Chapter 35: Aliens Are People Too
David showed no mercy, turning Sean, who had tried to attack him and even shouted threats to kill him, into a vegetative state.
Clark rushed forward, enraged for his brother, and knocked Sean away, saving himself. A warmth spread through his heart.
Beyond that, he couldn't help but feel a bit angry. Looking at Sean, unconscious at the bottom of the crater, he spoke with a heavy, hesitant tone.
"This time is different from before. Sean might not have committed a crime yet, but you've left him in a vegetative state..."
Previously, powered individuals like Jeremy, who could generate electricity, and Gregg, who could transform into an insect-man, as well as Tina, who could shapeshift flesh and strengthen bones, had all been confirmed to have committed the felony of murder.
Sean, however, was different. Perhaps he had only just received his powers and came to seek revenge on David.
"Isn't attacking you and me a crime?"
Hearing this, David feigned surprise.
"His abilities are so dangerous. Setting aside everything else, wouldn't this be considered self-defense in court?"
He patted Clark's shoulder, who was momentarily stunned, and turned to leave.
"Don't be self-conscious, my brother. Aliens are people too."
"..."
David wasn't surprised. It was the same in the comics. Superman famously didn't consider himself human, perhaps thinking that someone holding a straw and trying to stab another person didn't constitute intent to kill.
If he hadn't committed any other crimes and had only attacked him, he wouldn't have paid much attention.
But now, trying to impose that same view of crime on him, David thought, Does being powerful mean you're guilty? Are powered individuals not human either?
With things as they were, Clark thought for a moment, gritted his teeth, and flashed away at super-speed to clean up the surrounding traces. He then took Sean to the hospital entrance before catching up to his brother.
The first time he saw David act like this, he was shocked and disbelieving. But now, he had frighteningly grown accustomed to it.
...
Back home, Clark was no longer as angry. At the dinner table, they heard from the radio that the town's thermal power station had been attacked by an unknown assailant, suspected of using liquid nitrogen as a weapon. Over a dozen people had died from freezing.
Furthermore, he knew the reason behind it. David had helped Chloe deal with Sean, who was notorious for his womanizing, the previous day, leading to today's events.
At the dinner table, Jonathan and Martha worriedly cautioned both of them to be careful.
This might also be a powered individual. They wondered if the police would be able to apprehend the culprit.
The couple had no idea that the perpetrator of this crime was now lying in a hospital bed in a vegetative state.
Thinking back, people like Sean, who immediately placed themselves above life and the law and acted recklessly upon gaining power, made Clark feel that his brother's mindset was relatively less dangerous in comparison.
However, he still believed his brother needed to be corrected.
"It would be best if David didn't turn people into vegetative states at the drop of a hat."
But Clark didn't speak up to persuade his brother again. He had realized that his brother had his own way of looking at the world.
Most of the time, his brother was smarter and more mature than he was. In David's mind, his words probably didn't carry much weight.
"I've said enough similar things, and saying more would be useless."
Sometimes words were powerless. It was difficult to change someone through mere speech.
Regardless of whether Ms. Cassandra's precognition was mistaken, he couldn't let David go down the wrong path.
This was his duty as an older brother.
"I was careless this time."
Clark made a firm resolution. Next time, he would definitely stop David with his actions.
It wasn't as if next time, his older brother would still be in trouble and in a desperate situation, needing his brother to resolve it.
...
Metropolis City Center Museum.
An extraordinary antique exhibition was underway.
Many elegantly dressed tourists in suits and long gowns, holding complimentary champagne, strolled leisurely through the exhibition hall, admiring the precious artifacts from around the world that had recently arrived at the museum.
In front of a suit of ancient Greek armor in a glass display case, Clark looked at the glass, a hint of sadness on his face as he lamented the events of the afternoon.
"Just two hours later, when we went back to the nursing home, Ms. Cassandra had already passed away."
He was very grateful that the old woman had helped him foresee the future. He had originally intended to spend more time with her that afternoon, but when he went back, it was an empty room.
All of Ms. Cassandra's personal belongings had been packed away.
From a red-eyed caregiver who passed by, he learned that the old woman had gone to heaven at noon.
Many people at the nursing home had been helped by her, guided in their lives, and had their troubles resolved. They were saddened by her passing.
"The only comfort is that she didn't leave the world in pain."
David shook his head gently.
The kind old woman might have foreseen her own death and passed away peacefully.
"There's no need to be too sad for that lady who saw through life."
After noon, as the two were visiting the nursing home, they ran into Lana. She was returning from Metropolis, and her aunt had given her a few tickets to an exhibition.
Lana remembered the trouble she had caused a couple of days prior and Clark's comforting words. She gave them each a ticket.
Clark was initially delighted at the opportunity to spend more time with Lana that evening, but then he remembered what had happened that afternoon.
"I know."
Clark nodded slightly, his expression subdued. He took a deep breath, realizing that life had to go on.
He looked up and noticed the dazzling armor inlaid with gems in the display case, gazing at it with a hint of curiosity.
This inner armor was adorned with large gems, blue and red, looking incredibly ornate and priceless. He wondered if it was real or fake.
"I've heard that some of the museum's precious unique items are displayed as high-quality replicas when the originals were damaged in accidents."
Having grown up on a farm, Clark wasn't accustomed to such settings. He lowered his voice slightly, feeling a bit reserved, and asked his brother.
"You can use your own eyes to 'look closely'."
[Template Fused: 95%]
David replied casually. He wasn't exactly an ancient Greek appraisal expert.
The Thanos template was nearing completion.
He hadn't paid much attention to the emotion point notifications these past few days, having hidden them.
The resentment and hatred from several comatose patients kept flooding in, which was very distracting.
It was enough that he knew his emotion points were steadily increasing.
[+38 from Clark's determination…]
"Clark's strength seems to have grown rapidly recently."
David scrolled through the previous notifications. The ability points Clark had provided him in the last few days had nearly doubled.
Even emotions that weren't intense provided a considerable number of points.
[+0.07 from Kara's nervousness…]
He noticed a name that caught his attention, a flicker of confusion in his eyes.
When had this Kara developed feelings of nervousness because of him? Had he even met her today?
"Clark, David, fancy meeting you here."
Lex Luthor, dressed in a black suit, slowly walked over, holding a champagne flute with a lemon slice clinging to the rim. A smile graced his face. "Do you need me to introduce the exhibits here?"
"Luthor?"
Clark greeted him with a smile.
"Genuine ancient Greek artifacts, once belonging to Alexander the Great."
Luthor pointed to a serpent-like pattern on the chest plate of the armor Clark had been curiously examining earlier.
"This pattern is said to represent courage and strength."
"Courage and strength?"
David looked up. The coiled serpent shape did resemble an 'S', and he let out a soft laugh.
"Alexander's soldiers probably wouldn't agree. I can't imagine anyone wearing this onto a battlefield."
Covered in gleaming, brilliant gems, visible from miles away, this was definitely not battle armor.
If it wasn't armor meant for the battlefield, what was the point of courage and strength? Didn't it seem ridiculous?
"Sometimes, the enemy isn't found on battlefields filled with blood and death,"
Luthor said with a smile.
"This suit of armor was used to make Alexander the Great appear divinely untouchable on certain occasions."
"Lex, you're a history buff?"
Clark was surprised that the descendant of an industrialist was so knowledgeable about history.
"I'm simply interested in those who dominated the world before the age of thirty,"
Luthor replied, his words carrying an undeniable ambition and arrogance.
David raised an eyebrow.
"If I recall correctly, didn't Alexander die at thirty-three?"
"..."
An hour later, there's another chapter.
I'd like to recommend a friend's book. It's light and smooth, with seasoned writing, a simplified cultivation novel, and it's written very well. Interested readers can bookmark it.
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