Chapter 97: Ian’s Background! The Bat’s Tragedy! [13k]
Miles above the ground.
A Boeing 787 passenger jet smoothly cut through the sky above the clouds. Richard Cassell, a wealthy and well-known writer in first class, was idly stirring his coffee, contemplating the plot for his new book.
As a classic mystery novel writer.
Writer’s block was a very classic part of Cassell’s daily life. Just as he was racking his brain with no results, and contemplating whether to abandon the project, change his pen name, and start a new series, Cassell’s gaze was suddenly drawn to something outside the window—it was a shiny black Dodge Hellcat!
That’s right!
Cassell knew this car, because he had bought one himself, but at this moment, he felt he might have bought a counterfeit, because the Hellcat before his eyes was speeding at least 300 miles per hour through the clouds!
“Am I dreaming!?”
Writer Cassell couldn’t help but rub his eyes. He wasn’t seeing things; there was indeed a small car flying outside the plane, among the clouds, and he could even see the two passengers inside.
A man and a woman, seemingly younger than his own daughter!
“This…” Cassell’s eyes widened, and he couldn’t speak. He grabbed a passing flight attendant to ask, but he was afraid of being labeled mentally ill and making tomorrow’s news headlines.
Cassell hesitated, and with a forced smile, he saw off the flight attendant with a strange look in her eyes. Then, this famous American writer suddenly leaned against the window, practically wishing he could stick his entire face out.
“I knew the movie Back to the Future was too conservative!!” After getting over his initial shock, Cassell was also incredibly excited and fumbled to pull out his mobile phone.
Due to his carelessness, the phone almost fell to the ground. After a considerable struggle with the phone, he finally gripped it with relief.
He had originally wanted to praise himself a little, but the next moment, Cassell remembered his purpose for taking out his phone. He suddenly turned his head and pressed against the window, holding up his phone.
He was attempting to take a photo.
However.
He discovered that the young passengers inside the driverless car seemed to have noticed him. The car accelerated and directly overtook the airplane flying alongside it.
“No!! Come back! Fly back!”
Cassell’s face was almost pressed against the glass. Without successfully capturing this supernatural experience to use as an excuse for his delays, he might not be able to sleep well for a week.
“Quick, tell the captain to speed up!”
Cassell, always full of absurd ideas, pressed the call button. In his haste, he no longer worried about being considered crazy and began describing what he saw to the flight attendant without reservation. The flight attendant simply smiled and handed him a glass of red wine: “Sir, long flights can indeed cause hallucinations.”
“There are no flying cars in the sky above Metropolis, only flying superheroes and the villains they chase—that’s common sense.” The flight attendant’s words stunned Cassell.
“Is that so… that’s common sense?”
Cassell, a New Yorker, indeed didn’t know much about the customs and culture of Metropolis.
“Yes, perhaps you could visit the Superhero Popularity Center website and read the detailed analysis by forum big shot ‘I’m Really Not Batman’.”
“Oh, and there’s also the article by the big shot ‘Superman Must Die’, which is also well-written. The skies of Metropolis are Superman’s domain; he won’t allow anyone but himself and his brats to touch them—I’m quoting directly, I actually love Superman.” The beautiful flight attendant was clearly a seasoned superhero fan.
“Superman has children?”
Cassell appeared somewhat surprised.
“Forum big shots, internet keyboard warriors, what they say isn’t always correct. Most people still think Superman can’t find a spouse unless it’s Superwoman.”
The beautiful flight attendant continued to smile.
“That makes sense.”
Cassell nodded thoughtfully.
The flight attendant he called over again clearly recognized his identity.
“Mr. Cassell, isn’t your new book about to be released soon? You actually have time to travel to Metropolis?” The pretty flight attendant might also enjoy reading the works of the writer before her.
“Uh…”
Cassell’s expression stiffened slightly upon hearing this. He didn’t want to reveal that his new book had only a folder created for it, so he immediately put his talent to use.
“The new book was actually finished a long time ago, so I wanted to go out and clear my head to change my mood.” Perhaps, being able to lie with a clear conscience was a mandatory course for every writer.
Cassell’s smiling expression showed no sign of guilt.
“I see.”
The pretty flight attendant harbored no suspicion.
“Then I wish you a pleasant stay in Metropolis.”
She offered her blessings.
Seeing this, Cassell secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and also revealed why he chose to vacation in Metropolis: “I believe my trip will be very enjoyable.”
“Because I’m not just sightseeing, I’m also trying to solve an interesting puzzle.” As he spoke, Cassell opened his jacket, revealing a letter inside his suit lining.
“A mysterious detective from the Mystery Writers’ Association seems to know I’m investigating a book that stole my promotional resources, so he gave me a set of city photos of Metropolis.”
Cassell put the envelope back inside his clothes.
“There’s such a thing? What does he want you to do?”
The pretty flight attendant looked astonished.
“Indeed, such a thing happened. Isn’t it interesting? I think it’s a commission, and that mysterious detective also wants me to know it’s a commission.”
“Perhaps he needs me to find someone in Metropolis. That person must be the one who stole my new book’s promotional resources.” Cassell’s tone was confident, yet he was still pondering why the mysterious detective wanted him to do this.
Beat them up?
Or was there some other reason?
“He can’t possibly want me to teach this well-connected person how to write a book, can he?” Cassell fell into a state of mental storm, ready to enter it at any moment.
Seeing this, the flight attendant didn’t want to disturb him.
“If you need any other ideas or inspiration, I’ll definitely be free after I get off work tonight.” The flight attendant said this as she slipped her phone number to Cassell.
She chatted with Cassell for so long, not because she was truly idle.
Cassell was a famous millionaire.
He was also handsome.
What flight attendant wouldn’t like to have some story with such a person?
“Oh, is that so? I think I will definitely need some inspiration.” Cassell, momentarily interrupted from his thoughts, quickly and gentlemanly gave the pretty flight attendant a definite response with a smile.
Things like this happened often, and Cassell knew what the other party wanted—a few babies, or luxury goods and sports cars. As long as it wasn’t the former, he could afford it. It was a win-win situation.
“See you.”
The pretty flight attendant left with an overly exaggerated sway.
It took Cassell a long time to look away.
“That car! Where can I buy that car!” The writer’s thoughts indeed jumped around. After a series of interruptions, he was still obsessed with the flying car he had seen.
Cassell pressed his face hard against the window, looking out.
However.
The flying Hellcat had already disappeared without a trace.
“Did the kids inside notice I was trying to take a photo?” Cassell was unwilling to give up, and began to suspect the Hellcat’s passengers had superpowers, allowing them to sense being watched.
However.
Was that really the case?
“Damn it! Boeing! Bad luck!” Ian hadn’t sensed anything. He had merely accidentally glimpsed the production logo of the large airplane, and out of instinct for emergency evasion, he made the Hellcat accelerate wildly.
“Stay away from these kinds of planes in the future, don’t get run over… they can crash without any warning.” Ian imparted his life experience to the young car.
“Beep beep beep~”
The car responded with its horn.
“Ian! Close your window! My Dior sunglasses are going to fly off…” Due to the car’s sudden acceleration, Madison’s long hair was flying wildly like a ghost.
“They already flew out.”
Madison didn’t catch her sunglasses.
“It’s okay, I’ll get you a new one from a magical place tonight.”
Ian had a thrifty personality.
In the Marvel Universe, he could get as much luxury goods as he wanted without paying.
“I don’t use pirated goods.”
Madison’s eyes were full of suspicion.
“Pirated goods? Master Ian doesn’t have time to find pirated goods! Do you know how valuable my time is?” Ian directly revealed his stingy rich persona.
“Oh~ I get it. I always thought that when Superman was fighting for justice, he’d have to snatch some things… otherwise, he wouldn’t have money for food after a day of maintaining justice!”
Madison’s imagination was always so peculiar.
“Get me a few more. It’s also just to steal things from ‘Black Bro’, I’ll pay.” She took out her wallet and found only a few loose change inside.
Thus.
This girl, whose moral bottom line might be lower than Ian’s, began to hastily justify her financial situation.
“I still have four thousand five hundred US dollars in my bedside table. I was planning to use it for a vacation next week after the holiday.” Madison always hated being thought of as poor.
However.
To Ian, he certainly wouldn’t look down on his deskmate—four thousand, five thousand, six thousand made no difference. To Ian, who had a huge tip in his account, they were all poor. Of course, even a mosquito’s leg is still meat. Ian believed he wasn’t interested in money, but he wouldn’t pass up an opportunity to make money.
Capitalists are always meticulous.
Ian just kept this in mind.
“Give me the money on Monday, and I’ll bring the goods for you. Then, next week, Saturday and Sunday, don’t go out, and I’ll tell everyone you went on vacation to the Hamptons.”
Ian could not only win for himself, but also offer advice to others, allowing them to have a win-win life. Upon hearing this, Madison was only stunned for about five seconds.
“Good idea!”
She clapped her hands and happily finalized the plan. Madison also had her own way of thinking. Others could tell if luxury goods were fake, but who could verify whether she went to the Hamptons or not?
Such great value!
Madison felt her way of thinking and her perspective broaden. This is how a “green tea girl” grows; on the path of life, she would always meet people who helped her become even more “green tea.”
“Very good. I’ll take you home first, then I have to attend to some serious business.”
Ian enjoyed playing with people like Madison. Most people couldn’t understand his intelligence or were unwilling to admit it, but a good deskmate knew how smart he was.
“Hiss~ The speed has increased again!”
Madison had already adapted to the previous speed, but after Ian spoke, the car beneath her feet accelerated again, and the surrounding clouds seemed to be rapidly receding.
“Driving this fast, if we crash, the airbags probably won’t save us, right?” She actually had such concerns, which could only mean she scored too high in her natural science and science courses.
“Don’t panic, we’re almost home.”
As soon as Ian finished speaking, the Hellcat began to descend rapidly from the clouds. Madison, whose lips were trembling, finally saw the luxurious community where she lived.
“There! There!”
Madison pointed her finger, attempting to navigate.
“I remember where your house is, no need to guide me.” Ian pulled the girl, who was leaning out the window and almost fell, back into the relatively safe interior of the car.
“Huh? I don’t remember you coming over…”
Madison was a little surprised.
“Of course you wouldn’t remember. It was the first day of school, and I investigated everyone who showed signs of being a school bully—by the way, your mother must truly love your father.”
“She didn’t even let me have an orange at your house.” Ian couldn’t help but express his sincere emotion. Upon hearing this, Madison frowned, completely not understanding his meaning.
“Vroom~”
The engine made a sound.
The Hellcat hovered about ten meters above the ground.
“I’ve read a few books about driving. Starting and stopping consumes the most fuel… so let’s get out here.” After speaking, Ian directly grabbed Madison.
He leaped down.
This startled Madison greatly.
“Don’t grab my neck and collar! This outfit is expensive! Grab my hair, my hair is very durable from all the fights I’ve been in!”
Madison screamed as she spoke.
“Your clothes are already ripped, don’t think just because Master Ian is rich now, you can extort me however you want.” Ian landed steadily with Madison.
Without any incident.
He gently set Madison down.
“That was a decadent kind of ruined earlier, and now it’s a violently ruined. Can they be the same?” Madison speechlessly tidied her clothes, then blew on her golden hair that covered her face like a bird’s nest.
“Also, a normal person flying with someone and landing shouldn’t put them on a mailbox, right? I may not have much common sense, but I’m very clear about this!”
With that said.
Madison vigorously patted the mailbox she was sitting on.
The mailbox made a clanging metallic sound.
“Hmm? If I don’t find a place for your butt to sit, your trembling legs might keep clamping onto my waist—as expected, little punk, you’re too scheming.”
“You finally found an opportunity to take advantage of me.”
Ian put on a disgusted expression.
“…”
Madison rolled her eyes repeatedly.
“Should I also thank you for not going to your little simp Emily to complain?” The “green tea girl” gritted her teeth, realizing how difficult it was to deal with a boy’s “tea talk.”
“Yes, so what do you need to say to me?”
Ian tilted his ear, listening.
“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”
Madison said it three times through gritted teeth.
She took a deep breath.
Ian, on the other hand, immediately felt relieved.
“Such a virtuous little punk. I have things to do, see you next week—oh, and don’t even think about stealing my mom’s cat.” Ian nodded with satisfaction, then reached out and grabbed the orange cat from Madison’s belly.
“Damn it!”
Madison was somewhat unwilling.
“Then at least let me keep that toad!”
Her fallback request still did not receive a response from Ian.
Just then.
Ian bounced up on the spot like a spring and leaped back into the Hellcat, which was still hovering in the air—the Hellcat’s engine roared, and a burst of purple flames spewed from its exhaust pipe as the car “whooshed” towards the clouds.
Watching Ian and his battle car disappear into the distance.
“So this is how Superman flies? Just by jumping?” Madison, who was still sulking, was stunned. She felt like she had discovered something that everyone in Metropolis had missed for years.
Her anger was gone.
The little punk girl’s mind was now filled with the thought of whether Ian had two super rabbit legs hidden in his pants.
“This is big news! So there are no flying Supermen in the world!”
Madison, with some persistent imagination, jumped off the mailbox and pushed open the door of her villa. Her mother, a former third-rate Hollywood actress, rushed over excitedly.
“I knew it! I knew it! My precious daughter must be more capable than me! I just latched onto your rich father, and you managed to latch onto such a handsome alien!”
Linda, with a touch of noblewoman’s demeanor, shook her daughter’s shoulders vigorously with excitement, her face beaming as if she had won the lottery.
Madison felt dizzy from the shaking.
“What alien? Mom, what weird TV series are you watching again?” Her mind was already a mess from today’s events, and now, after a few shakes, it was completely blank.
“Stop pretending! I saw it all! The alien drove a KFO to bring you back!”
Linda looked as if she had seen through everything. “When I played 《 Martian Princess Battles Lizardman 》 back in the day, I knew it. Aliens love blonde beauties!”
Her tone was full of wisdom.
Madison didn’t dare to ask.
She was afraid that if she asked, she’d hear that the movie was rated R.
“It’s a UFO, not a KFO. No, Ian wasn’t driving a UFO either…” Madison was getting confused, and she grabbed her hair again in exasperation.
“I finally understand why Ian always said my IQ was insufficient… the root cause is with you!” Madison, only realizing this after so many years, felt that Ian’s reasoning might indeed have some truth to it.
“Silly child, let Mommy hug you. Girls should be a little silly; it makes them luckier.” Linda, still graceful and beautiful, was beaming.
She was also very proud.
Madison was expressionless, pushed into her mother’s ample bosom. She rolled her eyes, completely devoid of hope, and no longer believed a single word her mother said.
Perhaps her mother’s claim that she was suited for Hollywood was also false? At this moment, Madison had an epiphany, realizing the reason why she had always failed her auditions.
Indeed.
Ian said that even breathing the air he breathed could infect one with his intelligence.
It was true!
……
Dusk settled.
A gleaming Dodge Hellcat sliced through the sky, weaving through the clouds. Ian, following the direction of the pointer, tried to find the location Miss Death wanted him to seek.
It wasn’t particularly difficult.
Soon, the Hellcat arrived above an ancient monastery-style building. The pointer in his hand twisted and pointed downwards. It was clear that this was the clue Miss Death had provided.
The building was surrounded by lush trees, making it appear exceptionally hidden and mysterious. Perhaps this was also the base of the witch coven Madison had mentioned earlier?
After some thought.
Ian ultimately tapped the Hellcat, telling it to retreat first, choosing not to act rashly – mainly because he was unsure of the power level of the so-called Sorceress Supreme.
“Miss Death’s level is too high. The dungeon difficulty related to her must be high; it’s not a place I can solo.” Ian believed that if he wasn’t in a hurry, someone else would be.
Acquiring information was crucial.
So if Ian wasn’t in a hurry.
Miss Death might reveal the information herself, saving Ian the trouble of gathering it himself – after all, activating the Batman search engine was quite a hassle.
“Yes, that’s the plan!”
Ian’s Super Brain told him again that he should use his super legs. The Hellcat carried him back into the clouds, speeding towards home, bypassing the city’s hustle and bustle.
“The number you have dialed has blocked you completely. Please redial if you encounter difficulties. Thank you for your cooperation.” Ian had wanted to connect with Batman during his free time.
He didn’t expect to hear only a heartless synthesized voice.
“How could you do this!”
Ian was heartbroken.
He hadn’t even gotten the Power Ring yet.
“Alas, I’ll have to reconsider when I get back.”
Ian’s Hellcat sped rapidly, soon arriving at his home.
This was a community inhabited by elite families.
Although they were still detached houses, there were a few neighbors nearby. There was no need for particular discretion; using the cover of night, Ian let the Hellcat descend slowly.
Some observed from behind curtains, no photos were taken, and there was no need to make a fuss. After all, the neighbors were all quite sharp-eared, and coincidentally, they were all professional agents from the same department.
After so many years.
A very small number of officials were still aware of Superman’s identity. The car stopped with a creak on the lawn of their own yard, just three inches away from Lois’s most cherished rose bushes.
“Even Jesus would have had trouble saving you there.” Ian patted the Hellcat, giving his new companion a reminder. As soon as he picked up his backpack and opened the car door, he felt a shadow envelop him.
It was his old father, Clark Kent.
The invincible Superman stood before him, arms crossed, blocking Ian’s path.
“Where did you get this car?”
Clark’s voice was laced with a weary resignation he had become accustomed to. He truly couldn’t understand why Ian always managed to pick up strange and peculiar items whenever he went out.
“It was a special destiny that brought us together? I love it, and it loves me… we’re sweet?” Ian was a bit embarrassed to admit that he had used his super negotiation skills to get someone to give him the car for free.
He gave a response that was both there and not there.
It couldn’t be helped.
Ian didn’t dare to mention that his beloved car occasionally killed its owners, as no matter how much he tried to portray himself as a martyr benefiting the public, the Hellcat would likely be sent for immediate disposal.
“You’re sweet?”
Clark, who had been watching Ian’s descent the whole time, felt his temples twitch. The old father circled the black muscle car, which emitted a faint scent of sulfur.
“Don’t tell me this is automotive maintenance product?” Clark picked up a dark red substance from the trunk lid. The sticky material gleamed eerily in the setting sun.
“Biologically speaking, this should be organic tissue, but it’s likely not on the protected species list,” Ian answered truthfully, secretly observing his adoptive father’s reaction.
“I’m asking where you got the organic tissue from…”
The old father, uncharacteristically trying to inject some humor, sighed helplessly. His not-so-stern attitude was actually due to his super-olfactory senses, which had already told him the answer.
Superman did indeed have a super sense of smell. The good news was that he knew it wasn’t the flesh of a protected species. The bad news was that he hadn’t realized what Ian had done after leaving that group of smugglers.
“Is it love? Love caused my little car to grow flesh.” Ian seemed to be joking, but he was actually trying to gauge if his father knew about what had happened on that street.
“……”
Seeing Clark’s eyes twitch, the old father likely hadn’t noticed the anomaly on that street. Ian thoughtfully touched the magic book hidden on his stomach.
A respectable old father.
He hadn’t even used his x-ray vision to examine him.
“Should we go home first?” Ian wanted to discuss the Sorceress Supreme and the new mission from the Big Shot with Clark, hoping Clark could use his super connections to find him a Super Law God as a trainer.
“Uh…”
Clark, who had been about to question Ian further, showed a change in his expression. As Ian took a step, he realized his adoptive father hadn’t moved.
The setting sun cast a long shadow of Clark.
“What’s wrong, Dad?”
Ian sensed Clark’s hesitation.
He noticed the unnatural expression on Clark’s face.
“Did Mom kick you out?”
Ian made a guess.
“……”
Clark shook his head speechlessly. To prevent Ian from making even more outrageous guesses, he pondered for a moment and then slowly said, “I talked to Jordan about his abilities.”
“He’s currently in the stage of ability awakening… well, just like you were before, but Jordan’s awakening is later. Your abilities might also be different because of this.” Clark said in a deep voice. He didn’t know that Ian had long discovered he was adopted, so he had specifically emphasized that their abilities might be different.
He was trying to take advantage of Ian’s ignorance about Krypton.
Ian pretended to believe him.
“And then?” Ian guessed that his father might have already spoken with Jordan, and perhaps it hadn’t gone well. The classic scenario of communication breakdown between father and son escalating conflict often played out in many American families.
Clark ran a hand through his hair in annoyance. “I let some things slip, so, combined with your recent unusual behavior, Jordan guessed that your awakening happened earlier than his.”
He was genuinely annoyed.
He had practically pulled out a few hairs from his Kryptonian head.
“It doesn’t matter, I like to show off anyway, not pretend to be a pig to eat a tiger.” Ian answered with utmost honesty, leaving Clark at a loss for words.
“I’m glad you think that way. Alas, if only you had returned earlier,” Clark’s voice lowered with a hint of melancholy.
“What does that mean?”
Ian blinked his eyes.
He didn’t understand his adoptive father’s statement.
“It’s nothing. Forget it, you go back first… Give me the manuscript you wrote. They’re waiting for me to deliver it for you.” Clark didn’t give Ian a detailed explanation.
He seemed to have temporarily put his worries aside, looking at Ian’s magnificent Hellcat. “I’ll go now. We can’t break our promises to others.”
Clark might have had occasional communication with Batman.
He even knew how to chase Batman for his manuscript.
“Here.”
Ian opened the Hellcat and took out a small portion of the manuscript he had written while flying. He watched his adoptive father soar into the sky, delivering a package to Gotham late at night.
“No wonder my upbringing is so good! Family influence is truly important!” Ian couldn’t help but sigh, giving his father a thumbs-up. His father was truly the most perfect man on Earth.
His personal conduct was impeccable.
“At most, I’ll wait until tomorrow, and then I should be able to learn to fly.” Retracting his gaze, which had seen nothing in an instant, Ian turned and pulled out the overfed Demon Head from the trunk.
“You didn’t finish eating!”
Ian was still bothered by his father’s questioning earlier.
The Demon Head blinked its cloudy eyes aggrievedly. It was helpless regarding the demon flesh Clark had discovered. “I can’t lick what’s outside the car from inside the car!”
That made sense.
But sense wasn’t enough.
“You’ve eaten so many demons, and you still haven’t evolved a void tongue? Never mind, never mind. Guard this for me first.” Ian took the Magic Toad out of his pocket and shoved it into the Demon Head’s mouth.
It charged directly into its stomach.
The Demon’s mouth, with only its head remaining, indeed seemed to contain another space.
“When I need it, if you can’t spit it out, don’t blame me for being ruthless.” Ian issued a threat, doing this entirely to avoid the risk of his family being poisoned by the toad.
There was no choice.
His knowledge of magic was too limited.
Ian felt he needed a magic teacher who didn’t lie. He thought of the purple girl he had met before, wondering how he could coax her into becoming his tutor.
Humming a tune, he walked home.
Pushing open the door, warm light and the sound of the television immediately enveloped Ian. In the living room, his eldest brother, Jonathan, and his second brother, Jordan, were sitting on the sofa watching the news.
On the screen, the chaotic scenes in Gotham City were being broadcast live, and Batman’s silhouette flashed by. The news said Batman had lost something, and Ian probably knew what Batman had lost.
No wonder they were urging him to hurry and send the remaining manuscript.
It seemed like the attempt to lure the Joker had failed.
“This Joker is too crazy, using thirty incidents simultaneously to attract Batman’s attention.” Ian couldn’t help but exclaim as he watched the news on the television.
And at this moment.
“Batman didn’t stay in Metropolis. My entire night’s work writing the manuscript was in vain, utterly worthless,” Lois’s voice came from the kitchen, laced with obvious resentment.
Ian’s scalp tingled, and he quickly raised the little cat gift box, using a fawning tone he had learned from TV shows, “Dear Mom, your favorite son has brought you a gift!”
Hearing this.
Lois poked her head out of the kitchen. Her eyes lit up when she saw the little cat. She quickly walked out, took the cat, and carefully hugged the well-behaved Orange Cat.
This cat truly didn’t have any overly extreme reactions.
Instead, it curiously surveyed its surroundings.
“Cats of this quality are usually very expensive, aren’t they?” Lois stroked the cat’s chin, her tone softening considerably. After receiving her son’s gift, any lingering resentment naturally vanished.
Even a top reporter.
Couldn’t resist the allure of fluffy.
“Not expensive, not expensive. I skipped the middleman, and even the manufacturer, so it’s very affordable.” Ian stated the modified truth with a serious expression.
The kitten in Lois’s arms stared at him for several moments.
He stared back.
“Did you snatch it from the mother cat?”
Lois straightened out Ian’s logic.
“No, the mother cat deliberately abandoned it and then deliberately let me find it – it must have prayed to God, knowing I would give this cat to my gentlest mother.”
Ian was already a master of flattery.
Lois instantly beamed.
“What happened to Jordan?”
Ian asked at the opportune moment.
He had noticed since entering that Jordan had been sneaking glances this way, more accurately, at Lois. Only when Lois glared back did Jordan reluctantly turn his head.
“It’s nothing. Since you’re so free… why don’t you help me make dinner?” Lois pulled Ian into the kitchen. Unsure, she peeked into the living room again before returning.
“Your eldest brother is the oldest, but he still hasn’t awakened his abilities. To prevent him from feeling psychologically unbalanced, don’t let him know about you and Jordan for now.”
It must be said.
This was also the classic “protection” mindset in American families. Ian felt this wasn’t right, but he didn’t dare to contradict the most powerful person in the family at this moment. Yes, there were indeed four superhumans in this family. Even though Jonathan hadn’t awakened yet, only Lois could be considered a normal person.
Yet, this ordinary person was the one with the most power in the family.
“Okay.”
Ian nodded.
Lois smiled in satisfaction, constantly petting the kitten in her arms. Ian, seeing the refrigerator, also felt very hungry and walked over to take out milk and bread to tide him over.
“Oh, right.” Lois saw Ian eating ravenously and, as if suddenly remembering something, asked nonchalantly while looking down at the cat.
“Jordan said he’d glimpsed the comics you drew and that your understanding of Superman’s abilities was too detailed, too abnormal. He’s been asking me if you’ve also awakened heat vision and an indestructible body?”
A soft question.
Without any particular emotion.
“What!?” Ian’s mind became crystal clear in an instant. He froze mid-air, milk bottle in hand. He slowly turned his head and saw his mother pretending to play with the cat with a somewhat forced air.
At this moment.
Ian seemed to understand why his old father hadn’t dared to enter the house just now. Perhaps Superman’s morality and personal character weren’t so perfect after all, and his old father sometimes lied to his children.
What about keeping promises?
He’s probably out there hiding from trouble!
And looking for his external brain to figure out how to deal with this family crisis, right?
“Deceitful, evil father!”
Ian was deeply shocked.
He felt like he’d been left with an indelible childhood trauma.
“Hmm? It seems to be true?”
Seeing Ian’s long silence, Lois whispered with a hint of confusion, then watched as Ian closed the refrigerator door and tossed the empty milk bottle aside.
“Abba, abba, abba~”
Ian seemed to have become mute, his mouth moving as he walked away.
“??????”
Lois was stunned.
“Abba, abba, abba~!”
Ian walked all the way to the living room and squeezed between his two older brothers before stopping his act. Of course, he could explain, but he didn’t intend to right now.
After all, his old father could help him explain, but Clark had abandoned the poor little boy, leaving him to face this situation alone and go find his external brain.
Wouldn’t that make him black-hearted?
If there’s a deceitful, evil father, there must be a deceitful, evil child!
“What’s wrong? Did something get stuck when you were eating?” Jonathan, still clueless, rubbed Ian’s head vigorously, puzzled by Ian’s strange behavior.
“No, it’s…”
Just as Ian was about to dig a deeper hole for his old father, Jordan, who kept looking back at the kitchen, grabbed him. Under Jonathan’s puzzled gaze, Jordan pulled Ian upstairs.
“Click~”
After locking his room, Jordan drew the curtains. Ian stood in the center of the room. In the stuffy bedroom, the strange mixed scent made him hate his own extraordinary sense of smell.
“Jordan, in your room, I can smell the aura of billions of lives perishing.” Ian couldn’t help but speak, estimating that there was no more sinful place on Earth.
“Heh.” Jordan ignored his brother’s teasing. He even put sound-dampening foam under the door. His movements were so fast they would appear as afterimages to an ordinary person.
How to put it.
Super speed.
That was truly not surprising at all. Smart, but not quite smart enough, after finishing his anti-eavesdropping measures, Jordan turned around, his blue eyes, identical to Clark’s, fixed on Ian.
“You’ve awakened too, I know it.”
Jordan’s tone was certain, his voice lowered to a whisper, as if discussing state secrets.
“Huh? Yes, I have.” Ian blinked. This time, he admitted it readily, mainly because he was genuinely curious about what Jordan was going to say with such a mysterious demeanor.
Upon receiving an affirmative answer, Jordan’s eyes lit up.
“Listen, I’ve been analyzing this for a long time.”
Jordan licked his lips, his voice filled with conviction, “Dad is Superman, you are Superman, I am Superman, and Jonathan is an as-yet-unawakened Superman, so…”
He paused briefly.
And immediately reached a bombshell conclusion.
“Mom must be Superwoman who’s become active in recent years!” Yes, this was Jordan’s underdeveloped Super Brain’s conclusion, derived through logical deduction.
Ian’s jaw nearly hit the floor.
Jordan seemed to take this as agreement and continued his enthusiastic monologue: “But I’ve asked Mom several times, and she never admits it. She even slapped me, right here.”
He then revealed his back, showing where Lois had hit him, completely unharmed.
“I feel like she’s definitely pretending, trying to make it easier for Jonathan, who hasn’t awakened yet.” This “shocking yet reasonable” theory made Ian unable to help but praise him.
“Jordan, your talent surpasses mine!”
This was a heartfelt compliment.
Jordan took it as encouragement and excitedly rushed to his computer. After a 300-second boot-up with the host’s fans whirring madly, he logged into a forum called 【Superhero Popularity Center】.
“See, it says here that only Superwoman can live with Superman.” Ian leaned in to look. The post title clearly read 《Superman and His Earth-Shattering Fertility Rate》.
The author was 【Superman Must Die】.
Ian didn’t even get a chance to ask Jordan to click and see the author’s other posts.
“And this old news.” Jordan had already switched websites. He had bookmarked dozens of netizens, including many news articles about Lois encountering danger in her youth.
“Mom always manages to escape danger. She wasn’t even with Dad back then. Is that normal?” Jordan’s impactful critique was full of reason and evidence.
“…”
Ian didn’t want to play with his second brother, who had never been in a relationship.
He turned to leave.
“Ian, you have to help me find the answer. Maybe we can make a plan to make Mom reveal her true form.” Jordan grabbed Ian’s arm.
Ian shook his brother’s hand off.
“If you really make a plan, I feel like we’ll just get beaten and reveal our true forms…” Seeing Jordan’s stubbornness, Ian quickly chose to escape.
“Damn it! I can make a plan myself! Ian! You’ll see how smart I am too!” In the bedroom, Jordan was clearly preparing to unleash his Super Brain.
Knowing his second brother’s superpower characteristics, Ian considerately closed the door behind him.
…
Meanwhile.
Gotham.
The Batcave.
“Motherfucker!”
Bruce Wayne yanked off his headphones.
As if they were some toxic item. On the surveillance screen in front of him, the audio waveforms were still wildly fluctuating, accompanied by sounds unsuitable for public broadcast.
Alfred entered with a tea tray. Seeing his master’s rare display of losing composure, he raised an eyebrow. “Did the Kent family’s youngest son do something outrageous again?”
He clearly knew what Bruce was monitoring.
“It’s the adolescent turmoil of the Kent family’s second son.” Bruce rubbed his temples, feeling it was Ian’s revenge for him blocking him.
He had actually thrown his phone under Jordan’s bed.
“This shouldn’t be something to make you so flustered, should it?”
The Butler Hero looked somewhat confused.
After a moment of silence, Bruce adopted Batman’s deep voice.
“I heard the cry of a beast~” He rubbed his temples again, his wording very artistic, as Master Wayne still needed to maintain some personal decorum.
“?????”
Alfred’s smile froze on his face.
“That’s truly…”
The Butler Hero couldn’t find any way to comment.
“Afu, please go pick up Damian for me.” After a moment of thought, Bruce seemed to have made a decision, a decision that greatly surprised Alfred.
“Didn’t you say you wanted to temper the young master a bit?”
The elderly Butler Hero’s tone was extremely surprised.
“Look at the Kent family… I suddenly realized Damian can be a good child. I can’t be too harsh on him.” Bruce directly shut off the monitoring function for Ian’s phone.
Upon hearing this.
Alfred’s eyes widened slightly.
This was probably the most tender thing Bruce had said in decades.
“I’ll arrange for a plane right away.”
The old butler nodded imperceptibly and turned to leave. Bruce returned to his work, his hands flying across multiple keyboards. The dozens of feigned riots that occurred today left him feeling slightly fatigued.
However.
With over a dozen screens running simultaneously.
Bruce remained orderly. Suddenly, his movements stopped as he saw the reflection of a tall figure behind him in the briefly blacked-out computer screen.
“The manuscript?”
Bruce didn’t turn around.
Clark emerged from the shadows and placed a few sheets of paper on the table.
“How long have you been here?”
Bruce asked.
“I’ve been here all along.”
Clark’s voice held a hint of annoyance.
“…”
Bruce, his expression unchanged, his typing speed faltered slightly. A subtle awkwardness filled the air, and it seemed the only sound in the entire Batcave was the hum of machinery.
Silence.
Still silence.
Bruce felt he needed to break the atmosphere.
“I have to say, your rate of becoming stronger has exceeded my estimations, and not by a little bit… Based on my current assessment, you’ve at least doubled your strength.”
As he spoke.
He presented Clark with a graph with an unusually steep curve.
This indeed successfully diverted the topic.
“Your judgment is correct, as always, precisely accurate… After that incident, I discovered a power growing within me. It belongs to me, yet it doesn’t.”
Clark raised his arm, which had long since healed.
His eyes were filled with confusion.
“I recall that Ian and Kara helped you that time.” Bruce didn’t need to check his files; it had only happened a few days ago.
As long as it wasn’t more than twenty years ago.
All the details of an event that he could uncover afterward would be stored in his mind.
Unless temporarily removed by him.
“Uh, should I say they both did?” Clark’s tone suddenly became uncertain, as if he remembered Ian holding Kara, looking like he was about to duel some demonic creature.
Bruce didn’t press further. He simply gave Clark a deep look and then brought up a satellite video.
“Clark, we need to be frank.”
As he said this.
He played the satellite video. In the footage, Madison was walking with Ian on the street. As Ian stopped, a scene appeared of him closing his eyes, as if praying.
“Rumble~”
The video suddenly cut off.
It displayed static.
“This…”
Clark realized that the scene presented in this video might be the only time since Ian left today that he had failed to detect an incident involving a demon.
“What happened?”
He looked at the all-knowing external brain.
“My satellite turned to ash in an instant. That’s not the power of you Kryptonians.” Bruce’s voice was low. He switched the computer screen to another image.
It was footage from another satellite.
It was filming the satellite that was filming Ian. In the single frame, it was clear that the satellite filming Ian was instantly disintegrated by some invisible force.
Without any process of collapse.
The satellite simply became dust in the universe.
“What do you mean? What are you trying to say?” Clark’s pupils contracted slightly. He knew how high-frame rate Bruce’s videos were, yet he still couldn’t capture the process of the satellite’s destruction.
This was truly hard to believe.
“Of course, I hope you can be more honest with me about that baby from all those years ago, the current Ian Kent.” Bruce stood up and faced Clark, who was slightly taller than him.
Their eyes met.
The lights of the Batcave cast long shadows between them.
“What is he?”
After a slight pause.
Bruce asked directly, without any evasion.
“Are you sure he was found in a spaceship, and not at some evil magic ritual?” This question alone proved that Bruce didn’t believe Ian was brought by a spaceship.
In fact.
This was indeed a lie.
Clark’s expression became complex.
“This is something I cannot tell you.”
He said in a deep voice, his aura weakening slightly.
“Why?”
Bruce pressed on aggressively.
Clark opened his mouth.
He finally just shook his head.
“This is a secret that cannot be mentioned… and I also need to protect my child.” Clark’s voice suddenly became ethereal, as if coming from afar.
“A secret?”
Bruce’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“You know I’ll find out, right?”
He spoke in a deep voice.
“You can try, but I think you’ll taste defeat again.”
Clark was very sure, and didn’t even bother to ask Bruce for advice. He turned and chose to leave, his figure quickly disappearing into the Batcave.
And watching Superman’s retreating back.
Bruce took back his gaze after a long time.
He turned and walked towards the depths of the Batcave. The cold light of the Batcave reflected dark blue shadows on the metal walls, and finally the man’s footsteps stopped before a huge airtight cabin.
The unlocking mechanical sound was exceptionally clear in the silence.
The cabin door slid open, revealing a transparent container preserved at constant temperature inside—a can of flowing golden energy, like a trapped lightning bolt, restlessly surging within the glass.
It was the Speed Force!
“I need to see that day.”
Bruce weighed the pros and cons and whispered. At this moment, in the Batcave, which should have been just an underground laboratory, a pale lightning bolt inexplicably struck the bottle in Bruce’s hand.
The container exploded into dust.
The Speed Force all escaped.
Bruce, full of shock and uncertainty, took several steps back. His armor made of super alloy covered his entire body. He looked at the position he had left, and on the scorched ground was a line of text burning with a holy flame.
“This is a warning.”
The writing was clear.
The edges even shimmered with a faint light that did not belong to the human world.
His pupils contracted violently.
Batman’s low, hoarse voice softly read the words on the ground.
It is indeed late today, and I will try to write over fifteen thousand words by nine o’clock tomorrow.
