Dawn.
The town was ablaze with lights.
Small groups of residents, lanterns in hand, hurried toward the fields just outside of Smallville.
They had reason to be worried. The explosion at three in the morning sounded like a missile detonating.
If this wasn't Kansas, but somewhere in Iraq, the townsfolk might have suspected a bandit raid.
Martha and Jonathan also left their farm.
They found a figure covered in mud lying just outside their property.
"Clark!"
Martha gasped, covering her mouth. She immediately recognized the person as the son she'd raised for over a decade.
"What happened?"
Jonathan followed Martha and rushed to Clark's side. He struggled to lift the unconscious Clark, and then, connecting it to the explosion they'd heard tonight, the middle-aged man's expression darkened.
Could Clark be connected to this?
Smallville Cemetery.
Thick fog obscured the view, and the unevenly distributed tombstones were scattered about. Some, aged by time, were illegible, making it impossible to tell who was buried there.
Strange, bizarre flowers and trees lined the surroundings, adding to the eerie atmosphere of the cemetery.
"Clatter, clatter."
The crisp sound of hooves echoed in the dense fog, like a headless horseman patrolling his domain.
"Shhh."
Lana reined in the magnificent horse.
The girl lightly leaped off the horse's back, her gaze tinged with sorrow. Her steps were gentle as she moved deeper into the cemetery, as if afraid of making too much noise and disturbing the eternal slumber of those buried there.
Holding a bouquet of Tulips in her hand, Lana walked past the tombstones, heading deeper in.
Soon, Lana stood before a brand-new tombstone.
Compared to the surrounding tombstones, covered in dust, this one was obviously visited often and kept clean.
"Father, Mother."
Lana looked at the names on the tombstones and sighed softly.
The girl bent down and gently placed the clean Tulips, fragrant with the scent of flowers, into the vase beside it to show her remembrance.
But, an envelope beside the vase caught Lana's attention.
A stone was placed on top of the envelope to prevent it from being blown away by the wind.
Lana picked up the stone, and with bewilderment, picked up the envelope.
The black ink on the front of the white paper envelope outlined "Lana's" elegant signature.
"Rustle~"
Something seemed to be lurking nearby.
Lana looked up, her big eyes filled with wariness: "Hello?"
"Is anyone there?"
No one answered. The cemetery was silent in the early morning.
The girl breathed a sigh of relief and lowered her head, examining the envelope.
"What are you looking at?"
A man's voice suddenly sounded from behind her.
"Ah!" Lana exclaimed and turned her head.
Gino, wearing black sweatpants, stood behind her with his hands in his pockets.
"Gi-Gino?!"
The sudden appearance of the boy behind her undoubtedly sent a jolt through Lana.
But, my mind is racing with a flurry of thoughts: the wilderness, alone with a boy.
Lana pursed her lips to clear her head, a slight frown revealing her displeasure. "What are you doing here?"
"Hmm, I was woken up by the explosions and couldn't sleep. I came out for a walk and saw you here," Gino said with a smile, looking at the envelope in Lana's hand. "A love letter?"
Lana nodded, her expression complex. "I guess so."
"Honestly, it's a bit unsettling," Lana sighed, waving the envelope.
The girl wasn't unfamiliar with love letters, but the way this one was delivered, right in front of her parents' graves... it was just too crazy.
Lana was even afraid that this mysterious admirer might do something bad to her parents' tombstones.
"Yeah, delivering a love letter out here in the middle of nowhere. Looks like you're quite popular."
"Maybe." Lana glanced at Gino and then lowered her head again, staring at the envelope in her hand.
A few wolf howls echoed from a distance, but the fear in Lana's heart dissipated knowing Gino was standing behind her.
The girl opened the envelope.
Gino, standing behind her, also gazed at the paper in her hand and slowly read aloud: "Accept me, imprison me."
The youth recited in a poetic tone: "Otherwise, I will never be free, nor will I be pure, unless you possess me."
That warm breath on Lana's ear made her earlobes turn red.
"Hmm, John Donne's poems," Gino said, looking away. "A 17th-century English metaphysical poet. His turbulent life experiences made him constantly yearn for death and decay."
Gino sighed softly, reciting his favorite verse: "Never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee."
Lana stared at Gino, her big eyes filled with delight. "Oh my god, I didn't expect you to know John Donne too! He's my favorite poet!"
Gino raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "Well, judging by this poem, your admirer seems to be well-read."
"Who do you think it is?" Lana put the envelope away, her mood improved. "Honestly, I haven't received a love letter since third grade."
Gino shrugged. "I don't know, it could be anyone. Maybe Clark wrote it?"
As soon as he said this, the smile on Lana's face vanished like snow melting. She pouted. "Forget it. That guy is probably looking forward to a date with the new transfer student."
"You never know, Lana." Gino smiled slightly, ignoring the Red Ring jumping in his pocket as he turned to leave, not forgetting to say to the girl, "Maybe he'll come and apologize to you when you go to school tomorrow morning."
Leaving the Cemetery, Gino didn't return to the castle, but turned a corner and came to the Experiment Base hidden beneath the Chemical Plant.
The metal door opened. Compared to the bustling lab before, the scientists at three in the morning obviously needed plenty of sleep and rest. Except for a very few workaholics, most of the scientists had already left the lab.
But, Gino knew there was one person who would never leave.
His gaze swept across the hall, and he quickly found Lex standing beside a sleeping body.
"How's the experiment?" Gino walked over to Lex.
"To be honest, you always bring me a lot of surprises."
Lex put down the experimental report in his hand and glanced at Akins' sleeping face: "The liquid on this woman has a peculiar ability. It can change the human body system through contact and secrete a large amount of hormones, leading to loss of control."
"If it were used as a perfume industry, it would also be a considerable profit."
Gino was accustomed to Lex's ideas. "I didn't come to see you about that. I have something curious for you."
"You know Clark's been acting strange lately, right?"
"Yeah, I heard he suddenly got rich and his personality took a turn for the worse. They say he beat up a few drunks at the local bar," Lex said, walking to the break area and taking a sip of coffee, sizing up his brother. "What intel do you have for me?"
"It's simple. Clark's change is related to this little thing." Gino tossed out a Red Ring from his pocket. "Unlike Green Kryptonite, which saps Clark's strength, this Red Ring seems to make him irritable and prone to anger, bringing out the dark side of Clark's personality."
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(End of Chapter)