Shadow of the Beautiful World

In his youth, Clark Kent once lived a miserable life.

Since he was a child, he knew that he had some superpowers that he couldn't describe to others, just like a hero in a comic book, no, his abilities were more powerful than human cartoonists imagined.

When he was 3 years old, he carried his sick mother to the hospital alone at night.

When he was 5 years old, he couldn't sleep because he could hear the murmurs from all over Kansas, and once suffered from insomnia.

When he was 8 years old, he was able to push a school bus full of classmates out of the mud when it fell into the river.

When he was 11 years old, on his way from school, he rescued a dozen innocent people who were kidnapped under the hail of bullets.

Such miraculous events seriously disrupted Clark's teenage life. After using his ability every time, he had to transfer to another school in order not to attract attention.

During that period of time, Clark couldn't understand why a person had a powerful ability, but tried his best to hide it, and to avoid being regarded as a different kind by others?

Why is he different from other kids?

This is a story that troubled Clark for many years, until he learned about his parentage from his parents.

He was not born on the earth, but he was taken care of by the kind-hearted Kent couple as his own child since childhood.

After dropping out of high school, Clark traveled the world in search of everything related to his origin.

Later, he met Merlin, joined the S.H.I.E.L.D., and found the Kryptonian spacecraft that crashed in the Antarctic. The spacecraft is still in the Antarctic glacier, and Clarke dubbed it Lonely Castle.

At one time, he thought that this was his last connection with his hometown of Krypton.

Using the spaceship's database to unlock the secret of the Krypton master key he carried with him, he learned everything about Krypton from the projection of his biological father, Jo-El.

The origin, development, rise and fall, and final destruction of that planet.

Joe told him that he was the last orphan of Krypton, and he was going to shoulder the mission of rebuilding Krypton, but under Merlin's persuasion, Clark did not seriously complete that mission.

He has his own life. He has lived in this world for so many years as Clark Kent, and his soul has become a real earthling.

He doesn't think Kryptonians are much more noble than Earthlings, nor does he think that a civilization that has been eliminated by nature must be rebuilt.

With one's own strength, he can overcome a ruined world.

This is simply impossible.

However, the world is impermanent. Clark met his cousin Kara Al more than a year ago and learned that he was not the last Kryptonian.

The Kryptonian girl Kara's experience is more bizarre than Clark's.

She was born during the time when Krypton was about to be destroyed, and she was ten years older than Clark. When Krypton was destroyed, she already had a complete personality, and she had personally experienced the moment of world destruction.

But when the escape ship she was on escaped from Krypton, she was captured by a weird ghost space, and Kara spent nearly 30 years in that special area where time was almost stagnant.

Although she is already in her 40s, she still maintains the appearance of a 16-year-old girl because of the ghost space, and finally falls into the earth.

She was first captured by the Atlanteans. At that time, she was very weak and imprisoned in the border cage of the Atlanteans, and was rescued by Arthur Curry by mistake.

She herself knew that there was a cousin on Earth, and she met Clark for the first time during the Battle of New York.

The first meeting between the siblings was not pleasant, because of Arthur and Merlin, Kara was on the spot as Clark's enemy, and the two fought off the coast of New York, even permanently changing the terrain of the place.

After Clark lost his mind control, he took the initiative to go to Maine, had a long talk with Kara, and took her to the Fortress of Solitude in Antarctica.

The siblings eventually reconciled.

But Clark concealed his mission from Kara, and said nothing about rebuilding Krypton.

The girl Kara doesn't seem interested in these things either.

She also has her own life now, and it is said that she kicked Arthur and found a new boyfriend. Thanks to the relationship of s.d.o.l.d., Clark sent her to study at Stanford University, and occasionally did odd jobs.

Although there is no sense of direction in life, Kara's current little life is still living happily.

Clark did not refuse to have a cousin in his life, or from the appearance, it is more appropriate to call a cousin, and his adoptive mother and adoptive father are also willing to accept Kara into the family.

Although Kara's arrival occasionally caused Clark some troubles, in general, it made the Kryptonian side of Clark's human nature feel no longer alone.

It is much easier for two people to bear the weight of a ruined civilization than to fight alone.

But that's about it.

Clark thought that Kara's arrival was the final story of himself and Krypton.

He and Kara are the last two sons of Krypton.

Then...

Now, on a continent that has fallen from the stars to Earth, his one-time best friend Thor has given him a real surprise.

He and Kara aren't the last Kryptonians!

Besides them, there are 16 Kryptonians alive!

Um...

This made Clark feel at a loss again amidst the shock and joy, and a strange idea appeared in his mind.

First Kara, then 16 Kryptonian soldiers.

If one day, Merlin told him that in the depths of the stars, there was still an intact Kryptonian city with hundreds of thousands of Kryptonians living in it, Clark probably wouldn't be surprised.

What The Last Sons Of Krypton...

It's like a joke deliberately deceiving people's tears!

But this also made Clark feel relaxed from the bottom of his heart, and the sense of shame of betraying his mission was rapidly weakened at this moment.

He doesn't need to rebuild Krypton at all!

As long as people exist, civilization remains...

Judging from the current situation, Krypton may not have died at all.

In the castle of Asgard, Clark and Thor drank wine and waited for the arrival of the Kryptonians, but there was an unspeakable worry in Clark's heart at this time.

In the database of the Fortress of Solitude, according to Jor-Eyer, this General Zod is not a good person...

After drinking another glass of wine, Clark couldn't help touching his chest.

Recently, he has been a little restless.

Like a premonition, something...

Something not so good is about to happen.

It's about to happen.

———————

Ten minutes later, the door of the inner hall of the castle was pushed open.

Clark turned his head and saw 16 people striding into the castle led by the guards of the Golden Palace.

They wore Asgardian robes, and their appearance was no different from that of humans. However, unlike Clark's gentle temperament, these 16 people had an extremely serious and indifferent military atmosphere.

This can also be seen from their behavior patterns.

After entering the hall, except for the two leaders, the remaining 14 people naturally formed a loose formation that is convenient for assault and dealing with all emergencies.

They had a tall, middle-aged man with short black hair and a black beard as their leader, and beside the leader, there was a tall, indifferent lady with black hair wearing high heels.

Looks like the chief's adjutant.

All eyes were on Clark, and that kind of scrutiny made Clark feel very uncomfortable.

Their gaze is really intensely aggressive.

If Clark is a Kryptonian hero who grew up in a peaceful time, then the 16 compatriots in front of him are probably the kind of professional soldiers who have been trained as war machines since they were young.

But that leader is different.

His eyes were also scrutinizing, but with a hint of gentleness.

It's like the uncle next door watching the younger generation grow up healthily, and deep in the general's eyes, there is a trace of surprise and longing that cannot be concealed.

How are you doing recently? General Zod.

Thor sat at the banquet table and waved to his Kryptonian friends.

Facing his inquiry, General Zod showed a slightly blunt smile, and he said:

My friends from Asgard are very enthusiastic and have prepared a very good residence and treatment for us. My people are very grateful for your hospitality. You are friends of the Kryptonians, there is no doubt about it.

The cooperation in the war has established the friendship between our two races. From now on, as long as the Asgardians need it, the Kryptonians will definitely set foot on the battlefield with you.

This remark is very organized, and the meaning revealed is also very formal.

It makes people feel good.

After all, it was the prince of Asgard who took the risk to release them from the collector's cage, and the Kryptonians reciprocated, helping the Asgardians defeat the dark alliance and helping them transport the wounded during the transfer.

After coming to Earth through the Rainbow Bridge, the generous Asgardians healed the physical fatigue and damage of the Kryptonians who had been imprisoned for a long time, and generously gave them a manor to recuperate.

Obviously, in her busy schedule, Tianhou did not forget to win over these powerful and homeless allies. Now it seems that Tianhou's strategy is going well.

Come on, let's have a drink together, and let me introduce you to your compatriots left behind on Earth, who is also my friend and good brother, Clark.

Thor stood up and invited the Kryptonian warriors to their seats.

General Zod was not polite either. He waved his hand, and the soldiers with military temperament took their seats one after another. General Zod stepped forward and looked at Clark with gentle eyes.

He reached out, clenched his fist, and thumped Clark's chest.

He said:

Exactly the same...

What?

Clark asked:

What exactly is the same?

I mean, you're just like Joe when he was young.

The general chuckled and motioned for Clark to sit with him. He picked up the wine glass and had a drink with Thor. While the other Kryptonians were eating in silence, he said to Clark in the attitude of an elder:

Joe and I were born in the same batch during the Great Depression of Krypton.

I don't know if you know the rules of Krypton at that time, the social form was solidified, and everyone's life and social orientation were shaped by genetic technology.

I was designated a warrior before I was born, and Joe was designated a researcher of science, as was your mother, Laura.

I know.

Clark's first impressions of his compatriot were, on the whole, not bad.

Zod did not show his domineering side. He has been communicating with Clark on an equal footing. This may be a strategy, or it may be the friendship between him and Jor-El.

But Clark remained vigilant.

Because if he remembered correctly, Jor-El's projection had told him that Zod killed Jor-El in an accident, and he was sentenced to exile for this.

On the eve of the destruction of Krypton, together with his most loyal followers, he was exiled to the ghost space.

But that also allowed Zod to escape the disaster of annihilation.

Joe left his private database to me, and when I was an adult, I managed to unlock it.

Clark said to Zod:

I know what happened to Krypton, I also know the scene of its destruction, I have seen it all.

Um.

The general nodded. He took a sip of his wine and said to Clark:

Then you must know that the era in which your father and I lived was terrible.

Civilization has lost its vitality, like a dying beast that is strangled by the neck, struggling in the quagmire of despair, everyone with ideals wants to change, society is very depressed, like water before boiling.

Your father and I, we made an agreement and vowed to save Krypton together, but because of personal experiences, we ended up on completely different paths.

Having said that, Zod shook his head regretfully.

He put down his wine glass and said to Clark very frankly:

You don't need to doubt, I think you already know that your father died at my hands, it was an accident, a regrettable accident.

After saying these words, the atmosphere in the banquet hall immediately became stagnant.

Zod's adjutant, the silent lady, swallowed the food in her mouth and grabbed a table knife with a normal expression. The other Kryptonian fighters raised their heads and looked at Clark.

And Thor's complexion changed slightly.

He really didn't know that there was such a relationship between Zod and Clark.

He winked at the guard standing on one side, the executioner Skorchi, who immediately stepped back a few steps and left the hall from the other side. A few seconds later, there was the sound of soldiers gathering outside the hall.

Obviously, Thor was also worried about the development of the matter, and he himself grabbed the tomahawk by his leg.

Even though, with his current fighting strength, in the brawl of this group of peerless hunks, if he was hit by a random punch, he would probably end up in a coma directly on the street.

But he's Clark's brother!

It is impossible for him to choose to watch this kind of thing.

I know.

Clark's expression was calm, and he winked at Thor, signaling him not to be nervous.

He turned his head, looked at Zod, and said:

When my parents sent me into the launch chamber, I saw that scene, you took your followers, and this lady beside you, you rushed into my father's laboratory, trying to stop the My escape as a baby.

Clark talked about the past in a calm tone, as if telling another story.

He said:

During the chaos, you hit my father, and he fell to the ground, covered in blood. I saw your screams of despair and pain. You hugged him and asked the people around you to save him like you were mad.

You don't want to do that. Although you have taken different paths, your friendship is true.

Clark pursed his lips and said:

You're all here to save your own civilization. No one is at fault. Like you said, it was a sad accident, and I don't blame you for it.

Zod blinked his eyes, then shook his head, and said:

You don't think he's your father, so you're not angry. It's like watching a stranger die without any emotion. It's hard for you to call yourself a Kryptonian, Clark, or... Carl.

You have a Kryptonian body, but not a Kryptonian soul, and you didn't inherit that glory. Frankly, it makes me a little disappointed, but it can't be blamed on you. After all, you were only a child when you went through all this. , you cannot resist fate.

Give me the central tome, Clark.

Zod stood up, looked at Clark as if he were a real stranger, and said:

I won't ask you to rebuild Krypton, I will complete that mission myself. You don't have to live with Joe's heavy expectations, give me that thing, and...

Earthman Clark Kent, you are free.