After visiting Cassandra, Dilos stayed in Smallville with Qin Jiayin for several days.
These days were among the rare times Dilos felt truly at ease—he could even call them happy.
Sometimes he ate and chatted with his family at home; other times, he took Qin Jiayin around Smallville and caught up with former classmates from Smallville High School.
He did not need to think about how much trouble and danger the future would bring, nor did he need to scheme against anyone. He only had to enjoy this peaceful, comfortable life.
Unfortunately, on the second-to-last day of their week-long vacation, an uninvited guest shattered that tranquility.
Outside the Sullivan house.
"Aren't you going to invite me in, Dilos?"
The speaker was an elderly bald white man with a bloated, even somewhat obese build. He wore an Army uniform, and his otherwise expressionless face held a trace of surprise and stiffness.
Sam Lane—Lois Lane's father, Chloe's uncle, and a three-star general of the United States.
"It's been a long time, Uncle Sam."
Dilos identified the visitor. Because of Chloe, he had to address the man before him as uncle. His gaze then shifted to the ponytailed woman beside Sam—Lois Lane.
For some reason, Dilos noticed that the beautiful girl's face had reddened slightly as she looked at him.
"It's been a long time, Lois."
Dilos greeted her. Lois froze at first, then widened her lively eyes and stared at Dilos as if she had seen a ghost.
Dilos could roughly guess why. It was nothing more than her struggling to adapt to hearing him speak in such a serious tone.
After glancing at Lois's slightly frazzled expression, then at Sam Lane's equally unnatural look, Dilos casually cast a glance toward the concealed patch of bushes in the distance. He snorted coldly,