DC: Rise of the Kryptonian Tyrant

Metropolis.

Apartment.

After resolving the reconciliation between Lois and Sam yesterday, and entering a series of lock-control programs through the military base's main control computer, Lois declined Sam's offer to stay. She returned to her apartment for the final item on her personal agenda.

Lois casually tied up her hair with her hands, holding a rubber band between her lips as she stood in front of the mirror, deep in thought.

Without much attention, she looped the band around her hair and tied it into a ponytail.

"Using the program to block Cyborg can at least ensure that the report stays online for a month without being deleted through the network."

"But that's not secure enough."

Morning light fell across Lois's fair face. With a bit of natural makeup, her beauty appeared clean and simple. Compared to her usual professional attire, she now exuded less of a strong woman's aura and more of a warm, friendly neighborhood girl vibe.

"I also need a physical distribution method."

"No. I'll publish books. Directly. Print hundreds of millions of copies. Put my portrait on the cover. That'll make sure the entire human race remembers the name Lois Lane."

"Unless the Justice League forcibly wipes the world's memory, or the Flash runs to the past and stops it, Lois's final wish... for me, this is a simple thing."

After tying her hair, she picked up a toothbrush, squeezed out some toothpaste, bent down to run the faucet, filled her mouth with water, and began brushing her teeth with slurping sounds.

After making sure there was no morning breath, Lois sat cross-legged on the bed in her pajamas, grabbed her laptop, opened a stock website, and started trading.

That's right—stock trading.

Lois's own net worth was only about $100,000, far too small to be worth mentioning.

With a solid social credit score, Lois applied directly for the maximum loan from Citibank. The cap was just over three million dollars, a figure that felt insignificant to Bardi.

Still, it was enough. He used the full three million as starting capital and threw it all into the stock market.

Day one: Three million turned into nine million.

Day two: Nine million became fifty million. Bardi also acquired three small, bankrupt printing plants.

Day three: Bardi had earned over two hundred million through the stock market, acquiring printing houses across the globe—in the Netherlands, Japan, China, India, the UK, and France. He also established connections with printing companies unrelated to any superheroes.

Day four: The publishing network was fully established.

Bardi picked up his phone and began calling all the newly acquired printing companies, instructing them to begin printing the book immediately. It took two hours just to notify them all.

Once the calls were done, orders were given to release 100,000 books to bookstores and newsstands per batch, priced at the lowest cost of $1, making the book quickly accessible to the global public.

He pressed Enter and sent out the finalized book cover design.

Lois made herself a cup of coffee and stood by the balcony window. She took a sip of the rich aroma under the sunlight, squinting as she smiled.

"Superheroes are about to suffer."

...

Los Angeles, Photocopy Printing House.

This was one of the small printing factories Bardi had purchased. It had been on the brink of bankruptcy and was saved by Bardi's acquisition.

Of course, Bardi wasn't interested in the company itself, but in the sales channels the factory owned. These allowed books to quickly appear in stores and newsstands and form a global distribution network.

More than sixty such small printing plants across the world were now preparing to print his upcoming book.

Caster, the burly head of the printing department, pushed open the office door of the factory manager and asked impatiently, "Defoe, has the boss's manuscript arrived yet? The workers are ready."

Defoe, with a prominent beer belly, thick black-rimmed glasses, and a red nose, was staring blankly at a document that had just come out of the fax machine. Even as Caster entered, he didn't respond.

It was indeed a document faxed by Bardi. The book's contents were, to say the least, shocking.

"Defoe, Defoe, what are you doing?"

Caster waved his hand in front of Defoe's face, then grabbed him by the shoulders and gave him a shake.

"Are you possessed or something? Why aren't you responding? The workers are all waiting for your orders!"

Defoe's terrified gaze finally snapped back to reality. Sweat dripped down his forehead and temples. He wiped it with his sleeve, took off his glasses, and spoke with a trembling voice, "Caster, I don't know if I should even print this book."

Caster looked at Defoe in surprise. The two had known each other for more than ten years. They were close colleagues who had even pooled money to buy the Photocopy Printing House from its former owner.

Bardi's acquisition was their last shot at survival.

He had never seen Defoe hesitate about printing something before. When had a small-time capitalist like Defoe ever cared what they were printing? As long as it made money and wasn't illegal, he was all in.

So what could possibly be unprintable?

Caster glanced at Defoe suspiciously, took the faxed manuscript from his hands, and began to read the book that had frightened Defoe so much.

At first, Caster didn't think much of it.

It was a book about superheroes, written from the perspective of journalist Lois Lane.

But after flipping a few pages, Caster's eyes widened. Like Defoe, he showed a look of shock and growing dread. His fingers trembled as he held the pages, and his breathing grew heavier.

This book would definitely sell.

But...

(To be continued.)