"Still haven't learned to fly yet?" Wonder Woman asked.
By the time Wonder Woman had destroyed all the satellites, Clark was still bathed in the yellow light of the sun in outer space. Yet, despite this, he couldn't even fly, let alone show any signs of developing his other Kryptonian powers.
"It seems the Kryptonian bloodline isn't so straightforward, or perhaps it's because of you, that Superman's speed of becoming stronger isn't as fast as young Jonathan's," Wonder Woman mused.
She didn't fully understand the secrets of Kryptonian bodies, but she knew they had no time to waste. A week was enough for the superheroes to effectively cripple the internet on Earth.
"It's time to go back." Wonder Woman pulled Clark back to Earth, bringing him to the Fortress of Solitude, which Superman had transformed from a Kryptonian spaceship.
New Arrivals at the Fortress
By now, several new heroes had gathered. Among the lesser-known were Hawkman and Hawkgirl. More famously, Martian Manhunter, a member of the Justice League, was present, as was Lex Luthor, Superman's archenemy. In this global crisis, Lex had put aside his long-standing conflict with Superman, responding to his call for aid.
As Wonder Woman and Clark entered the Fortress of Solitude, they overheard Lex addressing Superman.
"Superman, you need to understand that while this virus spread through the internet and infected most people instantly, there are still many survivors. While the technology in your Fortress of Solitude fascinates me, it simply can't hold so many people. We need other safe places to house the survivors."
Superman nodded in agreement. The Fortress of Solitude wasn't massive. It worked as a base for superheroes, but it was impractical as a sanctuary for survivors.
Luthor's suggestion was precisely what was on his mind. He turned his gaze towards Gotham and said, "Gotham, that's Batman's territory. In a strange way, it might be the easiest area to manage during an outbreak."
Though Batman was a Justice League member and often surprised everyone with his brilliant strategies in battle, he was fundamentally just a normal human. The enemies he faced, even those with superpowers, weren't overwhelmingly powerful.
The heroes and villains of Gotham often engaged in battles of wits, which paradoxically made it one of the safest places now.
"Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy weren't infected, and they've taken out almost all the infected heroes and villains there."
Gotham was a chaotic place. Normally, if Superman entered, he'd have to worry about elaborate traps. But with its inhabitants mindless, even someone like Poison Ivy, who Superman wouldn't consider a major threat, could become an unstoppable force.
"Today's Gotham is controlled by Poison Ivy and has become a plant paradise. These plants have not only killed most of the infected but are also fending off any new ones trying to invade."
Poison Ivy's power depended on the surrounding plant life. With no human or legal restrictions, she had turned all of Gotham into her personal garden. In this state, if a battle were to break out in Gotham, even Wonder Woman would struggle to gain an advantage against Poison Ivy without a clear strategy.
"If we can convince Poison Ivy to take in the survivors, we can definitely protect most people."
"I'll go." At that moment, Damian and Green Arrow approached, having overheard the conversation between Superman and Luthor. Damian volunteered immediately. "Among everyone here, I probably know Poison Ivy best, so I should be the one to convince her."
A Risky Proposal
Superman instinctively wanted to refuse. In his eyes, Damian and young Jonathan were still children who shouldn't be put in danger until the adults had things under control. But Damian's reasoning was sound.
After Batman's death, none of the other heroes present had interacted with Poison Ivy, let alone understood her. Only Damian, who had once protected Gotham alongside Batman, was truly qualified for this mission.
"Okay, then Green Arrow and Black Canary will go with you. Make sure to prioritize your safety. Although I don't know Poison Ivy as well as you do, no one with access to Batman's database is truly safe."
Damian smiled at the concern in Superman's voice, replying with a half-joke, "Are you talking about yourself? In Dad's database, your information is ranked first."
Superman was momentarily stunned, then smiled. He wasn't angry or offended by Batman's constant vigilance. In fact, it was his own request. He had asked Batman to be prepared to take him down at any time, even providing the Kryptonite Batman possessed. "Really? That's Batman for you."
Time was critical. After making their decision, Damian, Green Arrow, and Black Canary immediately set off. However, it was clear that Gotham alone wouldn't be enough.
Though they hadn't conducted detailed research, they could sense that the infected seemed to know where living people were, finding them with unsettling accuracy, wanting to convert them too.
They didn't understand the mechanism, but given that the virus originated from the mysterious Anti-Life Equation, they simply had to accept it.
Expanding the Safe Zones
"Diana, you're back," Superman said, noticing Wonder Woman bringing Clark back to the Fortress of Solitude. He then seemed to have a sudden realization and turned to her.
"Diana, could you please communicate with Queen Hippolyta of Paradise Island? We need more, larger safe areas to accommodate the remaining human survivors."
Wonder Woman readily agreed. "Of course, no problem. I was just about to find time to bring Clark to Paradise Island for some proper training." In peacetime, if someone asked Wonder Woman to open Paradise Island to tourists, Diana would never agree.
But with the world on the brink of destruction, Paradise Island wouldn't stick to its ancient rule about men. When the situation called for adjustments, they had to be made.
"Thank you..."
Wonder Woman nodded and was about to take Clark, who hadn't even had a sip of water yet, to Paradise Island, but Superman spoke again. "You might need to stay on Paradise Island for a long time to protect the survivors there.
But before that, please make another trip. Black Adam's nation of Kahndaq is still intact. If possible, I hope you can convince him to take in more survivors so we can protect the Earth together."