piratefiction Chapter 56 Poor Aquaman
Chapter 56 Poor Aquaman
With Aquaman gone, Wonder Woman finally arrived, albeit late:
"You should let me capture him, and then use the Lasso of Truth to find out the exact location of that superweapon."
Joey could easily imagine what would happen if Wonder Woman came along and met Aquaman:
"So you brought him here so that the Sea King would remember how you beheaded his queen with a single sword stroke, and then decide on the spot that he and we are locked in a life-or-death struggle?"
If a real battle breaks out, Joey won't be able to stop the Atlantean army by killing or controlling Aquaman; he'll have to kill them one by one. The ordinary people on the island of Britain can't withstand such a large-scale battle.
Wonder Woman never regretted her decision: "She reaped what she sowed. I never show mercy to anyone who dares to assassinate me."
"I know, I didn't mean to criticize you."
Now that Mera's death is a complete mess, discussing right and wrong is meaningless. Joey is just thinking about how to achieve the best outcome with the least casualties.
Aquaman's decision to withdraw his troops today already demonstrates a high level of responsibility. In Joey's view, the influence that the radicals of Atlantis have been exerting on Aquaman step by step is an extremely dangerous act.
These fools in the deep sea naively believe they can wipe out all the land dwellers, while no one on land can do the same to them.
Joey believed he had already made himself clear enough to Aquaman:
If he truly decides to prioritize his personal vendetta over the 1.73 million remaining Atlanteans, and is willing to let the oceans flood the entire planet's landmass in order to destroy the Amazons, then the people of Atlantis will also face the same fate under Joey's command.
Joey didn't know if Aquaman believed him. If the Atlanteans still refused peace after the latter found out the truth, then he had to make sure these underwater trolls realized that their threat was not unfounded.
Wonder Woman has a different perspective on Joey's forbearance:
"You can't reason with a fool like Aquaman Arthur Curry; he'll only think you're weak. You should use whatever means you have. The Atlanteans only recognize the strong, which is why Arthur Curry is king."
Upon hearing this, Joey couldn't help but sigh softly—his actions were simply asking Aquaman to abandon his personal grudges in the face of greater responsibility, hoping that the other's rationality could prevail over his emotions.
In this universe, all the superheroes I've encountered seem to lack rationality, which is why they've gradually pushed Earth to the brink of destruction.
The most important thing right now is to get the Amazons to gradually retreat to the Arctic, so that even if the Atlanteans want to take action against the mortal world again, they will no longer have a suitable reason.
If Aquaman wants to continue his revenge, he can only fight the Amazons in remote places like the Arctic to minimize collateral damage.
In Joey's mind, Aquaman's investigation into his brother shouldn't last long. As long as Aquaman isn't a complete idiot, the truth will eventually come out.
To an outsider like myself, the collusion between Pentessilia and Orm was all too obvious; these two warmongers were determined to start a war between the two races that would ultimately decide everything.
If Aquaman could simply purge the hawkish factions who were colluding between the two races of Atlantis, everything could have a relatively satisfactory ending.
~~~
"Where were you when we launched the attack today, Om?"
Aquaman, realizing he couldn't break through the thousands of meters of solid ice surrounding the British Isles, had no choice but to lead his army back home. He waited for a long time on his throne before his younger brother returned to the seabed.
Seeing Aquaman sitting on his throne, gently stroking the trident of Poseidon, staring coldly at him, Orm naturally couldn't say that he had left the main force to rescue Pentessilia, the Amazonian hawk who was colluding with him.
He stated the truth directly: he knew he wouldn't be able to leave the palace hall today. However, he was a thoughtful person, or rather, Penthesilea was.
They had already prepared something to deal with Aquaman's possible questions.
Orm pulled a magic badge from his pocket. This was an item that Pentessilia had stolen from Wonder Woman's collection long before the operation. As Wonder Woman's aunt, she had access to many of Wonder Woman's personal belongings.
As the magic badge slowly lit up, an olive wood box carved with intricate geometric patterns appeared out of thin air in Orm's hand.
Om bowed deeply and respectfully presented the wooden box, which was the perfect size to be held in both hands, to his brother and the king.
"My brother, taking advantage of the Amazons' laxity during your attack, I secretly infiltrated the British Isles and reclaimed her amidst their encirclement."
Aquaman reached out tremblingly, and only after making up his mind did he truly accept the exquisite wooden box. Without Orm saying anything more, he already knew what was inside the box.
Although Aquaman didn't know why Mera would take such a great risk to assassinate the Amazon queen, the final result clearly proved the Amazons' vulgarity and barbarity.
Wonder Woman beheaded Mera, the Queen of the Sea, and threw her remains back into the sea. Mera's crown was placed on Wonder Woman's head as a trophy, but the whereabouts of her head remained unknown.
Now Om has brought her back.
Aquaman gently lifted a corner of the box, and the first thing he saw was a bunch of red hair. A tear fell onto the box, and then Aquaman lost the courage to continue looking.
He slowly closed the box. At this moment, Aquaman's suspicion of Orm vanished, and hatred once again took control of his mind and body. He forgot all about what Joey had said earlier.
He has decided to completely erase the Amazons, especially Wonder Woman, from Earth, and he is willing to pay any price for it:
"Prepare the 'doomsday weapon,' I want to see its power before the sun shines on the Atlantic again."
Orm bowed humbly once more: "Yes, my king."
····
A dozen days ago, the Atlanteans and the Amazonians.
Inside a ship covered in magic, Captain Atom, who has been under a spell and lost consciousness, is being carried into a research facility by several Atlantean scientists.
Captain Atom is a superhero belonging to the North American military. Because his skin is in close contact with the quantum field, he has an almost inexhaustible amount of energy within him, and a simple release of it can cause damage far exceeding that of a nuclear bomb.
As a soldier, he was ordered by the Grand Commander to negotiate with the Atlanteans, but he was unexpectedly ambushed and imprisoned. Not only that, his enormous energy was also discovered by Aquaman, who wanted to use him as an energy source to create a super weapon capable of destroying the entire Earth continent.
Mera frowned as she looked at Captain Atom, who was being controlled by the Atlantean scientists:
"I think Arthur has crossed the line. The war with the Amazons shouldn't involve these land people; they're all innocent..."
Now, on the advice of others, Aquaman wants to use himself as an energy source to create a superweapon that, with a single shot, would be powerful enough to destroy an entire continent, in order to win the future war with the Amazons.
Mera frowned as she watched this, but knowing she couldn't stop the headstrong Aquaman, she went to Aquaman's younger brother, Orm.
"I think Arthur has crossed the line too far. The war with the Amazons shouldn't involve these land people. They are despicable, but the vast majority are innocent..."
"I think so too. Using such a weapon would inevitably harm innocent land dwellers, which is completely contrary to the honor of Atlantis."
Om showed a strong sense of agreement and then offered Mera his advice:
"You and I have already tried, but Arthur has never been one to listen to advice. But I have a better way that can end the war between our two races directly."
"What method?"
Om leaned down and whispered his plan into Mera's ear, like the devil's whisper:
"Wonder Woman is searching for a suitable refuge for her people. I have inside information on them and know when and where she will be alone."
Mera understood Orm's unspoken meaning: "I get it. You hold Arthur off first, then arrange an elite squad for me."
Once Wonder Woman Diana is dealt with, the Amazons will be leaderless and powerless to fight against Atlantis. With the war over, Aquaman will no longer need to build that incredibly powerful "doomsday weapon".
Orm smiled slightly, watching Mera don her battle suit and armor and leave:
"Waiting for your good news, Mera."
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Poor Aquaman, he's been manipulated by his brother Orm all along.