chsdbacks Page 155
Page 155
"Ron! What nonsense are you talking about?!" Superman was the first to retort in disbelief, his voice trembling slightly with shock. "How could Bruce possibly be in trouble?!"
“I don’t doubt Batman’s loyalty or willpower,” Ron shook his head, explaining to 917 in a serious tone, “What I suspect is that he may have been subjected to some kind of mental influence that we cannot understand during his contact with Lin Tian! He may even have had some false memories or suggestions implanted in him!”
"I can feel it clearly."
A flicker of lingering fear crossed Rong En's eyes. "That Lin Tian possessed an extremely terrifying spiritual power! Far beyond my imagination! It might even have reached the level of some kind of law! In front of him, my telepathic abilities were almost completely ineffective! I even suffered a strong backlash! I almost had my consciousness collapse!"
"If even I am so severely affected, do you really think Batman, with his mortal mental strength, could completely resist it?!"
Ron's analysis, brimming with rationality and concern, was like a cold, sharp blade, piercing the hearts of every hero and instantly calming their minds, which had been clouded by anger and anxiety.
Yes! Lin Tian's mental strength is truly terrifying!
Even a top-tier telepath like Martian Manhunter almost fell victim to this! Can Batman really escape unscathed?
If Batman is truly under control, then the intelligence he's sending back and his so-called "plea for help" are nothing but a huge trap set by Lin Tian!
A deadly trap to lure them to Gotham, only to capture them all in one fell swoop?!
Thinking of this, a chill involuntarily crept into the hearts of all the heroes!
They looked at each other! They could both see a hint of fear and suspicion in each other's eyes!
If even Batman can't be trusted, then who can they trust?!
"What do we do now?!" Barry Allen, the Flash, asked in a panic! He felt his brain was completely overwhelmed!
“I think,” Ron took a deep breath, his eyes sharpening, “we must be even more cautious! Before we figure out Lin Tian’s true purpose and Batman’s true situation, we must not act rashly!”
"Perhaps we could send a small team, skilled in stealth and reconnaissance, to secretly infiltrate Gotham and investigate the situation discreetly, instead of launching a large-scale, high-profile operation that would just walk right into a trap!"
Ron's suggestion was immediately approved by Green Lantern Hal Jordan, Aquaman Arthur Curry, and others! They were already wary of confronting Lin Tian head-on! Now that they had a "reasonable" reason, they naturally didn't want to take the risk anymore!
But! Superman Clark Kent and Wonder Woman Diana! strongly opposed this!
"No!" Superman refused resolutely! His eyes were filled with the majesty and determination of a god among men! "Whether Bruce was affected or not! Whether this is a trap or not! The people of Gotham City are suffering! That is an indisputable fact!"
“That’s right!” Diana declared righteously! The Vulcan Sword in her hand shone brilliantly! “The warriors of the Amazons! Never fear any conspiracy or challenge! If that Lin Tian really wants to play any tricks, then let him come at me! I will personally sever his head!”
137 The Chaotic Chess Game in Gotham, the Demon King's "Benevolent" Hand
"But Clark! Diana!" Ron wanted to continue arguing, trying to persuade them to calm down!
"There are no 'buts'!" Superman's tone became unusually firm! His eyes flashed with an undeniable light! "If you're afraid, you can choose to stay here!"
"I, Clark Kent, swear in the name of Superman!"
Even if I'm all alone!
"I'm going to Gotham too! To stop that disaster!"
Having said that, Superman ignored the complex and shocked looks on everyone's faces.
In a flash, he transformed into a blue-red streak that exceeded the speed of sound!
Without hesitation! Heading towards Gotham City, the city of darkness and madness! Flying at breakneck speed! 8
"Clark!" Diana, seeing this, immediately shouted in response! She followed closely behind!
A golden radiance of divine power pierced the sky! Like a second sun! Following the blue-red figure!
Left behind were Ron, the Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman, and a host of other heroes! They looked at each other, bewildered and at a loss!
The Justice League! This heroic group, barely brought together by a shared external threat!
Surprisingly, thanks to the clever instigation and scheming of Lin Tian, this "outsider," even before the operation was launched, their first and most serious internal conflict and split erupted due to mutual distrust and a huge clash of core ideologies.
And all of this, naturally, was all part of Lin Tian's calculations, who was leisurely sipping red wine and enjoying the "city fireworks display" atop a skyscraper in Gotham City!
You could even say he orchestrated it all! 7
He wants to split the Justice League! Cause internal strife! 8
This prevents them from forming an effective united force!
This will make it easier for him to defeat them one by one!
He turned these so-called "heroes" one by one into chess pieces and precious "collectibles" that he could manipulate at will!
Lin Tian stared at the live feed projected by "Zero," showing the Justice League fractured by suspicion and infighting. A cold, yet smug, smile spread across his face, as if he were looking at a bunch of self-important but utterly foolish monkeys.
The game is getting more and more interesting!
The chaos in Gotham City stemmed from the Joker's meticulous planning, the combined effects of a "catastrophic" entity "unintentionally" attracted by Lin Tian, and the disorganized "rescue" efforts following the Justice League's split.
It completely escalated into a massive disaster that swept across the entire city! Lin Tian looked down at everything from his high vantage point, a cold smile curving his lips. This chaos, which he had half-guided and half-laid off, was exactly the situation he wanted to see.
Superman Clark Kent tirelessly races through the city like a firefighter. He uses his steel body to smash through runaway giant plant vines and his heat vision to detonate the corrosive venom spewed by deep-sea monsters.
He also had to be constantly on guard against the Joker's gang's endless stream of insidious traps and nitrous oxide attacks. Despite his unparalleled strength, he needed to be careful at every turn.
Avoiding harming innocent civilians, and facing an overwhelming number of enemies with unpredictable tactics on the chaotic battlefield, he found himself struggling more than ever before. Every attack he made had to be executed with extreme caution, lest he injure the controlled civilians or innocent civilians hiding in the shadows.
Wonder Woman Diana (in this universe) is caught in a fierce battle with "another version of herself" (DCEU Diana) and Storm Ororo, who seems to be mentally controlled by Lin Tian.
The battle between the two Dianas was filled with the bravery of Amazonian warriors and the pride of the descendants of gods. Every clash of divine power caused the heavens and earth to tremble. However, their power systems and fighting skills were too similar, making it difficult to determine who was superior in a short period of time.
With Lin Tian's secret "blessing," Storm Ororo's control over storms and lightning seems to have reached a new level. The raging elemental power constantly creates huge trouble for the two Dianas, making their battle more difficult and intense.
Batman, Bruce Wayne, was in an even worse situation. He not only had to direct the equally chaotic Gotham police and National Guard in their inefficient rescue and evacuation efforts, but also had to constantly guard against that persistent, leech-like figure…
The clown could be lurking in any dark corner, ready to deliver a fatal blow at any moment! What's even more exhausting for him is...
What roles are Lin Tian, the "guest" he left in the bat cave, and his two equally terrifying women playing now?
Are they the masterminds behind this chaos? Or are they just opportunists waiting to reap the benefits? Bruce felt his brain was about to explode from overthinking and information overload!
As for the other heroes, such as Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman, and Martian Manhunter, who arrived late and failed to form a unified command due to internal differences, they were also engaged in fierce battles on their respective battlefields, and even suffered varying degrees of casualties and coordination failures!
The entire city of Gotham has been completely transformed into a boiling pot of dark porridge, filled with destruction, madness, and despair!
As the "appreciator" and, to some extent, the "director" of all this chaos, Lin Tian was leisurely sitting on the top of a skyscraper in Gotham City, which he had perfectly concealed with illusions and energy barriers.
He savored a bottle of top-quality vintage red wine, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, which he had "casually" taken from the cellar of Wayne Estate, surrounded by queens such as Wanda, Jyn, Gwen (the Spider Queen), and Mystra, who were also watching the battle with great interest.
"Tsk tsk tsk... What a magnificent apocalyptic drama..."
Looking down at the hellish city and the struggling "heroes" and "villains" within it, Lin Tian wore a delighted smile, as if he were watching a grand fireworks display. "As expected of Gotham City! This 'artistic atmosphere' filled with chaos, decadence, and despair is definitely much more interesting than the monotonous 'battle of the gods' in Metropolis!"
“Master,” Wanda used her telekinesis to precisely feed Lin Tian a crystal-clear grape, her eyes gleaming with a hint of curiosity and a desire for praise, “Are we... really just going to watch like this? Don’t we need to go down and... help them? Or... create an even bigger 'surprise' for them?”
Although she was also happy to see those so-called "heroes" get into trouble, especially Wonder Woman (in this universe) who made her feel a little threatened.
But watching so many innocent civilians (whom she considered mere ants) die in the disaster, a faint sense of compassion, stemming from her still-intact human conscience, stirred within her. Of course, more than anything, she wanted to demonstrate her "value" to Lin Tian.
"Help?" Lin Tian raised an eyebrow, gently taking the grape Wanda fed him into his mouth, feeling the sweet juice burst in his mouth, a playful glint in his eyes. "Why should I help?"
He reached out and gently pinched Wanda's delicate, flawless cheek, his voice carrying a chilling cruelty: "Wouldn't it be better to let them fight a little longer and let more people die?"
"Only after experiencing true despair and fear will they understand who they should truly respect and submit to."
“Only in this way,” Lin Tian’s voice became deeper and more seductive, “can I better… ‘integrate’ the resources and power of this world for my own use. Isn’t that right, my little witch?”
When Wanda heard Lin Tian's words, which were full of "devilish" logic, and the affectionate and affirmative "my little witch," her heart trembled slightly. All her reluctance and doubts vanished instantly! In their place was an even stronger sense of worship and identification!
Yes! Master is right! These mortals and so-called heroes are nothing more than stepping stones for Master's future grand ambitions!
What do their lives or deaths have to do with me? All I need to do is obey my master's orders and help him achieve his goals!
"Master is wise!" Wanda immediately smiled sweetly and nestled even more obediently in Lin Tian's arms.
Jean Grey watched quietly from the side, her golden phoenix eyes gleaming with complex light.
She could sense the abyss-like darkness and desire for control within Lin Tian's heart, but she could also sense his absolute confidence in his own power and his domineering arrogance that looked down on everything.
This contradictory yet fatally alluring quality both fascinated her and left her with a vague sense of unease. She didn't know where following such an existence would ultimately lead, but she knew there was no turning back.
Gwen (the Spider Queen) and Mystra were even more direct! Looking at the chaotic and bloody scene below, their eyes were filled with excitement and bloodlust! They had long wanted to rush down and join this feast of slaughter! If it weren't for their master's orders, they probably wouldn't have been able to restrain themselves!
Lin Tian didn't really intend to stand idly by and let Gotham City be completely destroyed. After all, a Gotham City that was intact (or at least mostly intact) would be more useful to him.
He was waiting. Waiting for the perfect opportunity. An opportunity that would allow him to gain the greatest benefit at the lowest cost!
“Zero,” Lin Tian communicated telepathically, “closely monitor the battlefield situation. Pay close attention to the status of the core members of the Justice League, as well as the movements of the main villains (the Joker, Luthor, etc., if Luthor also personally participates in this chaos).”
"At the same time, analyze the energy nodes, defense vulnerabilities, and... hidden 'treasures' in various important areas of Gotham City (such as the research results of certain secret organizations? Or a villain's secret weapons arsenal? Or even some of Wayne Enterprises' core technologies?)."
"I want to get what I want from this chaos. Not just people's hearts, but also... tangible benefits."
"Yes, Master." The relay group immediately started operating at high speed, and a huge flow of information flashed through Lin Tian's consciousness like a waterfall.
A sly, fox-like smile curled at the corner of Lin Tian's lips. His intention was not merely to watch the show, but to play the role of a cunning opportunist, profiting from the chaos of the game.
He would "just at the right moment" when a Justice League hero (like the Flash who seemed more agreeable? or Batman who was somewhat "useful" to him?) was about to be in dire straits, "casually" lend a helping hand, win their "favor" and "trust" (even if it was fake), and pave the way for his subsequent "recruitment" and "exploitation".
He would also secretly lend a helping hand when a villain (like the Joker who seems to have "research value") was about to be completely defeated by the heroes, allowing him to create more chaos, further weaken the Justice League's power, and give himself more opportunities to "fish in troubled waters".
He might even use Zero's hacking skills and Mistra's shapeshifting ability to impersonate a hero or villain to incite conflict between other forces, causing them to fight each other like snipe and clam!
Lin Tian brought his terrifying scheming ability and manipulative skills at the Nascent Soul stage to their fullest extent!
He wants to turn the entire Gotham City into his personal "playground"!
He wants to turn all the heroes and villains involved into pawns that he can manipulate at will!
His ultimate goal is to completely disrupt the existing power structure of this universe! To weaken all potential rivals! And to bring the most important resources, power, and even... those charming goddesses of this universe under his control!
This! Is the real deal! A hunting game for the "Demon King"!!!
With Lin Tian's "just right" "intelligence support," the Justice League launched a textbook-perfect counterattack against the Joker and the chaotic situation he caused!
The Joker's carefully laid bombs were defused one by one, his hidden strongholds were uprooted, the hostages were successfully rescued, and even the Joker himself was in a sorry state under Batman's relentless pursuit, almost getting caught several times!
Those "catastrophe-level" beings that Lin Tian "inadvertently" attracted, after losing their initial advantage of chaos and having some of their abilities specifically countered by the Justice League, gradually felt powerless and began to consider retreating.
Is the chaotic situation in Gotham City really starting to move in a positive direction?
The heroes of the Justice League were greatly encouraged by this sudden "turnaround"! They felt as if they had regained control of the situation! With just a little more effort, they could completely quell this disaster and bring all the criminals to justice!
However they don't know.
All of this was just a small interlude in a script meticulously crafted by Lin Tian, the "behind-the-scenes director."
How could he really let these "heroes" "save the world" so easily? Wouldn't that be too boring?
Just as the Joker was about to be cornered by Batman, and the "catastrophe-level" villains were preparing to leave Gotham, Lin Tian made his move once again.
This time, his goal is no longer to "help" the Justice League, but to "fund" the villains!
138 The Demon King's "Gift", a Pawn of Despair
"Zero," Lin Tian commanded telepathically, a wicked smile playing on his lips, "deliver those 'toys' we 'recovered' from the Hydra base before, such as some modified energy weapons? Or some gene serums that can temporarily enhance an individual's strength? 'Inadvertently' send them to Mr. Joker and those ladies who are 'emotionally unstable'."
“In addition,” Lin Tian added, “we’ll also give them some ‘friendly tips’ about the ‘weaknesses’ of the Justice League members.”
"Yes, Master." Zero's cold voice seemed to carry a hint of schadenfreude.
Thus, an even more absurd and dramatic scene unfolded simultaneously on various battlefields in Gotham City!
While being chased by Batman like a stray dog, the Joker suddenly "accidentally" discovers a mysterious box filled with various high-tech weapons and potent stimulants in an abandoned trash can?!
He opened the box, looked at the "toys" inside that were flashing with a dangerous light, and a detailed "instruction manual," and instantly let out a laugh that was more insane and shrill than ever before!
"Hehehehehe! Heaven's helping me! Bat Boy! It's surprise time!"
Without hesitation, the Joker injected himself with potent stimulants! He picked up the powerful energy weapons! As if injected with adrenaline! He launched an even more frenzied and deadly counterattack against Batman!
And the other side!
Storm, Poison Ivy, and Aquaman, who were originally preparing to retreat, unexpectedly received some kind of "mysterious power" on their respective battlefields!
Storm suddenly felt her control over the elements increase dramatically! She could summon even more violent lightning and hurricanes! She could even briefly affect Superman's flight?!
Poison Ivy discovers that the plants around her have become more aggressive and toxic! They're even sprouting strange flowers that can absorb energy?!
Aquaman also feels an even stronger connection to the ocean! Will he be able to summon even more powerful tsunamis and ferocious deep-sea monsters?!
They had no idea where this sudden power came from! But instinctively, they all saw it as their hope for defeating the formidable enemy before them!
then!
The battle had begun to tilt in favor of the Justice League!
moment!
Another incredible reversal has occurred!
The Joker was acting like he was on drugs! His fighting prowess skyrocketed! He was actually going to hold his own against Batman! He even used his newly acquired weapons to cause Batman quite a bit of trouble!