Nick Fury's stern black face, projected an IMAX-level sense of oppression through the small mobile phone screen.
"The name of that wanted criminal… is…"
"Tel-Rol."
When his voice fell, there was dead silence.
The wind stopped, and the craters in the cornfield no longer smoked.
All living beings present, including a passing field mouse, uniformly turned their heads to look at the central figure of the event.
Tel-Rol.
He was maintaining a posture ready to rush into a fight, and his movements stiffened at the words.
He blinked, stretched out a finger, and pointed to his nose in confusion.
"Me?"
His expression didn't seem fake; he was genuinely bewildered.
"Wanted criminal? How long have I been in this world?"
He turned to look at Clark and Kara, hoping to find answers on their faces.
However, he only saw a mixture of two emotions: one was "I knew you were trouble," and the other was "What kind of trouble have you gotten into outside again?"
"Kree Empire?" Tel-Rol tried to search for this term in his not-so-large brain capacity.
A few seconds later, he gave up.
"Don't know them."
He shook his head very straightforwardly.
"Never fought them."
Faora, standing opposite him, had something extra in her gaze as she scrutinized Tel-Rol.
It was an assessment, like weighing pork at a market, calculating its value, its toughness, and if it would be difficult to chew.
Lois, at the doorway, reacted the fastest, leaning against the doorframe and whispering to Martha beside her.
"Mom, I have a bold guess: Ter's enemies might be spread across the entire galaxy."
Martha patted her hand, her face full of worry.
On the phone screen, Nick Fury's single eye rolled, and his voice was tinged with fatigue.
"Stop standing there! This isn't a family reunion!"
"Tel-Rol, think carefully! Kree Empire, a blue-skinned guy with a hammer, the one you kicked away."
"Blue-skinned… hammer… kicked away…"
Tel-Rol tilted his head, making a fist and tapping his temple, looking constipated.
"Wait a minute!" He suddenly slapped his thigh, his eyes lighting up.
"I remember now, that blue smurf with a hammer that I kicked away, wasn't he just a grunt?"
Nick Fury on the other end of the phone fell silent.
The entire S.H.I.E.L.D. command center, all the agents listening to the call, also fell silent.
Tel-Rol waved his hand indifferently.
"That guy was too fragile, I didn't even use much force, his hammer broke, and he was gone. I thought he was just some grunt from some planet coming to offer himself up."
"…"
Fury's face twitched on the screen.
"That grunt was the vanguard of Ronan, the Supreme Leader of the Kree Empire Accuser Corps."
"Oh." Tel-Rol responded, then asked a very crucial question.
"Is he famous?"
Fury decided not to answer that question.
He was afraid he would have a cerebral hemorrhage.
Just then, Faora, who had been silent, spoke.
She spoke playfully.
"Kree Empire? Just a bunch of thugs expanding their territory under the guise of maintaining peace."
Her gaze moved back and forth between Tel-Rol and Clark.
"Our goal is only the Codex."
She extended her hand to Clark.
"Kal-El, hand it over. This has nothing to do with Earth; this is an internal affair of our Krypton."
"Hey!" Tel-Rol was displeased.
He took a step forward, standing between Faora and Clark, looking annoyed.
"Get the situation straight, okay? I'm the popular one right now!"
"Everything has a first come, first served. Those blue-skinned guys called me out first, you guys have to wait in line!"
His tone, not only lacked any self-awareness of being a wanted criminal, but even had a hint of pride.
Kara behind him held her forehead, smiling helplessly.
"A mongrel, a traitor." Faora looked at Tel-Rol and Clark with disdain, "You two are simply a disgrace to the Kryptonian bloodline."
"Say that again?" Tel-Rol's smile vanished.
"I said…"
"Enough!"
Clark let out a low growl, interrupting Faora.
He stepped forward, standing shoulder to shoulder with Tel-Rol, facing Faora and the four Kryptonian soldiers behind her.
"I will not give you the Codex."
He looked at Faora, then glanced at the faint kree warship in the sky.
"And right now, Earth has bigger problems. Your appearance will only make things worse."
Faora smiled, a cold, knowing smile.
"You mean, to protect this planet and these weak humans, you will simultaneously fight General Zod's army and the Kree Empire's fleet?"
She shook her head.
"Kal-El, your soft-heartedness will destroy you."
After speaking, she waved her hand.
The four Kryptonian soldiers behind her uniformly put away their weapons.
"We're not in a hurry." Faora's eyes looked like she was watching a good show.
"We will stay on this planet and enjoy the spectacle. See how the Son of Krypton is torn to shreds by the Kree Empire's wrath."
"Of course, we will also be ready to retrieve the Codex at any time."
She finished speaking and turned to leave, decisively.
The five black figures jumped back into the shuttle, and the hatch closed.
The shuttle engines started, and it quickly disappeared into the sky.
On the farm, peace returned.
Only the smashed cornfield proved that everything that had just happened was not an illusion.
"Trouble."
From the phone, Fury's voice sounded again, drawing their attention back.
"Alright, the appetizer is over, now it's time for the main course."
"The kree have issued an ultimatum to the entire world. Within twenty-four hours, hand over the wanted criminal Tel-Rol."
Fury's voice paused.
"Otherwise, they will initiate the 'Planetary Purification Protocol'."
"'Planetary Purification'?" Lois repeated at the doorway, immediately understanding its meaning.
"They're going to attack Earth indiscriminately?"
"Correct." Fury's tone had no hint of jest.
"So, Mr. Tel-Rol…"
"Congratulations, you are now the most popular guy on Earth, no, in the entire universe."
"The entire planet is being held hostage for you alone."
At these words, even Martha's expression changed.
Everyone's gaze once again focused on Tel-Rol.
However, the expected tension, panic, or guilt did not appear on his face.
After listening, Tel-Rol was first stunned, then his mouth curved into a smile, growing wider and wider, finally becoming a bright, somewhat terrifying grin.
"Planetary Purification?"
He excitedly rubbed his hands, and the bones throughout his body crackled again.
"You mean, all of them will come down to fight me?"
Fury: "…"
Clark: "…"
Kara: "…"
"Excellent!" Tel-Rol slammed his fist into his palm, making a dull thud.
"Finally, I don't have to search for them one by one! This is a buffet!"
He looked at Clark and Kara, his eyes burning with intense fighting spirit.
"Isn't this much more interesting than fighting those cowards?"
If Clark hadn't known Tel-Rol somewhat, he would probably be in great agony, but he just smiled helplessly.
He stepped forward and placed a hand on Tel-Rol's shoulder.
"Ter, this is not a game."
"The lives of seven billion people on this entire planet depend on this."
"I know. You guys are responsible for protecting Earth, and I'm responsible for killing them."
"Don't forget that if you want my understanding, you have to be at the forefront this time."
Tel-Rol looked at Clark with a half-smile, his hands in his pockets.
Above New York, a Kree spaceship projected a figure.
"Tel-Rol, in light of your murder of my vanguard, this commander demands that you surrender and do not resist!"