The Death Knell

Time flies by, and several years passed quickly after Howard's olive oil-filled wedding.

Su Ming has kept a very low profile these years. Apart from observing the changes in the Cosmic Cube at Karma Taj, he also exercises to stay in shape.

Occasionally travel to Sparta, or stay in Vanaheim for a few days, and live well every day.

On this day, when he returned to the company to check the accounts, he suddenly received a call from Howard.

"God, I finally got through. Where did you go?"

Howard's voice on the phone was haggard, and he was yelling so urgently that he didn't even give Su Ming a chance to say 'hello'.

"Me? As usual, I travel and wander around." Su Ming clamped the phone receiver on his shoulder and twisted the lid of the wine bottle with his free hand: "What are you calling for? If it's just for chatting, then I I’m going to die.”

"No, no, listen." The sound of deep breathing came from Howard's side, and the air flow made the receiver rustle. He lowered his voice: "Maria and I need help, ahem, special help."

Su Ming's heart moved, but he slowed down his speech: "I don't know what you are talking about. Anyway, we will talk about it when we meet. Where are you?"

"Long Island, my villa."

Howard knew that there were some things that couldn't be said on the phone. As a senior executive in the logistics department, his phone calls and communications were monitored. This is monitoring on the surface. If you dare to block it, it means there is something wrong in your heart.

Not only him, but all the leaders of the logistics department are the same. The phone is no longer a safe means of communication. Want to keep a little secret? Then you have to meet and talk, just like in primitive society.

"Haha, that's the villa of Maria's family, and you are the son-in-law."

Su Ming laughed at Howard as usual, and then decided to go and have a look. You must know that although Howard has been in trouble for so many years, he has never taken the initiative to ask Deathstroke for help.

"I'm waiting for you, hurry up." Howard hung up the phone. He rarely refuted, as if he was busy with more important things.

"Tsk."

Su Ming put down the phone that kept getting busy signals, picked up the wine glass and drank the wine in it. He looked at the sea outside the window, thought for a moment and then turned around and left.

The villa of Maria's family was not far from the headquarters of Wilson Enterprises. It didn't take long for him to park the car at the entrance of the courtyard. The bodyguards opened the gate of the manor for him, and then he drove directly to the door of the main house. .

The house was still so beautiful, with its white porch and red brick walls, and Mr. and Mrs. Howard were already waiting for him in front of the door.

Howard is still the same, except that he is a little older, and his mustache is still as charming as ever. Maria has changed a lot compared to the time of the wedding. Although she has been beautiful since she was a child, she is now even more full of maternal glory.

She was pregnant, but there was no joy of being a mother on her face. There was only sadness and prayer in her eyes when she looked at Su Ming.

Su Ming threw the car keys to the housekeeper, walked into the house with ease, and deliberately teased Howard: "Did you come to me to play mahjong? But now there are still three missing one."

"God, stop joking." Howard rolled his eyes, took his arm and walked deeper into the villa: "There is a very troublesome matter, and I need your help."

He brought the death knell to the study and fumbled a few times on the bookshelf. The bookshelf slowly slid open, revealing a single room at the back.

After looking around like a thief, Howard took out a weird instrument and checked the surroundings, then cautiously walked into the secret room and closed the secret door.

Su Ming observed the room. It seemed that Howard had transformed it into a temporary laboratory. In addition to various experimental equipment, there was also an extremely primitive computer, as well as manuscript paper covering the desktop and half of the floor.

He walked a few steps, picked up the test tube containing the blue liquid on the table, smelled it, and teased the white mouse in the cage.

"What? You came to me just to tell me that you not only study physics, but are now also interested in chemistry and biology?"

Howard shook his head and sat back in the chair with difficulty. He looked a little exhausted: "No, it's about my and Maria's child."

He rubbed his hair, even his mustache drooped.

"Tell me what's going on. I can't quote you until I hear the details."

Su Ming smiled and reached out to pick up the white rat cage and put it in his hand to look at it from side to side. This house didn't even have windows, and the mouse's red eyes looked treacherous in the dim light.

Howard's face turned bitter, and he showed a dumbfounded expression: "I thought you wouldn't say such hurtful words after we have known each other for so many years. Do you still remember that we fought side by side during World War II, and do you still remember our happy times in the past?"

"No, talking about money hurts feelings, but talking about feelings hurts money. Besides, what I want is not money. Let me first hear how you want me to help."

Su Ming interrupted his recollection. Howard was very clever. If he really wanted to be moved by his words, he would be mentally retarded.

Howard and Maria looked at each other, closed their eyes and sighed. His fingers were tightly clasped into the armrests of the sofa, looking very painful.

"This matter concerns my and Maria's son, and he...has something wrong."

Su Ming nodded, put down the cage and took out a wine bottle from his pocket. One drink for each of the three of them. Alcohol can sometimes help people clear their heads.

He had wine and was waiting for Howard's story.

"continue."

"There are some problems with his genes, which were discovered during the last prenatal check-up. It is probably because I have been exposed to too many radioactive materials in the past, or it may be that the nuclear bomb has created too many innocent souls. In short, I am afraid that my child will not be born alive."

Howard choked up as he spoke, holding Maria's hand tightly.

She is not yet thirty years old, but her face is as haggard as that of an old woman, and she looks like she has not had a good rest for a long time. She didn't speak, just held Howard's fingertips with her backhand and lowered her head sadly.

"You must have thought of a way. Keep talking. I believe Howard, who always calls himself a genius, will not sit still and wait for death." Su Ming added wine to his glass and clinked the glasses with him.

Howard raised his neck and took a big sip, gritted his teeth and took a breath of air: "I consulted with several scientists around me, but even Nathaniel and Hank didn't have any good ideas about genes. So alien to us humans.”

Su Ming didn't say anything, just raised his wine glass.

So Howard continued: "Just when Maria and I were about to despair, a robot... I can't say what it was, but it suddenly got into our home one night. It said it There is a way to save our son and allow him to be born and grow healthy. But when he is twenty years old, it will take him away from the earth and go to the universe to do something big."

"What is it called?" Su Ming tapped the wine glass with his fingers, and the crisp sound of the glass echoed in the secret room: "What does it want you to call it?"

Howard raised his head and looked at Su Ming with serious eyes: "It calls itself Recorder 451. Apart from that, there is nothing else."

"I understand, Recorder No. 451, partner of the Observer, servant of Eternity, continue."

Su Ming's expression did not change. After all, he had guessed that this was what happened.

His calm expression and understanding of the robot gave Howard a glimmer of hope. Deathstroke indeed had a way to deal with it.

"I agreed to his conditions. You know, I want my child to survive, but Earth's technology obviously cannot do this." Howard turned the wine glass in his hand and sniffed hard: "So the recorder built a machine, configured some drugs, and helped me treat the child."

"But after all, I have worked in SSR for so many years. I always pay more attention when encountering aliens. I frantically studied biochemistry on my own, secretly cracked his potion, and checked the child in Maria's belly." Howard said Shaking his head, his expression was gloomy: "That robot lied to us. The child can indeed be born smoothly and grow up healthily, but he can only live until the age of 30, and then he will die from genetic collapse."

"So?" Su Ming asked inductively.

"So I modified the medicine so that my child can become a normal person, but I haven't given it to the child yet because I am afraid that the robot will see through it. It is so powerful that it can even suspend time and reflect energy. If it recognizes its own If the conspiracy is discovered, it is very likely that he will become angry, and then Maria, myself, and the children will be in danger..."

Howard stated the problems he was facing, and then looked at Su Ming with earnest eyes.

Facing such an alien robot, it would be useless to find Steve or other teams. The only way to have the greatest certainty is to find Deathstroke.

Su Ming drank the wine in the glass under the praying eyes of the couple, and gently placed the wine glass on the table. The black and yellow armor instantly wrapped him.

A flash of red light lit up in the dark secret room, and a hoarse voice sounded like it was coming from hell:

"First understand the package I offer. How do you want the robot to die?"