The Clues
Perhaps because she had vented enough, Linda finally remembered her original purpose.
At nine o'clock that morning, a terrorist incident occurred at the Metropolis airport. An unidentified, mysterious person rushed into the hangar. After extensive damage, the person left behind a string of cryptic symbols and fled.
According to airport security guards, the mysterious person was a young woman with terrifying strength, able to tear apart an airplane with her bare hands, and possessing the ability to fly.
The severity of the incident quickly placed it on the news headlines.
Many media outlets reported on the event, and the mysterious string of symbols became the focus of human attention.
Some called it a secret code, others an allegory. A number of experts even believed the symbols were Mayan text, foretelling the 2012 apocalypse, with the mysterious woman as the herald.
Incredibly, some people actually believed this idiotic rhetoric.
On the thirteenth floor of the ShowMe Building, Charlie said worriedly,
"Boss. Has that woman gone crazy?"
"In a sense, yes, she has."
Luke sipped his coffee, quietly watching the TV reports about the airport incident.
Charlie said seriously, "I think we have to do something. She witnessed the Melissa incident. If she falls into the hands of the FBI, we're in trouble."
Luke shook his head with a smile. "You're overthinking it. Linda Danvers isn't that stupid. In fact, she's smarter than most people in the world. She won't engage in excessive behavior until she achieves her goal."
"What if she can't achieve her goal?"
Luke pondered for a few seconds, murmuring, "Then it's hard to say."
The Reporter and the Revelation
At the Daily Planet.
Under the envious and jealous stares of his male colleagues, the newly joined junior reporter Clark Kent was once again called into Lois Lane's office.
They simply couldn't understand what was so special about this poor country boy that he had captured Lois Lane's heart.
The thought of them rolling around in bed together shattered the hearts of the other men.
Clark Kent didn't have psychic abilities, so he couldn't read his colleagues' minds, but the moment he stepped into the office, he acutely sensed several hostile stares.
He could only feel helpless about it.
With the blinds drawn, preventing prying eyes, Lois, wearing a women's suit, turned on the TV to the local station reporting the airport incident. She said with a serious expression,
"That mysterious girl's powers are very similar to yours."
Clark remained silent.
"Is she your relative?"
"Maybe, maybe not. I'll find out."
"What is the meaning behind that string of mysterious symbols?"
"They're not symbols, they're letters—Kryptonian script. It means: Kal-El, I'm waiting for you at the peak of the Earth."
"The peak of the Earth?"
Lois habitually tapped her chin with a pencil. "Mount Everest?"
Clark nodded, his eyes moving up and down with the pencil. He loved watching Lois when she was thinking; she was truly beautiful.
"So, you're going to keep the appointment?"
"Yes."
"Take me with you!"
Clark: "..."
"Lois, this isn't the time to be willful. She's dangerous, and I can't take you."
"No, you're wrong. She isn't dangerous."
Lois chuckled, her legs close together and slightly tilted, looking elegant and confident. "The mystery girl destroyed two planes, but she didn't hurt anyone. She even rescued a technician from a fire. This indicates she's not a bad person."
"And another thing: she knows your name—Kal-El. You told me that's the name your birth parents gave you, the one only family would know. That means the mysterious girl could be your paternal cousin, your maternal cousin, or even your biological sister."
Clark said helplessly, "Lois, no matter what you say, I won't take you. It's too dangerous."
"I have to go. A meeting between two Kryptonians on Earth needs an Earthling witness. Besides, she's your family. Why can't I meet her? Don't forget, I took you to meet my sister last Friday."
"That's not the same thing."
"The nature is the same. If you're worried, you can leave me at the base of the mountain. Confirm whether she's family first, and then bring me up. In any case, I have to be there."
Clark, who embodied the template of a good, home-loving man, couldn't refuse his girlfriend's stubborn demand. After work, he took Lois Lane, dressed in cold-weather gear, and flew to Mount Everest.
The Family Reunion
At the summit of Mount Everest, on a slope where national flags were planted.
Linda Danvers stared silently at the "S" shield on Clark's chest. It was the crest of the House of El. She once had one, too.
Remembering her parents, who died in the explosion of Krypton, and the years of deception she had suffered, tears welled up uncontrollably.
Her crying instantly made Clark awkward. He asked, flustered,
"You are..."
"Kara Zor-El. My father is Zor-El, the brother of your father, Jor-El. I was born 12 years before you, but due to an accident, my spacecraft drifted into a pocket of time-frozen chaos, where I remained for a long time before escaping. Physically, I'm 18, but my real age is 36. You should call me 'cousin' (older sister)."
Cousin?
Clark opened his mouth, unsure what to say.
The spacecraft his father left behind contained the family lineage of the House of El. Zor-El, Kara Zor-El—they were real relatives. But he never imagined that his cousin would one day show up on his doorstep.
He had never even heard her name growing up, so how could he have any emotional connection?
Linda wiped away her tears and smiled. "Kal, you are my only family left."
This statement deeply affected Clark.
Krypton was destroyed. The two of them were likely the last Kryptonians, and they were "cousin and brother."
With the initial emotional hurdle cleared, the conversation flowed more smoothly.
Linda recounted her wonderful childhood memories—Kryptonian culture, history, and traditions—but she didn't mention a word about her life on Earth. Clark, meanwhile, spoke about his adoptive parents, describing how upright and kind they were, as well as his new job and his girlfriend, Lois Lane.
He suggested that Lois meet her, but Linda politely declined. Clark didn't think much of it; after all, it was their first meeting as cousins, and there would be plenty of time later.
After the conversation, Clark was in good spirits, but a sense of dread settled over Linda Danvers's heart.
She realized the truth: Kal-El the Kryptonian was gone, replaced by Clark Kent the Earthling.
In all his talk, he mentioned his adoptive parents far more often than his biological father and showed no regard for the family laws of the House of El. He might have been joyful at reuniting with a relative, but he felt no longing for their home world, Krypton.
Realizing this, Linda lost interest in talking further and directly asked,
"Where is the Fortress of Solitude?"
Clark froze. He replied, "The North Pole."
"Is the key in your hands?"
Clark frowned immediately. The Fortress of Solitude was a relic left by his father, containing technology not belonging to this era. If it fell into the wrong hands, the consequences would be unimaginable. He hesitated, then asked suspiciously,
"Why are you asking?"
"I want access to the Fortress of Solitude."
The moment her words fell, the air became instantly silent.
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