Well.
Time was limited, after all.
Ian had only drafted an opening for this book last night. Originally, he had planned to submit it to the publishing company owned by the billionaire Oliver Queen, a.k.a. Green Arrow.
Don't put all your eggs in one basket.
The same goes for excellent works.
Ian was always very organized about the publication of his work. However, no one could have predicted that his Superman father would completely betray his minor son.
"I hope the big boss understands my talent." Ian naturally hoped that the human form of the Batman in front of him had sharp enough vision to glimpse the extraordinary future plot within the currently ordinary one.
Bruce was unaware of Ian's inner thoughts. In fact, he was no longer in the mood to observe his surroundings; the manuscript in his hand felt like Cthulhu-level contamination.
"Well? Mr. Wayne with the discerning eye, do you still insist on publishing my child's book?" Clark felt a secret delight upon seeing Bruce's rigid expression.
It had been a long time since he had made this man suffer a setback. Bruce slowly raised his head, his facial muscles twitching slightly. He took a deep breath and suddenly forced a tight, grinding smile.
"Absolutely!"
He said, emphasizing every syllable.
Bruce chose to stand his ground, not wanting to concede a point, even if it meant mutual destruction. He resolutely chose to stubbornly engage in mutual harm with Clark.
Neither side would definitely be a winner.
However.
Did this not equate to a win-win for Ian?
Ian felt he had won big time.
"Mr. Wayne, the second work isn't finished yet. When it's done, I'll send you the rest." He quickly tried to compensate for the blandness of his plot.
Who doesn't love double the royalties?
"Enough, enough, these manuscripts are already sufficient!" Bruce's temples were throbbing. He was truly afraid of seeing any further plot developments that would displease his heart.
"Not enough, Ian. Send it to him when you finish—no, just give it directly to me. I'll personally escort your manuscript to him." Superman crossed his arms, a victorious smile playing on his lips.
"Now, see yourself out."
He watched as Bruce gritted his teeth and stood up. As the big boss walked toward the door, clutching the manuscript, he looked back three times, wanting to say something but ultimately failing to articulate it.
"Goodbye, Mr. Wayne!"
Ian politely escorted the guest to the front door.
Bruce's return smile was strained.
He maintained basic courtesy as he bid farewell to Ian and the smiling Superman, then walked toward the luxury car parked down the street. Once inside, the knuckles of the hand clutching the manuscript were clearly defined.
"Master Bruce, you don't look well. Did you argue with your old friend again?" The elderly, elegant man in the driver's seat asked with a hint of teasing.
Bruce looked at the manuscript in his hand, silent.
"I have no friends."
He replied in a low voice.
The old man driving smiled and shook his head upon hearing this.
"Well, has your speculation been verified? The possibility of the boy also being a Kryptonian survivor." The old man started the car and, incidentally, expressed his curiosity.
"Based on Clark's past records, he was also around this age when his abilities began to manifest... I have to consider the possibility that this boy, whose birth certificate I helped process back then, is also a Kryptonian survivor."
"Of course, the boy might also be further evidence of Superman's imperfection. I think the fun would be enormous if that were the case." Bruce's face showed a thoughtful expression.
"Regardless, I need a more detailed understanding of Ian Kent. Therefore, as a first step, I need to have a good talk with his psychiatrist."
Bruce always felt a familiar sense of unease lingering in his mind.
He frowned deeply.
Alfred raised an eyebrow, and the sedan silently slipped into the night of Metropolis. Compared to Gotham, the "business" one might encounter here at night was too little.
The driving butler was also slightly unaccustomed to it.
***
Inside the Kent house.
Clark was in a good mood after seeing Batman suffer a setback, and Ian was also pleased, knowing he was about to get rich. Only Lois, who was drunk, had fallen asleep in the kitchen.
Clark gently carried Lois to the sofa.
This woke Lois up.
"Kiss me!"
She was truly drunk.
And aroused.
"Uh."
Clark found himself struggling to cope.
Ian quickly prepared to go upstairs and back to his room to give his parents some privacy. Just then, the sound of the lock turning came from the front door. It was Jordan, who often pretended to be out on a date, returning home.
"I'm home!"
Jordan's voice was loud.
Carrying a feeling of melancholy.
And his return.
Interrupted Lois's mood.
The drunken mother was somewhat displeased.
And a displeased woman can be terrifying.
"Jordan, we need to talk. You, me, and your father." Lois tidied her messy hair. Her drunken state couldn't hide the seriousness on her face.
"Talk about what?"
Jordan was a little bewildered.
"About your use of my bank account to subscribe to some unhealthy videos. This is a matter of family education." Lois folded her arms, her voice full of accusation.
"????"
Jordan was truly confused.
He always bought physical discs.
Subscriptions?
Just as his somewhat innocent second brother was feeling depressed, Ian had quietly snuck onto the second floor. The boy quickly returned to his room, still keeping his ears peeled for movement downstairs.
His physical constitution gave him a low-grade, low-grade, low-low-grade version of super-hearing.
There were intense arguments.
And mixed-gender conversational education.
Ian was so envious of his parents' synchronized love. And just as the sound of "thump-thump-thump" ascending the stairs came, Ian was about to go out and apologize to his scapegoat second brother.
Instead of being found out later, it was better to confess now. The key was to admit the mistake quickly enough to avoid brotherly estrangement. Ian knew how to live reasonably in the world of American dramas—of course, to prevent Jordan from pulling the classic brotherly betrayal move of running back downstairs to tell on him, he planned to say it was all his friend's prank.
A non-existent friend was useful everywhere.
"That..."
Ian was about to speak.
"Damn it!" Jordan looked angry, gritting his teeth. Ian initially thought his second brother might have figured out the truth, but the Kryptonian descendant's super-brain turned out to be quite ridiculous. "It must be Dad! He must have secretly subscribed to those unhealthy videos behind Mom's back, and then, when he was discovered, he immediately framed me!"
His complaint was full of indignation.
Ian was completely dumbfounded.
"Oh! My God! Was that really the case! Perhaps you're right, Jordan. Your intuition is always spot-on!" Ian truly admired the "truth" Jordan had concocted.
Sure enough!
His second brother was the true superhero of the Kent family!
"That's right, my intuition is rarely wrong. The situation must be exactly as I guessed. He's such an irresponsible man, not even daring to admit what he did!"
Jordan, having received support, became even more indignant.
Ian continued nodding furiously, like a human bobblehead.
As the saying goes, let Superman suffer a little.
And his sons will all be happy.
He was sure his great father wouldn't mind.
"That damn framing!" Jordan became more and more enraged the more he thought about it, completely seeing red. He already had emotional issues. Seeing him storm angrily toward his bedroom, Ian felt slightly concerned.
"You're not going to go fight Dad, are you?"
Ian didn't think his second brother stood much of a chance.
"Of course not."
Jordan looked back at Ian, confused. "Since I'm already taking the blame, I can't take it for nothing. I'm going to criticize how awful the videos Dad paid so much for really are."
What a righteous justification.
"..."
Ian stared dumbfounded as his second brother closed the bedroom door.
"Is this the advanced stage of adolescence, the rutting period?" He couldn't help but sigh with emotion. Just as he was about to turn back to his own room, preparing to quickly wash up and wait to enter the dream world.
*Click*
The door opened again.
"Hmm?"
Ian looked in surprise at Jordan, who had walked back out.
"Well... I need to wash something I used last night and forgot to clean... I mean underwear." Jordan chuckled awkwardly, indeed holding a pile of underwear in his hands.
However.
The sharp-eyed Ian clearly saw something else hidden inside. Jordan's attempt at misdirection was poorly acted, but Ian was a very, very high-EQ and considerate little brother.
"Jordan, remember what you advised me that day? Don't be a healer who can't heal himself!" Ian subtly displayed his tact, watching his second brother, who visibly stiffened, enter the bathroom.
The bathroom door closed.
The familiar scrubbing sound came from inside.
"Dad must be seeing this every day with his Super-Vision..."
Ian genuinely wanted to know.
When his second brother eventually found out that his father was the invincible Superman, would he still be able to continue his shameless and persistent localized exercises in the evening?
Ian, filled with curiosity, returned to his bedroom.
"The Boys! Launching!"
He still had some time left.
Ian chose to start drawing comics.
He wielded his pen.
And began a new round of passionate creation. As the saying goes, time flies when you're having fun. When the clock reached that dividing point, Ian's head snapped back, and his soul drifted outside his body in an instant.
The Dream World.
The Marvel Universe.
The heavy snow continued ceaselessly.
Ian was "refreshed" to a random location again. This time, he didn't immediately try to find landmarks to determine his direction, because his gaze was already drawn to the behemoth in the sky as soon as he entered this world. In the gray canopy, black clouds churned like boiling ink, and a blurred silhouette was moving in the depths of the clouds.
This time.
Since the silhouette had broken through the clouds and was slowly descending toward the earth.
"My father in heaven..."
Ian finally saw clearly what was falling toward the Earth—a head, massive like a small planet, peered out of the black clouds. Mysterious patterns seemed to be carved onto its metallic skin.
This was Galactus!
The Supreme God of the Marvel Universe!
He was lifeless!
His shattered body was collapsing onto the Earth!
"Hiss! The invincible Galactus is going to crush my hair!" In this world, Ian didn't have to worry about being crushed to death. He was only curious if he would have a chance to touch the corpse of a Cosmic God.
Divine Blood.
What kind of profession would it unlock?
***
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