Chapter 435: Suspicion in the Metropolis (Part 21)_1

"Wait a minute, it seems like this really has nothing to do with superpowers." Clark suddenly interjected, following up with:

"Isn't this just another interpretation of 'one must consider the consequences of their actions'?"

"Yeah, but I'm guessing your parents must have repeated 'one must consider the consequences of their actions' to you countless times, did you take it to heart?"

Clark's mouth fell open, a complex expression crossed his face, seemingly recalling some unpleasant experiences. He took a deep breath, and then said, "Yeah, my parents have reiterated that phrase to me countless times, but I..."

"Back then, I just felt that they didn't understand me. I felt like they weren't willing to consider things from my perspective, they didn't know how much I sacrificed and how much pain and grief I felt. I felt so wronged that I even ran away from home."

"But it seems like such decisions indeed are my own affair. Determining whether or not to bear these costs based on the outcomes, and assessing the outcomes based on these costs - superpowers don't seem to have anything to do with this...so what was I worrying about before?"

"What do you think superpowers are? Are they your main personality?"

"Of course not, I am me, I am Clark."

"Or perhaps you might be satisfied with this explanation; your personality is shaped by factors such as your education and your environment, whereas your superpower is just a tool you possess."

"I suppose you could say that," Clark gave an uncertain response.

"So what makes it different from other tools? Do the facts that your father and mother fell in love, got married, raised you, educated you, and got along well with their neighbours have anything to do with the pitchfork that your father often used for farming?"

Before Clark could answer, Shiller said, "Perhaps there is some correlation. Without that pitchfork, maybe he wouldn't have been able to work, wouldn't have had money to support the family, but that tool certainly couldn't determine whether he wanted to propose to your mother, right?"

Clark suddenly broke into a smile, seemingly recalling some amusing moments between his parents. After a while, he exhaled deeply, turning to Shiller, and spoke sincerely:

"Thank you, Professor. I feel much better after letting it all out and hearing your advice."

After exhaling, Clark seemed to instantly relax. He fell onto the bed, laying his head on the soft pillow, his hand rested on his chest, saying, "My god, no one knows just how upset I've been lately."

He shielded his eyes with his arm, then continued, "Wherever I go, I worry about running into the track and field club members, afraid they'd badmouth me to my roommates, worried I'd disappoint the coach by dropping out of the race, and always feeling like I am a cheater..."

"These are all very normal feelings. People at your age would all experience similar anxieties, concerning interpersonal relationships and life direction. This is a period for forming personalities."

Shiller suddenly seemed to recall something, he said: "Even people whose personalities are much more mature than yours would also possibly feel the same during this period."

Clark seemingly sensed who he was referring to, he glanced at the door, then asked, "Are you referring to the two guys from earlier? Who are they? Why do I get the feeling they're a bit dangerous?"

"It's difficult for me to explain at the moment. After some time interacting with them, you'll understand. These two people are certain to play important roles in your future life."

"Really? Do you mean that I'll become friends with them?"

"In a sense, yes. They will understand you the most, and you will understand them most."

"You're kidding, right?" Clark sat up on the bed in disbelief, casting a doubtful look at Shiller, and said, "Don't tell me you have the ability to foretell the future, Professor. Both of them seem a bit strange to me."

"Of course, this is not always definite. For now, it seems like those two are closer."

"Closer... Are they? But from what I see..."

Clark gave a somewhat hesitant look, then, he lowered his voice, and said to Shiller: "Just to clarify, I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I have a special ability that allows me to know what's happening outside the walls."

"I heard one of them talking to the other one about some treasure, and that there is a secret beneath the Mayor's Manor..."

"Underground?" Shiller furrowed his brows slightly, but soon he said, "However, it has nothing to do with me, I need to get some sleep."

With that, he stood up, picked up his umbrella, and before leaving, he told Clark, "At your age, you can spend a sleepless night fretting over a small matter, but I can't."

"Tonight, I haven't got more than two hours of sleep. If it's in line with that theory, I would pay any price for a good sleep at this point, a price beyond anyone's imagination."

Having said that, Shiller left. Clark rolled over, still contemplating the questions Shiller had asked him. Recently, his sleep hadn't been particularly good either, so deep in thought, he gradually drifted off into a dream.

After Shiller returned to his guest room, he changed into his pyjamas ready to sleep. Although it was daylight outside, the ceaseless snow and gloomy weather made it the perfect time for sleep.

Just as he had settled into his pyjamas, predictably, a knock echoed on his room door. Shiller sighed, unsurprised, got up, and opened the door, to find Lex Luther standing outside.

"What do you want?" Shiller asked straightly.

Lex stared at Shiller in silence for a while, then asked, "Why does it feel like you've always been on guard against me?"

"Don't you warrant being on guard against?"

"I just don't understand..." Lex kept staring into Shiller's eyes, but couldn't detect any discernible emotion worth analyzing, so he had to continue:

"Bruce is your student, you're more familiar with him, so you naturally lean towards him. I can understand that, but why do you trust that guy named Clark so much?"

Lex frowned and said, "If he were the one who came now, would you let him in first?"

"You seem to have some basis for your judgment of us that is beyond the facts. What is it?" Lex asked.

Stumped by his question, Shiller fell silent for a moment, then stepped aside and said to Lex, "Let's talk inside."

Lex entered, and then he heard Shiller say as he closed the door behind him, "That is... a prejudice I find hard to explain."

After that, he heard Shiller heave a deep sigh. Once the door was closed, Shiller turned around to ask, "What are you really up to?"

"I just wanted to ask you, have you really lost your memory?" Lex stood hands hanging down by his sides in the middle of the room, addressing Shiller.

Shiller on his side, nodded in response. Lex frowned and said, "You really don't remember that you've met me before?"

Shiller squinted his eyes. He had to admit that during this time, he had still not fully absorbed his previous lessons and was seeing the characters in reality through the filter of their original counterparts.

For instance, he had always been positive towards Bruce and Clark as they were the protagonists in the original storyline, but he was always wary of Luther.

Even though Luther's question just now made him aware of this, when Lex spoke, Shiller still felt that Lex was possibly brewing some kind of conspiracy.

"You can't be saying that you saved me in the past, can you?" Shiller asked, looking at Lex.

"Quite the contrary." The answer Lex gave was surprising to Shiller. Lex then continued, "You saved me, right here."

"Two years ago, I was still under my father's drug control. I was too young then and had to submit to his manipulations. He was always by my side to monitor me, even when he attended parties here, he took me with him."

"I don't know what happened in between, but then Lionel brought you into my room, saying he wanted to cure me. But then, you knocked him out and gave me a mysterious liquid that restored my consciousness."

"Hold on, a mysterious liquid? What is that?"

"I don't know." Lionel shook his head, "All I remember is that there was a moment when it was very painful, and I saw many mad illusions. Some of those illusions still appear in my dreams, although they are fading with time and almost gone now."

"Can you describe the appearance of that liquid?"

"Back then, you brought out a test tube. It was the smallest size, with some liquid at the bottom. I couldn't see the color, but when you opened the cap, I was able to smell a very strong aroma of wine."

Shiller's brows furrowed even more. He had to double-check with Lex multiple times, but Lex's description always remained the same: unclear color, smelled of wine, caused him to have mad illusions...

"Dionysium?" Shiller murmured under his breath, his tone full of doubt, "How could my past self have access to Dionysium? Isn't that in the basement of Gotham Cathedral... Could it be that I have been to Gotham in the past?"

"I know, you don't trust me. Even if we put aside your inexplicable prejudice, no one would believe me if I came up to a stranger and claimed that you used to know me..."

"No." To Lex's surprise, Shiller denied this. Shiller explained, "The thing you just described is proof."

Shiller felt that the possibility of Lex having just happened to encounter the Dionysus Factor and spun a lie out of it was not great. The chance of casually telling a few lies and coincidently hitting on the properties of the Dionysus Factor was even smaller.

Moreover, if this was the reason, then Lex's previous attacks on Benjamin and Bruce would be explained, so it was very likely that he was telling the truth.

"Alright, but since you've lost your memory, I feel obligated to tell you..."

"From what I know, you left in a hurry but seemed to have left something behind."

"I don't know if it's related to the treasure hidden under the manor, but I've managed to give the key to Bruce, and he will explore for us."

"And how do you know he's exploring rather than just taking the treasure?"

Lex shook his head, "It's not that simple. That treasure is not like the gold coins stacked in a chest in a myth. It's likely to be dangerous."

"Furthermore, I don't care whether he takes it or not. I only want to help you retrieve whatever you left behind."

Lex sighed and said, "Lionel wanted that treasure because he heard that it could enhance one's wisdom, but obviously..."

"Enhance wisdom? I don't need that."

"Is there a chance I don't really want to retrieve what I lost?" Shiller sat on the bed and sighed.

"It seems like you don't really care about your memory loss?" Lex asked with perplexity, "Don't you want to know what actually happened?"

"And do you know what I really want to do right now?"

"...What?" Lex suddenly had a bad feeling and felt a chill run down his spine. He quietly took a step back.

Then, he heard Shiller's slightly tired and indifferent voice sound out:

"Right now, I just want to sleep."