Multiverse: Deathstroke

Chapter 350: Ch.349 Two Disappearances

"Disappearance" has never been a good word.

Su Ming discovered something rather troubling: everything that's been happening lately seems to revolve around the number seven.

The Riddler left a riddle with the answer "seven," John mentioned that there are seven forces flowing into Earth from beyond the Source Wall, and the Justice League currently consists of seven members. The Endless also has seven members.

Could his enemies be a group of seven as well?

"Have any ideas?" Death asked, looking at Su Ming's half-healed, partially rotten face with a smile.

"Yeah, sort of. The universe is going through some drastic changes; he might want to find out what's happening."

Death did have a habit of "going incognito" from time to time, transforming herself into a mortal with only one day to live, to experience human emotions firsthand and then return here to face herself.

Dream, or the Sandman, had no such need. He could freely enter anyone's dreams and experience anything that could be felt in reality.

Unless he wanted to visit Earth and see his mother.

But since the Endless themselves didn't know where he was, that possibility was off the table.

"Yes, a drastic change indeed. The Dreaming has suffered some damage, and dreams that don't belong to this world have entered his domain. Besides that, I've heard that Hell's Prince has also gone missing."

Death rolled her eyes, sharing what she knew with Su Ming. But beyond matters of life and death, she truly had nothing more to offer.

Su Ming sighed. Hell in the DC Universe was quite complicated. It wasn't just Satan reigning supreme; various demon lords had their own territories.

Currently, Hell was in a three-way balance of power: the traditionalists led by Satan, the Eastern faction led by Izanami-no-Mikoto, and Mazikeen, who had taken over Lucifer Morningstar's throne.

Those like Trigon, rulers of other worlds, looked down on the territory of Hell.

The Hell Prince that Death spoke of was generally a title for Lucifer Morningstar, since he was a fallen angel and the son of the Presence, and because he had the grace and charm befitting a prince.

However, Lucifer had left the mess of Hell to Mazikeen, his partner. He himself opened a nightclub in Los Angeles called "Lux."

Daniel's disappearance was understandable. The Sandman was never a fighter; he was more akin to a magician. Even Constantine, if he paid enough of a price and put his mind to it, could summon and trap the Sandman.

But Lucifer was different. As the highest-ranking angel and former ruler of Hell, his combat power was terrifying. His disappearance was a blaring alarm.

What had come from beyond the Source Wall?

"I need to return to the main world. If you want me to help find Daniel, I'll need more information."

"He abandoned his throne, forsaking the Dreaming. He's hiding from something. Some books have gone missing from his library—those were stories that had never been written."

Death watched as Su Ming's face restored itself. She reached out her cold hand to touch his chin, and his beard and hair grew back.

When she tried to touch Su Ming's eyepatch, he grabbed her hand.

"The power of life doesn't belong to me. Some imperfections represent memories—people don't want to forget."

"I was only trying to pay a fee. Even mercenaries need payment, don't they?" Death looked a bit wronged, but she smiled regardless.

"If possible, make sure the rest of the Endless, aside from you, don't bother me in the future." Su Ming stood up. He needed to go back.

"As you wish. At least I can promise that on behalf of Destiny." Death stood as well, her height reaching only up to Su Ming's upper arm.

"I'd prefer to control my own destiny. I still have a score to settle with Manhattan."

"Well, let me tell you something as a reward—if we calculate by main world time, Doctor Manhattan has been dead for ten years now."

Death said something shocking, causing Su Ming to freeze. If Manhattan had died long ago, who did he see last time?

And who had given him a bag of stones and sent him away?

"How could Manhattan be dead?" Su Ming paused, his hand stopping just as he was about to put on his helmet, his one eye fixed on Death's dark eyes.

"Death is an inevitable ending. Even the universe itself will die. Naturally, Doctor Manhattan is no exception, and neither are you."

Su Ming sighed. Perhaps that was true. The X-metal indeed extended his lifespan, preventing him from dying of old age, but warriors could die in battle. Today, he almost died.

But this time, he survived.

"Doesn't matter. Today's not the day."

"Not today, but we will meet again someday. I have no direct gateway to the main world; there are currently two good ways for you to go back. You can choose."

"Hmm?"

"One way is for me to send you to the Astral Plane. That place is the home of the souls of the unbelievers and is closely connected to the living world. You could contact a magician and have them summon you back."

"And the other?" Su Ming wasn't eager to visit the House of Mystery to find Constantine.

Death showed her teeth, lightly biting her lips painted black. "The other way is for me to send you to the Dreaming. There, you can see everyone's dreams. The easiest way to return to the living world is to hitch a ride when someone wakes up."

Intruding on someone's dream and forcing them awake seemed a bit against the rules, which made Death slightly embarrassed.

Su Ming didn't care. This was clearly the quickest way.

"Send me to the Dreaming."

Death waved her hand, and a door appeared on the wall, revealing a scene completely different from here.

Green trees provided shade, and everything was filled with fairy-tale colors.

He could see Puss in Boots and other fairy-tale characters having a picnic under a tree.

"Goodbye." Su Ming walked toward the door, only to realize his words felt awkward—saying goodbye to Death was probably not a good omen.

Death just smiled without responding, waving at him.

The door writhed, swallowing him whole.

He entered the Dreaming.

The last time he came here, he had only stayed briefly at the central castle, not even finishing Daniel's story. But now, he saw the Dreaming in its entirety.

Green trees and red flowers, peaceful and quiet. The sun in the sky even had smiling features, and the wind, in personified form, flew overhead with puffed cheeks.

However, something was clearly different. The colorful sky, drawn as if by a child's crayons, had a huge white rift, as if the painting were about to tear apart.

A sense of impending doom for the world washed over him.