Chapter 50: Dad's Alarm Clock of Life

Smallville, Luthor Mansion.

Lionel Luthor sat in his office, watching the internal footage from the research laboratory with a slight frown.

Although the Luthor chemical plant had been shut down, the secret laboratory nestled within it continued its ongoing research into Kryptonite.

"This is the carcass of the dead coyote we found near the site where the meteorite—or rather, the spaceship—crashed."

Dr. David Hallowell, leading the autopsy, spoke to the camera while examining the coyote's remains.

A few days earlier, residents of Smallville had spotted something resembling a UFO descending from the sky.

Upon receiving the report, Lionel Luthor immediately dispatched his men to scour the area.

Though nothing of significant value was discovered, they eventually stumbled upon the strangely deceased animal carcasses at the site.

On the screen, David Hallowell let out a gasp of utter disbelief.

"This is impossible!"

His expression was one of sheer incredulity. "The coyote still has body temperature. Earlier, its tissues were completely rigid, but now they've softened, and its body heat has returned to normal."

Using a scalpel to slice open the coyote's carcass, David Hallowell's face was a mask of profound confusion. "It looks as though it has regained life."

Setting the scalpel aside, he prepared to record the experimental data.

To his utter shock, a black tentacle suddenly shot out from the freshly cut incision in the coyote's chest, wrapping tightly around David's arm.

The viscous, pitch-black appendage violently dragged his right arm toward the gaping wound.

Caught entirely off guard, David's arm was pulled straight into the bloody, mangled flesh.

"My God! Help me!"

Crying out in agony, David called desperately for assistance from the nearby assistant and guards.

Startled out of their wits, the assistant rushed forward to help, while the guards stationed outside the laboratory burst in at the sound of the cries.

With the combined efforts of the assistant and the guard, David's arm was finally pulled free.

However, before either of them could catch their breath, a sudden and terrifying transformation occurred.

David's right arm lashed out, seizing the guard by the throat.

Caught completely unawares, the guard was hoisted directly into the air before being hurled across the room.

"Bang!"

The guard's body slammed heavily against a workbench covered in scientific instruments, shattering the glass apparatuses into dust with a deafening crash.

Paralyzed with terror, the assistant stared in horror at David Hallowell, never imagining that the usually mild-mannered doctor would suddenly fly into such a frenzy.

Regaining a shred of his senses, the assistant tried to flee, but David's hand instantly clamped over his face.

The assistant let out a miserable shriek as he slowly sank to his knees, the features of his face aging at a visible, terrifying pace.

As David's expression grew increasingly ferocious, the assistant's cries grew fainter and fainter.

"Thud!"

Moments later, the assistant, devoid of any breath of life, collapsed heavily onto the floor.

Having absorbed the assistant, David Hallowell stared directly into the camera lens with eyes completely swallowed by darkness, wearing a sinister and eerie expression.

"Click!"

Lionel Luthor pressed the pause button.

David Hallowell's malevolent, cryptic visage froze on the screen.

"Knock, knock, knock!"

A knock sounded at the door. Lionel Luthor turned around, his expression complex. "Come in."

"Sir, the police found a body near the Smallville River."

His subordinate handed over a file folder as he spoke.

Lionel opened the document, and the shriveled, emaciated corpse of Sean Hagarty immediately greeted his eyes.

The victim looked remarkably similar to the dead assistant.

After flipping through a few pages of the report, he looked up at his subordinate. "Any news on David Hallowell?"

After flying into a rage and murdering the guard and assistant, David Hallowell had escaped from the laboratory.

Though Lionel had mobilized nearly all of his men to track him down, there had been no word.

"Not yet, sir."

"Then pick up the pace."

Just as he was about to say more, his telephone suddenly rang.

Irritated, he picked up the receiver. "What is it, Anna?"

His secretary reported, "Sir, Lex has arrived at the mansion."

"What?!"

Minutes later, Lionel Luthor stared speechlessly at the enthusiastic, bald Lex standing before him.

"Lex, you should have called me beforehand."

"Dad, I wanted to surprise you. I missed you."

Lex explained that he had missed his father so much that he ordered his driver to bring him all the way from Metropolis.

"You shouldn't have come."

Lionel did not share the joy Lex had anticipated. He picked up the phone. "Anna, arrange for a driver to take Lex back."

Lex looked at him in profound disappointment. "Dad?"

This was nothing like what he had imagined.

The initial joy and excitement of seeing his father were instantly washed away.

Seeing the look of utter disappointment in Lex's eyes, Lionel Luthor hesitated for a brief second.

Yet, remembering the perilous situation he was currently trapped in, he ultimately ordered his men to escort Lex outside.

...

Evening, Patrick Farm.

Peter was not home; only Clark and Homelander remained on the farm.

Clark's mood was somewhat subdued on account of Sean Hagarty's death.

"Clark, this has nothing to do with you."

Homelander said to him, "You can't take responsibility for everyone's death."

He helped stack the imported logs into a corner of the farm.

Clark let out a dejected sigh.

"I know. Godfather once said that each of us, from birth to death, is woven together by a series of events. Every passing moment, every action, every loving word or resentful gesture, is merely a tiny vibration on the mainspring of life."

"Through countless vibrations, until one day, a certain event triggers the alarm clock of life, the bell rings, and our journey comes to an end."

Homelander pondered this for a moment. Though he didn't quite grasp the depth of it, it somehow sounded profound. "Uh-huh, Dad is right. Perhaps Sean Hagarty's life alarm clock just happened to vibrate."

"It's all so sudden. Human life is truly so fragile."

Clark said with a troubled frown, "What if Godfather's, or Mom and Dad's alarm clocks ring?"

Homelander felt that this guy Clark had a terribly gloomy mind.

"Clark, you're way too pessimistic. Dad is never going to die."

"But Socrates said that all men must die."

"Dad is not an ordinary man!"

"Socrates was a man, and Dad is a man too. Socrates died, so Godfather will die too."

"Dad is not a man!"

Homelander was momentarily trapped by Clark's twisted logic. "No, that's not right. I mean, Dad is not a mortal."

Just as Homelander was growing annoyed, rolling up his sleeves to teach Clark a lesson, Clark suddenly turned serious and made a hush gesture toward him.

"Shh! Quiet, Homelander!"

Homelander instantly froze, his super-hearing catching the strange noises echoing from inside the barn.

The two exchanged a glance, moving toward the barn with mutual accord.

"Whoosh!"

With his super-speed, Homelander vanished and reappeared instantly inside the barn.

The interior of the barn was dead silent, bathed in the tranquil, reddish glow of the setting sun.

Remaining on high alert, Homelander slowly ascended to the second floor.

Suddenly!

A dark figure materialized right behind Homelander.

Without a moment's hesitation, Homelander whipped around and threw a punch.

"Bang!"

To his shock, the figure effortlessly caught Homelander's fist.

Homelander stared in absolute astonishment at the Black man standing before him, words slipping out that almost drove the man into a frenzy: "Ni...... Ni?"

Though Homelander managed to clamp his mouth shut just in time, the Black man knew precisely what he had been about to say.

What a racially prejudiced brat!