"Clark, come out, I know you're behind me."
In an alley in Metropolis, Eric sighed, turned around, and spoke to a shadow in the night.
"I didn't mean to follow you, Eric."
Clark awkwardly emerged from the shadows, "I knew you were going to track that escaped Owlman, and I was worried something might happen to you, so I followed you."
"So you're planning to protect me, Clark?"
Eric gazed at his "older brother," "Generally, I'm not usually the one being protected."
"I know."
Clark shrugged, "I'm usually the one who messes things up, but I think the more people, the more strength, right? If everyone goes into the river, the crocodile won't be able to open its mouth."
"I didn't know you could speak Black slang like Pete."
Eric complained to Clark, "Were you influenced by Pete's Black culture, like 'near vermilion makes one red, near ink makes one black'?"
"Anyway, Clark, you don't know what you're going to face next, and you don't know what methods those enemies will prepare. If you want to play detective games as a team, you can go find Chloe and Pete, they'd definitely be more interested, instead of following me."
After Eric finished his last sentence, he turned and left directly.
Clark glanced at the cars speeding past outside the alley, "So Eric, are you still bothered by my harsh words from before?!"
Hearing his older brother's words, Eric reluctantly turned around and looked at Clark.
"Clark, I'm not interested in playing childish games with you. If you're mature enough, don't dwell on so-called apologies and grudges, it's completely meaningless!"
Clark lowered his head and was silent for a moment, then said, "I just want to help you. I've fought those Owlmen before, maybe I can be of some help."
"Because I just pulled you out of the ruins, you want to compensate me by helping? I don't need that, Clark."
Eric said impatiently to his older brother.
He didn't know why Clark kept wanting to follow him today.
He had often come to Metropolis alone before, and Clark had never shown any intention of following. Today, he didn't know what kind of medicine he had taken, as he kept sticking to him.
Was it adolescent rebellion?
After hearing Eric's impatient words, Clark exhaled, seemingly giving up the idea of following Eric.
He nodded, "OK, if you insist, I'll go back. But be careful."
After speaking, he turned and left.
Eric watched Clark's back disappear before turning around and continuing in the direction the "escaped fish" had fled.
An abandoned sanatorium named "Wai Fu" on the outskirts of Metropolis stood quietly in the night.
The "Wai Fu" sanatorium was used as a tuberculosis hospital in the early 20th century.
Due to the medical conditions at the time, tuberculosis was an "incurable disease," so it was more of a funeral home than a tuberculosis sanatorium.
In the 1960s, the Roman Catholic Church acquired it and transformed it into a mental hospital specializing in treating mentally ill criminals, but it later closed due to mismanagement.
Eric stood in front of the huge Jesus statue in front of the sanatorium, lost in thought.
The Owl Council uses this as a secret base?!
Using a place where 6,300 tuberculosis patients are buried as their base, that's truly original.
Following the tracks of the deliberately released Owl assassin, he walked down the creaking wooden stairs towards the basement.
In the dark night, there was silence, accompanied by the hoarse cries of evil birds howling in the night wind.
Based on the observed actions of the Owl assassin, Eric opened the secret door and entered this "Owl" nest.
After pushing open the secret door and entering, it was a deep, endless labyrinth.
Obstacles that would be difficult for ordinary people to overcome were no challenge for him now.
Super Vision could penetrate thick obstacles, allowing him to see the end at a glance.
After observing with Super Vision, he walked towards the final hiding place of the "Owls."
On the white walls he passed, there hung black and white portraits, representing those who had been assassinated by the "Owls."
In the gloomy and dim space, red coffins were placed, representing the Owl assassins who were in slumber and had not yet been awakened.
Eric wore a mask taken from a deceased Owl assassin on his face as he passed through these eerie places.
Within the labyrinth, poisons that caused hallucinations and fear periodically spread out.
"Welcome to the Court of Owls!"
As Eric was about to reach the end, a deep voice echoed around him.
"Are you Homelander?! Possessing immeasurable power, a divinely bestowed talent."
"It seems no one else would impersonate that name besides me."
Eric raised his head, his gaze sweeping around, and said indifferently, "The fear you meticulously set up in the labyrinth didn't work on me. I think… if you don't have any other tricks, I'm going to find you. The victory of this last game of hide-and-seek will belong to me."
"I understand your talent, and I know your capabilities, but Homelander, you underestimate our power, and you have never understood the true meaning behind the Owl Council. If you continue forward, you will surely bring about your own Death. Conversely, if you pledge allegiance to the Council and join the Owl Council, Son of Talent, you will get everything you desire."
"Are you trying to recruit me?"
Eric nodded feigning interest, "Then I want to say, if I were to gain control of the entire Owl Council to use its power for my own, would you agree?"
Faced with Eric's unreasonable demand, the other side was silent for a few seconds.
"Unreasonable! Absurd! Do not mistake our mercy and bestowal for fear. If you insist on opposing us, then come! The Talon of the Owl will take your life!"
"Hmm."
Eric's eyes narrowed, "Since you won't give it, I'll take it myself!"
He said, walking forward.
But before he had taken two steps, a stone hand suddenly rose from the marble floor, gripping Eric's feet tightly.
Eric was immediately trapped as if in a stone cell, unable to move.
Frowning slightly, he exerted a little force with his feet, broke free from the stone hand, and crushed it to pieces.
At the same time, he activated Super Vision to pinpoint the location of the one who ambushed him.
But the next second, a booming explosion sounded.
Lightning flashed and thunder roared in the secret room, and countless blue lightning chains descended in an instant, almost as dense as a forest, forming a sea of thunder.
Eric was instantly thrown flying by the lightning chains.
His body slammed heavily onto the floor, and the marble floor cracked where his back hit.
At the same time, Eric, whose body was numb from the electricity, heard a roar mixed with anger erupt.
"How dare you!!!"
Breaking through layers of shattered marble walls, Clark's hateful punch struck the trench-coated man hiding in the shadows, sending him crashing through the marble floor and into the ground.
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