Chapter 148: New Profession Unlocked! Gwen Faces Death!
The Flash looked up into Superman’s calm gaze and suddenly realized—Clark might have known about Ian’s abnormal state for a long time; otherwise, Clark couldn’t possibly be so calm.
“I’ll keep this secret.” Barry Allen locked eyes with Superman, the air silent for a few seconds, and he suddenly spoke as if compelled to give assurance.
Even though the other hadn’t mentioned it.
But he still said it with a nervous tone, and even he didn’t know why he suddenly said it; perhaps Superman’s gaze seemed too oppressive.
“It had better be.”
Superman nodded, his tone still even. He turned to look at his youngest son, the underground base’s lights casting patches of light and shadow on Ian’s utterly still body————Ian was similarly in that wondrous state of being here yet not here, somewhat like the abnormality now on Batman.
“It shouldn’t be just a coincidence.”
Thinking of what The Flash had said earlier, Clark couldn’t help but ponder. At that moment, after another attempt to touch Ian and touching only air.
The Flash couldn’t help but speak up to ask.
“Has he always been like this since he was little? Like this even when he was a baby drinking milk?” He wasn’t trying to spy on Ian’s secret; Barry Allen’s curiosity was always strong.
His imagination was also vast.
He couldn’t imagine baby Ian, if he wanted milk at midnight, wouldn’t the milk halfway down vanish as he phased through, dropping from Lois’s hand to the ground?
“…”
Superman clearly sensed The Flash’s thoughts; he didn’t want to spy on others’ minds, but this new ability was now like a passive one, and he hadn’t found a way to control it effectively.
Either turn off super hearing, or turning it on came with this extra effect; since they weren’t in Metropolis, Superman really didn’t dare turn off his super hearing.
“No, he hasn’t been like this since he was little; I only discovered it by chance and don’t know when he started having this ability.” Clark’s gaze never left Ian on the ground.
“By chance?”
Barry hesitated to speak, his expression subtly changing; he clearly thought Superman might like to spy at home too, using super vision and super hearing to monitor his three children.
This really touched on child privacy protection issues a bit too much.
Regarding this.
What could Superman say? He knew he needed to salvage his reputation.
“If one day you saw your excellent in studies but somewhat eccentric child hiding in the bedroom or restroom secretly cutting his wrists, you’d pay more attention to the child just like I did.” Clark had indeed started paying attention to Ian from when he experimented with his ability and self-healed in the restroom.
Normally.
He actually respected his eldest son’s and youngest son’s privacy a lot. As for Jordan, Clark tried hard to respect him, but Jordan made too much noise every night.
Heaven knows how many times his and Lois’s married life had abruptly stopped because of Jordan’s noises. Regarding this, Superman’s complex feelings couldn’t be empathized with by The Flash.
“I’m not even married, let alone have kids…” The Flash also yearned to step into the grave of marriage, but he’d been a thorough single for over thirty years.
Besides not daring to confess to his childhood sweetheart, Barry Allen himself had some unspeakable issues. Simply put, he didn’t know the reason.
The day lightning struck him.
Not only did it make him The Flash on land, but it also made him the “fastest” man in his bedroom; the Speed Force always gathered where it shouldn’t.
Barry Allen didn’t dare tell anyone about this unspeakable issue.
“Believe in yourself; you’ll reach that stage in life too.” Superman responded softly, his gaze at The Flash carrying a strange hesitation.
The Flash didn’t react to it.
“Provided I live to that stage.”
He was still worried about his life possibly ending anytime. If even Batman Bruce failed against the outer universe, The Flash felt he was doomed to be killed by the outer universe.
“You said the life residing in you once showed you kindness.” Superman recalled The Flash’s earlier description and suddenly asked.
The Flash nodded.
“Yes, but I think that kindness might be some kind of disguise.”
He extended his now scar-free arm.
Of course.
Though the mark was gone.
He didn’t think the seven-day death “curse” had vanished because of it. Though the boy said he didn’t want to corrupt him, who would believe words from someone of unknown origin?
At least The Flash, scammed by stranger kindness over a dozen times, didn’t dare believe.
“Not necessarily.” Superman’s attitude leaned toward the truth of the facts still needing verification; in his mind appeared the figure he saw in Bruce, seated on a throne.
The other’s open mind was pure without a trace of impurity.
The Flash glanced at Superman and sighed heavily, “I hope you’re right—after being unlucky for so many years, I should finally meet a good person.”
“But even if that boy didn’t lie to me, according to him, even if he doesn’t actively invade me, his world will one day crush me.”
Barry Allen sorted his thoughts; he seemed doomed either way, just early or late, unless he truly solved his problem, that is, help that boy and that boy’s universe find their home hidden in some unknown place he and everyone didn’t know.
“If Bruce succeeds, he’ll definitely solve your problem.” Superman looked at Bruce, still in crazy confrontation, with more and more eerie scars on his body.
Those eerie scars were like many things in that universe inside Bruce trying to escape but unable to truly attach to anything besides Bruce for some reason.
“What exactly is Bruce experimenting with?”
The Flash didn’t yet know what Superman had just learned; he asked, and Superman organized his words before telling him what he’d seen and heard.
“Bruce is using one pollution against another? No wonder he looked so serious before; he was going mad again!” The Flash felt he wouldn’t dare attempt such a nine-deaths-no-life try.
He also looked at Batman on the sickbed—Bruce’s unheld eyeball was now bulging several centimeters, like an abnormal face from a horror movie.
“I can barely handle one pollution, let alone two… Maybe there are other ways; let’s save Bruce first. Do you think Diana might have some method to preserve Bruce’s soul, then we throw his body into the incinerator, burning the universe inside him along with it?”
This might be the moment the true Batman hater showed his horns.
“?????”
Superman couldn’t help looking at the serious-faced Flash several times.
“Let me try my way first.” As the radical faction on handling Gotham freaks, he felt this conservative Flash was actually a bit too radical.
“Have you thought of a way?”
The Flash temporarily gave up his wild ideas.
“We can use the method Bruce used.” As soon as the words fell, Superman vanished instantly. Less than a second later, reappearing with a half-finished armor on.
The metal surface etched with dense non-ancient runes. Those runes looked like emojis, still wriggling, as if little people dancing on this battle suit.
“Has this plan already started?” The Flash recognized it as Batman’s ultimate armor developed a few years ago【】, said to withstand the entire Justice League’s riot.
“Just a half-finished product, but I hope the runes on it are really magic runes.” Superman walked straight to the warehouse, casually dismantling the password door The Flash had tried cracking for weeks without success.
Force brute is the reason.
As long as strong enough, can tear down the whole wall with the password door. When Clark came out again, he held a test tube labeled【 toxic substance】.
Inside was some unset red liquid.
“Using pollution against pollution?”
The Flash stared at that substance.
“Is what’s in your hand another source of pollution?”
He felt Superman might have gone mad too.
Regarding this, Superman didn’t answer directly, just calmly walked back to the sickbed. He placed his hand on Bruce’s chest again, his empathy ability once more carrying his consciousness across the boundary of reality and illusion.
Meanwhile.
The Flash still in reality moved back and forth between Batman on the sickbed and pensive Superman; he knew he couldn’t help much at this moment.
“Recent major events are stranger than the last, eerie.” The Flash sighed, feeling speedsters couldn’t keep up with the times; he sat on a chair to wait quietly.
“Rich people really know how to enjoy.”
Finding the chair too comfortable, The Flash searched online for the price of the same model; the six-figure price made him sigh again at money power’s omnipotence.
Not only boosting combat power, but also better protecting the spine—thinking about sitting in a chair was so boring, fully showing how idle The Flash was now.
He didn’t dare leave easily to return to his city to find friends. Time passed second by second, only the underground base’s ventilation system emitting a constant low hum.
Just as The Flash prepared to find something to do, clean the underground base.
Suddenly.
“Superman’s child is in an abnormal state.”
That familiar boy voice rang in his mind again.
The Flash was first stunned.
Then gave a somewhat expected response.
“Everyone in the Justice League knows Superman’s three sons are in abnormal states. His dad said he’s always been like this, so he probably doesn’t need you to save him.” The Flash frowned, not knowing what tricks the dreamscape boy wanted now; he was preemptively preventing the dreamscape boy from sensationalism.
The voice in his mind sighed.
“He really doesn’t need me to save him, but the world he’s invading might need your help.” The dreamscape boy, following The Flash’s words, brought up something unexpected.
“What do you mean?”
The Flash was stunned.
Not just because he didn’t understand the dreamscape boy’s meaning, but also because he couldn’t find a broom in this base, only a dozen floor-cleaning drones.
“Though I can’t sense his exact situation, I’m sure he’s now invading some universe.” As the dreamscape boy spoke, The Flash saw scars reappear on his arm.
Clearly the other had started spying on this world again.
“Huh? Make yourself clear; don’t be a Riddler like Bruce.” The Flash was shocked; compared to the arm abnormality, he cared more about the dreamscape boy’s info-heavy words.
“I think I’ve made it clear; you’ve experienced it before—using pollution against pollution; before Batman experimented on himself, he already tried once.” The boy’s voice carried unprecedented seriousness, and understanding of Batman’s reluctance to take risks.
“!!!!????” The Flash’s pupils dilated sharply, shock overflowing, eyes bulging almost like Batman’s. He suddenly recalled the test tube in Superman’s hand, those mysterious “purification liquid”, even Wonder Woman’s current Lasso of Truth.
“I knew it!” Barry couldn’t help blurting out, “Ian isn’t Superman and Lois’s child at all! He must be the product of Superman sleeping with some outer universe entity!”
“No wonder Clark’s been concealing it; now I’ve found the truth!” The Flash was always the most imaginative superhero in the Justice League.
His voice echoed in the underground base.
Looking suspiciously at Superman, now as still as Bruce, The Flash felt he was gradually piecing it together; shivering, he immediately covered his mouth.
“I know nothing; don’t bewitch me, please shut up; I don’t want to be silenced by Superman. I’ve fought him once; I never want to fight a second time.”
The Flash didn’t want to guess what Superman might do to conceal the facts; he only knew his jaw, smashed in their last fight, ached yearly.
Oh.
And the butt that fell hard to the ground in shock upon discovering Superman could keep up with his Speed Force speed; no one wanted it split again.
“You’re really timid.”
The dreamscape boy couldn’t help mocking.
“You could go over and try touching him.”
The boy then made his request.
“I can’t touch him at all!”
The Flash responded helplessly in his mind.
Regarding this.
The dreamscape boy wasn’t surprised.
“That’s because you don’t have my help.”
He confidently emphasized.
“What are you up to?”
The Flash gritted his teeth, expression suspicious.
“I’m just curious if Superman’s son is really helping your universe invade other universes.” The dreamscape boy of course didn’t believe The Flash’s earlier wild guess.
He thought Ian might be the conqueror chosen by the DC universe itself.
“You’re definitely scheming something bad; I won’t let your conspiracy succeed; don’t trick me into agreeing to anything.” The Flash was indeed vigilant enough.
The momentary silence in his mind made him more uneasy.
Sure enough.
Silence was followed by the dreamscape boy’s sudden light laugh.
“Do you remember me saying I’m very, very bad?” His words made Barry instantly horrified. The next second, his consciousness blacked out as if hit by a heavy hammer.
Like suffering a sap blow.
Barry Allen’s consciousness instantly plunged into darkness.
After an unknown time, The Flash slowly woke. He horrifiedly found himself squatting beside Ian, hands eerily penetrating the boy’s semi-transparent body.
“What did you do!?”
The Flash feared causing any problem to Ian; not only might he not forgive himself, but Earth’s most powerful man wouldn’t forgive him either.
“This shouldn’t be!”
The boy in his mind exclaimed in disbelief.
He seemed to have tried something but failed. Before The Flash recovered from his daze, the scars on his arm suddenly all lit up!
Countless rays surged from the scars, flowing toward Ian’s body as if drawn. Barry felt unprecedented relief—even his previously sluggish Speed Force normalized!
However.
He couldn’t be happy about it.
This joy vanished instantly.
No way, who let The Flash see a complete universe phantom peeling from his body, like a star map slowly unfolded by invisible hands, floating in midair.
Initially just a faint light in the darkness.
Then suddenly expanding, galaxy surging out, spiral nebulae, burning stars, serene dark matter bands, all flowing on the void curtain.
This universe projection wasn’t still; pulled by some invisible force, its edges rippled with distortion, as if being sucked into an invisible vortex.
Yes.
A universe.
Now entering Ian’s illusory body. His form similarly hazy, yet generating gravity like a black hole, the universe phantom madly converging into his body.
“Is this shifting from invading me to invading Ian?!” The Flash was shocked, as if seeing his future of Superman pressing his head into Earth’s interior.
“Damn it! What are you doing!”
The Flash shouted terrifiedly at the boy in the phantom.
However.
The mysterious boy.
Franklin’s expression seemed even more terrified than his.
“I don’t know! This guy is going to eat us!” The boy’s voice filled with fear of the unknown, “Save me! The Flash! Save us!”
This was absolutely an unexpected turn; he thought this scene was the mysterious boy’s doing, but the boy’s cry for help didn’t sound like acting.
The mysterious boy in the dreamscape was really emitting a shrill burst.
“This is the DC universe! The DC universe!!! How could Superman’s son… No! His essence is so terrifying! I need to escape farther, save me…”
The dreamscape boy’s abruptly stopped scream echoed through the entire underground base.
Soon vanishing traceless.
Along with his carried incomplete universe.
…
Ian’s this traversal was far longer than others. He didn’t arrive in the Marvel Universe immediately but first crossed a void zone. No fixed ground, no clear direction, only endless light and shadow, sounds, and images swirling around him.
All images floated in all directions, sky and ground, overlapping crisscrossed, like remnants of a huge storybook, all “screening” stories familiar to Ian.
In the first panel, Homelander stood atop a tower, overlooking all beings, golden battle robe fluttering in the wind, declaring to all he was America’s sun not to be stared at.
In the second panel, Omni-Man in hero uniform, muscles bulging, eyes firm, coldly overlooking humans below, his low voice echoing in the void.
“You don’t understand true strength at all.”
Then, more images flashed by like a lantern—Megatron raising fusion cannon, roaring submission or destruction, even Voldemort’s pale face casting cold light.
“I can’t wait to break this damn frame!” And Ian’s rival Deadpool, madly smashing non-existent “glass” windows in “comic panel”-like images.
Ian watched all this; he’d never experienced such a long traversal. Usually “a flash,” this time stuck in some boundary, disorienting.
These sounds interwoven.
Like a cross-dimensional symphony.
Constantly booming by Ian’s ears. He wanted to reach out but found his body still falling, pulled by some force through this void zone.
And at that moment.
【Extra dimension data added, parsing in progress.】
【You have contacted unknown supernatural substance; new profession template unlocked. You can obtain a corrected supernatural profession—Aberration Master『』—by meeting profession acquisition prerequisites.】
【Aberration Master: All existing mutants are your subjects; all with potential receive your blessing. You will become the endless king spanning multiple realities in evolution’s mad rhapsody.
You are the emperor of genes, the end of life evolution!】
Sudden system prompt.
Caught Ian off guard again.
“What’s going on?”
Ian completely didn’t understand why he picked up a new profession for free in the void zone, plus extra dimension new data; he checked his extra dimension with no changes yet.
“What’s happening?”
Before Ian understood the meaning, the scene distorted sharply, all images shattering like glass—next second, his feet heavily landed on solid ground.
Mild sunlight poured down.
Ian looked around.
He found himself on a bustling street. Skyscrapers around, cars shuttling, pedestrians hurrying, seemingly no one noticing his sudden appearance.
“I successfully glitched into Marvel again; scared me, thought Marvel didn’t love me anymore.” Ian saw Stark Tower and was about to find New Teacher Tony to ask about this time.
A violent explosion interrupted his thoughts. Seemed every time Ian appeared in the Marvel Universe, a disaster event greeted him nearby.
Boom—!
At the street’s end, a car flipped, flames soaring. Crowds screamed and fled scattered, and at the chaos center, a huge green figure climbed a building’s outer wall at astonishing speed.
“It’s Doctor Lizard!”
Ian recognized the destructive figure; the lizard man’s sharp claws dug into concrete, thick tail swinging, emitting hoarse roar as he lunged toward somewhere.
“Don’t be like that; we can talk, can’t we sit for tea first?” The opponent was a red-blue figure, webs shooting nimbly dodging the lizard man’s lunge.
“Gwen got a new battle suit? Classic style?”
Ian just guessed then quickly denied, because he saw Spider-Man’s front was plain, completely different style from Gwen’s.
“Second Spider-Man!”
Ian was utterly stunned.
He still remembered solving a Peter Parker, gaining spider mimicry ability from that event; never expected New York produced a second Spider-Man.
“Hey, big lizard! Nice new look, but damaging public property incurs fines!” Spider-Man’s joking voice came; he struck a classic landing pose dodging the attack.
“Want my butt? Sorry, out of stock today.” This Spider-Man was clearly talkative, fighting the spider-monster while mentally attacking the spider-monster.
“Peter Parker… second Peter Parker, motor-mouth Peter Parker…” Ian’s eyes narrowed slightly, handsome young face full of incredulity.
His super brain easily pieced together what was happening.
“Help! Monster!”
“Run! Run!”
Panicked crowds fled scattered, some falling, some crying, the whole block in chaos. Passing Ian, someone suddenly paused and turned back.
“It’s Superman! Superman’s here! We’re saved!” A survivor from the spider-monster event recognized Ian; this shout instantly boiled the fleeing crowd.
“Superman? The world’s first superhero?!” Spider-Man’s spider-sense didn’t alarm, but his ears perked, keenly catching the keyword.
He backflipped dodging the lizard man’s lunge, glancing toward the crowd’s surge. There, a teenage boy suddenly hands-on-hips floated midair.
Sunshine poured on him.
As if plated with sacred glow.
“Yes, that’s right, I am Superman.” Ian perked up entirely, heart thrilled; surely his Superman family blood was recognizable even by Marvel Universe people.
This wasn’t Ian stealing his dad’s title; the public spontaneously called him Superman, as expected; Ian “reluctantly” stepped forward.
“You guys really know how to get me, but I like this hero hijacking. ‘I’m here, everyone’s safety is assured!'” He preached loudly with crazily upturned corners.
All eyes focused on Ian; the spider-monster clearly sensed trouble. He low-roared, somewhat fearful, turning to flee.
“You can’t escape! I, Superman, absolutely won’t allow any evil creature to become a fugitive!” Ian’s figure vanished sharply; next second he descended from sky.
“Boom!”
Directly stomping the lizard man into cracked asphalt road.
Ground instantly caved into a big pit.
Dust rose everywhere.
“Good noon, everyone.” Ian saw someone filming with mobile phone, immediately showing standard hero smile, even posing for the lens.
The lizard man struggled wildly under his foot, but Ian’s foot like a mountain, unmoving.
“Let me go—!!!”
Lizard man raged impotently.
Opened bloody maw to bite.
Blocked by Ian’s arm directly, shattering over a dozen mutated teeth; in pain, only saw Ian take strong glue sticking his mouth.
Lizard man naturally wanted to resist.
Unfortunately futile.
Strength gap too vast.
When strong glue took effect.
“Mmm… mmm!!!”
Lizard man’s roar instantly became muffled grunts.
“This is… the world’s first superhero’s power?” Spider-Man, who dodged flying gravel earlier, finally returned to the battlefield.
But the battle was over.
Instant kill.
He muttered in shock.
“Hey, Spidey kid, come chat?” Ian noticed him, smiling waving; Peter hesitated but swung web landing before Ian.
“Uh, Mr. Superman, thanks for the help, but this guy’s actually my… um, mutated mentor.” Peter scratched head, tone awkward.
“I know, I know.”
Ian waved, fully understanding.
“No one understands mutation better than me; I am the mutation king.”
He said confidently; though unsure why he got the new profession, he had new talking point for mutation support.
Of course.
Currently he hadn’t unlocked this new profession.
“Oh, no, Aberration Master.” Ian checked his unlocked profession info, correcting; unlocking required collecting blood from 12 mutated individuals.
“Surely my luck is strong.” Ian looked at lizard man underfoot and Spider-Man before him; he wouldn’t miss these two on offer.
“Help me mutate!” Saying so, he bent down, pulling huge syringe from pocket, stabbing lizard man’s arm.
“Hiss—!!!”
Lizard man twisted wildly, but Ian slapped his head down.
“Don’t move; just drawing blood.” Ian muttered while drawing, “I don’t like mimicking lizard, so not killing you; you profited big this time.”
“Remember my kindness.”
Ian friendly reminded.
“Mmm!!!”
Lizard man still struggled.
Seeing him uncooperative, Ian sighed, punching lizard man’s forehead.
Thud!
World quieted.
Spider-Man: “…”
He silently stepped back half-step.
Ian finished drawing, satisfied with green liquid in test tube, then eyed Spider-Man. For Ian’s gaze, Spider-Man seemed to understand.
“Can we change places?” Spider-Man looked around, lowering voice. He didn’t want public pinning-down blood draw.
“No problem.” Ian nodded, picking bundled lizard man like rice dumpling, grabbing Spider-Man, soaring skyward to empty alleyway.
Speed too swift.
A bit stimulating for Spider-Man.
“Come on, give me some blood; I’ll pay.” Ian pulled thick stack cash, eager; somewhat shaken Spider-Man looked helpless.
“Mr. Superman, you’re the evil god Gwen Teacher mentioned, right?” Spider-Man hesitated slightly, probing question.
Ian stunned, then proudly puffed chest: “Right, it’s me! Call me Lord Evil God! See, I knew you apprenticed under Gwen.”
“Don’t call Superman; call me Lord Evil God; I love that title too.” Today’s mostly insincere evil god hard-bragged his super brain.
Regarding this.
Spider-Man silent.
Unsure how to respond.
“Please give me some blood.”
Ian opened expectantly again.
“So, are you here to save Gwen Teacher? Gwen Teacher’s situation isn’t great now…” Spider-Man, seeing Ian’s expression, decisively went along.
He bared arm, letting Ian draw a small jar of his blood.
Of course.
Spider-Man took Ian’s money.
After all—selling blood is common in America.
Taken with clear conscience.
“What’s wrong with Gwen?”
Ian, stowing second mutated blood, finally asked; in his impression, Gwen was always injured or en route, so not very surprised.
Of course.
This time might be exception.
There.
“She’s dying.”
Spider-Man bluntly shocked.
One sentence.
Stunned Ian on spot.
