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

Chapter 97 Ian's Background! The Tragedy of the Bat! [13k]

Thousands of meters in the air.

A Boeing 787 passenger plane flew smoothly above the clouds. Richard Cassel, a wealthy first-class passenger and renowned author, was idly stirring his coffee, brainstorming plot ideas for his new book.

As a classic mystery novelist.

For Kasser, this was a classic everyday occurrence. Just as he was racking his brains without success, weighing whether to abandon the project altogether and start a new series under a different pen name, Kasser's gaze was suddenly drawn to something outside the window—a gleaming black Dodge Hellcat!

Yes!

Kassel knew about this car because he had bought one, but at this moment he felt that he might have bought a counterfeit, because the Hellcat in front of him was speeding through the clouds at at least 300 miles per hour!
"Am I still half asleep!?"

The writer, Cassel, couldn't help but rub his eyes. He wasn't seeing things; there really was a small car flying in the clouds outside the plane, and he could even see two passengers sitting inside.

A man and a woman, who looked younger than her own daughter!

“This…” Kassel’s eyes widened, speechless. He grabbed a passing flight attendant to ask her something, but he was afraid of being mistaken for a mentally ill person and making headlines tomorrow.

Kassel hesitated, then forced a smile as he saw the strange-looking flight attendant off. Afterward, the well-known American writer suddenly pressed himself against the window, practically wanting to stick his entire face out.

"I knew 'Back to the Future' was too conservative!" After the initial shock, Cassel was also extremely excited and hurriedly pulled out his phone.

Because of his carelessness, he almost dropped his phone. After struggling with it for a while, he finally managed to grab it with a sigh of relief.

He was about to praise himself a bit, but then Kassel remembered why he had taken out his phone. He suddenly turned around, leaned against the window, and held up his phone.

This is an attempt to take a picture.

however.

He then noticed that the incredibly young passenger in the driverless car seemed to have spotted him, and the car accelerated to overtake the plane traveling alongside it.

"No!! Fly back! Fly back now!"

Kassel's face was practically pressed against the glass. Failing to capture this supernatural experience on film would become his excuse for delaying the update, and he might not be able to sleep well for a week.

"Tell the captain to speed up!"

Always prone to bizarre and outlandish ideas, Kassel pressed the call button. In his haste, he no longer worried about being seen as mentally unstable and began to describe his experiences to the flight attendant without any hesitation. The flight attendant simply smiled and handed him a glass of red wine: "Sir, long-haul flights can indeed cause hallucinations."

"There are no flying cars in the sky above Metropolis, only flying Superman and the villains he chases—that's common sense." The flight attendant's words left Cassel speechless.

"Is that so...? Is this common sense?"

New Yorker Cassel doesn't really know much about the local customs and culture of the metropolis.

"Yes, perhaps you can visit the [Superhero Popularity Center] website to read the detailed analysis on this topic by the forum expert [I'm Really Not Batman]."

"Oh, and the article by the 'Superman Must Die' expert is also quite good. The skies of Metropolis belong to Superman, and he won't allow anyone other than himself and his little brats to set foot there—I'm quoting his exact words. Actually, I love Superman." The pretty flight attendant was clearly a seasoned superhero fan.

Superman has children?

Kassel looked somewhat surprised.

"Forum big shots, those keyboard warriors, they're not always right. Most people still think Superman can't find a spouse unless that spouse is Superwoman."

The beautiful flight attendant continued to smile.

"Makes sense."

Kassel nodded thoughtfully.

The flight attendant he called back clearly recognized him.

"Mr. Kassel, I remember your new book is about to be released, isn't it? How come you still have time to travel to the Metropolitan Museum of Art?" The pretty flight attendant probably also enjoys reading the author's books.

"Forehead……"

Upon hearing this, Cassel's expression stiffened slightly. Unwilling to reveal the fact that his new book had only been created in one folder, he immediately put his talent to use.

"I actually finished writing the new book a long time ago, so I wanted to go out for a walk to clear my head and change my mood." Perhaps, being able to lie with a clear conscience is a required course for every writer.

Kassel's smiling expression showed no sign of guilt.

"So that's it."

The pretty flight attendant had no suspicions.

"Then I hope you have a pleasant time at the Metropolitan."

She offered her blessings.

Seeing this, Kassel secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and at the same time revealed why he chose to travel to the Metropolitan Area: "I believe my trip will be very enjoyable."

“Because I’m not just traveling, I’m also trying to solve an interesting puzzle.” As he spoke, Kassel lifted his coat, revealing a letter hidden inside his suit jacket.

"A mysterious detective from the Mystery Society seems to know that I'm investigating a book that stole my publicity resources, so he gave me a picture of the city of Metropolis."

Kassel put the envelope back into his clothes.

"Is that so? What do you want from me?"

The pretty flight attendant looked surprised.

“That’s right, it’s quite interesting, isn’t it? I think it’s a commission, and the mysterious detective wants me to know it’s a commission.”

"Perhaps he needs me to find someone in the metropolis, someone who must be the one who stole my new book's promotional resources." Cassel, speaking with certainty, was still pondering why the mysterious detective wanted him to do this.

Beat the other person up?
Or is there some other reason?
"They can't expect me to teach this well-connected person with powerful connections how to write a book, can they?" Kassel was caught in a mental storm that could erupt at any moment.

Seeing this, the flight attendant didn't want to disturb her.

“If you need some other ideas or inspiration, I think I’ll be free after get off work tonight,” the flight attendant said, handing her phone number to Cassel.

She wasn't really bored to have chatted with Kassel for so long.

Kassel is a well-known multi-millionaire.

He's also handsome.

Which flight attendant wouldn't enjoy having some stories with someone like that?

“Oh, is that so? I suppose I’ll need some inspiration too.” Cassel’s thoughts were interrupted, and he quickly gave the pretty flight attendant a definite answer with a smile and gentlemanly manner.

Such things happen frequently. Kassel certainly knows what the other party wants—a few babies, or luxury goods and sports cars. He can afford anything except the former. Everyone gets what they need, and that's true happiness.

"See you."

The pretty flight attendant left with an overly affected and pretentious demeanor.

Kassel only looked away after a long while.

"That car! Where can I buy that car?!" The writer's thoughts were indeed jumping around. Despite a series of interruptions, he still couldn't get the flying car he had seen out of his mind.

Kassel pressed his face against the window and looked out.

just.

The flying hellcat has disappeared from sight.

"Did the kids inside discover that I was trying to take pictures?" Cassell was unwilling to give up and couldn't help but suspect that the passengers of the Hellcat had superpowers and could sense the gaze of others.

however.

Is this really the case?

"Damn it! Boeing! What bad luck!" Ian hadn't actually sensed anything; he had just accidentally caught a glimpse of the large aircraft's production markings and had made the Hellcat accelerate wildly as an emergency safety measure.

"Stay away from planes like that in the future, lest you get scammed... They can crash without warning." Ian shared his life experience with the young driver.

"dududu~"

The car responded with its horn.

"Ian! Close your window! My Dior sunglasses are going to fly off..." Madison's long hair was flying wildly like a ghost because of the car's sudden acceleration.

"It has already flown away."

Madison couldn't hold onto his sunglasses.

"It's okay, I'll go to a magical place tonight and bring you a new one."

Ian is a very frugal person.

He can take as many luxury items as he wants in the Marvel universe without paying.

"I don't use pirated goods."

Madison's eyes were full of suspicion.

"Plagiarism? Ian, I don't have time to look for pirated goods! Do you know how valuable my time is?" Ian immediately revealed his stingy nature.

"Oh, I see. I knew Superman had to take something with him when he was doing good deeds... otherwise he wouldn't have money to eat when he got home after all that time he was out there upholding justice!"

Madison's imagination is always so unique.

"Give me a little more. It's only fair that you take what Blackie stole. I'll pay for it." She took out her wallet, only to find that there were only a few coins left.

then.

This girl, whose moral standards were perhaps even lower than Ian's, hurriedly began to defend her financial situation.

“I have four thousand five hundred dollars in my bedside table, which was originally intended as travel money for my vacation next week.” Madison has always been most afraid of people thinking she is a poor woman.

but.

Ian certainly wouldn't look down on his deskmate—four thousand, five thousand, six thousand—it didn't matter; to Ian, whose account was overflowing with donations, they were all penniless. Of course, every little bit helps, and while Ian considered himself uninterested in money, he still wouldn't let such a chance to make money slip by.

Capitalists are all meticulous and calculating.

Ian simply kept that in mind.

"Give me the money on Monday, and I'll bring you the goods. Then, don't go out on Saturday and Sunday. I'll tell everyone you meet that you went to the Hamptons for a trip."

Ian not only achieves a win-win situation for himself, but he can also advise others to achieve a win-win life as well. Upon hearing this, Madison was only stunned for five seconds.

"good idea!"

She clapped her hands, happily finalizing the plan. Madison had her own way of thinking; others could tell if luxury goods were fake, but who could expose the counterfeits in the Hamptons if she didn't go?
It's such a great value for money!

Madison Girls feel their way of thinking and their vision have broadened. This is how "green tea girls" grow up. On the road of life, they will always encounter people who make them more "green tea-like".

"Okay, I'll take you home first, then I have some important business to attend to."

Ian likes to hang out with people like Madison. Most people can't understand his intelligence and are unwilling to admit it, but his good deskmate knows exactly how smart he is.

"Wow~ The car is speeding up again!"

Madison had already gotten used to the speed, but after Ian finished speaking, the car under him accelerated again, and the surrounding clouds seemed to be rushing past.

"Driving this fast, if we roll over, the airbags probably won't be able to save us, right?" She actually had such concerns, which just goes to show that she scored a little too high in her science and natural science courses.

"Don't panic, we'll be home soon."

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 he lived.

"There! There!"

Madison raised his finger, attempting to navigate.

“I remember where your house is, you don’t need to give me directions.” Ian pulled the girl, who was clinging to the window and almost fell, back into the relatively safe car.

"Huh? I don't remember you being here before..."

Madison was somewhat surprised.

"Of course you won't remember, but it was the first day of school when I investigated everyone who seemed to have bullying tendencies—by the way, your mother must really love your father very much."

“She didn’t even let me into your house to have an orange,” Ian couldn’t help but exclaim sincerely. Madison, upon hearing this, frowned and completely failed to understand what he meant.

"Buzz~"

The engine is making a sound.

The Hellcat hovered at a height of more than ten meters above the ground.

“I’ve read a few driving books before, and starting from a stop is when the fuel consumption is the highest… so let’s get off here.” Ian said, then grabbed Madison.

He jumped down.

Madison was quite startled.

"Don't grab my neck or collar! This dress is expensive! Grab my hair instead, it's been through so many fights, it's really durable!"

Madison screamed as she spoke.

“Your clothes were already torn to shreds. Don’t think that just because Ian has money now, you can extort me.” Ian landed steadily with Madison.

There were no unexpected events.

He gently placed Madison down.

"The first time it was a decadent, rotten look, now it's an explosive, rotten look. How can these be the same?" Madison straightened his clothes speechlessly, then blew on his blond hair that looked like a bird's nest covering his face.

"Also, a normal person wouldn't put someone in a mailbox after landing with them, right? I may not have much common sense, but I'm still very clear about this!"

Done.

Madison also patted the mailbox he was sitting on.

The mailbox made a thumping metallic sound.

"Hmm? If I don't find you a place to sit, your trembling legs will probably keep gripping my waist tightly—you really are a cunning little punk."

"You finally got the chance to take advantage of me."

Ian gave him a look of disdain.

"..."

Madison rolled his eyes.

"Should I thank you for not complaining to your little simp Emily?" the green tea girl gritted her teeth. She now knew how difficult it was to deal with a boy's smooth talk.

"Yes, so what do you need to say to me?"

Ian listened intently.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

Madison gritted his teeth and repeated it three times.

She was taking a deep breath.

Ian, on the other hand, immediately felt relieved.

“What a virtuous little delinquent. I have to go now, see you next week—by the way, don’t even think about stealing my mom’s cat.” Ian nodded in satisfaction, then reached out and grabbed the orange cat from Madison’s stomach.

"Damn it!"

Madison was somewhat unwilling.

"Then at least let me raise that toad!"

Her attempt to settle for second best still failed to elicit a response from Ian.

I saw.

Ian sprang up like a spring and jumped back into the Hellcat, which was still suspended in the air—the Hellcat's engine roared, a string of purple flames shot out of the exhaust pipe, and the car "whooshed" into the clouds.

Watching Ian and his chariot disappear into the distance.

"So that's how Superman flies? Just by jumping?" Madison, who was still sulking, was stunned. She felt that she had discovered a fact that no one else in Metropolis had noticed all these years.

The anger is gone.

This young delinquent girl's mind is now completely occupied with whether Ian has two super-sized bunny legs hidden in his pants.

"This is huge news! There's no such thing as a flying superhero in the world!"

Feeling her imagination running wild, Madison jumped out of the mailbox and pushed open the door of her villa. Her mother, a former third-tier Hollywood actress, rushed over excitedly.

"I knew it! I knew it! My precious daughter is definitely more capable than me! I only managed to snag a rich dad like you, while you managed to snag such a handsome alien!"

Linda, who had the air of a noblewoman, was excited and grabbed her daughter's shoulders, shaking her vigorously. Her expression was more joyful than if she had won the lottery.

Madison was dizzy from the shaking.

"What aliens? Mom, what weird TV show are you watching again?" Her mind was already in a mess because of what happened today, and now after being shaken a few times, it went completely blank.

"Stop pretending! I saw it all! Aliens brought you back in a KFO!"

Linda had an expression that said, "I already knew this when I was filming 'Princess of Mars vs. the Lizard Man.' Aliens just love blonde beauties!!"

Her tone was full of wisdom.

Madison didn't dare ask.

I was afraid that if I asked her, she would hear that this movie was rated R.

“That’s a UFO, not a KFO, no, Ian’s plane wasn’t a UFO either…” Madison was almost rambling on, and she grabbed her hair in frustration.

"I finally understand why Ian always said I was lacking in intelligence... It turns out the root of the problem was you!" After living for so many years, Madison finally realized this fact and once again felt that Ian's profound words were probably really true.

"Silly child, come let Mommy hug you. Girls should be a little silly, that way they're more likely to have good luck." Linda, still charming and beautiful, couldn't stop smiling.

She is also very proud.

Madison, expressionless, was pinned down on her mother's ample bosom. She rolled her eyes in utter despair, no longer willing to believe a single word her mother said.

Maybe her mother's claim that she was suited for Hollywood was a lie? At that moment, Madison suddenly realized that she had found the reason why she had been failing auditions.

really.

Ian said that even breathing the air he breathes can infect you with his intelligence.

it is true!
……

Twilight Quadruple.

A gleaming Dodge Hellcat sliced ​​through the sky, weaving through the clouds. Ian followed the pointer, trying to find the location that Miss Death wanted him to find.

It wasn't difficult at all.

Hellcat quickly arrived atop an ancient monastery-style building, its pointer twisting and pointing downwards—clearly the clue given by Miss Death.

Surrounded by lush trees, the building appeared exceptionally secluded and mysterious. Perhaps it was the headquarters of the witch cult Madison had mentioned earlier?

After thinking about it for a while.

Ian ultimately decided to let Hellcat lead him away instead of acting rashly—mainly because he didn't quite understand the true level of the so-called Supreme Witch.

"Miss Death is too high-level. The dungeons involving her must be very difficult. It's not a place I can solo." Ian believed that as long as he wasn't in a hurry, someone else would be.

Information acquisition is crucial.

So Ian isn't in a hurry.

Miss Death might just step in and provide the information herself, saving Ian the trouble of gathering information himself—after all, activating the Batman search engine is quite a hassle.

"Yes, let's do it!"

Ian's super brain told him once again that it was time to use his super leg. Hellcat carried him up into the clouds again, speeding through the city's hustle and bustle towards home.

"The number you dialed has been completely blocked. Please call this number again if you encounter any difficulties. Thank you for your cooperation." Ian still wanted to take advantage of the free time to reconnect with Batman.

Unexpectedly, he only heard a heartless, synthesized electronic voice.

"How could this be?"

Ian was heartbroken.

He hasn't even received the lamp ring yet.

"Sigh, let's go back and discuss this further."

Ian's Hellcat ran very fast and soon arrived at home.

This is a community where elite families live.

Although it was still a detached house, there were a few neighbors around. There was no need for any special precautions, and under the cover of night, Ian allowed the Hellcat to slowly descend.

Someone was watching from behind the curtains, but no one took pictures. There's no need to make a fuss, since the neighbors all have pretty sharp ears, and coincidentally, they're all professional agents from the same department.

So many years have passed.

Superman's identity was known to only a very small number of officials. The car screeched to a halt on the lawn of her small yard, just three inches from Louise's most cherished rose bushes.

"Even Jesus couldn't save you this time." Ian patted Hellcat on the shoulder and gave his new buddy a warning. He had just picked up his backpack and opened the car door when he felt a shadow looming over him.

It was the elderly father, Clark Kent.

This invincible superhero stood with his arms crossed, blocking Ian's path.

Where did you get this car?

Clark's voice was tinged with a sense of helplessness that he was almost used to. He really couldn't understand why Ian always managed to pick up some strange and unusual things whenever he went out.

"Was it a special fate that brought us together? I love it, it loves me... We're so sweet together?" Ian was a little embarrassed to say that he used his superb negotiation skills to get someone to pay for a car.

He gave a response, but it seemed like he didn't give a complete one.

no way.

Ian wouldn't dare say that his beloved car occasionally kills a few owners; otherwise, no matter how much he proclaims himself as sacrificing himself for the benefit of the public, his Hellcat would probably be sent to be scrapped.

"Are you two so sweet together?"

Clark, who had been watching Ian land the whole time, now only twitched his temples slightly as the old father circled the black muscle car that smelled faintly of sulfur.

"Don't tell me this is car care product?" Clark picked up a dark red substance from the trunk lid; the sticky substance gleamed eerily in the setting sun.

“From a biological point of view, this should be considered flesh and blood tissue, but it shouldn’t be on the protected list,” Ian answered honestly, while secretly observing his adoptive father’s reaction.

"I'm asking you where your flesh and blood came from..."

The father, who rarely wanted to show his humor, sighed helplessly. His non-stern attitude was actually because his super sense of smell had already told him the answer.

Superman truly has a super sense of smell. The good news is, he knows this isn't the flesh of his own kind that's being sold illegally; the bad news is, he doesn't even realize what Ian did after leaving the group of thieves.

"Is it love? Love gave my little car flesh and blood." Ian seemed to be joking, but he was actually testing whether his father knew what had happened on that street.

"..."

Seeing Clark's eyes twitch a few times, the old father probably hadn't noticed anything unusual on that street—Ian thoughtfully touched the magic book hidden on his stomach.

A respectable old father.

They didn't even use X-ray vision to observe him.

"Should we go home first?" Ian wanted to talk to Clark about the Supreme Witch and the new mission of the female boss. He hoped that Clark could use his super connections to find him a super mage to train him.

"Forehead……"

Clark, who had initially wanted to ask Ian some questions, suddenly changed his expression. Ian had just taken a step when he realized his elderly father was still standing there.

The setting sun cast a long shadow of Clark.

"What's wrong, Dad?"

Ian sensed that Clark was hesitating.

He noticed the unnatural expression on Clark's face.

"Were you kicked out by your mother?"

Ian made a guess.

"..."

Clark shook his head speechlessly. To prevent Ian from making any more outrageous guesses, he hesitated for a moment before slowly speaking, "I've talked to Jordan about his abilities."

“He’s currently in the stage of awakening his abilities… well, just like you were before, but Jordan’s awakening came later, so your abilities might be different as a result.” Clark said in a deep voice. He didn’t know that Ian had already discovered that he was an adopted son, so he specifically emphasized to Ian that the abilities would be different.

This is an attempt to take advantage of Ian's lack of knowledge about Krypton.

Ian pretended to believe him.

"And then?" Ian guessed that his father might have already talked to Jordan, and perhaps the talk didn't go well. The classic scenario of a father and son having a bad relationship and escalating their conflict often plays out in many American families.

Clark scratched his head in frustration: "I let something slip, so Jordan, considering your recent strange behavior, guessed that your awakening happened earlier than his."

This is truly frustrating.

They even plucked out a few strands of Krypton's hair.

"Whatever, I like to show off anyway, but I don't like to play dumb to fool others." Ian's honest answer left Clark momentarily speechless. "I'm glad you think that way. Sigh, if only you had come back sooner." Clark's voice lowered, tinged with a hint of regret.

What does this mean?

Ian blinked.

I failed to understand my father's expression.

“It’s nothing, never mind, you can go back now… Give me the manuscript you’ve finished writing, they’re urging me to send it over for you.” Clark didn’t give Ian a detailed explanation.

He seemed to have temporarily put his worries aside and looked at Ian's magical hellcat. "I'm going now. We can't break our promises."

Clark may have occasional interactions with Batman.

They even knew to help Batman expedite his manuscript.

"here."

Ian opened the Hellcat and took out a small section of his manuscript that he had written during his flight. He looked at his father, who was soaring into the sky and had to escort packages to Gotham late at night.

"No wonder I have such good family upbringing! Family influence is really important!" Ian couldn't help but exclaim, giving his father a thumbs up. His father was truly the most perfect man on earth.

His personal qualities are impeccable.

"I can probably learn to fly by tomorrow at the latest." Withdrawing his gaze, which had vanished in an instant, Ian turned around and pulled the already bloated demon head out of the trunk.

"You didn't finish eating!"

Ian was still bothered by the questioning he had just received from his father.

The demon head blinked its murky eyes in grievance. It was truly powerless to do anything about the lump of demonic flesh that Clark had discovered. "I can't lick anything from outside the carriage from inside!"

Makes sense.

But the reasoning isn't strong enough.

"Having eaten so many demons, you still haven't evolved a Void Tongue? Never mind, never mind, keep this safe for me first." Ian took the magic toad out of his pocket and stuffed it into the demon's head's mouth.

It rushes directly into the stomach.

It did seem that there was another space inside the mouth of the demon, which now only had a head.

"If you can't vomit when I need you, don't blame me for being ruthless," Ian threatened, doing this entirely to avoid the risk of his family members being poisoned by the toad.

no way.

My knowledge of magic is too limited.

Ian felt he needed a magic teacher who didn't lie—he thought of the purple-haired girl he'd met once before, and wondered how he could bring her home to be his tutor.

Humming a little tune, I walked home.

As Ian opened the door, warm lights and the sound of the television immediately enveloped him. In the living room, his older brothers Jonathan and Jordan were sitting on the sofa watching the news.

On the screen, the chaos in Gotham City was being broadcast live, with Batman's figure flashing by. News reports said Batman had lost something, and Ian probably knew what it was.

No wonder he told me to hurry up and send over the rest of the manuscript.

Looks like the attempt to catch the clown failed.

"The Joker is insane! He's using thirty incidents at once to attract Batman's attention," Ian exclaimed, watching the news on TV.

And at this time.

"Batman didn't stay in Metropolis, so all the manuscript I wrote last night was for nothing, completely worthless." Louise's voice came from the kitchen, filled with obvious resentment.

Ian felt a chill run down his spine and quickly held up the kitten gift box, using the obsequious tone he'd learned from TV dramas, "Dear Mom, your favorite son has brought you a gift!"

Hear the words.

Louise peeked out from the kitchen, her eyes lighting up when she saw the kitten. She quickly came out and took the kitten, carefully embracing the well-behaved orange cat.

This cat really didn't have any major stress reaction.

Instead, they curiously looked around.

"Cats of this quality are usually very expensive, right?" Louise stroked the cat's chin, her tone softening considerably. After receiving her son's gift, any resentment she felt had vanished.

Even top-notch journalists.

They couldn't resist the temptation of the furry thing.

"It's not expensive, it's not expensive at all. I skipped the middlemen and even the manufacturers, so it's a great deal," Ian said earnestly, stating his embellished truth.

The kitten in Louise's arms stared at him for several moments.

He glared back at me.

"You snatched it from the mother cat?"

Louise sorted out Ian's logic.

"No, the mother cat deliberately abandoned it and then deliberately let me find it—she must have prayed to God that I would give this cat to my gentlest mother."

Ian was also a master of flattery.

Louise immediately beamed with joy.

What happened to Jordan?

Ian asked the question at the opportune moment.

He noticed Jordan glancing in their direction, or more accurately, at Louise, from the moment he entered. Only when Louise glared back did Jordan reluctantly turn back.

"It's nothing. You're so free... why don't you help me make dinner?" Louise pulled Ian into the kitchen, and, still worried, peeked into the living room before returning.

“Your eldest brother is the oldest, but he hasn’t awakened his abilities yet. To avoid causing him psychological imbalance, don’t let him know about your relationship with Jordan for now.”

have to say.

This is definitely the most classic "protective" mindset in American families. Ian felt that this was actually wrong, but he didn't dare to contradict the most powerful person in the family at this time. Yes, there were indeed four superhumans in this family. Even though Jonathan hadn't awakened yet, only Louise could be considered an ordinary person.

But ironically, this ordinary person is the one with the most power in the family.

"Ok."

Ian nodded.

Louise smiled contentedly, continuing to tease the kitten in her arms. Ian, seeing the refrigerator, also felt very hungry, so he went over and took out milk and bread to tide him over.

"Oh, right." Louise saw Ian eating heartily and seemed to suddenly remember something. While looking down and playing with the cat, she asked a question in a seemingly casual manner.

"Jordan said he'd glimpsed some of your comics and that your knowledge of Superman's abilities was too detailed and abnormal. He's been asking me just now if you've also awakened heat rays and a body of steel?"

Ask in a soft voice.

There was no emotion involved.

"What!?" Ian's mind cleared instantly, his hand holding the milk freezing in mid-air. He slowly turned his head and saw his mother deliberately teasing the cat.

At this moment.

Ian seemed to understand why his father hadn't dared to come in earlier. Perhaps even Superman's morals and personal qualities weren't perfect, and his father also had moments when he liked to lie to his children.

What do you mean by keeping promises?

This isn't probably an escape from disaster!
While you're at it, maybe you're trying to find his external brain to help you deal with the family crisis?

"A cunning and wicked father!"

Ian was deeply shocked.

He felt he was left with indelible childhood trauma.

"Hmm? It seems it's true?"

Seeing that Ian didn't respond for a long time, Louise whispered with some confusion—then she saw Ian close the refrigerator door and throw away the empty milk bottle in his hand.

"Aba, aba, aba~"

Ian seemed to have become mute, his mouth moving only slightly as he walked outside.

"?????"

Louise was stunned.

"Aba, aba, aba~!"

Ian walked all the way to the living room and squeezed between his two older brothers before stopping his performance—he could certainly explain, but he wasn't going to do it now.

After all, his father could help explain, but Clark still abandoned the poor little boy, leaving him to face the situation alone and go to find an external brain.

Shouldn't he turn evil?
Where there is a cunning and wicked father, there must be a cunning and wicked child!
"What's wrong with you? Did you choke on your food?" Jonathan was genuinely unaware of anything. He vigorously rubbed Ian's head, quite surprised by Ian's strange behavior.

"No, it's..."

Just as Ian was about to start digging more holes for his father, Jordan, who kept looking back at the kitchen, grabbed him—under Jonathan's strange gaze, Jordan dragged Ian all the way up to the second floor.

"Click~"

After locking himself in his room, Jordan drew the curtains. Ian stood in the middle of the room; the strange, mixed smells in the poorly ventilated bedroom made him somewhat resentful of his own extraordinary sense of smell.

“Jordan, I can smell the stench of billions of lives lost in your bedroom,” Ian couldn’t help but say. He estimated that there was no more sinister place on Earth than this.

"Hehe." Jordan ignored his brother's complaints. He even put some sound-absorbing cotton under the door. His movements were so fast that they could leave a blur in the eyes of ordinary people.

how to say.

Super speed.

This is really not surprising at all. After cleverly, but not so cleverly, implementing the anti-eavesdropping measures, Jordan turned around, his blue eyes, which were exactly like Clark's, fixed on Ian.

“You’ve awakened too, I know that.”

Jordan spoke with certainty and in a very low voice, as if discussing state secrets.

"Huh? Yeah, that's right." Ian blinked. This time he readily admitted it, mainly because he was genuinely curious about what Jordan was trying to say with his mysterious demeanor.

Jordan's eyes lit up when he received an affirmative answer.

“Listen, I’ve been analyzing this for a long time.”

Jordan licked his lips, his voice tinged with certainty, "Dad's Superman, you're Superman, I'm Superman, and Jonathan's Superman is just an unawakened one, so..."

He paused briefly.

A groundbreaking answer was immediately obtained.

"Mom must be the superwoman who has become active in recent years!" Yes, this is the conclusion that Jordan's underdeveloped super brain reached based on logical reasoning.

Ian's jaw nearly dropped to the ground.

Jordan seemed to take this as an endorsement and continued to talk: "But I asked my mom several times, and she wouldn't admit it. She even slapped me. Here it is."

He also showed his back, which had been hit by Louise, but was completely unharmed.

“I feel like she’s definitely faking it, trying to make Jonathan, who hasn’t awakened yet, feel better.” This “amazing yet reasonable” idea earned Ian’s praise.

"Jordan, your talent surpasses mine!"

This is a heartfelt sentiment.

Jordan took this as encouragement and excitedly rushed to his computer. After 300 seconds of the computer's fan running wildly, he logged directly into a forum called "Superhero Popularity Center".

“Look, this post says that only Supergirl can live with Superman.” Ian leaned closer to look, and the title of the post was clearly written: “Superman and His Earth-Exploding Fertility.”

The author is [Superman Must Die].

Before Ian could even suggest that Jordan click in to see the author's other posts, he didn't even ask.

"And these old news stories." Jordan had already switched the website information directly. He had dozens of netizens saved, many of which were news stories about Louise's dangerous encounters when she was young.

"Mom always managed to escape danger, even though she wasn't with Dad yet. Is that normal?" Jordan's scathing criticism was incredibly well-founded.

"..."

Ian didn't want to hang out with his older brother, who had never been in a relationship.

He turned to leave.

“Ian, you have to find the answer with me. Maybe we can come up with a plan to make Mom reveal her true form.” Jordan grabbed Ian’s arm.

Ian shook off his second brother's hand.

“If you really want to make any plans, I feel like it will only make us get beaten to a pulp…” Seeing that Jordan was still stubborn, Ian quickly chose to run away.

"Damn it! I can make plans myself! Ian! You'll see I'm smart too!" In the bedroom, Jordan was clearly about to unleash his super brain.

Knowing his second brother's superpowers, Ian thoughtfully closed the door for him.

……

at the same time.

Gotham.

Bat cave.

"Fuck Fuck!"

Bruce Wayne ripped off his headphones.

It was as if it were some kind of poisonous substance. On the monitor screen in front of him, the audio waveform was still fluctuating violently, accompanied by sounds that were not suitable for public playback.

Alfred walked in carrying a tea tray. Seeing his master's unusually flustered state, he raised an eyebrow. "Has the youngest son of the Kent family done something outrageous this time?"

He clearly knew what Bruce was listening to.

“It’s Kent’s second son’s teenage turmoil.” Bruce rubbed his temples. He felt it was because he had blocked Ian, and this was Ian’s way of retaliating against him.

He actually threw his phone under Jordan's bed.

"This shouldn't be something to make a fuss about, right?"

Butler Xia was slightly confused.

After a moment of silence, Bruce spoke in Batman's deep voice.

"I heard the howl of a beast~" He rubbed his temples again, using very literary language, after all, Lord Wayne still needed to maintain some personal etiquette.

"?????"

Alfred's smile froze on his face.

"That's really..."

Butler Xia couldn't find a way to evaluate it either.

"Alfred, please bring Damian back to me." After a moment of contemplation, Bruce seemed to have made a decision, a decision that greatly surprised Alfred.

"Didn't you say you wanted to toughen up the young master?"

The aged butler's tone was extremely surprised.

“Look at the Kent family… I suddenly realized that Damian can actually be a good kid—I can’t be too harsh on him.” Bruce immediately turned off the listening function on Ian’s phone.

Hear the words.

Alfred's eyes widened slightly.

This was probably the most tender thing Bruce had said to him in decades.

"I'll arrange the plane right away."

The old butler nodded imperceptibly, turned and left. Bruce returned to his work, his hands flying across multiple keyboards. The dozens of feints and riots that had occurred that day had left him feeling slightly tired.

but.

More than a dozen screens are running simultaneously.

Bruce remained methodical. Suddenly, he stopped, for he saw a tall figure reflected in the brief blackout of the computer screen.

"Where's the manuscript?"

Bruce didn't turn around.

Clark emerged from the shadows and placed several sheets of paper on the table.

How long have you been here?

Bruce asked.

"I am always here."

Clark's voice carried a hint of resentment.

"..."

Bruce, his expression unchanged, typed on the keyboard with a slight pause. A subtle awkwardness filled the air; the only sounds in the Batcave seemed to be the hum of machinery.

Quiet.

Still quiet.

Bruce felt he needed to break the ice.

"I have to say, your rate of improvement has exceeded my expectations, and by more than a little bit... Based on my current assessment, you have at least doubled your strength."

talking.

He then presented Clark with an icon that showed an unusual curve.

This was indeed a successful way to change the subject.

“Your judgment is correct, still so accurate… Ever since that incident, I’ve discovered a power growing within me. It belongs to me, yet it doesn’t.”

Clark raised his arm, which had long since recovered.

His eyes were filled with confusion.

“I remember, it was Ian and Kara who helped you that time.” Bruce didn’t need to look through his files, after all, it had only happened a few days ago.

As long as it doesn't exceed twenty years.

All the details of the events that he could find out afterward were in his mind.

He did not temporarily remove it.

"Well, I guess you could say they were together?" Clark's tone suddenly became uncertain, as if he were recalling the scene of Ian holding the Kara, ready to duel with an evil creature.

Bruce didn't press further, but simply gave Clark a deep look before pulling up a satellite video.

"Clark, we need to be open and honest."

talking.

He played the satellite video. In the video, Madison was running down the street with Ian, and then Ian stopped and appeared to be praying with his eyes closed.

"Wow~"

The video abruptly cut off.

It displayed a snowflake pattern.

"This……"

Clark realized that the scene shown in the video might be the only demon-related event he hadn't noticed after Ian left earlier that day.

"what happened?"

He looked at the all-knowing external brain.

“My satellite turned to ashes in an instant; that wasn’t the power of you Kryptonians.” Bruce’s voice was deep as he switched the computer screen to another view.

That was footage taken by another satellite.

It captured images of the satellite used to photograph Ian. In the single frame, the satellite photographing Ian is clearly seen being instantly destroyed by some invisible force.

There was no collapse process.

The satellite became nothing more than dust in space.

"What do you mean? What are you trying to say?" Clark's pupils contracted slightly. He knew how high the frame rate of Bruce's video was, but it still couldn't capture the process of the satellite's destruction.

This is truly unbelievable.

“Of course, I hope you can be more honest with me, about that baby from back then, now Ian Kent.” Bruce stood up, facing Clark, who was slightly taller than him.

Their eyes met.

The lights in the bat cave cast long shadows between them.

"What is he?"

After a slight pause.

Bruce asked the question without any hesitation.

"Are you sure he was found inside the spaceship, and not during some evil magical ritual?" The fact that Bruce asked this question already proved that he didn't believe Ian was also brought by the spaceship.

In fact.

This is indeed a lie.

Clark's expression became complicated.

"This is something I cannot tell you."

He spoke in a deep voice, his imposing manner weakening somewhat.

"why?"

Bruce then pressed on with his questions.

Clark opened his mouth.

In the end, he 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 it came from a very distant place.

"secret?"

Bruce's eyes narrowed slightly.

"You know I'll find out the truth, right?"

He spoke in a deep voice.

"You can try, but I think you'll experience failure again."

Clark was so confident that he didn't even bother asking Bruce for advice anymore. He simply turned around and left, his figure disappearing swiftly into the Batcave.

And watching Superman's departing figure.

Bruce looked away after a long while.

He turned and walked deeper into the bat cave, where the cold light reflected off the metal walls, casting eerie blue shadows. Finally, the man stopped in front of a huge, sealed pod.

The mechanical sound of unlocking was exceptionally clear in the silence.

The hatch slid open, revealing a transparent container kept at a constant temperature inside—a canister of flowing golden energy, like imprisoned lightning, restlessly pulsating within the glass.

They are the Speed ​​Force!

"I need to see that day."

Bruce weighed the pros and cons, speaking softly. Just then, in what should have been an underground laboratory, a pale bolt of lightning suddenly struck the bottle in Bruce's hand.

The container was fried into powder.

The Speed ​​Force escaped completely.

Startled and uncertain, Bruce took several steps back, his entire body now covered in super alloy armor. He looked at the spot he had left behind, where a line of words burning with holy flames was left on the scorched ground.

"This is a warning."

The handwriting is clear.

The edges even shimmered with a faint light that seemed otherworldly.

The pupils contracted violently.

Batman read the words on the ground in a deep, husky voice.

It's really late today. I'll try to finish writing 15,000 words by 9 PM tomorrow.
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(End of this chapter)