I became light in American comics

And then I beg you to read on again! I beg you to read on again! I beg you to read on again!

Chapter 23: Such a perfunctory attempt at extortion?

Shen You carried a large bag crammed full of snacks onto the counter. The shopkeeper behind the counter looked away from his old-fashioned television and glanced at the bag full of chocolate balls and lollipops.

The shop owner chuckled, "I heard there was a baby at your shop these past few days?"

The owner, surnamed Wang, was a local resident who ran a small convenience store. He and Shen You were acquaintances.

Shen You smiled and said, "My friend's daughter."

Mr. Wang nodded, skillfully picked up the barcode scanner, and stacked the items from the bag one by one on the table.

"Friends from out of town?"

"Yes. There are some things to take care of, so my daughter will be staying here for a while."

“I see. Then you’ll have to keep a close eye on her, and especially teach her how to protect herself,” Mr. Wang said. “After all, this is Gotham, and girls especially need to learn how to protect themselves. Well, of course, boys are important too.”

Shen You nodded in deep agreement: "I will teach her."

However, considering that the girl is a Kryptonian...

I feel it's more important to teach her how to protect others from her own hands in the future.

Few people could hurt her, even in a place like Gotham.

“I just saw the news,” Mr. Wang continued, “Yesterday they said there was a prison break at Black Gate Prison.”

"Oh?" Shen You was somewhat surprised.

He'd heard of Blackgate Prison; it was considered one of Gotham's two major public toilets, along with Arkham Asylum. The security design philosophy of those two institutions was essentially "a joy to have friends coming from afar," meaning people could come and go as they pleased. They practically wanted murderers and psychopaths to get a couple of days off, even for Children's Day.

Sometimes Shen You even suspected that their security concept was based on our Land of Light. At least in their country, you have to buy a ticket for the bus, but these two...

Not good to rate.

But logically, that should be a post-Batman era event, at least according to the original comics. Could it be that Gotham's Blackgate prison has a history of decline that goes back even further than depicted in the comics?

"Actually, that's not quite it." Boss Wang smiled strangely and started gossiping, "You must not have been paying attention to the news."

Shen You shook his head: "What happened?"

"No one escaped from prison. Instead, some idiot tried to climb over the wall and got caught red-handed by the night guard."

Shen You didn't quite understand for a moment: "Someone tried to escape from prison into the Black Gate, and got caught?"

"Yeah, I heard that his good friend was in jail, and he was so bored that he wanted to go in and hang out with his friend, so he got arrested."

After finishing, they compared the information with the file on the other side of the black gate and found that this guy really was a wanted criminal.

Then the warden said, "Since you're already here, why not stay?" So he stayed.

Shen You: "."

"That's not even the most outrageous part." Boss Wang was already laughing uncontrollably, but he still managed to suppress his laughter as he continued, "The most outrageous thing is... do you know why the guy he went to see is in jail?"

"What?"

"Because he kidnapped more than twenty people, illegally imprisoned them, and forced them to listen to his own songs for more than thirty hours straight, driving them insane. Hahaha."

Shen You: "."

After scanning all the items, Mr. Wang packed them up, put them in a bag, and handed it to Shen You, saying with a smile, "See? I've always told people this is Gotham. Magical, yet realistic. You'll never guess what will happen in this bizarre place."

"Makes sense."

Shen You said goodbye to the owner and left the convenience store with a large bag of snacks.

As soon as I stepped outside, I suddenly felt a chill on the back of my neck.

There was a chill, like being locked in place.

Alihar is a criminal from the Phantom Zone, a member of an alien race named "Parasitic People" by the Kryptonians.

To Earthlings, their race is undoubtedly extremely dangerous, not because they are inherently strong, but because they are elusive and adept at infiltration, espionage, and any action requiring stealth, even killing without leaving a trace.

Because they are essentially similar to parasites.

They can jump from one host to another, taking over and modifying the host's body. They usurp the host's consciousness, seize control of the body, and leave immediately after exhausting the body to find the next host.

During this time, it can seize the host's identity and take over their entire life. They will slowly enjoy the process of consuming the host's life, obtaining the necessary information to complete specific tasks, and finally leaving after they have eaten their fill.

Alihar was an elite among their kind. It was particularly skilled in this art and thoroughly enjoyed the brutal process. The most glorious, and also the most difficult, mission of its career was to infiltrate the upper echelons of the Level 11 civilization of Krypton and assassinate a key target.

It confidently patted its chest and refused the farewell banquet that its people had prepared for it.

“There’s no need for that,” Aliha said dismissively. “Give me three days. Within three days, you will hear the news of that foolish Kryptonian’s death. Just prepare a victory celebration and wait for me.”

At that moment, it became a hero of the entire tribe. The whole country cheered and bid it farewell.

then

Then it was imprisoned in the Phantom Zone by the Kryptonians.

Shortly after that, the homeworld of the parasitic humans was also razed to the ground by the Kryptonians.

Now, by a stroke of luck, Alihar has gained a new opportunity. He and all the other criminals who managed to escape from the Phantom Zone have formed an alliance called the "Phantom Alliance," which serves a supreme and terrifying entity that was once imprisoned in the Phantom Zone.

Aliha didn't know the being's identity, but it knew the being possessed godlike power. Legend had it that the leader's physical body could withstand the bombardment of interstellar weapons, tear apart spaceships with its bare hands, and its eyes could unleash scorching heat that could annihilate everything.

Now, that being has only one command for them.

Find the Kryptonian girl who rushed out of the Phantom Zone just like them.

Kara-Zo-El, the last daughter of the El family.

Not long ago, a member of the Phantom Alliance sent back a message. It was an Atlonian named Li-Bago, an ugly fellow with scythe-like forelimbs. Aliha had always looked down on him, but he had to admit that the guy's racial talents made him quite formidable.

The last message Leigh-Baggoo sent said he thought he had found the Daughter of Krypton, and then...

Then there is no more.

The league suspected that something had happened to Li-Bagu, so Aliha was sent to investigate.

Aliha was quite excited when he discovered the planet called "Earth". He had never been here before, nor had he ever seen the race here that called themselves "humans".

Each time it encounters a new species, it relishes in invading and taking over their bodies, devouring their memories and lives bit by bit, feeling their consciousness dissipate in despair in its mind, and finally claiming their life as its own.

That was its happiest moment.

After changing hosts twice in the past few days and digesting their memories, it finally smelled the scent of Kryptonians by controlling the third host's body, thanks to its innate superpowers.

But it wasn't strong; it wasn't the Kryptonian himself, but rather an aura tainted by someone else.

Following the scent, it quickly located the young man who was coming out of the convenience store carrying a large bag.

it's him!

Aliha gave a cruel smile and silently leaned closer.

This looks like its main meal for today.

It wants to take over this person's body, digest their memories, and find information related to Kryptonians. Then it will devour their life and spirit completely.

Having made up his mind, Aliha seized the opportunity and chose a secluded corner.

It's now!

The parasitic organism detached from its host, and the unconscious latter collapsed to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut. Under the cover of shadow, the bizarre creature transformed into a blur and pounced on Shen You.

Mine, all of it is mine!

Aliha laughed cruelly in his heart, then the laughter stopped abruptly half a second later.

Instead, there was a profound shock at the unexpected situation.

Hot hot hot hot hot!

Unexpectedly hot, the heat wave hit us, as if endless light and heat were hidden beneath this seemingly human body, and it was as if it would evaporate in an instant.

Aliha wanted to scream, but even the ability to make a sound vanished in the instant of the burning.

The immense fear and shock instantly devoured the parasitic man.

What's with this intense heat?!

How could there be humans? No, how could any creature in the interstellar space contain such exaggerated light and heat?

What exactly did I pounce on?

A humanoid self-propelled sun?

Almost the instant it was touched, it instinctively tried to pull its body back.

Because every cell in his body was telling him that this person was not someone he could just enter.

He will definitely die!

Unfortunately it's too late.

The moment you touch it, a tremendous suction force comes from its body, as if a powerful magnet is hidden in the scorching sun.

The body had lost its control; the immense gravity was like a black hole swallowing everything. The intense pain and burning sensation made it feel as if its soul was being melted away.

In a daze, the scenery before my eyes seemed to spin. The young man and the entire street disappeared, replaced by a deep blue, ethereal realm, a space exuding a sacred aura, extending infinitely in all directions, seemingly without end.

It was as if a phantom, ethereal, and incomparably grand voice echoed in this sacred space.

"Let there be light."

At first, there were countless golden points of light. More and more points of light gathered together, becoming increasingly dazzling, and transformed into a colossal shadow that reached the sky and stood on the ground.

A blindingly bright, sacred golden light enveloped the silver giant. Its divine golden eyes and massive, blurred silhouette within the golden light exuded an overwhelming pressure that seemed to crush anyone into dust, evoking images of a giant who held up the heavens and earth at the dawn of time.

Aliha could no longer feel his own existence; even the burning pain seemed to have disappeared, leaving only a tremendous shock that filled his soul.

That kind of crushing on a higher level of life, the trembling of the soul when facing a higher being beyond comprehension.

God?

The word involuntarily popped into my mind.

What followed was deep anger at myself for having recklessly rushed forward a second earlier.

How dare you mess with him?