Chapter 517: Lifelong Arch-Nemesis
A Tense Family Dinner
Clark Kent and Lois Lane.
The two of them looked well together. Seeing them, Linda involuntarily thought of the long-gone Luke, and her mood immediately soured.
"Just go. I'm not interested in eating with you."
Lois explained,
"It's a family dinner, Kara. Clark is your younger cousin. No matter what misunderstandings there were before, you are family—your only family."
A spot in Linda's heart was touched. She reluctantly said,
"Where are we eating? But let me be clear, I don't like roadside diners."
Lois smiled,
"I know a very delicious Spanish restaurant. You'll love it."
Half an hour later, inside a restaurant with a strong Spanish ambiance in Metropolis's North District, the three ordered a full table of Spanish specialties. They ate and chatted.
Lois was very talkative. Through her mediation, the relationship between the Kryptonian siblings finally improved, and they found common topics to discuss.
Time flew by in a pleasant atmosphere. Feeling the moment was right, Lois asked the question she cared about most.
"Kara, you and Luke..."
She touched her index fingers together, the meaning obvious.
"No."
Linda took a sip of juice. "We're not lovers."
Not lovers?
Clark and Lois exchanged a look, their eyes full of questions. After a pause, Clark said solemnly,
"There's something I've always wanted to ask you. That day, we saw Luke Shaw's body on the rooftop, and then he reappeared. J'onn said the consciousness inside Luke Shaw's body was different from before..."
"Kara, I hope you can tell me what happened. Did he die or not?"
"He didn't die."
"And then?"
"There is no 'then.' That's all."
The girl drank her cold soup without lifting her head.
Clark observed her expression and found nothing abnormal. The girl's tone was calm, but she insisted on the fact without offering an explanation. Clearly, it was a secret she didn't want to disclose.
Everyone has secrets; there was no need to delve further.
Clark let out a long breath. After being suppressed for so long, he finally encountered something worth being happy about.
"Come on, let's toast. To Luke's return."
The three raised their glasses and clinked them. Lois seized the opportunity to say,
"Kara, Luke Shaw must really like you."
"Why do you ask?"
Lois smiled. "He must really like you. Otherwise, he wouldn't hand over all of Tesla's operations to you. It's a sign of trust."
The girl pouted, wanting to scoff, but unsure how to start. What the other person said was true; Luke did trust her, telling her many secrets. However... thinking of Carol Ferris and the other women, she couldn't control the strength in her right hand.
Creak!
The stainless steel steak knife twisted directly into a pretzel.
Lois's mouth twitched. She seemed to understand. Luke Shaw wasn't a devoted man. He had quite a history and maintained a very intimate relationship with Carol Ferris of Ferris Aircraft.
He was a scumbag. That was indeed quite awkward.
Realizing she'd said the wrong thing, Lois quickly changed the subject. Just then, a shout was heard. The three turned to look. An emergency news bulletin was playing on the TV. A mysterious figure in black clothes was destroying the memorial.
The seven-meter-high stone monument was shattered by a single punch. Shrapnel flew everywhere. The surrounding citizens were terrified, screaming repeatedly. Police who tried to intervene were punched and sent flying.
One officer pulled out his pistol and fired. The bullets pinged off the mysterious man with a metallic sound, having no effect.
Seeing the situation, Clark couldn't sit still.
"You two keep talking."
With that, he got up and left.
Linda pursed her lips. "Does he do that often?"
Lois said half-jokingly, "I'm used to it."
The Revenant
At the memorial plaza, Clark, transformed into Superman, descended from the sky.
"This monument is to honor the innocent citizens who died in the Battle of Metropolis. You shouldn't destroy it."
The mysterious man turned around and spoke with a strange expression,
"Don't you recognize me, Kal?"
Clark's face changed abruptly, filled with disbelief.
"It's you! How is this possible? You died, didn't you?"
"The original me is dead. The me now is the Avenger." The mysterious man opened his arms and floated in mid-air. "Kal, Kryptonian traitor, I have come to take my vengeance on you!"
A blast of heat vision erupted. Clark was about to dodge, but seeing the citizens behind him, he forcefully stopped and put up his hands to block.
The beam struck his arms, pushing him backward continuously.
The mysterious man attacked while mocking him,
"Pathetic traitor. You betrayed your own bloodline, choosing to help outsiders. You love Earth, but Earth doesn't welcome you. Look at the people behind you. Look at the expressions they give you: fear, panic, fright, anxiety, and hatred."
"They fear your power, but in their hearts, they despise you. You brought this war, causing tens of thousands of wronged souls. All the suffering is because of you. Kal, you are the harbinger of disaster! Without you, Earth would be better off."
The heat ray intensified, forcing Clark to retreat further. Seeing that he was getting dangerously close to the crowd, he let out a low growl. A red glow suffused his eyes, shooting out an even more powerful beam.
The two energy streams collided. The mysterious man was no match and was immediately blasted away.
Clark rushed forward, carrying him into the sky.
"Who exactly are you?"
"If you want to know, follow me."
The mysterious man suddenly exerted his strength, punching Clark away, and sped toward the southwest. Clark immediately chased after him.
The two flew west, leaving Metropolis, passing over Gotham City, and arriving at a dilapidated, remote abandoned factory.
The mysterious man looked back, then flashed and disappeared into a subterranean entrance beneath the factory.
Clark frowned slightly. From everything that had happened, he realized the man was deliberately leading him here. There was definitely a trap below.
The thought of leaving flashed through his mind, but was instantly replaced by determination.
He had to figure out what was going on. Why was General Zod's subordinate resurrected? And those words he said...
Clark clenched his fists. Using his microscopic vision, he scanned the situation below. The underground space wasn't large; it looked like an abandoned workshop. The mysterious man was in the innermost room, and there were no traces of explosives or the like around.
"What is he up to?"
Clark was bewildered. To be cautious, he landed at the subterranean entrance, carefully examining his surroundings as he walked inward. He reached the end without encountering any attack.
"You brought me here. What do you want?"
The mysterious man raised his head, his expression strange.
"You're mistaken, Kal. Someone wants to know Superman's weakness—to see if the being called a god among men will bleed, will beg for mercy."
"And so, I came."
Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MistaQuartz
On Patreon, you can explore Extra Chapters in advance!