August 2
Emperor Building, Top Floor
The sun continued to shine through the window, illuminating the dust in the air. The light moved across the floor, up to the bedside, over the quilt, and onto Bardi's face.
The sunlight's energy absorption stirred him awake.
Bardi slowly opened his eyes. The golden sunlight reflected in them. He lifted the quilt, raised his shoulders, and his spine trembled like a dragon. "Mm…" He stretched, facing the sun with a faint smile on his lips.
He looked to the side. Faora lay exhausted against the pillow, her delicate, snow-white back forming a graceful line from her spine to her thighs. Her toned body was pale and sleek like a white snake. She snored softly in sleep, her face delicate, her neat short hair tousled, and her lips slightly parted.
This disobedient yet resolute woman—Bardi had decided to take control through force, to make her submit rather than yield to her stubbornness. Whether emotionally, honorably, or physically, he would bring her to heel.
Bardi was domineering, breaking the past with power, ending what was.
Faora did love him. Bardi pitied her and refused to let her remain trapped in the past. Even if he had to force it, he would bind her to him.
So last night's struggle, the battle between them on the bed, became a powerful beginning.
Bardi's gaze softened as he looked at her, a trace of warmth in his heart.
Suddenly, a bright smile touched the corner of his mouth.
He reached out and gently patted Faora's smooth, elastic thigh.
"Mm…"
Faora furrowed her brow. She couldn't get up, completely exhausted. Her Kryptonian body couldn't recover so quickly. Her face pressed into the pillow, short hair curled like sheep's wool, her delicate expression soft, lips slightly open, snoring gently as she drifted back to sleep.
At that moment, Bardi suddenly froze.
The moment he slapped Faora's backside, a powerful sense of déjà vu struck him—like he had done this countless times before.
For an instant, it felt like a hammer had struck his mind, shaking his vision. Countless familiar sensations surged toward his brain.
He experienced a sudden and overwhelming feeling.
This scene!
He had lived it before!
"What is this?"
Bardi's pupils contracted. He had a vivid sense that he had done this exact thing before. The repetition of the act triggered a cascade of visual memories that flared and vanished just as quickly.
This sensation was nearly identical to when he had once traveled through time with the Flash to save Jenny, with fragmented memories waiting for his permission to enter his mind.
Now, Bardi released his mental control, allowing the memory to enter.
But nothing happened. No memory came. It was as if it had all been a dream, and the vivid déjà vu vanished in a flash.
Boom…
Bardi clenched his fists, creating a sonic boom. Every muscle in his body tensed and gleamed like steel, cast in white jade. His brow furrowed, face dark as water, eyes flashing with fury.
"Flash!!"
The name burst from his lips. His face was grim and terrifying.
There was no doubt—this was something The Flash had caused.
His soul was stably anchored to the Earth, intricately bound to it, and manipulated by him. He was one with the Earth. Time travel should be impossible because of his connection.
So what had the Flash done to produce this overwhelming sense of repetition? This lived experience?
Bardi's expression darkened further.
At that moment, he felt a sudden resonance, as if he knew Hera would soon pull him for an interview with Louis.
As expected—
The door opened, and little Hera ran in on short legs.
Seeing Bardi, she stopped.
Bardi looked up. His pupils shrank with shock, muscles flexed like steel beneath the sunlight, glowing faintly.
Inside, turbulent waves surged through his mind. His heart couldn't calm down.
It was confirmed—this was the Flash's doing.
Hera had originally rushed in to scold him. But seeing Bardi's stunned and intense expression, her large, bright eyes blinked in surprise. The anger left her face, replaced by concern.
"Daddy, what's wrong?"
She asked softly. Bardi's expression alone was enough to show how serious this was.
"Cancel all appointments. Suspend all AI operations. Redirect all computing power to analyze the current situation. Build a simulation. Use the Speed Force to model the Flash's behavior. Begin a full study of the relationship between Speed Force and time."
"I'm going to find the Flash."
With a grim expression, Bardi stepped off the bed and stood barefoot on the floor. Sunlight slanted across his stalwart figure, casting a cruel and shadowed tone.
Little Hera nodded, her expression solemn, and went to execute his command.
That day, Louis left disappointed. His Majesty was too busy for interviews.
The Krypton project on the Diamond Moon was suspended. The space defense station reduced computing to minimum maintenance. All other functions and research projects were halted.
All efforts were redirected to researching and calculating the Speed Force.
August 13
Bardi did not inject the Doomsday Serum as he had in previous iterations, despite feeling that he should have by now.
August 15
Bardi and his wives did not attend the Festival, although he felt as if they should have.
August 30, Evening
Bardi did not have dinner with his wives.
Now, it is August 31
In the underground research facility, deep below the surface, countless thick data cables sprawled like black snakes across the floor, all connected to the massive mainframe.
Bardi stood in white robes, his expression cold and solemn.
The AI Hera projected a beautiful holographic form. Clad in a simple white dress, her skin and arms were like white lilies. Her soft curls fell down her back. She exuded elegance and dignity, her piercing eyes seeming to see through everything.
She bowed to Bardi with grace, her tone filled with gentle sweetness.
"The information terminal organism has been completed. Any changes will now be monitored."
Bardi nodded slightly.
Hera transformed into a stream of data and disappeared bit by bit.
The next moment, Bardi was struck with another powerful sense of déjà vu. He instinctively leapt from the underground facility and hovered in the night sky above Metropolis.
He activated his long-range vision, his eyes shining like torches.
The night was cold beneath the crescent moon. On Highway 6 at the outskirts of Metropolis—
A crack suddenly tore open. The Flash emerged. His face was twisted, his eyes bloodshot, his body surging with erratic blue arcs. He sprinted out of the rift, burning a scorched trail across the highway, then dove back into the crack again.
Time, imperceptibly, began to turn once more.
August 31, 23:59
Beep... beep... beep...
August 1, 00:00… 00:01… 00:02…
(To be continued.)