Chapter 462: He's Dead
The Silent Farewell
On a rooftop of an apartment building in Metropolis, Linda stood, following the distress signal to this spot. Her lips trembled, and she dared not take a step forward.
A person lay on the ground, seemingly around twenty years old, pale-faced, with blood on his lips. He lay motionless, exactly like a corpse.
Clark, Martian Manhunter, Barry Allen, and Diana all stopped short, their eyes reflecting expressions of profound complexity.
Barry dramatically covered his head.
"No way! Boss... how is that possible?"
Luke Shaw was the most formidable person he had ever met—smart, confident, powerful, omniscient, and omnipotent. How could a person like that die here?
Martian Manhunter shook his head with a bitter smile. He felt no psychic presence; the person was indeed dead.
Clark walked up to Linda and put a hand on her shoulder. She spun around coldly.
"Get lost!"
Clark offered a pained smile and retreated.
Linda wiped away her tears, picked up Luke's body, leaped up, and vanished into the sky.
Diana said quietly,
"I can understand her pain."
"Let her be alone. Some wounds can only be smoothed over by time."
Martian Manhunter sighed. He had intended to ask Luke Shaw for help solving the Martian weakness after the war. He never expected this ending.
Barry still couldn't accept it.
"He's really dead? That doesn't make sense! If Boss is dead, where is H'el? Why hasn't he shown up?"
Everyone had a deep appreciation for H'el's power. Logically, after defeating Luke, he would surely return to join the battle. It was strange that he had never reappeared.
His question touched on the core mystery. The others pondered for a moment, then shook their heads.
The fighting had been too intense; no one had the time to observe the skirmish above Earth. They could only determine what happened through subsequent investigations.
After exchanging contact information, the heavy-hearted group dispersed.
The Storm Gathers
The war had ended, but its repercussions were just beginning.
Metropolis was in ruins, with black smoke rising from many areas. The city center was utterly devastating. Who knew how many citizens were buried beneath the collapsed high-rises?
The city government immediately launched rescue operations. The military and the White House rushed to deploy manpower. Soon after, the "Battle of the Kryptonians" became front-page news for official media in every country—the entire world exploded.
Following the rise of the internet in the 21st century, aliens were no longer a myth. Many knew of powerful intelligent civilizations beyond Earth.
But this was the first time an invasion war had been launched like this. Photos depicting the city's devastation circulated wildly online. Seeing the blank zone in the city center, leaders of various nations fell silent, then unanimously called the White House.
A global storm was about to begin.
In an air-raid shelter in Metropolis, the heavy door slowly opened. Bruce Wayne was the first to emerge. Alfred was waiting by the entrance.
"Are you alright?"
Bruce remained silent, apparently still immersed in the trauma of his recent experience.
Alfred worriedly suggested,
"Master Wayne, I recommend you get a check-up."
"I'm fine. I'm perfectly fine."
With that, Bruce's lips tightened. He suddenly remembered the collapsing Wayne Tower and the heat rays sweeping back and forth.
"Lamosi is dead."
Alfred offered a bitter smile. "I've already notified his family."
"What about the others?"
Bruce stared at his butler. "How many employees were in the Wayne Tower?"
"Around four hundred."
"How many survived?"
Alfred sighed. "Master, you need rest now. We can discuss these matters later."
Just then, an exclamation came from nearby.
"Look, it's Superman!"
On a nearby street, a figure wearing a red cape was clearing debris for an ambulance. Three-meter-tall fragments of buildings were tossed onto the roadside like ping-pong balls in his hands.
Bruce watched silently, his eyes dark and deep, his right hand curled into an iron fist.
Alfred sensed his master's abnormality and whispered,
"We should head back. You have a meeting tonight."
He then pulled Bruce into the car. The engine started, and the vehicle drove toward the Bay Bridge.
A New Proposal
Unbeknownst to them, evening was approaching. Inside the Metropolis City Hall meeting room.
In addition to the mayor and several local officials, Secretary of Defense Sam Lane and a number of White House representatives were present.
The atmosphere was heavy. Staff members came and went, bringing constant negative updates. The death toll was soaring, and the number of damaged buildings was countless.
The conservative estimate placed the cost of this war at at least five hundred billion dollars in damages.
Metropolis Mayor Carmell's hair was visibly grayer from worry. He kept communicating with his subordinates, urging them to prioritize rescue work. Sam Lane had deployed all remaining Mech Corps units to assist the police in clearing the streets.
The frantic work continued until nine o'clock at night. A soldier entered and spoke a few words, prompting Sam Lane to rise and leave the conference room for a third-floor study.
"Say what you need to say quickly. I don't have time to waste on you."
Lex Luthor puffed out a ring of smoke.
"I just received news that Luke Shaw is dead."
Sam Lane's pupils contracted.
"What did you say? How could he die?"
Luthor spread his hands. "I don't understand it either—a man like him dying in battle. What a pity. He's confirmed dead, found on the rooftop of an apartment building."
Sam Lane gasped, his mind reeling. He didn't believe Lex Luthor would joke about something like this, yet he still found it hard to believe.
Luthor snuffed out his cigarette.
"The times have changed, and I've lost a competitor. However, some problems ultimately need to be addressed."
"General Lane, I'd like to ask for your opinion on this war."
Sam Lane suppressed his turbulent emotions and said coldly,
"Say what you mean directly. Don't beat around the bush."
Luthor smiled, a hint of mockery in his expression.
"The perpetrators of this war were Kryptonians, but the conflict was ended by five superheroes. And, of course, Luke Shaw. I'm curious, what role did the military play in all this? Bystanders? Spectators? Or perhaps..."
"Cowards who did nothing."
Sam Lane narrowed his eyes. "You have one minute left."
Lex Luthor chuckled. "General, don't you think the Department of Defense is too weak? Faced with aliens, we had no means of defense. If not for those six fighting to the death, Metropolis would have been completely obliterated."
"The purpose of creating a military is to protect the nation. If it can't fulfill that basic function, does it have a reason to exist?"
Sam Lane squinted. "Thirty seconds."
Lex Luthor pulled out a proposal he had prepared long ago and said with utter seriousness,
"I have a great plan concerning the future of humanity. I wonder if the General would be interested."
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