You're awake?

Chapter 38: You're Awake?

"I've heard that throughout history, some human fighters can endure all kinds of torture without ever spilling what the enemy wants to know."

David pinched the fifty-cent coin between two fingers, a dangerous glint flashing in his eyes. His faint smile as he spoke sent unease creeping into the listener's heart.

"I'll bet you fifty cents—you're not that kind of person."

"If within half an hour, you're not on your knees crying like a bitch, telling me everything I want to know—like your email account and password—I'll owe you fifty cents."

"A seventeen-year-old high schooler. Did you learn the torture you're talking about from TV?"

Fran's heart jolted. He put on an exaggerated act, as if hearing a joke, and burst out laughing.

For some reason, after David finished the bet with that smile, he felt a dangerous sensation, like being locked onto by a predator a hundred times more terrifying than a lion. He couldn't stop his back from chilling and his hairs from standing on end.

"David, what are you trying to do?"

Clark's face changed. He blocked David, who was about to step forward.

The brutal words spilling from David's mouth had even startled him.

Torture, inhumane, trampling on human dignity—he couldn't believe his brother was about to do something like this.

The scariest part was how practiced he seemed, like he was talking about treating someone to a meal.

"Clark, are you still flaunting your kindness at a time like this?"

David sneered at Fran, looking at him like a dead man.

He'd never actually tortured anyone, but he believed it wouldn't be hard to pick up. Besides, he wasn't afraid of messing up.

"Absolutely not. What if you don't get it out of him?"

Clark struggled for a moment, then gritted his teeth.

Several experiences had taught him that reasoning with his brother was useless, especially in such an urgent situation with no time for arguments.

He went straight to the consequences if things went wrong.

"If he doesn't go back on time, the email will be sent. You might not even have time to interrogate him."

"Maybe it won't take half an hour. Give me ten minutes, that's enough."

David said, moving to push Clark aside. "I don't think this despicable, sneaky bastard is some iron-willed tough guy."

"No!"

Clark grabbed David's arm tightly.

"David, I can't let you risk Mom and Dad."

He lowered his voice, desperately trying to stop his brother.

"Just give him what he wants. They're just some thugs doing bad things anyway."

David raised an eyebrow, looking at Clark as if seeing him for the first time, surprised.

"Didn't expect you, Clark, to have some flexibility in your principles too."

This was outright crime.

"I agree." To avoid more complications, Clark kept a tight grip on David's hand and turned to Fran, speaking urgently. "Go now. I'll find you later."

"I'll be waiting, Clark."

Fran glanced at David, a smug look flashing in his eyes, then turned and left quickly.

David wanted to go after him, but when he pushed harder, his form nearly shifted toward Thanos. He frowned.

"I don't get it either. Why would you stop me for a few gangsters? That's not like you, David."

Seeing the man leave, Clark let go of David on his own.

He believed that with his speed, David couldn't get past him in time.

"Human desire is like a boulder rolling down a mountain. Once it starts, it never stops."

Straightening his cuff and pocketing the fifty cents, David said coldly.

"Let me try, David." If Fran was a qualified gambler, Clark was a failed one. Hesitation and wishful thinking always lingered in his heart.

But sometimes, backing down and compromising is the same as admitting defeat.

"Same words back at you."

David's gaze locked with his. "I can't let you risk Mom and Dad."

That was a no-brainer.

Only a fool would set aside a weapon that let him do whatever he wanted.

"You can't fill a hyena's belly in one go. When it gets hungry, it'll come back to you, and it'll never end."

That guy's appetite would only grow. This would eventually drag Jonathan and Martha into it.

"David, you know you're not as fast as me."

"If I want to protect someone, you won't be able to find or catch me."

Both brothers held firm to their own views. Clark didn't want to fight his younger brother, and he ground out through clenched teeth.

"Just let me try this once!"

As he spoke, anger crept into his voice—why was he the older brother, yet his brother wouldn't listen to him even once?

"I know."

Taking a step back, David looked at him. "Setting everything else aside, your speed is at least ten times mine, maybe even dozens of times. Even if you were carrying someone, if you wanted to flee, I probably couldn't even touch your sleeve."

"David..."

Clark's eyes lit up at those words.

He thought David was about to relent and agree.

"I didn't want to do this."

David shook his head with a sigh, pulled a small box from his pocket, and opened it.

Snap!

A green crystal the size of a thumb appeared, radiating the unique energy of Kryptonite.

He held out the Kryptonite like an exorcist brandishing a cross at a vampire, pointing it at Clark.

"Meteorite?"

Clark's legs went weak, his body feeling as if it were being drained. Under that sickly green glow, he staggered backward, barely propping himself against the wall to keep from falling.

His eyes went wide in disbelief as he forced the words out through gritted teeth.

"Da... David, you're using meteorite against me?"

He'd suffered from meteorite more than once, but he never imagined the day would come when he'd see it in his brother's hands, used against him.

"Is that... is that the piece from Gregg?"

He remembered now—there was a piece of meteorite his brother had kept.

"You forced my hand, Clark."

David stepped forward and drove a fist like a sledgehammer clean into his face.

Thud!

Clark hit the ground, knocked out cold.

Clatter!

Looking at Clark sleeping like a baby, David casually tossed the Kryptonite beside him.

Keeping the weakness applied, just in case the Son of Krypton caught some sun and woke up halfway.

He turned and left the empty alley.

At the end of the town street, Fran leaned lazily against a lamppost, waiting for his lifelong walking check to come find him.

Though Clark said he'd come, he didn't dare wander too far, afraid the guy wouldn't find him.

"Who are you waiting for?"

A cold voice rang out abruptly behind him.

Fran turned, saw David, and his eyes filled with confusion.

"What are you doing here? Where's Clark!"

"Don't tell me he backed out." Something occurred to him, and a hint of viciousness flickered across his face as he snarled.

"No. He won't be coming for a while."

David threw a punch, then grabbed the unconscious Fran like a chick and vanished.

In an abandoned factory.

Fran woke up to find himself tied tightly to a chair with rope, struggling uselessly.

"You're awake?" A voice came.

A laptop sat on a wooden table. David sat leisurely behind a chair, slid a fifty-cent coin forward, and under Fran's terrified gaze, pulled on surgical rubber gloves, smiling as he slowly stood.

"Our game begins now."

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