"Ladies and gentlemen."
A gentle, clear voice rang out on the White House lawn. The White House spokesperson, wearing glasses and appearing middle-aged, scanned the assembled media with sharp eyes.
"The recent solar crisis has sparked intense debate across the nation. Citizens from various states are questioning the federal government's ability to protect them. Some have even suggested that private superhero organizations should replace the United Nations in mediating international disputes and maintaining world peace."
"I must say, that is absurd and foolish." He slammed his hand on the table in front of countless flashing cameras, resembling a barrage of long and short lenses.
"Superheroes are individuals who operate outside the law, relying on dangerous technology and superpowers. If these people were to gain power and arbitrarily set laws, America and the world would indeed be on the brink of chaos and crisis."
"Transcendent, Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman… If they are the world's most outstanding heroes, then what are the soldiers who have always protected the nation and its citizens' safety, and maintained world order, according to the rights granted by the Constitution?"
He named the Justice League heroes one by one, his hawk-like gaze sweeping over the audience below. His tone was indignant and passionate, as if he were enraged on behalf of the unsung heroes. For a moment, no one dared to respond.
The media professionals exchanged glances. Previously, the White House had always avoided discussing superheroes. Now, they were publicly refuting their achievements. They couldn't help but feel a sense of impending storm, a suffocating premonition.
"Now, on behalf of the federal government, the White House, and the President, I will introduce you to America's true superheroes."
With a powerful declaration, he set the tone for the speech and gestured for everyone to look behind him.
Several figures clad in powerful battle suits descended from the sky.
There were men and women, white and black, a total of four figures.
"They are the Federal Super Task Force specially appointed by the President. First, the captain of this Super Task Force, Captain Atom!"
As he introduced him, a man with a sharp, crew-cut hairstyle, exuding a powerful and imposing aura like an unshakeable mountain, stepped forward. His skin gleamed with a silver metallic sheen. He was a man of few words.
"Major Force!"
Another introduction. A soldier with his arms crossed, a look of disdain and arrogance on his face, stepped forward. His body was composed of a metal that seemed to be a mix of purple and yellow, and he exuded a powerful aura that made it difficult for people to breathe.
Amidst the flashing of camera bulbs, the crowd looked on with some surprise.
Unlike Captain Atom, who projected a reliable and steady military image, Major Force seemed more like a villain or a criminal than a soldier.
However, the spokesperson did not give the crowd time to process the information or ask questions. He immediately introduced the next person.
"Extreme Pain!"
A young woman in a black leather outfit, with a hot and sexy figure and a somewhat rebellious appearance, chewed gum with her lips painted black. She stepped forward with her arms crossed, as if a student whose name was called by a teacher, nonchalant.
She, too, didn't seem like a soldier or a police officer. She even looked like a teenager who had run away from home to play rock music. Could this be reliable?
The crowd wondered where the federal government had found these people, apart from Captain Atom.
"And the last one, Black Lightning."
A burly Black man stepped forward, wearing yellow goggles on his face. His blue and black battle suit featured lightning graphics, and his explosive muscles made him look like a heavyweight boxing champion.
Finally, a superhero that the public was familiar with!
Spotting a new news angle, the reporters excitedly took photos, but unfortunately, this was not an occasion for them to interview or ask questions freely.
"Black Lightning, wasn't he a street hero?"
Someone muttered to themselves from the crowd.
It was clear that this newly formed four-person superhero team introduced by the White House was intended to rival the Justice League, responsible for dealing with supervillains across America and even intervening in international crises.
Although the Justice League heroes varied in strength, was Black Lightning too weak?
The physical condition of Olympic champions was remarkable, but it barely surpassed that of ordinary people. Even with the abilities derived from manipulating black electricity, could his combat power match that of a tank?
As their gazes fell upon Black Lightning's distinct dark complexion, the crowd suddenly understood why he had joined this team.
They also realized that the focus of this team was likely on the first three individuals.
However, facing the Justice League's more than a dozen heroes with only three people, would they still have the advantage?
Facing the questioning looks from the crowd, the White House spokesperson emphasized in a deep voice.
"The Super Task Force reports directly to the White House and possesses supreme authority granted by the President. Most of them have undergone military training and can easily survive at the epicenter of nuclear explosions with yields ranging from millions to tens of millions of tons. Their abilities exceed the limits of human technological detection, making them strategic humanoid weapons for the federal government."
"Can survive at the epicenter of a nuclear explosion?"
With a resounding boom, the area below the podium erupted in an uproar. Everyone's eyes widened in shock.
Was this a joke? Nuclear bombs had always been humanity's ultimate weapon. The decades of peace and nuclear deterrence that maintained the global order relied on them. Now, the White House was unveiling several superheroes capable of withstanding nuclear bombardment?
And listening to the spokesperson's emphasis on "most of them" and his veiled tone, it seemed that, apart from Black Lightning who was just there to fill a spot, the other three possessed the formidable ability to withstand nuclear explosions?
How many members of the Justice League could survive a nuclear blast?
Besides Transcendent, were there any other superheroes who could reliably withstand a nuclear explosion?
"What are the abilities of these three?"
"Now, I will introduce the abilities of the Task Force members one by one." The White House spokesperson was very satisfied with the crowd's reaction. He stared into the camera and sneered triumphantly.
"The era when some individuals used their abilities to place themselves above the Constitution is over!"
...
A gloomy villa nestled among the trees on a remote mountainside.
Lex Luthor's genes had been modified by the previous Lex Luthor when he was an embryo, granting him hundreds of superpowers. His eyes activated his super-vision, allowing him to see the person lurking in the shadows.
Its silver, streamlined body was over two meters tall, smooth as cast iron, with a pair of red eyes like miniature cameras.
"Amazo?"
He murmured the name, wondering if it was the model number of the nano-robot before him.
Anthony Ivo's specialty was nanotechnology; this robot was likely his final work.
On the bed, Professor Anthony Ivo lay dead. The tall robot stepped forward, knelt on one knee, and gently picked up the professor's hand. It acted like a competent and considerate butler, tucking the white sheet around him.
Noticing this action, Lex Luthor's vigilance towards the robot suddenly attacking him eased slightly. He was about to ask about the design purpose behind its creation.
Amazo stood up and scanned Luthor with his eyes. His completely smooth face displayed Luthor's image. He raised his palm, looking at it with confusion and curiosity, as if he had received a new toy he didn't know how to play with.
His palm suddenly ignited with flames, then turned to stone, and then extended and morphed into a blade.
"What is this..."
Luthor was stunned by the sight.
These were all his abilities. Looking at the robot before him, an unbelievable thought struck him. He looked at the corpse on the bed in shock.
If his suspicion was correct, how had he created this robot?
"Unimaginable."
"When will the Professor wake up?"
Having perfectly copied Luthor's abilities with a single glance, Amazo lost interest after playing with them for a bit. He stared fixedly at the corpse on the bed.
"He hasn't paid attention to me in a long time."
Damn it, Luthor actually felt a sense of dejection from the robot before him.
Professor Anthony Ivo, you truly were a unique genius. It's a shame you're dead.
"He will never wake up again."
"Why?" Amazo asked, confused. The Professor usually woke up every six or seven hours, but this time it had been over seventeen hours.
"Do you miss him? I do too."
Amazo was like a newborn child, his understanding of the world a blank slate. Luthor placed a hand on his shoulder, his voice slightly hoarse, feigning sorrow.
"But he's dead. He and I were the best of friends. Before he died, he told me that there was someone he wanted to entrust to my care and guidance, someone I should help understand this world.
He was probably talking about you."
"What is death? Will you take care of me from now on?"
Amazo didn't understand and consecutively posed his questions.
"Death is a very complex issue. I'll explain it to you in detail later."
Luthor shook his head.
"You have to obey me just as you obeyed the Professor, and take care of me the same way you took care of him. Otherwise, I will fall into an eternal sleep like the Professor, and then you will be all alone."
"You are different from the Professor."
After looking at him intently for two seconds, Amazo shook his head, making Luthor's heart tighten.
"How am I different?"
"You are much stronger than the Professor," Amazo said seriously.
"Yes, I am stronger than my best friend."
Relieved, Luthor continued to guide him, putting an arm around Amazo's shoulder and walking towards the window.
"But strength is relative. Let me tell you a story."
"A story?"
"Once upon a time, there was a young man who was determined to build an empire and create a beautiful world. He endured hardships and almost succeeded.
Gazing out the window, hatred flickered in Luthor's eyes.
"But there were some very, very bad people who didn't want to see the young man succeed. They attacked and persecuted him, forcing him to constantly hide."
Amazo seemed to understand, yet not.
Luthor hadn't expected that even with his simplest and most direct explanation, almost as if talking to a child, Amazo still didn't understand.
"That young man was me.
But I will not be defeated. I will rebuild my empire from the ruins. However, my lifespan is limited, so I will find someone worthy to entrust my legacy to."
He looked at Amazo, no longer mentioning a young man.
"That person is you. I will treat you like a son, someone I've never had."
Amazo pointed to himself, his expression a mixture of confusion and surprise.
An empire, a beautiful world, all for him?
"That's right. The first step I'm taking now is to find a way to defeat those who destroyed my endeavors."
Luthor nodded.
"I will help you."
Amazo pondered for a moment and said in a mechanical voice.
"Excellent," Lex Luthor couldn't contain his excitement.
This was far easier than he had imagined. In his innate memories as Lex Luthor, there were countless personal instances of manipulating people and deceiving others, but never had it been this simple.
This masterpiece, resembling a newborn infant left behind by Anthony Ivo before his death, might just be the hope for his revenge and even world domination.
"Anthony told me about your replication program, but I'm not sure about its limits?"
Lex Luthor continued to probe in a familiar tone.
"The Professor said my evolution has no limits, it just requires time."
Amazo looked at his hands.
"I've just replicated many sets of ability data from you, and I need time to establish models that can operate without interference."
"Requires time?"
Upon hearing Amazo say his abilities had no limits, Lex Luthor was initially pleased, but then frowned upon hearing that it would take time.
It seemed to be his fault. It was difficult for a machine to simultaneously load and operate hundreds of programs without conflict and with smooth execution; the mechanical intelligence had to learn to optimize.
"What a shame..."
If only Amazo hadn't copied his abilities.
Clenching his fists secretly, Lex Luthor knew that while his abilities were incredible to ordinary people, they were easily overwhelmed by his enemies.
It was equivalent to hundreds of garbage programs occupying Amazo's operational space.
If Amazo had copied the abilities of Transcendent or Superman, it might only require loading and running a few programs, without any waiting time, and then combining them to defeat them.
"I can only wait..."
Even though the flames of hatred gnawed at his heart, Lex Luthor had no other recourse, nor did he arrogantly consider optimizing Amazo's system performance.
In fact, he couldn't even comprehend how Anthony Ivo had created this robot, with its nano-mechanical body capable of scanning and replicating superpowers, before him.
Even with Anthony Ivo's genius, it defied logic; it was practically a miracle that only existed in fantasy.
Lex Luthor even suspected that Anthony Ivo had accidentally created this Amazo before his death.
This wasn't born from jealousy, but rather many great scientific creations were indeed accidental byproducts. For example, gunpowder, which changed the history of global warfare, was originally an accidental byproduct of the alchemists in the East trying to refine elixirs to achieve immortality.
But unfortunately, Anthony Ivo was already dead, and he could no longer verify whether the man had struck it lucky or had a flash of genius before his demise.
Lex Luthor shook his head, a sinister glint appearing in his eyes, like a monster ready to devour its prey.
"But it's good that he's dead. If he hadn't died, how would I have had a chance for revenge!
Transcendent, Superman, cherish your ignorant and peaceful lives. A ghost named Lex Luthor has returned from hell, and I will devour you all. This world will be mine!"
...
Buzzzzz!
On a small island at sea between Metropolis and Gotham, the Justice League headquarters had been secretly established for nearly a year.
The sound of a massive supersonic fighter jet thundered through the sky like muffled thunder, streaking across the firmament.
Like a swarm of crows, they darkened the sky. Armed helicopters hovered above the island, their numerous mounted machine guns and missiles aimed at the Justice League headquarters hidden on the mountaintop.
Several powerful figures clad in battle suits slowly descended from the sky.
Batman and Cyborg, who were on duty at the headquarters, were alerted by the noise and came out to investigate. Upon seeing the approaching figures, Batman's expression changed, and he quickly sent out a distress signal.
"Someone seems to have finally lost their patience and is making a move against us.
Transcendent, Superman, there's an situation at headquarters."
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