American comics farmer: start by adopting the villain savior.

Chapter 154 The Emperor asked: Is this place still my domain?

The barn was filled with the aroma of hay and old wood.

The only light source was a solitary hanging lamp, swaying gently in the breeze and casting a murky shadow.

Locke leaned against a haystack, gazing at the boy before him—a figure formed from shadows and faint golden light, identical to Salafir yet possessing a completely different aura—

The capital city.

The atmosphere was so heavy it was almost palpable.

As soon as Locke finished asking his question, Shen Du turned his head away, his little arms crossed over his chest, his whole body radiating an aura of...

—“I’m not happy” and “I don’t want to talk about it”.

"The capital of God."

"You've been resisting."

Locke sighed, his tone softening:
"You are afraid of growing up."

Those golden pupils flickered almost imperceptibly.

God did not immediately raise his voice to refute as usual, nor did he utter those pretentious arrogant remarks.

He simply fell into a rare situation.
A genuine silence.

It wasn't until much later that he raised his head and looked at Locke with a complicated expression.

"Father, you are the only one, you don't understand."

I don't understand?
Seeing Shen Du's precocious demeanor, Locke wasn't angry; instead, he found it somewhat amusing, but more than that...
It's a heartache that creeps in gradually.

His tone softened:
"I don't understand, that's why I need you to tell me. What are you afraid of? Are you afraid of your power itself?"

"Fear? How could that be?" Shendu curled his lip. "Power, Father, what is there to fear about the great power within us!"

"Oh?"

Locke leaned forward subtly, his gaze sharp. "If you're not afraid, then why suppress it?"

These words, like a needle, pierced through the bluff of the capital.

The boy's expression froze instantly, and a crack appeared in his arrogant mask, revealing the panic beneath when his sore spot was hit.

"I...I didn't!"

He tried to refute, but his voice trembled slightly.

"Whether I'm lying or not, you know best in your heart."

Locke reached out and gently ruffled the boy's somewhat ethereal hair, saying softly, "But you have to tell me, in the capital, what exactly is going to happen?"

“We’re family. Whatever happens, we can face it together. But if you don’t say anything, how can Dad help you? How can he protect Salafir, and…you?”

The words fell softly, yet struck Shen Du's defenses with tremendous force.

"Family", "Facing it together", "Protecting you".
These words have an indescribable impact on the world of a city whose essence is to experience it with the mindset of a five-year-old child.

He stared blankly at Locke, his golden eyes filled with...
His former arrogance was gradually replaced by a profound sense of grievance.

then
"Father! My brother is such a naive and innocent fool!"

Shen Du could no longer suppress his inner turmoil and exclaimed excitedly, "He knows nothing! He understands nothing!"

"but"

But then, his excited tone softened, as if crushed by something invisible.

The boy lowered his head, his voice tinged with helplessness and a barely audible vulnerability:
"But I'd rather... he just stay this clumsy. I don't want to become any stronger. We can just stay like this... arguing and bickering, which is actually... quite nice."

"You guy."

Locke sighed helplessly. "When you're scared, tell your father. What's the use of hiding away and being afraid all by yourself?"

He pulled the god into his arms, and although the touch felt somewhat unreal, he held him very firmly.

"Tell me in detail what you're afraid of."

"I……"

The boy paused in his arms, as if struggling to organize his thoughts.

What I fear is 'balance'.

"Balance?" Locke frowned slightly, an idea forming in his mind.

"Before... I never imagined it would be like this..."

Shen Du waved his little fist, his tone excited, as if accusing a world rule that had deceived him, "I just... I just felt that the power within my brother and me was very strong! Extremely, extremely strong!"

“I thought that the stronger I was, the stronger my brother would be, and the stronger my brother would be, the stronger I would be.”

"That's great! We'll all become incredibly powerful! We'll be able to grow corn all over the world!"

"But later..."

His eyes were filled with lingering fear.

It wasn't a sight seen with the eyes, but rather a sudden, irresistible realization.

Just recently, during a deep immersion in the perception of power...

He had originally intended to explore just how strong the rules within his brother's body were.
But by a twist of fate, his consciousness, or rather, the part of him that resonated with his brother's power, was suddenly pulled into a cold and pure torrent.

There was no color, no sound, no temperature there.

Only countless interlacing, flowing points of gold and darkness.

then
He saw it.

Golden light and dark shadows simultaneously ascended to the pinnacle of glory.

But this balance is not the end.

The very moment of their ultimate perfection and completeness became the starting point of their collapse.

Gold and darkness intertwine and entwine.

They transformed into two infinitely large mirrors that stood in stark opposition.

One side is dazzling and brilliant, the other is unfathomable.

It reflects his relationship with his brother.

then
One of the mirrors broke.

It didn't crack; it shattered completely from that 'perfect' interior.

And accompanied by a silent yet soul-shattering roar, from the center of that shattered mirror...
There is something.
He climbed out.

It is not a specific form, but a pure 'will'.

It roared instinctively, searching for an anchor in reality.
To devour, to fill the enormous emptiness created by their birth!

It will carry all the characteristics of the loser in the shattered mirror, becoming the complete opposite of the winner!
He could even feel the icy chill that the thing brought as it descended, and a naked, negative hunger for everything that existed.

Although that viewing lasted only a very brief moment, his consciousness was severely burned and jolted back.

Since then, the image of 'balance is collapse' has been imprinted deep in his perception like the deepest nightmare.

Each time Salafir unconsciously pushed his power to increase, the image in his mind became clearer, like a countdown clock, each chime more urgent than the last.

"Father, believe me."

"I see it clearly. That's not a ladder to becoming stronger; it's a bomb strapped to our bodies! The stronger we become, the bigger the bomb gets! And the closer we get to the explosion!"

Looking at his son, whose cheeks were puffed up with anger and whose golden eyes were burning with grievance.

Locke had truly seen through this kid.

Shen Du was never a cunning schemer; he was more like a spoiled, genius child who acted on instinct and only learned to be afraid after suffering setbacks.

He initially tempted Salafir to awaken his power out of a pure desire for strength and a childlike competitive spirit.

The current repression and resistance stem from a higher perspective, where one has glimpsed the entirety of the abyss ahead.

His contradictions stemmed from a huge leap in his understanding.

With a knowing and slightly helpless smile on his face, Locke reached out and gently tapped Shen Du's forehead with his knuckles.

"Of course I believe you."

His tone was tolerant, yet also carried a subtle hint of teasing:

"So now, this child who has finally 'seen clearly' is willing to trust his father and work with him to find a way to defuse this 'bomb,' instead of hiding away alone, right?"

Covering his forehead where he'd been hit, Shen Du seemed somewhat reluctant, but in the end he merely pursed his lips, muttered something in a very low voice, and began his true confession:
"Our Strength"

"Like two armies that have been resting and recuperating, everything my brother and I have grown up in is in preparation for that ultimate battle in the future."

"There will always be one side that wins..."

"And after winning."

Shen Du raised his eyes, his gaze reflecting a heavy shadow. "Father, that's not fair."

“There will be beings like me and my brother, like wild beasts breaking free of their cages, completely released.”

His voice trembled genuinely:
"In order to maintain balance, it needs a carrier, and it will instinctively seek out a new host that can withstand it..."

"Then we'll conserve our energy and continue to look for an opportunity to fight my brother and me."

"And look at my brother, he must be a super good person, so the guy who appears must be a super villain."

"So I've been trying to become bad. I want to beat my brother and make the new guy... become a good person."

He shook his head in frustration: "But it didn't work. My brother's strength... is still a step ahead of mine."

"Dad, you asked me to secretly give you my brother's power. I was very happy at first, but then I found out that without that power, my brother seemed to be awakening an even more terrifying power, so I gave up the idea."

"Then I'll think of suppressing myself."

Shen Du's voice softened completely, filled with the weariness of giving up the struggle:
"As long as I don't get stronger, my brother won't get too strong either, and that moment will never come."

"Even if they come, it won't be too scary."

"."

You're quite the clever one. Instead of improving yourself, you choose to suppress it, don't you...?

Locke was momentarily at a loss for words, but then...
A deeper contemplation overshadowed this emotion.

He was reminded of what the Phantom Stranger had said.
The power of deconstruction and the power of construction.
These are the two fundamental forces that constitute the most basic structure of this world.

That guy is right.

—The two of them are the “construction and deconstruction” themselves, born from the ’source’, rather than being chosen containers.

However, “construction” and “deconstruction” are merely opposing forms; in essence, they are neutral tools.

What truly defines its color is the user's will and behavior.

If Salafir uses the constructive power that represents "protection" to do evil, then in the eyes of the world he will be a dark villain.

If a god were to wield the destructive power symbolizing "destruction" to protect what he cherishes, then he would be a shining hero in that moment.

It was these two brothers who, through their choices and actions, [made their decisions].
To paint these two primal forces with either "positive" or "negative" colors.

They defined the 'positive and negative' aspects of 'construction' and 'deconstruction'.
Rather, the forces of "construction" and "deconstruction" themselves have pre-defined camps.

Therefore, when the balance is broken, one side loses.

It is born from that imbalance, its essence being pure black.
They will also be completely opposed to the camp they currently represent.

This is simply...
Locke felt a shock originating from a cognitive level, but he quickly suppressed it, his gaze fixed intently on the capital:

"Is this why you resist power? Are you afraid that your power will eventually create uncontrollable monsters that will endanger this family and everyone?"

"Yes, Father."

Shen Du nodded, his deep resentment almost tangible. "Do you think I'd be happy to watch my naive brother slowly master those ridiculous 'rules'?"

"Every time his power awakens, it pulls my power to awaken as well!"

"We are growing stronger in sync, and Father is also moving towards that tipping point in sync."

As he spoke, a faint hint of fear crept into Shen Du's voice:

"My brother and I will face that great battle sooner or later..."

"And after that great battle came the appearance of monsters far beyond my imagination, monsters powerful enough to devour our home and the entire world."

"Father……"

"I'd rather this ridiculous balance of strength and weakness remain forever than something that ultimately becomes uncontrollable."

"A monster has appeared that's been hunting down my family..."

A long silence fell over the barn.

The only sound was the whistling of the wind blowing through the cracks in the wooden planks.

Locke looked at the 'son' before him, composed of shadows and golden light.

He understood what was hidden beneath Shen Du's nasty attitude.

Only now do I finally understand.
All of God's resistance and sarcasm were not for his own independent existence, but rather like a watchman who saw the cliff ahead and desperately tried to pull back his brother who knew nothing about it and was still running happily forward.

Locke slowly stood up and walked to the front of the capital.

His figure appeared unusually tall under the lights, and he did not show the worried expression that Shen Du had expected.

instead.
An unprecedented determination coalesced in his eyes.

“Listen, God Capital, son of Locke Kent.” Locke’s voice was as steady as a mountain, carrying a reassuring certainty, “Fear will not solve the problem. Suppression and escape are not the solutions either.”

"Since the end result is the appearance of that monster, what we need to do is not to futilely try to escape it."

"Instead, defeat it head-on."

"If once isn't enough, do it twice; if twice isn't enough, do it countless times! Even if it really does crawl back from hell again and again!"

"In the Kent family, there are no inevitable disasters, only problems that need to be solved."

"From today onwards, you no longer need to bear this fear alone."

"Right, Salafir?"

Locke looked behind him.

After a soft rustling sound, another small figure awkwardly shuffled out.

"hhh Divine Capital"

Salafir clutched the hem of her clothes, her dark eyes brimming with unease and the immense amount of information she had just overheard. "I actually came out to use the restroom."

"..." "Brother, eavesdropping on others is the stupidest and most tasteless thing in the world!" Shen Du gritted his teeth.

Salafir shrank back as he was scolded.

However, instead of backing down as usual, he stepped forward, looked at his younger brother who was made of light and shadow, and said softly but earnestly:
"But... Shen Du, you suppressed yourself because you were afraid that 'monster' would hurt us, right?"

He reached out, trying to touch the arm formed by the shadows of the capital:

"Thank you...but don't be afraid alone, we can be together..."

"Brother! Stop talking such naive things! When that day comes, I won't lose to you!"

Shen Du abruptly turned his head away, leaving only an angry profile.

Looking at the two completely different twins, Locke chuckled softly.

He stretched out his large palm and pressed it down on the heads of the two children without saying a word.

One feels soft and real to the touch, while the other has a slightly cool, ethereal quality.

He ruffled their hair.

“Listen, you two little rascals.”

Locke's tone became rough, yet strangely dispelled the last vestiges of heaviness in the air:

"From today onwards, none of you are allowed to suppress your power."

"Eat when you're supposed to eat, drink when you're supposed to drink, fight when you're supposed to fight, and grow as much as you can, as hard as you can!"

"Even if one day that damned war really does come, and it's inevitable, so what?"

Locke grinned, revealing a smile that was almost maniacal:

"Remember the other day when you two older brothers almost blew up a city?"

"Even if you fight like the heavens and earth fall apart in the future, Daddy will still clean up your mess!"

"and"

He paused, his gaze sweeping over his two sons, who seemed somewhat stunned, a hint of teasing in his smile:
"Have you forgotten that you don't only have each other? If that day really comes, do you think your two older brothers will just stand by and do nothing?"

He seemed to already see the scene—

Clark smiled helplessly and picked up his younger brother, who was limp from exhaustion.

Dior, while clicking his tongue in disgust, protected the other one in his own way.

"As for that so-called 'monster'."

Locke's smile faded, and his gaze became calm.

"You have even less to worry about."

He pressed down hard on the two children's heads again, his voice deep and resolute, like a rock:

"Remember what I said today. Home is always there."
-
Night had fallen, and the wind carried the fragrance of grain and earth.

Locke held one of his sons by the hand.

Salafil's warm little hand held him tightly, while the cool, ethereal touch of the divine capital felt like gathering a handful of moonlight.

But in conclusion...
They were walking together toward home.

The conversation in the barn eased the tension, and both children became quieter, but the oppressive silence from before was gone.

Salafir would occasionally steal a glance at his younger brother, whose shadows danced beside him, while Shen Du kept his head turned to look at the roadside weeds, though the sharp edge around him had softened considerably.

This reminded Locke of Dio and Clark from back then.

Warm light shone through the windows of the house, spreading out a blurry halo in the night fog.

"Bam—!"

Locke pushed open the door and led the two children into the living room.

Just then, Dior came out of the kitchen with a glass of water in his hand, seemingly about to go upstairs.

He was wearing dark loungewear, his blond hair was slightly messy, and he had his usual bored and slightly disgusted expression.

However, seeing his father leading his younger brother and new younger brother in...
He stopped in his tracks, his wine-red eyes lazily sweeping over.

Locke smiled and nodded naturally to his eldest son, his tone relaxed:
"Still not asleep?"

Then, without waiting for Dio's response, he naturally led Salafir and God through the living room and towards the stairs, gently saying to the two little ones, "Alright, it's late, time to go upstairs to sleep."

The sound of footsteps echoed upstairs and gradually faded away.

In the living room.
Suddenly, only Dio was left standing there.

He held the water glass, maintaining the same posture, looking at the empty stairwell, then looked down at the water glass in his hand.

No?

What just happened?
His father nodded to him, and then...
So he just took those two kids upstairs?

Not a single unnecessary word?

He was even prepared to accept the usual nagging like "Don't stay up too late," "Go to bed early," or "Are you tired from work today?"

And all you did was nod?
Like
Like passing by a neighbor you don't know very well?
Dior stood still.

The usual disdain on his handsome face slowly solidified, transforming into a clear look of astonishment and disbelief.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze sweeping back and forth between the empty staircase and himself.

A feeling of being abruptly excluded arose.

No?

Why do I feel like an outsider?!

"Bam—!"

Good evening, Dior.

Having pulled up all the potatoes, Lex, feeling neither tired nor even refreshed, pushed open the door and entered.

He was shirtless, revealing his considerably more muscular physique.

"?"

Dio's eyes narrowed slightly as he stared at Lex's muscular physique with some confusion. "A month?"

"That's not true."

Lex shook his head, a hint of reminiscence flashing across his face.

"Thanks to Uncle Torlock, just one night."

"?!"

"What's wrong? You're acting really strange tonight."

Lex was a little puzzled, and shrugged, saying, "I'm going to wash up and go to bed first. You should go to bed early too."

"."

Dio was almost stunned as he watched Lex's departing figure.

Then he came to his senses.
Here
Is this still my home, Dio Kent's?

Dio was stunned. Dio fell into deep thought. Dio was deeply immersed in reflection. Dio smiled with relief.

I guess I've been busy with my career lately.

Let my old father see them as me, Dio Kent, just a substitute.
-
I said goodnight to my father.

Salaphir and the god then slipped back to their shared room one after the other.

The door closed gently behind me.

The room still retained the slight chill of the night.

Scurrying to the bedside, Salafir carefully pulled something out from under the pillow.

—It is round and translucent, with what appears to be nebulae flowing inside, emitting a soft halo in the dim room.

It was the crystal ball that Zatanna had secretly given him in the Forgotten Bar.

"The capital of God."

Salafir whispered, "Look, this was given to me by Sister Zatanna. She said she can see interesting things."

"."

With his arms crossed, he floated to the side, his eyebrows, formed by the shadows and golden light of the divine capital, twitched slightly.

He habitually wanted to make a sarcastic remark:
"Only a naive fool like you, brother, would like such shiny things."

but.
As the words were about to come out, he remembered his father's words in the barn.

He swallowed his sarcasm and awkwardly snorted, "Then what do you want to see, brother?"

"For example... look downstairs?"

Saffir mustered her courage and asked, "What is Brother Dio doing now?"

"Want to take a look together?"

Um.
This suggestion hit the nail on the head regarding the interesting aspects of the capital city.

The light and shadow around him rippled with pleasure, and he immediately moved closer, a mischievous smile spreading across his face:

"Oh? Brother, you've finally figured it out! This is a brilliant idea! Quick, let me see if that guy is still sitting in the living room with that sour face!"

Ok.

The brotherly affection and respect between the two reached its peak at this moment.

The two little heads huddled together in front of the crystal ball, even deferring to each other a little.

"You want to see the Divine Capital first?"

"No, brother, you took it out, so of course you go first."

"You go first..."

"Tsk, what a hassle, let's do it together!"

However, this fragile harmony lasted for approximately...

half an hour.

After the initial curiosity is satisfied.

They did catch a brief glimpse of Dior chugging down a whole glass of water in the living room, looking quite annoyed.

However, the two children disagreed on how the crystal ball worked.

“I should guide it with my magic,” Salafir murmured, her fingers lightly touching the crystal ball, a faint, soft platinum light attempting to seep into it, “like petting a kitten…”

"Nonsense! This thing clearly requires much stronger energy to activate!"

Even the god retorted impatiently, pointing his shadowy finger directly at the sphere, "Like this! Direct and efficient!"

"No! This is too rough! This is too much!"

"Brother, your method is too mild!"

"Om-!"

In the midst of this argument, neither of them noticed the forces that were diametrically opposed yet shared the same origin.

Out of spite, they almost simultaneously and uncontrollably rushed into the seemingly solid crystal ball!
The dark shadows and the shimmering gold light collided violently inside the crystal ball!
There was no explosion as expected.
Instead, the two forces intertwined and rotated in a strange way.

finally--

boom!
The crystal ball didn't shatter, but inside it seemed as if a tiny, extremely dazzling firework had exploded, with black and gold light radiating wildly and illuminating the astonished faces of the two children.

Even the gods stared wide-eyed, almost thinking they had prematurely detonated the disaster.

However.
After the light faded quickly.

The crystal ball was not damaged; instead, the nebula inside disappeared, turning into the blackest black jade, and then ripples appeared like water.

"Ok?"

Salafir was the first to voice his doubt, his little face almost touching the ball's surface:

"I can...I can picture it now!"

“Brother, I’m not blind.”

Shen Du's voice carried an unusual curiosity as he stared intently at the crystal ball.

The familiar scenes of their home were no longer reflected inside.

At the center of the sphere lies the interior of a grand, ancient, and unfamiliar palace.

The stone pillars are towering, and the ground is as smooth as a mirror, yet it exudes a cold, deathly stillness.

The screen swayed slightly, focusing on a tall, bare-chested figure in the center of the palace.

It was a man's reflection, cast on a smooth floor or wall.

He was exceptionally strong, and his physique appeared to be almost as tall as their father, Locke.

She also had a head of brilliant blonde hair, but what was most striking was her bare neck.
—It has a hideous scar, and next to the scar, there is a star mark.

Salafir and the god looked at each other, both seeing bewilderment and surprise in each other's eyes.

Why does this look so familiar?!
Before they could think it through, the image in the crystal ball suddenly trembled!
The blond man in the reflection seemed to be extremely aware of this spying that spanned an unknown distance.

Without warning, he slowly turned his head.

But it seemed that he didn't turn around, but instead looked precisely at the two boys who were spying on him!

What kind of eyes were those?!

Burning with pure, violent, and ominous scarlet!

There is no emotion in it, only evil that burns everything!
"You...are watching, right?"

Then, without giving them any time to react, those scarlet eyes suddenly lit up—

boom! ! !
An indescribably hot crimson ray shot out directly from inside the crystal ball!
It was not an illusion, but a real attack carrying terrifying heat waves and impact!

"Bang—crash!!"

The fragile magic crystal ball was simply unable to withstand this power that crossed realms!
Turned into
Powder!

(End of this chapter)