amaotonovel Chapter 4312 Body of Steel (7)
Chapter 4312 Body of Steel (7)
Chapter 4312 Body of Steel (Seventeen)
Clark was referring to the dream that made him realize the truth. That dream was exceptionally realistic, even featuring an "invisible wall" preventing his escape. The timing of his father's appearance was also perfect, helping him find crucial details. Even his superhuman brain couldn't be that intelligent; someone must have tampered with it.
Clark recalled the conversation between the black officer and Schiller. At the time, he thought it was like a scene from a Hollywood blockbuster. But now, upon reflection, he realized it was full of subtle jabs. So, they had been in cahoots all along, and right in front of him?
Clark stepped off the machine, feeling utterly defeated. He had spent a long time in that dream trying to figure out even the simplest of puzzles, while these people had woven such a huge conspiracy in just a few words, almost flawlessly, at least completely trapping him inside.
Even Lex Luthor, who has always been praised as a genius, couldn't escape their scheme. Currently, Bruce is probably the only one who has seen through the whole picture.
Clark was beginning to understand more and more why those Supermen found Batman so appealing. Intellectual attraction is human nature; nobody dislikes intelligent people. Especially when those evil villains were about to drag the world into a massive conspiracy, a heroic strategist stepped forward, thwarted all the plots, and saved the world—it was simply too charismatic.
The more Clark thought about it, the more frustrated he became. In his previous experiences in the dungeon, he knew that Batman was an ordinary person with a weak body, but because Batman died too early and went to another world too soon, the two were separated. He only witnessed Batman's vulnerability and didn't really witness his strength.
So much so that he confidently told Batman those words, taking responsibility for his death upon himself, and even wanting to shoulder greater responsibility, such as saving all of humanity. Looking back now, it's a truly dark chapter in his history.
He went from one extreme to the other. Before, he hadn't been hurt much and didn't know how fragile ordinary people were, so he overestimated humanity. But after discovering how fragile humans are, he began to underestimate them.
As it turns out, on the path of evolution, humanity's fragile body hasn't been entirely without its benefits. While most people don't possess such highly developed brains, the brains of those with exceptionally developed brains are truly remarkable, even surpassing those of superbrains.
Putting aside whether these people need his responsibility and rescue, the key question is whether he can really handle it if they become stumbling blocks on his path to saving others.
Clark couldn't help but feel a pang of self-doubt. He hadn't been aware of any of the conspiracies Bruce had described to him. He had indeed been blinded by anger before, causing him to act irrationally, but now, thinking back, even when he was fully rational, he might not have been able to unravel such a conspiracy.
Now it was Clark's turn to sigh. Humans are just too complicated.
“Stop sighing,” Bruce said. “You have things to do. If I’m not mistaken, some people are about to do something stupid.”
Clark, who had been lost in thought, snapped out of it upon hearing this. He looked at Bruce and asked, "Who?"
Bruce didn't answer him; he simply went back to his computer and started working. Clark's staring at him was useless; even when he asked, Bruce didn't respond.
Clark was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. He really felt that Bruce's silence was mixed with some personal grudges, but he didn't dare to say it. He wanted to be angry, but when he thought of the boast he had made earlier, he lost his temper and could only sit on the sofa and sigh helplessly.
Suddenly, his phone rang. As soon as he answered, a slightly familiar female voice came from the other end: "Clark, is that you? It's me, Louise."
Clark quickly stood up and asked, "Louise, what's wrong?"
"It's nothing. I saw your arrest warrant on TV. Are you alright?"
"What?!" Clark exclaimed in shock. "I'm wanted?!"
"Yes, they also said you kidnapped an important scientist. But I don't think you're that kind of person. You...you were in some kind of danger, weren't you?"
Clark felt a bitter taste in his mouth. These things were too complicated for him to explain to Louise, and he didn't want to. He was genuinely afraid that Louise might suffer the same fate as Martha.
“Listen, Clark. I know you may be facing some crises I can hardly imagine. Maybe no one believes in you. They will do everything they can to slander you and threaten you. You may get hurt. You may face death. But you must believe in yourself. You must remember that you are Clark Kent.”
Clark was somewhat shocked. He thought Louise would say, "No matter who doesn't believe you, I will believe you," but he didn't expect Louise to make him believe in her.
She didn't make him believe in her, but made him believe in himself; she didn't make him remember her, but made him remember himself.
The instant Louise hung up, Clark heard some static. He immediately realized what was happening, and his breathing became rapid: "No...no...Louise! Louise!!!"
In the closed room, Louise put down the phone. Her tone was no longer as gentle and intellectual as before; instead, it was sharp and fierce, like a wolf descending from a snow-capped mountain.
“You’re all wrong,” she said. “Clark Kent is Clark Kent. He will never become some unknown alien monster. Your attempt to use me to provoke him will only backfire and backfire.”
“Miss Lane, I know that Clark Kent once saved you, and you both work in the journalism industry, so there may have been some feelings between you. But don’t forget, you are a human being, and he is an alien.”
“Really? You mean you oppose interracial relationships,” Louise said, her gaze sharp as she stared intently at the officer opposite her. “You support racial discrimination and segregation. Can I take that as an interpretation?”
“I haven’t broken the law, you can’t keep me locked up for life. When I get out, I’ll still be an investigative journalist, and in the more than ten years I’ve worked in the industry, I have a good reputation and a large following. In the news industry, my words carry weight. Do you think the dozen or so editors who are on good terms with me won’t be interested in my attitude towards me and the statements I made while I was in custody?”
The officer's face turned ashen. But a more mature-looking officer standing by the door gave him a wink, and he could only turn away angrily and leave.
“You don’t need to play the good guy here,” Louise’s patience had clearly run out. Skipping the preamble, she went straight to attack. She turned to the older officer and said, “Do you think you’ve got some glorious mission? You’re blinded by your own situation!”
“Over the years, I have interviewed many people in the military system, and I am very clear that it is a system that is both radical and conservative. Radical in that you are happy to try to attack anyone to demonstrate your strength; conservative in that you never want to bear the consequences of a failed attack, at least not the main body.”
"So when you're going to do something new and radical, you'll put forward a few scapegoats, first marginalize them in the system, or just find a few marginalized people, and then send them to participate in this dangerous project. If it succeeds, it's the military's credit; if it fails, just make them disappear and you don't have to take responsibility."
"Although you are smug in front of me and seem to have the power to control my life and death, the truth is quite the opposite. If anything goes wrong in this matter, all the blame will be placed on you."
"And all I need to do is seek legal aid after I leave here, hire a lawyer and take you to court. Your bosses, who are eager to get rid of their responsibilities, will just kick you out. I can sue you until you're bankrupt, and you, your families, and your children won't survive this winter."
The more seasoned officer seemed completely taken aback by Louise's words. After all, when they approached the journalist, she had been very cooperative, showing no resistance whatsoever; they had initially thought it was cowardice, but now she appeared to be fearless.
Louise stood up from her chair, walked over to the officer, and said, “Journalism is a very interesting profession. We encounter all sorts of people and deal with all kinds of people. This kind of life has its pros and cons. The downside is that you will always meet a lot of unfriendly people, and as a voice, you can’t avoid being misunderstood.”
"But the benefits are also obvious: every person I meet, every word they say to me, will become numbers in my bank account. Even a homeless person on the street, or the most inconspicuous office worker."
"In a society, the more people who can provide value to you, the easier it is for you to survive; and the more value you can provide, the better you will live."
"Obviously, the profession of journalist leans more towards the former. Even if I fall to the bottom, as long as I can catch a breaking point, or a big shot’s words, or a seemingly plausible but actually sensational news story, I won’t starve to death."
"But you chose the latter. You chose to demonstrate your value to your superiors. I don't deny that this could help you climb to a higher position; after all, being a general is much better than being a journalist. But once you hit rock bottom, who can provide you with more value? What will you use to ensure you don't starve?"
Louise stared intently into his eyes. After a long while, the officer looked away. He dared not meet Louise's gaze, for he knew in his heart that she was right.
People often say that there is no distinction between high and low professions, but the nature of different professions naturally leads to different difficulties.
Journalists are like hyenas, always on the lookout for news. In an age of entertainment to the death, they can make a living by digging up any gossip. It's a profession where it's easier to exploit morality for personal gain, making them easily criticized. At best, a journalist might become a well-known figure in their lifetime.
However, being a military officer is different. The ceiling for officers is very high; if they make it to the end, they can even control the country. But similarly, because of their long-term disconnect from society, once they leave the closed system of the military, they have no means of making a living, and their previous connections are useless.
Being a military officer can be a way to make money, but some money is earned but not lived to be spent. To keep that money requires a powerful background, but once you leave the system and lose its protection, no matter how much money you have, you can't keep it. Any lawsuit can bankrupt you.
The officer was already cursing under his breath. He knew it; how could such a good thing possibly fall into his lap? The reporter was indeed as difficult as rumored. However, now that the stakes had been laid bare, he couldn't continue to deceive himself.
The truth is, he was just thrown in as a scapegoat. His superiors weren't unaware he might be facing an enraged alien monster, yet they still sent him. This proved he'd been abandoned. Therefore, the things Louise predicted were very likely to happen, and he didn't even dare to think about the terrible fate that awaited him.
The officer took a deep breath and said to Louise, "What do you want?"
"It's not about what I want to do. I've already told you, I won't be in any danger. I can still be a reporter after I leave here. The key question is, what do you want to do?"
Louise looked the officer in the eye and said, "Think about your family, not just yourself. You have to have a backup plan, don't you?"
(End of this chapter)