The Justice League returned to the Hall of Justice, and Batman initiated all defensive measures while listening to the reports from Aquaman and Star Hero.
Fortunately, despite the battle between the Troublemaker and the bat spirit, which had affected this place numerous times, it was wiped away repeatedly but manifested again each time. Everyone just needed to check their bodies were fine.
Under the blessing of the Godspeed force, the meeting process was very quick. Maybe only Barry knew that it wasn't due to the help of the Godspeed force but because everyone basically said nothing.
Batman offered some suggestions, but all his plans for today were voted down.
Diana also suggested he have Mr. Zhuoyue or the Midnite Strange Doctor check him, as her intuition told her there was something off about Batman today.
Batman agreed, but after announcing the adjournment of the meeting, he disappeared with Can Luo into the corridor. No one knew where he went.
"Phew... What should we do?"
Barry sighed, asking Diana with some helplessness.
Diana bit her lip in thought, her beautiful brows furrowing: "The Hall of Justice might soon be surrounded by irrational crowds; we need to prepare in advance to relocate to Paradise Island or Poseidonis."
Arthur immediately generously patted his chest: "Come to Poseidonis. Many temples Barry previously built are still empty, with enough space for arrangements. Moreover, my city is surrounded by oceans on all sides, and we have a sufficient navy to protect the territorial waters."
Diana thought for a moment but shook her head: "When the alien sea gods attacked Earth, Poseidonis suffered great damage; both the city and the people are the same. It's better to go to Paradise Island; our barrier can hide it entirely."
The lights on the round table in the meeting room were very bright, and the metal surface gleamed brightly. She wanted to contact Deathstroke, but every X Metal in each person's hand had been taken away by Batman.
Barry lay powerlessly on the table: "I don't understand; the Justice League has done so much for the people, yet why are they starting to guard against us at the slightest agitation by Luthor? I also don't understand why Luthor is doing this. Isn't the Destruction Legion supposed to destroy the world?"
"People have always been wary of us." Hawk Woman indifferently played with her wings: "Superpower users equal freaks; I've heard this rhetoric for thousands of years."
Green Lantern Hero John rotated his ring, sitting quietly on the chair as he took over: "When the universe is about to be destroyed, people's hearts are filled with panic, anger, and confusion. They need an outlet for their emotions. Luthor pointed out the Justice League's mistakes, so we became the target of all."
Diana raised her head: "Things aren't as bad as they could be; at least the government still trusts us, thanks to our regular intelligence-sharing mechanism."
"The problem is that people haven't trusted the government since my era; conspiracy theories have always been the most marketable." Star Hero spread his hands, his long white hair forcibly slicked back: "I guess your era is the same."
"While ensuring our own safety, we must continue to uphold justice and protect the kind and vulnerable." With Batman and Superman absent, Diana became the decision-maker: "There are those driven mad by doomsday theories; anything is possible from them. While guarding against Luthor, we also need to continue our daily work."
Barry took a deep breath and nodded: "With Superman absent, Midtown and Metropolis are up to me; I'll have other members of the Lightning Clan handle Wedge Stone City and Hub City."
"I'll head to New York to find acquaintances and get them to lend a hand, to break free from their retired lives of gardening and fishing." Star Hero proactively raised this point, aware of the Justice League's manpower shortage, so he sought out the Justice Association, asking his old friends to come forth.
"Let's do that. Arthur, go contact your Water Squad, Dolphin Girl, Female Fox, anyone you can. John, help the Science Squad, do your best to contact every hero we can reach. I'll contact the Warlocks of the Magic Realm." Diana made the decision: "But Barry, you should check your physical condition first. You've just awoken not long ago."
Though there isn't a concrete plan yet, handling the potential global chaos first, ensuring order and social stability is most important.
Batman's previous plans were mostly centered around this point, but later he proposed something like keeping humanity in jars for preservation; this plan was evidently darker than the previous ones.
Barry nodded; truthfully, he still felt a bit nauseous, but as he turned to leave, he suddenly remembered something: "You can give Bo Bo a call. He should have a phone, although it might not necessarily get through, but at least we can try contacting Deathstroke."
...................
In the Oval Office, a certain president who had just woken up opened a bottle of cola, comfortably nestled behind the long desk, logged into Twitter on the computer.
Yesterday, he shuffled between various safehouses, and with the global internet outage, he was practically suffocating him.
Waking up today to find the network restored was indeed a great joy, the Secretary of State just said to give a national address about the Origin Wall issue.
Didn't understand it, so has his bill for building a wall at the United States-Mexico border passed?
People below even gave the wall a pretty good name, though when the bill was proposed, every layer of legislature was strongly opposed; now haven't they figured it out?
Those legislators are really mischievous.
So quickly, he sent a tweet to tell the nationwide people the good news: their president is back!
However, opening the computer and staring at the blinking cursor, he didn't know what content to post; he hesitated for a long time before typing a line.
"Drinking eight bottles of cola a day is beneficial to health."
Also attached were several photos of himself holding cola, making a V gesture, smiling perfectly.
Just as he was rubbing his hands waiting for others to like him, a sudden flash of red light passed through the office, and a group of people suddenly appeared in front of him.
The president almost spilled his cola, but upon recognizing the people before him as his biggest supporters, his chubby face beamed with a smile.
"Isn't this Luthor? How come you have time to visit the White House today? Haha, you came as you like but brought so many comedians with you. Red-skinned people and green-skinned people? Hmm, not bad. Also, where did you order those ape and leopard costumes? I'd like to get a set for Halloween."
He warmly stood up to welcome Luthor; every time as long as he satisfies this genius's small demand, a vast amount of funding helps him campaign, and also, some pocket money.
Luthor glanced at Grud and Cheetah beside him, then at Brainiac and Sinestro, and showed the President a sympathetic expression.
"Dear Mr. President, it seems you haven't been following my news, but don't worry, even Hell has Halloween."
After saying this, Luthor raised his hand and shot precisely at the President's forehead, causing the obese body to fall backward, spilling cola all over.
Bodyguards outside who heard the gunshot immediately rushed into the office, but Brainiac's mechanical octopus also burst in from the window, exterminating them almost effortlessly.
Luthor kicked the President's corpse aside and confidently sat in the President's seat, gently touching the desk as if he had sat here before.
Then, he skillfully pressed the intercom: "This is Luthor, send some people to clean up."
Soon, another team of special agents entered from outside. Cheetah bared her teeth, ready to tear them apart, but Luthor stopped her.
All of the President's confidants had just been killed, and everyone still alive in the White House were all Luthor's people.
Like Batman likes to have contingency plans, Luthor also prefers to plan ahead. Almost 90% of the White House's staff were his people.
Some were bribed with money or power, some were covertly replaced by death warriors, and others were simply disguised killing robots.
This was so that in necessary times, Luthor could immediately seize control of the White House, allowing him to manipulate the Congress and, in turn, control the United States.
These people silently dragged away the corpses of the President and bodyguards, quickly replaced the carpet, and then exited, closing the door.
"Sit anywhere, friends, feel like you're at home," Luthor smiled and nodded at the members of the Destruction Legion, then picked up the phone to contact the secretary: "Tell Amanda Waller from the Celestial Eye Association to come see the President, say that the President wants to discuss the matter of building a wall at the border with her."
"Okay, sir," the secretary's pleasant voice came from the opposite end.
After hanging up the phone, Luthor looked at Brainiac: "Know what to do next, right?"
"I understand."
"Good, let's begin."
..............
Amanda Waller was now visibly overwhelmed, as Batman had just rarely reached out to the Celestial Eye Association, talking about the Origin Wall and a series of news.
She had seen the news online and now had the Justice League's account, but she still argued with Batman over the phone.
To be exact, she cursed loudly, while Batman was either silent or firmly countering, refusing to take the bait no matter how much she swore.
"F*** you, Batman, go f*** yourself! Bang!"
Amanda hung up, leaving a mouthful of profanity, lingering with a sense of savoriness.
But after slamming the phone, she returned to a calm demeanor, the anger she showed throughout the call was merely a disguise, trying to lure Batman into revealing more truths and insider information, but it seemed she was seen through.
As for Earth's crisis, Amanda was naturally always keeping an eye on it, with the Suicide Squad and Electronic Assault Team constantly following up.
Things were indeed heading in an uncontrollable direction now.
Batman was right, she knew Luthor was no good, deceiving the masses but not her.
Except that Luthor always treated civilians like ants, unwilling to deal with 'fools', making his public show extremely unusual this time.
When did Luthor start using public opinion offensives and mass routes?
Before she could fully grasp it, a call from the secure line came. Though she guessed the President would seek her counsel, she never expected that at such a crucial moment, the dead fatty would inquire not about Luthor or cosmic destruction but about another wall....
Perhaps the term Origin Wall stimulated him, reminding him of his suspended border Great Wall plan.
But upon the President's summon, as the head of the intelligence agency, Amanda had no choice but to comply, this is Game of Thrones, always compelling people to do unwilling things.
..........
Traveling by special plane, Amanda quickly arrived in Washington from Detroit, directly landing on the lawn behind the White House, her bushy explosive hair blown like tumbleweed by the helicopter's rotor, and her chubby body hunched over as she ran across the lawn, really resembling rolling.
After going through security, Amanda walked towards the west side of the first floor where the President's office was.
The hallway was chaotic, filled with people moving swiftly, the noise was incessant, especially the rising and falling phone rings were like a death summon.
Amanda squeezed through the crowd, deciding to report Justice League to the President, hoping to bring Justice League under Celestial Eye Association's command at this critical time, to effectively curb the development of events.
The bodyguards outside the office seemed unfamiliar, but she didn't seem to notice, pushing the door open and walking in.