The Daily Planet

Summer vacation had passed by in the blink of an eye, and Jay had spent nearly half of it cooped up at home. Ever since the disturbance at the Underground Mall, his parents had completely avoided mentioning his extraordinary abilities, and life went on as usual. His schedule for the seven days of the week was precise, almost like a pre-programmed routine: wake up, eat, idly watch an old movie or read a book, and find ways to kill time. By now, the long vacation wasn't nearly as appealing as it used to be. He was starting to think that perhaps going to school would be more interesting, even if it was just to listen to his high school classmates chat about gossip completely unrelated to him.

Of course, during his free time, he had followed Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds' advice, rescuing a few trapped citizens from a precarious building engulfed in flames and stopping two robberies. However, he always moved like a fierce whirlwind, sweeping through the scene, quickly resolving the situation, and leaving just as quickly. People didn't even have a chance to figure out what had happened.

Considering the current situation, he felt the world might not be ready for a new Superman.

Still, accidents weren't an everyday occurrence and didn't take up too much of his time. At first, video games were a decent pastime, but he quickly grew bored because they were all too easy. It only took him a day to dominate a new online game, and it didn't even bring much sense of accomplishment, feeling more like he was cheating.

Furthermore, Mrs. Reynolds' nagging was another reason he felt he shouldn't continue staying at home. She was like a never-ending repeater. Every time she passed his bedroom or the living room and saw Jay doing nothing, she couldn't help but lecture him, believing he should find something meaningful to do, as if she wouldn't be able to sleep or eat peacefully otherwise.

"Perhaps you can come to the newspaper office with me tomorrow then," Mr. Reynolds suggested when he returned home from work. "I'm quite sure I can persuade Editor-in-Chief Perry to arrange an internship for you as a reporter. Although it's a bit early for you, there's no harm in understanding what work is like sooner rather than later. Plus, you'll see many interesting things at the newspaper office."

"Most importantly, I won't have to listen to Mom nag," Jay muttered under his breath, and when Mrs. Reynolds raised her voice to ask what he said, he quickly chimed in with, "I'd be very happy to."

"That would be good," Mrs. Reynolds nodded. "Understanding people and the ways of the world will be beneficial for you in the future."

With no objections from the three of them, the matter was settled. The next morning, Mrs. Reynolds woke Jay up early and pulled out his most formal suit from the closet, saying he should look the part when going to work.

The Daily Planet, Metropolis's largest newspaper, could even be considered a landmark of Metropolis. It was a skyscraper with over a hundred floors, standing out like a crane among the dense buildings. The sunlight gilded one side of it in a brilliant gold, and a massive golden sphere stood atop the tower, shaped like a planet. The words "The Daily Planet" reflected the dazzling sunlight.

Mr. Reynolds briefed Perry, and Editor-in-Chief Perry White, who was already familiar with Jay, gladly issued him a temporary press pass and even had a desk specially arranged for him.

In the morning, Jay was given the job of proofreading manuscripts, which he completed flawlessly with astonishing efficiency. For the rest of the time, he was mostly idle with nothing much to do. During this period, Jimmy Olsen came to chat with him once. He was a goofy red-haired kid and a photographer for the newspaper. Jay had hit it off with him the first time he visited The Daily Planet at fifteen, though their conversation mainly revolved around video games. Today, just as Jimmy excitedly pulled him aside to say he had secured the purchase rights for an unreleased game, Perry, who seemed to have ears everywhere, overheard and reprimanded him. Jimmy then dejectedly returned to his seat.

For the remaining time, Jay began browsing through materials. Given the current situation, the content published in newspapers was greatly restricted, but there were many interesting rumors in submissions from ordinary people and on unofficial forum websites.

For example, content from a Central City forum: "Terrorists attack amusement park, causing multiple casualties. Should we miss the days of Green Lantern?"

There was also a submission from a netizen claiming to be from Gotham: "I didn't misread! It was definitely him, Batman! He descended from the sky when I was cornered by the Viper Gang and beat them all up! The Gotham Gazette is lying; he never left the city!"

And a comment from a local Metropolis netizen: "What happened at the Underground Mall wasn't like the reports said at all! There was no leak accident! I was there, I saw it with my own eyes! A white monster charged into the crowd, baring its fangs and claws, attacking us all like a hungry wolf! They forced us to shut up and not tell anyone, but people deserve to know the truth! The truth is, we no longer have Superman. When a monster like that runs into a crowded street next time, who will stop it?"

There was much more content like this. It seemed not everyone agreed with Luthor's theory that "we don't need Superman." Many people in Metropolis still missed the days when they never had to worry about falling to their deaths from tall buildings. Jay grew a bit tired of reading. His attention drifted from the computer screen, and he began to look around aimlessly. His gaze inadvertently fell upon a photograph framed exquisitely and hung on the wall beside the wall. The photo showed a mature, capable woman with intelligent, bright dark eyes, the kind of woman who made an immediate impression.

Her name was Lois Lane. Her photo had been hanging on the wall since the first time Jay stepped into The Daily Planet building because she had been a legend at the newspaper, winning multiple Pulitzer Prizes. Jay knew from comic books that this woman was Superman's soulmate, a respectable journalist who fought for truth her entire life. Unfortunately, he never had the chance to meet her. According to others at The Daily Planet, she seemed to have resigned from her post six years ago after the great battle, and no one knew where she went now.

Even a woman like Lois Lane must have moments when she couldn't face the future and move forward. Perhaps the reality of Superman's absence had dealt her too heavy a blow.

Jay's distraction was broken by Perry's voice, which reverberated through The Daily Planet building. He curiously turned his gaze towards the editor-in-chief's office and happened to see Mr. Reynolds entering the office under Perry's shout.

"What is it, boss?"

"It's Grant; she's arriving in Metropolis soon," Perry said, his expression quite unpleasant, as if what was about to arrive was some kind of monstrous beast. "We need to send someone to the airport to pick her up."

"Grant? Ms. Grant from CatCo Worldwide Media?" Mr. Reynolds asked, somewhat surprised. "Did she schedule her visit in advance?"

"No, of course not, because that's just how this woman is, always doing as she pleases," Perry clearly didn't have any pleasant memories when mentioning her. He paused and asked, "Reynolds, are you free to pick her up at the airport? I can arrange a car for you."

"Uh, I..."

"No need to say more, it's decided you're going," Perry waved his hand grandly. "You can bring Jay along; meeting Ms. Grant will surely be beneficial for his internship."

Mr. Reynolds put on a pained expression, as if assigned the most unpleasant task in the world, and could only nod helplessly. "Yes, boss."

He pushed open the door to the editor-in-chief's office and walked over to Jay's desk. He tapped on Jay's desk with his knuckles and said, "Let's go, kid, we have to pick up a guest."

Jay raised an eyebrow. He had a premonition that this might not be as simple as it sounded.