The dim corridor was silent—too silent. Lin Feng stood with his back against the wall, his breathing slow and deliberate. He knew from Clark's abilities that Superman's vision could not pierce lead. It was his only cover now.
Carefully, Lin Feng retrieved the compact tracker Bruce had slipped him earlier—a matte-black device with a green comm light, barely larger than a USB stick. He clicked the activation button, and the soft pulse of green illuminated his face.
He tapped out a short Morse sequence—three simple bursts.
Distress.
His fingers hovered over the communicator for a heartbeat longer, then he quickly powered it down. Any prolonged signal risked being picked up by Clark's acute hearing. Even now, Lin Feng wasn't sure if Superman had already sensed him. With Barry Allen immobilized and unable to speak, and with Da Chao's corrupted form lurking somewhere nearby, Lin Feng had little choice but to rely on Bruce receiving the signal.
All he could do now was wait—and pray.
Somewhere far from the looming danger, inside the secure walls of the Batcave, a soft ping echoed from Bruce's gauntlet. His sharp eyes caught the blinking signal—a coded SOS. He rose from the long steel table where maps, schematics, and energy readings were scattered like a chaotic war room. Around him, the Justice League sat in tense focus, their plates half-eaten and their drinks forgotten.
"Lin's signal just came through," Bruce said, his tone cutting through the room like a blade.
The conversation paused. Everyone turned toward him.
After gathering all the relevant intel once more, Bruce stood and activated a holographic projection of their current battle plan. The image showed three glowing boxes rotating mid-air—the Mother Boxes—and a series of contingency paths branching outward like arteries. A red marker indicated Barry's last known location.
"We need the last Mother Box," Bruce began, his voice calm but intense. "Now that Lin Feng has joined us, we have a much better shot at keeping it out of enemy hands. But there's more—if we want to stop this threat for good, we need to take control of Clark."
Diana crossed her arms. "Without killing him."
"Exactly," Bruce said with a nod. "I've designed a prototype—a set of kryptonite handcuffs. They're non-lethal, meant to restrain him just long enough for us to regain control of the situation."
He tapped the table, and a render of the cuffs rotated into view. Next to it, a glowing green dagger materialized. "If Steppenwolf wants the final Mother Box, he'll have to come to us. We let him. We prepare traps. We bait him out and force his hand."
Arthur grinned. "So we're luring a rabid wolf into a den of lions. I like it."
Bruce's expression remained unreadable. "It's high-risk. We'll need all hands on deck."
Everyone nodded.
Bruce's gaze shifted to Lin Feng.
Of all those seated at the table, only Lin was an unknown variable—foreign to this universe, yet wielding power on par with, if not beyond, Superman himself. The fate of their counteroffensive rested heavily on his shoulders.
Lin gave a calm nod. "I have no problem with the plan."
Bruce nodded in turn. "Good. Victor, you and I will finish assembling the kryptonite weapons. Once that's done, we move immediately to extract Barry."
"You three," he gestured to Lin Feng, Diana, and Arthur, "rest up. We'll need you at full strength."
As Bruce and Victor descended into the tech wing of the Batcave, the cavernous main chamber fell into a strange quiet. The ambiance was almost eerie—dim lighting reflecting off polished surfaces, the hum of distant machinery echoing in the background. The war room had turned into a waiting room.
Diana glanced at Lin Feng, trying to break the tension. "Lin Feng," she said gently, "are you… actually Kryptonian?"
Lin turned toward her, amused. "That's a complicated question. Strictly speaking, yes—I do have Kryptonian blood. But I'm not from this universe."
"Wait, so you're like Clark?" Arthur leaned forward with sudden interest.
"In terms of power? Pretty close. I understand everything Clark is capable of. But our origins are different," Lin said, pausing before adding with a smile, "I've just had fewer angry god battles in cornfields."
Diana laughed lightly, the tension easing just a bit. "I only ask because Clark was supposed to be the last Kryptonian. If he finds out you exist… he may feel less alone."
Lin's expression softened. "In this universe, that's probably still true. But where I come from—another world entirely—there was someone else. A woman named Kara Zor-El. You'd call her Supergirl."
"Superwoman?" Arthur's interest visibly doubled. "Is she, uh… strong?"
Lin gave him a sideways glance and tactically took a half-step back. "You already have Mera, don't you? Aren't you supposed to be the 'King of the Seas'?"
Diana shook her head with an exasperated sigh. "Arthur…"
"Hey, just asking," he said, raising his hands defensively. "You brought up Superwoman."
"She is strong," Lin said. "And yeah… she's beautiful too."
"But unlike Clark, Kara's not quite as powerful. At least not yet."
Arthur whistled low. "Man, your universe sounds crowded with capes."
Lin chuckled. "You have no idea."
Diana tilted her head thoughtfully. "And you? You're the only one of your kind in our universe?"
Lin Feng nodded. "Seems that way."
"That must be… lonely."
The moment she said it, her eyes softened with sympathy. Lin scratched his head, mildly uncomfortable. "It's not so bad. I've got… friends. A few."
"How did you get here then?" Arthur asked. "You mentioned something about the planet calling you?"
Lin looked away for a moment, as if trying to find the right metaphor. "It's complicated. But… imagine this world—your Earth—realizing it's in danger. And somehow, it calls out beyond space, beyond dimensions. I heard that call. So I came."
Diana and Arthur exchanged a glance but didn't press further. Every hero had their mysteries.
"Thanks for trusting us with that," Diana said, offering him a respectful nod.
Just then, the heavy steel door hissed open. Bruce stepped through, his armored boots echoing against the floor.
"It's time," he said firmly. "The aircraft is prepped. Barry's location is confirmed. Let's move."
—
The League assembled swiftly, boarding the batwing. Its sleek, matte-black design cut across the sky like a silent predator. Inside the cargo bay, Bruce handed Diana a small lead box.
"These are your kryptonite tools," he said, voice low. "Handcuffs and a dagger. Use them only if necessary—and only to subdue Clark. We're not here to kill him."
Diana nodded, her face somber.
Bruce added, "Victor has a few kryptonite bullets integrated into his weapon system. Strictly as a failsafe."
As the others prepared, Lin Feng leaned over, curiosity gleaming in his eyes. "Can I see them?"
Diana blinked. "Lin, are you sure? Kryptonite affects Kryptonians, and you said—"
"I'm not sure if it affects me the same way. My universe never had kryptonite. I want to test it… just to be sure."
Bruce eyed him with a mix of caution and scientific intrigue. After a moment's pause, he nodded. "Let him."
Diana hesitated, then opened the lead box carefully. "Stay alert. If it starts affecting you, say something immediately."
Inside the box, nestled in foam, were a pair of green-glowing cuffs and a short blade, crystalline and sharp. Lin leaned closer, and the moment the glow touched his skin, he winced.
Fatigue washed over him—like invisible weights suddenly hung from his limbs. His blood felt hotter, rushing strangely through his veins. A wave of dizziness brushed against him, but he didn't fall. He didn't collapse like Clark would have.
"Interesting…" he murmured, reaching down and lifting the cuffs.
Diana's eyes widened. "Lin—!"
"I'm okay," he said, his voice strained. "It's… unpleasant, sure. My strength is reduced by maybe thirty, forty percent? But I'm still standing."
Bruce looked astonished. "You're resistant?"
"Not immune," Lin corrected. "But it's tolerable."
He placed the cuffs back into the lead box, and the moment it shut, the draining sensation vanished. Lin rolled his shoulders, testing his recovery. "Yep. Back to normal."
Bruce stepped closer, deep in thought. "So the kryptonite isn't as effective against you… That's either very good news—or very bad news."
Diana glanced at Lin. "Maybe it's because you're from another universe."
"Or maybe his physiology's just different," Bruce added. "Still… it's a strategic advantage."
Lin smirked. "Guess that makes me the wildcard."
Bruce looked toward the cockpit. "We're nearing the drop zone. Everyone ready?"
The team nodded, and the engines hummed louder.
Outside the window, the lights of the city gave way to the shadows of war.
Barry was waiting.
And Clark… might already be listening.
---
To be continued...
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