Ocean Master Orm had long and narrow eyes, his facial features slightly sunken, giving off a hazy and elusive aura. His lips were thin, and when he spoke or smiled, he exuded an air of cruelty and arrogance that made others afraid to look at him directly.
Bardi judged solely from his appearance, manner of speaking, and behavior.
This was a man full of ambition, cruelty, and ruthlessness. At the same time, he was prideful to the point of madness and deeply paranoid. He harbored ambitions of replacing Aquaman, but his abilities were always inferior to his brother's. As a result, he lived in constant anger and hatred, burning with jealousy, which had made him neurotic and spiritually obsessed.
Such a person, as long as he's indulged in doing what he likes, is easy to manipulate.
But he was also extremely arrogant, prideful, and egotistical—unable to see himself clearly.
So...
"Your Majesty, I attempted to invite him to dinner, but he was dismissive and didn't take us seriously. He holds a strong sense of pride in his deep-sea kin, has a typical exclusivist mentality, and shows faint hostility toward humans," Mike reported, head slightly bowed before Bardi.
At the moment the United Nations meeting showed unusual developments, Mike had used full-screen lens projection to record the interaction and transmit it to Bardi.
This was a micro-communication technology. A contact lens implanted in the eye could generate a visual overlay, allowing communication, video recording, self-monitoring, and connection to Bardi's massive satellite network. It could also detect lifeforms, thermal energy, and energy levels within the body, a multifunctional combat support tool used internally.
As soon as Orm and the Amazon representatives appeared at the United Nations, more than a dozen world leaders under Bardi's control, including Lex, notified him through these contact lenses.
On the other side, the projected Lex brought good news.
"Your Majesty, Antiope of the Amazons has agreed to visit Barmulodi. Antiope is the sister of the Amazon queen. From a few words exchanged, I gathered that the Amazons hold a favorable view of humans."
Lex bowed his bald head slightly in respect.
From the moment Bardi took control of a country and became its king, the address shifted naturally to "Your Majesty," a sovereign title rather than one for corporate bosses or executives.
Bardi nodded, understanding clearly in his heart.
In every comic, the Amazons always seemed naturally close to humans, often taking on a guardian role.
That had significant strategic value.
"Extend a welcome to our Amazon guests."
After giving this order, Bardi cut off Lex's projection.
In its place...
"Mike, kill him. I'll send someone to assist you."
Bardi gave the command without emotion, causing Mike's breath to catch and his pupils to contract.
This meant... war was about to begin!
The implications were clear: the murder of Atlantis' Ocean Master by humans could trigger a massive backlash. A full-scale global war between the two species might break out.
It was even possible that the Amazons, given their closeness to humanity, would defect and ally themselves with Atlantis.
But the more likely outcome was that the Amazons, together with humans, would stand against the enraged Aquaman.
Bardi could also attempt to manipulate Orm into cooperating to start a war, but that would take too long. Orm's conceit and inability to see the reality of his situation made him a liability.
In comparison, the chain reaction sparked by Orm's death better suited Bardi's plan.
Now that everything was in place, and both Atlantis and the Amazons had emerged, there was no longer any need to delay.
It was time for war.
"Yes!"
Mike responded with a steely expression, and then the projection communication cut off.
Bardi had no intention of letting Atlantis emerge to engage in any peaceful development. What he needed was for the Amazons to step forward, defend humanity, fight Atlantis, and wear each other down.
Or, let them unite and attack humanity, giving Bardi the opportunity to rally all of mankind in a doomsday war that would shake the very Earth. To bring out and annihilate all the living forces that could hinder him, leaving nothing but death and ruin, that was enough.
Bardi stood silently, deep in thought, in the vast underground main command chamber. Around him stood many identical Hera-type biochemicals, dressed in uniform white bodysuits. Their graceful figures moved deftly as they manipulated electronic projections, carrying out his orders to collect, analyze, and compile data from around the Earth, and submit it for execution.
"Master, in the Andromeda direction, three light-years from Earth, a small escape capsule has suddenly appeared, heading toward the planet," a nearby Hera model reported clearly.
A spaceship?
An alien visitor at this moment?
Bardi frowned slightly. With Earth currently caught in a storm of conflict set off by him, any foreign interference could disrupt his plans.
In this universe, too many unpredictable forces existed that could alter a planet's fate. He wasn't sure what this one was.
"How long until it reaches Earth directly?" Bardi asked. He needed to intercept it and make use of whatever this foreign presence was.
"At its current average speed, calculations indicate it will arrive on Earth in approximately 170 hours."
"Keep a close watch on it."
...
About three light-years from Earth, inside a small escape pod.
The greatest Green Lantern in the universe, Abin Sur, lay inside. His skin was dark red, his head bald, and he wore a green energy uniform.
A massive hole about ten centimeters wide was torn through the left side of his chest. His organs had been mangled, and purple blood soaked the slightly glowing Green Lantern uniform.
Abin Sur's eyes were starting to glaze over. His tongue was dry, his body failing. Blood no longer flowed from his heart to sustain him. He was completely immobilized, holding on solely through sheer willpower and the strength of his green power ring.
His eyes narrowed faintly, his lips trembled, and the green ring on his finger pulsed slightly in response to his will.
"I... am seriously wounded... Parallax... out of control..."
"Green Lantern ring... proceed to the nearest habitable planet... begin selection process..."
"Need... the strongest will…"
...
Tesco Verier.
An island near Indonesia, shrouded year-round in electromagnetic thunderclouds. It lacked any modern technology and remained a backward island.
It was also a place where satellite signals from space were hard to receive, and the thunderstorms disrupted all electromagnetic waves.
Bruce Wayne, now 21 years old, stood tall and strong. His face was firm and weathered, his eyes filled with weariness and the wisdom of experience. His body, tempered through years of hardship, had reached the limits of human physicality.
He had endured through countless battles with "Trackers," surviving by wit and grit, forging a body honed to perfection.
Years of escape and hardship had taken a toll. His gaze always carried a sharp edge, tempered with the pain of wisdom.
On his back, he carried the unconscious Barry Allen. Barry's face and hands were severely burned, the skin charred and blackened as if seared by violent flames.
Bruce, with one strong arm still holding a heavy pack, felt Barry's faint, labored breathing. A pang of pain struck his heart. He clenched his teeth, a flicker of anguish flashing in his eyes as he stepped into the forest.
"Barry, you're going to be The Flash!"
(To be continued.)
***
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