Skull Gang
Some people are born different from others, and Albert Michaels was one of them.
He was born with an intelligence far beyond that of others, which allowed him to easily enter college. After graduating, he joined the most prestigious laboratory in the entire Metropolis - the Star Labs Metropolis branch.
Just when Albert thought his life would be smooth sailing, and he might even win the Nobel Prize, something unexpected happened.
Albert contracted a mysterious illness that modern medicine couldn't cure.
Initially, Albert wasn't too concerned, as he believed there was nothing science couldn't solve. However, as time passed, his mind gradually succumbed to the torment caused by the disease.
Due to the illness, Albert also began experiencing symptoms similar to Alzheimer's disease, and the intellectual brilliance that once defined him began slipping away.
Even his hope in Star Labs had vanished, as he believed those hypocrites were afraid his talent would outshine theirs.
Filled with anger at what he considered a "betrayal," Albert Michaels contacted the Skull Gang.
Fate didn't push Albert off a cliff all at once; instead, it sent a pack of wolves to corner him, forcing him to make a choice.
He had only two options before him: to wait for death or to contact the Skull Gang, which might have the means to cure him.
Albert chose the latter. At this point, he desperately wanted to live and was willing to sell his soul to the devil if necessary.
"Mr. Simon Pons, please, save me," Albert pleaded, and due to the illness, he even had saliva dribbling from the corner of his mouth, making him appear quite pitiful.
Looking at the pitiable Albert, Simon Pons had other ideas in mind. He maintained his friendly demeanor as he replied, "My dear Albert, of course, we will help you. But before that, you might need a little rest."
"What?" Albert was puzzled.
However, before he could react, the seductive woman in a red dress, Alyssa Damalis, injected him with a special sedative.
This sedative ensured that Albert's body couldn't move, but it kept his mind alert during the procedure.
"This is just a mild sedative before the surgery, Mr. Albert," Simon Pons said politely.
Observing the bewildered Albert, Simon Pons gestured, and a few gang members brought in an operating table. They untied Albert and placed him on the table, securing his hands, feet, and waist with heavy shackles.
These shackles were incredibly sturdy, and even an ordinary cutting tool would produce nothing more than a few insignificant sparks when attempting to cut them.
"Now, it's up to you, Dr. Cheston," Simon Pons said to the old man with a hunched back standing beside him, rubbing his hands together as if eagerly anticipating what he was about to do. He grinned and said, "Understood, Mr. Simon. I'll take good care of our guest."
With that, Dr. Cheston, along with a few gang members pushing the operating table, left the room.
Where they were taking Albert remained known only to them.
Poor Albert had no idea what the gang intended to do with him and was still hopeful of recovery.
Watching the departing figures, the seductive woman, Alyssa Damalis, took out a cigarette and lit it. A wisp of smoke filled the dimly lit room as she looked at Simon Pons with curiosity.
"How do you plan to modify him this time? He's such a promising specimen; we can't afford to waste him."
"Of course not," Simon Pons replied with a faint smile. "This guy has great potential. Unlike the previous ones who only attracted Superman's attention, he might bring us some surprises."
"I look forward to it," Alyssa exhaled a puff of smoke and, with her alluring figure, left the room.
The Arctic.
Deep within the Arctic region lay a vast snowfield, where endless blizzards deterred most unwanted visitors.
However, within this snowfield, there stood a building that was not of Earthly origin.
Gorgeous crystalline structures interwove to create a structure reminiscent of a pyramid, bathed in the starlight of the Arctic, making it look incredibly beautiful.
This was Superman's base on Earth, the Fortress of Solitude, constructed using the legacy left by Superman's home planet, Krypton.
The key to the Fortress of Solitude lay right at the entrance, and if you had the strength of over five hundred thousand tons, you could consider it your home.
Upon opening the doors, the first thing that greeted the eye was two large statues, those of Superman's biological parents, Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van.
Inside the Fortress of Solitude's laboratory, Superman was helping Jero test his limits.
"Your maximum strength while wearing the armor is approximately 1,150 tons, and your top speed exceeds the speed of sound. Also, your weapon, the 'Specter Ray,' can penetrate an aircraft carrier head-on. You also have high resistance; it can withstand temperatures of several thousand degrees."
Superman relayed all the data displayed in Kryptonian text on the supercomputer to Jero.
Listening to Superman's explanations, Jero gained a better understanding of his own abilities.
He knew he had a long way to go. Quietly, he thought about it and then proposed, "Let's test my limits without the armor."
"Sure, just follow the same process as before, Jero. Be prepared; we're starting soon."
Jero took off the armor and placed it aside. He walked up to the strength-testing machine, gathered his strength, and then punched with all his might.
"Two hundred and thirty tons, roughly one-fifth of your strength while wearing the armor. Now, let's test your speed."
Jero moved to the speed-testing machine. It generated a special force field that enveloped him, and he sprinted at full speed. To the naked eye, he appeared as a series of blurs.
After Jero had sprinted at full speed for five minutes, Superman shut off the speed-testing machine and said, "Your speed is stronger than your strength. You reached 0.5 Mach, which is considered subsonic."
Jero, who had come down from the speed-testing machine, was drenched in sweat. He took a deep breath, looked at Superman, and said, "But compared to you, I'm still too weak."
The Skull Gang is one of Superman's early adversaries, relatively less known, making them suitable as initial antagonists for the main character.
(End of this chapter