The Timeline Changes Again

What were the odds?

An Ancient God who had run out of the Speed Force just happened to have the surname Kent?

And called himself the Son of Superman?

Although Clark Kent had a super-brain and was no slouch at math, he did not want to calculate those odds. In fact, he wanted to stop himself from thinking altogether.

He couldn't help it. The more he thought about it, the more terrifying it got.

That was why Clark had not flown to the Arctic the moment he detected someone breaking into his secret base.

He had not flown to the Arctic right away. On one hand, his mother was here, and he couldn't just leave rashly. On the other—he somewhat had no idea how to face that guy who claimed to be his "some-number son," yet wore Joker's getup, spouted nonsense nonstop, and had even taken apart his old man's spaceship.

Especially that familiar, intimate tone the guy had used when he mentioned "Mom"—what were the odds that a so-called Ancient God named Kent, who claimed to be the Son of Superman, also had a mother named Lois?

Stop thinking!

Super-brain, stop thinking!

Bang, bang, bang!

Clark pressed one hand to his temple while using the other to hammer hard at his own head, vainly trying to force his super-brain to stop thinking.

However.

"Clark?"

A familiar, capable female voice, threaded with concern, interrupted his thoughts.

Lois Lane walked over carrying an elegant paper bag. She wore a sharp business suit, her hair long and sleek, worry for Clark in her eyes.

"Lois." Clark immediately stopped doing something stupid. He was a little embarrassed, a little anxious, his gaze complicated, and in the end he could only barely squeeze out a smile.

"Why are you here? Didn't you have an