Chapter 198: The Trap!
Linda's Fury
Linda was true to her word. The moment Aunt Li took the dumplings out of the steamer, the girl appeared at the kitchen door. She was soaking wet, but it did nothing to diminish the look of triumphant swagger on her face.
Aunt Li complained, "Where have you been? Your clothes are wet. Go change immediately! It's cold; you'll catch a chill."
"I'm fine!"
The girl waved her hand dismissively, full of vigor. Since arriving on Earth, she hadn't known what it was like to be sick. She hopped to the steamer, grabbed a hot dumpling, and popped it into her mouth. Between bites, she asked,
"Where is Luke Shaw? I haven't seen him all day."
Aunt Li chuckled. "Young Master went out yesterday afternoon. I heard he had something to take care of and will be back in a few days."
"What, do you miss him?"
Aunt Li smiled knowingly. As an experienced elder, she could easily see the relationships in the house. Miss Ferris was here a few days ago, and the two girls had been subtly fighting for attention.
"Miss him my butt," Linda grumbled heavily. "I want to beat him up, but I don't know where he is."
"That bad guy runs off after scamming people. Can't even find his shadow."
"No, I have to find him."
The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. Why should he and that pretentious, two-faced, overly dramatic, completely wicked big-chested woman, Carol Ferris, be all lovey-dovey while I'm fighting some unknown alien on the beach in the cold wind, even getting smashed into the sea by a giant sword?
That's completely unfair!
"Luke Shaw, you bastard! This isn't over until you explain yourself!"
Linda finished her dumplings in two quick mouthfuls, shot up into the air, and disappeared into the night sky with a series of sonic booms.
Aunt Li: "..."
What kind of people does the Young Master attract? If she actually becomes part of the family, she'll tear the roof off the place.
Aunt Li thought for a moment, then took out her phone and sent a text message to Luke, telling him: Linda is very angry, and he'd better hide or risk being beaten into a pig's head.
The Ambush
After Sinestro left, Hal was restless.
He had absolute confidence in his Commander, but the girl's demonstrated strength was too horrifying—she was like the ultimate evolution of a 'Hulk Barbie'. It was genuinely difficult to say who would win between them.
The more Hal thought, the more uneasy he felt, sensing a major disaster was imminent.
Sure enough, the worst result materialized. Sinestro, covered in injuries, crashed down from the sky. His left arm was twisted into an unnatural shape, his right arm was swollen like a club, and his entire body was covered in wounds, as if he'd been pulled from a pool of blood.
"Are... are you alright?"
Sinestro spoke weakly, "Take me somewhere quiet. I need to recuperate."
Hal nodded quickly. He hid Sinestro in the bushes, then went to the nearest car rental and rented a van to drive him home.
Just as they reached the door, the unconscious Sinestro suddenly opened his eyes.
"Someone's inside!"
Hal jumped in surprise. He thought for a moment and tentatively called out, "Tom, is that you? Tom, are you in there?"
He called a few times, but no one answered. Just as Hal was considering turning away, the house door opened.
A mountainous shadow fell over them. It was an extremely tall and muscular middle-aged white man. His arms were thicker than Hal's neck, and his eyes were cold, devoid of any human emotion, like blades of ice that scraped unpleasantly against the skin.
"Who are you? Why are you in my house?" Hal's voice trembled slightly. He subtly gripped the Browning pistol on his belt with his left hand.
Adam ignored his small movement and turned back inside.
"Come in. The Young Master has been waiting for you for a long time."
Young Master?
The moment he heard those two words, Hal instinctively thought of Luke Shaw. He's the one in the room? He's looking for me? Why? Could it be...
He looked at the heavily injured Sinestro, feeling hesitant.
"Go in," Sinestro urged, forcing himself to stand. "I want to meet the Earthling they call Young Master Shaw."
Hal nodded and helped Sinestro into the room.
The bright light illuminated the dim living room. Sitting on the sofa in Hal's spot was a youth whose appearance was somewhat boyish, yet whose demeanor was remarkably composed.
The youth looked about seventeen or eighteen and had eyes of a light green, distinct from ordinary people.
A subtle, pervasive sense of pressure filled the room, making Sinestro distinctly uncomfortable. His brow furrowed. His eyes fixed on Luke, and after observing him for a long time, he spoke gravely,
"You are Luke Shaw, the one who took Hal's Ring."
Luke nodded slightly, acknowledging the statement and greeting them simultaneously.
Hal warned, "What are you doing at my house? You're not welcome here."
Luke smiled, ignoring him, and turned his gaze to the forcibly stern Sinestro. After a few seconds, he shook his head.
"Linda was soft-hearted, or you wouldn't have made it back at all."
At these words, Sinestro's body froze, and his jaw twitched uncontrollably.
"This trap was arranged by you."
Luke extended a finger and shook it gently. "You shouldn't put it that way. I merely took a precaution. I didn't expect you to actually take the bait. So, ultimately, it's still your problem. By the way, I haven't asked your name yet."
"Sinestro!"
"I thought so. You are Sinestro."
Luke looked him up and down, his eyes filled with curiosity. This was the popular DC comic book villain, second only to the Joker and Lex Luthor—Hal Jordan's lifelong adversary, a powerful warrior who would fight and clash with him until old age.
However, based on his current performance, he was underwhelming.
"Mr. Sinestro, Vice President Dick Cheney informed me this afternoon that you had extracted my name from him. To avoid unnecessary casualties, I arranged this meeting."
"It was sudden, perhaps a bit abrupt, but the outcome is favorable."
"Now, we can talk. What business does the Commander of the Green Lantern Corps have with me?"
Sinestro was surprised. "You know about the Green Lantern Corps?"
Luke's expression immediately darkened. "Don't speak to me with that arrogant tone reserved for communicating with indigenous peoples of a lesser civilization. I might be compelled to eliminate you."
Sinestro stiffened, silent for a few seconds. He then spoke slowly.
"It seems you know a great deal."
"The Green Lantern Corps is hardly an obscure entity; there's nothing surprising about knowing it. However, I find it strange that the Corps' mission is guardianship, possessing noble attributes like kindness, justice, courage, order, and peace, and is firmly on the side of good, preventing all evil. Yet, you, the Corps Commander, massacred the Fourth Mechanized Infantry Division, causing the brutal deaths of over a hundred soldiers, and kidnapped Vice President Dick Cheney to force my name out of him."
"Do the Guardians of the Universe not care about your actions? Or has the nature of the Corps changed, no longer protecting justice but turning to evil?"
At those words, Hal and Sinestro's faces changed simultaneously.
🗒️NOTE:
Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MistaQuartz
Explore up to 20 chapters in advance!