Chapter 550: A Long Road Ahead
Rebirth of the Green Lantern
Adversity can lead to growth or degradation; Hal Jordan was the former.
Initially, driven by jealousy, Hal—upon receiving the Green Lantern ring—immediately went to the Young Masters Gang headquarters to show off his power. He was later sought out by Luke, who severely taught him a lesson, took the ring, and broke three of his fingers.
Luke had assumed that after that incident, the world would never see a Green Lantern Hal again. Yet, here he was, seemingly reborn.
Luke looked him over, his gaze sweeping over the hand missing three fingers, and smiled.
"How long have you been following me?"
"Half an hour."
"Why didn't you stop them?"
"If you came out for a walk every night, Coast City's crime rate would drop significantly."
Hearing this, Luke couldn't help but laugh.
"You really have changed. You're not the same as before."
Hal Jordan, clad in his Green Lantern uniform, said solemnly, "Everyone grows up."
After that incident, he recognized the responsibility the ring carried, and he was no longer frivolous, becoming much more composed.
"Well said."
Luke's gaze shifted, and he suddenly asked, "If you don't mind telling me, where did you get the ring you're wearing?"
Hal raised the ring on his left hand, a hint of memory in his eyes. "Its previous owner was Sinestro. After he was judged by the Green Lantern Corps, the ring was given to me."
Luke frowned. "Is he dead?"
"No, he was imprisoned."
"Which prison?"
Hal was confused. "Why are you asking about that?"
Luke shook his head internally. After some thought, he said seriously,
"You'd better investigate his situation. That guy gave me a really bad feeling. I have a hunch that he'll definitely return to Earth."
Sinestro was strong-willed but deeply prejudiced. He was perfectly suited for the Yellow Lantern ring. According to the original timeline, he would be judged by the Green Lantern Corps a year from now and imprisoned in the Central Power Battery on Oa, where he would encounter Parallax and gain the power of fear. Luke's arrival has accelerated the timeline, but the ultimate outcome may not change.
"I'll look into it," Hal said dismissively, not taking it seriously. In his eyes, Sinestro was a brave, upright, fearless superior who cared for his subordinates. Such a man couldn't possibly be corrupted, even after being expelled from the Green Lantern Corps.
Though they had buried the hatchet, they weren't exactly friends. After chatting for a while, they each went home.
The Great Escape
Night deepened. A stealthy figure appeared in the backyard of Shaw Manor.
Luke scanned the area. The main villa was dark, and the garden was empty. Everyone seemed to be asleep.
Luke inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief. The two girls were currently in a state of fierce battle. Getting intimate with either one now would lead to certain doom, which was why he was sneaking home. Unfortunately, fate had other plans. Just as he pushed open the bedroom door, someone called out to him.
"I thought you wouldn't dare to come back."
Luke's body froze. He quickly forced a smile.
"How could I not? I just drank too much and went out for a walk."
While explaining, he flipped the light switch. In the orange-yellow glow, Carol, wearing a sexy nightgown, leaned against the sofa. Her collar was slightly open, revealing a tempting view, but her sharp gaze was impossible to meet.
Luke's eyes warmed. He immediately cast a soundproof barrier in the room.
Carol raised her right hand. Countless purple lights flew from her palm, shattering the barrier into pieces. After two years of training, she had completely mastered the power of the Star Sapphire ring.
Luke hesitated. "This... this might not be appropriate."
"Why isn't it appropriate?"
Carol slowly walked toward him, her eyes holding a fox-like cunning.
"This is your home. Do we need a sound barrier to sleep together?"
It was a rhetorical question, yet her tone was full of seductive invitation. Luke's heart thumped loudly, his pants tented, but his back felt a chill, like a prickling sensation.
Kryptonians have super hearing and X-ray vision. Everything that happened in the bedroom would be within Linda's control. If he were to sleep with Carol here, the furious Miss Danvers would surely turn the entire manor into ashes.
Unknowingly, tiny beads of sweat broke out on his forehead, and the tent in his pants retreated.
"You look hot. Let me help you take off your clothes."
"I'm fine. I'm not hot."
Luke waved his hands repeatedly, subtly taking a step back.
Carol stopped smiling, staring at him coldly. Luke felt completely uneasy. He wanted to explain but didn't know how; both girls had super senses, so anything he said would be full of holes.
"You disappoint me."
Leaving that sentence behind, Carol transformed into a Purple Lantern warrior, crashing through the window and vanishing into the night like a streak of light. Not long after, Linda also left.
With the departure of the two women, the entire manor felt empty.
Luke stood by the window, sighing up at the sky.
It's a long and arduous road ahead!
A Fatherly Warning and a Folly
The next morning, after learning what happened last night, Lingxu Zi walked up to Luke with a bizarre expression.
"Well, was last night happy?"
"Get lost!"
Lingxu Zi scoffed. "Young man, let me give you a piece of advice: stop dreaming about the impossible. Linda and Carol are top-tier women. You want to embrace both and share the same bed? Heh! Dream on!"
Jiu asked curiously, "Grandpa, what does 'share the same bed' mean?"
"Three people sleeping in one bed."
"Wouldn't that be cramped?"
Grandpa Fu chuckled knowingly. "One on the left, one on the right. It's only comfortable when it's snug."
Jiu imagined the scene and couldn't help but say,
"I want to share the same bed too!"
Pfft!
Grandpa Fu choked on his laughter, and Lingxu Zi was shaking, his stomach hurting from laughing.
These old bastards!
Luke's face was dark. If looks could kill, he would have sliced them into a thousand pieces.
The Old Man asked, "Where did they go? When will they be back?"
"I don't know. I can't reach them."
Aunt Li worriedly said, "They won't get into a fight, will they?"
At that question, the air instantly fell silent. Luke's eyelids twitched, and the Old Man put down his bowl and chopsticks.
"Go find them. If anything happens, I'll break your legs."
Luke immediately turned and walked out without a word.
Aunt Li complained, "Elder Brother, didn't you try to talk some sense into him?"
The Old Man sighed heavily.
"I tried. It was no use."
A son grown up won't heed his mother, much less his grandfather.
Lingxu Zi sneered. "Can't you see? This boy is different. The ones he likes are people ordinary men can't afford to provoke. Forget Carol; just look at my good apprentice. Her body is harder than alloy steel. She can shatter a mountain with one punch! An ordinary man would get weak in the knees just seeing her, let alone trying to flirt. He, on the other hand, not only won her over but openly flirts with other girls right in front of her."
"Young people today are just fearless."
"I wouldn't dare."
Grandpa Fu curled his lip in disdain. "What do you know about romance, you old bachelor? What is life? Dancing on the edge of a knife, walking a tightrope over a cliff! If you ask me, two is still too few. He should find five, six, seven, or eight more like Linda and raise a soccer team! That's a real man."
"Enough," the Old Man slammed his hand on the table. "Let's eat."
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