Chapter 582: The Green Lantern Corps Arrives!
Dissecting the Fear Essence
What Luke was doing was not just cutting the body, but more importantly, separating Parallax's consciousness: dividing it into two, then four, then eight, turning the powerful individual into vulnerable fragments for individual refinement.
To truly master the Fear Essence, he had to destroy the core consciousness.
The short knife sliced down, then cut horizontally, splitting the essence into sixteen portions—each one containing a phantom of Parallax.
Luke manipulated the spell, selecting one portion for deep refinement.
Green flame burned fiercely, engulfing the constantly struggling yellow thread ball. This process was extremely slow, at least ten times slower than the last time. The main reason was the intensity of the entity. Last time, Parallax had just escaped its seal before coming to Earth. This time was different; it had devoured the fear from a dozen civilized planets, and its size, energy, and consciousness had grown to a terrifying level. Refining it required a slow, persistent boil.
Time flowed silently. The sun set, the bright moon hung high. Unknowingly, a full day and night passed.
Barry couldn't help but ask,
"How much longer will the Boss take?"
Diana withdrew her gaze. "Judging by the progress, at least another thirty-six hours."
"We have to stand guard for two more days?"
"Are you hungry?"
"A little."
"Go ahead. I'll watch here."
She walked back to the small island and stopped outside the formation.
"Luke, do you want something to eat?"
Mud and sand beneath her feet shifted, forming a sentence: I need to concentrate. Do not disturb me unless necessary.
The Guardians Reach Out
Meanwhile, in a private apartment in Coast City.
"My neighbor just told me he saw a human-sized octopus shuffling around in the backyard during dinner." Hal, carrying a bag of groceries, looked exasperatedly at his tentacled comrade. "Grymst, don't tell me that was you."
The merfolk Green Lantern warrior who was called out looked embarrassed.
"I just went out for a short walk."
Hal put the food in the fridge, handing a bottle of chlorophyll, a can of fresh shrimp, and a carton of urea-added milk to the three of them, respectively.
"Your injuries are mostly healed. What are you planning to do next?"
The elderly Green Lantern said gravely, "I need to meet that Earthling again."
"Listen to me, forget it."
"You'll just cause trouble for yourselves. Luke Shaw won't pay attention to you."
The Lantern next to him looked confused. "Sometimes I don't understand the thinking of these Earthlings. Parallax cannot be kept here. Why don't they understand that in the entire universe, only the Oa prison can contain it?"
"Oa is the safest place for it."
Hal opened a can of beer. "I understand what you're saying, but the problem is Luke Shaw. He doesn't trust you."
The three fell silent. The elderly Lantern was persistent.
"What can we do to earn his trust?"
"Trust?"
Hal chuckled as if he'd heard something ridiculous, taking a long drink of his beer. "Luke Shaw will never trust you. Even if you offered your lives, he wouldn't show a shred of pity."
"That man is no righteous figure. Gaining his trust is practically impossible."
Before he could finish, the Lantern Battery on the table suddenly emitted a blinding light. A majestic voice vaguely sounded within the light. The four men's faces changed, and they immediately activated their rings.
Communication was restored. On the other end was a Guardian of the Universe.
A short, white-haired, blue-skinned dwarf—Ganthet, the Guardian representing compassion—appeared in the swirling green light.
The merfolk Lantern stepped forward, his expression exceptionally solemn.
"Greetings, Most High Guardian, sir."
The remaining three also bowed, offering their highest respect.
Ganthet lowered his head. His profound eyes seemed to pierce their souls. Without speaking, a gentle voice resonated in their minds.
"Tell me about your experiences during this time. Do not omit anything."
The elderly Lantern nodded, recounting the cause and process of the battle truthfully. Upon learning that Parallax/Sinestro had been subdued by Earthlings, the elder Ganthet was visibly moved.
"A materialized soul? An undying body? Who are they?"
"The former is named Luke Shaw, the leader of the group. The latter is a Kryptonian, operating as a hero on Earth under the alias of Superman. His real name is unknown for now."
"How did a Kryptonian end up on Earth?"
"He appears to be an orphan."
Ganthet then asked several more questions, which the four answered one by one, not daring to conceal anything. The dialogue lasted for an hour before the communication ended, and the battery returned to normal.
The four let out a collective sigh of relief. The merfolk Lantern's tentacles danced in excitement.
"We can finally go home!"
He intensely disliked the Earth environment; it was far too dry.
Hal wasn't so optimistic. He didn't believe Luke Shaw would change his mind just because the Corps showed up. That man was not an easy person to deal with.
The Green Lantern Fleet
The Green Lantern Corps' response was faster than expected. In just three hours, an Oa starship appeared near the moon's orbit, tearing through space like a green streak of light.
Inside the ship, the acting Corps Commander, Kilowog, stood at the view window, quietly observing the beautiful blue planet.
Earth!
A legendary low-level civilization planet, yet it possessed unimaginable power and was being treated with extreme importance even by the Guardians.
Hal rushed over, his excitement evident.
"Big guy! You finally made it."
Kilowog did not smile. He said with extreme seriousness, "Are you only four left?"
Hal's face stiffened, and his pace unconsciously slowed.
"Do you know how many comrades we lost?"
"Including you four in the Solar System, a total of five hundred."
Kilowog clenched his fist, deep anger in his eyes. "Since the Corps was founded, we have never sustained such a huge loss. Fortunately," his tone softened, "you all succeeded. You defeated Parallax/Sinestro, achieving an unprecedented victory. Hal, the Corps has not forgotten your contributions. The Guardians have prepared a reward, waiting for you on Oa."
Hal quickly waved his hands. "Forget the reward. It wasn't just my credit. The people who really did the work were..."
"No need to say more. I know. Six Earthlings led this war. How much do you know about them?"
"..."
After a moment of hesitation, Hal asked uncertainly, "Which aspect are you interested in?"
"Start with their strength! If we were to clash with them, what are our chances of winning?"
"..."
Hal didn't know how to answer, only managing a vague response.
"Maybe... a fifty-fifty chance."
"So, they are very strong."
Kilowog twitched his mouth. "They are definitely stronger than us, aren't they?"
Hal sighed. "Alright, Kilowog, let's not talk about that. What do you plan to do next?"
"Naturally, we'll take Parallax and Sinestro back to headquarters. They must be imprisoned within the Central Power Battery. Only there can we ensure Parallax will not endanger the universe again."
Hal gave a wry smile. "It's not that simple."
"I know. That's why I brought enough warriors."
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