"Is something wrong?" Eric's impression of his cheap older brother's goddess was just so-so.
It wasn't a personal dislike, but simply an aversion to women who were so love-struck and often wore a melancholic expression.
Lana hesitated for a moment, unsure how to begin.
"Are all these paintings yours, Eric?"
After some thought, she decided to start the conversation with the shocking paintings before her.
"Looks like it. There aren't any paintings like these on the market right now that make people feel so confused," Eric replied indifferently.
These paintings were just his idle creations.
He probably awakened his artistic talent when he used "Crayola" crayons to depict the explosion of Clark's hometown as a child.
As his Homelander template continued to unlock, not only did his body change, but his mental power also gradually became extraordinary.
Feelings of emptiness, even void and self-doubt, would continuously surge within him.
Not only his strength but also his spirit was constantly growing.
His mental power expanded, beginning to spread into abysses like deep space and the deep sea, and his consciousness entered a new realm, continuously delving into those dark, unspeakable existences.
It wasn't a bizarre change in the mental world like that of a madman, but rather a transcendence of the ordinary human scope, with his mental power ascending to a higher level.
He wondered if Clark's "super brain" felt this way. For Eric, the enhancement of his spirit, in addition to boosting his memory and quick thinking, most importantly allowed him to contemplate the world from a higher perspective.
Even though it was just a vague, ineffable feeling.
So, Eric utilized his abnormal mental power and the "darkness" that filled his heart to begin painting the dark entities in his mind.
These works, with their strong sense of the unknown and terror, vastness, and irrational style, were very similar to the cthulhu myths he liked in his previous life.
Not only did he create "cthulhu-esque" paintings, but he also wrote many "cthulhu-esque" texts.
Of course, it wasn't a complete plagiarism of the "cthulhu myths" from his previous life, but rather a creation of abstruse and difficult-to-understand texts using his superhuman perception combined with the DC world he was in.
Eric didn't know much about the DC world in his previous life, but he knew that the DC world had some connection with "cthulhu myths."
For example, Arkham Asylum in Gotham City has many connections with Arkham Town and Mary's Asylum, which often appear in the cthulhu series.
The "Karathan" and "Fishermen" in Aquaman's Atlantis are both creatures that have appeared in cthulhu myths.
Eric, in a fit of dark humor, when writing the cthulhu myths that didn't exist in this world, appropriately modified and added elements such as Gotham, Arkham, Karathan, and merfolk, forming a "cthulhu-esque myth" with a unique style.
...
"It's just too amazing! It's like some kind of artwork. Although my art appreciation level is average, I still feel amazed."
Looking at the paintings on the wall, Lana praised sincerely.
Although she was initially affected by the paintings and broke out in a cold sweat after her consciousness was immersed, she felt a strange beauty in these paintings after waking up.
It was as if some unspeakable, soul-stirring thing was attracting her, drawing her into these fictional, deadly dangerous worlds.
"Thank you for your compliment, but these are just casual doodles and illustrations. If they are artworks, they are probably the cheapest kind of artworks."
Eric didn't take her words to heart.
"Illustrations? You mean you're also planning to create such a world with text, Eric?" Lana asked in surprise.
In her impression, Eric, as Clark's younger brother, had a completely different personality from him.
Clark was simple, polite, and warm-hearted, while Eric was an unapproachable iceberg.
She never expected that the originally cold and distant Eric not only possessed such high talent in painting but also had a talent for writing.
"The draft is right there. If you're interested, you can take it home and read it. But—it's best not to lose it."
Eric pointed to the printed draft placed on the bookshelf.
While being polite, he also implied that it was time for her to leave.
His cheap older brother had been standing outside for some time now.
If he didn't let Lana out soon, Clark would probably start overthinking again.
Although he didn't mind keeping Clark awake all night, considering the potential trouble it might cause him, he unceremoniously asked her to leave.
Listening to Eric's cold words, Lana felt a little dejected.
Her original intention was to talk to Eric about Jerome's matter from last night, but she didn't expect to be asked to leave so soon.
With mixed feelings, she walked to the bookshelf, picked up the manuscript, and said to Eric playfully, "Aunt Niel knows some people in publishing houses. These manuscripts might have a chance to be published."
"Perhaps," Eric's tone was indifferent, an expression of not caring much.
Seeing Eric's unchanged expression, Lana felt a strong sense of frustration.
After a few more words, she bid Eric farewell, "I think I have to go. If I'm out for too long, Niel might send out a search party for me."
As she reached the door, she seemed to remember something.
Taking a deep breath, she turned to face Eric. "About yesterday, I want to say thank you!"
After speaking, she didn't wait for Eric to react and turned to leave.
Eric remained in place, still maintaining his poker face.
With his arms crossed, he was now interested in what Lana said about publishing.
Although he had no interest in becoming a writer, if he could publish a book, he might be able to use this method to launder the money he had.
This way, he could explain to Jonathan and Martha how his money was earned through legal channels.
After thinking for a while about how to use publishing to launder money, Eric looked up and said to the outside, "Clark, I know you're out there. Come in."
"Creak!" The door was pushed open, and Clark walked in with a slightly embarrassed expression.
"Eric, I'm sorry, I wasn't intentionally eavesdropping. It's just that since yesterday, my hearing has improved a lot, and I always hear some sounds I shouldn't."
Clark, feeling a little ashamed of eavesdropping, explained to Eric.
"It's fine," Eric didn't mind Clark's eavesdropping. "When I first discovered my hearing could pick up sounds from miles away, I couldn't control it either. Adapting to your body is a process."
Clark pursed his lips, wanting to say something.
Due to the fight at the dance, he still felt a bit awkward facing Eric now.
After a moment of silence, he asked Eric, "Eric, Jerome's death... was it your doing?"