Chapter 538: Amanda Waller Kneels
Luthor's Confidence
As Lex Luthor's secretary and bodyguard, Mercy naturally sided with him. Hearing his calculation, she couldn't help but worry.
"If they lose, what happens to us?"
"Don't worry."
Luthor pinched her chin, gave her a kiss, and returned to his desk.
"Schemes and deceit are merely tools to buy time. Power is the only factor that determines victory, and it is in my hands."
Mercy walked behind Luthor, her face flushed with shyness, and whispered in his ear,
"Whatever you do, I support you."
The Interrogation and The Kneeling
Luke, acting decisively and ruthlessly, used threats, bribes, and coercion—all unsavory methods—to swiftly deal with his opponents in the Senate, leaving only Anders left to target.
Subsequently, he and the disguised Apostle Eight (the new President Nash) arrived at a coffee shop in Washington.
Two guests were waiting: Sam Lane on the left and Defense Secretary Norman Gant on the right.
When Apostle Eight removed his hat and sunglasses, revealing the President's true face, both men were stunned.
"Mr. President, how... how are you here?"
As Sam Lane spoke, he glanced at the television, which was broadcasting an ongoing speech by Joel Nash. The man on TV should have been hundreds of miles away on the East Coast, yet here he was.
Sam Lane realized what had happened and couldn't help but say,
"Could it be..."
"That's right."
Luke sat down. "It took a great effort to rescue the real man."
Apostle Eight lowered his gaze, staring coldly ahead. The potent spiritual pressure washed over the two men, making them involuntarily shiver.
"Sam, Norman, you disappoint me. As high-ranking military officials, you couldn't distinguish between the real and the fake. I seriously question your competence."
The low tone, the sharp gaze, and the suffocating sense of pressure were identical to the original Joel Nash. This was no imposter. Sam Lane looked distraught, unsure how to explain himself. Norman Gant looked utterly bewildered, unable to grasp the situation.
What is going on? Why is the real President here?
"Alright, discuss your own matters."
With his objective mostly achieved, Luke saw no need to stay. He stood up and headed for the door. Just as he stepped outside, a black SUV pulled out and stopped in front of him. Amanda Waller, dressed in a black suit, stepped out, her eyes fiercely locked on him.
Luke curled his lips, his eyes showing a malicious intent.
"Kneel!"
Amanda Waller opened her mouth, her face etched with unwillingness, but she ultimately bent her knees and knelt on the snow-dusted street. The A.R.G.U.S. agents who followed her were completely stunned.
Why, why is the Boss kneeling to Luke Shaw? And in this public setting?
The situation was so unexpected that they didn't know how to react.
Luke sneered. "I took you for a smart person, but you're just an idiot. Did you really think that cooperating with Lex Luthor would be enough to take me down?"
He reached out and patted her dark cheek a few times. The slapping sound echoed, causing passersby to stare.
"Arrogant fool!"
After leaving that final remark, he turned and walked away.
"Give me one chance!"
Amanda looked up, yelling as if grasping a last straw,
"I will prove myself! I will find Lex Luthor! I'll help you find him!"
Her desperate voice echoed in the surroundings but received no reply. Amanda clenched her fists, her face a mask of bitter resentment. She was too weak, constantly limited, with absolutely no autonomy. She had thought she could use Lex Luthor's power to escape her cage, but in the end, she had been played like a fool.
Lex Luthor! Luke Shaw!
Amanda silently repeated the two names, etching them into her memory. She then used a lamppost to pull herself up and walked into the coffee shop, sitting on a chair near the door.
She needed to fight for one last chance.
An hour later, the conversation upstairs ended. The three men left together, not pausing for a second at the door, acting as if Amanda didn't exist.
Betrayal was the fastest path to gain. Amanda had previously betrayed the Vice President to secure her survival, then betrayed the demon Ghast to become Adam's confidante, and now she chose betrayal again.
Unfortunately, not every betrayal succeeds.
The Standoff and the Last Hope
With the military's support, Apostle Eight quickly took action, gaining control of Anders and obtaining the mind-control helmet from him. He then used the helmet to guide the clone President to a military base. Silently, the fake President and the real President swapped places.
Everything returned to the original status quo. The actions targeting Tesla and the Hongmen were revoked. The councilmen and high-ranking military officials who participated in the plot were either arrested or secretly executed.
Only two major issues remained: the Guard Corps and the Superman clone.
The Guard Corps Plan had been announced globally and could not be retracted, only suspended. As for the Superman clone, it was a Sword of Damocles hanging over their heads. No one knew when it might go rogue.
If the clone attacked the White House, the country would be finished.
To avoid the worst-case scenario, Apostle Eight chose to ignore the clone for now, and the military took no action.
The situation reached a stalemate. Luke used every resource he had to locate Lex Luthor, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't find a trace. The Arizona lab was just a decoy; it was empty.
Time passed in silence, and the tension escalated.
Luke had a feeling that Luthor was plotting something, and when he finished, the entire world would be shaken.
"We can't drag this out any longer."
Luke stood up and went to the lab to find J'onn J'onzz.
"Well? Still no news?"
The Martian Manhunter shook his head silently. "I've scanned every corner of the globe. I haven't heard Clark's voice. As for Lex Luthor, his psychic signature is unknown, so I can't filter him out."
"Why would that be?"
"Typically, there are two reasons for this: one, he's in a deep coma with no autonomous consciousness; two, death."
When he said the second reason, he lowered his voice, but Diana and Lois, who were standing nearby, still heard it.
"Impossible! Clark would never die!"
Lois insisted, her face firm. "He won't die. I believe in him. He absolutely won't die."
J'onn and Diana remained silent. Analyzing the facts, Lex Luthor was unlikely to have killed Superman, but accidents do happen.
Luke waved his hand.
"You two go outside for a minute. I need to talk to J'onn."
Diana said coldly, "How many things are you still hiding from us?"
Luke smirked.
"You're not my mother. Why should I tell you?"
Diana was left speechless.
Seeing the tension escalate, Lois quickly pulled Diana away. J'onn frowned.
"What's wrong with you two? You argue every time you meet."
Luke sneered. "That woman disapproves of my methods. Likewise, I don't care for a thousands-year-old hag."
BANG!
The sound of shattering glass came from outside.
J'onn's mouth twitched. He quickly changed the subject.
"What did you want to tell me?"
"I can significantly enhance your telepathic ability."
Luke stared at him, his expression exceptionally serious. "The risk is very high. If anything goes wrong, you will die."
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