"Okay, my master."
Hera appeared before Bardi. Her face was graceful and noble, her beautiful curly hair cascading down from her crown. Her arms were as white as lilies, and her plain white dress shimmered with jewels. Her snow-white figure spun faintly within the folds of her skirt, both enchanting and dignified.
This Hera was far more lifelike than the light-and-shadow projection used at Universe Biotechnology Co., Ltd. There were no signs of holographic projection visible. Kryptonian projection technology had reached such a pinnacle that it was indistinguishable from reality.
Even before Hera spoke, the takeover had been completed.
This was only an intelligence program with preloaded commands, far inferior to Hera's true artificial intelligence, which possessed emotion and adaptive thinking.
Behind Bardi, a laser turret was preparing to fire another plasma beam. Its muzzle began to glow, casting a faint light in the darkened chamber. Just as it was about to fire, the blue glow extinguished, and the barrel that had extended toward the ceiling and floor retracted and vanished.
Starting from Bardi's position, the spacecraft lit up in an instant. White light spread throughout the hull like streetlamps gradually turning on, illuminating the corridor and driving out the darkness.
"Thank you, Hera."
Bardi nodded slightly, then ordered, "Rewrite the ship's programming. Add a control layer. Input the commands. Transfer all control authority to me."
"Gladly."
Hera placed her hands over her stomach, smiled gracefully, and closed her eyes.
Twenty seconds later, she opened them and reported, "It is done. Everything is now under the master's control."
"Implant the consciousness program virus."
Bardi's expression remained blank as he gave the cold command.
Within seconds, Hera had executed his order.
The terminal systems of the reconnaissance vessel used Krypton's relatively outdated photonic computer technology. Compared to Krypton's advanced super-quantum and superluminal systems, this terminal was indeed primitive.
However, it still far surpassed anything Earth would develop for the next hundred years. Hera could fully exploit this advantage. In just a few seconds, she could calculate hundreds of billions of operations to handle anything on the ship.
The Hera key was ejected from the console.
Bardi caught it between his fingers, then casually tossed it behind him. In the illuminated corridor behind, magnetic sand particles suddenly appeared. Like a rushing torrent, they surged toward Bardi's back, forming a palm just in time to catch the key.
These were the ship's defense systems, but they also served as repair units and multi-function assistants. There were at least a dozen clusters of magnetic sand particles onboard, capable of forming any structure.
The particles gathered into the shape of a metallic Hera. This version, with a graceful figure and metallic sheen, walked away silently.
She understood Bardi's current command. The two half-formed infants in the Genesis Chamber had just the genes required to become potential enhancers for Bardi. The embryonic sacs in the Genesis Chamber were perfectly suited for genetic deployment and could be used to produce beings with power exclusive to Bardi.
With her departure, Hera's projection vanished.
Bardi had already taken out the other key in his hand. It bore the S insignia, the key of the House of El.
His expression remained unreadable. Holding the key with the S mark, he stepped forward. The key was automatically pulled into the slot. Bardi pressed his index finger against the cold surface, feeling the raised contours of the S insignia. With slight force, he pushed it in. The sound of metal sliding against metal echoed quietly as he pressed it fully into place.
Jor-El appeared, wearing a Kryptonian military-grade armored suit. The bright red S on his chest stood out, and his red cape billowed with invisible waves. His face was expressionless. His eyes were calm and rational.
Suddenly.
"Barmulodi!!"
"You killed my son!!"
Jor-El roared in fury. Though only a limited consciousness program, the moment he appeared, he detected Bardi's body. While he could not analyze the exact genetics, he could detect the dramatic improvement in cellular integrity and the absence of previous genetic defects.
The tens of millions of calculations running through his systems concluded that Bardi's appearance here, his repaired genetic structure, and presence aboard this ship, all pointed to one thing—his son was dead.
Even as a non-sentient program, his emotion protocols reacted violently. At that moment, his expression twisted into rage. "I'll kill you!!"
Jor-El raised his right hand to command the ship's laser systems, clenching his fist and pulling downward.
Nothing happened.
This action was originally tied to the ship's mainframe control. Now, it was empty and had no effect.
He tried again, but there was still no response. He could only glare at Bardi, eyes burning with fury.
"We are enemies. That's normal."
Bardi's sharp profile remained cold as he spoke. To face an enemy meant to eliminate every trace of their resistance, never allowing resurrection. That was the enemy's fate.
To Bardi, Jor-El's anger was senseless.
He had already foreseen this moment, yet he still raged?
Even so, why try to resist?
If he had been ready to be killed by Jor-El, it would have been his own failure and no one else's.
"Do you think stripping me of control will stop my information from getting out? Do you think you can rule this planet in peace?"
Jor-El's voice was sharp with fury.
After Bardi escaped Krypton, Jor-El had begun laying plans.
He framed General Zod, accused him of trying to seize control of Krypton, and had him banished to the Phantom Zone.
He left Zod a message, giving him a reason to live and revealing everything. Even if Jor-El failed, Zod could avenge him or save his son and rebuild Krypton on Earth.
"You just want the Doomsday data I created? Fine, I'll tell you. I even completed the Destruction Cell. It's in Zod's body."
"Even if Zod doesn't receive my message, he will come to Earth in ten years."
"You will not rule this planet!"
"Zod will tear you apart and destroy this world."
"The more you fight him, the more insane he'll become, and the more desperate you'll be!"
Jor-El roared, eyes burning with hatred as he stared down Bardi.
"Enough. Your anger means nothing to me."
Bardi's face remained cold. Ten years was more than enough time to become invincible on Earth.
He didn't believe the so-called Destruction Cell was a true Doomsday Cell. Even if it existed, it wouldn't be fully developed. Jor-El's version was crude. By the time it could manifest, Bardi would already have the strength to suppress it.
All he wanted from Jor-El was some information about Doomsday, and to prevent Zod's arrival in advance. Now that he knew, he had already taken measures. Jor-El was useless to him now.
"Hera. Kill him."
(To be continued.)
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