Days as a Spiritual Mentor in American Comics-Chapter 4408 - 3497: Research of Cats and Dogs (8)_2

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"I think the Luthor Group Headquarters Laboratory is a good choice," Diana said. "But we need to set some ground rules."

"Relax, I won't mess with your stuff."

"What I mean is, you need to keep everything you see there confidential," Diana said, tapping her fingertips lightly on the table. "And I mean *everything*, and *everyone*."

Batman showed a puzzled expression. Diana didn't elaborate further and instead picked up her phone to make a call.

"Hello? Lex? Yes, I've reached them. Alright, I'll bring them over now. But you better tidy up a bit and don't make it a mess."

Putting down her phone, Diana looked at Batman and asked, "Will one of your companions fly you over, or do we drive?"

"There's another pair of dangerous Superman and Batman in the city. Flying isn't exactly safe. Let's drive," Superman suggested.

"Then wait for a moment. I'll have Lex send a car to pick us up."

"Uh, can't we just drive ourselves?"

"That's not safe," Diana said.

Diana left the room, seemingly to contact Lex. Superman, complaining slightly, turned to Batman and said, "It feels like they're letting Lex take over Metropolis. They'll regret it."

"It's at least good for the current situation," Batman said, patting him on the shoulder. "If Luther can align with the superheroes, he'd be a significant asset. Don't you agree?"

"Alright," Superman said, taking a deep breath. "When I see him later, I'll try to be polite. But if I lose my temper, you'll have to stop me."

Batman gave him a slight smile.

After a while, Diana returned, but she was accompanied by two tall strangers. Standing at the door, she waved to Batman and Superman and said, "Come with me."

The two men stepped out. Diana and the bodyguards walked upfront, while Batman and Superman trailed behind. Batman turned to Superman and said, "This feels so odd. Why do the three of us need two bodyguards?"

Superman shook his head, apparently just as baffled.

The puzzlement only deepened as events unfolded. Instead of returning to the elevator they'd initially taken, they ended up navigating through the corridors of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, weaving around until they arrived at a small room.

This was clearly not a gallery or an office. The room was tiny and almost empty, save for a single painting at its center.

Diana removed the painting and pulled the lever hidden behind it. The right-hand wall slid open, revealing a new elevator.

The group stepped inside. The elevator descended steadily. Batman did a mental calculation and realized they had reached at least ten levels underground.

When the elevator doors opened, Batman and Superman were stunned. Outside was neither a basement nor a sewer—it was a highway.

A car was parked by the roadside. One of the bodyguards walked forward to open the car door, motioning for them to get in.

Diana took the front passenger seat, while Batman and Superman slid into the back. One bodyguard climbed into the driver's seat, and the other closed their car door before staying behind to watch them leave.

"What is going on?" Batman asked.

"They're with the Luthor Group," Diana said lightly. "Relax, it's for your safety."

After driving smoothly along the underground highway for over ten minutes, the car stopped. When they got out, Batman noticed a glass door by the roadside with two people standing guard.

Diana approached and showed them her museum work ID. The bodyguard made a hand gesture, and the two guards stepped aside, opening the glass door for the group to enter.

Even inside the elevator, Batman remained somewhat dazed.

The entire process left him speechless. If he had to describe it, he would use two words—professional precision.

The whole ordeal was solemn and orderly, as if every step had been rehearsed a thousand times. Wonder Woman seemed less like a superhero and more like a seasoned agent.

However, when he thought about their contact being Lex Luthor, Batman couldn't help but feel a chill run through him.

The elevator chimed as it came to a halt. Diana led them down the hallway. When the office door opened, a figure stood in front of an enormous floor-to-ceiling window.

The figure with red hair turned to face them. Batman and Superman were taken aback by Lex's youthful appearance.

"Oh God, how could I forget? Everyone in this universe is so young," Batman said, rubbing his temple.

"Welcome," Lex said to them. "I'll skip the pleasantries. I've acquired some of your information from the Battleworld. It may not be entirely accurate, but at least I've got a basic understanding. However, you know very little about us."

"To facilitate our collaboration, I can answer your questions now. Of course, you can also wait until all the Justice League members have arrived to ask them instead. But I believe, at that point, they may not have the time to answer."

Superman and Batman both thought of the other pair they had encountered earlier. Those two were undoubtedly dangerous and troublesome and would never cooperate with them. When the Justice League arrived, their first priority would likely be dealing with them. Otherwise, once Zod arrived, they'd be caught in a two-front battle.

Superman was about to say something when Batman raised a hand to stop him and looked at Lex. "Before the enemy arrives, how many forces can you gather in Metropolis?"

"What kind of forces? Superheroes?" Lex walked to his desk and sat down before answering. "We don't have many. Many superheroes you're familiar with haven't debuted in this world yet, or they've outright vanished. For instance, Cyborg and Martian Manhunter never joined the Justice League here."

"What about the Robins?"

"They're not here, and they won't be returning anytime soon."

"So what's your plan to deal with Zod? I must remind you, he won't come alone. He'll either bring a robot army or find reinforcements from other parts of the cosmos," Superman said, stepping forward.

"If you don't have enough mid-tier resources, even if you can battle him over Metropolis, the collateral damage will endanger ordinary citizens. I hope you have plans for that. Or I can help," he added.

"You don't need to worry about that," Lex said, taking a sip from his glass and pressing a button on the armrest of his chair with his other hand.

In an instant, the office transformed. Metallic walls rose like vines from the ground, completely covering the floor-to-ceiling windows. The chandelier retracted into the ceiling, replaced by a massive octagonal command center with eight screens.

The desk sank into the floor, replaced by rows of equipment. The console's myriad buttons lit up in sequence, and holographic displays depicted the unclouded night sky over Metropolis.

Batman looked up. The influx of data from the screens overwhelmed his mind, sending an icy shock down his spine. It wasn't just raw numbers—it was the lives of nearly ten million Metropolis residents.

When he turned back, Lex was rising from his chair, the sound of his glass tapping against the desk reverberating in the room.

"Metropolis is my territory. No one can disrupt it without my permission," he said. "Not even aliens."