"What an intoxicating scent."
In a private dorm room at Xavier School, Dilos lay on his bed, feeling the golden threads of sunlight woven across his body through the window, and sighed contentedly.
"Other than Smallville and my private laboratory, this is the only place that feels like home."
"Then just stay here forever."
Qin Jiayin, whose relationship with Dilos was still deepening, nestled comfortably in his arms and chuckled. "If I could, I'd want to stay here for the rest of my life too."
"I'd like that too. But you know it's impossible."
Dilos sighed softly. "No matter how well-behaved I am, there are always some worthless assholes looking to start trouble."
"True."
Hearing that, Qin Jiayin thought of something as well, and her expression darkened slightly. "I thought the United States would settle down for several years after the Day of Purgatory. Who would've thought that after only a year, things would start getting chaotic again?"
Starting two months ago, the United States had begun easing up again over so-called "humanitarian concerns" regarding law enforcement. Seeing this, the "rats" hiding in the shadows began to act up once more.
Petty theft was one thing, but the newspapers would occasionally report murders of every kind and gang shootouts. Gotham, New York, Metropolis, Central City, and Star City were hit the hardest. Then Batman returned to action. With Batman leading the way, so-called "vigilantes" began appearing in other cities as well. For a time, the United States seemed to have returned to the days before the Day of Purgatory.
"That reminds me of how a certain narcissistic god—Loki—once described Earthlings. He said humanity was an inferior, filthy, lowly race, that humans yearned to be enslaved, and that only enslavement could set humanity on the right path..."
Thinking of that, Dilos