, saying to the other Little Blue People:
"Why are we wasting time? He's an Earthling."
A Guardian echoed, "Yes, it's hard not to consider that."
Ganthet, a Guardian nearby, seeing Hal's bewildered expression, explained:
"I'm afraid you Earthlings don't have a very good reputation interstellarly."
Us? Earthlings?
What's going on? We haven't even left the Solar System, the furthest we've gone is just a couple of steps on the Moon.
Are Earthlings eating your rice?
Hal felt bitter inside. Although he had accepted the fact that other aliens lived on Earth, he could not accept outsiders slandering his home Planet, his race.
So Hal interrupted the Guardians' discussion.
"Listen, guys, I didn't ask for this lantern ring."
"2.4 If you want to take it back, by all means, but you have no right to belittle my race and my home Planet."
"Furthermore, to make such a biased statement based solely on stereotypes, you are not as smart as I imagined."
"A wise person should not belittle a species based on mere conjecture. I haven't even complained about you being short, big-headed, and having strange skin colors..."
Sinestro's smile gradually widened.
The Guardians' words were harsh: "It seems we should add another charge against him: insolence."
But Ganthet stepped forward and spoke fairly:
"Earthlings are not so bad. If he were truly as untrustworthy as you say."
"No power in this galaxy could force the lantern ring onto his hand."
"But it's there, one with him."
The Guardians began to discuss again. At this moment, Sinestro finally stepped onto the platform.
"Guardians, please hear me out."
All the Little Blue People quieted down, looking at him.
"Given the current shortage of personnel in the Corps, I believe it's necessary to relax some of the red tape."
"This Human, why don't you let me lead and test him!"
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