American comics farmer: start by adopting the villain savior.

Chapter 126 The Owl's Claws.

Harley's roar tore through the night.

The car echoed through the quiet streets of Smallville, finally stopping in front of the Sebrello auto repair shop.

The lights in the shop were still on, and through the greasy windows, you could see old Cebrello's massive figure dozing behind the counter, with the midnight news playing on the television.

The roar of the engine woke old Cebrello.

He rubbed his sleepy eyes and squinted to make out the familiar figure outside the door.

Then, muttering something, he stood up and pushed open the shop door.

"Hey kid, you're back? How's Gotham today? Didn't get chased and bitten by any mad dogs on the street?"

Cébrelo yawned widely and asked casually.

"generally."

Dior shrugged indifferently, turned off the engine, and skillfully pushed the heavy Harley into the shop, parking it in its usual spot.

"..."

Cebrello shrugged, feeling awkward, as he was already used to Dio's sparing use of words.

Leaning against the doorframe, his gaze lazily following Dio's movements, Cebrelo seemed to suddenly remember something and slowly said:

"By the way, that Harley you stared at for ages last time, do you still want it? I've got your eye on it for you."

Dio paused, then turned his head: "The one with the 100,000 dollars?"

"Don't make me laugh, kid. You think you have a gold mine?"

Sebrello chuckled and then yawned.

"Of course, it's the one that costs ten thousand dollars! It's a bit old, but the engine has been modified, making it more powerful than a new one!"

He wiped his eyes and continued...
"But the seller seems to be in a real hurry for money lately. He just called me and said if I really want it, he'll sell it for eight thousand dollars! Let me tell you, that's a rock-bottom price, you won't get another chance like this..."

The words stopped abruptly.

The old man's eyes widened suddenly.

It was as if I had seen something incredibly incredible, and my sleepiness vanished instantly!

Dior opened the black briefcase he had been carrying without any expression, with the opening facing him.

in--

A lush green expanse!
Various types of US dollar bills were stacked densely and neatly.

The pungent smell of ink and the striking visual impact instantly filled this small auto repair shop, which was filled with the smell of engine oil!
"This……"

Old Sebrello gaped, his jaw nearly dropping to the floor, his finger trembling as he pointed at the box of money. He glanced at Dio's calm expression, as if he had only opened a box of waste paper, and couldn't utter a complete sentence for a long time.

Go to Gotham…

It was right after all.

Not Gotham
You can't earn that much money.

An absurd and terrifying thought popped into my head uncontrollably.
Old Sebrello almost blurted it out:

"Dio...you brat...is that bank over there...really that easy to rob?!"

Dio rolled his eyes at him speechlessly, as if he were looking at a hopeless idiot.

Do you know what the highest-paying job in Gotham is?

Sebrello was taken aback: "...Gangsters? Assassins? Robbers? It can't be a hot dog vendor, can it?"

Dior's lips curled up in a barely perceptible smile:
"Neither. It's about going to Gotham to be the emperor, where you can sit and collect money."

"...?"

So you went to Gotham to collect money?
Cébrelo froze on the spot.

Dior closed the suitcase and, without even looking at it, tossed it into the still trembling arms of old Cebrello.

"Deposit."

He said coldly, "Bring the car here next week so I can take a look. If there are no problems, I'll make up the remaining 80,000 for you."

"..."

Upon hearing this, Cebrello's lips trembled, but he ultimately swallowed back all the questions and shock he felt, watching Dior turn and walk out of the auto repair shop without a second thought.

Only one thought remained in his mind, echoing wildly like a broken record:

I want to be the emperor in Gotham too!
"Ding--"

The glass door was gently closed, and the copper bells hanging above it rang out with a clear, crisp sound.

Dior stood alone on the sidewalk.

After the harvest festival celebrations, the town of Smallville fell asleep. The streets were deserted, with only the dim glow of the streetlights casting a stark contrast to the previous liveliness, making it appear exceptionally quiet.

He shrugged nonchalantly, deciding to go to the 24-hour cake shop in the town center and buy a small cake to take home.

She has to at least maintain a certain image in front of her father.

As for where the money came from, let's explain that after the old man's birthday.

And so, he walked along the sidewalk, the night breeze blowing.

Take a deep breath of fresh air, let it fill your lungs, and let it mingle with the earth's breath.
Tremor?

“Buzz——!!!”

A deep, rapid engine roar suddenly erupted from the end of the street, approaching at an astonishing speed!

Dio frowned, and almost instinctively leaped backward with agility—

The next second, a black, unmarked van sped past him like a wild horse, almost brushing against his clothes!

The strong wind even blew his blond hair across his forehead.

The car was traveling at an extremely high speed and showed no intention of slowing down or apologizing; it disappeared at the other end of the street in the blink of an eye.

Driving a car recklessly on the Smallwell sidewalk?

Dior's eyes turned cold.

Outsiders…

That's really rude.

"Coo-coo—! Coo—!"

On a nearby treetop, an owl, startled by the sudden noise and gust of air, also let out a disgruntled hoot, flapping its wings as if echoing Dio's inner thoughts and condemning the impudent flying car.
-
Kent Farm, late at night.

Most of the lights were already off.

Locke gently placed the sleeping Salafir back into his crib, tucked him in, and looked at his son's peaceful sleeping face with a gentle smile.

He quietly left the room, glancing at the living room as he went downstairs—

Lex and Jonathan were already fast asleep on the sofa.

Seeing this, he naturally didn't linger. He pushed open the door and walked straight into the fields deep in the night.

There are no clouds tonight, and the moonlight pours down like quicksilver, making visibility excellent.

He slowly raised his right hand, his mind slightly stirred.

"Zi la..."

A thin, azure arc of electricity suddenly appeared at the fingertip like a snake, emitting a subtle and crisp pop.

It even startled the nightingales resting on the treetops nearby, causing them to flap their wings and fly away into the distance.

【Eight Trigrams - Thunder】

Feel the new, restless, and destructive power of the 'Thunderous Qi' within your body.

Locke's eyes were filled with a look of inquiry.

He focused his mind and tried to guide and control this power.

"Come……"

He whispered, his palms outstretched upwards.

“Crackling—!”

"boom!"

In an instant, a thick, dragon-like current surged from his palm, several bolts of lightning intertwined and roared!
A blinding blue-white light suddenly tore through the night, illuminating the surrounding meadow.

Even a rustling sound came from the nearby bushes, causing a small animal that had been startled awake to flee in panic.

The air was filled with ozone produced by the high-voltage current, and...
A heart-pounding buzzing sound!
Locke's mind raced, and the electric current transformed into a dazzling spear of light, pointing directly at a dead tree stump in the distance.

"Boom—Crack!"

A blinding flash of light ripped through the night sky, and the bolt of lightning struck the tree stump with pinpoint accuracy!
A deafening explosion ripped through the air, sending splinters of wood flying and charred debris swirling in the air.

It's quite powerful...

Locke nodded slightly, quite satisfied with the result.

even
This is far from the limit.
"Zizzi——!"

Locke spread his arms slightly, and the electric arcs surging around his body became increasingly dense and frenzied.

"boom!"

The airflow began to become turbulent, and the gentle breeze turned into a rapid whirlwind!

He actually floated up into the sky!
The once clear night sky quickly gathered dark clouds, and faint thunder rumbled from the depths of the clouds.

It was a small-scale disturbance of the celestial phenomena that created thunderstorm clouds!

This terrifying power
Even Locke himself was surprised by the power of this lightning energy.

But the most amazing thing was yet to come.

He was merely trying to fully infuse his body with thunder energy—

"Om-"

In an instant, his entire body radiated a dazzling blue and white light, as if it were formed from pure lightning!

Arms, torso...

Gradually becoming transparent and energized, it eventually transformed Locke into a humanoid lightning bolt, standing in mid-air.

The thunderous energy actually transformed him from flesh and blood into leaping lightning!

Locke estimated that conventional physical attacks would be unable to harm him in the slightest from now on.

Perhaps it was because his body was electrified that his speed was beyond reason!
They descended slowly from the churning clouds.

With a slight thought, he transformed into an arc of light and swept across the entire field.

And that's not all...

Standing firmly on the ground, Locke casually pointed to the sky, then suddenly pulled downwards.

"boom!"

A bolt of lightning as thick as a bucket struck him directly.

But the violent electric current did not cause any harm; instead, it flowed into his body like a gentle stream.

Like a thirsty traveler drinking from a spring, every cell in his body rejoices, making him feel increasingly full of strength.

Although this is actually unnecessary.
because
There was something even more that shocked Locke.

After the thunder energy combines with the mountain energy.
The two complement each other, forming a perfect energy circuit within his body.

Theoretically speaking, as long as he stays within his body's tolerance range, he can output voltage at maximum indefinitely!
Things are very different now than they used to be.
Even without the Platinum Star, Locke, relying solely on the Mountain and Thunder Qi, could be considered practically a...

—Combining unlimited endurance, offense and defense, and possessing both physical crushing and energy annihilation capabilities.
War Fortress!

After all, both the Mountain Thunder and Thunder Qi perfectly compensate for each other's shortcomings:

The mountain solved the potential mana bar limitation that Lei might have, and provided virtually unlimited stamina.

Lei solved the problems of Shan's lack of flexibility and limited attack methods, providing Locke with top-notch mobility and long-range, wide-area AOE capabilities.

"boom!"

He raised his hand and unleashed a bolt of lightning to disperse the dark clouds in the sky, revealing the dazzling starry sky below.

Locke landed slowly on the grass.

The night wind caressed his elemental body, stirring up wisps of electricity that traced brilliant trails of light in the darkness.

At this moment, he could sense the direction of every gust of wind, the movement of every cloud, and even the slightest changes in the electrical charge in the air could not escape his senses.

He gradually absorbed the lightning back into his body, restoring his original flesh and blood form.

A look of realization flashed across Locke's face.

Perhaps this is what is meant by "Tao follows nature"?

For example——

"What are you hiding for?"

Locke suddenly spoke, his voice calm, his gaze shifting to a seemingly empty shadow beside the edge of the field, "Is there something you need, Miss Magician?"

"."

The shadow rippled like water.

A slender figure broke free of her invisibility spell, revealing her true appearance somewhat awkwardly.

The moonlight shone on her, outlining her graceful curves.

The woman gently patted the magic cloak she was wearing, her slender fingers elegantly adjusting the lapel.

“Your…elemental magic? It’s truly remarkable.” She chose her words carefully, her red lips slightly parted, her voice tinged with a hint of languor, as if hinting at something. “I have never seen such a pure and powerful manifestation of energy, almost like the elements themselves.”

"If you know I'm not using magic, don't test me. That's not a nice compliment at all."

Locke gave her a disapproving look, crossed his arms, and asked directly:

"Didn't you just leave last night? Why are you back so soon? Did you forget something?"

"..."

Slightly taken aback by the blunt and impolite question, Zatanna couldn't help but roll her eyes, her slender fingers casually twirling a strand of black hair that had fallen near her ear. Her pretty face, bathed in moonlight, held a pitiful air.
"Do you really dislike me that much?"

"."

“That’s going too far, Mr. Locke.”

Seeing Locke's "what do you think?" expression, Zatanna finally broke down.

She gave a disgruntled snort, leaned against the fence, and crossed her long legs.

"I can't exactly talk about Salafir in front of so many people, can I?"

"I am a mature woman now."

Mature women don't usually come to someone's house in the middle of the night.

Locke shook his head helplessly.

However, compared to the somewhat impulsive and carefree girl she was a few years ago, Zatanna now appears much more mature and composed.

Her demeanor was more composed and less naive.

"all in all."

Clearing her throat, Zatanna dropped her joking expression and her tone became serious:

"I came back mainly to talk to you again about Salafir."

“The magic that child possesses is far greater than imagined.” She leaned forward slightly, her expression focused, her eyes shining brightly in the night. “I believe he doesn’t need to be taught magic.”

"?"

Locke asked, puzzled, "Then what were you doing in the barn? Salafir said the magic you taught him was very difficult to learn."

"?"

Zatanna was also taken aback, her long eyebrows slightly raised.

Is there any magic that's hard for that child to learn?

"You mean magic?" she asked tentatively.

"magic?"

"."

After a short while, I listened to Locke's account.

"Fingers? Difficulty? Proficiency?"

Zatanna chuckled, then rubbed her forehead and let out a helpless sigh:

“Mr. Locke…”

"There might be a huge misunderstanding between us. I did initially agree to teach him magic, but then..."

"after?"

Locke pressed for an answer.

Nodding, Zatanna took a deep breath, her eyes becoming incredibly serious:
“I told him I was a real magician and demonstrated to him the simplest life-restoring spell.”

"Plant growth".

She paused, as if recalling that unbelievable scene:
“Krasalphiel indicated that he could do it too, and then stretched out his hand. Without any incantation or gesture, the light emanating from his palm instantly brought the ground beneath his feet to life, far exceeding the effects of my magic.”

Locke was not surprised.

This is a horse charm.

"Not only that."

Zatanna saw through his thoughts and her tone became more serious: "I thought it was an unconscious manifestation of his immense magical power, and I tried to explain to him that 'magic' is a 'technique' that requires willpower to shape and control. So I demonstrated a simple fire trick..."

"In the end, he just tossed it away casually." Her voice carried a hint of self-deprecation as she made an elegant gesture.

"boom"

"A ball of fire exploded on the barn floor, leaving a crater."

“That power… was violent and pure, yet it obeyed his ‘commands’ with precision.”

Locke was not surprised to hear this.

Dragon Talisman
It's likely that kid from Shen Du saw someone showing off their skills in front of Guan Yu and secretly instructed Salafir to do something bad.

Can.
Zatanna's next words only confused him more.

"But these are just the tip of the iceberg!"

"Next, in order to demonstrate the reality distortion of magic, I used irony to repair some of the damage to the barn."

“But Salafir, he just reached out his hand again.”

"By chanting 'restore to normal,' his magic manifested the concept of 'healing'!"

"To restore the charred marks and damaged floor to their original state in seconds, as if time had been reversed!"

Looking at Locke, who was frowning, Zatanna's eyes were also filled with indescribable emotions:

"Finally, I gave him a magic lock that my father left behind, which could not be closed due to the lack of a specific incantation."

"As a magical creation, its repair must follow specific magical rules."

“But Salafil…”

"Just by holding it and thinking about 'repairing', magic surged out, and the lock closed with a 'click'."

"It was as if it had never been opened."

"So you understand now, Mr. Locke?"

Zatanna's voice was almost a whisper, filled with awe, "Sarafil, he doesn't need to learn magic."

"Conventional magic is a shackle for him, a tedious and inefficient simulation program."

"He himself... his existence and the form of his power are a higher level of rules."

“His will is directly equivalent to the distortion of reality. If he wants to ‘explode,’ reality will explode for him. If he wants to ‘heal,’ reality will heal for him. This is not ‘casting magic,’ this is… the rule of ‘defining reality.’”

"And we who try to teach him 'magical skills' are as absurd as teaching a god how to use a lever to move the earth."

"so."

The magician lady said solemnly, "He is not a student, Mr. Locke."

“What he needs is not a teacher, but a guardian who can help him understand the responsibility that comes with this power, and ensure that his mind can wield this power, rather than be consumed by it.”

“I… am not qualified to teach him. I’m afraid it would be difficult to find anyone in this world or even other dimensions who is qualified to ‘teach’ him. What he possesses is primordial power.”

Locke understood completely.

All the clues came together at this moment:
His son—

Salafir Kent, God of Kent.

Neither of them is an apprentice who needs to learn external magic systems.

They themselves are a walking magic system.

The magic they wield can be extended, according to their own will, into the embodiment of concepts such as "explosion," "healing," "speed," and "power."

This is not just magic, it's more than that.
The rules in the hands of the Creator.

Locke exhaled, his expression becoming complicated.

There was shock, understanding, and above all, a heavy sense of responsibility. "Thank you."

He looked at Zatanna and said sincerely, "Zatanna, thank you for telling me all this, and thank you for your honesty."

"I already know."

Seeing that Locke understood, Zatanna breathed a sigh of relief and resumed her slightly languid smile:

"I'm glad I can help. After all, I really like that kid, Salafir."

"Remember to pay attention to the way you guide them, proceed gradually, and absolutely do not..."

As she spoke, Zatanna began to analyze Salafir's situation in a clear and organized manner.

Indicate the direction that may require guidance.

Locke listened quietly without interrupting, his eyes focused.

Unexpectedly, even this seemingly unreliable magician has matured after several years of travel and growth.

What a joy.

"?"

As they were talking, he noticed that Locke's gaze was somewhat unfocused.

Zatanna: "..."

Why do I always feel like this guy…

What incredibly rude thing are you thinking about?!

She coughed softly, interrupting Locke's thoughts, and concluded:
"In short, please take care."

"?!"

Zatanna's words hadn't even completely faded away!

She saw the dazed look on Locke's face vanish instantly, replaced by an incredibly sharp gaze!

There was no time for any explanation—

"Zi la——!"

A piercing crackling sound of electricity exploded!
Locke's figure instantly transformed into a dazzling blue-white bolt of lightning right in front of her, like lightning tearing through the night sky, disappearing from her sight at a speed that was impossible for the naked eye to perceive!

Only a few wisps of electricity remained, leaping and dissipating in the spot.

Startled by this sudden turn of events, Zatanna was completely caught off guard and didn't react at all.

But her magical perception was extremely strong, and she immediately detected the direction in which the lightning energy was moving—

Is it a farm?
Something happened?!

Zatanna's expression changed instantly. Ignoring everything else, she immediately cast a flight spell, her figure transforming into a wisp of purple smoke, rapidly flying in the direction of the lightning bolt!
The black van slid silently onto the path surrounding the Kent farm.

The car door opened quietly.

Several blurry, distorted figures flashed by.

Their footsteps landed on the damp mud, yet strangely, they made no sound.

"Crack~"

The door closed, the van accelerated suddenly, its tires crushing the gravel as it sped away, disappearing into the night.

"Boom!"

Dark clouds rolled across the sky like a restless herd of beasts.

The thunder rumbled low and rolled through the air, like the panting of a giant beast.

A faint, pungent odor filled the air, clashing with the freshness of the fields.
Meanwhile, the dark figures getting out of the car were silently approaching the farmhouse.

Their silhouettes were even distorted and deformed in the moonlight!

because
Those were the distorted, inhuman silhouettes of monsters!

The only thing that could be vaguely discerned was that the shadowy figures were wearing masks resembling owl faces.
Can.
But it is even more ferocious and more bizarre.

Lightning flashed.

It reflects the long and sharp bone claws on their limbs.

They moved with an unsettling stiffness and agility, almost like that of wild beasts.

They rushed toward the farmhouse with a clear objective.

But just as the first dark figure was about to scale the fence—

"good evening."

A calm male voice gently rang out, as if whispering in their ears.

"boom!"

Thunder roared.

The thunder that surged through the clouds struck the open ground not far behind them.

A surge of electric light condensed and took shape!
The shadowy figures froze in their tracks, as if a pause button had been pressed.

Their twisted heads snapped back, their eerie green eyes flashing with chilling killing intent and a hint of surprise.

Ordinary work pants and a plaid shirt
He looks like a simple farmer who has just returned from the fields.

Only the faint arcs of electricity that had not yet completely dissipated around him and his eyes that shone too brightly in the darkness revealed his extraordinary nature.

Without words, without signals, they merely gazed at each other for a fleeting moment, then the next instant—

"Uh-huh!"

All the shadowy figures vanished simultaneously like ghosts, then surged forward to Locke at an illogical speed!
Bone claws tore through the air, emitting a shrill screech, and attacked his vital points from all directions!
The wind it generated even stirred up the grass blades on the ground.

Faced with this sudden and deadly attack—

Locke, however, was too lazy to even move his feet.

He watched silently as the shadowy figures attacked him, his gaze so calm it was unsettling.

because--

"Zi——!!"

A powerful surge of thunderous energy burst forth from his body!

A suit of armor woven from leaping lightning instantly covered his entire body!

Blue and white electric snakes darted wildly across it, illuminating the night as if it were daytime, and making his figure appear as if a thunder god had descended to earth!

The cold, sharp claws struck the lightning armor, but instead of penetrating, they felt as if they had touched a high-voltage electric grid—

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

A blinding flash of lightning!
The few dark figures at the forefront didn't even have time to scream before they were instantly devoured by the violent power of lightning. Their bodies flew backward like kites with broken strings, and before they even hit the ground, they were already charred and smoking in mid-air!
He fell heavily to the ground, convulsed a few times, and then fell completely silent.

"?!"

Upon seeing this, the remaining shadowy figure's eerie green eyes flashed with surprise.

Without hesitation, he immediately withdrew and retreated, attempting to blend into the shadows and escape!

Their movements were even faster than when they arrived, carrying a sense of panic.

Want to escape?
Locke's eyes turned cold.

Star Platinum: The World!

时间
It stopped abruptly at that moment!
The whole world instantly lost all color, turning into a deathly gray and white.

The flying insects, falling leaves, and even the dust that was kicked up all froze in place!

Shadow Assassin
They all remained frozen in place, still in their fleeing postures, like sculptures.

Only Locke and the burly purple figure that appeared behind him—

They still possess color and will.

They are
This realm is absolutely divine!

Platinum Star opens her arms wide.

Lightning gathered and stretched in his palm, condensing into long spears of lightning pulsating with destructive energy.

"Eula!"

"Ora ora ora!!! Ora!"

Accompanied by low battle shouts!
The lightning spears were hurled with speed beyond the reach of sight, precisely aiming at each stationary target.

"Om-!"

Time is flowing again!

Color and sound instantly return!
"Boom——!!!"

Thunder roared across the sky, like the accompaniment to a grand finale.

And on the ground—

"Zi la——!"

All the shadowy figures that tried to escape were precisely struck by blazing lightning spears!
Electric current surged through their bodies, crackling and popping, and the smell of burning filled the air.

They couldn't even utter a cry of pain. Their bodies convulsed violently, the eerie green light in their eyes quickly dimmed, and finally, like sparrows shot by a hunting rifle, they fell straight to the ground, completely lifeless.

Locke stood still.

Lei Kai slowly dissipated into the night.

He swept his gaze across the mess, his eyes as cold as the desolate autumn before him.

Owl mask. Claws
Gotham
Owl Court.

That violent conspiracy group.
They exerted political influence through architectural design and orchestrated assassinations, thus secretly controlling Gotham for centuries!
And the shadows on the ground

—That twisted owl-like face, those long, sharp claws, and that beast-like manner!

This is the most distinctive characteristic of the members of the 'Claws' assassination organization under the Court of Owls!

Bold Madman
"Mr. Locke!"

A sharp call broke the silence, and Zatanna swept across the field like a purple gust of wind, landing hastily.

Her expression was tense, and her gaze was immediately drawn to the distorted, dark shadows lying haphazardly at the entrance of the farm.

The corpses of those non-human creatures emitted a pungent, burnt smell, and faint sparks of electricity still flickered from their wounds.

After a moment of hesitation, Zatanna looked at Locke, her voice tinged with doubt:
"This is……?"

Locke didn't explain, he just shook his head, and then asked directly:

“Zatanna, is there a way to interrogate them? I need to know who sent them and what their purpose is.”

"Torture?"

Zatanna paused, then glanced instinctively at the ground...

Is this person completely dead?
It was as if he understood her doubts.

Locke flicked his wrist, and a tiny arc of electricity precisely pierced the chest of a charred corpse, striking its heart!
"boom!"

With a muffled thud, the corpse's eyes suddenly lit up with an eerie green light once more.

The entire body began to struggle and writhe violently, and the bones emitted a teeth-grinding grinding sound.

却.
It felt as if an invisible giant hand was pressing him firmly to the ground, making it impossible for him to get up.

This familiar scene made Zatanna momentarily dazed, recalling some past events she didn't want to relive.

But now is clearly not the time for sentimentality.

She quickly regained her composure, and her magic wand appeared as she chanted, aimed at the struggling shadow, and clearly uttered the ironic spell:

"Erom!"

Purple magical energy, like tentacles, probed into the shadowy head, forcibly seizing the remaining fragments of memory.

A series of blurry and chaotic images flashed before their eyes like shattered film reels—

Desert, railroad, cowboy...

It resembles the desolate landscape of the western United States in the 18th century.

Locke was not surprised.

Claws...

The assassins of the Court of Owls.

Once recruited, they will be kept in hibernation deep within the sanctuary of the court until they are summoned.

And this one in front of us looks like an 'antique' that was active in the 18th century.

"Speed ​​up," he said calmly.

Zatanna nodded, and with the activation of her magic, memories flashed through her mind...

Skip the long hibernation...

Until recently.

A coffin slowly opened, and Sharp Claws awoke from their long slumber, blindfolded, and were led into a secret chamber.

Accept the command given by the cold voice:
"Hunting, Smallwell, Kent Farm, Lex Luthor."

It was then crammed into that black van and taken here—

He was instantly killed by himself.

"?"

Locke frowned.

They're actually after Lex?
Without the slightest hesitation, he immediately took out his phone and dialed Lionel Luther's private number.

"Drip drip drip..."

The busy tone persists; no signal is available for connection.

Lionel did not answer the phone.

What on earth is this guy doing?!

How could they have even messed with Gotham's Court of Owls?!

A sudden surge of anger welled up within him. Locke took a deep breath and dialed another number.

"Hey?"

A slightly tired female voice came from the other end of the phone.

"Grey, it's me, Locke."

"Huh? What's wrong, Mr. Locke?" Grey's voice was more awake now.

Without any pleasantries, Locke cut straight to the point:
"Has your Luther Corporation recently expanded into Gotham? Or has it been in conflict with any faction in Gotham?"

"This...it seems not?"

Grey pondered for a moment, "Gotham is basically the entire territory of Wayne Enterprises, so there's not much point in us developing there. As for conflict, that's even less of a possibility."

"And even if they existed, with my current status, I wouldn't have access to those things."

She gave a wry smile. "I'm sorry, Mr. Locke."

"It's alright, thank you, Grey."

After hanging up the phone, Locke's face grew even more gloomy.

Damn...

He knew perfectly well that if the assassination failed, the Court of Owls would not let it go.

The next ones will only be more numerous and stronger.

The peaceful life on the farm would undoubtedly be...
Is that the only way to do it?
Locke took a deep breath.

As far as he knows:
The Court of Owls' secret bases are mostly hidden in old buildings in Gotham built by the Alan Wayne Foundation...

So all you have to do is blow up the potentially suspicious buildings one by one...

An extreme yet highly effective idea flashed through his mind.

"Mr. Locke."

It's Zatanna.

She seemed to sense Locke's murderous intent and quickly said:

"Actually... I still know tracking magic."

"Although this secret society itself may have protection against prophecy and tracking, the van that transported them should not have. Otherwise, even in our memories, we wouldn't have seen it leave so clearly."

As she spoke, she pulled out an old brass compass, pointed her wand at the still convulsing shadow, and...

Let a wisp of extremely faint purple mist enter the compass.

"Wow——!"

The compass needle spun rapidly, eventually trembling and pointing in a certain direction.

“Following the compass, you should be able to find the van.”

As expected of the all-powerful Zatanna.

Locke secretly praised him, but knew that this was not the time to express his gratitude.

He took the compass and nodded to Zatanna.

"I'll leave this place to you for now. When Dio comes back, tell him I have to go out for a bit. Don't worry."

Before the words were even finished, another blinding flash of lightning erupted!
Locke's figure transformed into a bolt of lightning that tore through the night sky, chasing after the prey at an astonishing speed along the direction indicated by the compass!

Zatanna breathed a sigh of relief as she watched the lightning bolt vanish in an instant.

She had a feeling that if she hadn't spoken up, Mr. Locke would have done something dangerous!
fortunately
I have a little knowledge of strange and unusual magic.

For example:
Suppressing her nausea, Zatanna raised her wand and began casting spells on the five or six twisted corpses lying haphazardly on the ground:
"Exile!"

"Exile!"

"Exile!"

With each incantation uttered.

Then a corpse was enveloped in purple magical light, twisted and disappeared.

It looks like it was thrown into some otherworldly junkyard.

After disposing of all the corpses, Zatanna wiped non-existent sweat from her forehead and let out a long sigh of relief.

Fortunately, Mr. Locke had completely destroyed them; banishing the inanimate was much easier than banishing the living.

After filling in all the charred holes on the ground and finishing tidying up the farm, Zatanna planned to go inside and sit for a while.

But the next moment.
"who are you?"

A cold voice, filled with undisguised hostility, abruptly interrupted her actions.

Zatanna turned around abruptly and saw a blond young man who had appeared there at some point.

He held the cake in one hand and looked at her with a cold expression.

Those scarlet eyes looked especially dangerous in the night.

I……

Zatanna's heart skipped a beat.

Although the bodies on the ground had all been disposed of.

But look at this young man who suddenly appeared and exuded an imposing aura.
She felt like a criminal who had just committed a crime!

but
Blonde hair?
“I’m Zatanna,” she quickly forced a smile. “I’m… your father’s friend. Didn’t we meet back then? It was on the West Coast. I was the magician.”

I left something at the party, I'm coming back to get it.

Um.
To explain her act of trespassing on someone's property in the middle of the night, Ms. Zatanna began to ramble on.

"."

"boom--!"

As the last bolt of lightning streaked across the Smallwell sky.

Silence enveloped the earth once more.

And at the same time Locke left.
The curtains in the living room on the first floor were quietly drawn shut.

The bald head that peered through the gap and slightly reflected the electric arc was completely hidden.

Reeking of alcohol, Luther yawned, stretched lazily, and lay back down on the comfortable sofa.

Return to the metropolis? Go back to your father? Seek refuge?
Do not make jokes.

A disdainful smile curled at the corner of his lips.

The entire metropolitan area, the entire Kansas, and even the entire United States...

What's the safest place on Earth? The place where you feel most at ease!

How could Lex Luthor not know?
Compared to his useless old man
Uncle Locke is indeed unmatched in eloquence!

(End of this chapter)