Chapter 452: The Human Nuclear Bomb
The World Engine Activation
The heart of Metropolis.
The sky above was a clear blue, but the scene below was one of desolate despair.
A dust storm, kicked up by the shockwave, covered dozens of city blocks. Screams, shouts, pleas, sirens, and the hiss of escaping gas—all sounds mixed into the most desperate cries of the citizens of the ravaged Metropolis.
A single attack had caused tens of thousands of civilian deaths—a scene reminiscent only of what happened in Japan decades ago.
"Zod, you lunatic!"
Clark clenched his fists and roared, immediately rushing toward the battlefield.
Diana discarded her cloak and drew her Sword of Hephaestus, her eyes sternly fixed on the front. Linda looked up at the sky and sighed deeply. Luke had guessed correctly; Zod the lunatic really did choose Metropolis as the battlefield.
In a city of several million people, how many would die once the war truly erupted?
Barry Allen looked left and right and whispered,
"What do we do? Rescue people first? Or..."
"There's no time for rescue."
Luke Shaw strode forward, followed by his robotic butler carrying a metal case. Luke raised a hand, and a holographic screen appeared, displaying a scene from the Indian Ocean.
"This is the latest information. The other shuttle has landed on the surface of the South Indian Ocean and is launching the same attack."
The screen switched to a 3D model of the Earth. The two shuttles were positioned at two opposite points on the globe. The white beams of light they emitted were continually penetrating the Earth's core. Everywhere the beams touched, the surrounding soil began to ripple like ocean waves.
Linda's pupils contracted. She exclaimed in shock,
"The World Engines! They're using the World Engines to reshape Earth's gravity!"
"Correct."
Luke's expression was extremely grave. "Zod is employing the most direct and effective path to victory: altering the Earth's gravity, thereby changing the atmospheric environment. If he succeeds, Earth will become uninhabitable for humans, and 99% of humanity will die."
Diana said chillingly, "How much time do we have?"
"Half an hour at most."
"That's enough."
Luke shook his head. "It's not that simple."
The screen changed again, showing Clark attacking the shuttle. His heat vision was blocked by the energy barrier surrounding the shuttle. Two tentacles of liquid metal lashed down from above. Clark quickly dodged, only to be ambushed by a Kryptonian soldier in black armor from behind, punched hard into the debris.
It was clear Zod was well-prepared and wouldn't allow anyone to destroy the shuttles easily.
"Let's see for ourselves."
Linda scoffed, leaped up, and sped toward the battle.
Diana hooked her Lasso of Truth onto a corner of the building and jumped down from the hundred-meter-high rooftop. John Jones flew into the sky to observe the overall situation from above.
Everyone who was leaving had gone, leaving only the two "least powerful."
Barry Allen glanced at Luke and asked curiously,
"How are you planning to enter the fray?"
Luke ignored him. He snapped his fingers. The robotic butler opened the metal case, and a red armor suit with a carved lightning symbol on the chest appeared. The armor was thin—more like a battlesuit—with deep gray protective pieces on the hands, legs, and shoulders. The overall color scheme was muted.
Barry fell in love with it immediately. He couldn't help but ask,
"Is this for me?"
"Alright, it's just the two of us. Turn off the voice changer; I know it's you, Barry Allen, the Flash of Central City."
Barry scratched his head awkwardly. "H-how did you figure that out?"
Luke rolled his eyes. "Making up friends out of thin air only fools children. You really think I'm an idiot who doesn't know anything?"
"Stop stalling. Put it on now."
"Do I really need to?"
Barry was hesitant. Although he loved the new battlesuit, he didn't want to owe Luke another favor. "The armor I have now is perfectly fine. There's no need to switch."
Luke sneered. "The suit you're wearing can only handle ordinary metahumans. It's useless against a Kryptonian. I don't want to see Barry Allen turned into a smear of meat."
"Hurry up, we don't have much time. I have a crucial mission for you."
Barry hesitated for a few seconds but finally stripped out of his current suit and put on the new one.
Luke introduced it. "This armor uses the latest nanotechnology. The raw materials include Promethium metal and a kinetic alloy I developed myself. The specific effects are detailed in the system—you can check it yourself."
"I mainly need to explain three points: First, the floating pedal. Anti-thrust devices are installed at the bottom of the armor, allowing you to use the air for leverage while airborne. Second, the life support system. There are liquid reservoirs in each hand guard. The left contains a healing factor that will grant you rapid regeneration for a short time. The right contains a nutrient solution that will give you a continuous supply of stamina. Be warned, the life support system has limited uses, so only use it when it's absolutely necessary—don't waste it."
"The third point is the core of this mission."
Luke took a metal disc handed over by the robotic butler. "Find the right opportunity and put this where it needs to go."
Barry asked curiously, "What is this?"
"A Super-Bomb. Once it explodes, it will reduce everything within a forty-meter radius to its most basic particle form."
Barry swallowed, a chill running down his spine.
"Boss, you're not going to make me a human bomb, are you? I'm too young!"
"It's on a timer, you idiot. Is running forty meters in ten seconds that hard?"
Barry was speechless. It's easy for you to say, why don't you do it? Who carries a nuclear bomb around except a fool? What if it goes off prematurely?
Luke looked him straight in the eye and said earnestly,
"We don't have many chances. If the Kryptonians succeed, what will the world look like? Are you willing to watch your family and friends die in front of you? Think about your father, your girlfriend—they're all waiting."
"Barry, you are a hero. You are destined to be The Flash who saves the world. This is a responsibility only you can bear. Not Superman, not Diana—only you have this ability."
"This bomb is the last resort. It's the last hope."
"I'm entrusting this to you. Please, Barry Allen, the entire Earth is in your hands."
Luke held up the bomb and solemnly handed it over.
Barry wanted to cry but couldn't. He felt he'd been completely set up but had no evidence. Reluctantly, he took the bomb and placed it in the recess on the back of his suit.
The Human Nuclear Bomb was thus born. Luke looked him over, growing more satisfied by the second. The Flash carrying a bomb—simply unbeatable.
"Give it your all. When the war is over, I'll throw the biggest party for you and make you the undisputed star. A hero deserves that treatment."
Barry Allen opened his mouth, letting out a helpless sigh.
Given the situation, what could he do? He could only pray he was lucky enough not to be hit in the back by a Kryptonian.
Meanwhile, after multiple engagements, Clark finally came face-to-face with his lifelong nemesis, Zod.
Zod had discarded the Kryptonian armor that protected his body, wearing only a black bodysuit. His powerful body floated in mid-air, red light flashing in his eyes, looking like a literal god.
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