DC: Rise of the Kryptonian Tyrant

Night.

At a revolving Western restaurant in Metropolis, the soft sound of violin music filled the air. Outside the window, the city glowed with vibrant nightlife and a breathtaking skyline.

Sam had reserved the place for a quiet dinner with his daughter.

He was usually preoccupied with military affairs, and it was rare for him to pass through Metropolis with time to share a meal with Lois.

Though his daughter often gave him a headache and had a fiery temper, family ties always gave him a reason to keep in touch, even if every meeting ended in a quarrel.

A proud military family, yet his daughter chose not to serve the nation, instead becoming a small-time reporter, often exposing government scandals and embarrassing him deeply. In private, other generals frequently joked about her, saying she was "on the wrong path," which left Sam constantly angry.

Thus, nearly every time he met Lois, the meeting began peacefully, talking about their careers and aspirations, but would inevitably devolve into a fierce argument, with drinks and tempers flaring.

Sigh...

Though Sam's slightly wrinkled face maintained its dignified, commanding presence, he let out a deep sigh in his heart.

He understood clearly—his daughter's character was as stubborn and independent as his own. Neither of them would ever back down.

Like when she told him to stop targeting Superman.

Was that even possible?

If he didn't take precautions against Superman, and one day Superman lost control and destroyed the world, who would be able to stop him?

Too many people had blind faith in Superman.

But personally, he could never accept placing faith in someone who was virtually invincible on Earth.

"General, Miss Lois has arrived."

A waiter leaned in to whisper the message to him.

Sam dismissed him with a wave and instructed the servers to begin bringing out the food. On a small nearby stage, the violinist shifted to a gentle and harmonious tune, hoping to set the mood for a peaceful family meal.

"Father!"

The next moment, as soon as he saw Lois, Sam was momentarily stunned.

His daughter greeted him with a smile and took the initiative to give him a warm hug.

When was the last time that had happened?

Since becoming an independent reporter, their relationship had been cold and distant, filled with arguments and reproaches. It had been a long time since Sam had felt anything resembling familial closeness from his daughter.

But now, Lois's smile reminded him of the times when she was learning to speak, calling him "Daddy," bringing back memories of a warm and loving family.

"Alright... How have you been?"

The deep lines on Sam's face eased considerably. Though he still wore his usual stern look, his tone was much gentler.

Lois shrugged lightly and, after thanking the waiter for pulling out her chair, sat down and said calmly, "I've been doing well. It's been a long time, Father. We've both been so busy with work that we've grown distant."

Bardi spoke with Lois's voice and expression.

Dishes began arriving one after another.

Sam shook his head with a sigh. "I never asked you to take over my work. You chose to be a reporter. And then you went and got yourself a reporter boyfriend."

As he said this, his brows furrowed again. The fire that had built up inside over the years began to rise once more. Irritation crept in.

But as soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted them.

Nearly every fight between them started just like this.

It seemed tonight would end with another father-daughter quarrel.

"Yeah! I'm sorry."

To his surprise, Sam heard his daughter apologize. More than flattered, he was stunned—his daughter had actually changed.

"I broke up with Clark. And after my final report, I plan to resign from journalism."

Lois said with a tinge of sadness in her voice.

In that moment, deep within Bardi's mind, Louis's memories surfaced. A warm scene on the grass in their backyard, with a small hand gripping her father's finger as he taught her to walk, step by step.

Late at night, she awoke from nightmares, and it was her father who stayed by her side, comforting her back to sleep.

There was even that time when he had a picture of his stern, overprotective face printed on a T-shirt, trying to scare off her middle school classmates from flirting with her. Helpless, but caring.

As she grew older, Lois's dreams gradually became entwined with the expectations of the daughter her father had always envisioned. That eventually led to their first argument… and then a second, a third, a fourth…

Now, as Sam listened to Lois's words, he was visibly shocked, nodding again and again.

After Lois had willingly let go of some of her deeply held stubbornness that her father had always failed to understand, the two began to reconnect. They talked and laughed throughout the evening, even bringing up old stories.

She hadn't seen her father smile in a long time.

And Sam hadn't had a truly pleasant evening with his daughter in years.

When the topic turned to her future after leaving journalism, Sam extended an offer. "Why don't you come work with me? Become an officer. You've got the brains and the style. You'd be great."

"Alright, Dad. But first, I need to complete one final report. I want the world to remember Lois Lane as a great reporter."

Lois raised her fork and smiled.

"No problem. Tomorrow, why don't you come to the military base on the outskirts of Metropolis with me? Get a feel for the environment first?"

"Sure! I need to use the military computer anyway."

...

The next day.

The sun blazed, distorting the air above the pavement.

At the military base, Bardi, accompanied by Sam, came to observe the prototype of Red Tornado.

A humanoid red-armored robot, in its early testing phase. It had basic behavioral controls and a rudimentary intelligence system. Though somewhat stiff, it already performed better than average in standard anti-terrorist military operations.

But when it came to defense against Superman and the Justice League, it was clearly inadequate.

Bardi listed its flaws one by one, making the surrounding scientists flush with embarrassment.

"This is only the first generation!"

"With continued improvements, it will become perfect!"

The Red Tornado project had taken years and cost over a billion dollars. The team had high confidence in it. Initial tests had yielded good results, and they believed it would evolve into a reliable safeguard against the Justice League.

Bardi said nothing more. With Sam's approval, he borrowed a terminal from the base and plugged in a USB he had prepared in advance.

In order to make Lois world-famous, the greatest journalist on Earth, and ensure she would be remembered, Bardi needed to take precautions.

Specifically, to prevent Cyborg from one day deleting all the data she had posted.

Over the course of nearly an entire day, Bardi implanted a virus and altered Red Tornado's structure.

But faced with a more responsive and intelligent Red Tornado, the scientists and Sam were delighted.

This could be seen as… compensation for a father who had long been missing his daughter.

(To be continued.)