Multiverse: Deathstroke

Chapter 100: Ch.99 Annoying Flies

Su Ming sprinted along the mountain path towards the summit. Neatly arranged stone steps were flanked by green grass and blooming flowers, with a stream flowing nearby, presenting a peaceful scene.

Birds peeked out from the trees, chirping melodiously as always, singing praises of sunlight and life, despite the sky above now being dark and foreboding.

This was no time for sightseeing. Su Ming knew that losing control earlier had wasted precious time, and he needed to make up for it.

Taking large strides, he rushed straight into the palace. The guards seemed to have received instructions and did not stop him.

The throne room was in session, with Diana standing on a high platform, discussing matters with those below. Barry stood not far behind her, looking visibly uncomfortable.

Diana was conferring with the Amazon Council, a group of elderly women dressed in cloaks. She held them in high regard, believing that their experience and wisdom could aid in the continuation of the Amazons.

But Su Ming didn't see it that way. These women, who should have been long buried, loved to flaunt their seniority and were notoriously out of touch.

It was evident from Barry's expression that Diana was once again being troubled by them.

Su Ming tread lightly as he moved closer, eavesdropping on their argument.

"Your Majesty, men should not exist on Themyscira. Please expel them," a cloaked woman at the forefront demanded loudly.

"No, they are my comrades," Diana shook her head and sat weakly on the throne. She was a master of combat but politics made her head spin.

"This is our tradition! Besides them, the Amazon men who originally lived on the island should have been expelled long ago," the cloaked women showed their true colors, revealing their intentions. A group of them gathered together, echoing each other's sentiments.

It turned out their goal was to expel the Amazon men on the island. These men had previously been working with Hephaestus in forging. When the Firstborn, 'First of the Gods,' attacked Themyscira, Hephaestus had them return to the island to aid their kin.

They helped the women fend off the Firstborn's forces, and Diana had allowed them to live on the island afterward.

But their peaceful days didn't last long. While Diana was away on a mission with the Justice League, a small group on the island rioted, attacking the men's camp and killing them.

When Diana returned, only a few hundred men had survived by escaping into the forest.

Even after quelling the rebellion, the men were still terrified, now living in hiding deep within the woods.

It seemed the council hadn't given up and still intended to drive them out.

If Diana was willing to pay, Su Ming wouldn't mind secretly getting rid of these gossips for her, but without compensation, he couldn't care less about Diana's problems.

He walked straight through the crowd and stood before Diana as if no one else existed.

"It's time for us to leave and proceed with the next step of the plan."

"Yes, yes, leave our island, disgusting man!" the cloaked women immediately shouted with glee, looking pleased.

Su Ming sighed. The entire Earth -11 was like this. He thought he was used to it, but these extreme feminists were still really annoying.

He spun around and punched the nearest councilwoman. Caught off guard, she flew back like a sack, half her teeth knocked out. In mid-air, he saw bloody spittle splattering.

Su Ming drew the God Killer, the curved blade instantly filling him with boundless killing intent.

"Superman has been to Themyscira, yet you didn't dare expel him." Su Ming advanced step by step toward the fallen woman, the crowd instinctively parting. The murderous aura around him was so dense it seemed almost tangible. Just looking at him could tear at one's spirit. "He doesn't kill, but you fear him. I've killed thousands, tens of thousands. Who gave you the courage to shout at me?"

"Barry, we need to leave now," Diana, sensing the situation turning dire, quickly instructed Barry. She knew the council was provoking him, but the speed at which Deathstroke flipped out was frightening.

Barry rushed over, grabbing Su Ming's arm. "Let's call it a day. We have more important things to do. After all, this is Diana's home."

Su Ming nodded. If he truly wanted to kill them earlier, he wouldn't have used his fist. But they needed a lesson, just so they wouldn't be annoying like flies.

The world's crisis wasn't over yet, and here they were bickering over trivial matters, seeing it made his blood boil.

"Let's go. Take me and the Amazon to Coast City."

Su Ming sheathed his sword. With a flash of lightning, the three disappeared from the throne room, leaving behind a group of silent cloaked figures.

In the Speed Force dimension, Barry was carrying Diana and Su Ming, sprinting. The scenery around them blurred into streaks of light.

"Are you okay with your injuries?" Diana asked apologetically. After all, it was Su Ming's plan that defeated the Merciless. She instinctively brought him back to Themyscira to heal, not expecting the council to make a fuss.

"No problem, I've recovered about sixty percent of my combat strength. Dealing with the Dawnbreaker will require strategy, so my physical condition isn't crucial." Su Ming, holding onto Barry's shoulder, spoke with his face hidden behind the helmet.

Barry interjected, "By the way, your tactics earlier were crazy. Using yourself as bait to take down the Merciless together. Are you sure you wouldn't have died?"

Su Ming didn't feel particularly proud. If not for Diana and Barry's presence, or the extensive preparations made beforehand, the tactic wouldn't have worked.

With all the planning and meticulous execution, it was still a localized three-on-one. Victory was inevitable, nothing to be excited about.

"The tactic comes from Batman's Agamemnon Contingency."

"Uh, we all know that's Batman's backup plan against the Justice League. He always likes to be prepared..." Barry exhaled, shaking his head.

"That's right. Even the Kryptonite to deal with Superman was found by Clark himself." Su Ming replied calmly, though his mouth was still filled with the taste of blood and his chest burned like fire. "If it weren't for the tactical objective, I'd never talk so much crap during a fight."

The Agamemnon Contingency was Batman's plan for countering the Justice League in case they ever went rogue. It was a comprehensive strategy, with a detailed plan for defeating each member.

For example, making Wonder Woman trapped in an endless battle against hallucinations, hypnotizing Green Lantern to believe he's blind, or burning the Martian Manhunter's skin.

But the harshest method was the one for dealing with Green Arrow. It was just one simple line: "Grab one of his arms." This meant Batman believed that in the Justice League, if anyone could grab one of Green Arrow's arms, he'd be utterly defeated.

Batman's contingency plan demonstrated what it meant to trust no one, including himself.

The plan even included a way to deal with him: insult his parents or kidnap his loved ones, which, reportedly, would distract him or make him lose his temper.

Su Ming had used it without hesitation.

"Alright, insulting the Merciless's parents was indeed a sound tactic. But you said such horrible things. I thought you were possessed by something nasty from Constantine's place..." Barry sighed helplessly. The Agamemnon Contingency had long been leaked and had been used by countless villains against the Justice League, causing them endless suffering. The plan even suggested breaking Barry's legs as a way to deal with him...

Su Ming patted him on the back, taking a deep breath, trying to get his newly healed lung to adapt faster. "Relax, my plans are at least as good as Bruce's."

Barry, hearing this, felt even more uneasy...

Diana nodded. She had seen the Dawnbreaker before. The ring had a "lights out" function, completely countering the Green Lanterns. Having a plan was definitely good.

Deathstroke's title as a master tactician was well-earned, and his battle with the Merciless had proven that he was even better at eliminating enemies than Batman.

All his plans aimed at completely annihilating his foes, even using himself as bait without hesitation, employing any underhanded trick necessary.

At least, none in the Justice League could insult someone's parents so fluently, changing the topic so creatively, and performing so shamelessly.

Diana even thought that if they had replaced Deathstroke with Bruce, they might still be tangled up with the Merciless right now.

Given the current state of the world, killing the Nightmares was the best option. Diana decided to follow Deathstroke's tactical arrangements for the time being.

At least until he did something truly despicable again, she would listen to him.