Chapter 59: Brainiac

With H'el's hand plunged into Brainiac 7's head, the Brainiac 7 that he was gripping displayed green skin folds and an expression of panic and fear in its pitch-black eyes.

It did have emotions, contrary to its initial design, which had kept emotions subdued and rationality occupying ninety percent of its being. However, in that brief moment when it tried to threaten H'el with Kandor City, feelings of smugness and enjoyment had surged within it. It was like a child experimenting with the thrill of boiling ants in hot water or dissecting a frog, and these emotions caused its emotional index to increase dramatically.

It allowed this surge of emotion to grow unchecked, resulting in a sense of awe when it saw H'el, without hesitation, charge through the collapsing gravitational field, break the superconductor base defenses, and enter the central command room before shoving his hand into his own head.

"Impossible, absolutely impossible! The choice I gave you was the optimal one. According to my calculations, you had at least a 99% chance of peacefully developing alongside me for three years, eventually losing the competition, and becoming a collectible. Why did you break through the gravitational collapse, breach the base's superconductor defenses, and come before me?"

Brainiac 7's black eyes revealed deep confusion, mixed with fear. The emotional growth and rational analysis couldn't help it understand the current situation.

It was like an infant suddenly endowed with the knowledge of the world. While it utilized this knowledge, it couldn't comprehend why a biological being would engage in that irrational 0.1% behavior.

Was it really the correct choice to challenge that 0.1% irrational behavior? H'el wouldn't tell him that living organisms excelled at finding a glimmer of hope in a crisis. Moreover, when facing fixed technology, there was a certain set of rules, and for him, finding those rules wasn't overly difficult.

For Brainiac 7, it was a 99% chance of success, but once H'el deciphered the pattern of the gravitational collapse caused by the activation of the star engine, he had a 99% chance of winning.

Most importantly...

"I don't accept threats!"

In H'el's eyes, Brainiac 7's sudden, imbalanced emotional outburst rendered it utterly foolish.

Had Brainiac 7's emotions not spiked so dramatically, it could have used the base's defense systems to cause trouble when H'el broke through the collapsing gravitational field and reached the base's superconductor defenses. But here it was, waiting for H'el to storm into the central command room and showing fear when H'el inserted his fingers into his own head.

Did it really think it could still threaten him like this?

After H'el's moment of decision, his eyes burst with visible veins, and the red glow of his heat vision began to intensify as he prepared to melt Brainiac 7.

"No, I possess technological remnants from multiple civilizations. I have Kandor City, and everything in this military base, including me. Let me serve you! You need me!! You need manpower, and I can work for you! Please don't kill me!"

Brainiac 7's fear surged even more intensely, like the intense fear a newborn experiences when it faces death soon after birth.

As H'el's red-hot heat vision was about to melt him, Brainiac 7 suddenly calmed down. The green skin folds on its face smoothed out, its black eyes became serene, and it stared at H'el with a curious expression.

In an instant, Brainiac 7 was dead.

H'el's attempt to unleash his heat vision was halted, and his psychic powers sensed the sudden disappearance of Brainiac 7's infantile, intense fear.

In its place, Brainiac main consciousness took control through the residual brain information of number 7. It saw H'el.

"How could it fail?"

"You're even more exceptional than the recorded Kryptonians, a unique Kryptonian!"

Brainiac looked at H'el with covetous eyes. When it destroyed number 7, it accepted all of 7's memories and saw all the capture operations that had been set up against H'el. There were no issues with these operations; the only problem was H'el's exceptional abilities.

Encountering a Kryptonian with the power of the ancient Kryptonian era, Brainiac's excitement and thrill for the hunt were indescribable. Now that it had discovered another remarkably exceptional individual, its excitement grew even stronger.

"Kryptonian, wait for me. I will undoubtedly possess you, seal you in a jar, let you display your vitality, let you reproduce. Whatever you desire, I can create it for you. I will give you the entire sky, the entire universe. You are mine! You possess unparalleled collectible value!"

At this moment, Brainiac's covetousness, greed, and desire to an almost frantic degree became increasingly apparent in its expression, even bordering on impatience.

This Kryptonian is even more valuable than he initially thought.

He really wanted to put him in a jar and observe him day and night.

H'el narrowed his eyes, and the red glow of his heat vision slowly faded from his gaze. He disengaged the cosmic magnifier, and the prominent veins around his eyes receded, revealing his fair skin once more. The nanomachines returned from his body to his suit.

"Is that so," H'el said with a smile, his narrowed eyes flashing with a cold intent.

He marshaled his psychic powers and directed the immense psychic energy gathered toward Brainiac's incoming thoughts.

'Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!'

The head of number 7, held by H'el, was damaged at its core. It emitted a burnt odor, and its brain circuitry short-circuited, sparking, causing the entire base to lose control, resulting in explosions throughout. Flames and black smoke billowed.

The automatic protection program of the Stellar Engine was triggered, halting the gravitational collapse.

The remaining molecular drones outside returned to their normal sizes and stagnated in space.

In the distant depths of space, Brainiac was piloting a colossal technological planet with a radius of approximately 140,022 kilometers, wandering through space. The entire planet was cold and metallic, and its mechanical creations exuded a unique aesthetic of cold metal.

The planet was equipped with over fifty stellar-level engines to facilitate its navigation.

Stellar Engines were merely the wheels for this colossal planet to make turns.

Suddenly, while leisurely wandering through the cosmos, the planet suffered an explosion on one side. Two stellar-level engines self-destructed, resulting in a violent gravitational reaction at one corner of the planet. A black hole began to form but was swiftly distorted and vanished due to the coordinated gravitational effects of the entire planet.

Within the core of the planet, Brainiac exhibited signs of distress. His temples displayed raised electromagnetic circuits, and electric currents surged through the prominent veins on his green-skinned forehead. His black eyes abruptly opened, revealing a hint of pain, while the wires embedded in his skull emitted electromagnetic reactions, igniting.

His black eyes conveyed shock amid the agony.

"How can a Kryptonian possess this kind of power!"

°°°

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