American comics farmer: start by adopting the villain savior.

Chapter 138 Clark: The treasure is covered in dust; it must be a gift from heaven.

Thursday: Early morning.

The sunlight gently pierced through the thin clouds above Smallville, casting a warm glow over this tranquil land.

Standing on the porch of his farm, Clark gazed at the rising sun on the horizon.

The golden light outlined his tall figure and illuminated the complex expression on his face.

Although two days have passed, I still feel compelled to recall my loss of control.
A faint gloom and dissatisfaction still lingered in his heart.

"call"

Clark took a deep breath of fresh air, trying to expel his chaotic thoughts along with the exhaust fumes.

A new day will always come; we can't dwell on regret forever.

Moreover, he has an important task to complete today.

The highlight of the fourth day of Back to School was the parade of floats.

As one of the two kings of this year's festival, he will ride alongside Dio in the most magnificent float, receiving cheers and blessings from the entire town. This will set the stage for tonight's ball and tomorrow's sporting events.

This is an honor, but even more so, it is a responsibility.

Trying to focus on what was about to happen that day, Clark imagined bustling streets and cheering crowds.
This eased his tense mood a little.

Despite his lingering apprehension, the boy straightened his back, and his eyes regained their resolve.

He straightened the shirt he had specially prepared for today, turned around, and called out into the house:

"Mom! Where did I put my sash?"

His voice was loud and clear, trying to dispel the last trace of gloom.

Regardless of what happened before, today he needs to be in top form to play his role well.

King of Smallwell High School's Homecoming Festival.

Moreover, he wasn't alone this time.

Dior was there too.

"What? Dior isn't coming?"

Clark, standing at the entrance of the town square and waiting for the float to be assembled, looked at Uncle Locke with a helpless and apologetic expression. A hint of disappointment couldn't help but show in his eyes, like sunlight obscured by a wisp of cloud.

Locke couldn't help but sigh.

He couldn't help but recall the scene from this morning when he went to wake Dior up—

The blond boy, looking impatient, pulled the blanket over his head, and his voice came through in a muffled tone:
"Let Clark do those silly, attention-seeking things by himself. Doesn't he enjoy being the 'king'?"

"..."

Locke was speechless at those words.

It almost electrified me.

What happened to the saying, "Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown"?

Where have you taken your sense of responsibility as a 'king'?!

However, Locke knew Dio's temperament and that forcing him would only backfire, so he had no choice but to give up in the end.

And now is not the time to dwell on this.

Locke gathered his scattered thoughts, patted Clark's shoulder firmly, and encouraged him:

"Never mind Dior."

"Clark, muster your courage! Today you are the one and only king!"

"Yeah yeah!"

Jonathan, standing nearby, leaned in and teased with a wink, "Our little king! Lana's been waiting for you~ I heard she changed into a new dress especially for today's parade!"

"dad…"

"Hahaha…"

Seeing his adopted son's familiar shy expression, Jonathan couldn't help but put his hands on his hips and chuckle. But before he could finish laughing, Martha, who couldn't stand it anymore, raised her hand and gave him a gentle tap on the head.

"Jonathan, don't be so childish."

Martha gave her husband, who never seemed to grow up, a helpless glare. Then she turned around and carefully straightened Clark's already impeccably tailored collar and the sash that symbolized his honor. Her eyes were filled with undisguised pride. "Go for it, my boy. Enjoy the process. You're the best."

"Um"

Feeling the warm support of his family, Clark's sense of loss gradually dissipated.

He nodded vigorously, a genuine smile returning to his face:

"I understand! Thank you, Mom, Dad, Uncle Locke!"

Not long after.
As the ornate float, decorated with countless flowers, ribbons, and school symbols, slowly drove into its designated spot.

The main street of the town was also crowded with enthusiastic residents and excited students.

The sounds of music, laughter, children chasing and playing, and enthusiastic cheers erupting when the floats appeared—all these sounds merged into a sea of ​​joy, almost overturning the tranquil sky of the town.

Clark and Lana stood side by side on a magnificent float decorated with flowers and ribbons, moving slowly forward.

Lana was indeed wearing a beautiful floral maxi dress today, her chestnut hair was braided into an elegant plait, and she had a slightly shy expression on her face as she waved to the crowd from time to time.

Clark straightened his back, overcoming a little bit of nervousness from standing on such a high place, and waved to the familiar or unfamiliar townspeople on both sides of the road, revealing his white teeth.

His smile became more and more natural and radiant.

This sense of familiarity, of being accepted and loved by the community, slowly healed the unease in his heart.

Can.
Just as the float passed a less crowded intersection, and the cheers subsided slightly, Clark's extraordinary senses suddenly detected an extremely subtle, incongruous anomaly—

That gaze was cold and sharp.
Clark's smile froze, and almost instinctively he turned his head to look at the shadowy window of an old apartment building in the direction his gaze was coming from!

With super vision, it focused instantly and could see the scene behind the window clearly.

No one is empty.

Only a slightly worn beige curtain was swaying gently, as if someone had just quickly let go and left, leaving this trace.

Was it just my imagination? Or was it just some shy townsman? Or perhaps...?
"Clark?"

Lana noticed his distraction and asked softly, "What's wrong?"

"Ah? Nothing."

"That's good"

Lana breathed a sigh of relief, then her cheeks flushed slightly, and her fingers twisted together nervously.

She raised her eyes, filled with expectation and a touch of courage, and looked at him, her voice soft as she said:
"Clark, would you like to be my partner for the first dance at the homecoming prom tonight?"

Upon hearing the girl's request, Clark, still somewhat dazed, habitually suppressed his doubts, smiled, and answered without hesitation, "Sure!"

"?"

"!"

As soon as the words came out.

With Lana's face instantly lighting up with a surprised smile, Clark snapped out of his daze.

What did he just promise?
Dance?

可他
She can't dance at all.
The hustle and bustle of the parade gradually subsided.

The town returned to its usual tranquility.

Yet a sense of youthful excitement permeated the warm air of Smallville.

Almost every student was whispering excitedly, discussing the formal dance that was coming up that evening, which was the real climax of homecoming.

However, just outside the bustling town, at Kent Farm...

Having just received cheers from the crowd, the 'King' was not basking in glory; instead, he fell into a melancholy that was completely incongruous with his sunny appearance.

He sat on the edge of his bed in his room, his hands supporting his face, sighing.

Dancing, a part that might be something that most ordinary high school students look forward to, was an insurmountable obstacle for him.

he.
Completely ignorant!
Forget about the elegant waltz, he might even misstep the most basic dance steps.

The thought of awkwardly embarrassing himself that night in front of everyone, especially while holding Lana's hand, was daunting.
He felt a chill run down his spine.

And then there's the issue of clothing, which is another critical problem.

Clark searched through almost his entire not-so-large wardrobe, but all he found inside were his usual plaid shirts, T-shirts, and jeans, and that slightly retro denim outfit.

There wasn't a single outfit I could wear that was presentable and suitable for a formal ball.

"What should we do?"

Clark sighed again and scratched his head.

I can't exactly go and invite Lana to dance the first time wearing this plaid shirt and jeans, can I?
The scene was so beautiful.
but
If my memory is correct?

Clinging to the last glimmer of hope, Clark abruptly stood up and began a thorough search of the depths of his wardrobe and the dusty storage boxes under his bed.

The box contained mostly his childhood and teenage belongings.
Baseball gloves, old textbooks, award certificates, and the like.

Perhaps there were some formal clothes that had been forgotten in the past?

Clark began rummaging through drawers and cabinets.

Persistence pays off, and he soon found a neatly folded suit at the bottom of the box.

He carefully took it out and, with a reverent heart, held it up to his body.
Of course.
It's incredibly frustrating.

The sleeves were way too short, and the trousers barely reached the ankles. If you put them on, they would undoubtedly be so tight they would burst the seams.

This is the formal suit he bought when he graduated from elementary school.

But for him, who has grown taller and has more defined muscles, this outfit has become nothing more than a nostalgic accessory.

Imagining himself looking awkward in that ridiculous little suit, Clark sighed helplessly. Of course, it was an antique from so many years ago; how could he possibly fit into it now?

What on earth was he expecting?
A wave of overwhelming frustration washed over him again, pulling Clark back onto the bed.

He dejectedly folded the suit carefully, as if bidding farewell to a naive dream, and gently put it back in its place.

Forget it
He took a deep breath and made a decision:
I'll just be honest with Lana then!

To be honest, I can't dance at all, I'm like a wooden stake; I don't have any suitable clothes, I'm dirt poor.

Be honest, Lana is so kind and considerate, she probably wouldn't do that.
Were you too angry or too disappointed?
Not a drop of water
Ok
He lowered his head in frustration.

Admitting that I, the newly crowned 'Homecoming King,' am a dance idiot and a penniless wretch, seems a little embarrassing, very embarrassing.
Sluggishly moving to his desk, Clark unconsciously rubbed his palms on the slightly dusty surface, as if that might help him find a solution.

until
"Ding--"

With a crisp metallic clang, his finger touched a cold, hard object.
It was the ring Lana gave him.

Clark pondered for a moment, then slipped the ring onto his index finger.

Maybe Lana will see this ring and...
Being able to have one's attention diverted can reduce the potential anger.
"."

What is she so angry about?
A strange sense of familiarity, mixed with a thrill of impulse and confidence, quietly welled up in my heart once again.

Learning to dance? What's so difficult about that? You can just learn on your own, right?

He's Clark, after all. With his learning ability, he can perfectly replicate someone else's dance after watching them perform it just once.

Once this idea took hold, it grew wildly like weeds.

They became self-righteous and assertive.

Clark shrugged indifferently, his initial trepidation and unease replaced by a strange arrogance.

I am the king, aren't I? Does a king need to conform to other people's standards?
He raised his index finger, which was adorned with a ring.

The red light cast a subtle reflection in his blue eyes.

Besides, even if I can't learn it, what's the big deal if I just sit in the main seat eating and drinking? Who dares to criticize me? Who has the right to criticize me?
or.
A more efficient idea popped into Clark's head.

Why don't we let Lex think of a solution?

Why can't we just have him call the school and put pressure on them to turn the boring dance into an outdoor BBQ party?

Barbecue parties are so relaxing and fun; everyone can just grab some grilled meat and beer and jump around. Why bother with all that fancy ballroom dancing?
What a waste of time!
right! Just do it!

Clark's lips curled into a carefree smile.

The anxiety that had previously arisen from the fear of making a fool of oneself has now been replaced by arrogance.

After a while.

Wearing the ring that had restored his inexplicable confidence, Clark arrived at the Locke family's door with light steps and even a touch of arrogance.

He thought of inviting Dior to the ball together.

Maybe we can cram on the spot and learn a couple of dance moves from him?
After all, in Clark's view...

There shouldn't be anything that my brother, who always seems so capable and has such an elite air, can't do, right?

"Bang~"

Gently pushing open the slightly ajar solid wood door, Clark called out to the room as usual, his voice more casual than usual:
"Dio? Uncle Locke? Salafell? Lex?"

The room was quiet, with only the echo of his voice, and no response.

The afternoon sun streamed through the window, casting quiet dappled patterns on the clean floor.

Clark walked into the living room with some doubt and found the house empty.

Dio isn't here, Salafir isn't here, Uncle Locke isn't here, and even Lex, who should be exhausted, isn't here?

"What the heck...where did they all go..."

Clark muttered something under his breath, then turned to leave with little interest.

But his steps faltered.

My gaze involuntarily drifted towards the staircase.

A thought popped into my head:

Doesn't Dior have a lot of clothes?
And they all look quite expensive.

Anyway, judging from the situation, that guy has probably gone to that high-class club in Gotham to be a model again, and he definitely won't be attending this childish dance party in town tonight.

In that case
Lending him a couple of clothes for a while shouldn't be a problem, right? He has so many clothes he can't possibly wear them all.

Brothers should help each other!

Thinking this, Clark naturally went upstairs and unceremoniously pushed open the door to Dior's bedroom.

Sure enough, the room was empty.

The room was meticulously tidied, even carrying a touch of Dior's characteristic coldness.

Clark shrugged, his gaze fixed directly on the enormous wardrobe.

He walked over as if he were entering his own home, and flung open the heavy cabinet door—

Even though he had already anticipated the extravagance of Dior, Clark was still slightly taken aback by the scene before him.

An indescribable feeling of jealousy mixed with displeasure welled up in his heart.

The wardrobe was filled with all sorts of clothes.

From perfectly tailored custom suits to stylish fashion items, the wide variety of goods is neatly arranged and categorized, resembling a boutique display.

The quality and style are far superior to the clothes in his wardrobe.

"."

Uncle Locke is truly the best! He's so generous with money for Dio! He gives him whatever he wants!
In comparison, my own parents seem so stingy!
I'm supposed to be the undisputed king of Homecoming! And I can't even find a decent prom dress! Is that even fair?

He snorted and secretly decided to go home and get some gold coins from his parents!
Dude, why is it that Dior can live like a real king, with no worries about food or clothing and living in extravagance?

With that in mind, Clark reached out and grabbed a few suits and shirts that looked good and relatively understated to try on first.

but.
Out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly noticed two black briefcases that seemed to have been casually stuffed into a corner.

In that instant, a fleeting green glint flashed in Clark's eyes.

He blinked sharply and shook his head.
I looked at it intently again.

The suitcase's surface remained matte black metal, showing no abnormalities.

But the visual afterimage left by that fleeting glance was imprinted in his mind with unparalleled clarity:

He seemed to have inadvertently seen through the metal casing of the box.
It seems to be inside.
Clark's heart skipped a beat.

He squatted down as if possessed and dragged out the two heavy suitcases.

The box wasn't locked; he simply gave it a gentle tug and easily opened the metal latches.

"Clap."

With a soft click, the lid of the box popped open.

Clark's Breath
It almost stopped.

Their pupils contracted sharply in shock!
Inside the box, stacks of US dollars were neatly stacked!

The bright green banknotes piled together exuded the unique smell of ink and paper, creating an extremely striking visual impact!
These two large boxes full of cash contained an amount that far exceeded his expectations!

Dior
Where did he get so much money?!

Just because she's a model at that club? You're kidding me!
Clark swallowed hard, feeling his throat go dry.

After the initial shock, a thought quickly took hold of his mind.

An uncontrollable, self-righteous smile curved his lips.

We're brothers, aren't we?
Dior has that much money.
He probably wouldn't mind, right?
After all, he didn't seem to care at all; he had so much money that he could just throw it away like trash and leave it to gather dust in the deepest corner of the closet.

With a grin, Clark headed straight for the green banknotes early in the morning.
"."

just in case
This is theft. If Dior finds out, how will we explain it?

Clark fell into deep thought.

However, the redstone ring helped him with his thinking.

This can be described as a stroke of good fortune for him.

Can something between brothers be considered stealing?
This is a 'borrow' that needs no explanation!
Anyway, Uncle Locke's money is my money too.

Moreover, the fact that Dior had so much cash of dubious origin was highly suspicious in itself.

I'm taking a small amount to help him mitigate the risk.

And it's also to avoid losing face at the ball, and to preserve the dignity of the Kent family!
Nod.

The last trace of hesitation in Clark's eyes vanished completely.
-
The evening breeze in Smallville was warm and carried the scent of hay from the distant fields.

Such comfort makes one feel relaxed.

but.
Chloe, however, was in a somewhat gloomy mood.

She absentmindedly munched on a sugar-coated donut while wandering aimlessly down the street. Her short, golden hair was ruffled by the breeze, and a few strands clung to the corners of her mouth, which were covered in sugar crumbs.

That guy Clark.
They haven't come to see me for two whole days since that unpleasant night.

There was no apology, no explanation, not even a text message.

She stopped coming to the school magazine office, as if she had suddenly vanished from her world.

Could it be that.
Just because I said a few words to him that night, is their friendship going to end so inexplicably?
Chloe grew increasingly frustrated, taking a large, forceful bite into the donut as if she were gnawing on some clueless blockhead.

"Ouch!"

As a result, I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I didn't watch where I was going and accidentally bumped into someone.

"sorry Sorry!"

Chloe quickly apologized, then looked up and saw that the other person was also a girl about her age.

"It's alright, it's alright! I wasn't paying attention!"

The other person quickly waved their hand, and the two smiled apologetically at each other before stepping aside to let each other pass.

After the brief interruption, Chloe sighed and prepared to continue her stroll. Suddenly, she heard a murmur of conversation coming from the shop next door, and a few words in particular caught her attention.

"Isn't that the king from the parade this morning? He's quite interesting."

"Yeah, I didn't expect you to be so uninhibited. Although your dancing isn't very standard, it has a lot of feeling, haha."

The King? Dancing? In the street?

Chloe stopped in her tracks, her heart inexplicably racing.

She tiptoed and curiously peered in the direction of the crowd—

There it was, the entrance to that high-end tailor shop.

A tall, handsome boy in a brand-new, well-fitting suit seemed to be completely absorbed in a piece of rousing music that only he could hear! He was so engrossed in dancing that he completely ignored his surroundings!
The movements were not particularly elegant or standard; in fact, they were somewhat clumsy and exaggerated.

But his face radiated an extremely outgoing, confident, and even slightly arrogant aura.
A cynical, roguish smile.

It was as if the whole world was his stage, drawing sidelong glances and good-natured laughter from the townspeople passing by.

It's Clark?!
Chloe's eyes widened instantly, almost unable to believe what she was seeing.

Where did he get the money to buy a suit from this store?!
She clearly remembered Clark occasionally complaining that a suit made by Dior here would cost at least a thousand dollars, which was an absolute fortune for the Kent family!
After all, Clark himself has to save up his allowance for a long time just to buy a comic book!
wrong
Is now the time to think about this?

The next second, the issue of money was overshadowed by another, even stronger feeling.

Watching Clark Kent dancing freely in the sunlight, his smile radiant, as if he were a completely different person, Chloe felt a strange sense of alienation.

this.
Is he really the Clark who would blush for ages if he accidentally touched her hand, feel frustrated if he didn't get an A on his assignment, stay up all night with her at the school magazine to organize materials, and is kind, gentle, and sometimes even a little clumsy?

The boy in front of me exuded an almost arrogant confidence and a sense of unfamiliarity.
Chloe felt a pang of panic and disappointment.

perhaps…

Her eyes dimmed, and the donut in her mouth seemed to lose its flavor.

I may never have really known this boy named Clark Kent.

He had a side she didn't know.

Chloe silently turned away, no longer looking at the 'king' who had become the focus of the crowd. She lowered her head and blended into the flow of people on the street, her small figure appearing somewhat lonely.

(End of this chapter)