On Mars.
Within a glass palace pressed into shape by red sand, enormous gears turned slowly, producing a sound like swaying wind chimes.
It was also like a childhood music box recounting times gone by. The vast glass palace slowly moved toward Mars's south pole under the planet's gravity.
On the palace balcony, Miao Mu held an enormous glass telescope and looked toward Earth.
Doctor Manhattan had just created this telescope.
Though calling it creation was not quite accurate. He had merely grabbed a handful of sand and altered its special properties.
This allowed the telescope to see directly to Earth's surface, even every street upon it, and even the expressions on every pedestrian's face with perfect clarity.
"So you've just been watching Earth this whole time on Mars?"
Miao Mu dispersed the magical energy in his hand and turned toward Doctor Manhattan, who sat cross-legged beside him, floating in midair.
His blue body emitted a faint glow, making him seem like a god. Well, he was indeed a godlike being.
"No, I haven't watched Earth in a long time. I merely happened to see another world. Uh... I couldn't understand it."
Doctor Manhattan opened his eyes. His eyes, glowing with soft white light, could see every change occurring on Earth.
Yet none of it moved him. His connection with Earth had been completely severed a very long time ago.
Just like the city of Los Angeles—who would have thought that many of its buildings had been dismantled from New York and moved there by him?
No one knew of his existence anymore. No, perhaps some people still did, but they would not speak of it casually.
Like Rorschach's missing journal, his existence would forever be buried in an inconspicuous corner.
"Then do you know where the Space Stone is?