System Conspiracy

In Central City, red maple leaves whirled endlessly along both sides of Alman Street. The chill of autumn swept through, yet it could not dampen the fiery beauty of the scene.

Alex rode the futuristic Lightning Motorcycle, a black helmet over his head. All he could see was the gray scenery of the road stretching ahead.

"Vrooom..."

With the low, muffled roar of the motorcycle, Alex turned out of the Alman Residential Area and headed straight toward Fifth Avenue, Central City's main thoroughfare.

At the same time, the traffic on both sides gradually increased. In an instant, he went from the quiet Alman Residential Area, where red maple leaves drifted through the air, into bustling, lively, clamorous lanes.

The sounds of traffic, people, and revving engines were filtered through the helmet pressed close to his skin, as though a layer of film covered Alex's ears, leaving only muted, noise-reduced sounds for him to hear.

"System, come out!"

While riding, Alex suddenly spoke inside his helmet.

"Host, please complete the mission seriously! Otherwise, you will be eliminated."

Alex's brows rose beneath his helmet. There happened to be a red light at the intersection ahead, and he stopped the Lightning Motorcycle at the line, a cold glint flashing through his eyes.

Before going to see Barry, whether Alex had been bathing or eating, the system had never responded when he called for it.

Back then, Alex had called for the system directly in his mind.

He had thought that should have been the system's most basic function. At the very least, it should have been able to communicate mentally with its host, but now Alex found something strange.

Could it be... this system did not have the ability to read his thoughts?

Such a useless system?

Next, Alex called for the system dozens of times in his mind, but it did not react at all.

This was truly a little strange.

While waiting at the red light, Alex lightly tapped the motorcycle handle with his fingers. He was not wearing gloves. The autumn wind swept over his fingertips, bringing a trace of coldness to his skin—and an unusually clear train of thought to his mind.

A system that could not communicate mentally could still transmit its voice beside his ears.

And this mission issued by the system...

From what perspective did it consider the mission complete? Did he have to be affectionate with Barry? Did Alex merely have to regard Barry as a friend? Did Barry have to regard Alex as a friend? Did outsiders have to see the two of them become friends? Or did the system itself have to consider them friends?

If he had to genuinely believe Barry was a good friend deep down, that was actually impossible. At most, Barry was merely an ordinary acquaintance to Alex.

If the standard for mission completion was Barry considering him a friend, then without a doubt, this mission had actually been completed from the start.

Barry had always considered him a friend.

Alex understood that very clearly.

He felt that this system might not be as powerful as the legends claimed. It was entirely possible that the system was deceiving him.

Moreover, his body had reached its limit, and he possessed danger-warning instincts and spiritual danger intuition even stronger than a beast's. When the system said it would eliminate him from within his body, his instinctive warning for his own life should have reacted.

Alex trusted his body, as well as his danger warnings, his sudden intuitions, and his senses regarding his own safety. Those were things he had gained through long years of training. His body was the one thing least likely to deceive him.

There had been no warning! That proved the system was not truly threatening him, and that he was not in danger. The system simply could not threaten his life.

Alex guessed as much in his heart, then spoke again in an extremely impolite tone.

"I don't need you. Get out of my body."

"Host, you need to clearly understand something. In this DC world, the power of your physical limits will not keep you alive for long. As a transmigrator, refusing to forge ties and befriend many righteous superheroes, using those friendships to protect yourself, is an extremely foolish thing to do."

The system's electronic voice was emotionless as it stated what it considered fact.

In the DC universe, powerful beings were everywhere. Relying solely on the limits of a human body, he absolutely would not survive long in the future. Even if he did not cause trouble, countless disasters could still fall on him from nowhere. When it came to wars that destroyed Earth, the solar system, or even the universe, he would be smaller than an ant.

It can't read minds!

Alex narrowed his eyes slightly. He was somewhat certain now that the system could not read his thoughts and could only respond when he spoke aloud.

At that moment, speculation churned endlessly through Alex's mind.

The system knew that I transmigrated here. That means it may have accompanied me as I grew up in this world. It knows about my falling-out with Barry, and it issued this mission to make me reconcile with Barry. But why does it want us to become friends?

Does it want to use Barry's abilities to protect me?

Why protect me?

Something as lofty as a system...

Could it be because it was connected to me, so protecting me also meant protecting itself?

So... it is merely using me for self-preservation?

Not necessarily. Then why did the system only appear recently?

Could it be that it predicted the time when many heroes would emerge, realized Barry was about to become The Flash, and could not wait to make me approach Barry because it wanted to seize Barry's Speed Force?

Alex secretly speculated. He had never had the slightest intention of trusting this system!

He had never believed in pies falling from the sky. He would rather believe that this system was plotting to seize Barry's Speed Force, plotting to control him, plotting to send him to his death, and all manner of other conspiracies, than believe it would protect him.

Besides, if it wanted to protect him, why start by issuing a simple but compulsory mission, one that demanded he merely lift a hand and threatened elimination if he refused? Did it think it was some Main God? An infinite reincarnation?

Alex firmly believed that if he feared death and completed this simple mission to become good friends with Barry, then in order to preserve his life, he would gradually fall under the system's control and become a puppet carrying out its missions.

Alex was not a fool who would believe in such a system, much less allow himself to be controlled so easily!

"Beep beep beep beep..."

A burst of honking sounded behind Alex. The red light ahead had already turned green. Lost in thought, Alex had blocked the entire lane. Some drivers behind him had already stuck their heads out of their windows and begun shouting curses.

Alex came back to his senses, pondered for a moment, then twisted the motorcycle handle. With a roar, the highly futuristic Lightning Motorcycle shot forward like an arrow.

"Get out of my body. Whether I live or die, it is my choice. I don't need you pointing fingers at me."

Alex's voice was low inside his motorcycle helmet.

"Are you sure?"

The system asked, but just as it was about to continue speaking, Alex cut it off.

"I'm sure!"

Without the slightest hesitation, Alex confirmed it.

An origin-unknown system inside his body, trying to control him, would never become something he relied on. He would not allow any part of his body to be controlled.

Moreover, Alex vaguely felt that the reason he had been unable to surpass human limits that morning was because the system inside him had caused him to fall short at the final step.

The system seemed to be choked by Alex's words for a moment, then continued as though nothing had happened.

"The system possesses the most advanced technology, enough to let you dominate the universe."

"The most powerful Idealistic Gene!"

"Any ability from film, science fiction, novels, or anime can be bestowed upon you."

"Enough to let you become a god, an immortal being who lives forever!"

"Weapons with infinite power capable of creating the heavens and splitting the earth!"

"Infinite evolution like Doomsday's!"

"Many miraculous and vast Idealistic abilities."

"Fantastical, wondrous Idealistic abilities."

"Whether it is Ninjutsu from Naruto."

"Or Devil Fruits from One Piece."

"Or Zanpakuto from Bleach."

"Or Super Saiyan Genes from Dragon Ball!"

"The system has everything."

"All of this..."

"Hehe, do you still want to abandon the system?"