Su Sheng's tastes were always eclectic. He recalled a conversation with Harley Quinn when he first arrived in Gotham. She had asked him about his preferences at the "airport"—a metaphor for women—and he vividly remembered his response.
"I like variety: disc-shaped, cone-shaped, pear-shaped, peaches, papayas, you name it!"
Life was long, and the world was vast. There were always new experiences to explore, new people to meet. Su Sheng's nature wasn't one of loyalty to a single person or experience for life. He craved variety and excitement, and this made it impossible for him to have a favorite. He enjoyed all kinds, but the duration of his fascination differed with each.
Wonder Woman, Diana, and Supergirl, Kara Danvers—both remarkable women—had only shared his bed a handful of times. That was just the way he was. No matter how special someone might be, he was always curious about something new. A mature mother like Alura, on the other hand? Now that was an experience rare on Earth, yet almost a matter of fact in Krypton's culture. In Argonaut City, such things were the norm.
When Alura opened her mouth to speak, Su Sheng placed a finger gently on her lips, silencing her. He waited until she had calmed down before stroking her cheek and moving his hand downwards.
Alura gritted her teeth, refusing to respond.
After Krypton's destruction, Alura had come to understand many things—particularly her past mistakes. She regretted her handling of the criminals in Fort Rozz and her strained relationship with Astra. But her deepest regret was sending her daughter, Kara, away. At the time, she hadn't known if Kara's pod would survive or if it would even make it to its destination. In her mind, she had believed Kara to be lost forever.
But now, Su Sheng mentioned her daughter.
"My daughter... Is she still alive?" Alura gritted her teeth, struggling to maintain composure as Su Sheng's hands roamed freely.
"Yes, she is alive. And she has become quite the hero," Su Sheng said, squeezing Alura's chin with a smile. "Would you like to see her?"
"Where is she?" Alura's voice trembled.
"Earth," Su Sheng replied.
"She made it to Earth? She's safe?" Relief washed over Alura's face, only for her to be swept off her feet by Su Sheng.
"You'll have the chance to see her... after we spend some time together," he said, carrying her toward the bedroom.
The room was soon filled with a chorus of cries that shifted from pain to low murmurs of pleading. For both of them, it was an intense, almost surreal experience. Kryptonian culture might have viewed such intimacy as archaic or even repulsive, but Alura couldn't deny the strange satisfaction she felt. As for Su Sheng, it was an entirely different sensation—one that excited him even more.
The artificial sun in the sky began to rise, signaling the start of a new day in the simulated environment of Argonaut City.
Alura lay next to him, her body exhausted. As Su Sheng slowly awoke, Indigo entered the room with her usual confident smile.
"Is the master satisfied with this pillow?" Indigo asked with a sly grin.
"Of course," Su Sheng replied with a smirk.
Indigo nodded and continued, "I've completed the tasks you assigned, and there are several updates from Earth that I think you'll find interesting."
Su Sheng nodded, stretching as Indigo left the room. He lazily reached for Alura, who instinctively tried to pull away from his embrace. He ignored her reluctance as he focused on the information Indigo had shared. Among the reports were some fascinating developments.
One of the most notable was that General Zod, Supergirl, and Martian Manhunter had teamed up to destroy every satellite orbiting Earth. They had done this to thwart the expansion of the "Great Cleanse" plan. Only Metropolis remained under its effects, sustained by the control center located in Fort Rozz. Meanwhile, the President of the United States had once again pushed for anti-alien legislation, which resulted in an enraged Superman attacking him. Although Superman was stopped and the President was saved by Zod, Supergirl, and others, the incident had only deepened the divide between humans and aliens.
As a result, the war between Superman and the Superchamber was evolving into a full-blown conflict between humanity and extraterrestrials.
Another interesting update involved Rod Technologies. Su Sheng had instructed the company to develop Superwoman and Red Kryptonite, but the lab had been attacked by Superman and Astra. All of their research had been stolen, and Rhodes—its CEO—had been killed.
"Well, that's just rude," Su Sheng chuckled, amused at the timing. He suspected that Astra had been targeting Rod Technologies while he was there, likely unaware of his involvement. Still, the theft of Red Kryptonite and the research on alien superpowers would certainly cause Superman some headaches.
"Sleeping with Astra's sister and now she retaliates by stealing from me? That's quick payback," Su Sheng mused, looking at Alura. With a chuckle, he added, "How does the saying go? Keep it all in the family, right?"
Alura, still dazed from the night's events, stared at him blankly.
Su Sheng got up and dressed, heading outside where Indigo was waiting. She stood next to a gun-like device, the shrinking beam.
"How does it work? Can it shrink the city?" Su Sheng asked casually.
Indigo ran the numbers. "There's a 92% chance of success. The main issue is power—this device needs more energy to function at full capacity."
"Power shortage? That's no problem. Just fire it at me," Su Sheng said confidently.
Lack of power wasn't something that could stop him.