Celebration and Farewell

"Take you with me?" Zhang Ye paused.

"Yes. I want to leave this place with you. To be honest, I’ve been having trouble finding a reason to keep living. Before, all I wanted was to avenge my younger brother, but now I’ve realized that I don’t fit in here at all. I really feel like I’m about to be driven mad."

"So you want to leave this universe and see what your brother is like in other universes, where he’s alive, right?" Zhang Ye said evenly.

"Yes." Kara was frank and made no attempt to hide her selfish motives. "I was locked up in that prison for a very long time. Back then, my younger brother was what kept me going. Now, I want to visit other universes and see whether my brother’s life is really as wonderful as Barry Allen said."

Zhang Ye fell silent as he looked at Kara.

True enough, the disaster brought by General Zod had passed, but the aftermath still had a tremendous impact—especially on Supergirl, Kara. She had only been fifteen when she was imprisoned. Day after day, she had been subjected to experiments in that pitch-black prison. Ordinary people simply could not comprehend such a life worse than death.

Under those circumstances, how could Kara possibly become Earth’s guardian like her younger brother? Perhaps Earth was divided into many countries, but in Kara’s eyes, Earthlings were Earthlings. Who cared which country they came from?

Thinking about it that way, it was already merciful of Kara not to join General Zod in destroying Earth.

"Traveling between universes isn’t as simple as you think." After a long while, Zhang Ye finally spoke. "Especially for a Kryptonian like you. I can’t guarantee that the solar radiation on every Earth will be stable and normal, so every crossing you make is dangerous."

"I’m not afraid, as long as I can see my younger brother," Kara said firmly.

"But I can’t even be sure which universe we’ll arrive in." Zhang Ye sighed. The Time Twister had already transcended the Sacred Timeline, so every crossing was an unknown adventure for him. What lay before him were countless Multiverse blind boxes.

"It doesn’t matter. We’ll go wherever we end up. One day, I’ll be able to see my younger brother, won’t I?" Kara smiled faintly. "Besides, that speedster alone probably doesn’t have enough strength to protect you."

Seeing the smile in Kara’s eyes, Zhang Ye shook his head helplessly. "Is your Kryptonian genetic module really that of a scientist? I think you’re more suited to being a diplomat."

"So, does that mean I convinced you?" Kara thought for a moment.

"I suppose so."

The sun gradually sank below the horizon, and the two shadows on the Gobi Desert stretched ever longer.

Inside Wayne Castle.

An array of exquisite dishes had been placed on the long reception table. Old Bruce Wayne had even brought out aged wine from his cellar that he had been reluctant to drink.

Bruce Wayne and Zhang Ye sat at opposite ends of the table, displaying their highest status among those present. Little Barry Allen, Barry Allen, Pietro, and Kara sat along the sides.

The others were fine, since this was not their first time attending such an occasion. But for Pietro and Kara, it was their first truly formal banquet.

Pietro was undoubtedly the most nervous. He had been born into a poor family, and after awakening his mutant genes, his life had only become more miserable. He had been imprisoned and fought dogs for food. If he had not met Zhang Ye, he felt he would have long since died in some garbage heap.

So as he sat at that exquisite dining table, Pietro forcibly suppressed the unrest in his heart. He carefully watched everyone’s mannerisms, terrified that some action of his would make him look ridiculous.

It was not that he was afraid of embarrassing himself. He was only worried about making Zhang Ye lose face.

As for Kara, she appeared exceptionally composed, dining like a proper lady. It seemed that Kryptonian refinement still remained deep within her heart, though Zhang Ye could still sense her unease.

Kara wanted to blend into the atmosphere at the table, but she could not quite relax. She could only put on a cool front and taste the roast meat on her plate, making her seem somewhat out of place.

Seeing this, Zhang Ye could not help but smile.

Though they possessed formidable combat power, they were also troublesome problem children. Whether it was Pietro or Kara, both carried all kinds of darkness in their hearts. Outsiders could never truly understand it; only they themselves could glimpse it.

Zhang Ye wanted to help them cast away the negative emotions within them, but he knew he could not rush it. Time wore away all things. If they were to move on, they could only rely on themselves.

As the most experienced elder present, Old Bruce Wayne naturally saw what Zhang Ye was thinking. He raised his wineglass, intending to liven up the atmosphere of this celebration.

After several rounds of drinks, the atmosphere at the table gradually became more lively. Everyone relaxed and began chatting freely.

In truth, tonight’s gathering was not merely to celebrate. It was also to see Zhang Ye and the others off. After discussing it, Barry Allen decided to leave this universe tomorrow along with Zhang Ye. At the same time, Zhang Ye chose to take Kara, the homeless Kryptonian, with him.

The main reason Zhang Ye wanted to take Kara was because he valued her combat strength. Supergirl was nearly as powerful as Superman, and the destructive combat ability of Kryptonians had already been clearly demonstrated by General Zod. Without kryptonite, Kryptonians were practically invincible.

And combat power was precisely what Zhang Ye lacked most right now. Pietro, as a speedster, was no slouch in a fight, but if he truly encountered a powerful enemy, there was little he could do. His only use would be running away.

"Zod’s invasion had a huge impact this time. Whether it’s the corpses of those Kryptonian soldiers, the wreckage of alien spacecraft, or the ruins of the World Engine, once those things fall into the military’s hands, there’s no telling what they might do with them," Zhang Ye said to Bruce Wayne.

"I know. I’ll keep an eye on the military. If anything goes wrong, don’t we still have this kid?" Old Bruce Wayne said with a smile as he looked at Little Barry Allen.

Little Barry Allen was happily eating when he noticed Bruce Wayne looking at him. He immediately stopped and gave him a puzzled look.

Little Barry Allen looked so unreliable that Zhang Ye nearly laughed. However, he quickly composed himself and continued.

"Barry Allen is a superpowered individual. If you want him to follow your path, that’ll be difficult. Too difficult."

"And what do you mean by that?" Old Batman asked curiously.

"You spread fear in Gotham City, punishing evil and making every criminal tremble at the mention of your name. In the end, you became an urban legend. But Barry Allen is different. He has unparalleled superpowers and can bring hope to humanity. He doesn’t need to hide in the darkness like you. He can appear openly beneath the sunlight."

Old Batman set down his wineglass and interlaced his fingers, seemingly deep in thought.

After pondering for a moment, he gave a slight nod in agreement. "Indeed. After this war, superheroes have been exposed to the eyes of the entire world. We really do need someone to step forward and bring people hope."

Originally, the role of bringing hope to humanity should have belonged to Superman or Supergirl, but now that responsibility had fallen upon Little Barry Allen.

"And you, Bruce, I think you could take on Alfred’s role and train a few successors."

Zhang Ye smiled faintly, lowered his voice, and spoke slowly.

"Forgot to tell you, in other universes, nearly every Batman has a few assistants called ‘Robin.’"