Looking at the city submerged by seawater and then sensing his own condition, Hal ultimately shook his head, turned, and prepared to leave.
The prolonged lack of food stimulated Hal's nerves with intense hunger, making him restless and irritable. In this state, joining the rescue efforts would not only be unhelpful but could even cause trouble for his teammates.
Just as Hal was about to leave, a dark figure blocked his path.
Seeing someone obstructing him, coupled with the effects of hunger, Hal instinctively wanted to lash out. However, upon seeing that the person blocking his way was Batman, and especially after meeting his cold gaze, Hal involuntarily shivered and ultimately refrained from exploding.
"What is it?"
In response to Hal's inquiry, Batman did not answer. Instead, he tossed the other man an energy bar and said, "Follow me."
Catching the energy bar thrown by Batman, the ravenously hungry Hal could no longer care about anything else. He eagerly devoured it.
Eating after a long time made Hal feel much better, though Batman observed all of this.
Watching Batman board the fighter jet, Green Lantern initially intended to follow by flying, but a stern look from Batman scared him into obediently climbing aboard.
Soon, the fighter jet flew over city after city and landed slowly before a remote ancient castle.
The butler, Alfred, had been waiting for a long time. However, to conceal his identity, Alfred wore a cute bunny mask and a serious black suit, making him look somewhat comical.
Led by Alfred, the two entered the castle. Pushing open the castle doors, they were greeted by a long dining table laden with a vast amount of food, primarily high-calorie items like burgers, fried chicken, fries, and pizza, which Batman had intentionally arranged.
Hal's mouth began to water at the sight of the food on the table. However, thinking of Batman standing beside him, the immense psychological pressure caused his reason to overcome his hunger. He stood quietly beside Batman, awaiting further instructions.
Batman's lips curved slightly upwards. He could tell that Hal was exercising considerable restraint, and he was very pleased with his current behavior. He said in a relaxed tone, "Go ahead, all the food on the table is yours."
Given Batman's permission, Hal no longer suppressed his craving for food. He rushed to the table in long strides, completely abandoning any pretense of decorum. With a burger in his left hand and a piece of fried chicken in his right, he ate continuously, unable to stop.
Initially, Alfred thought that only fried foods would be unhealthy and wondered if he should prepare some healthy vegetable salads or Chinese cuisine.
Now, it seemed that Master's decision was incredibly wise. Looking at Hal's ravenous consumption, neither vegetable salad nor Chinese food would have been appropriate.
Seeing this, Batman did not rush to discuss business. He found a seat, picked up a burger, and began to eat it leisurely, forming a stark contrast with Hal.
Under Hal's onslaught, more than a third of the fried food on the table was quickly devoured.
After finishing the half-eaten burger in his hand in a few bites, Hal let out a satisfied burp and patted his stomach. After a long moment, he finally came to his senses and looked at Batman, who had somehow taken a seat opposite him. "Alright, Bats, you didn't bring me all the way here just to treat me to a high-calorie feast, did you? Speak your mind quickly."
Batman finished the last bite of his burger, narrowed his eyes slightly, and asked Hal, "How is the Symbiote Scar effective?"
Hal was stunned at first and quickly denied, "Symbiote? What are you talking about? I don't know what you mean."
"Symbiotes enhance a person's physical strength while constantly amplifying their inner darkness. I didn't realize your darkness manifested as lying," Su Dan Xiao Shuo Wang.
With Batman saying so, Hal could no longer deny it. He revealed the power ring that had been infected by the Symbiote and told Batman everything that had happened to him.
Hearing Hal's account, Batman's brows furrowed deeply.
From Hal's tone, it was clear that he did not want to separate from the Symbiote, at least not yet.
However, Batman still said, "Hal, you should know, the Symbiote is changing you."
"I know. I'm eating more, but my retirement money is enough. I won't starve."
"You know I don't mean that."
Batman said in a low voice, "Symbiotes are extremely dangerous. Changing your emotions and making you irritable is just the first step. With time, it will gradually control you and become the master of this body."
"No, I won't let that happen. My will is as hard as steel; the Symbiote can't affect me."
"But someone has already been injured because of you. Hawkgirl, remember her? She's still in the hospital."
"Don't mention that to me!"
The name Hawkgirl instantly pricked Hal's sensitive nerve. Coupled with the Symbiote's emotional influence on him during this period, he lost control for a moment, and his anger erupted, flipping the entire table to the ground.
However, Hal quickly regained his composure and suppressed his rage. He placed his hands on the overturned dining table and took a deep breath, saying, "I'm sorry. I... got too emotional. You're right, the Symbiote is indeed making me irritable and quick-tempered. But you saw it too, when fighting that demon, only I, possessed by the Symbiote, had the ability to fight it. If I separate from the Symbiote, how will we deal with those demons?"
Hal's words left Batman speechless.
Indeed, even Superman's physical attacks were useless against a water demon like Basha today. No matter how many clones were shattered, new ones would emerge. If it weren't for Hal and the Symbiote attached to him today, defeating Basha would not have been so easy.
Finally, Hal conceded, "I know your concerns. Rest assured, I know my body best. If the Symbiote's influence becomes uncontrollable, I will find a way to separate it."
Before Batman could say more, Hal didn't give him the chance. He enveloped himself in the light of his power ring, turned, and flew out of the castle, leaving behind a mess and Batman and Alfred.
While Batman and Hal were having their talk, Basha, having suffered defeat on land, swam towards the deep sea.
The lack of dark energy had greatly weakened Basha's power. Revenge on Atlantis was impossible; he could only find a safe place to recuperate, replenish what was lost, and then make further plans.
Just as Basha was fleeing, a familiar figure unexpectedly appeared before him.
"Holy Lord! How could it be you?"