Chapter 220: New Fear Unlocked Part 2

Mere moments after the stream of Superman lying in the rubble alongside the disfigured corpse of Green Lantern and the lifeless body of Kid Flash, many news stations rushed to terminate the hack into their networks.

Some were successful, and some weren't. Regardless, the same stream was making waves on numerous social media platforms, leading some to even shut down their entire service until the breach could be solved.

Within less than 30 minutes, the stream could no longer be found online, and numerous services were cut. However, it was too late, as many had already recorded the live stream and were sharing it on platforms with less strict regulations… or none at all.

The government quickly stepped in, attempting to claim that the live stream was nothing more than a deep fake, a cyber-terrorist attack aimed at creating panic in the hearts of people.

Some believed this, but most couldn't… that is, until an emergency press briefing was held, in which Superman, along with both Kid Flash and Green Lantern, appeared to address the public. The latter two were, of course, not the real Kid Flash and Green Lantern but Miss Martian and Martian Manhunter posing as the fallen heroes.

Why? To stop the massive spread of panic that had begun following the events.

Even Superman, whose physical injuries had mostly healed, supported the statements and assured the people of Metropolis that he was back, claiming that he and the League were hard at work trying to capture the remnants of the Human Supremacy group.

This joint effort by the League and the government caused a shift in perception. Those who believed the original video were now dismissed as conspiracy theorists.

The truth, however, was something the general public couldn't even fathom—a threat so large that the government and the League were forced to cooperate in forging a collective lie.

Behind the scenes, emotions ran far more intense…

*Boom!*

A loud impact resonated within the now-ruined S.T.A.R. Labs facility. Given the abruptness of the situation, Superman, Martian Manhunter, and Miss Martian had no choice but to address the public right outside the facility after the villains in the vicinity were captured, with those on the loose now being pursued by Hawkman and Hawkwoman.

However, as soon as the short press briefing ended, Superman and the others returned to the now heavily barricaded interior of the S.T.A.R. Labs facility, where the corpses of the real Green Lantern and Kid Flash remained sprawled in the rubble.

They had yet to be moved because, without Batman present, the only ones capable of collecting evidence samples and marking the scene were Robin and Barbara. Only then could the bodies be quickly covered and moved in secret.

As Robin stood there, looking upon the dead body of his ally and close friend, his eyes trembled in disbelief as he muttered, "How did this happen?"

The pain he felt was understandable. Barbara, who stood not far away, had already begun investigating Green Lantern's body, but even she looked incredibly shaken.

Having grown up in Gotham, the sight of a dead body, although disheartening, wasn't unusual. This, however, was something entirely different.

The sheer savagery and immense strength needed to leave a body in such a state made her heart tremble. She couldn't help but wonder: if she had been in Kid Flash's place, would she be the same?

Would her father have to learn such a heart-crushing, unfair truth and pretend it never happened?

These thoughts arose because Kid Flash was unmasked in the video, and his identity was already being explored. Even now, Martian Manhunter had left the scene to cover this aspect as well, posing as a surprised Wally West who knew nothing of what was happening.

To sell the deception, even his parents came forward, putting on what could only be described as the act of the century. Why? Because the pain they felt was indescribable, and yet they bore through it, clutching the fake Wally West before the cameras when deep inside, they knew their sweet boy had been taken from them—painfully so.

Had it not been for the fact that their family had a few generations of speedsters who understood the need to play such a role, they would've demanded justice. Sadly, they knew the risks involved in heroics, and their child was just an unfortunate case.

Back at the scene, however, Robin's emotions took over as he looked toward Superman and asked, "Who did this?"

Superman, who looked both angry and disheartened, hovered near Robin to offer some form of comfort, but Robin only cared to know the name of the perpetrator responsible for this atrocity.

Sadly, Superman didn't have the answer. He could only lower his head in regret and self-pity as he shook it in refusal. "I don't know… he… he was hidden behind a mask I couldn't see through. But I'll find him, and make him answer for this."

Robin felt no better after hearing Superman's words. In fact, at that moment, he felt they were nothing but lies, and he bluntly replied, "What makes you think you'll beat him next time if you already lost once?"

"Robin! That's enough!"

At this point, Aqualad stepped forward, standing by Robin's side and urging him to cease that line of thought. Superman looked at Robin with a complex gaze, unable to deny the accusation. He could only hover away as an immense guilt began to devour his heart.

The guilt that, had he been strong enough, Kid Flash might still be alive.

While emotions swirled and the people were fooled, the true instigator of the entire incident had already returned to his yacht and sailed into international waters. With such a heavy incident occurring on the mainland, the security in the waters had become incredibly lax and easy to slip through.

Within the grand interior of the yacht, Arias sat in the lounge area with Cheshire, while Raven had excused herself to meditate.

As the duo sat on separate cushioned seats, their gazes were fixed on the large screen mounted high on the opposite wall, watching as international news stations now covered what they were calling a "cyber-terrorist attack."

Arias couldn't help but smile at this while shaking his head.

"What an interesting story they've decided to use as a cover."

As Arias muttered those words aloud, a smirking Cheshire turned her gaze toward him. "Maybe we should go back and cut a few more down," she casually suggested. Whether she was serious or joking was always uncertain with her.

Regardless of her intent, Arias shook his head.

"No, for now, I'll let this event marinate a little longer. In the meantime, I need to set a very clear example elsewhere of what happens when someone tries to encroach on what's mine."

A curious and mischievous smile appeared on Cheshire's face when she heard Arias's words. She couldn't help but ask, "Oh? Who's the unlucky person?"

With a cold glint in his eyes, Arias responded, "Vandal Savage."