area51novel Chapter 108 The Training of Superman
Chapter 108 The Training of Superman
Chapter 108 The Training of Superman
Perry White granted Clark Kent a three-day vacation after he returned from the Arctic.
Generally speaking, he wouldn't grant such a long vacation to his reporters who had just arrived at the scene; they should be working overtime until the articles were finished.
A holiday? You're dreaming. How could that be? No matter how big the matter, it's against the rules.
Even if the reason given for taking leave is to go home with Bruce Wayne to see his mother, it doesn't matter.
and many more.
With Bruce Wayne?
Perry White frowned, realizing that things were not so simple.
When Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent stood in front of him, he immediately revealed a sharp look in his eyes.
He glanced to his left at the dissolute Gotham billionaire and to his right at the handsome, tall Clark, and immediately understood.
Meeting the parents, right?
He immediately granted them a month-long honeymoon, even though Clark insisted that he didn't need that much time. But Perry White was the most perceptive man in the world—well, in the end, he approved three days, which Mr. Bruce Wayne thought was a suitable time.
Poor Clark Kent.
Three whole days!
Editor-in-Chief White was determined to keep this matter to himself; he was one of the most discreet people in the world.
So, that's why Chen Tao is at the Kent's house right now.
It is afternoon now.
Clark Kent and Chen Tao stood in an open space next to the barn on Kent Farm, with chicken coops and pigsties nearby.
"Clark, I'm going to give you special training now. I require you to take this training very seriously."
Chen Tao was dressed casually; this time he wasn't wearing that ridiculously outrageous outfit.
Alfred stood in the open space nearby.
"From now on, you will call me Teacher Wayne. I will train you in a brutal manner in a short period of time, just like Chiron trained Achilles, to ensure that you are capable of taking on the important task of saving this planet."
(Note: Chiron, a centaur hero in Greek mythology, usually appears as a mentor to various heroes. Achilles, a famous Greek hero, was invulnerable to weapons, but had only one weakness: his ankle, which ultimately led to his death.)
"Did you hear that!"
Clark found it a bit strange; it sounded like some kind of pre-war mobilization meeting… well, it did seem to be pre-war.
So he cooperated and said:
"Yes, Mr. Wayne!"
"I can't hear you! I can't hear you at all! You think you can be a superhero by speaking so softly?"
Clark was helpless.
"Yes!!! Teacher Wayne!!!"
"Great! Very energetic!"
Chen Tao told him, "When it comes to fighting, you definitely can't beat Zod."
"General Zod was genetically engineered to be a warrior. The fighting instinct etched into DNA might be a metaphor for Earthlings, but for General Zod, it was an adjective."
"Therefore, we must prepare for such a situation."
Clark listened very seriously and attentively. Although he had only known Batman for less than 16 hours, the authoritative image of this veteran hero and senior figure had already deeply penetrated his mind.
The other person seemed to know everything; nothing could escape his eyes hidden behind the mask. Everything seemed to be under his control. His unrestrained appearance was just a disguise, just as he disguised himself as the clumsy Clark Kent. Hidden beneath this mask was a smart, wise, and meticulous superhero.
So when the other party offered to give him three days of special training, Clark was really looking forward to it.
The other party knew everything about General Zod and the history of Krypton—though he refused to tell me how he knew.
The method proposed by such a mysterious person must have a very significant effect, right?
"However, directly imprinting fighting techniques into one's DNA also has significant weaknesses: it makes his moves lack imagination and creativity, like a precisely programmed robot or AI."
Clark heard Mr. Bruce Wayne's calm voice.
"They only memorize newly learned moves; their so-called 'innovation' is constrained by past experience, thus lacking the ability to deal with unusual moves beyond common ones."
Clark saw Mr. Bruce pull something out from behind his back and hand it to him.
"Therefore, in the face of this situation, I have tailored a method for you to improve your strength in a short period of time."
"What is this?" Clark turned the thing around. It looked like a hand grenade, but he still didn't understand.
What effect do grenades have on Kryptonians?
"This is a specially made foul-smelling bomb."
Chen Tao replied to him:
"Made by Poison Ivy, once it explodes, the stench is 3000 times stronger than what a normal human can perceive. It's more disgusting than anything you can imagine in the world. Moreover, once it explodes on your body, it's very difficult to wash off. It marinates and preserves the flavor for a long time."
"Its stench surpasses the limits of what nature can synthesize. In essence, I think it's a magical creation—well, thanks to Ivy for being able to create something so useful while researching those two zombies."
Clark's gaze was blank.
He didn't even ask who Ivy was.
Chen Tao continued to speak eloquently.
"I originally wanted to use poison gas, but considering the physical characteristics of Kryptonians, poison gas that works on humans might not work on them. So in the end, I chose stench. At least in terms of smell, you and we are no different."
"While I believe that given the advanced level of Kryptonian civilization, they must have specialized equipment for removing odors, I simply don't believe that a ship like Black Zero, which is specifically used to exile prisoners, would be equipped with such equipment. If that were the case, then Krypton would be far too extravagant."
Then Clark was given another bottle of potion: "Of course, it's not over yet. This is a super breath-stealing potion, made by Poison Ivy. After drinking it, it will gradually take effect within three hours, making your breath bad enough to kill an elephant. Although the effect is slightly weaker than the stink bomb, don't worry, there is an antidote."
Then Clark was handed another bottle: "After drinking it, the stench will gradually neutralize within 6 hours, making your breath smell fresh again."
Clark held two vials of the potion, his super brain frozen in place.
"But the prerequisite for all of this is that you have to find a way to break General Zod's mask, which can help him isolate himself from all external microorganisms and all kinds of interference."
Chen Tao said, "When his breathing mask was damaged, the first exposure to the Earth's environment would make Zod's hearing, vision, and smell abnormally sensitive, which would have caused him great pain."
"If you were to breathe foul air onto his face at this moment, which is so sensitive, and then throw those stink bombs directly at him, he would most likely vomit uncontrollably."
Clark heard him say some extremely despicable things in an extremely serious tone:
"If you spit a mouthful of foul-smelling phlegm into his eyes, the effect will be even more astonishing. Oh, right, I remember you have cryobreathing. You should be able to carry cold air with your phlegm, right?"
"That was a foul-smelling, frozen phlegm, enough to render General Zod completely incapable of resistance, so disgusted that he could think of nothing but vomiting."
"Then you kick the other person's butt hard. I've studied the Kryptonians' physiology. Your physiological structure is very similar to that of Earthlings. Even a Kryptonian general whose genes are filled with fighting techniques will be in so much pain that he can't stand up if he gets kicked in the butt."
Clark felt somewhat petrified; this was completely different from what he had imagined.
"And in order to break the opponent's mask, you also need to attack their weaknesses, such as a 'good woman kick' followed by a 'little mud kick'..."
"But...Professor Wayne, there's always something to it."
Clark didn't know how to put it: "This seems a little... informal."
He simply couldn't find the right adjective.
"Clark, you can't think like that." Then he heard Batman say to him in a heavy voice:
"Face? What's face worth? If General Zod controls the entire Earth, it will be a catastrophe. You're just a farm boy who's never learned any fighting skills, while Zod is a bloodthirsty butcher who's killed countless people."
"Do you really think you can beat him? Have you really considered the consequences if you fail?"
"Martha Kent, Louis Lane, don't look at me like that. I know you're a bit interested in her, and Editor-in-Chief White, the Daily Planet. Do you really think Zod will just get you and then leave Earth satisfied?"
Clark Kent was speechless for a moment. He paused for a moment, then said:
"That's right, you're correct."
His gaze gradually hardened: "Even if there's only the slightest chance of increasing my chances of winning, I should do it without hesitation."
"That's right, that's it!" Chen Tao said. "The key is to attack the lower three routes. You must remember, you are not fighting for yourself, you are fighting for the entire planet, for your home."
"It's like a high-end version of 'Father and Son.' You have to transform into a loving father and beat up the unfilial Kryptonian son. Compassion, you know? The main theme is compassion and love. It's a psychological attack—"
"I understand. I will study hard."
Clark said.
"That's right. Listen to me. From now on, you will practice the Supersonic Egg-Smashing Kick and the Supersonic Eye-Piercing Hand every day. Try to make them your passive instincts. As long as you are fast enough, even if Zod can master all the fighting techniques, he will still be no match for you."
Chen Tao said, "I even had a super belt custom-made for you, so you can stuff all the stink bombs into it..."
……
……
……
"We don't know if Superman is friend or foe. We don't even know what kind of person he is."
This was a relatively high-level internal meeting.
General Ryan sat listlessly in his seat, watching those idiots discuss questions that would never have an answer.
"I mean, I know Superman did some good deeds, right? The Day of the Dead fires, he saved several people, like a god rescuing them from burning buildings; the floods in Texas and Mississippi, he pulled some refugees out of the water..."
"But what about his motive? What exactly was his motive?"
"Is he trying to gain popularity? To win people's hearts? What exactly is his purpose?"
"But no matter how you look at it, his actions now are ultimately—"
"You can't criticize someone for things Superman didn't do—"
"Good heavens, who does this guy think he is? He won't even tell us his real name. We should really trust him—"
They analyzed it back and forth, and then suddenly someone said:
"So let's pause now and see if there's even the slightest possibility that he's not doing this for fame, but simply doing what he believes is right, just wanting to do something good?"
"Pfft! You almost fooled me—"
"How could that be? Seriously—please!"
"That joke is hilarious!"
"But ultimately, Superman's goal remains the same—"
People burst into laughter.
But Lex Luthor didn't laugh.
A cold glint appeared in his eyes as he looked at those ignorant fools who were mocking Superman.
But in the end, he sighed. "You have to deal with idiots all the time," he thought.
Over the years, he has gotten used to it.
He tapped his fingers lightly on the table twice and began to speak:
"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I hope you will forgive my abrupt interruption, but I would like to take a little of your time to discuss an issue of mutual concern."
The joking crowd gradually quieted down and looked at Lex Luthor sitting next to them.
"Considering that some members of Congress are completely unaware of what Superman is, I am giving an example here."
I want you to imagine a playground full of children, and then a stranger appears.
Luther said:
"Is it worrying? If he's carrying a gun, it's even more worrying."
"What if he was wearing body armor and carrying a full case of guns, grenades, and ammunition? What if he was also carrying nuclear weapons?"
Luther said:
"Even if his intentions were good or bad, do you think the children are safe? Wouldn't he feel safer without you?"
"That's how you should see Superman. He's a walking nuclear weapon. Whatever his intentions are, he's going to explode sooner or later."
"Is it meaningful to discuss the motives of a little boy who could destroy us at any moment?"
"Just tell us what you want, Lex. We don't have time for your guesses." General Ryan interlaced his fingers. "Isn't this what you went to such lengths to infiltrate this meeting?"
Luther stated bluntly: "Human experimentation."
"impossible!"
General Ryan immediately and firmly refused: "The military will not allow such a thing to happen openly under their noses."
It's as if I didn't do it because you didn't allow it.
Luther thought to himself.
But human experiments conducted in private are ultimately conducted in private, cannot be exposed to the light of day, pose a great risk of exposure, and yield very little material.
If Luther's Lake Corporation wants to expand its human experimentation efforts to a larger scale, it absolutely cannot bypass the military, with whom it has a deep partnership.
"I absolutely adhere to the principle of voluntariness," Luther said. "Every participant in human experiments will receive a substantial reward..."
"These are all trivial details, Lex, let's get to the point," someone asked directly.
"At what stage of your experiment have you reached the point where human trials are absolutely necessary?"
Luther said, "Using the radiation from the kryptonite, I have now created a monster with a lifespan of no more than 30 minutes that can briefly absorb energy."
Luther said, "I'll temporarily name this immature monster the Parasite."
……
……
……
"Batman, you shouldn't be thinking about the metal spirit you control with scientific reasoning."
Poison Ivy said, "This is essentially magic, metaphysics. Don't try to understand or analyze it using scientific reasoning."
Chen Tao stood in front of a strange-looking Krypton computer, gesturing towards it like a street swindler.
"Stream of consciousness. Be a little more stream of consciousness. Connect it with your mind. Just like I connect with plants."
"Can you see it?"
(End of this chapter)