Volume 4: The Last Day Chapter 23 I am Mason Cooper most of the time, with occasional cameos as Miracle
Batman, who received Mason's call, was now standing in front of the porthole of a lounge in the watchtower base, looking out from the earth's orbit with a tired look.
He took in the remnants of a shattered world.
A few hours ago, the Justice League used three imitation Mother Box bombs to shatter the core and continental shelf of the attacking world, and before it crossed the plane boundary and affected its own world, a group of spellcasters worked to dismantle it as a whole.
The whole process went smoothly.
Under the barrier covering the world presided over by Doctor Fate himself, it didn't even cause any ripples.
Except for the mobilized operatives, Team K, and some talented people, this night was no different from last night for most people in the Gotham world.
Countless people fell asleep peacefully, unaware that they had just brushed shoulders with death.
But for Bruce Wayne, who personally presided over and participated in the operation, this process did not make him feel at ease.
Especially at a moment when the world is shattering before his eyes, Batman feels only heavier worries and an unspeakable pessimism.
At this time, a group of heroes who can survive in space, led by Superman, are cleaning up the debris of the world outside orbit. Most of the collapsed fragments have been pulled back to their original planes in the rewind of the dimension.
But there are still some traces that must be cleaned up.
Frankly speaking, this scene really looks like the murderers are rushing to clean up the scene after a murder.
At this time, facing Mason's meaningful question, the master was silent for a moment, first activated the data encryption he always carried with him to prevent the call from being eavesdropped, and then whispered:
"You saw it with your own eyes ?"
"No, I just returned from the other world and got some bad news from my companions."
Mason didn't hide anything. This was not the right time to be a riddler. In the howling wind of Miller Harbor, he said directly:
"My companion is in your hands. Is Kite Man still alive?"
"In the brig, Diana watched him herself."
The master answered very frankly:
"He didn't suffer much, although he resisted violently when Superman caught him and even tried to commit suicide by taking poison. I have to say, Charles Brown is very loyal to you, Mason. He wasn't so stubborn when he was under Zhou Ke'er.
What are you going to do next?
The master paused and asked:
"Escape? Or..."
"I already called you, Bruce."
Mason let out a long breath and said:
"And you owe me a favor."
"Humanity can't be used for things like this."
The master refused outright:
"I can guarantee that you and your companions will not be harmed, provided that you cooperate and come to the watchtower to 'live' for a while. Selina told me that you have some kind of taboo and cannot tell too much truth.
But I think we can always find a diplomatic way to get what we both need.”
"You know that's impossible!"
Mason was not ambiguous and refused directly:
"That means we will be exposed to 'them', that means we will become traitors and be targeted and hunted for a long time by an organization spanning countless worlds.
It's not that I don't trust your abilities.
I'd rather work with you than with them, but not now.
Let me get this straight, Bruce.
I'm calling you to confront you, not the Justice League or anyone else.
I trust you to keep a secret and fully understand why it is necessary, but I do not trust the people around you, even though they are outstanding defenders and fighters."
The young man coughed a few times and said:
"Selina should have told you that the Stars have many spies in this world. From the darkest perspective, I have to pessimistically regard all members of the Justice League except you as potential threats.
Bruce, I want Charles back safely!
In exchange, I will give you a 'personal' gift that will definitely please you and your friends and shut them up."
"It is indeed necessary to think very carefully. Perhaps we can meet."
After thinking for a long time, the master said:
"Having seen first-hand the trouble we face, I believe I can convince some credible people."
"No, I only trust you now, especially since you have destroyed a world with your own hands."
Mason shook his head and said:
"I don't know if this decision was made by you, but this action itself...it means that I must be vigilant to you."
"There are no living people in that world. We used various methods to detect it seven times before the operation ! We can ensure this. It is full of wandering zombies and there is no sign of life."
Batman emphasized:
"This action didn't hurt anybody, and you know, we had to do it."
"Your tone sounds like a child who has done something wrong and is making weak excuses, Bruce. You know that this is wrong."
Mason snorted and said:
"Perhaps you can convince yourself that this is a world infested with monsters and there is no need to save it, so you must do the right thing for the sake of your own world and people.
I can't find any fault with it, and I'm not a sanctimonious person.
But I have only one question for you.
You can destroy it this time, but what are you going to do next time?"
The captain of Team K said to the other end of the phone:
“Let’s assume that the next time you encounter a world that has also been hit by a pandemic, more than 99% of life has been wiped out and transformed into bloodthirsty monsters, with only 1% of the living remaining in shelters around the world.
Will you make the same choice when you no longer have enough time to find and rescue them?
You can use the same reasoning to convince yourself.
Your own world is obviously more important.
Then the next time, if that world still has 30% life left, and the next time, there will be 50% life left... I can go on and on, but I think you get my point.
Once path dependence is formed, it will lead to terrible consequences.
The first step in destroying the world is always the hardest, but once you've done it the first time, the second decision isn't that difficult.
It will make sense the third time, and you may even start looking forward to the fourth time.
I believe some of you will end up glorifying this destruction, especially when motivated by the noble cause that you have a whole world to protect.
Phew, you may think I'm just nitpicking about a necessary rescue and a great victory, but I'm here to tell you, that's not the case!
Bruce!
I just came back from a destroyed world.
Like you, I witnessed the destruction of two worlds, but unlike you who destroyed the zombie planet so easily, I saved the last 1% of the survivors of that world..."
Mason closed his eyes and said:
"There are less than 1 million people left there, and it's also a post-apocalyptic wasteland with zombies everywhere, which perfectly fits the most extreme situation I just described.
If it was this one that collided with our world this time, would you make a different decision? Which is more important, 7 billion people or 1 million people?
If we can feel at ease to vote for the majority, then one day in the future, when there is a world with more lives than us and we are faced with the difficult choice of having to die...
Can we face the outcome of self-sacrifice calmly? "
Mason paused, looked up at the starry sky again, and said:
"The choice of the All-Stars Society is to ignore it. They regard it as 'worthless' and discard it at will. The Justice League has just made a bad start, which means that you may become another 'All-Stars Society' one day in the future.
And Bruce, have you ever thought deeply about why the Stars Society would carry out large-scale "pollution" in the parallel world system?"
This question silenced the master.
He looked toward the dark stars outside the porthole, and could vaguely see the remains of some strange zombie creatures that were thrown into the debris of the stars after the world exploded, wandering aimlessly as space junk.
After nearly a minute of thinking , Batman replied in a hoarse voice:
"They want to make us feel more comfortable with such cruel decisions, to take the pressure off our decision-making so that we can realize that selfishness and salvation can coexist.
When all the survivors have blood on their hands, no one can hold up the moral archway with confidence.
If this is a competition, then they are making the rules of the game, extinguishing the spark of communication and plunging everyone into a dark forest of naked life and death.
They are creating a group of stars that speak with violence.
If they can stir up more divisions between good and evil while looking for partners, they will have an advantage when they enter the 'final round'.
This is a vicious ethical trap that we just stepped into.”
"You are the one who sees things clearly. I only realized this after being reminded by others."
Mason laughed and said:
"What they're doing is pushing an already bad situation into the worst possible zero-sum game, but I think there's another way to solve this problem besides the worlds that survive the impact beating the shit out of each other.
I haven't found a way to do it yet.
I don't even have an idea.
But I think we should give it a try, after all we still have some time.
I hope I can get your help in this process. Team K has come this far, and we will continue to lurk in that organization to find more truth and information.
I will host this process.
As for you.
I hope you can cooperate with us and cover up your identity.
I think there are opportunities in any crisis. For example, if this conflict is handled well, it can clear us of suspicion of betrayal.
After Team K's irreconcilable conflict with the most powerful group of guardians in this world, our advancement in the Star Society will only be smoother.
After all, they have never given up on infiltrating this dangerous Beyond Grade A country.
They need us.
Therefore, we who demonstrate just the right value will also be safe.
Give me the weak spot in the watchtower's defense system, Bruce, and you don't have to worry about what happens next."
"Fake or real?"
The master asked.
Mason shook his head and said:
"A fake one will be discovered no matter how well it's disguised, so this time we have to use real weapons! You don't have to go to the trouble of formulating a plan for us. Just let it go a little when a conflict really occurs, and don't really use the 'Anti-K Team Tactics' in your private database."
"Um."
The master nodded.
He looked at the dark sea of stars in front of him. After a few seconds of silence, he said:
"Mason, can I trust you?"
"I have no idea."
Mason said:
"But you can trust Selina. I will deliver your gift to Wayne Manor, which is a 'conqueror' from a violent organization that is a higher authority of the Star Order.
He must have many, many secrets in his mind.
I originally wanted to do it myself but for now I'll leave it to you. How much you can dig out depends on your ability.
In addition, I also have a 'communication representative' from a Class B world that is also resisting the tyranny of the Star Society. He represents a powerful civilization that has directly repelled the infiltration of the Star Society.
They are looking for collaborators, and it would be great if you could put them in touch.
You can also choose people you trust to slowly join our "secret agreement". I absolutely trust your prudence in this regard, but don't let them know too much for now.
After all, Clark Kent has a wife and children, Diana Prince has her tribe and mother, and even you, Bruce, you have your lover, family and children.
We all have weaknesses.
But now that we have come to this, I have to ask a question. "
The young man raised his eyebrows and said:
"In such a lively event, didn't the Dark Lord jump out to show his presence? You have dealt with him before, right?"
"The passage to Apokolips and even the entire fourth dimension was completely closed several years ago. Not only Darkseid, but other cosmic villains have disappeared without a trace."
The master whispered:
"They obviously don't intend to get involved in this, but that's a good thing. We really don't have the energy to deal with them in the current situation."
"Where's the Mobius chair?"
Mason narrowed his eyes and asked:
"Do you have that thing in your hands? Before you decided to destroy a world to save your own, didn't anyone suggest sitting on it to inquire about the truth of the universe?"
"Mason..."
The master looked back with intense fatigue.
He glanced at the futuristic chair behind him that was covered by a piece of magic silk and whispered:
"How do you think this cruel decision was made and agreed to by everyone? I asked it myself, and this is the advice it gave me. It said this was the only way."
"Well, that must be the wrong way you asked it."
Mason said:
"I don't believe that mutual destruction is the ultimate answer to everything. Maybe it's because you didn't ask the right question. Next time, it's my turn to try."
"Do you believe in miracles? Even after what you've seen?"
The master asked in a deep voice.
Mason did not answer immediately. After several seconds of silence, he said:
"Yes, Bruce, I believe in miracles."
He hung up the phone.
The moment he put his flip phone into his pocket, Mason said the second half of his unspoken sentence:
"After all, I am a miracle myself..."
He said this to himself and looked up at the sea of stars.
Those stars are shining.
It's like a gorgeous diamond embellishing a dark curtain filled with cruelty.
“No matter who sent me here, I believe their purpose is definitely not just to let me watch and record the collapse and destruction of an entire parallel world system.
This is a very difficult ‘assessment’.”
Mason let out a long breath. Under the deserted night sky of Miller Harbor, he put his hands in the pockets of his gray windbreaker, looked up at the starry sky and whispered:
"The answer is hidden under this starry sky, and my mission here is to find it. But this question is really too difficult..."
He lowered his head and took out a pack of Silka cigarettes prepared for Zha Kang from his bag. He popped out a cigarette and put it in his mouth. This action made the black Sorting Hat on his head unhappy.
Mr. Hat scolded:
"Hey, Mason, no smoking for minors!"
"Today is my 18th birthday. It just passed midnight two minutes ago. I am now an adult."
Mason rubbed out a ball of fire without even looking up.
As the first puff of smoke rose, he puffed out smoke like an experienced smoker and said:
"This has definitely been the worst birthday of my short life, and given the circumstances, I think you should be more lenient with me, Mr. Hat.
Just because I captured a conqueror you hate so much with my own hands.
You should probably..."
"Beep Beep"
Before he could finish his words, the phone in his pocket vibrated twice.
Mason picked up the phone in surprise and opened the cover, and several messages popped up in succession.
There are those from Catwoman, from Nightwing, from Barbara and her father Gordon, and from Dr. Leslie and Harley Quinn.
The top text message came from my master far away in space, and their contents were surprisingly consistent.
"Happy birthday, Mason."
“Hmm…”
Mason curled his lips, threw the still ringing phone back into his pocket, raised his head again to look at the unchanged night sky, took a deep breath, threw the cigarette he had only taken a puff of on the ground and stomped it out.
He complained:
"Look at what these bastards are trying to do by being so sentimental. I almost cried... ah, I must be too hungry. Look, my saliva is pouring out of my eyes."
