The Comprehensive Evolution of American Comics

The cultists, united as one, were lying in ambush within the bushes, awaiting the imminent clash. However, the first thing they saw was not a person, but a mass of water.

"Splash!"

A surge of water burst forth from the tunnel, arcing through the air like a serpent before hurtling towards the Cobra cultist nearest to the tunnel entrance.

Caught off guard, the cultist had no time to react and was struck head-on by the water. Strangely, though, the impact was minimal, only slightly stronger than a faucet's flow.

While the cultist was still reeling, the water washed over his nearby comrades. To his astonishment, the water didn't dissipate after washing over them; instead, it connected them to one another.

To an observer, they appeared to be linked by a continuously flowing, transparent rope.

"What's happening? Ahhhhh!"

Before the cultist could figure out what was going on, an electric current surged through the water and into his body. Almost simultaneously, those cultists connected by the water were also electrocuted.

"Enemy attack!"

The other cultists realized their ambush had been exposed. The stream of water must be the attack from their target.

At this, the cultists grabbed their weapons: uniformly-made, peculiar-looking firearms resembling rifles, but with rectangular muzzles approximately eight centimeters long instead of the usual circular ones.

Although they hadn't seen the enemy yet, the attack indicated their target was inside the tunnel. All they needed to do was pull the trigger.

The next moment, crimson energy bullets rained down on the tunnel entrance. The purpose of these attacks wasn't to inflict damage, but to suppress the enemy with overwhelming firepower, crushing their psychological defenses and forcing them to surrender.

After about three minutes, the Cobra cultists ceased firing, having exhausted their magazines during the intense barrage. It was time to reload.

Taking advantage of the reload, a lithe figure darted out of the tunnel. It was Wonder Girl, illuminated by the moonlight, appearing like a lunar deity ready to hunt.

"Quick! Fire!" The cultists hastened to reload, but Wonder Girl was too fast. She was already upon them.

Each punch and kick from Wonder Girl generated gusts of wind strong enough to stagger an ordinary person, let alone a direct hit.

She was like a tiger charging into a flock of chickens, felling a cultist with a single blow. In mere seconds, she had taken down five, bringing the total incapacitated to half of the twenty cultists, including those initially shocked.

The other cultists finally reloaded and turned their guns on the rampaging Wonder Girl. Even their brainwashed minds now deeply understood the difference between a human and a demigod.

"Fire! Fire!"

The cultists were about to pull the triggers, but everything slowed down, as if someone had pressed the 0.x speed button.

To Kid Flash, who tapped into the Speed Force, the world always appeared this way. He casually strolled to a cultist and flashed a mischievous grin.

The Cobra cultists felt a sudden gust of wind, almost strong enough to keep their eyes open, but under the protection of Saint Cobra's glory, they resolutely pulled the triggers despite their fear.

"Click, click, click!"

It was the warning sound of a gun firing on empty, even after the magazines had just been replaced.

The cultists looked down to find the magazines missing from their weapons.

"Looking for something?"

A playful voice drew everyone's attention. The cultists turned to see Kid Flash, one of their targets, standing nearby, holding a pile of magazines.

The cultists were shocked, but some reacted quickly and reached for their lower backs, only to feel a sinking sensation.

Their back-up magazines were gone too.

Kid Flash stepped aside, revealing an even larger pile of magazines behind him, identical to those in his hands.

Kid Flash dropped the magazines, waved to the cultists with a smile, and vanished in a flash of lightning.

"Bang!" ×10

Ten thuds echoed almost simultaneously. In the blink of an eye for Wonder Girl, the remaining ten cultists were on the ground, and Kid Flash was dusting off his hands, the only one left standing.

"Easy mode," Kid Flash said proudly, tilting his head.

"It took five seconds. You're still far from Flash's level."

The buzz-killing voice of Robin. Kid Flash dejectedly looked over to see Robin pointing the screen of his wrist-mounted computer at him, displaying the recorded time.

Five point zero three seconds. That's how long it took him to take down all the cultists.

"Flash solved a major heist that happened simultaneously in Central City and Keystone City in just three seconds," Robin said, switching off the computer.

"He was so fast that the people doing their banking didn't even realize it happened. When they walked out, they just saw a bunch of criminals tied to lampposts."

While delivering his deflating words, Robin walked over to a cultist, crouched down, picked up a fallen gun, and gave it a cursory inspection.

"I'm now certain that there's a mastermind behind the Cobra cult. The technology in these guns is beyond what a bunch of cultists could acquire."

"Didn't you say time was of the essence? Why are you wasting time picking up trash?"

Kid Flash sidled up, speaking in a teasing tone, clearly bothered by Robin's earlier put-down.

"This isn't a waste of time. These aren't the usual live-ammo guns you see on the street. With high-tech weapons like this, you can find out something by examining the manufacturing process."

Robin pushed Kid Flash's face away and said, "Unfortunately, I don't know if these guns have trackers, so I can't take them back to base just in case."

"But wasn't Mount Justice exposed already?" Kid Flash asked, scratching his head.

"Idiot, it's common knowledge that Mount Justice has been abandoned. The criminals don't know it's been reactivated."

Robin tapped Kid Flash on the head.

"The most dangerous place is the safest place. If we're careful, no one will find out Mount Justice has been reactivated, so it's like it was never exposed. Do you understand?"