After teasing Clark for a while, Colin finally sat down at the dining table to eat, while Monica began tidying up the house.
Monica was a capable woman—efficient, composed, and seemingly good at everything. She had the air of someone who could handle any situation with ease.
Colin picked up a bowl of porridge and began to drink. It was sweet. Of course, porridge could also be salty, but for the longest time, he had assumed it was only ever meant to be sweet—until the day he first tasted a bowl of savory porridge. At first, he found it downright heretical, but after a few sips, he had to admit—it wasn't half bad.
He had just finished the last of his porridge and set the bowl down when Monica approached, swiftly gathering up the dishes.
Her scent wasn't strong—just a faint trace of floral perfume, gentle and clean. Not like some people, whose body odors were so overpowering that even someone like him could hardly bear it. But now that Colin had perfect control over his abilities, he could simply choose not to smell what he didn't want to.
That thought made him recall his early days in this world, back when his powers had only just awakened.
At the time, his control had been far from perfect, and he was assaulted by an endless torrent of smells—foul, nauseating, and overwhelming. It had been a nightmare, enough to make his scalp crawl.
Thankfully, it had taken him only a few minutes to learn how to rein in his powers, sparing himself prolonged torment. Even now, remembering those smells made his stomach twist.
Which, in turn, made him think of Clark.
Honestly speaking, that guy's tolerance was unbelievable. No matter how foul or putrid something smelled, he endured it with an expressionless face. Maybe he'd simply gotten used to it.
Habit really was a terrifying thing.
Colin stood up and walked to the rooftop. Today was, after all, another beautiful day.
He stood at the edge, gazing out at the view below. The forest was thick with greenery, dotted here and there with blossoms in bloom.
Looking eastward, he could see a stretch of greenhouses, each brimming with vegetables of every kind. Not far beyond were livestock pens—chickens, pigs, and the like.
Colin wasn't the type to manage things personally. He only helped with the animals or the crops when the mood struck him.
After stretching a little, he murmured to himself, "Guess it's time to get to work."
Then, without warning, he soared into the sky—vanishing in an instant. His speed was far too great for the eye to follow.
He called it "work," though truth be told, he was already the richest man in the world. Still, he kept at it—because that's just who he was. Even the wealthiest man alive, still chasing more.
His target today was an unfortunate soul who had been shot. The poor student had simply been attending class when a terrorist's bullet struck her. The gunman was quickly subdued by Clark, who had arrived on the scene.
By the time Colin arrived, medical personnel were already at work—but their efforts were barely helping.
When Colin descended, his sudden appearance drew countless eyes.
"Another Superman…" someone whispered.
"What's he doing here? Is he going to fight the other one?"
"He wouldn't… would he?" another said nervously. If two Supermen ever fought, the world itself would suffer—the entire human race might not survive.
Lois was also there. She had made it so quickly only because Clark had flown her over himself.
Camera in hand, she snapped photos of Colin as he strode toward the wounded girl under the watchful eyes of the crowd.
The girl's face was ghostly pale, her breath shallow. She was on the brink of death.
"Superman, you—" one of the medics began, unsure what to say. Was this other Superman here for the girl?
"Leave her to me," Colin said calmly.
The medics didn't object. Everyone knew what Superman Colin represented in the medical world—he was the greatest doctor alive, capable of curing cancer and even other so-called "incurable" diseases.
Of course, his fees were infamous. A wealthy tycoon had once hired Colin for treatment and paid by handing over his entire fortune. Rumor had it that the man later managed to rebuild his empire from scratch using his old connections.
But this girl clearly wasn't rich. Her clothes were plain, her hands rough. There was no way she could afford his help. Which begged the question: why would a money-obsessed Superman like Colin bother saving her?
Colin bent down, gently lifted the girl, and took off.
Lois turned to Clark—now dressed again as a reporter—and said, "He took her."
"He's back," Clark said suddenly.
"What!?" Lois blinked.
Already? She had barely finished her sentence! As expected of Superman.
When she looked again, Colin was standing before the girl, now awake and sitting up weakly.
"You'll need a few days of rest," Colin said.
The girl blinked, still dazed. Then she fumbled nervously and said, "I—I only have ten dollars on me, and about a thousand in my account. How much do you need? If it's not enough, I'll work hard to pay you back!"
She meant every word. She knew he had saved her life, and she was determined to repay him—somehow, some way.
"How much do you think he'll charge?" Lois asked Clark quietly.
Clark didn't answer directly. "What do you think?"
"Hmm… probably every penny she has," Lois said. In her experience, Colin had always been greedy—even for a photo, he'd demand a ridiculous fee.
"I think he'll charge her a few dollars," Clark said mildly.
The people nearby were all whispering too, curious about what Colin would ask for.
Colin smiled down at the girl—a gentle, warm smile that somehow still sent chills down spines.
Those who had witnessed his true power before knew that look all too well. They had seen him kill with the calmness of a god, deciding life and death as if it were nothing.
To them, the sight of Colin smiling was far more terrifying than seeing him angry.
Looking at the pale girl, Colin said softly, "I'm in a good mood today. Let's call it free of charge."
The girl froze for a moment, then looked up in gratitude—but she still wanted to repay him somehow.
"Is there anything I can do for you?" she asked.
Colin thought for a moment, then replied with a grin, "Just do some good whenever you can."
That grin widened—bright, almost dazzling.
"He's plotting something!"
Somewhere, a man watching the live broadcast muttered under his breath. He had seen that same smile before—back when Colin had appeared like a god, ruling over life and death itself. Back then, not even the other Superman could stop him. Ever since that day, just the thought of Colin made his blood run cold.
And now, seeing that familiar smile again, he couldn't help but tremble. To him, there was no doubt—Colin was planning something terrible. Something that could threaten all of humanity.