Chapter 3929: MU: The Super-Body Incident (Part 20)

"... In summary, the policy reserve fund is not a financial product that opposes government financial policy. On the contrary, it increases the tolerance and adaptability of financial groups in the Trans-Atlantic region toward federal financial policy, helps them reduce risks during the policy's painful transition period, and prevents them from reacting with knee-jerk resistance to the President's financial policies. This is a good thing for both the federal government and the President."

After saying this, Luo Se stared intently at Clark's eyes, but he could not discern any expression of agreement or opposition there. The other party just said with a hint of sarcasm: "For financial professionals like you, everything you say is a 'good thing.' But rather than calling it 'thriving,' it would be more accurate to say you are very skilled at turning funerals into celebrations."

Luo Se gripped the fountain pen in his hand tightly. When he looked closely at the man in front of him again, he discovered that he was shrouded in a layer of mist that he could not see through. Clark always tilted his head to avoid eye contact, hiding his expression and gaze, but would occasionally glance over with those blue eyes. Such surprise eye contact made it almost impossible for anyone to hide under his gaze.

"Are you this sharp with every interviewee?"

"Of course not," Clark shook his head and said.

Luo Se's expression softened slightly, but the next second he heard Clark say: "This doesn't even count as sharp, Mr. Luo Se."

Luo Se gripped the pen again and said: "Turn off that ridiculous camera of yours, and then let's talk about the real crisis."

"For example?"

"Electronic life." Luo Se threw the pen onto the table. He leaned back against the sofa, tugged at his tie, and said, "It used my sister to play me, and I won't let it off that easily."

"Wasn't it Wei En who shot you?"

"How could you know?!" Luo Se suddenly raised his eyes to look at him.

Clark pointed to his own ears, leaned back against the chair, and said: "For an alien's hearing, the sound of a sniper rifle is deafening."

Luo Se narrowed his eyes. The sarcastic words were just on the tip of his tongue, but he suddenly paused. He stared fixedly at Clark and said: "Then you could also hear the sniper's footsteps, hear him put down the gun, hold his breath, aim, and then pull the trigger. In the end, you chose to intercept the bullet just as it was about to enter my brain."

"What else do you want? Should I put on a uniform, catch that sniper before coming here, and then hand him over to the police?"

"You are Superman; shouldn't you do that?"

Clark glanced at him again, as fast as before, a cursory look, and then said: "I thought you would be concerned about who the sniper was."

Luo Se was choked up. Indeed, if he had asked for the name immediately, the other party might have been caught by now. He truly didn't know what he was doing right now.

Luo Se said with slight agitation: "So, who is he?"

"I don't really want to tell you," Clark shook his head and said, "Otherwise, let's talk about that fund of yours."

Luo Se discovered that he saw a trace of pity on Clark's face. He wanted to grab the object in his hand, but found there was nothing there, so he grabbed the armrest of the sofa instead.

"Tell me, who is he?"

"Wei En."

Luo Se's hand loosened instantly. His expression stagnated for a moment, blank for that instant, and then he instinctively muttered to himself: "Why would he want to kill me?"

"Your heartbeat sounds very panicked. I was afraid of scaring you, which is why I didn't tell you," Clark said.

"A joke, why would I be afraid of him?"

"Do you really want me to say it out loud? You aren't afraid of him, but of the Batman who might be standing behind him, or perhaps, Mr. President. The first assassination attempt might have been a calculated move, but if there's a second, he might truly want your life. And you've discovered that you have no way to deal with him. From the moment he became President, all the resistance you've put up has been nothing but a death struggle."

"I truly didn't think he would become President." Luo Se suddenly relaxed his arms and leaned back against the chair, as if sitting in a church confessing, "He shouldn't have become President. He isn't that kind of person, and everything he has done since becoming President doesn't look like Batman either."

"Why?"

"Batman fears power. He is a foolish non-interventionist who believes that vast power concentrated in the hands of any one person is a bad thing, including himself. He shouldn't have done this."

"Unless he had no other choice."

Luo Se suddenly raised his eyes to look at him: "You aren't Superman."

"I am," Clark adjusted his glasses.

"You aren't the one I know." Luo Se stood up with a jerk, staring down at him tightly, "You can't fool me."

"Is your next sentence going to be 'Where did he go'?" Clark smiled and said, "Think carefully, is this something Lex Luo Se should ask?"

Luo Se stiffened for two seconds, then slumped back into the sofa. He rolled his eyes to look at Clark and said: "Then what should I ask?"

"What you should ask is 'Why did you come to find me,' isn't it?"

Luo Se pursed his lips tightly, like a spring, accumulating power for several seconds before slamming his hand hard onto the armrest.

"In front of Superman and Batman, especially in front of Superman, you have almost no self. You only care about what he has done, unlike when you are in front of others, where you only care about yourself."

"I couldn't tell you were a psychologist," Luo Se gritted his teeth.

"If I had to say, I'm probably a caregiver," Clark smiled again and said, "I can answer both of those questions for you. The Superman you know went to another universe to save another Batman, and I came here because he asked me to protect you. Does it feel like the answers to both questions are hard to accept?"

Luo Se's expression went blank again. After a long while, he slowly sat up straight, looked at Clark, and said: "Can you look at me?"

"Why?"

"There aren't that many 'whys'! Look at me, goddammit!!!" Luo Se roared at him.

Clark finally turned his face forward, took off his glasses, and looked at him with those blue eyes. Luo Se was dazed for a moment, then slowly covered his eyes.

Because he suddenly realized a tragic fact for himself—he didn't care about Superman; he cared about every Superman.

There is an essential difference between the two. If he only cared about the Superman of his own universe, it could be explained as taking precautions, because such a powerful and dangerous alien posed a great threat to Earth, and as a self-proclaimed leader of humanity, he should naturally be vigilant against such dangerous elements.

And he usually didn't take any measures against Superman, just watched him, not only because Superman himself was strong, but also because Superman's large group of friends, such as Batman, Wonder Woman, and the entire Justice League, were good partners to humanity. It was difficult for him to eliminate Superman in isolation without indirectly triggering a war that could destroy the Earth.

But now, this Superman from another world sitting in front of him and confessing his identity had no Justice League behind him—at least for now, he was alone—and he was far more dangerous than the Superman of their universe. His words were sharp, his thinking was clear, and his super-brain was operating at at least 30%. The threat he posed to Earth was several times greater than the Superman he knew.

He should have thought of several plans to deal with him the moment he knew this fact, and after weighing them for a few seconds, selected the safest and most effective one to start implementing. That was the real Alexander Luo Se.

For example, he could immediately activate the Luo Se Group's defense system, use kryptonite to seal the entire building, or calmly take a kryptonite-ray gun out of the desk drawer behind him.

But he did none of those things.

The only thing he did was let the other party look at him.

How absurd. Were those blue eyes some kind of potent placebo? Or was he just a baby in need of a pacifier?

If it were the Superman of his own universe, Luo Se wouldn't feel so embarrassed and uneasy, but the one in front of him was a Superman who truly used his super-brain. He must have seen through everything.

"Don't tell him," Luo Se said, "Don't tell the Superman of that universe."

"Don't tell him what? That I saved you? Ah, then I think I really shouldn't tell him. He would feel guilty that you encountered danger."

"Are you kidding me!"

"I'm not kidding. Otherwise, why would he ask me to come? He knew that electronic life had its eyes on you and might cause you trouble, which is why he asked me to protect you. If I told him about this, he would feel he should have stayed."

"Then you should tell him," Luo Se wiped his face, took a deep breath, and said, "It's best to tell him that the sniper bullet has already entered my body."

"Are you sure? I'll also tell him that Wei En did it; he might suspect Batman. That's a double blessing for you, right?"

Luo Se's hand slowly clenched into a fist again, slamming it onto the sofa armrest, veins popping out on both sides of his forehead.

Which goddamn universe did this goddamn Superman come from?! What the hell did the Luo Se of that universe do?!

"Don't tell him this," Luo Se gritted his teeth.

"Why? If he suspects Batman and their alliance breaks, isn't that a good thing for you?" Clark smiled, leaned forward, and stared straight into Luo Se's eyes, "Are you not doing it because you're afraid he'll be sad?"

"Put your glasses on! Now! Immediately!"

Then Clark really did put his glasses on as if nothing had happened, looking down at his notebook as before, silently writing and drawing on it.

"Electronic life..." Luo Se tried to grasp a keyword in his mind to bring the topic back on track, "I will build a body for this electronic life, and it will be a powerful body that makes it willing to abandon the convenience of life forms that rely on radio waves."

"Not bad. And then?"

Luo Se's belly full of explanations was stifled, making his face flush red. He said: "You're not asking why for this?"

"Because I know why. If it has no body, it can always hide behind the scenes. The enemy in the dark and me in the light is not a good thing; there's no way to deal with it. But with a body, no matter how powerful, it can be dealt with. As long as it enters this body, you have a way to lock it in and then eliminate it, and that would be a great success."

"Should I really call you Clark Kent?" Luo Se asked, "Or are you actually Kal-El?"

"You can call me by either name," Clark said, "My friends like to call me Clark, while my brother and cousin call me Kal. I don't really care about these things."

Luo Se was bewildered again. In fact, his question was a probe. Generally speaking, very righteous Supermen in the multiverse consider themselves Clark Kent, while those who are slightly evil generally like to label themselves as Kal-El.

Luo Se had tried calling the Superman of his own universe 'Kal', and the other party looked as if he had eaten a fly, disgusted enough not to wander around the city for at least three days. This was the first Superman who seemed not to care at all what he was called.

"You told me this because you want me to defeat the electronic life that has acquired a body. What weakness did you leave in this body?"

"Why would you think there's a weakness?"

Clark leaned his body further forward, getting closer, and looked into Luo Se's eyes: "Because you're worried I won't be able to beat it." ===== CHAPTER 3930 =====