The next morning.
The school was quiet and peaceful in the morning.
Mark and Clark passed by a farm produce stall in front of the school—the Honeycomb.
The brick-red stall looked weathered and old.
The paint was peeling, and most of the color had faded.
The letters on the sign had also faded and disappeared, only reading "Honeycomb Water."
Mark threw a dollar into the Honeycomb's box and took some honey sticks.
He had liked the taste of honey sticks ever since Peter bought him one when he passed by last time.
Clark looked at the honey stick Mark handed him and asked in surprise, "Where did you get the money?"
"I helped Dad weed, and he paid me a dollar each time," Mark said, indicating that his money was entirely earned through labor.
"But Dad recently said he's going to implement a 'wage and labor incentive plan,' where all the weeding tasks at home will be given to me, seven dollars a week."
Mark still didn't know he was being exploited by his "capitalist father" and was even quite pleased about it.
Clark was a bit envious; he also wanted to earn money like Mark.
"Maybe I can help Godfather clean the Barn; that way, I can also earn some pocket money."
Clark also decided to join his Godfather's "wage and labor incentive plan."
"We can earn money together, Clark, but—"
Mark quickly became frustrated, "I should have ten dollars by now, but Dad said I couldn't have that much money and helped me deposit it in the bank, saying he'd keep it for me for now."
Clark thought for a moment and said, "I think that's great. Doesn't the bank make the money you deposit grow?"
At this time, Clark didn't know that one of the deepest tricks in the World was that children would have their pocket money taken away with the excuse of "Mom and Dad will save your money for you and give it to you when you grow up."
Without exception, when you grow up, you will find that all the money your parents helped you save has disappeared.
Unaware of being tricked, Clark and Mark walked towards the school, sucking on their honey sticks.
As soon as they reached the school gate, they saw Lana parting ways with her Aunt.
"Goodbye, Aunt."
After bidding farewell to her Aunt, Lana walked towards the school with her backpack.
However, she accidentally tripped on a stone and fell to the ground with a "thump."
Her backpack was also flung off, and all her books scattered out.
Seeing Lana fall, Clark immediately rushed over with a speed Mark had never seen before.
"Lana, are you okay?"
He helped the frowning Lana up.
"I'm fine, I just fell accidentally. Thank you, Clark."
Although Lana's knee was very painful from the impact, she still pursed her lips and endured the pain to thank Clark.
Seeing that Lana was fine, Clark quickly helped her pick up the scattered books on the ground.
As he bent down to pick up the books, he suddenly noticed a green necklace on the ground.
The stone, emitting a faint green glow, looked very similar to the stone Godfather had shown him before.
Out of curiosity, he picked up the necklace.
Instantly, he felt a wave of weakness, as if all his strength had been drained in a single moment.
Then his body uncontrollably fell backward, and the green necklace in his hand dropped to the ground with a "clatter."
"Thump!"
As he was about to fall, his back was supported by a broad, strong hand.
"Are you alright, child?"
A deep voice came.
After regaining his balance, Clark looked back.
The school security guard, an elderly Black man with a pale, wire-brush-like beard, was looking at him with concern.
Clark recognized him as the Black security guard he had seen when he first came to the school.
He remembered everyone called this security guard "Old Horry."
At the time, he had even imagined him as the demonic guard of an evil castle.
"I felt a bit dizzy just now, Mr. Horry, but I'm fine now."
Clark rubbed his forehead and thanked Old Horry.
Lana bent down, picked up the necklace from the ground, and walked to Clark's side, her face full of worry.
The necklace was a memento left by her mother, so she always carried it with her.
Seeing Clark almost fall after holding the necklace, she thought he had been scratched by it.
Old Horry put away his clipboard, his eyes narrowing, "You don't look too good, child. You need to go to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries for a check-up."
As the school's security guard, out of responsibility for student safety, he had to take Clark to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries for a check-up.
Although Clark was very reluctant, he was still forced to comply.
Leaving the school gate, Old Horry, while taking Clark to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, glanced at the necklace in Lana's hand, his expression becoming a bit more complex.
Patrick Farm.
Peter received a call from Chandler at the Police station.
Chandler told him about Officer Lyne's pursuit of the serial robber last night.
"Smallville River?"
After hanging up the phone, Peter fell into deep thought.
Was this guy the merman from the story he told Mark last night?
Shaking his head, he dismissed the absurd idea of a merman from his mind.
However, he could definitely conclude that this guy was a good swimmer.
And he was very familiar with the terrain around Smallville River.
As he was pondering the robber's identity, the phone rang at the farm.
Peter picked up the phone, and after hearing that Clark had an accident, he immediately put on his jacket and rushed to the school.
Driving towards the school, Peter heard the gurgling of Water as he approached.
Two minutes later, the towering trees disappeared, replaced by a grassy, rugged riverbank.
The Water of Smallville gurgled and flowed forward.
The driveway curved again, and Peter quickly arrived at the school.
St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.
Peter knocked on the door of St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries and entered.
Martha McConner, Clark and Mark's assistant teacher whom he had seen last time, was waiting in St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Peter arrive.
Peter pretended to meet her for the first time, greeted the beautiful teacher with the strange expression, and then looked at Clark and Mark.
"Are you feeling unwell, Clark?"
He stroked Clark's hair and asked him.
"I'm fine now, Godfather."
Clark lay on the bed and whispered to Peter, "Godfather, it's that kind of stone."
"What stone?"
"It was Lana's necklace. When I picked it up to return it to her, I felt dizzy. The stone you showed me last time, Godfather, I feel it's the same as Lana's necklace."
"Hmm."
Kryptonite?
Listening to Clark, he immediately realized that Lana's necklace was Kryptonite.
Since she wore Kryptonite as a necklace, it meant she would carry it with her in the future.
And then thinking about Clark's "desire" for Lana...
Now he really wanted to say to his adopted son: cherish the present, your hard days are still ahead.