AM I SUPERMAN?

Tate, the mercenary, lay motionless on the ground, feigning death for what felt like an eternity before daring to lift his head. He carefully assessed the situation around him.

Most of the mercenaries present were in bad shape, with broken bones and other injuries. While some were fortunate to sustain only minor wounds, others were gravely injured and unlikely to survive without immediate medical attention.

A black mercenary, who had relatively good luck and escaped with only two broken ribs, weakly turned to Captain Tate and asked, "Is the boss dead?"

"Unfortunately, our boss is gone," Tate replied with a somber shake of his head.

Hearing this, the black mercenary's eyes welled up with tears—not from sorrow for his fallen leader, but out of concern for his unpaid wages.

Mercenaries like them risked their lives for lucrative commissions. Now that the boss was dead, who knew if the organization's finances would honor their contract?

"Don't worry, Pete," Tate reassured him with a sly grin. "The Lex Group will pay us—no, they'll pay us double! Lex was an honorable man in life. Let's make sure we… uh, collect his remains with dignity before we leave."

Kent Farm, Smallville

When Kaius arrived at Kent Farm with Diana and Clark, they saw Clark's mother tending to the crops.

Hearing the sound of their approach, Martha Kent looked up and immediately recognized her son.

"Clark! You're finally back!" she exclaimed, dropping her tools and rushing to greet them.

"Mom, I'm back," Clark said as he embraced her warmly. "I know I worried you."

Martha looked at him lovingly. "I'm just glad you're home."

With a radiant smile, Clark added, "Mom, I found them! I discovered where I came from—my people and my origins!"

Martha's expression faltered for a moment. Though happy for her son, she couldn't help but feel a pang of worry that he might leave them.

Clark noticed her unease and quickly reassured her. "Don't worry, Mom. My planet was destroyed over a decade ago. I'm the last survivor."

Kaius silently added to himself, Except for your cousin with those long, beautiful legs…

Martha's smile grew soft yet bittersweet. "I'm so sorry, Clark."

"It's alright," Clark replied gently. He glanced around and, noticing his father's absence, asked, "Where's Dad?"

"Ever since the alien attack last time, your father's health hasn't been the same. He's resting inside. I've forbidden him from doing any farm work," Martha explained with a sigh.

Concerned, Clark rushed into the house to check on his adoptive father.

Martha turned her attention to Kaius and Diana, her face lighting up with curiosity. "Kaius, is this your friend?"

"Yes, Aunt Martha. This is Diana," Kaius replied with a smile. "Diana, this is Clark's mother. You can call her Aunt Martha."

Diana offered a warm smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Aunt Martha."

Martha beamed. "What a lovely young lady! Diana, do you have any sisters? You should introduce one to Clark! Oh, and don't leave just yet—stay for dinner!"

Kaius couldn't refuse Aunt Martha's kind offer, and they joined her for a hearty meal. Diana was particularly delighted, experiencing farm-fresh ingredients for the first time and eating with unrestrained enthusiasm, forgetting for a moment her image as a goddess.

Later, Clark's adoptive father, Jonathan Kent, joined them briefly. Though his health had taken a turn for the worse, his warmth and wisdom still shone through.

In the world of superheroes, it often seems that family, especially father figures, face tragic fates. But moments like these remind us of the human connections that ground even the most extraordinary beings.

For example, the uncle of Spider-Man, the father of Black Panther, and the father of Green Arrow—let alone Bruce Wayne as Batman—are all sources of deep emotional scars from childhood.

Kaius could sense that Ken's health was not in good shape. However, when Aunt Martha mentioned that he had visited the hospital and received no conclusive results, Kaius felt uneasy.

Ken's stubborn nature led him to refuse further hospitalization or observation.

Kaius speculated that Ken's condition might not be purely physical but could be influenced by some cosmic force beyond human understanding.

After dinner, Kaius, Diana, and Clark sat together in the farmyard. Clark gazed silently at the sky for a long time.

"What are you thinking about?" Kaius asked, nudging Clark lightly with his arm.

Clark remained quiet for a moment before replying, "I've been thinking about the Kryptonians… After learning about the 28 galaxies aboard the spaceship in the Arctic, I can't shake this strange feeling."

"Does it all feel unreal?" Kaius asked, completing Clark's thought.

"Yes, very unreal!" Clark nodded.

Kaius smiled and said, "Don't worry about whether it's real. Focus on what you want to do. If you use that knowledge to advance Earth's science and technology, I can almost guarantee you'll win so many Nobel Prizes, you'll lose count!"

Clark shook his head. "Krypton engineered its people through artificial genetics. My family were scientists, but I wasn't programmed to follow that path. I've never thought of being a scientist. Besides, even though I've learned the knowledge of 28 galaxies, it was all implanted in my mind. Without years of study, I can't fully grasp it."

The implication was clear: I'm Superman. Problems I face can be solved with fists. Why bother with anything else?

"Oh, by the way, you asked me earlier where I got the kryptonite weapon," Kaius said. "It was developed by Lex. That monster we fought today was also his creation. When I flew back to town, Lex's mercenaries attacked me with a kryptonite rocket launcher."

Hearing this, Clark grew visibly angry. He grabbed his coat from the chair, declaring, "This is outrageous! I'm going to confront him!"

Kaius quickly stopped him. "You can't find him. He's already dead. The Destroyer escaped from LexCorp and killed many people, including Lex himself… or so it seems. Honestly, I thought we could've been friends."

This wasn't entirely a lie—Kaius had skillfully worded the explanation to mislead Clark. Clark naturally assumed the Destroyer was responsible for Lex's death.

After a moment of silence, Clark shook his head and muttered, "This is my fault."

"Instead of blaming yourself," Kaius said, "let's deal with the meteorite remnants in town tomorrow. I also plan to check on LexCorp to ensure they don't have any remaining kryptonite weapons."

As he spoke, Kaius pulled out the kryptonite sword and handed it to Clark. "This is for you."

"No, Kaius. I think you should keep it," Clark said with a smile.

Clark then added, "I need someone who can ensure that alien threats never endanger the world again. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Even if it means killing?" Kaius asked cautiously.

Clark stared out the window at the bustling streets of the town in the distance. After a long pause, he said firmly, "Even if it means killing."

"Understood," Kaius replied with a smile.

Superman couldn't kill; he was the world's savior. But in such cases, Kaius was willing to be the shadowy figure who wielded the knife behind the savior.

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