"You're too stubborn, Jonathan."
Once Clark entered his room, Martha said to her husband, "You want to protect Clark and don't want him to expose his abilities."
"But Clark is very kind-hearted; helping and saving others are things he likes to do. You can't keep stopping him from doing that."
Jonathan sighed, "Of course I know, but Clark isn't ready yet. He isn't ready to understand life, we both know that, Martha."
He held his wife's hand and said, "Clark came from beyond the stars; he must carry some kind of mission. Perhaps John does too. They are destined to change the World in the future."
Martha smiled wryly at her husband and said, "Haven't you realized? Under Peter's influence, Clark is starting to yearn for a different life. He doesn't want to stay on the farm forever, being just an ordinary kid."
She understood her husband, and she understood even more what Clark was thinking now.
"If you keep suppressing him, Jonathan, Clark will eventually find that home is not just a warm harbor, but also shackles that bind him. As he gets older, he will no longer rely on or crave our protection; he will long to step out of the greenhouse and help more people."
Jonathan knew his wife had a point, but he still shook his head, "Not now. Peter hasn't taught him how to face society yet. You know, Martha, even if our son has a body of steel, people will still brutally destroy this 'outsider'."
"You always have your own reasons, Jonathan."
Martha knew she couldn't argue with her husband and didn't continue discussing the topic with him.
"Let's talk about you. You've always been unwilling to leave the farm, Jonathan. You haven't even traveled."
Facing his wife's teasing, Jonathan shrugged, "For most people, traveling means circling the World, but for me, you are the World."
Martha hadn't expected her usually unromantic husband to say something so romantic.
Her face flushed slightly, "That's how you tricked me into coming to the farm when I was in college."
"Do you regret it?"
Martha pretended to think, "A little, but even if I went back in time, I'd probably still be tricked by you."
She said as she stood up, "I need to go check on Clark."
Upstairs, Martha gently knocked on the door, then pushed it open and entered.
Clark was reading by a small lamp. Seeing his mother come in, he put the book by his pillow.
"Mom."
"What are you reading, Clark?"
Martha asked him curiously.
"Nietzsche's book."
Clark showed his mother the book's cover.
Martha looked at "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" on the cover, her expression slightly dazed.
"You can understand Nietzsche, Clark?"
She couldn't believe that Clark, not yet seven years old, could understand such a philosophical book.
"No, Godfather recommended it to me, but I really like it."
Clark indicated that his Godfather had recommended it.
"Peter?"
Martha felt that Peter might have overestimated Clark.
How could a child understand Nietzsche?
"Mom."
Clark, holding the book, asked Martha, "Can I ask you a question?"
"Of course you can."
Martha stroked Clark's hair.
"Why did Nietzsche say, 'God is dead; we now hope for Superman to be born'?"
"Uh..."
Martha was stumped by Clark's question.
She hadn't majored in philosophy in college and didn't know how to answer the question.
"Cough, cough... It's too late, Clark, you need to go to sleep. Mom will answer this question tomorrow, okay?"
Martha, thinking on her feet, resorted to the tactic of "procrastination."
"Okay, Mom."
Clark put "Nietzsche" under his pillow, preparing to sleep.
"Tomorrow I'll ask Godfather."
As soon as Martha heard Clark say that, she immediately felt terrible.
A sense of parental defeat welled up in her heart.
At the same time.
Peter didn't know that Clark was preparing to ask him about Nietzsche tomorrow. He was currently standing by the river where the school bus accident occurred during the day.
The gurgling Water flowed forward, swirling foam to the shore.
Car parts and trash were scattered haphazardly on the bank where the school bus had been pulled up.
Peter stared at the river, lost in thought.
When Clark was touched by the glowing green fish in the Water, his body immediately weakened.
This indicated that the fish in the Smallville River were radiated by Kryptonite.
And there was a high probability that Kryptonite existed at the bottom of the Water.
Taking a deep breath, he took off his jacket, revealing his muscular upper body.
With a "plop," he jumped into the river.
The icy river Water of the night immediately enveloped him with a chill.
At this time, with his physical qualities enhanced several times by his wristwatch, he naturally wouldn't be affected by the cold.
Submerging himself, he began to search for traces of Kryptonite.
Visibility underwater at night was extremely poor, and even though Peter's vision was extraordinary, it was difficult to find any signs of Kryptonite.
After an unsuccessful search, just as he was wondering if his guess was wrong, he suddenly saw a school of fish glowing with an eerie green light swim over.
The school of fish circled him once, then slowly swam forward.
Peter immediately followed the fish, hoping to discover traces of Kryptonite.
After all, this stuff was a rare commodity.
Rather than letting Batman and Clark's enemies get their hands on it in the future and use it against Clark, it was better to hold it himself first.
Not only for its collection value, but even if it were ground into powder and given to Clark, it could enhance some of his Kryptonite resistance.
Following the school of fish underwater, Peter quickly found a coral reef-sized piece of Kryptonite beneath a patch of lush Water plants.
Looking at the large amount of Kryptonite emitting a faint green glow, Peter's eyes widened.
Even if all this Kryptonite were ground into powder, it would be enough for Clark to consume for a year and a half.
"Splash!"
Peter surfaced, holding the glowing green Kryptonite in his hand.
Swimming ashore, he placed the Kryptonite on the ground and wiped the Water from his head.
Breaking off a piece of Kryptonite, he held it before his eyes, Peter stared at the brilliantly glowing stone, lost in thought.
Officer Chandler once said that the suspect who robbed the bank disappeared after jumping into this river.
Considering that guy's superhuman physical abilities.
Could it be that the robber was affected by the Kryptonite in the Smallville River, leading to a mutation that gave him such superhuman strength?
He moved the Kryptonite away from his eyes and looked downstream of the river.
That swamp earlier was contaminated by Kryptonite radiation, causing the land to change and "resurrecting" the bodies buried within it.
So, even if the Kryptonite at the bottom of the Water granted humans superpowers, it seemed possible.
Putting away the Kryptonite, he shook his head.
Then why didn't the students in the school bus that fell into the river during the day, or himself, who just swam around in it, experience any physical changes?
"Whoosh!"
Under the silver moonlight, a small, eerie green fish leaped out of the Water, gently rippling the surface.
Thank you for all your votes, humble author bows in gratitude!