Although he decided to act, his main goal was to escape. It wasn't that Li Ang was afraid of fighting; currently, he was in a dangerous place with too little information about the enemy. Who knew what other superhuman gene mutants Cadmus was hiding? If he got too caught up in fighting and was trapped here, it wouldn't be worth it. So, the primary goal was to defeat this blue-skinned monster and then run. With that thought, Li Ang wasted no time and charged towards Desmond.
Even facing a monster much larger than himself, Li Ang showed no fear. The belligerent factors in his body were gradually becoming active, and the power contained within him was continuously increasing. Just as the two were about to approach each other, they both suddenly threw punches simultaneously, a large and a small fist colliding.
“Bang!”
A white shockwave burst from the center, spreading outwards. Cracks appeared on the ground and walls. Li Ang felt the opponent's strength, which was not weaker than his own. This was the first equally matched opponent he had encountered since his transmigration. Although those Gene Golems also had considerable strength, they felt like a baby holding a large sword, unable to fully exert their power.
However, this blue-skinned monster in front of him not only possessed terrifying strength but also had precise control over it. Thinking this, Li Ang frowned. This opponent was truly difficult to deal with and couldn't be eliminated in a short time. These thoughts occurred almost instantaneously. Even a moment of hesitation in such an intense battle would be a fatal mistake. Desmond seized the opportunity, grabbed Li Ang's arm, and flung him away until he crashed through several large experimental tubes before stopping.
Before Li Ang could even get up, Desmond had already closed in, his two massive hands, like giant hammers, slamming down. Li Ang rolled to the left, dodging the fatal blow, quickly stood up, and delivered a front kick, sending Desmond flying.
On the other side, after witnessing Li Ang's immense power, Robin increasingly felt that Kaldur'ahm's decision to recruit Li Ang was absolutely correct.
“Wally, are you alright? Can you still move?” Kaldur'ahm asked Kid Flash, whom he was supporting.
“Uh… I’m fine… I can still run. Speaking of which, Superboy is really amazing, he can fight back and forth with a monster like that,” Wally stood up with Kaldur'ahm’s support, rubbing his aching shoulder.
“We have to help him. This kind of monster isn’t something we can handle. We need to quickly take Superboy back to the surface and then contact the Justice League,” Robin said while throwing explosive Batarangs to distract Desmond and help Li Ang.
Upon hearing this, Kaldur'ahm and Wally exchanged glances. Wally was the first to charge out, constantly damaging Desmond with his super speed, while Kaldur'ahm, standing nearby, drew his weapons from his back, transforming them into dual blades. Faint blue tattoos on his body suddenly pulsed with electricity, and countless electrical currents flowed along his arms to the blades. He performed a stylish blade flourish with both hands and joined the battle.
With the trio's addition, Li Ang's pressure significantly decreased. With their continuous cooperation, Li Ang and Kaldur'ahm confronted Desmond head-on, while Kid Flash and Robin provided flanking harassment. Desmond was forced to retreat step by step.
Robin, feinting on the side, discovered a cluster of high-voltage generators on the left side of the laboratory. After all, it was a secret underground laboratory; if it were connected to the power grid, it would surely be discovered, so these laboratories must have their own power generation methods. Therefore, a violent explosion from the generator cluster should be able to cause effective damage to Desmond, and then they could find an opportunity to escape. With this thought, Robin told everyone his idea.
After listening, Li Ang could only say that Robin truly lived up to being Batman's sidekick, capable of finding the opponent's weakness and formulating a counter-strategy in a short amount of time.
Li Ang once again charged towards Desmond. The two struggled against each other, locked in a stalemate. Suddenly, Li Ang's figure flickered, and he left his original position, revealing Kaldur'ahm, who had been accumulating energy behind him. His lightning-infused dual blades, emitting a dazzling blue light, heavily slashed Desmond, leaving a vivid red X on his chest.
Instantly, Desmond’s entire body glowed with a bright blue light, and electricity coursed through him, followed by a wail. Immediately after, Li Ang delivered a powerful pendulum punch, sending the injured Desmond crashing violently into the generator cluster.
Robin then threw several miniature high explosives into the generator cluster. Accompanied by a violent explosion, Desmond was engulfed in flames, and the powerful air current from the explosion also knocked everyone to the ground.
As the smoke and dust cleared, the explosion of the generator cluster had turned the entire laboratory into ruins. Due to the extensive blast radius, the blown-out ceiling and the passage to the thirty-first floor were now visible.
Everyone helped each other up. “Wow, that was so exciting! Our teamwork is invincible!” Kid Flash, having defeated the strong enemy, was very excited at this moment.
Li Ang said to everyone, “We should go. Whatever you have to say, let’s talk on the way.” So, they followed the opening to the thirty-first floor. Using the map obtained from Robin’s personal terminal, they continuously avoided the pursuit of the gene mutants and arrived at the second basement level. After some twists and turns, they finally shook off the gene mutants’ pursuit and arrived at the main door. Everyone could finally catch their breath.
Kaldur'ahm was the first to break the silence: “Our purpose this time was to investigate the suspicious laboratory, Cadmus. During the investigation, we discovered that Cadmus was conducting illegal biological experiments and also found that they were researching Superman’s genes, which is the so-called Project Kr. We want to help you. Although you are Superman’s Clone, you are innocent, and you possess the power to change the world. Believe me, the Justice League will help you.” Kaldur'ahm spoke to Li Ang with righteous indignation.
“Man, your strength is ridiculously huge. Paired with my super speed, we’d definitely be a great combo,” Wally said very conceitedly.
“Although Kid Flash can be a bit unreliable, I think we can work together, just like the Justice League. Remember? We’re still under the Justice League’s supervision. Don’t forget why we came here—to prove our abilities to the Justice League, right?” Robin said while cracking the door’s password.
Li Ang thought for a moment. He seemed to have nothing to hide except for his identity as a transmigrator. As for why, the reason was simple: given Batman’s cautious and suspicious nature, if he knew Li Ang was from another universe, he would definitely be more wary of him, and then something unexpected might happen. As for other things, it was better to be honest. Hiding anything now would be an unwise choice.
Li Ang briefly organized his thoughts and said, “My name is Superboy. As you’ve learned, I am a weapon created by Cadmus’s Project Kr, possessing half of Superman’s genes. My purpose was to kill and replace Superman. Since my birth, all my memories have been transmitted to my mind through the telepathic abilities of the gene mutants. In other words, I have never seen the sun, nor have I ever felt its warmth. I long for freedom and the right to choose, rather than being used as a weapon. That’s why I chose to escape. As for what you said about forming a team, since I’m currently homeless, this is a good option.” After hearing this, the other three all showed knowing smiles, and their relationship with each other was subtly growing closer.
In the ruins of the laboratory on the thirty-second underground floor, Desmond, who had been defeated by the youths, swayed and stood up again. The injuries on his body were gradually healing, and the power contained within him was even stronger than before. At this moment, Desmond had regained his sanity and could better control the power brought by Project Titan. Desmond now seemed like a rational beast. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and staggered out of the ruins, a cruel smile on his face: "Superboy, how dare you, a weapon, escape without authorization? I will personally catch you and bring you back, and those three rats, none of you will escape!" After speaking, he quickly chased after them to the surface.
On the other side, everyone finally reached the surface. However, before they could call for Justice League support, a figure burst out of a large hole from underground and leaped up—Desmond!
"How is this possible? Wasn't he engulfed by the explosion? How could he recover so quickly?" Robin said, a little surprised at the situation.
"Although I don't know what's going on, since he's standing in front of us again, we'll just knock him down one more time." Wally pulled down his mask and got into a running stance, red and yellow electric light surging all over his body.
Looking at Desmond, who had returned from the dead, Li Ang's eyes were somewhat serious. He warned: "Be careful, he's a little off right now."
Before Li Ang could finish speaking, Desmond had already rushed in front of him. In almost an instant, Li Ang was sent flying. Seeing this, the other three also rushed up and fought Desmond in a chaotic battle.
But this time, Desmond's strength had not only greatly increased, but his fighting style had also changed, becoming more troublesome and vicious. Desmond easily dodged Kid Flash's sneak attack, then grabbed Wally with a backhand and slammed him hard onto the ground, followed by several heavy punches.
Large mouthfuls of blood spurted from Wally's mouth. If Wally, as a Speed Force user, hadn't possessed super endurance and super recovery, he might have already fainted. But he still got up and chose to support his teammates.
At this moment, Desmond was truly unbelievably strong. Facing the attacks of Li Ang and the three others, he seemed to be at ease: "Superboy, I will take all of you back. By then, no one will know what happened here, and as for you three, Cadmus will create Clones exactly like you, then eliminate the originals. Your Clones will return with your memories to infiltrate the Justice League. They will become Cadmus's secret pawns."
Li Ang was extremely anxious at this moment. Seeing his teammates' injuries getting worse and his own condition gradually declining, while Desmond seemed to have no significant energy expenditure, was he going to be captured and taken back? He had escaped with such difficulty, how could he give up? The desire for freedom grew stronger and stronger in Li Ang's heart. Suddenly, Li Ang's eyes gradually emitted a white light, and upon closer inspection, there were tiny lightning bolts within.
A pure white, scorching light shot out from Li Ang's eyes, directly repelling Desmond.
Strictly speaking, this was not Heat Vision in the traditional sense. Unlike Superman's Heat Vision, Li Ang's was hotter, more lethal, and more penetrating.
With the temporary burst of power, it was as if a burning star had appeared inside Li Ang's body, with an endless supply of solar energy erupting from within. Li Ang's fists landed on Desmond's body again and again. At this moment, Li Ang was like a god descended to earth, his eyes flashing with white light, and his full-power Heat Vision suddenly erupted, a thick white beam of light engulfing Desmond and burning down all the buildings behind him. The scope was incredibly vast.
As the light disappeared, Desmond had turned to ashes, vanishing into the night sky. At this moment, Li Ang exited his burst state, his eyes returning to normal. What followed was a feeling of weakness and exhaustion throughout his body, and his legs gave out, causing him to fall to the ground.
Heat Vision? Don't I not have this ability? And what about the tiered power burst just now? Was it all due to excessive overexertion?
"You look very weak. What happened just now?" Kaldur walked over and helped Li Ang up. Li Ang shook his head, indicating that he also didn't know.
"Hey, that was awesome! Why is your Heat Vision white?" Wally sat weakly on the ground, but his eyes were filled with uncontrollable excitement. Perhaps it was the joy of victory after the battle, or perhaps the relief of surviving a close call, the youths began to discuss animatedly.
Li Ang and the youths sat on the ground together, their battle suits tattered from the fight. He looked up at the moon. It was his first time seeing the moon of another world. Suddenly, a black dot in the sky gradually grew larger, and a red and blue figure flew rapidly—Superman!
Looking at the large 'S' on his chest and that face that could give people a sense of security, Li Ang couldn't help but feel a little nervous. What was his attitude towards him, a Clone?
As Superman landed, other Justice League members also arrived one after another. Batman, Flash, Aquaman, Shazam, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Red Tornado, Black Canary, and so on. These characters, who had only appeared in comics, were now alive and standing right in front of him.
Superman slowly descended in front of Li Ang. He looked at Li Ang, a little surprised and a little at a loss. He patted Li Ang's shoulder: "The League will arrange your residence and everything else. Cadmus still needs to be thoroughly investigated... Uh... So, now I still need to confirm something." With that, Superman flew into the sky and left the scene.
Li Ang felt a little helpless. Why did Superman seem more nervous than him? At this moment, Batman walked over and said sternly: "All 52 underground floors of Cadmus will undergo a thorough investigation. League members will take over here, but one thing is clear: you should have notified us. Regardless of the outcome, I am very dissatisfied with you. You hacked into the Justice League system, directly defied orders, and put yourselves in mortal danger. You are not to do it again."
"I'm sorry, but we will next time." Kaldur stood up and said to Batman with equal seriousness, "Tonight we won a victory. This is the result of your training us. When we unite, we form a powerful force, a force that cannot be ignored."
Flash, who was standing nearby, also said, "As for the outcome of you three tonight—"
Wally suddenly interrupted: "It's us four. We are a team, an inseparable team, just like you."
At this moment, Robin also stood up: "Batman, we are ready to put what you taught us to good use. Otherwise, why teach us these things?"
Li Ang patted Robin's shoulder and walked to the front: "The abilities we possess can originally do more. What we need is not constant protection, not to grow under the wings of the Justice League. We can also achieve results no weaker than yours. We hope you can give us enough trust." Li Ang and the three youths looked at each other, then firmly declared: "We are the Young Justice League."
At this moment, the four youths stood shoulder to shoulder, their eyes gleaming with determination.
Suddenly, Batman's lips curved slightly upward: "Alright, I hope you can take responsibility for what you've said." Then he led the four onto the warplane.