Golden Superman stared at that shocking row of words on the ground.
Then he looked at Tiga, who was on the verge of death and foaming frantically at the mouth, and his entire body froze.
The light... is toxic???
What kind of godforsaken place is this?!
Golden Superman's brain buzzed. He didn't even know whether he should feel lucky that he had currently lost his ability to absorb light; after all, if his powers were still active, he would likely be lying flat right alongside this bodysuit alien.
Watching Ultraman Tiga foaming at the mouth, twitching all over, and looking every bit like a poisoned victim on the brink of death, Clark the Golden Superman felt a localized emotion rise inappropriately in his heart after the initial panic subsided... relief?
"Damn it! Filthy thoughts have contaminated my heart!"
Golden Superman shifted the blame. Yet at the exact same moment this thought flashed across his mind, his gaze inadvertently swept across his own wrist, and his vision instantly locked on.
This wasn't an item he originally possessed.
At some unknown point, an exceptionally uniquely styled watch had actually materialized on his left wrist! Evidently, it was some sort of terminal that had been forcibly "installed" onto him after arriving in this world.
The watch was entirely matte black, made of a material that was neither metal nor iron, yet the screen was extraordinarily clear, currently displaying rows of continuously scrolling data and icons.
If an expert were standing here, they would discover that its design style subtly shared similarities with the player watches from the strange Lord God Space of *Terror Infinity*.
Indeed, Ian was exactly this type of True Copycat King who integrated the best of a hundred schools, capable of finding plagiarism material for every single aspect. If there was something he could plagiarize, he would absolutely never strain a single cell of his extraordinary brain.
"Is it a controller used to monitor and manipulate us?" Unfortunately, the poor Golden Superman had never read *Terror Infinity*, so he could only extrapolate based on his past experiences.
He concentrated his gaze onto the watch screen, which clearly displayed a wealth of information.
Name: Golden Superman (Temporary NPC Serial Number: A-007)
Identity: New Immigrant (Temporary Residence Permit)
Account Balance: 10 Energy Coins [Voucher] (Second-Generation New Resident Limited-Time Super Luxurious Invincible Gift Pack, valid until 24:00 today in this cosmic calendar)
Academic Credentials: Unverified (Requires submission of materials for review. Review Fee: 5,000 Energy Coins)
Skill Tree: Unlit (Click to view)
Credit Rating: E (Initial rating for new users. Low loan limit, high interest rate)
Health Status: Sub-healthy (Detected dormant unknown energy. Recommended to purchase the [Basic Energy Activation Package] as soon as possible)
Legal Status: Clean (No criminal record for now, keep it up!)
A continuous string of information caused Golden Superman's eyelids to twitch frantically.
This was practically identical to the identification file of a highly computerized urban citizen, containing everything from diplomas to credit ratings. Except the contents, no matter how one looked at them, felt incredibly exploitative!
His finger subconsciously clicked on the [Skill Tree] option.
The next moment, a complex and massive tree-like diagram interface popped up on the watch screen, densely packed with various skill icons and names.
However, when Golden Superman clearly read the names of those skills, he dazed out, froze again, and felt that his heavily tempered nerves had finally experienced a complete snap across multiple strands.
Steel Physique (Beginner): Price: 100,000 Energy Coins
Heat Vision (Introductory): Price: 50,000 Energy Coins
Bio-Electric Field (Basic): Price: 200,000 Energy Coins
Super Speed (Low Gear): Price: 80,000 Energy Coins
Freeze Breath (Arctic Temperature Edition): Price: 30,000 Energy Coins
"Aren't these all the exact abilities that originally belonged to me?!" Golden Superman finally broke his defenses completely, unable to stop himself from swearing.
Taking abilities that he was born with, which were as natural as breathing or drinking water, and explicitly putting a price tag on them to sell?! This wasn't even robbery anymore; this was stripping a person naked and weighing them by the pound!
Humanity is supposed to have limits!
How could anyone be dark-hearted to such an extent!
Golden Superman's gaze locked dead onto a skill at the very apex of the skill tree, which was sealed by a gray chain icon and emitted a dim golden light.
That was the ultimate manifestation posture of his Golden Superman form. Right below the skill tree's lower section, a seemingly ordinary skill entered his view, causing his pupils to shrink sharply.
Legal Photosynthesis (Passive): Allows the user to safely and legally absorb light energy within the certified scope of this dimension for basic energy replenishment.
Monthly Subscription Price: 3,000 Energy Coins.
Yes.
Even after paying for a skill, it wouldn't be fully unlocked; it was merely equivalent to "leasing" it for use. Not only that, even if the flight ability required an astronomical price to be purchased and lit up, one additionally needed to buy things like a [Flight License (Low Altitude) / (High Altitude)].
Because the [Flight License (Low Altitude) / (High Altitude)] was not a skill, it utilized a time-card system. The low-altitude flight license priced each minute of flight qualification at 10 Energy Coins.
High altitude was even more expensive!
Witnessing the watch prompt him in this manner, Golden Superman's expression collapsed completely. He had entirely lost the capacity to complain, his mind filled with a stampede of mythical beasts.
To speak plainly.
He originally believed he had already witnessed the darkest side of human nature.
However.
When his gaze spotted another Mall option on the watch and his hand strayed to click it open, Golden Superman realized his life experiences up to this point might genuinely have been far too limited.
A dazzling array of merchandise lists popped up.
Those familiar categories and promotional tactics instantly sent him down memory lane into games he once viewed as spiritual opium, which only children of that age who lacked life pressures would indulge in.
And the Mall here.
Was far more exploitative than the malls in any game Golden Superman had ever played.
It belonged to a category he had never even heard of.
First Recharge Super Gift Pack! Only 6 Energy Coins!
Includes: [Small Bottle of Energy Potion] x1 (restores a tiny bit of stamina), [New Immigrant Urban Life Guide] x1, [Random Pet Egg] x1 (99.9% chance to hatch an ornamental Husky).
[New Immigrant Support and Growth Fund]: Invest 1,000 Energy Coins, immediately receive a 10,000 Energy Coin rebate!
Did this look very ethical?
Regrettably, there were two rows of almost unreadable tiny text at the bottom.
The 10,000 Energy Coin rebate is the product's projected target. The word "Immediately" is merely the name of this investment product. The rebated Energy Coins will be distributed over a span of 120 years.
Receive 83.33 Energy Coins per year via daily check-in; failure to check in within the designated period constitutes forfeiture.
There wasn't a single thing on the watch that felt meaningful to Golden Superman. If he didn't lean close to look, he wouldn't even see the tiny text; it truly was a case of digging countless massive pitfalls inside an already exploitative location.
[Battle Pass System (New Immigrant Limited-Time Benefit)]: Lasts for 30 days. Complete daily/weekly missions to raise your Battle Pass level, understanding this world while unlocking bountiful rewards!
Since there was a free version, there was naturally a paid version, such as the Luxurious Battle Pass (Price: 680,000 Energy Coins): Instantly unlocks the Silver Exclusive Skin [Dim Kryptonite Luster], grants double mission points, and rewards a [Random A-Grade Skill Fragment] x1 upon reaching max level (collect 100 fragments to synthesize a complete A-Grade skill)!
Aside from this.
The Mall also engaged in artificial scarcity marketing.
There was [Limited-Time Flash Sale!], citizen [VIP] recharges, and they even sold [Dynamic Titles], as well as the gambling system one must participate in to obtain food and living provisions—the Daily Supplies Gacha Machine.
"Is it only like this for so-called new immigrants, or is everyone in this entire world like this?"
To speak plainly.
These were all directions of "urban planning" that shattered Golden Superman's worldview. He felt that even if Lex Luthor took ten thousand pounds of toxic mushrooms, he still wouldn't be able to come up with such a resident management scheme.
"This..." Golden Superman felt his temples throbbing frantically, a deep sense of powerlessness and absurdity tightly wrapping around him.
Of course.
Compared to this absurd Resident Mall.
In truth, Golden Superman still cared more about the skill named Photosynthesis within the skill tree.
"Legal... Legal Photosynthesis? Does that mean one needs a permit to absorb light?" Golden Superman chewed on the words, then looked at Tiga who was still foaming at the mouth on the ground.
He instantly understood!
The highest probability for why Tiga twitched and collapsed to the ground was because he had unauthorizedly absorbed the light here without purchasing this [Legal Photosynthesis] skill!
This ghostly world actually played the trick where even breathing (photosynthesis) incurred a fee! Therefore, illegally "breathing" the light here was why Tiga suffered from poisoning!
"It's that kid... the child of the Kent family from this universe..." Golden Superman gritted his teeth, finally deduction-analyzing the critical information. "He isn't a simple metahuman... he is a Dimension Lord! And a Dimension Lord with exceptionally foul taste and exceptionally distorted rules!"
"This fellow possesses a dimensional world entirely under his own control, and has dragged outsiders like us inside, forcing this ridiculous 'gamified' rule system upon us!"
Golden Superman was an Ultraman-equivalent variant of Superman who had traversed the multiverse and possessed broad horizons, so he was very quick to analyze part of Ian's situation.
Except.
Analyzing the truth did nothing to alleviate the immediate crisis.
"He is dying." Golden Superman looked at Tiga on the ground, whose chest energy indicator light had become exceptionally dim, looking as though it would extinguish the very next second.
Golden Superman creased his brow deeply.
He couldn't watch idly as this fellow, who was likely his sole "fellow sufferer," kicked the bucket just like this.
"Alien bodysuit man! Hold on! I'll call an ambulance for you!"
Thinking of the life utility watch, Golden Superman slid his finger rapidly across it, and as expected, found an [Emergency Services] option, which contained [Call an Ambulance].
He prepared to click the call button.
However.
"Don't... Don't..." On the ground, Tiga actually raised a hand with great difficulty, beginning to write characters frantically on the dirt, attempting to quickly halt Golden Superman's action.
*Calling... calling an ambulance... is too... too expensive... I'll... I'll recover a bit...* Evidently, Tiga seemed to have understood the life rules of this world through some method as well.
Like Ultron and Belial, the functions available for use on the watch were currently displayed directly across his retina, counting as slightly more advanced than a human like Golden Superman.
Of course.
The exploitation was exactly the same.
"?????"
Hearing this, Golden Superman glanced at the estimated fee marked below the ambulance call—[Base Price: 5,000 Energy Coins, fluctuating based on the severity of the illness and distance].
He fell silent.
He looked at his own pitiful watch balance of a "10 Energy Coin" voucher, then looked at Tiga on the ground who was so poor he didn't even have a watch visible, estimating his balance was likely neck-and-neck with his own.
"Then I... have no other way."
Having lost his Superman powers, Golden Superman was currently no different from an ordinary robust human. Faced with this "rule-based" poisoning, he spread his hands to signify his helplessness.
Just as the two were at their wits' end.
And Tiga was right on the verge of his "light dying and life ending."
A steady sequence of footsteps echoed from the mouth of the alleyway.
Behold, a burly man with a thick cigar clamped in his mouth, a face full of stubble, eyes as sharp as a wolf's, and the faint metallic gleam of claws hinting between his finger joints stepped inside with large strides. He wore a brown trench coat in a classic retro detective style, but the coat's epaulet featured an icon of Ian's smiling face.
Identical to the icon on Golden Superman's watch.
If someone knowledgeable were standing here, they would be able to recognize the newcomer as none other than Wolverine Logan! However, Golden Superman, hailing from the DC Universe, did not recognize Wolverine from the Marvel Universe.
Before Golden Superman's account was banned by Ian.
His dimensional level hadn't risen high enough to perceive information across universes of same caliber as DC.
"Another two newcomers who don't know the rules and have drummed up trouble."
Logan's sharp gaze swept across Tiga laying on the ground and Golden Superman standing aside helplessly, finally locking onto Tiga.
He exhaled a smoke ring, his voice deep and carrying an unquestionable authority: "I am from the Law Enforcement Bureau. Now, please raise your hand and hand it over."
"I'll help you."
He commanded Tiga.
Golden Superman sized Logan up and down, feeling that Logan didn't look like he was lying, so he hurriedly asked: "Officer? Can you save this bodysuit alien?"
As the saying goes, one must bow one's head when under another's roof. Golden Superman had accepted the fact that he had arrived in a new dimension, preparing to bide his time before finding a way to contact the Supreme Council to rescue him.
"Heh."
Wolverine didn't answer Golden Superman's question, not even sparing him a glance, merely focusing his gaze on Tiga, using his eyes to imply that Tiga needed to follow his instructions.
"Okay."
Tiga lifted a trembling arm with great difficulty. Logan took a step forward, using his robust palm to grip Tiga's wrist, disregarding the sleek texture of the "bodysuit."
Behold, he didn't engage in any explanation either. His other hand pulled out a law enforcement instrument resembling a POS machine but far more complex, executing a scan against Tiga's wrist.
The instrument emitted a crisp "beep," a string of data scrolling rapidly across the screen.
A few seconds later, Logan released his grip, looked at the instrument screen, and spoke to Tiga in an official, business-like tone: "Detected that you conducted an illegal energy intake, violating Article 7, Paragraph 3 of the *Interim Regulations on Dimensional Energy Management*. Therefore, I have now forcibly applied for an emergency medical loan on your behalf."
"Roughly 500,000 Energy Coins. Now, you only need to pay the illegal photosynthesis fine and purification fee. Once the funds are cleared, the light you absorbed into your body can be marked as 'legal'."
Logan briefly explained the situation.
"?????"
Hearing this, Golden Superman's eyes widened like brass bells, intensely shocked.
"What do you mean you applied for a loan on his behalf? Are... are you certain you are an official personnel?" Golden Superman couldn't help but confirm once more, his voice carrying disbelief.
If left unsaid.
He would have thought the two of them had walked into a gangster's den. Where on earth was there law enforcement personnel who claimed to help someone while stating that the so-called help was using that person's information to apply for a loan?
Even America wasn't this outrageous!
"Is there a problem?"
Wolverine finally cast a glance toward Golden Superman.
That gaze seemed to say "making a fuss over nothing," and then he nodded with absolute certainty: "The Law Enforcement Bureau conducts business with old and young alike, cheating neither."
No, how were those two phrases logically connected?
"!!!"
Although Tiga filled his heart with a desire to complain equal to Golden Superman's, the extreme physical discomfort left him no room for distractions. He could only concentrate his mind, navigating with great difficulty across his visual interface that only he could see, paying that 3,000 Energy Coin "photosynthesis fee" according to Wolverine's guidance.
Almost the exact instant the payment was successful, the intense agony and paralysis within Tiga's body—which felt like maggots on a bone—receded like a tide! The dimmed energy indicator light on his chest also restored its stability once more!
The faint blue glow looked quite healthy.
Of course.
It was merely slightly healthy for just a brief moment.
Tiga struggled, using his arms to support his weight against the ground as he sat up.
However, he didn't feel relieved. Instead, he immediately looked at his debt interface. The next second, he cast a faint, despairing gaze toward Wolverine.
After purchasing the telepathic communication capability through a loan, Tiga finally restored the channel to express his inner thoughts. He looked faintly toward Wolverine with his big eyes.
"You said... you took out a five hundred thousand loan for me... why do I see... countless zeros behind my debt?" Tiga firmly believed he hadn't mistakenly entered a loan-sharking den.
Because loan sharks genuinely weren't this exploitative.
That endless horizon of zeros was truly beyond his capacity to count!