Chapter 284: The Quadrilateral Relationship
Security and Surveillance
"Ava, keep an eye on Qu Youran and Wang Kun; don't let them cause trouble."
"Understood, Young Master. I also have something to report: just now, an unknown signal attempted to breach the main server database."
"Where did the signal originate?"
"The men's room on the fourth floor of the venue. I alerted Dior to investigate, but he didn't find any useful information."
"Got it. Continue monitoring."
Luke rubbed his brow, suppressing any unnecessary irritation, and continued to receive Metropolis's social elite alongside Philip.
Thanks to ShowMe, a good number of bloggers were present.
The term "blogger" had recently become popular, referring to content creators with large fanbases. They were the first to benefit from social networking, and some had follower counts exceeding hundreds of thousands, nearly on par with Superman, though still far behind the most popular figure, Batman.
ShowMe was their livelihood. Upon hearing that their boss, Luke Shaw, was holding an exhibition, they came voluntarily to show support.
Luke greeted them warmly. It was a shame there was no live-streaming platform yet; otherwise, this traffic alone would generate immense publicity.
As time went on, the venue filled up. Staff placed various minor but interesting small inventions on the exhibition tables for people to browse.
The Awkward Encounter
Unnoticed, it became 6:00 PM. As night fell, the truly important figures began to arrive, starting with Secretary of State Mr. Hyde, followed by congressmen from both parties and some military personnel. Alongside them were the heads of major banks and consortiums.
These people were the focus of the evening and future potential clients.
Luke gave them his undivided attention, ensuring his hosting duties were flawless, regardless of his inner thoughts.
He had just finished seeing off the President of Morgan Bank when a beautiful woman in a white, low-cut evening dress approached. With her was a tall, well-built young man with a determined face and black-rimmed glasses.
Luke froze for a second when he saw the young man. Simultaneously, Linda, who had been resting on a sofa, suddenly lifted her head, staring intently at the pair.
The four individuals—Luke, Linda, the woman, and the man—all looked at each other. The atmosphere became subtly charged.
Luke was the first to react, speaking with a smile.
"And you two are..."
"Lois Lane, reporter for the Daily Planet," Lois said first, introducing herself. "And this is Clark Kent, my colleague." She then glanced meaningfully at Linda and added with a smile,
"And my boyfriend."
Luke cleared his throat and instructed, "Linda, take these two friends to the reception room."
The girl sneered. Without a word, she turned and walked away.
Clark, looking slightly awkward, quietly offered an apology and hurried to follow her.
Watching them leave, Lois asked curiously,
"Mr. Shaw, can you tell me what your relationship is with Kara?"
Luke handed the reception work over to Philip and answered as they walked. "Before I answer your question, I need to know your relationship with Clark."
"I already told you, we are a couple."
"So you are fully aware of his identity."
"Of course."
Lois's eyes narrowed, showing a hint of cunning and provocation. "You're also fully aware of Kara's identity, aren't you?"
Luke smiled and shook his head.
"You might have the wrong idea. My relationship with Kara isn't what you think. We are just friends."
"Is that so?"
Lois chuckled lightly, clearly unconvinced. She knew Kara's proud temperament; a girl that arrogant wouldn't take a secretary job unless she had personal feelings.
As for the young man before her...
Recalling the information she had received from her father, Lois felt a surge of alarm: Young Master Shaw of Coast City, the underground king of the US West Coast, the future heir of the Hung Mun, a butcher whose hands were stained with countless amounts of blood...
Kara getting involved with this kind of person couldn't be a good sign!
Kryptonians Clash
Meanwhile, on the other side, Clark finally caught up with his "cousin," whose face was etched with fury.
"Kara."
"Shut up!"
Clark was stunned.
Linda crossed her arms, looking highly impatient. "What are you doing here? Who told you to come?"
Clark held out his press badge. "I'm a reporter for the Daily Planet. It's my job."
"A reporter?"
Linda let out a harsh laugh. "A descendant of the House of El, the one who holds the knowledge of the Codex of Life, running off to become a reporter? How... typical!"
Clark was starting to get angry, but he forced himself to hold back. After waiting for her to finish venting, he spoke up.
"When did you return? Why didn't you let me know?"
"None of your business."
Linda pulled a crystal pendant from her pocket and tossed it to him. "The key to the Fortress of Solitude. Here, take it back."
Clark caught the key. Remembering the images left by his birth father, he couldn't help but ask,
"You went back to Krypton. What was it like? My parents... are they..."
"They're all dead."
The girl's eyes flashed, her anger suddenly surging. She didn't know the source of the sudden fury, but she was simply seething. "The matters of Krypton have nothing to do with you. Just be a good Earth human!"
Clark sighed. "Kara, we need to sit down and talk this through."
A Critical Warning
A few minutes later, a crestfallen Clark returned to the hall. Lois asked hesitantly,
"Did you two... fight?"
Clark shook his head slightly, then turned back to Luke. "Thank you for looking after Kara during this time."
"That's too formal. Linda and I are friends; helping each other is just common courtesy. On the contrary, Clark, I think it's time you started considering your future."
Lois was puzzled. "What future are you talking about?"
Luke raised a hand, pointing toward the bar counter in the distance, where a short old man in a neat military uniform stood out from the crowd.
"You must recognize that old gentleman, right?"
Lois frowned silently. Why is my father here?
Luke continued, "General Sam Lane is the new Director of A.R.G.U.S. and a partner of Tesla. If all goes as planned, we will be working together in the future to deal with the aliens hiding on Earth."
He glanced pointedly at Clark as he spoke.
"I'll handle Linda's identity situation. What about you two?"
"Miss Lane, you know your father's personality better than I do. He is an absolute human supremacist. If he finds out his daughter is dating an alien boyfriend, I think you might run into some serious trouble."
"That's all I have to say. When I have some free time, the four of us should meet up. As for the Daily Planet's interview request, I'll satisfy it as best I can."
With that, he turned and disappeared into the crowd.
Clark stared intently at the old man in the distance, then asked Lois, full of sudden dread,
"Is he telling the truth? Your father is really Sam Lane, General Lane?"
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