blenderwars Chapter 158 The Calm Before the Storm
Chapter 158 The Calm Before the Storm
Chapter 158 The Calm Before the Storm
"I can hardly believe that Batman would choose a fast food restaurant as the location for negotiations."
Amanda Waller whispered to Steve Trevor, "We're too close to the crowd here."
"Please, Waller, we should be grateful we can even talk to Batman."
Air Force Colonel Steve Trevor appeared quite nonchalant as he watched Diana Prince approaching from a short distance away with seven ice creams.
"Put away your superhero threat theory and the theory of necessary balance. Seriously, haven't you learned enough lessons from what happened with Blake?"
He said, "In short, I, not you, am the main person in charge of these negotiations. Waller."
Waller stared at him for a while.
What followed was not the usual "I'm in charge" or "You'll regret this" dialogue.
Amanda Waller shrugged.
"In fact, if we put aside the public office factor, I am personally a supporter of superheroes. I like them and they can do many things that governments cannot."
She skipped the conversation and said, "Honestly, why haven't Batman and Superman arrived yet?"
Diana walked over and reluctantly handed the two ice cream cones to Steve and Amanda:
"Eat an ice cream cone."
They both accepted it.
Diana held the remaining five in her hand and swallowed three of them in one bite.
The girl at the opposite table stared wide-eyed at the enormous amount of food the man was eating.
"Looks good, you two?"
Amanda Waller turned his head and saw the man, whose face was blurred into a blur, standing in front of him.
Steve looked warily at the person wearing a bat-head mask who appeared beside him.
Chen Tao, who appeared next to him, sighed.
"To be honest, that's why I set the conversation at the fast food restaurant."
He spoke directly and bluntly:
"Upstairs, 200 yards to the north, the optical camouflage of the naval snipers you arranged won't be very effective. After all, Superman's field of vision includes the ultraviolet and infrared spectrum, and your sniper unit's high-velocity bullets are made of kryptonite, right? You think we're causing you trouble, is that it?"
Amanda Waller and Steve both stood up, while Wonder Woman Diana Prince remained focused on the few cold drinks on her plate and the ice cream cone in her hand.
She picked up the hamburger, her face expressionless, and swallowed all three in one bite.
The little girl at the next table looked terrified, then her eyes lit up, and she began to try to imitate the female warrior.
Diana held up the other two hamburgers, waved them defiantly at the little girl, and then took a big bite.
She wisely avoided getting involved in the conversation between the other four people. She was only there at Steve's invitation to protect him, and politics and negotiations were not her concern.
Having lived for 5000 years, even an Amazonian princess who has never been involved in politics still retains the most basic wisdom:
Don't meddle in things you don't understand about right and wrong.
"Don't think the government will turn a blind eye to what you've done, bats."
"And Superman," Amanda Waller added, wisely directing her criticism at Superman instead of Batman, unlike Steve's aggressive approach.
Chen Tao narrowed his eyes slightly. Compared to Steve, who seemed somewhat inexperienced, this older agent, who looked like a middle-aged black woman, appeared much more seasoned.
She knew perfectly well that, in a sense, Batman wasn't a good guy, but Superman was. So she attacked Superman first, because she knew Batman might come over at night, but Superman wouldn't just obliterate her with a heat ray.
She tried to gain the upper hand in the negotiations from the very beginning. In a way, this was also a case of "a gentleman can be deceived by others."
Steve immediately confronted him, asking, "What exactly do you think you were doing flying into Longie? Do you know how much trouble your actions put the government in a few days ago?"
Superman's voice is calm and gentle:
"As I said, I have a habit of watching the news, and I have read the reports of the Longyi people's protests. Last week, there was bloodshed there, and the Ahmadinejad regime overreacted, resulting in the loss of lives of some citizens."
"Some of the protest organizers have been gone for a long time. Needless to say, those protest leaders organized the marches through social networks, and the government has been monitoring those websites, so they know who to arrest and where they are. The Longyi military has been repeatedly warning the public not to continue participating in the demonstrations, and they have declared that they will respond strongly."
He reached out and tapped the table. Wonder Woman, who was stuffed up like a hamster, stared at his hand for a second, puzzled. After confirming that he wasn't trying to steal her food, she continued stuffing herself into her mouth.
"But these people—students, shopkeepers, mothers, fathers, and children—ignored warnings and dangers and still stepped forward on the front lines. I want them to know that they are not alone."
"You are interfering with national sovereignty, Superman. You know our attitude towards this kind of thing."
Steve said, "The Black incident has taught us a lesson. We will never, and the government will never, allow superheroes to openly interfere with national sovereignty."
"Steve, you should know..." Chen Tao was about to speak when Superman raised his hand to stop him. So Chen Tao shut his mouth; he knew this was Superman's confession, and he should respect him.
Throughout the entire process, Chen Tao never considered himself Superman's nanny.
"As a superhero, as the guardian of Metropolis, I will fight against any threat you can imagine."
"Alien invaders, bandits dressed in strange clothes and using bizarre tricks—I'm very good at dealing with supernatural criminals."
"But you expect me to solve the suffering that unfolds every day, to save those who die of hunger, those who have been deprived of their most basic human rights?"
"I've never been able to do much in these kinds of things."
Superman's voice was deep.
"So I showed up; I wanted to unite them."
"I swear to myself that I will never directly participate in the conflict under any circumstances. This is a non-cooperation movement, a nonviolent resistance."
"I stood in Azadi Square for 24 hours. I didn't move or say anything. I just stood there. At that time, the number of protesters increased from about 12,000 to 1 million."
"Someone left roses at my feet."
"Some people left behind green sashes and flags, which are the symbolic colors of this protest."
"Those who opposed the demonstration threw petrol bombs at me, but the Islamic Revolution's puppet army did not fire a single shot throughout the entire process."
"The demonstration began peacefully and ended peacefully. I left 24 hours later, without interfering in local politics."
"But what's the point? Has the local government promised to begin the democratization process?"
Superman was silent for a moment.
"no."
"So what exactly are you trying to achieve by making such a public spectacle? Your actions have caused a huge uproar internationally. The Langley government has accused you of acting on behalf of the president, and they have called your intervention an act of war."
"I've found out, and of course, you're right, I was so stupid. So I plan to give a speech at the United Nations tomorrow to inform them that I'm renouncing my U.S. citizenship."
"What?" Now it was Steve's turn to be surprised.
"I'm tired of my actions being interpreted as American political maneuvering. Truth, justice, and the American way are no longer enough. The world is too small and too interconnected."
"I'm an alien, Colonel Trevor, and I can't help but look further and further. I now realize that my thinking has always been too narrow. You ask me if this attention-seeking is worthwhile? Can it bring about any meaningful change?"
Superman paused, then continued:
"It might not be possible in a broad sense, but as I flew away, I saw two men below. One was a soldier of the Islamic Revolutionary Army, and the other was a protester. The protester handed a rose to the soldier."
"I thought the soldier was going to open fire, but his actions were unexpected and incredibly brave."
He accepted the rose.
He smiled.
"So I think what I did probably had some effect."
The atmosphere between the two became somewhat tense.
Steve took a breath and then said:
"But that still can't change you..."
Amanda tugged at Colonel Steve's arm and shook her head. Steve then shut up.
"Let's put this tension to rest." Chen Tao, who had been watching their argument, stood up and stood between them, forcefully ending the dispute.
"We must face this threat together," he said. "I've come to ask for your help."
His gaze lingered on Diana's face as she ate fried chicken: "I need your help."
……
……
……
The Death Shooter went to pick up his daughter from school.
At the bright and clean school gate, his Zoe, his angel, waved goodbye to her classmates and happily ran towards her father, Floyd Lawton Jr.
The Deadshot never went to school. A life that has gone astray cannot have the innocent days of school. After his entire family died, he picked up a gun and shot and killed one person after another. He never considered himself a good person.
So the Death Shooter is very fortunate. He is very fortunate to be able to live this kind of life now, a life that only good people deserve, you know, "good people get good rewards".
And isn't it a kind of luck that a villain like him can live the life that only good people can live?
The Death Shooter, with the hands that had killed countless people, lifted his daughter and spun her three times in the air. Even though his daughter was now so big, he could still lift her with ease.
Deathstalker knew that one day he would grow too old to hold his daughter, and he also knew that one day he might die a violent death. Therefore, he always cherished these moments immensely.
They walked hand in hand down the street. Metropolis was quiet and safe, a great place to live, unlike Gotham.
The Deadshot listened quietly as his daughter recounted her school stories: what classes she had that day, who won first place in the long-distance race. These everyday occurrences made him feel like a normal, real father, not a blood-stained executioner.
Then he answered a phone call. A call from Batman. He dodged Zoe and spoke to the other person for a while.
"Dad, what did he say to you on the phone?" Zoe asked him.
Deathshooter smiled and patted her head.
There's nothing there.
Yes, for a villain like him, there's a price to pay for wanting to live the life of a good person.
And he is prepared to pay the price.
"Zoe is a good girl, isn't she?"
He stroked his daughter's head; it was fluffy, like a fairy wandering in the forest.
"Dad has to go on a business trip for a while, so you'll have to be fostered for a period of time."
"Zoe will wait patiently for Daddy to come home, right?"
Then he saw his daughter burst into tears.
A few minutes later, the Death Shooter finally managed to soothe the child.
"Good girl, Zoe," he said.
"good."
……
……
……
Hollywood Studios.
Killer Croc was wearing a Hawaiian plaid shirt, the largest size of which didn't even cover the hem.
He had a new girlfriend, Joan Mun, and they looked like a real-life Beauty and the Beast. Their relationship was going very well, and Killer Croc loved it. At least in Hollywood, no one was surprised by his unusual appearance.
The strange makeup and ugly costumes everywhere only made him look more handsome, like Killer Crocodile.
To be honest, Killer Croc has always dreamed of performing. Many years ago, when he was a wrestler in a circus, he always loved the feeling of being surrounded by crowds.
Although his dream of performing was shattered when the circus owner withheld his wages and even ordered gangsters to beat him, he bit off the circus owner's arm, permanently ending his acting career in the process. Fortunately, he may now be able to start afresh and continue pursuing his unfulfilled dream of becoming an actor.
Batman gave him a lot of money... While that amount might not seem like a huge sum for making a big movie, it's a different story when it comes to making a low-budget R-rated horror film. He's a big star now, albeit only in the horror genre.
Killer Croc is also looking to enter the superhero movie arena. He has already decided on the name of his movie: Crocodile Man, with a character design inspired by Batman.
He's been getting beaten up in Gotham for so many years, he practically knows by heart what Batman's entrance should look like!
As for the story content, it's even easier to write. After so many years in Gotham, no one knows better than him, the Crocodile Man, how Batman has so skillfully beaten up those villains.
Simply replace Batman's actions with your own, put on a different persona, and put it on the screen—you'll make a fortune!
Thinking of this, Killer Crocodile couldn't help but smile wickedly.
"Hehehehe..."
What are you laughing at?
He heard his girlfriend Joan ask him, and instinctively replied, "Of course I'm thinking about how to copy Batman."
"What? Plagiarism of Batman?"
"That's right, I'm not only going to copy all of Batman's previous moves, but I'm also going to make the villain a giant human bat. The righteous Crocodile Man will fight the evil giant bat and ultimately win the heart of the beauty, hehehehehehe!"
After speaking for a while, Killer Crocodile suddenly realized that the second question he asked earlier wasn't answered by his girlfriend Joan's pleasant voice.
He turned his head sharply, then looked as if he had seen Batman, who appeared silently behind him.
The surrounding film crew and actors screamed and hid to the side, quietly watching the black-clad visitor who had appeared there.
Killer Croc then belatedly noticed that Poison Ivy was also in the crowd, holding a glass of water. Seeing that his gaze had found her, she slightly raised her glass in acknowledgment.
"Wayne, who are they...?"
"Some work colleagues." Killer Croc stood up, patted his girlfriend on the shoulder, and reassured her, "It's just a minor issue, I'll be right back."
He paused, then dismissed his own idea: "Well, of course it could be a big problem, but I'll still be back filming for at least a while."
He said, "While I'm gone, you film the scenes without me. That's settled." He lowered his head and gave his girlfriend a kiss, saying, "I'll definitely come back to continue filming; our career is just getting started."
"Okay," his girlfriend said, "Make sure you come back soon!"
"Uh-huh."
He turned and walked toward Batman.
"So, Bat, what do you want?"
"I need you to help me connect to the Red of All Beings," he heard Batman say, his voice sounding somewhat helpless. "I might need a giant green dinosaur; only the Red of All Beings can satisfy me."
(End of this chapter)