"Ah..."
Carol Ferris looked in surprise at Lois Lane, whose expression was dark. She had assumed that since Jack Kadere was willing to share such critical intelligence about the Kryptonians with Lois—and the two had even slept together—they must be a couple.
So this was just a transaction? Jack Kadere traded her information, and then she…
Carol Ferris had heard of Lois Lane's formidable reputation, but she hadn't expected this.
"Don't look at me like that. He forced me using despicable means." Carol Ferris's gaze made Lois Lane instantly realize what she was thinking.
"Is that so?" Jack Kadere looked seriously at Lois Lane. "I thought you were enchanted by me."
"How could I..." Before Lois Lane could finish, she hooked her arms around Jack Kadere's neck and took the initiative to kiss him passionately.
That sudden display made Carol Ferris blush.
After a moment, they parted, and Lois Lane said angrily, "It's not like that! It's not like I wanted to do this myself!"
"Can't help it, I understand!" Jack Kadere patted Lois Lane's shoulder with a smile.
Lois Lane glared at him. Jack Kadere smiled without speaking, but his voice echoed in her mind. "Don't explain. To explain is to cover up, and to cover up is to admit. After all, you really did take the initiative. And I think you're a smart person; you should be very clear that you can't resist me. Instead of fighting it, shouldn't you use this situation to get more benefits? For example, you can follow me to learn firsthand, detailed information about the Kryptonians. You can use my identity to uncover or report any news you want."
Lois Lane fell silent. It wasn't that she wanted to accept this transaction or his logic, but because she had no choice.
The sudden silence between Jack Kadere and Lois Lane made Carol Ferris uncomfortable. She hesitated several times, trying to find a topic, but couldn't think of one. Finally, she stood up. "I'm right in the next room. Call me if you need anything."
"Okay, sorry to trouble you." Jack Kadere smiled at Carol Ferris.
While everyone was busy with matters related to the Kryptonians, time quietly slipped away.
Night gradually fell, but the streets were much noisier than usual.
Many doomsday theorists indulgently enjoyed what they believed to be their final night, and the crime rate in many places spiked. Gotham, Starling City, Central City—the vigilantes and superheroes in these cities all became busy.
Meanwhile, Superman, one of the parties involved, was suffering immensely in the base. The effects of the Kryptonite were superb; Lex Luthor had shown no mercy and had researched Superman extremely thoroughly. The fear of death enveloped Superman's heart for the first time, giving him a deeper understanding of what his adoptive father had said about humans fearing him. He had never harmed humans; he was even helping them. He clearly wanted to express goodwill, yet this was the result.
Resentment gradually bred alongside the pain.
If it weren't for the military's plan to hand Superman over to General Zod, Lex Luthor would probably have planned to slice him open.
Studying the Kryptonian. Studying Kryptonite.
After collecting the data, Lex Luthor used Kryptonite to forge a weapon.
It was a pity that Superman didn't know his original destiny; otherwise, seeing himself suffering and being researched here while the woman he loved lay in the arms of the culprit, pleasing him, he would probably have turned dark instantly!
An uneventful night passed.
10:00 AM the next day.
Carol Ferris knocked on the door eagerly.
Bang!
Jack Kadere, who hadn't gotten out of bed yet, held Lois Lane. He opened his eyes to look at the door, his eyes turning crimson as he instantly smashed the door lock.
Carol Ferris was startled and cautiously pushed the door open. Seeing the two still in bed, she turned her head slightly. "We have detected a spacecraft rapidly entering Earth's airspace. The military base has already sent a signal and expects to take Superman to meet... Zod's people in fifteen minutes!"
"The higher-ups have decided to hand Superman over to them, but they hope you... you can be on the scene just in case. Please hurry."
"What's the rush? Tell them to wait!"
"We can wait, but the other party might not!" Carol Ferris explained.
"Tell her I know where the Codex is. If she doesn't want to wait, she can get lost!" Jack Kadere waved his hand, and Carol Ferris felt a breeze instantly push her out.
Snap!
The door closed.
Hesitating for a moment, Carol Ferris reported the message truthfully.
Fifteen minutes wasn't very long. At the military base...
Important generals, accompanied by soldiers, scientific research experts, Superman, and Lex Luthor, waited quietly. Not long after, a Kryptonian spaceship flew over from a distance and landed slowly.
Everyone subconsciously grew tense.
The hatch opened, and the automatic stairs quickly unfolded.
A woman wearing black armor slowly walked down from the spaceship. Clad in pitch-black Kryptonian battle armor and wearing a transparent respirator, she walked toward the human camp.
Close at hand, she stopped.
First, she glanced at the tense humans around her, then raised her head slightly, looking proudly at Superman. "Kal-El, I am Deputy Commander Faora-Ul, bringing greetings from General Zod." Having said that, she nodded slightly.
Leaving aside Jack Kadere, who was suspected to be a Kryptonian, this was Superman's first time seeing one of his own kind. He nodded somewhat nervously. Faora-Ul turned sideways. "Come with me."
"Wait!"
Seeing that Faora-Ul was about to take Superman away just like that, General Swanwick said in a deep voice, "You cannot take him away yet."
Faora-Ul turned her head to look at him, a trace of a sneer on her face, and walked straight over.
"Stop!"
The surrounding soldiers shouted nervously, but Faora-Ul had no intention of stopping at all.
Da da da, da da da!
The soldiers opened fire.
Bullets crazily hit Faora-Ul's body but were quickly bounced off, leaving not even a trace on the armor.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Faora-Ul struck suddenly, instantly sending several soldiers beside the general flying. She stared at the general and spoke slowly. "Are you sure you won't let me take him away?"
"Sure!" General Swanwick pulled out a green dagger and stabbed forward violently.
Clang!
The Kryptonite dagger was blocked by the armor. Faora-Ul looked down, sneered, and threw a punch.
"Why isn't it working?" Seeing that the Kryptonite was ineffective against Faora-Ul, General Swanwick shouted in a hurry.
"The Codex! If you want to get the Codex, you must wait for someone to come. He knows the whereabouts of the Codex!"
Faora-Ul's fist stopped.