Clark took a week off, and it was Lois who talked to him and Perry about it.

The editor-in-chief's roar and spit were clearly audible through the glass door. After Louise came out, her colleague Jimmy asked quietly, "Are you in love with Kent?"

Louise answered absentmindedly, "Forget it, Jimmy. It's impossible."

Jimmy's voice suddenly became sharp: "Or are you and Superman really together?!"

“…”

"Please stop reading useless gossip. We are a serious newspaper." The female reporter said to her companion earnestly, "I know someone in the forum has written a fanfiction about me and Superman." She showed a subtle and somewhat amused expression, "It doesn't matter, but don't bring fictional works into reality."

Jimmy said: "But to me, the pairing of you and Superman is at least easier to accept than Superman and Wonder Woman, Superman and Captain America, Superman and Batman, and the possibility of becoming a reality is greater."

Louise didn't know what she was thinking. She shook her head and said, "No, I think Superman and Batman are a little bit real."

Jimmy: "Wait, are you serious?"

"They are friends. But you know, sometimes friendship between same-sex people seems more ambiguous than love - although they can't really do anything." Louise pondered, "Maybe because Superman and I are opposite sexes, it is difficult for me to express my affection directly? If I have the opportunity to interview Wonder Woman or Black Widow, I can ask them for their opinions."

"This is where my blind spot comes from," Jimmy muttered.

"But you've worn women's clothes before, haven't you?"

"But that doesn't mean I can understand what girls are thinking." Jimmy said with a frown, "I saw a short story this morning about Lex Luthor and Superman having a love affair. Of course, the author wrote it before Luthor revealed his conspiracy."

"Ah... I wouldn't be surprised if it was after that." Louise said, "From another perspective, the relationship between old enemies is more tense than that between close friends. People on the Internet are just bystanders with limited understanding of the truth of the matter, and they give their own imagination to the characters in real life through one-sided perspectives."

"So is this all we can do? Just watch?" Jimmy leaned on the table with some sadness. "I'm not talking about fan fiction. It's a good thing that there are fans in the forum, which shows that there are many people in this world who like superheroes. But in reality, the requirements for superhumans who are willing to help to be morally flawless are becoming more and more stringent. When will the standards for judging others be like writing fan fiction, where we can rely on imagination to fill in the unknown?"

Louise knew what he was really trying to say by beating around the bush: "You don't agree with what's happening to Superman."

"No one will like this from the bottom of their heart." Jimmy pointed to the vague description of the two lines squeezed in the corner of the newspaper. "Do you know what I thought when I saw this news? It's like putting shackles on a lion in the zoo and then calling friends to form a team to watch."

He said this with a hint of anger. Louise waited until he calmed down a little before she said cautiously, "He can get away anytime."

Jimmy glared at her. "I thought you would be angrier than me."

"I've actually lost my temper. I haven't been thinking about anything else these days. Do you think Perry didn't notice that everyone was distracted? He didn't want to care." Louise wiped her face and said tiredly, "And you can't imagine where I was arguing with whom."

"who?"

"Superman," Louise said, "I told him that if he agreed to this outrageous request, he would not only be humiliating himself, but would also be raising the conditions for heroes to exercise their powers in society to an unimaginable level. This would no longer be a matter for the city of Metropolis and him alone."

"You're right." Jimmy stood up excitedly and paced a few steps. "If some people find that such unreasonable demands can achieve their goals, they will sooner or later turn their attention to heroes in other cities. It's like if a burger shop reduces its prices, others will ask those stores that keep the prices unchanged: Why don't you also reduce the prices? Didn't Superman consider this?"

"That's the problem. He thought about it," Louise said. "It's because he thought it through that he did this."

Jimmy's pace slowed down. He said in confusion, "I don't understand."

Lois: "Look, those who suggested putting a lasso on Superman knew that it would be fruitless and that Superman could leave whenever he wanted. So what was the point of such an action?"

"Shock and balance. Those in power need to have control and also need to show such control to the people."

"But the problem is that this time period is not very suitable. People trust the heroes far more than they doubt them. If Superman chooses to fight, who do you think will win?"

"Superman, of course."

“Which side will the crowd be on?”

"Of course it's super... Oh. Not necessarily." Jimmy hesitated, "Maybe half and half."

"It is also possible that most people would think that Superman is too arrogant. After all, the small surveillance camera is 'harmless' to him and 'he can leave if he wants to'. The latter sentence was also said by the two of us just now, but the meaning is completely opposite in different contexts."

"So I would say that the person who made this decision on a whim is not necessarily a fool." Lois said sarcastically, "If Superman agrees, their status will be above all other super powers. If Superman refuses, it can shake the trust of ordinary people in Superman, so there is no loss anyway."

"As for why Superman? All I can say is that Luther really delivered a good knife with that statement."

"Then...what will Superman decide to do? Since neither the positive nor the negative is working, should he wait until the storm has passed?"

This is the price of being pushed to the forefront of public opinion. Superman's every move almost represents the entire superhero group. Other colleagues may not blame or interfere with his decisions, but Superman still has his own persistence: for example, not dragging down his companions.

It is not Clark's character to escape. Although he does look very soft, he is not indecisive.

Louise thought.

She didn't answer Jimmy's question because she also had doubts about Superman's choice -

A few days ago, in response to Louise's questioning, the superhero in primary colors simply said, "Luther said something that I think makes a lot of sense. He said, 'God demonstrates his own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.'"

Louise: "The Bible?"

"I'm sorry, I think it's a little strange for me to say that." Superman said, "It's like comparing Superman to God. Luther may really think so. But I don't."

They stood on the roof of the Daily Planet building and looked down at the entire city. In the distance, clouds flickered, the setting sun melted into gold, and the smoky purple sky was reflected in Superman's blue eyes, as if another universe was hidden in it.

The evening breeze in early June was neither too hot nor too cold, gently brushing the curls at Louise's temples. She looked down at the ant-like creatures going in and out of the small square grid, and the lights stretching into the distance like a river hanging in the sky. She couldn't help but have the illusion that she was standing on the edge of the world. The earth seemed to be hiding in a glass cover, and she could touch the outside by just reaching out her hand.

But this small cover can hide such a big trouble that no one can solve it.

"Wonder Woman has a lasso of truth, and anyone caught in it can only tell the truth. I think it would be interesting to see if that was used to verify the true identity of a superhero."

Superman spoke in a casual tone, just like chatting with his family.

“For example, if she asks you, who are you?”

"Everyone has a different understanding of themselves, and the results they get are also different."

"If it were you, you would say you were Lois Lane, and Batman would still say he was Batman."

Louise: “Have you tried it?”

"Not really. After all, no one would just play a joke on that guy for no reason, right... But just imagine it." Superman said, "He considers his identity as Batman far more important than anything else."

"If it were you, you definitely wouldn't answer Superman." Louise laughed, "That's okay, everyone knows your name is Kal-El anyway."

"Or maybe I'd say: I'm Clark Kent."

Louise was stunned for a moment.

In just a few seconds, she used all her language talent to try to squeeze out a suitable sentence or two, but all failed.

"I'm not angry because you hid your identity from me." After a long while, she said, "It's normal for friends to have secrets. I just think your decision was too hasty."

"I didn't. I discussed it with many people."

The reporter asked sharply, "Does this crowd include Batman?"

"...He didn't reject it. So I came to say goodbye to you this time, Louise, and ask for leave for Perry and me. It's not appropriate for me to appear in the Daily Planet right now."

Louise suddenly felt a little panic in her heart: "What do you mean? I didn't think carefully about what you said about Luther just now. How do you prove your love for mankind?"

Superman looked back at her calmly.

It is obvious. In this case, in order to prevent temporary compromise from becoming a shackle for other superheroes and to ease the public opinion's incorrect criticism of the heroes, Superman proposed a method: he would prove himself.

The path ahead was clear, but Louise still couldn't believe it: "What were you thinking?! How could anyone agree?"

"There will be plans, and I'm not really going to leave here... forever, Louise, don't worry."

"You're kidding!"

"I didn't. On the contrary, I earnestly asked you to help me keep Clark's identity a secret. As I told you just now, I prefer the identity of a reporter, and I don't intend to give it up because of this little setback."

"—and now you want me to watch you die in your uniform."

"No, I'm just using Luther's words as an example." Superman looked helpless. "This is just a temporary change of plan. I promise, I'll be back soon."

He spoke with certainty, but Louise still felt that something was wrong.

She was stunned for a while, then suddenly shook her head: "Is there anything else you haven't told me? I said friends can have secrets, but damn, your secrets are too scary! Didn't you agree to wait for Luther Court's trial? What happened in the past two days that made you change your mind?"

Superman hesitated for a moment.

Then he said casually: "I received an invitation from the universe. I may have to leave the earth and meet with the boss of a certain force."

Louise responded quickly: "Kidnapping? Threat? Is it related to Loki?"

"It's not clear yet." Superman said cautiously, "They took a little girl away from Earth. Her name is Alice, and she lives at xx Street in Metropolis. Her foster mother is Martha Voss. One time I rescued her from the edge of the window on my way home from get off work."

"Do you have to go?"

"Not necessarily." Superman said, "but I can fly, and people who can fly always have an advantage."

Louise was speechless.

Finally she said, "I promise you, Perry won't fire you-until Clark Kent reports back."

Superman smiled and thanked her, and then she watched the red cape and the afterglow of the sunset disappear into the sky.

This was also the last time Louise saw the Son of Light of Metropolis on Earth.

I don't know whether it is lucky or unfortunate? At least compared to those who are still ignorant, she has a farewell as brief as the rosy clouds.