American comic book: My Father is Superman, am I just an NPC?

Chapter 27 Ian, the Miracle Boy?
Tessa observed Ian's series of reactions.

“This is fate, and you cannot stop it.” Tessa’s voice was like a pronouncement, with an unshakeable solemnity, as her fingers tapped lightly on the edge of the bed.

It makes a regular "tap-tap" sound.

Ian's pupils flickered slightly.

“There’s always another way.” He seemed to have suddenly calmed down, looking directly into Tessa’s eyes as she turned to look at him. The depth that made him feel dizzy grew even stronger.

“So-called fate is an invincible ending. Your resistance is also your prejudice against death.” Tessa’s fingers, which were tapping on the window frame, paused slightly, and an abrupt deathly silence filled the frozen room.

Ian's expression was unusually serious. "Perhaps death is not so terrible, but indifference to life and doing nothing to accept the passing of a family member is truly terrible."

His response made Tessa's eyes narrow slightly. The pale woman patted her chest with her slender hand, a curious smile appearing on her face.

"That really hit the nail on the head."

She winked at Ian, but Ian's expression didn't change.

“You’ve told me all this, it can’t all be meaningless.” Ian does have a tiny bit of serious wisdom, he just doesn’t use it often in his daily life.

Upon hearing this, Tessa's smile grew even wider.

"Maybe I just hope you can learn to accept reality." Her tone was still somewhat gentle, as if she were comforting a child who needed pity.

“Your family is special, so it’s a bit different…” Her explanation made some sense, but it didn’t really convince Ian.

"perhaps?"

Ian simply turned his head to look at the black and white corridor without comment, and several bedroom doors were tightly closed. "But I think you haven't gone to comfort my brothers yet."

His words seemed to have a hidden meaning.

"What does it matter?" Tessa tilted her head, her expression still smiling. "You're the youngest child, so there's nothing wrong with me being more considerate of your feelings."

That makes a lot of sense.

“I don’t know anything about Death, but in my opinion, Death shouldn’t have such emotions… So, there’s definitely a reason and meaning behind you chatting with me here.”

Ian's mind was working quickly, and he was beginning to piece together some of the oddities. Tessa simply chuckled and looked down at the cold street below.

"I'm just killing time. Living too long is tiring." The female grim reaper's voice carried a hint of sighing, and a touch of melancholy.

Ian remained silent.

Just looked at her quietly.

Their sapphire-like eyes shone brilliantly in the faded world.

After a while.

“Well, you little rascal.” Tessa’s voice broke the silence. She pouted and raised her hands in an exaggerated gesture of surrender.

"To be honest, compared to your father... I'm actually more interested in you. Until just now, I wasn't even aware of your special existence."

"This is unprecedented in my dull career—that's why I've decided to give you a chance, a chance far more generous than our Grim Reaper boss."

As she spoke, Tessa glanced at the back of Ian's hand, paused for a moment, and then continued, "I can give you seven days to find out why your father died."

Ian was slightly taken aback by the sudden change in tone to coldness in his words.

"You want me to go back to the past?"

Ian frowned and gently touched the back of his hand with his other hand. He had gleaned a crucial piece of information from the words of the female grim reaper in front of him.

This caused his pupils to twitch a few more times.

“No, no, no, I don’t admire you to that extent.” Tessa suddenly laughed. “Your father’s death will be delayed, and these seven days are your father’s… and this city’s last chance. Don’t expect your father to be able to help you; he doesn’t even understand what’s going on with him.”

“Little one, you can only rely on yourself… Let me see if a miracle can happen to you.” Tessa’s voice carried a barely perceptible hint of expectation.

Done.

Before Ian could ask any more questions, her body suddenly lurched forward, plummeting down the street below the house, as if she had completely merged into the black and white night.

"Is this related to the safety of the metropolis? If I find out where the problem is, my old man won't have to die?" Ian rushed to the window, but there was no one left to see.

Not only did Tessa, the female Grim Reaper who fell into the street, disappear, but even the densely packed men in black had vanished without a trace, as if they had never existed.

"Ian!"

“Ian!!”

"what happened to you?"

...amidst surprise and uncertainty.

Ian's world suddenly seemed to be re-infused with sound and color. Everything around him seemed to be distorted, then intertwined into a blurry, indistinct mass.

"Ok?"

Ian couldn't help but rub his eyes.

Open your eyes again.

But then he saw Clark with one hand on his shoulder and the other waving in front of his eyes, his face full of worry.

Why did you suddenly start spacing out?

Clark was clearly worried that Ian's condition was worsening. Although he already knew some things about Ian, he still felt that the psychiatrist's diagnosis might not be wrong.

That was a nationally renowned psychologist who even frequently helped the police solve cases. That's why the couple had crossed paths with him.

“That woman…” Ian looked behind Clark, his voice trailing off. There was nothing behind Clark. He turned sharply to look at the window.

There.

The windows seemed never to have been opened.

"What just happened?"

Ian couldn't help but ask.

Clark frowned, carefully examining his youngest son, his eyes growing increasingly worried. "When I came out of the bathroom, I saw you suddenly standing there, your eyes unfocused."

It's no wonder the old father was worried; Ian's behavior was almost identical to the typical symptoms of schizophrenia that he had learned through speed reading.

"So, you can't even remember the time I accused you of cheating... or maybe it never even happened in reality?" Ian suddenly had a feeling that he was turning into Li Huowang.

Can't tell.

I really can't tell the difference!

"Dad, did anything strange happen during the day today?" Ian wasn't going to bother trying to figure it out; he was more concerned about the cause of Superman's death that the female grim reaper had mentioned earlier.

He felt it must be related to something that happened today.

however.

“You know, it’s just some boring news gathering…it’s tedious.” Clark pushed up his glasses; he clearly wasn’t going to tell the truth.

"..."

Ian stared at his elderly father for a long time.

"Go to sleep. As for your encounter with the robbers, don't worry too much. I'll take it very seriously." Clark didn't notice Ian's unusual expression.

He patted Ian on the shoulder as a reassurance.

"..."

Ian, who wanted to lay his cards on the table, kept hearing the serious reminder from the female grim reaper in his mind. The female grim reaper said that Ian could only rely on himself, and there must be a reason and a deeper meaning to that.

Is it possible that asking Superman for help would only make things worse? He pondered this, his sixth sense unusually active as Clark led him step by step to the door of the room.

See you tomorrow, Dad.

Ian spoke softly. In his pupils, he saw a woman sitting on the chimney of the house across the street, gesturing for him to be quiet, reflected in the window behind Clark.

Only Ian can see it.

However, Clark was also taken aback for a moment, feeling quite puzzled.

"See you tomorrow."

He then smiled and helped Ian close the door. Once he was alone in the hallway, Clark's smile faded, replaced by a thoughtful, puzzled look.

"Did something happen...?"

Superman looked towards the toilet, then looked out the window behind him at the empty night sky where not a single bird could be seen.

His eyes flickered slightly.

He raised his arm, which was covered by his sleeve; the gruesome wound still glowed green. However, the feeling of growing weakness that had been building up suddenly seemed to have stopped, giving him a sense of something unusual.

(End of this chapter)