Clash with the Lady Reporter

"Things are getting more and more interesting."

After Clark left, Eric stood by the window, staring into the night as he murmured to himself.

He had thought his private activities were well hidden, but Clark knew about them perfectly well.

But...

That was only normal, wasn't it?

He had never intended to hide anything from Clark. With Clark's gradually awakening extraordinary abilities, tracking his movements was hardly difficult.

Sneaking off to Metropolis late at night and coming back with the faint smell of blood on him was indeed something he had often done before.

As the Homelander Template continued to unlock and his strength grew, Eric, unable to restrain himself, often went to Metropolis to blow off steam.

Those criminals and gangsters became the unlucky victims of his need to vent his power.

He had no intention of becoming a superhero who fought crime and upheld justice. It was simply that these people were strong enough to be worth his time.

Of course, while venting his strength, he also helped himself to a few "Franklins."

That was why Clark said he had "a large sum of money."

Dan Brown's death... was that the work of the "Scarecrow" named Jeremy?

Sitting at his desk, Eric put Clark's affairs aside and pondered.

He felt no regret or sympathy whatsoever over the murder of the football players.

Those muscle-brained idiots had been killed by the returning Avenging Ghost. He found this "revenge and death" storyline rather interesting.

As for stepping in to stop Jeremy?

He had no interest in that for now.

Tomorrow was the homecoming dance.

Turning around, Eric gazed at the misty night outside, a faint smile curling his lips.

Perhaps it would be a magnificent grand performance.

I'm really looking forward to it!

The next morning.

Smallville High School was filled with the scent of youthful hormones.

The arrival of the homecoming dance had stirred up every student.

Girls looking forward to the dance sat together in small groups, discussing their dates, while the boys hurried to invite their dance partners before time ran out.

A tense yet fervent atmosphere enveloped the entire student body.

"Hey, Eric!"

Eric had just shut his locker when he heard a female voice behind him.

When he turned around, he found Clark's best friend—the lady reporter from the Torch, Chloe.

With short blonde hair, books in one hand and coffee in the other, Chloe greeted Eric. "Good morning, Eric."

"Chloe?"

"Chloe Sullivan, reporter and editor-in-chief of the Torch. This is the first time we've spoken without Clark around, isn't it?"

Chloe said with a smile.

She seemed to be in a good mood.

"What is it?"

Eric was not very familiar with this peculiar lady reporter.

He only knew from Clark that she was a girl with an extremely curious nature.

Having always hated trouble, he tended to keep his distance from people with excessive curiosity.

And if they also carried the label of "reporter," his dislike rose another level.

"Can we talk? It'll only take a little of your time. We can finish before class starts."

Chloe asked hopefully.

"About Clark."

Perhaps afraid Eric would refuse, Chloe added another sentence.

After hesitating for a second, Eric nodded and agreed to Chloe's request.

In the Torch office, Chloe tidied up the paper-strewn desk a little, trying to make the room look less messy.

"Would you like some coffee?"

"No, thanks."

"Okay."

Chloe nodded, looking a little uncomfortable.

She had a certain admiration for boys like Eric—perhaps not exactly scholarly, but hot.

Having never been confessed to by a boy or gone on a date, Chloe lacked a little confidence in herself.

Eric surveyed the furnishings before his attention settled on the mountain of newspapers stacked on the bookshelf.

"These are recent years' issues of the Torch," Chloe proactively explained.

"The Torch, huh? Do you have any newspapers from around the time of the homecoming dance three years ago?"

Eric asked Chloe.

Though surprised that he was interested in old newspapers from three years ago, Chloe nodded.

"Of course. I'll find them right away."

Chloe was quick and efficient, soon handing Eric a stack of newspapers.

"Homecoming was on April 21. These are the papers from April three years ago. If you think the layout looks different from now, don't be surprised. I wasn't the editor-in-chief of the Torch back then."

Chloe cracked a playful joke.

But when she saw that Eric still had a poker face, she felt the urge to sigh.

Expressionless, Eric took the newspapers from the dejected Chloe and quickly found the report about Jeremy.

"Jeremy, a student who disappeared three years ago. He was chosen as the 'Scarecrow' and tied up in a cornfield overnight, then mysteriously vanished the next day. I remember it caused quite a stir at the time. Jeremy had participated in the APPT Physics Cup and was the only student from Smallville High School to receive an award of excellence."

Seeing Eric's gaze settle on the report about Jeremy, Chloe told him what she knew.

Eric nodded, rapidly scanned through the information in the newspaper, and handed it back to Chloe.

The paper said that he had been hospitalized as a child after exposure to meteor radiation, and that he was a physics prodigy.

It seemed Jeremy's mutation was closely tied to Kryptonite, and he might have found a way to use Kryptonite to obtain energy.

"Eric?"

The lady reporter interrupted Eric as he was lost in thought.

"Um... Clark has always believed that Dan Brown's death had something to do with you. Is that true?"

Chloe asked Eric directly.

"Maybe."

Eric neither denied it nor admitted it.

"Generally speaking, an uncertain answer usually means, 'I don't want to answer.'"

Chloe blinked. "So, Eric, you don't want to answer either?"

"What do you think, Chloe?"

Eric asked in return.

"Me? My view differs from Clark's. Of course, it's not because you taught Dan Brown a lesson after he 'assassinated' me that I'm suddenly sharing your hatred."

Chloe smoothly returned the newspaper to the bookshelf. "I suspect Coach Watt is the killer. Coach Watt has clearly been acting strangely lately, and there are signs he's been physically punishing students. Maybe Dan Brown was the informant, so Coach Watt went after him."

"Forget Coach Watt for now. Clark thinks you'll definitely make a move at the dance tonight, and he'll stop you. So... to clear your name, are you still going?"

Chloe asked Eric solemnly.

"Why wouldn't I?"

Eric's brief words made his attitude clear.

"Why do I feel like you're deliberately luring Clark into a conflict with you, step by step?"

Chloe frowned slightly, voicing her feminine intuition.

Thanks to Araf for the reward. I'm deeply grateful!

Thanks to Lord Doom for the monthly vote.

Thank you all for your votes. The weather is scorching, and my heart is restless!