American comics farmer: start by adopting the villain savior.

Chapter 208.5 (Free Bonus Chapter) Lionel: A true man is born between heaven and earth; how can he remain subservient to others for long?
[I only realized I missed a section when I was reading the story today. It should have been between chapters 205 and 206, but I forgot to write it, haha. Just read it directly, this chapter is free.]

"Yes, I'll keep an eye on him."

See you tomorrow night, Uncle.

The echoes of Clark and Locke's communication lingered in the vast underground space through the sound system.

The light here is precisely calculated to illuminate only the necessary areas, and most of the space is now submerged in an almost ritualistic, deep blue shadow.

Lionel leaned back lazily in an executive chair.

An expensive suit jacket was casually open, and one hand tapped lightly on the armrest.

On the huge circular screen in front of him, the internal surveillance footage of the hotel suite was clearly displayed. Clark's relaxed expression when he put down the phone was captured perfectly by the high-definition camera.

“What a touching trust, Mr. 1.2.”

On a screen beside him, data streams surged like a waterfall, quickly coalescing into a green, bald phantom radiating an inorganic aura.

"Is this why you insist on retaining a part of your 'humanity'?" Brainiac's voice rang out directly, devoid of any emotional fluctuation, as if analyzing an interesting paradox. "Is it to maintain this advantage of trust gained based on emotional misjudgment?"

"Mr. 1.0".

Lionel turned gracefully to face the green phantom and said casually:
"Divinity certainly represents perfection and efficiency, but the other side of perfection is the incomprehensible and incalculable innate and beautiful 'flaws' of 'human nature'."

He spread his hands, pointing to Clark and Smallwell in the distance on the screen, "As long as I hold fast to the identity of 'Lionel'."

"Therefore, by retaining this part of my humanity, I always stand in the blind spot of their thinking, naturally maintaining a dual advantage in terms of information and psychology."

"This barrier, built on 'emotion,' is stronger than any shield."

Brainiac's phantom rippled slightly, as if dealing with a variable outside of this logic.

He remained silent for a few seconds before speaking again, his voice carrying the pragmatism of a doer:
"1.2, Do not forget our ultimate goal."

“I still believe that my ‘emergency evacuation protocol’ should be the primary proactive measure. We have successfully obtained valid cell samples from Doomsday.”

"The synthesis process of '1.5' has also been started, and the first stage of experimental green spore dispersal has been completed, ready to enter the recovery process at any time."

"If we stay here any longer, they will eventually find us by following the clues."

Lionel shrugged nonchalantly, his posture relaxed. "The temple is right beneath our feet. The entire metropolis is already a miniature model in our hands, ready to be packed up and taken away at any time."

“That’s where your shortsightedness lies, 1.0.” His gaze swept over the glowing dots on the control panel, representing the city’s energy, communications, and transportation lifelines, his tone laced with an almost arrogant confidence. “Now that we have such absolute control, we can attack or defend as we please…”

"Then what do we have to fear? Caution is a virtue, but excessive caution is cowardice, Mr. 1.0."

"..."

Brainiac's phantom fell silent once more.

When he was merging consciousness...
Is there a problem with the parameter settings?

Castrating Lionel's indecisiveness unexpectedly amplified... his blind confidence?
This desire for expansion is rarely even present in his ontological deduction model based on absolute rationality.

"Anyway"

Brainiac returned to the main topic, "Don't be careless, I'm going to do an in-depth analysis of Doomsday's genetic sequence next."

"If any major unforeseen event occurs afterward, please immediately detonate all the lurking spores globally to create the largest possible chaos."

"That man is too dangerous. Even Doomsday would be no match for him."

"Unless it's the real body, we have no chance of winning."

"1.2, you know, if he finds out the truth, neither you nor I will survive."

"That's why I suggested 'him' hire that bastard. That guy's selfishness is the best in the universe, but his sense of contract is also the best in the universe. Even when facing that man, I don't think he would abandon us."

"Just in case, you know."

"If anything goes wrong, please seize the opportunity to activate the Temple Engine, take Metropolis out of Earth's gravity, and head to the preset coordinates. I believe the main body will be satisfied with this unique 'gift' from a remote star system."

"What are you worried about, 1.0?"

"And you said a gift?"

Lionel chuckled softly, as if he had heard a funny joke. "I might have something even better."

He simply raised his hand gracefully and gently unscrewed the seemingly ordinary platinum ring on his left little finger.

Surprisingly, he casually picked up a tiny piece of almost invisible tissue from the inside of the ring with his thumb and forefinger.

He held the tiny sample up to his eyes as if admiring a work of art.

"Look, what is this?"

"?"

Brainiac's scanning beam focused on it. "This is... a biological tissue sample from that Kryptonian? When did you...?"

Lionel's face broke into a triumphant smile, his previous languor and mockery transforming into a sharp edge.

"With this unique 'key', Mr. 1.0."

He said in a low voice, "The doors we can open, the future we can weave... are perhaps far more numerous than we initially imagined."

However, Brainiac's green phantom only rippled slightly, and his cold voice immediately poured cold water on his 'gain': "Don't forget our core plan, 1.2. Our primary goal now is to successfully use Doomsday's cells to perfectly fuse our consciousness backup and create the ultimate biological weapon—'1.5-Dr. Doomsday'."

"This is the highest priority order from the main body to send our vanguard to infiltrate this area."

The data stream in the phantom flickered faster, emphasizing the absoluteness of the mission: "It's not just about synthesizing 1.5, but also about enhancing our power in the inevitable multiverse war in the future, and even more so about... the city in the 'Collection,' Krypton's last remaining treasure, Kandor."

"The city was perfectly preserved, except for the most crucial piece of the puzzle."

"The 'key' that can adapt to and unleash the ultimate potential of Kryptonian life forms. The spores of Doomsday, which constantly evolve, destroy, and regenerate in cycles, are this piece of the puzzle! With it, we can mass-produce absolutely loyal and ever-evolving 'Kryptonian Destroyer Legion' within Kandor! This is true strategic power!"

"Hehehe..."

Lionel let out a low laugh, seemingly not entirely convinced by the grand plan, but rather with a hint of mockery, "Everything will be there, 1.0."

"."

"In short, caution is the best policy."

Before Lionel could refute or tease him further, Brainiac's data phantom suddenly shrank, transforming into a streak of light and dissipating into the massive computer array.

Lionel, holding up the ring that bore Clark's DNA, continued to examine it closely under the light.

But dear 1.0, why do I always feel...

This piece of primitive cell in my hand comes from my 'nephew'
Perhaps its plasticity and future potential are no less than those of spores that are purely born for destruction?
now
This biological sample, from his nephew Clark Kent, was more dazzling than any gemstone in his eyes.

Perhaps this is just the beginning...

A more elegant and efficient road.

Creating warriors?
He understood that power is truth.

But honestly...

A cold yet clear voice echoed deep within his mind, carrying a hint of barely perceptible mockery.

When they were integrating consciousness and shaping his '1.2' version.

Their decision to retain a portion of humanity that was not completely 'castrated' was perhaps the biggest mistake of the entire plan.

His fingertips gently caressed the smooth surface of the ring, his eyes deep and unfathomable.

real…

His thoughts drifted to Locke, Lionel's stubborn old friend, whose unwavering yet calm eyes remained after repeatedly rejecting his grand plans.

What did Locke say at the time?

He used an ancient Eastern proverb as a refusal.

"A true man is born between heaven and earth; how can he remain subservient to others for long?"

At the time, he only felt that Locke knew quite a lot, and had one set of reasons after another for rejecting 'himself'.

But at this moment.
The ripples these words stirred within me at this moment were entirely different.

After all, they are different from 'gods'...

Humans are emotional beings.
There are greedy beasts, there are... ambitious kings!

This humanity, not completely stripped away, allowed him to understand and utilize Clark's trust, to appreciate the power behind Locke's stubbornness, and ignited in his heart a flame that Brainiac could never understand, would never allow, and could never discover a second time!
This is a desire that transcends the mundane and reaches for the stars!

I cannot be content to be just a 'vanguard' or a 'fragmented consciousness'.

even
He's a... collector's item mover!

He shifted his gaze from the ring to the core of the massive computer array.

It's as if you can see through the cold metal and data streams to the 'true form' that is far away in the universe, claiming to be an absolute god.

Brainiac…

You divided me here for your war, for your collection.

But who says...?

I, Lionel DOX, cannot…

To replace it?!
(End of this chapter)