Crimson Embers Chapter 9: Just a Doomsday Ark? No! Don’t underestimate your opponent
Mason stated his plan straight to the point and told Luther directly that he really just wanted to get involved in the attack on the Council's rule by the resistance forces in this world.
It sounds very casual. If an ordinary person said this, he would probably be kicked out by Luther. Why would he take the risk of being killed just because he suddenly had an idea to participate in the resistance?
Your sudden idea is really amazing.
What if when the time comes you suddenly change your mind and decide not to participate, what will we do?
This is not a dinner party, this is a real fight! And if an action fails, it means that all the previous preparations will go to waste.
What's more, he was not familiar with this enthusiastic and famous young man in front of him, and the information he heard from others could not be used as a basis for planning an action.
No matter how you look at it, the risks of working with Mason are too great.
The old Luther instinctively refused, but before he said anything, he looked at Mason again.
He knew the great things this young man had done in the past few months. Although he was trapped in the core world of the Council, whether a person was important to an organization could be judged through some clues.
Especially for a smart man like Luther, just looking at the surge in the frequency with which the name Mason Cooper appears in the internal documents of the Council, he knew that this guy had definitely become the absolute enemy in the minds of the senior members of the currently shaky Council of Hope.
It is absolutely impossible that what such a person says or does is just a spur-of-the-moment decision as he claims.
Maybe Mason really does have a complete idea and plan?
Thinking of this, Luther suppressed the idea of refusing. He made a "please" gesture, meaning to ask Mason to tell him his plan in detail for his reference.
There's no harm in listening to it anyway.
By the way, if there are any additional conditions, please state them as well.
For a wise man like old Luthor who has seen many storms, survived many life-threatening situations, and even raised a Kryptonian with his own hands, he believes more in the exchange of interests than in passion.
Although it sounds realistic, after stripping away the influence of emotions, only those things that are truly beneficial to both parties are worth doing without worrying about being stabbed in the back.
"My idea is so simple that it can be expressed in one sentence."
Mason lit a cigarette, pulled out a chair and sat opposite Luther. He said:
"My current identity is a special envoy of the Garden World under the Council. I have been invited to attend the regular world meeting tomorrow. Although I have never participated in such a high-level meeting, I heard that it is a very high-level but time-consuming thing.
However, the key point is that this kind of regular meeting often involves many envoys from the garden world, and they are either one of the leading groups of each garden world, or have close ties with those groups.
Through their connections, they can quickly connect to the vast world system under the Council, directly affecting trillions of lives.
I have my own career and it is progressing steadily. Although I came here alone to settle these grudges personally, I am not reluctant to contribute to the cause I serve if I can help.
Rather than verbal pleas, I think a major rebellion in the heart of the Council would be more effective in making those envoys see the corruption and decay of the system they serve.
This is much more effective than wasting my breath on a short essay of tens of thousands of words."
"Well, that's a reasonable reason. If I were in your position, I don't think I would miss this opportunity."
Luther nodded and commented.
Mason probably saw his suspicion, so he went out of his way to explain the reason for his actions.
There was no need for him to do this. The honorary leader of the new Utopia project, which was in full swing and progressing at a rapid pace, was very different from his status as a person who was hiding in a certain world and rebelling. But Mason was willing to explain, which made Luther feel a little respect for him.
It’s good to have this attitude.
Old Luther took a sip of wine, thought for a moment, and said:
"If we decide to act, I will do my utmost to ensure that no harm is done to the emissaries who carry your thoughts and ideas to distant worlds.
This is the most sincere guarantee I can give. Now let's talk about something practical. What are your plans?"
“It’s very simple.”
Mason snapped his fingers and said:
"I will go to the parliament tomorrow and create some noise there to help you distract the garrison in Hope City, making it easier for you to contact the outside world and move around in the city.
You can blow this place up, burn it down, occupy it or overthrow it, it’s up to you.
I have only one request.
Don't kill too many people.
Those who can be gathered on this planet are the elites selected by the Council from various Earths. It is no exaggeration to say that they are all chosen by heaven and the best among men.
I hope they can get involved in more correct causes instead of losing their lives in confusion.
As for whether or not one is loyal to the Council's ideals, it is not particularly important. This is already the fifth impact. Conservative estimates show that a new era will come after two rounds of impacts at most.
Their loyalties and their ideas cannot change the overall situation.
I just need them to actually do something useful, and if our operation goes well, those Garden Worlds will also need the resources and unified coordination to prepare for the fusion."
Mason blew out a smoke ring and explained:
"Instead of spending time and effort rebuilding a new system, why not just use the one we have now? What do you think?"
"I have no comment on that."
Old Luther also said frankly:
"The resistance army is so small. Whether the people in the city can survive is not up to me. When the Sixth Sequence army arrives, it will be decided by the Accuser Ronan and the interest groups around him.
Personally, I don't want to see rivers of blood either.
We are rebels, not murderers, and certainly not lunatics who just want to see the world burn.
And rather than discussing how to deal with the prisoners, I doubt whether you can hold back the entire Hope City garrison by yourself? Even if some of the Twelve Sequence Conquerors defect, that would be a terrifying number. "
"Hey, bald old man, how can you talk like that!"
Before Mason could say anything, the little cuties beside him were already dissatisfied.
Harley put her hands on her hips and said unhappily:
"The one sitting before you is the changer of the dark ages, the sage of hope, the honorary leader of all rebels, the expeller of Unicron, the absolute enemy of Galactus, the superhero who single-handedly destroyed at least five Conquerors and liberated many worlds, and the most handsome and cool Honorable Robin.
I have no doubt that little sweetheart can do anything, and you shouldn't doubt it either!"
"You omitted a lot of titles! And the order is wrong."
Quinn added, teasing from the side:
"Mr. K is also the Messiah of Mutants, the Doomsday Beast of Hogwarts, the Storm Ripper of the Endless Sea, the Devil Slayer, and the Dusk Lord of the Star Society, etc.
In short, it’s amazing!
Super awesome! "
The two little cuties praised Mason as being rare in heaven and on earth.
Mason himself was embarrassed by the rainbow fart. He waved his hand to signal the little cuties to calm down, coughed again and said to old Luther:
"Don't listen to them. I haven't heard of many of these nicknames and titles myself, but I think you really shouldn't have such doubts.
If the powerful directors were all there, I might have to think about it, but the current situation is that I heard that many powerful directors have disappeared. After the death of Old A, whom you call the chief arbitrator, the small group has essentially fallen apart.
The Council of Hope looks like a behemoth, but in fact it is just a power organization built around a small circle at the top. With its core lost, it can only maintain a seemingly huge but actually collapsed shell, like a shabby house with a gorgeous exterior but a collapsed interior.
If we just give it a kick, it will collapse.
Although in the current situation, the symbolic significance of this kick is greater than its practical significance, someone has to do it.
I have the confidence to fight for you opportunities. It just depends on whether you are willing to risk everything and fight with me.
I’ll say this in advance.”
Mason knocked on the table and said to old Luther:
"Whether you join me or not, I will carry out my plan tomorrow. The only difference is that if you don't cooperate, I will have to rack my brains to write a touching essay to persuade them to surrender tonight."
"With less than 24 hours left, it's difficult for me to even contact the Sixth Sequence, let alone organize a large-scale assault landing."
Old Luther stroked his chin and expressed his doubts, but Mason didn't care at all. He waved his hand and said:
"That's Ronan's problem, not yours. You need to keep up with the changing situation, Luther. Now that you have my help, Ronan, who has ulterior motives and wants to seize the fruits of victory, is no longer necessary for the resistance to victory.
In fact, even without him, I can create an army that is no less powerful than the Sixth Sequence to support you. What I mean is, from now on, you have to realize that you have become the dominant party in this cooperation!
There is no need to look at Ronan's eyes anymore.
I don't care what he thinks about this or what actions he will take. When facing Doom, I still have to calculate the probability of winning or losing.
But if the opponent is Ronan and his Sixth Sequence, then I can tell you that we will definitely win.
The trend is set!
The wheel of history is rolling forward. He can either join it or stay away from it. If he wants to go in the opposite direction, he will be crushed to death. "
"Um."
Luther nodded, indicating that he would think about it, and then he raised another question. He said:
"You said you came here to destroy the Council's End Star? Do you know where that thing is?"
"That's exactly what I wanted to ask you."
Mason narrowed his eyes and said:
“I’m sure it was forged in this world, but the people I sent out searched the entire world and even the entire Internet and found no trace.
They hid it.
And there is the God Dum!
That guy has been hiding in the shadows of the Council. He carefully erased all traces of his actions, making it difficult for me to track him. Can you give me some useful information?"
"I only know that Doom and his forces are hiding in the Dou Realm."
Old Luther didn't hide it.
He said directly:
"As for how to enter the demiplane attached to the material world, I have no idea. As you said, there is very little information on this.
As for the 'End Star', I do have some information, but you may think as much as I do. I can only tell you that even among the top leaders of the Council, very few people have seen that thing with their own eyes.
Although it was a project that many people knew about, it was like a veil covering it, making it hard to tell what it was.”
“Yes, at first I thought it was just a plan to survive the end of the world, like a doomsday ark, and its significance should be similar to the integration promoted by the New Utopia Project.
But the more I looked into the plan, the more I realized something was not right.”
Mason rubbed his forehead and said:
“Its existence has been kept secret to such an extent that it far exceeds the level that a salvation plan should have. I can’t help but wonder if there are other deeper meanings behind this project promoted by the Council.
And Doom's reaction was also very strange.
Logically speaking, if he just wanted to survive the end of the world, then after Old A's death, there would be no need for him to continue to stubbornly push forward the progress of the End Star.
He has witnessed the success of the fusion project with his own eyes. He only needs to hide in some corner and wait patiently so that he can enter a new era along with our actions.
But now it seems that he will never give up until the whole project is completed. He is a truly smart man. The fact that he is so stubborn in his dedication seems to indicate that there is something else going on with the End Star.
perhaps……
Surviving the apocalypse was only part of the function of that plan, and it wasn’t even the main function.”
Old Luther didn't say anything for a long time.
He stared at Mason with a strange look in his eyes for nearly half a minute. Then he put down the wine glass in his hand and asked seriously:
"Are these all your inferences based on the current situation?"
"It's not just speculation, I have some evidence to support it."
Mason took out the incomplete Rorschach diary from his bag, put it on the table and said to old Luther:
“This is what Old A left me.
I admit that the guy was an absolute bastard, the kind of hopeless person who couldn't be redeemed even if he was killed a hundred times, but he left this thing to me before he died, so there must be some other meaning behind it.
Of course, it is also possible that he is using me to get rid of some guys he doesn't like, but I think the former is more likely.
The Final Star Project has secrets.
This is a secret that even Old A has to treat with caution. "
“This thing…”
Old Luther stared at the Rorschach diary in front of him, flipped through a few pages, hesitated for a moment, stood up, leaned on his cane and said to Mason:
"I have one too. Come with me. Since we have decided to cooperate, I have to show you something."
"Huh? You have it too?"
Mason was stunned when he heard Luther's words.
He stood up and followed the bald old man to a secret door in the office that led to a lower level, while asking:
"Where did your copy come from? So is this still a collection task? Or is it some important prop for passing the level?"
"It was just an accident."
Luther explained:
“When I first came to this world, the local resistance army was killed by the Arbitration Tribunal. The population was dwindling, so I took over the organization and found it among the relics of the previous leader.
Without the first half of the diary in your hand, it is difficult for me to understand some of the contents in the diary, but it does record some of the discoveries made by Rorschach in his investigation of the End Star project, which should be very useful to you."
"Who was the previous leader of the rebels?"
Mason asked again, and Luther said without turning his head:
"A woman named 'Silk Soul'. She died at the hands of the Arbitration Tribunal's pursuers two months before I came. According to some old resistance members, 'Silk Soul' was just a code name. She was the last member of a long-outdated resistance hero organization.
It is said that she vowed to resist because her boyfriend died at the hands of the council more than ten years ago. "
"Night Owl..."
Mason sighed and said the name. He touched the Rorschach diary in his hand and said softly:
"He is a good-natured man who was regarded as weak by Rorschach. It seems that Night Owl, who chose not to care about good and evil, was finally dragged into this mess by the stubborn Rorschach."
"When the building is about to collapse, how can one of the common people escape the catastrophe when darkness falls? A grain of sand in the doomsday era that falls on an ordinary person is as heavy as a mountain that cannot be moved."
Old Luther limped open an encrypted mechanical door and said with a cough:
"Even a superhero is just a stronger ant among all the ants. Well, you will see some strange things next. I hope you won't be surprised or scare it.
It's a bit timid.
And once you get scared, things will get really complicated.”
"Ha, we've seen a lot! How could we be frightened?"
Harley followed nonchalantly, followed closely by Mason. A few seconds later, the three of them looked at each other, standing there blankly staring at the "thing" in front of them that was picked up by old Luther.
Even though the captain was well-informed, his brain seemed to freeze at this moment and he couldn't help but ask:
"What the hell is that thing in your arms!!!"
