Chapter 16:Superman can’t fly

In a distant galaxy far from Earth, a colossal spacecraft resembling a shuttle hurtled through space at the speed of light. On the ship's bridge, a robust man stood with his back to the others, his gaze fixated on the vast expanse of the distant galaxy.

Suddenly, the automatic door slid open, and a female soldier clad in black armor strode in. Approaching the man, she bowed slightly.

"General Zod, an hour ago, we received a signal from an outpost. However, due to insufficient information, we couldn't decipher its content," she reported.

General Zod, the name by which the man was addressed, fell silent for a moment. He turned to face the female soldier and inquired, "Which ship does the outpost belong to?"

"Based on the information we received, it appears to have been established during the era of expansion and seems to have been activated for some reason," the female soldier replied, her head bowed.

General Zod paced back and forth on the bridge, deep in thought. He raised his hand, tapping his fingers against his temple, before declaring, "I must travel to the old colony of the Luke galaxy. Frau O, you and Joel Lal will accompany me to the planet emitting the signal. We need to investigate."

"Understood, General Zod. If I may ask, are you searching for traces of Jor-El?" questioned Frau O, the female soldier.

"Yes!" General Zod confirmed without hesitation. He had been on a quest for nearly sixteen years.

"In Krypton, all the genetic information of unborn children was recorded in the citizens' files. Jor-El stole the secrets from those files and concealed them in the space capsule he was sent away in. The secret of life lies within, and we can use the world engine to restore Krypton!" explained Frau O, her determination evident.

General Zod nodded, issuing his orders, "Very well, proceed with the task as swiftly as possible. Remember to report back immediately." He then returned his gaze to the vast universe.

Meanwhile, Clark, feeling frustrated, had returned to Kent Farm. Seeking solace, he retreated to the attic of the warehouse, his personal sanctuary. Gripping a book tightly, Clark contemplated throwing it to the ground in anger.

Suppressing the impulse, he sank weakly onto the sofa, while his companion, Li Ya, sat nearby, sharing his disappointment. "Don't lose hope. There must be other ways to uncover the truth about your birth," Li Ya consoled him.

"I don't believe there's another Cavavaci cave like this anywhere in the world. And... Li Ya, did you hear that?" Clark interrupted himself, his ears perked, attentively listening.

Li Ya also focused, attempting to capture any sounds in the town. While the town seemed ordinary, they both sensed a higher-level sound transcending time and space, resonating in their minds.

Confirming, Li Ya stated, "I heard it too, like a language, but not one from Earth."

Intuitively, Li Ya believed it was the language of Krypton, but he couldn't mention Krypton directly. Instead, he hinted at it by saying, "not a language from Earth."

Clark's excitement grew, and he exclaimed, "Yes, it definitely doesn't resemble any Earth language!"

"Li Ya, check your pocket!" Suddenly, Li Ya noticed a faint light emanating from Clark's pocket, where he kept the spaceship key.

"What message does it seem to convey to me?"

Clark retrieved the spaceship key from his pocket, and it levitated in the air, resembling a compass. It rotated, eventually pointing in a specific direction.

"Well, Newton's laws won't hold up!" Li Ya murmured

in amazement.

"I believe it's directing me," Clark affirmed, staring in the direction indicated by the key. His certainty grew stronger that the source of the sound awaited him there.

That direction pointed to the North Pole. Li Ya, an avid fan, knew that Superman's Fortress of Solitude resided there.

It seemed as though the spaceship key was guiding Superman to find the Fortress. Once there, Little Superman would receive guidance from his biological father, Jor-El, and truly become Superman.

"Your mission is calling you, Clark! Go!" Li Ya encouraged.

Clark nodded with determination and spoke solemnly, "I'll speak to my parents, and I'll return soon."

Before his words had fully dissipated, Clark vanished in an instant, transforming into a bolt of lightning as he chased after the spaceship key.

Li Ya quickly calculated that the distance from Kansas to the North Pole was approximately 5550 kilometers. Unfortunately, Little Superman couldn't fly at this moment; otherwise, the journey would take mere minutes.

The thought of running instead filled Li Ya with an inexplicable sadness. Not being able to fly as Superman was truly disappointing.

As Clark disappeared into the horizon, Li Ya let out a yawn. It was late, and it was time to rest.

Li Ya wondered how long Clark would remain at the Fortress of Solitude in this world. Hoping to encounter a true star child upon awakening.