After a meal with the Kent family, people gradually left, leaving their numbers with Jonathan and expressing their wishes to host the Kent family if they ever visited. Jonathan took down the numbers without any real intention of contacting them, simply making their way back home.
Despite the dangers they faced, including the destruction of their pickup truck by a tornado, the primary goal of their outing was achieved. After facing a life-and-death situation, Clark's mindset underwent a significant change, no longer dwelling in sorrow.
Jonathan, too, refrained from making statements about dying in front of Clark without allowing him to save him, realizing his own reluctance and fear of death when faced with it.
Although Jonathan still preferred Clark and Robert to keep their abilities hidden, he recognized it might be time for them to make their own decisions, especially Clark.
A few days later, Clark, standing on the grass, looked at his hands and then up at the sky, his eyes reflecting hesitation.
"Robert, stop eating. I have some questions..." Clark said after a moment, turning to Robert, who had just finished his training and was eating.
Robert had never considered that Clark could evolve telepathy into a form of long-distance communication. For telepathy to work, one had to sense the presence of the other, which was simple for Clark, able to see his target with just a glance.
"What's up?" Robert joined the telepathic channel established by Clark, creating a sort of private communication system.
"I'm wondering about my training. The weather was bad these past few days, with no sun, and I didn't feel stronger from my training. But today, without training and just basking in the sun, I felt stronger..." Clark was unsure, hence the hesitation in his voice, "I suspect my strength might come from the sun. Could sunlight make me stronger?"
"Hmm?" Robert raised an eyebrow, finished his food, and approached Clark.
"The sun? Maybe that's true. Otherwise, you wouldn't have learned the Solar Fist so easily..." Robert analyzed, standing in front of Clark, "Could it be that your species is plant-like, capable of photosynthesis?"
Indeed, after returning, Robert had taught Clark the Solar Fist. Initially, Robert thought Clark, lacking Qi, couldn't learn it because the core of Solar Fist was converting Qi into light energy, which temporarily blinded Robert...
Later, thinking Clark's species might have unique talents, Robert taught him simple ways to condense energy waves. Clark's eyes then emitted lasers, surprising Robert.
At that time, Robert was puzzled why Clark could learn the Solar Fist but not condense energy waves. Now, he somewhat understood.
"So, your abilities come from the sun. The sun makes your body incredibly strong, developing various bodily abilities while condensing unique energy within you. That's why you can transform this energy into the Solar Fist..." After coming to a realization, Robert seriously said to Clark.
"Let's test this theory tomorrow. Call your teacher and ask for a day off for me," Robert suggested.
Clark, suspecting Robert's real motive was to skip school, agreed reluctantly for one day only.
The next day, with the sunrise, both Clark and Robert were spirited, Clark feeling the changes the sunlight brought to his body, while Robert observed his aura.
"A slight increase in your aura before returning to calm. The sun's power is transformed into your unique energy," Robert quickly concluded.
Clark, fully immersed in observing himself, sensed something off and looked up.
At that moment, a sniper bullet hit Clark's forehead but didn't penetrate; it deformed and fell. Another bullet hit Robert the same way but with only a red mark on his forehead, no blood.
"Though it was a waste of a bullet to include an extra person, the task is completed..." From 2,500 meters away, Carlos's words were cut off by a sudden change in expression, "What the?!"
Chapter 40: Brutal Methods (Seeking Follows, Collections, Monthly Tickets, and Recommendations)
Carlos and Fox's expressions changed rapidly, not even allowing joy to emerge before being replaced by horror, as the sniper bullets hit Clark and Robert in less than six seconds.
After gathering information, the Brotherhood had located Clark. Carlos and Fox believed they could complete their mission successfully, seeing no difference between Clark, Robert, and ordinary people...
However, when the bullets didn't explode their heads, Carlos and Fox felt a chill, immediately abandoning their sniper rifles and fleeing.
"Why do they want to kill us?" Clark was puzzled, looking towards Carlos and Fox with questions in his eyes.
"Who cares why! They must pay for trying to kill us!" Robert didn't ponder; he flew towards Carlos and Fox, showcasing his newly mastered flight technique.
Clark was surprised by Robert's ability to fly, always bringing new surprises.
Robert quickly overtook Carlos and Fox, even as they tried to escape by car, his speed unmatched. Soon, Robert landed in front of the car, tearing off its door, when two guns aimed at him fired.
"Did you think playing dead would work on me?" Robert dodged the bullets with ease, pulling Carlos and Fox from the car.
Surprisingly, the dodged bullets curved back towards Robert, who avoided them again, unable to curve a second time.
"Special abilities?" Robert was taken aback by the assassins' unknown skills. As Fox attempted to stab him and Carlos aimed for his eyes and neck, Robert simply overpowered them, causing them severe pain.
"Robert...?" Clark arrived, noticing Robert's brutal methods and warning him of Carlos and Fox's adrenal surge, indicating they could still fight back.
As predicted, despite their injuries, Carlos and Fox attacked Robert, who effortlessly disabled them, breaking their limbs and silencing their threats.
"Tell us, why did you want to kill us?" Robert demanded, unfazed by their condition.
"You'll continue to be hunted even if you kill us! Destined to become a god? Just a false god! You've been marked by the true god, and death awaits you!" Fox resisted, reciting their creed, facing her end with defiance.
"What is this?" Robert, puzzled by Fox's words, turned to Carlos, who remained silent, defiant till the end.
"I'll do it myself," Robert sighed, extracting memories from Fox, learning about the Brotherhood, the Loom of Fate, and their blind obedience to an ominous loom.
"You're not the only false god; you too shall descend into hell..." Fox's defiance was cut short by Robert's lethal blast, silencing her forever.
"Robert..." Clark's eyes softened at the sight of Fox's death, while Carlos's fear intensified.
"You wouldn't have me let them go, would you?" Robert questioned Clark, emphasizing the danger they posed to their family, underlining the necessity of their actions to protect their loved ones.