As Diana was dragging him away, Su Ming turned his head and winked at Death Shooter, signaling for him to wait with the Suicide Squad in Diana's palace and not to wander around. There would be more things happening soon.
The two of them casually chose a large stone outside the palace to start their competition.
Of course, when it came to pure strength, Diana was still stronger than Su Ming, but after losing in arm wrestling, Su Ming won a round against Diana in archery shooting.
Su Ming only needed a witness and to ensure Diana's survival. Now stalling for time was a good decision; he had already decided to compete in all the Olympic events.
As the War God of Olympus, how could he not know all the Olympic events? This excuse was something Diana couldn't refuse.
"But why is she always flexing her muscles while seemingly unintentionally asking some questions? Could it really be an Amazon beauty trap?"
Su Ming began a long jump competition with Diana, but secretly he pondered. The beauty trap he wanted wasn't one filled with muscles and sweat!
However, Su Ming was sure to win the competition. After all, there were still math and physics Olympiad events to come...
.............
A few minutes before, Batman returned to his room, where Superman and Barry had almost completed Batman's request, assembling two aircrafts that could freely shrink.
"I'm exhausted..." Barry sat at the side eating pizza, his hair looking messy: "Bruce, what's your next plan?"
Batman quietly bypassed the two, and from the darkness behind him, Hawk Woman emerged. Bruce checked the aircraft with a stoic expression, ensuring every function was working properly.
"I will enter Clark's body."
"Cough cough..." Barry almost choked to death on his pizza; he thought he must be overworked, hearing Batman's coming-out announcement?
But then he saw Hawk Woman's wide-eyed surprise, with tongue out in disbelief, so he knew he didn't mishear.
Batman declared he wanted to enter Superman's body...
Barry didn't know what to do. Should he oppose it, or clap and congratulate?
Ron appeared from the air and gently landed: "Although I'm not sure what's happening with you guys, Bruce, Clark has a wife and kids..."
Mars Hunter was very disciplined; he wouldn't read his teammates' thoughts without consent, though he almost did earlier.
The speaking Mars Hunter subtly expressed his disapproval; he wasn't against men being with men but breaking up a family wasn't something superheroes should do.
Superman patted his own head; he understood what Batman intended but acknowledged the phrasing was problematic: "This segment should be scrubbed from the surveillance footage and added to the list of topics prohibited by the Justice League."
This mysterious list exists and includes a significant amount of heroic black history.
For example, Batman's breakup times, Barry's past lost in the Divine Speed, Sea King's usurpation by his wife, and Superman fighting Batman—among other things everyone wishes to forget.
Batman seemed oblivious and continued detailing his plan.
"I will pilot the shrunken aircraft, enter Clark's body, secure his brain, and destroy the mutated cells."
Barry shook his head: "Why not let me do it? This aircraft was built by me, and the Hall of Justice still needs you."
"No, your Divine Speed has been unstable lately. I don't wish you to fall into the Divine Speed Plane, and whether the White Dwarf Star's radiation will affect your body, none of us can be sure."
Batman promptly declined Barry's request.
Since entering the Totality's barrier requires great strength, only four people in the Justice League can accomplish this: Superman, Mars Hunter, Wonder Woman, and Sea King.
However, due to the mutation factor, continually eradicating the mutant cells is necessary to keep the host rational and alert, requiring those with self-healing ability.
And fitting this criterion are Superman and Mars Hunter.
Inspired by Deathstroke, Batman thought of shrinking his vehicle with the White Dwarf Star Device, entering a teammate's body, and physically blocking mutant cells outside the brain.
Once inside the Totality's barrier, all communication methods with the outside world would fail, including Ron's Psychic Ability.
Batman, as tactical commander, has to personally observe inside and decide what to do, piloting one of the two aircraft.
The other aircraft, he's decided to let Hawk Woman pilot. Barry has Divine Speed in his body, Steel Bone has a Mother Box, Diana and Arthur have Divine Power in their bodies—not secure.
Only Hawk Woman Kendra, aside from those high-tech wings, is entirely ordinary, just like Batman.
Ron, with Batman's permission, read his thoughts and explained them to everyone, and Barry and others understood.
Barry generally felt there was no problem, but always sensed something forgotten. Still, it's Batman's concern, isn't it?
...........
Hundreds of kilometers away from Washington, D.C., in Star City, a lonely man sat in his underground safe house, entirely green, holding a small chrysanthemum.
He muttered to himself while plucking the petals.
"The League forgot me... the League didn't... forget me... didn't forget..."
He suddenly shivered, plucked the last petal, and looked at the ceiling speechlessly, sighing deeply.
"Turns out they really did forget me..."
..........
Batman still has something to clarify; when we go out for action, we can't leave Deathstroke in the Hall of Justice, he's practically a ticking time bomb.
"The Otherworldly Deathstroke is with us."
"Yes, he's currently..." Ron checked through telepathy, "wrestling with Diana."
"Wait a minute, is this 'wrestling' in quotes or not?" Hawk Woman raised an eyebrow; having reincarnated countless times, she's used to making risqué jokes.
"I know what you're thinking, but unfortunately, their match completely adheres to the rules of sports competition, and the two are currently tied," Ron said expressionlessly to Hawk Woman.
"Tsk..." Hawk Woman exhaled in disappointment; she had planned to go spy on Diana.
Batman didn't care about those issues and turned to Barry: "You have a good relationship with Deathstroke, so I'll assign you another task for investigation."
"What?" Barry was always confused before an action; Batman never lets his teammates know what he knows unless it's necessary.
"When the Totality fell to Earth, Ron felt that there were a few mysterious regions on Earth that couldn't be probed. Use that as an excuse to hire Deathstroke to investigate one of these areas with you."
"What about the Suicide Squad?" Clark asked. He actually didn't dislike the Suicide Squad; quite the contrary, he felt they were on the path of redemption.
"They can stay here; Steel Bone and Mr. Zhuoyue can take good care of that team," Batman replied while walking toward the aircraft, entering the cockpit, and starting the radiation engine. He shrank the aircraft, and his voice continued to come through the Mind Network: "Only Deathstroke makes me uneasy."
Barry sighed. He couldn't understand why Bruce was so resistant to Deathstroke, especially since last time, thanks to him, they defeated Barbatos.
But at least there were signs of relationship improvement; Bruce was willing to spend money, and he could go on missions with Deathstroke again. That feeling of a guaranteed win was quite nostalgic; all he had to do was run errands.
Besides, Deathstroke wasn't as mystical as Batman; his plans were well-structured, and his jokes were funnier.
Mars Hunter absorbed Bruce's small plane into a syringe and injected it into Clark's skin. Bruce began traveling through Superman's blood vessels and lymph nodes to his brain.
"Barry, take Wonder Woman and Sea King; the destination this time is underwater."
Ron raised his hand to his temple and transmitted coordinates into Barry's brain, while Clark was preparing to inject Ron with Hawk Woman's aircraft, absorbed in another syringe.
"Got it, I'm heading out with them now."
With a flash of lightning, Barry disappeared from his spot.
....................
Returning to Diana's place, on the open ground outside the Divine Hall, the building materials that were once piled up had become debris through various competitions. Due to the wrestling match, the two of them were now panting and lying side by side on the ground.
After intense activity, lying on the cool ground was indeed a good feeling.
Actually, Su Ming wasn't tired at all; with infinite energy from the X Metal in him, how could he get tired? He was just pretending.
Diana was somewhat tired; she thought she was testing Deathstroke's strength, but she wasn't good at such cunning games, so her mental fatigue was real.
"Did you go to see my brother?" Both looked at the dark ceiling of the cave, and Diana suddenly asked this question.
Su Ming knew although she had many brothers, she was referring to the Fire God: "Mm, I went to update my weapons."
"He always prepares things for me that I won't use." Diana chuckled, shaking her head to regulate her breathing: "He even made me a giant wolf fang club and a double-bladed giant axe... How could I carry such things with me?"
"He's probably the only one you have a good relationship with in Olympus."
"And my sister, Athena, but she's mysterious and rarely appears in the human world." Diana let out a slight bitter smile and sat up: "In fact, I don't want any godly identity, I just want to be Diana from Paradise Island, you know?"
Su Ming indeed understood; she had no fondness for Zeus and didn't want to be a queen. When her mother, Hippolyte, was still alive, she had a home, but now, she only had the Justice League.
He got up from the ground, rearming himself by strapping the great sword and rifle on his back: "I understand what you mean; you just want to be a pure warrior, like me."
Diana laughed and slapped him: "I'm still Wonder Woman of the Justice League, and a warrior is a profession born to protect, but fighting for money isn't pure."
"It's not just for money; it's to make myself stronger, to fight to the end, and go further."
"Oh, Slade, about the last time..." Diana slapped the dust off her arms, stood up, and reattached her gear: "I should thank you."
Su Ming put on the helmet and drew the Godslayer, turning it into dual swords: "Haha, you're more grateful than Bruce."
Diana rolled her eyes, drew her sword and shield, and started sparring with Su Ming: "He's just... not good at expressing himself."
"Ha, dueling just to make me laugh, you're turning bad." Su Ming parried Diana's attack with one sword, while the other aimed for her waist: "He even knew himself that he had issues, preparing backup plans for if he goes mad; now, are you trying to make me laugh to death and then win?"
Diana blocked Su Ming's attack with her shield, her face flushed red; she wouldn't use such unfair means to win.
"No, sigh, I don't even know how to say it, watch my sword!"
Su Ming secretly smiled; Diana was still the same, quicker to act than to think. Since that was the case, let's continue fighting.
But considering the noise just now, someone from the Justice League might come to check?
In the small field, sword sparks flew, bursts of light shooting out occasionally, illuminating the yellow-black and gold-red armor.