Under the Radiance

Ten minutes later, Spike had fully begun to regret challenging this freak to a drinking contest. If he'd known the guy had such monstrous tolerance, he'd never have dug his own grave.

Jay started off by boldly tipping back an entire bottle of wine in one go, as casually as if it were a bottle of water. Then he set the empty bottle on the table and generously declared they could all come at him together.

When he downed that whole bottle in one breath, Spike started to realize he might have bitten off more than he could chew, but he was already in too deep. When Jay arrogantly announced they could all gang up on him, Spike suddenly found his confidence again—If I can't take him alone, surely all of us together can beat him?

Turns out, apparently not.

Empty bottles lay scattered every which way on the floor. The last lackey Spike could call on was already dead drunk, mumbling something like "I did my best" before flopping face-first onto the table, joining his already-snoring brothers in arms. Jay had just drained another new bottle of whiskey and placed it among the pile of empties. He smiled warmly at Spike, his complexion still perfectly normal, making Spike wonder again if the guy had swapped the whiskey for some kind of juice.

The onlooking students had started heckling. His face flushed beet-red, and after gritting his teeth, he decided to go all in. He grabbed a fresh bottle, popped the cork, and mimicked Jay by tilting it back and chugging.

A moment later, he too passed out amid the crowd's jeers. It seemed his drinking ability wasn't anything special. Jay, on the other hand, had always come off as the model student, someone who wouldn't touch alcohol. But the truth was, this was his first time drinking, and his body's tolerance for alcohol was remarkable—he could down another thirty or fifty pounds without breaking a sweat.

A few minutes later, Jay stepped out onto the balcony off the living room.

The rich really did have a different class of balcony. He found a private outdoor pool here, the marble floor tiles reflecting the colorful light streaming through the living room glass, painting everything in a dazzling array of colors. The view overlooking the whole city was pretty great too. Metropolis at night was as bright as day as always, with brilliant lights weaving into a soft veil draped gently over the city.

Lois pushed the door open lightly and stepped onto the balcony, sidling up to Jay. The night breeze brushed past, lifting her golden hair as it danced in the wind, the scent of expensive perfume drifting away with it.

"The party's inside," Lois said with a smile.

"Yeah, I know," Jay replied. "Just came out to get some air."

Lois nodded. "You holding up? I mean, you drank quite a bit just now."

"I'm fine," Jay said with a slight smile. "Never tried it like that before, but I think some night air will do the trick."

Lois studied him for a moment, confirming he showed no sign of anything unusual, then laughed. "Looks like you've surprised everyone again. I never expected your drinking game to be flawless too. I'm getting more and more curious about how many talents you've got hidden away."

"Don't get your hopes up too high," Jay said half-jokingly. "Because my surprises are almost used up."

She chuckled and leaned against the balcony railing, looking down at the glittering Metropolis below. Her golden strands brushed lightly across her powdered cheek. She casually edged a few centimeters closer to Jay and asked in an offhand tone, "So, where are you heading after graduation? Harvard? Oxford?"

Jay shook his head. "I think I'll stay local."

Lois tilted her head. "Why? With your abilities, you should have plenty of options, right?"

"Metropolis isn't so bad," he said, gazing at the crisscrossing streets below. "I guess I'm just used to being here."

Lois stared absently at the bustling nightscape, giving a bitter smile. "Yeah, this city looks so beautiful. From up here, it's like everything's shimmering with gold, giving you the illusion you're standing on a goldmine. But it's not like that at all. It lures you in with a false promise of hope, makes you draw close and embrace it, and then, when you least expect it, it stabs you until you're bleeding all over."

Jay glanced at her in surprise. A flush had crept onto Lois's cheeks, whether from the alcohol or sheer emotion.

"You're a little drunk," Jay noted.

"Maybe, but my head's clear," she insisted stubbornly. "I know what everyone at school thinks of me—tough, pushy, with more money than I can spend, getting whatever I want. But that's just the image I let them see. The truth is, I'm tired. So tired I can barely breathe. My dad was badly injured in the Apocalypse Invasion six years ago. He survived, but it left lasting damage. Last year, his old condition flared up, and he passed away, leaving me with the company's messy mess. The crisis brought an economic downturn, and right when the company was at a critical point, those old farts in upper management started tearing each other apart over their own interests. My mom just cries all day, so all this crap falls on me. Sometimes I really think, if only I could be like any other ordinary classmate."

She let out a long sigh, unable to hide her exhaustion—a look she'd never shown in front of any other classmate. She gave Jay a rueful smile. "Sorry, I've never told anyone else this. I must sound like I'm putting on airs or whining for no reason, right?"

Jay shook his head. "No, I get it. Everyone has their own battles. Everyone you envy or admire has their own troubles."

"You really understand," Lois said, shaking off her gloom with a light laugh. "What about you, then? Even you have things that trouble you?"

"Yeah."

"Care to share?" Lois raised an eyebrow.

Jay smiled. "Another time, if there's a chance."

"That's so unfair—I shared with you," Lois said, looking up at the sky with a long sigh. "Sometimes, when I run into all kinds of problems, I can't help but think of you. I wonder, if Reynolds were in my shoes, he'd probably find a solution easily, right? Because you make everything look so effortless. So... I wish I were half as capable as you."

They both fell silent. Below, the golden streets were still choked with traffic. On a massive electronic billboard across the commercial square, the bald head of LexCorp's CEO, Lex Luthor, popped up. The guy had been a hot topic in America for years. Now he was launching into a foaming-at-the-mouth speech on "Why Humanity Doesn't Need Superman," while also announcing his company's latest exciting breakthroughs in various fields.

"Ironically, isn't it?" Lois sneered. "These people throw away their souls without a second thought, and then they preen themselves every day."

Jay glanced at her. "You're a fan of Superman?"

"Was."

Lois shifted the topic, breaking the chill that had settled in the air. "Sorry, this is party time. I shouldn't be talking about unhappy things. Let's go back. It's getting cold out here, and we shouldn't keep everyone waiting."

With that, she waved at Jay and headed back toward the lively living room. Jay stood in the night, watching her retreating figure. The sparkling crystal lights from the living room cast her silhouette as unusually frail, adding a touch of desolation compared to her usual self.

For some reason, looking at the boisterous, singing-and-dancing living room, Jay suddenly felt he really didn't belong there. He belonged in a place like this balcony—alone in the night, letting the cold wind blow, a quiet spectator just steps away from the party.