The chief editor placed one hand on his waist while the other vigorously rubbed his eyebrows, struggling to suppress his anger. "Louis, how dare you mention the North Pole! At that time, I explicitly forbade you from going, but you still went. Do you think I'm afraid to fire you?"
"I didn't go to the North Pole for nothing. I've uncovered what the government is hiding from the public! As reporters, isn't it our duty to let people know the truth?" Louis argued confidently, meeting the editor's eyes without a hint of hesitation.
The editor-in-chief's authoritative demeanor faltered slightly. "Yes, we should report the truth—but only when it doesn't put us in direct conflict with the government. I decide what gets published."
He opened a video on his laptop and continued, "Lena Luthor has taken over LexCorp. She held a press conference this morning. This is Cole's recording from the scene."
Louis frowned in confusion. "Lena Luthor? Who is she? And why is she taking over LexCorp?"
"You don't know?" The editor looked surprised. "Lex Luthor was tragically killed in the terrorist attack. As his sister—adopted, by the way—Lena naturally inherited LexCorp."
As they spoke, the video began to play on the laptop. On the screen, a young woman around Louis's age, likely in her twenties, stood in front of a crowd. Her eyes glistened with tears, and her voice trembled as she addressed the audience:
"My brother was a man of integrity and kindness, unafraid to face challenges head-on. He will always live in my heart. This terrorist attack on Metropolis will not defeat us! LexCorp will provide medical assistance and temporary housing for the victims, free of charge. Additionally, we will soon launch a city reconstruction plan. Together, we will stand united, fight against terrorism, and overcome injustice and adversity."
As Lena Luthor's speech concluded, thunderous applause erupted. Many in the crowd were moved to tears by her courage and determination.
The editor closed the laptop and turned to Louis. "This is the story you need to write: City Hero Lena Luthor Rebuilding Metropolis, Restoring Hope to the People."
Louis shook his head defiantly. "City hero Lena Luthor? I don't know about her being a hero. All I know is that the real hero is being forgotten."
LexCorp, President's Office
Lena Luthor was carefully applying makeup at her desk when a knock came at the door. She quickly finished her eyeshadow, leaned elegantly on her desk, and said softly, "Come in."
A man with a mercenary-like appearance strode into the room. With a sycophantic smile, he placed a document on Lena's desk.
"Miss Lena, this is the Destroyer Project your brother was working on. I've also sent some experiment videos to your email," the mercenary, Tate, said with a grin.
"I've seen the videos," Lena replied coolly, flipping through the documents. "They're... remarkable."
Tate hesitated before adding, "Lex was killed by the Avenger."
"Yes, I tried everything I could to save him, Miss Lena, but those creatures—they weren't human. They were demons! Only demons could have killed Mr. Luthor so cruelly," Tate explained anxiously.
Lena waved her hand dismissively, signaling him to stop. "I'm not Lex. He's—unfortunate. But regarding the threat level of the Avengers and Superman, I'll need the technical department to reevaluate."
Closing the file, she fixed her piercing gaze on Tate. Despite his years of surviving life-and-death situations, he felt a chill under her stare.
"Y-Yes, Miss Lena. Do you have any further instructions?" Tate stammered.
"How many green meteorites do we have?" Lena asked sharply.
Tate answered truthfully, "Last time, I cleared out everything, but there are still two meteorites in the laboratory. One of them is a small green one."
"What about the blood samples from the Destroyer?"
"Mostly destroyed. There's only a small amount left."
Lena stood up from her seat, stepping onto the wall. Watching an upside-down demon battling an angel, she said, "Transfer the meteorite materials and the remaining blood samples."
"I thought you'd destroy those things," Tate remarked, feeling puzzled. Could it be that his new boss was planning revenge against the Avengers?
Lena smiled. "Although I don't agree with Lex's methods, we still need to take necessary precautions. After all, angels or demons—both are unpredictable."
---
Deep in the Woods
Clark hovered midair at the mountain's peak, scanning the forest below with his enhanced vision.
"The meteorites that fell in the town center have mostly been cleared. Only in these remote woods can we still find undiscovered fragments," he noted.
"Diana, there's a large deposit of kryptonite 300 meters to your left," Clark said, pointing out the location.
Diana gave a quick "OK" gesture, grabbed a shovel, and began digging. It was as easy as sifting sand for her. After reaching the deposit, she punched the ground with incredible force, breaking through to reveal a large green meteorite within the fragments.
"Your turn, Kaius," Diana said, tossing the green meteorite toward him.
Kaius narrowed his eyes, unleashing twin beams of heat vision. The intense heat shattered the meteorite into fine powder with a loud crack and bang.
"It's done. Looks like there's nothing else in the vicinity. I think we've cleaned up all the meteorites in town over the past few days," Clark said as he landed to join them.
"I've checked too," Kaius confirmed. "The town's kryptonite is nearly gone. Besides my kryptonite sword, there's just a string of kryptonite necklaces left."
Diana, waving her shovel proudly, asked, "So, is there a reward for all my hard work?"
Kaius smiled, patting Diana's head. "James is on night duty tonight. How's that for a reward?"
Clark covered his face in mock dismay. "You two! Can you be more considerate of us single people?"
Kaius gave him a pointed look. "Don't you like Lana? There's a practical activity next week. Ask her to join you! If you like someone, just confess. The last guy who followed my advice is living happily ever after with his girl now."
Kaius hesitated briefly, her confidence waning. "Well... except for that one guy who got struck by lightning and is still in the hospital. But that was just bad luck!"
Clark sighed. "Thanks for the encouragement... I think."
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