Confession

"Behind the reporter now is the Metropolis Underground Mall where the incident occurred. The crisis has been handled – thanks to the unparalleled efficiency of the relevant departments. According to sources, the incident was an explosion caused by a gas leak. The authorities have not yet released details, but all trapped citizens have been rescued."

Jay sat on his sofa at home, watching the beautiful reporter on TV deliver a long report without batting an eye. Aside from the words "accident in the Underground Mall," there was not a single credible piece of information. He couldn't help but admire the mental fortitude of today's media professionals.

However, he was mostly used to it. Ever since the World Federal Government was established, spouting nonsense had become the media's new job. Although there were always voices of opposition, it was clear that after the apocalyptic disaster, people's unprecedented desire for life safety had overridden all other needs, and most people had ultimately accepted it.

As expected, the news about the Underground Mall accident mentioned nothing about the rampaging monster that was two people tall. Jay was idly watching the uninspired follow-up reports when Mrs. Reynolds' voice came from the study.

"Jay! Come here for a moment," she called.

"Okay, coming right over."

Jay put down the remote, got up, and walked into the study. Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds were sitting on the sofa, one on each side. A chair was placed in front of them, seemingly prepared for Jay. This involuntarily made him think of the interrogation room setups in movies, and he couldn't help but mutter to himself.

But this conversation was within his expectations – considering what they had just gone through. He had already concocted several reasons for his actions when he went back into the Underground Mall alone, and as he pulled up the chair and sat down, he was contemplating which one to use.

After exchanging a glance, Mr. Reynolds spoke first: "Jay, we... we know."

"Know?" Jay blinked. "Know what?"

"About... about your uniqueness." Mr. Reynolds touched his nose, appearing to find the topic a bit difficult to broach. "And your mother and I are very grateful—we know it's thanks to you that we both came out unscathed."

Jay froze. He had indeed considered the possibility of his abilities being discovered by his parents, but he never expected the conversation to take place in such a peculiar atmosphere. He felt a bit restless and couldn't help but ask, "Are you sure what you mean by 'uniqueness' is the same as what I'm thinking? Because you two don't seem... shocked."

The Reynoldses exchanged another glance, and then Mrs. Reynolds spoke. "That's because we found out a long time ago."

"A long time ago?" Jay was a bit surprised. He still felt his efforts at secrecy had been quite excellent until now, and hearing this made him feel a bit dejected. "When?"

"About a year and a half after we brought you back from the orphanage," Mrs. Reynolds said. "To be honest, it's quite remarkable that you managed to keep it hidden for so long. You'd be surprised how difficult it is for a child to hide secrets from their parents."

Jay felt a bit disappointed. "Okay, then why didn't you say anything? Or tell any relevant agencies? Weren't you scared?"

Mrs. Reynolds smiled slightly. "What nonsense are you talking about? You're our son, and nothing can change that."

"And we chose to believe you," Mr. Reynolds added. "Your mother and I are both native Metropolis citizens. We saw Superman appear in this city with our own eyes. No one understands what that 'S' represents here better than the people of Metropolis. He disappeared six years ago, and then you appeared, possessing the same extraordinary abilities as him. We are all willing to believe that your appearance has a special meaning."

Jay pointed at himself in disbelief. "Are you saying you hope I can take his place? Superman?"

"We don't expect you to do anything, Jay," Mrs. Reynolds said. "We just feel that perhaps your appearance at this particular time is a deliberate arrangement by fate."

Mr. Reynolds continued, "Your mother and I want you to become the person you want to be. As parents, we couldn't be more satisfied. But in the Underground Mall, when you told us there was something you had to do, we guessed you might go to help people, to make a difference with your abilities. At that moment, we both saw the heart of a rapidly growing hero, and we were both very gratified."

Jay pondered for a moment. "I only did it because I had the ability. I just felt I couldn't just walk away like that."

Mr. Reynolds smiled. "That's what a hero is, child. When I was young, I was quite similar. Whenever I saw something wrong, I felt it was my responsibility to expose it. For that, I challenged many powerful figures and went through many dangerous moments. But look, when I think back now, I feel it was incredibly glorious. I cut out and collected every article I ever wrote; to me, they are medals proving the achievements of my life."

Jay smiled. "I remember, I've seen them."

"That was a long time ago," Mrs. Reynolds grumbled. "Why bring up things from so many years ago? Look at what you've been writing about all these years – pet grooming? Life hacks?"

Mr. Reynolds seemed to have been touched on a sore spot. He just sighed but didn't retort.

"Well, I really appreciate your guidance. Thank you," Jay said. "But I honestly don't think I can be like Superman."

Mrs. Reynolds smiled slightly and gently stroked his head. "It's okay. Whatever choice you make in the future, we have faith in you. After all, you're the best, you always have been."

At this moment, elsewhere.

This was a place whose location you couldn't possibly discern, because it was so dark. It was so dark that you couldn't help but wonder if there were still such dark corners on Earth. It was pitch black all around, with gusts of cold wind blowing from the depths. The only light came from several huge display screens arranged in a circle, simultaneously illuminating a black silhouette in front of a computer. This person seemed to be the only living being in the entire darkness.

And on all the computers in front of him, there were front-facing photos of Jay Reynolds.

"Are you sure it's this kid?" the black silhouette asked, resting his chin on his hands.

"I'm sure," came the Huntress's voice from the communication channel. "I have a very good memory, you know."

"Did you tell anyone else?"

"No," she said. "You're the only one I've informed."

"The right choice."

Neither of them spoke for a while, and the communication channel fell into a slightly awkward silence that lasted about twenty to thirty seconds. The black silhouette in front of the computer just stared intently at Jay's image on the screen, as if trying to read some special information from his eyes.

"So," the Huntress broke the silence, "what are you going to do with him? If he really is a Kryptonian?"

The black silhouette remained silent for a long time, then began tapping the desktop with his knuckles.

"I'm still thinking," he said.