章 156: Chapter 154
Facing Kara's ridicule, everyone fell silent, including Ozymandias.
Kara's doubts were undeniable. If Dr. Manhattan truly was the enemy of humanity and desired to rule the world, there would be no need for him to limit his actions to a single strike. He could have already annihilated millions and brought the world to its knees, especially now, with the collective voice of the world criticizing him so openly.
The global condemnation of Dr. Manhattan would naturally provoke retaliation if he were indeed the enemy. Why wouldn't he unleash another devastating attack to assert his power?
Kara's words left the room in a heavy silence.
"At the very least, I have solved the crisis of nuclear war," Ozymandias finally said, his tone defiant. "I have rewritten the course of a doomed world. I have brought peace."
"Are lies considered peace?" questioned Night Owl, his voice laced with doubt.
"I only care about justice," answered Huntress firmly, her unwavering principles evident. Even in the face of Ozymandias' lofty claims, she refused to compromise, unwilling to condone sacrifices made in the name of so-called peace.
Kara smirked, giving Huntress a small nod of approval. "Well said."
Huntress adjusted her hat, her usual composure faltering slightly as she looked down shyly.
Ozymandias, his gaze sharp, ignored the minor exchanges. Turning instead to Dr. Manhattan, he said, "Jon, look at the future again. Tell me—does my plan not bring peace to the world?"
Dr. Manhattan did not respond with hostility. Instead, he murmured, "Peace? I have seen it."
This statement caught everyone off guard, save for Kara and Rorschach, who remained calm.
Huntress, however, was visibly distressed. "I can't condone this kind of compromise," she said coldly.
Though her words were sharp, Huntress failed to notice the subtle shifts in expression on both Night Owl and Zatanna's faces. It was clear that they were wavering, torn between their principles and Ozymandias' logic.
Ozymandias seized this moment, pressing on with his argument. "If a nuclear war erupts, how many will die? Tens of millions? Hundreds of millions? Perhaps billions. The destruction of the world is a real possibility.
"But now—now I have saved billions at the cost of only a few million lives. Tell me, is that not worth it?"
Kara's glare turned icy. "Is it really worth it? Reducing millions of lives to mere numbers, void of meaning or humanity?"
Her words cut deep, but Ozymandias refused to back down. "I have saved the world," he insisted, his voice rising.
"Saved the world?" Kara scoffed. "If you're so proud of your methods, why don't you stand on your feet instead of yelling at me from the floor?"
The image was, indeed, comical—Ozymandias still sitting awkwardly where he'd fallen earlier, shouting indignantly.
Kara rolled her eyes. "What's the matter, Adrian? Don't have the spine to stand up to me? Or perhaps you'd prefer to keep barking from down there like the coward you are?"
Ozymandias' face flushed as he clambered awkwardly to his feet, brushing off invisible dust with exaggerated indignation.
"Alright," he said tersely, his tone sharp. "If you have a better idea, let's hear it. Without Dr. Manhattan's intervention, how would you unite the nations and prevent a nuclear war? What solution would you propose?"
Kara crossed her arms, her expression unyielding. "Perhaps you should have thought about that before you started relying on Jon's power to win battles you couldn't handle yourself. Your over-reliance on him has emboldened certain nations to the point of recklessness."
Pausing, she added, "And in case you haven't noticed, some of those nations are planning to launch their nukes tonight."
The room tensed at her words. She didn't elaborate, but everyone knew her abilities left little room for doubt.
Ozymandias, however, refused to be swayed. "Even if suspicions arise in the future, I will ensure the world remembers the threat. I'll remind them in my way—through subtle means, like... the occasional rain of octopuses."
Kara raised an eyebrow, suppressing a smirk. "Octopus rain? Really? That's your brilliant plan?"
Her amusement faded quickly, her tone turning serious. "Let me ask you one final question, Adrian."
Ozymandias froze as Kara's expression hardened. Her sharp eyes seemed to pierce right through him, and the air grew colder under the weight of her gaze. For the first time, he sensed the full extent of her power—an unsettling, almost godlike presence that made even Dr. Manhattan seem distant.
"Why did you choose to sacrifice civilians?" Kara asked, her voice icy. "Why was it them and not the ones in power?"
Ozymandias opened his mouth to respond, but Kara raised a hand to stop him.
"I once knew a man—a lunatic," she continued, her voice dropping ominously. "He said something I'll never forget: 'Kill a hundred civilians, and no one bats an eye. Kill a leader, and everyone takes notice.'
"So tell me, Adrian," she pressed, stepping closer. "Why did you choose to slaughter millions of innocents when you could've achieved the same outcome by targeting the powerful? What makes their lives more valuable than the lives of the people you so callously sacrificed?"
The room fell silent again. Ozymandias struggled to find words, but Kara's unrelenting gaze made it impossible to speak. He realized, with growing dread, that her question wasn't rhetorical.
It was a threat.
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