Watching the Five-dimensional Little Demon in a Batman uniform squatting in a horse stance with clenched fists, face turning red like he's constipated, Luthor laughed even more merrily.
"It's useless; I bet you're trying to turn me into a light bulb. But not only have I improved the Black Diamond Cage, I've also upgraded the Mind Shield Device and the Kro planet Thought Octopus, not to mention the Magic and Static Force barriers. Your mind and abilities are now separated—no matter how long you try, it won't work."
Saying this proudly, Luthor reached out and tapped the edge of the cage as if taunting a cat or a dog through the bars.
"Villain! What do you want to do to me? Don't think you can get any information about Batman from me!"
Papetua had already been hidden away by Luthor before summoning the bat spirit, and Cheetah and the others could only gather around to watch the Five-dimensional Little Demon's antics.
This guy was like a mini Batman, just with a weight management problem.
Luthor clutched his chest and put on a hurt expression: "Saying stuff like that really pains me. Why would I want to deal with Batman? You know I've helped him a lot in the past, and I'm still a member of the Justice League, remember?"
The bat spirit lowered its small arms and looked at Luthor suspiciously. The bald guy seemed to be telling the truth; however, as Batman's number one fan, he had to imitate his idol—so he must be suspicious!
"I don't trust you!"
The bat spirit's two corners of its mouth drooped, and he pulled up a corner of his cloak to cover his round belly.
Luthor turned his head to look at Brainiac beside him: "Show him."
Brainiac, without any extra words, immediately controlled a few machines to fly over and play scenes of the Alien Sea God invading Earth for the bat spirit.
His projecting equipment was extremely advanced, and the scenes of devastation appeared as if they were happening right in front of everyone, so real—not just the screams and the sounds of storm, even the smell of blood and the saline taste of seawater were simulated perfectly.
Luthor looked upwards at a forty-five-degree angle to the ceiling, sighing slightly: "We've suffered unprecedented damage. I didn't use the Five-dimensional Signal Source to deceive you intentionally; we genuinely need help. Everything you've seen is just to prevent you from getting too excited to listen to our explanation."
"Really?"
After the broadcast ended, the bat spirit seemed still immersed in the devastating scenes; he hadn't realized that so much had happened during his absence from the Fourth Dimension.
But things were not good in his Fifth Dimension either; all dimensions are within one Multiverse, and though he could escape to the All-Powerful Universe to find shelter in a safe Super Universe, this DC Multiverse was his home.
Luthor, in facing external threats in the past, indeed had cooperated with Batman several times, so it seems this time shouldn't be an exception.
Luthor noticed the bat spirit's wavering and immediately gave him an earnest look: "Of course, believe me, everything we do is for humanity!"
"Then what do you want me to do?" The bat spirit asked as he approached, grabbing the bars of the cage with both hands.
Luthor smiled and knelt on one knee:
"It's simple for you. I want you to help me restore power, water, transportation, and communication across the globe. These are the basic living conditions modern humans need. You know, while I defeated the alien fiends, I am merely an ordinary person, unable to assist the people worldwide."
"The enemies have been eliminated, the floodwaters receded, but many humans are still dying from a lack of food, water, or medicine. Without communication means, they cannot be informed where to find help. Every time I think of this, it cuts my heart like a knife."
Brainiac read out expressionlessly from the side.
The bat spirit tilted his head, forgetting even to mimic Batman, displaying a puzzled expression: "Just like this? I can actually return the Earth to how it was before."
"No, thank you for the kind offer, but in this time of crisis, humanity needs to rely on itself. Just do as I said, and let us solve the rest—it's a matter of human dignity."
Luthor refused further help seriously, brimming with valor.
"Alright, let me out. I'll verify the situation and then help you," the bat spirit said, pinching his chin and quickly acceding to the request.
For him, it really wasn't difficult at all.
Luthor also, as agreed, set him free from the cage, generously letting him verify, while Papetua was hidden away in isolated equipment, betting on the bat spirit overlooking here.
Just like that, this place wasn't Earth; one could see with the naked eye that it was empty, and the bat spirit immediately activated his ability to observe Earth's situation.
As expected, even in Gotham, it was worse than Luthor said; the floodwaters hadn't receded yet!
The bat spirit immediately exerted his ability, and in an instant, all the infrastructures on Earth were restored, as if time had reversed.
The big screen in New York Times Square lit up, the landscape lights outside the Iceberg Restaurant in Gotham turned on, and the Lighthouse on the cliff at Ci'en Port was aglow.
A dense variety of telecommunications signals instantly filled the air all over Earth.
People, upon discovering their phones regained signal, immediately started contacting loved ones or media; they had so much to say.
So much had happened over the past few days that everyone was on the brink of collapse, with many issues they wanted to vent through the networks or airwaves.
"Solved." The bat spirit clapped his hands, puffed his chest, and paced the floor: "No need to thank me, because.... I am the bat spirit!"
Luthor displayed a genuinely sincere smile: "No, I still want to thank you from the bottom of my heart... you've helped humanity embark on the right path, haha....
"Hmm?"
"Nothing. By the way, your old rival Troublemaker is now at the Hall of Justice. Not only does he want to torment Superman, but also Batman, I can't deal with him."
Luthor suddenly seemed to remember something, patted his forehead, and said urgently.
"What?!"
The bat spirit immediately got angry, even though both were the strongest Five-dimensional Little Demons, hadn't it been agreed back then—Superman was his, Batman was his?
He actually crossed the line, how excessive!
"Hurry and deal with him. If you are too late, I'm afraid even Batman's corpse...." Luthor flipped his palm, implying the ashes being blown away by the wind.
"Bye-bye!"
The bat spirit left a parting word and disappeared in front of everyone.
Luthor's expression gradually twisted, emitting an uncontrollable low laughter, but only for a few seconds before stifling it back, speaking in a deep tone:
"Destruction Fortress jumps again, we're relocating. By the way, Brainiac, using 'heart like a knife' was well-said."
Brainiac simulated a smile in response: "I copied it word for word from Earth's database, I don't have organs like a heart, but it should sound pretty painful, right."
"Haha, a good joke." Destruction Fortress changed locations again, and Luthor turned to praise his ally, then looked at the others: "Next, let's start action, turning a new page for our world!"