Chapter 308: A City in Ruins

After the battle with Doomsday was over, Superman didn't waste any time. He carried Zod's body into space and hurled it into the blazing sun.

This time, he wasn't taking any chances. God only knew what the government or those mad scientists might do with the remains. He wasn't just getting rid of Zod's body—he also intended to destroy the Kryptonian scout ship left behind by Zod.

Not that there was much left of it. Superman and Doomsday had fought inside that ship, and by now, it was nothing more than a wreck. Still uneasy, Superman took advantage of the moment and unleashed another blast of heat vision, ensuring that not a single trace of Kryptonian technology remained.

By the time everything was said and done, dawn had arrived.

"This is brutal… Metropolis suffered so much," Shin muttered, sitting in a restaurant and watching the chaos outside. Ambulances, firetrucks, and police swarmed the streets. The air was filled with the groans of the wounded and the sight of bodies being pulled from the rubble.

"If it weren't for these aliens…" Batman began.

Shin immediately cut him off. "Oh, please. Why don't you talk about all the city bureaucrats, mad scientists, capitalists, and power-hungry politicians first?"

Batman fell silent. Shin rolled his eyes.

"If you're so scared of aliens, your priority should be creating a defense plan against extraterrestrial threats—not wasting time scheming against Superman."

Still at a loss for words, Batman remained quiet. Maybe he was too frustrated to argue further, knowing he couldn't win this debate.

"Besides," Shin added, "even without aliens, there are already plenty of lunatics in this world trying to destroy it."

The restaurant was mostly empty, with only three people sitting together—Batman, Shin, and Wonder Woman.

Of course, Batman had removed his armor, revealing his true identity as Bruce Wayne. Meanwhile, Wonder Woman had changed into a more casual outfit, something that at least blended in.

Superman, however, was still out there, busy with rescue efforts.

While Shin and Batman bickered, Wonder Woman kept her head down, eating voraciously. The battle had taken a toll on her, and she needed food to help her recover.

Once she was done, she wiped her mouth and extended a hand toward Shin. "Wonder Woman. Diana."

Shin quickly reached out to shake her hand. "I don't have a flashy name. Just call me Shin."

Batman, realizing he had been left out of the introductions, finally spoke up. "Batman. Bruce Wayne."

Diana tilted her head slightly. "Bruce Wayne? Gotham's Bruce Wayne?"

Well, that was disappointing.

The fact that Batman wasn't as famous as his billionaire persona in this world was almost tragic.

"Yes," Bruce confirmed. "Bruce Wayne of Gotham. CEO of Wayne Enterprises."

"Oh." Diana nodded and said nothing more.

Clearly, she wasn't impressed by his wealth. And given his performance in the battle against Doomsday… well, was he even there?

On the other hand, Shin had saved her life, weakened Doomsday multiple times, and ultimately found a way to kill him. Compared to that, Bruce's contribution felt… minimal.

As they continued chatting, a red streak of light flashed across the room.

Superman had arrived.

"What's wrong? Done with disaster relief?" Shin asked in surprise.

Superman let out a long sigh. "I've finished. Everyone still alive has been pulled from the ruins."

The implication was clear—those still trapped beneath the rubble were beyond saving.

Shin exhaled sharply. Superman had worked fast—unbelievably fast. The devastation from this battle was on the scale of a massive earthquake. Hundreds of thousands of people had been affected.

Of course, that included those who had suffered financial losses. The actual death toll was likely around 100,000, while tens of thousands had been trapped under the wreckage.

And Superman had saved every single one of them within hours.

Despite this, there was no relief on his face.

"There weren't many survivors," Superman admitted grimly. "Most of them…"

Shin understood the unspoken words.

This wasn't Japan, where earthquake-resistant wooden houses and single-story buildings were common. This was a major city, full of high-rise buildings and skyscrapers. When a city like this collapsed, the survival rate plummeted.

"There were only about 8,000 people still alive," Superman continued, his voice tight with emotion. "And more than 4,000 of them will suffer permanent disabilities."

His fists clenched. "Damn Lex Luthor. That man is a lunatic."

"It's not just Lex Luthor," Bruce suddenly interjected. "People fear what they don't understand. Maybe it's your existence that scares them."

Superman's eyes narrowed, his gaze turning icy. "What are you saying, Bruce? That I should die to make them feel safer?"

Clearly, there was some lingering resentment.

Superman could take this kind of talk from others, but hearing it from Bruce? That stung. After all, just hours ago, Batman had nearly killed him in a battle over that very paranoia.

"I hate to say it," Shin interjected, "but Bruce has a point this time. You are too strong. It's not about personal feelings—it's just a fact."

Superman wasn't just powerful. He was outrageously powerful.

Super speed. Super strength. Invulnerability. Super hearing. Heat vision. Freeze breath. Enhanced intelligence.

If he wanted to, he could exterminate humanity in an instant. And there was nothing anyone could do to stop him.

His sheer existence was a planetary-level threat.

It wasn't about whether he was good or evil. No leader—no matter how wise or compassionate—would feel comfortable leaving the fate of an entire species in the hands of one person.

No responsible ruler would ignore that kind of danger and trust their survival solely to the morality of a single individual.

Of course, a competent leader wouldn't be reckless about it either. They wouldn't go out of their way to provoke Superman, nor would they openly work against him.

Instead, they would secretly prepare countermeasures—just in case.

...Wait a minute.

Wasn't that exactly what the comic book Batman did?

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