Chapter Four: May I Be Clark’s Godfather?

“I just stabbed the guy in the neck with the double-pronged fork; what happened afterward, I don’t know.”

At the Smallwell Police Department, Peter said this to the third officer interrogating him.

He had repeated similar words countless times before.

“We reviewed the supermarket’s surveillance footage and gathered eyewitness testimonies. They say you confronted that guy at the time.”

The burly but sharp-eyed white officer slammed the transcript onto the table with a loud thud.

“Don’t try to lie, cowboy. I know you’re a restless one.”

Peter leaned forward slightly. “I believe I was acting in self-defense, right? I took down the gunman and should be respected and commended, not treated like a criminal. Officer, why are you treating me like a suspect?”

He already knew the robbers smashed all the cameras during the shooting inside the supermarket.

So he was absolutely certain the surveillance footage contained no images of him and Azoo.

Besides, he had coordinated his testimony with the only eyewitness—Martha.

Now, he was fearless.

Just as the white officer was left speechless, the interrogation room door was suddenly knocked on.

A female officer stood outside and said, “Sir, they’re here.”

The white officer nodded and quickly stepped out.

A few minutes later, he returned.

“You’re free to go.”

He stepped forward and unlocked Peter’s handcuffs, warning him, “But don’t leave town. We may call you in for questioning at any time.”

“Thank you.”

Peter calmly expressed his gratitude.

Outside the interrogation room, Martha anxiously waited, holding Azoo, and hurried over.

“God! Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

Peter took Azoo from Martha’s arms.

Azoo’s rosy cheeks suggested he had recovered from the earlier “T-Rex” incident.

He was happily playing with his new toy.

“I’m Jonathan Kent.”

The man beside Martha extended his hand to Peter. “Really, thank you, Mr. Patrick.”

Jonathan, Martha’s husband, sincerely thanked Peter.

He had already heard the whole story from his wife.

Although he was half in disbelief at the claim that the baby’s eyes emitted lasers that cut the robber in half, he was genuinely grateful to Peter for saving his wife and son.

“You’re welcome. Actually, I really like Clark, too.”

Peter shrugged.

After a few words, Jonathan invited Peter to visit their home.

Peter didn’t refuse and followed the couple into their car.

Inside the speeding vehicle, Peter slowly clenched his fist, sensing changes within his body.

It seemed his strength had increased significantly, and his vision and sensory perception had become sharper.

The scenery outside the window, which had flashed by moments before, now appeared to slow and almost freeze under his gaze.

He stared at the wristwatch on his left hand.

Earlier at the supermarket, when he took down the shooter, he thought adrenaline had sparked his fierceness and power.

But now it seemed it wasn’t that simple.

Even with an adrenaline surge, he couldn’t have stabbed the double-pronged fork so accurately and forcefully into the attacker’s neck.

Perhaps it was the watch that granted him this strength?

Lost in thought, the car left the town center and headed toward the Kent farm.

Tall trees lined both sides of the road, oak trees wrapped in dark, damp bark, each standing like a silent, stern sentinel or a vigilant enforcer.

Twenty minutes later.

“We’ve arrived.”

The car stopped in front of a farm.

Jonathan opened the door and introduced, “This is our farm.”

Martha helped Peter carry Azoo down. “Jonathan’s family has lived on this farm since his grandfather’s time. He inherited it, giving up his college life for this.”

“Life is about choices, isn’t it? At least I got you and Clark. If I had left the farm, we wouldn’t have met.”

“You always have your reasons, Jonathan.”

Martha suddenly slapped her forehead. “Oh no, I left Clark with Neil and forgot to pick him up.”

She handed Azoo to Peter. “Sorry, I have to go to Neil’s place.”

Watching his wife rush off, Jonathan smiled at Peter. “Even after marriage, Martha can be a little scatterbrained.”

“She’s wonderful.”

Peter said to Jonathan, “A competent mother.”

This wasn’t flattery. The future Superman hadn’t gone astray, thanks to Martha’s upbringing.

If Clark had fallen into the hands of irresponsible parents, Peter feared he might have become another kind of countryman altogether.

“Yes, Martha is a good mother and wife.”

Jonathan said cheerfully.

...

That night.

Martha and Jonathan prepared a hearty dinner for Peter.

“So, you don’t know who John’s mother is?”

(John: The name Peter gave Azoo, exactly the same as the one from the other’s past life.)

Setting down her utensils, Martha asked Peter in surprise.

“Yes, he’s adopted. I’ve never been married.”

Peter lied without batting an eye.

Martha turned to look at Azoo playing on the floor with Clark.

She recalled the scene last month when she and her husband found Clark on the farm.

“At the supermarket earlier, he...”

Martha hesitated, unsure how to ask.

“That’s his gift.”

Peter took a bite of the beef stew with potatoes and said, “I only discovered recently that John has an unusual talent. When he gets angry, he unleashes incredible strength.”

Martha nodded and looked at Azoo crawling around. “I... at the police station, the officers kept asking me about the scene. I told them I was so scared I closed my eyes...”

She murmured softly, “Honestly, even if I told them, no one would believe me.”

Listening to his wife, Jonathan frowned slightly.

Recalling the spaceship that brought Clark to their farm and comparing the two children’s special traits,

he suddenly entertained a ridiculous thought of his own.

Could little John have also been delivered by a spaceship?

What was the relationship between John and Clark?

“I hope you can keep this secret, for John’s sake,”

Peter’s words broke Jonathan’s train of thought.

“Of course.”

Jonathan was momentarily stunned but nodded repeatedly.

After thanking the couple, Peter approached the two babies and picked up Clark.

“Actually, I think Clark is even more gifted.”

Seizing the moment, he proposed to the couple that he become Clark’s godfather.

To avoid future troubles with the countrymen, Peter decided to have a godson.

If this guy ever turned against him, he’d still have a godson to deal with him.

He believed Superman could handle Azoo without much trouble.

Hearing Peter’s wish to become Clark’s godfather, the couple exchanged a glance.

“Of... of course, no problem.”

Martha said immediately.

For someone who had saved her life, she felt there was no issue with him becoming the godfather.

Suddenly, Clark, being held by Peter, muttered a garbled word:

“Da... Da!”