Chapter 601: Who Can Destruction Schiller Manor? (Part II) (Patreon)

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The metallic screech of train wheels against the tracks reverberated through the station as the train slowly pulled in. Clark tightened his coat and glanced down at the two pet carriers he held in his hands.

He tapped the pet carriers with his finger and muttered to himself, "If it weren't for you two little guys, I wouldn't have taken this train."

Nevertheless, he continued carrying the pet carriers as he made his way out of the train station. Just before exiting the station, he realized he was feeling a bit hungry. After all, even though Gotham was relatively close to Metropolis, taking this slow train still took several hours, and Schiller Manor was in ruins, leaving him without a meal for a day.

As Superman, he couldn't starve, but his normal appetite made him crave a hearty meal. Looking around, he found that the train station in Metropolis had decent facilities, but the food here was quite expensive, and Clark's budget was tight. He decided to find something to eat outside the station.

But at that moment, an enticing aroma wafted towards him. He turned his head and discovered that a food stall had appeared at the entrance of the train station, emitting the alluring scent.

Following the aroma, Clark found a food truck selling hotdogs. Metropolis had strict regulations regarding food trucks, but back in his hometown in Kansas, farmers often pushed their own food carts to sell their homegrown produce and food, and the scent was similar to what he was smelling now.

Appetite and homesickness combined to lure Clark towards the food truck. Approaching it, he saw a middle-aged man with a stubbled chin working behind the counter. Clark ordered a large hotdog with double the toppings and pickles. As he bit into the high-calorie delight, a satisfied sigh escaped his lips.

"Oh, what's that you're carrying? A cat?... It looks quite cute," the man said.

"Really? I think so too, which is why I adopted it," Clark replied with a smile as he continued to eat. He felt that the man was easy to talk to, and having someone to chat with while eating made the experience more enjoyable.

"What's in the other cage? You have two cats?" the hotdog vendor asked while grilling sausages.

"Oh, no, that's a mouse with a unique fur color. Someone had dyed it, and I rescued it," Clark explained somewhat awkwardly. It was clear that he had been coached on this explanation, and he always felt uncomfortable when he had to lie.

"Keeping a cat and a mouse together? Your hobbies are quite unique," the man hesitated before commenting. Clark didn't know how to explain further, so he simply focused on finishing his meal.

The conversation grew awkward, but as Clark wolfed down his hotdog, it was soon finished. He gulped down a couple of free sodas, wiped his mouth, waved to the man, and then left.

After leaving the train station with his two companions, he still couldn't fly because he wasn't sure if taking his pets into the sky would cause them stress. Additionally, the yellow-skinned mouse adamantly refused to go anywhere above the third floor, claiming to be afraid of heights.

For Clark, a talking mouse was not that surprising. After all, he had just come from a city filled with talking cats, so it seemed perfectly normal that a talking mouse existed, right?

After repeatedly instructing Pikachu not to make a scene in the city, Clark hailed a taxi and headed straight back to his dormitory at Metropolis University.

Metropolis University had better facilities than Gotham University, and due to his outstanding performance in track and field, Clark's coach had placed him in a well-equipped apartment building. Here, he had a private room and even a small living room, making it an ideal place to keep pets without any restrictions.

Opening the pet carriers, he released a cat and a mouse. Bat Cat darted out, ears flattened, and immediately started hissing at Pikachu. Clark quickly used his large hand to press down on Bat Cat's head and scolded, "What did I tell you earlier? No fighting!"

With Bat Cat still in his grasp, Clark cradled him and gently stroked his fur, saying, "Don't be nervous. I know, you've probably never seen a talking mouse before, have you?"

"What are you talking about? I want to bite him because he shocked me!" Bat Cat retorted.

"But even if he shocked you, you can't... Wait a minute! You can talk too?!"

Clark was shocked, and he let go of Bat Cat, who immediately leaped onto the sofa across from him.

He let out another "meow," and Clark realized that he could still understand what the cat was saying. Bat Cat seemed to be saying, "What's so surprising? Haven't we met before?"

Clark stood frozen in place. He said, "You can't really be Bruce, can you? I thought you just looked like him..."

Bat Cat sighed in resignation, and Clark had never imagined that he could see Bruce's expressions on a cat's face. Bat Cat explained to Clark that because their consciousness had once entered Cat City and they could understand cat language, they retained that ability even after returning to their own bodies.

Unlike Pikachu, who could naturally speak human language with a standard English accent and a hint of West Coast slang, Bat Cat could only meow, but those who had visited Cat City could still understand him.

Seeing Clark still bewildered, Bat Cat nonchalantly settled onto the sofa and looked at him, saying, "I don't know how the other me put up with you, but have you not realized that you're being watched?"

"What?" Compared to a talking cat, what he said was much more attention-grabbing. Clark asked in confusion, "What do you mean, I'm being watched?"

"Throughout your journey here, the vendor selling cigarettes at the train station, the man selling hotdogs, and the taxi driver, they should all be part of the same group, keeping a close watch on you."

"What you may not have noticed is that the cigarette vendor passed by you five times, but your appearance and demeanor don't suggest you're a smoker. These vendors have sharp eyes and usually don't waste time on non-smokers."

"The man selling hotdogs was fishing for information the entire time. He complimented the cat's cuteness, but his expressions revealed reluctance and even disgust, which you failed to notice."

"The taxi driver who chatted with you on the road claimed to be a Kansas farmer, just to get closer to you. However, he seemed unfamiliar with the brand of farming machinery you mentioned. When you got off the car, his expression turned cold in the rearview mirror."

"You…" Clark was left speechless by Bat Cat's lengthy exposition. After a moment of silence, he walked over to the sofa, and Bat Cat attempted to escape, but Clark swiftly captured him.

He held Bat Cat up to eye level, staring into his eyes and said, "I didn't notice it before, but now that I look closely, your eyes seem more purple than blue."

"Wait a minute, are you that Joker cat? The one who was dyed and then lost the color? How did you end up here?"

Bat Cat covered his eyes with his paw. He had forgotten that aside from Schiller, Bruce, and himself, very few knew the full story. Clark, as an observer, hadn't paid attention to the conversations of those individuals, so he was unaware of the details.

Bat Cat briefly recounted his story to Clark, who wore a deeply sympathetic expression. Then, he examined Bat Cat's paw and noticed that two of the nails had broken off, one of them breaking from the root, resulting in a minor bleeding.

Clark sighed and stood up, searching for a first-aid kit in the room. However, the first-aid kit in the dormitory was meant for humans, and Clark had never used it. He didn't know how to bandage a cat's nails. Finally, he shook his head in resignation, placed Bat Cat back in the pet carrier, and said:

"Let's go, we need to visit the pet hospital. I've heard that if a cat's nails become infected, it can have serious consequences, possibly affecting their ability to walk. We need to see a doctor quickly."

Scooping up the pet carrier containing Bat Cat, Clark was about to leave. Pikachu, from behind, exclaimed, "Hey! When I told you I had acrophobia, you didn't take it this seriously. If you keep this up, I'll get angry!"

Clark sighed in exasperation. Just as he was about to turn around and reassure Pikachu, the electric mouse loudly shouted, "Hey, what's that? Is it a game console?"

"Oh my, such an ancient game console! Wait! Isn't this the original version of that super expensive remake I saw at the exhibition last time? Where's the game cartridge?"

Pikachu hopped over to the table with excitement, rummaged around, and then waved at Clark, saying, "You go on, I'll keep an eye on the place."

Clark clicked his tongue, shook his head, and didn't say anything more. He turned and left the room, this time holding the pet carrier close, allowing him to hear Bat Cat's constant chatter.

"Now, the person at eleven o'clock is following you. Each time they pass by, their gaze lingers on you for about fifteen seconds. They are definitely keeping an eye on you."

"The driver of the taxi you're currently in seems fine, but the person who got off this car earlier is probably also watching you."

Clark was chilled by these words. He lowered his voice and said to Bat Cat, "Why are they watching me? What could possibly make me worth their attention?"

"Who knows? It's not like you have super strength, flight, and laser vision, right?"

Clark detected a hint of sarcasm in Bat Cat's tone. Then, Bat Cat continued, "These people didn't just appear today. Clearly, they've been at it for a while. Your recent unusual travel patterns have drawn their attention, so they're watching you closely. If you go back home with this group, your parents could be in danger."

Clark shivered and asked, "What should I do to shake off their surveillance? I'm about to go on vacation, and if these people follow me home, my parents could be at risk."

"Don't keep staring at the cage; maintain a normal expression and carry on as usual. Clearly, your recent deviations from your routine have piqued their interest, so they're keeping an even closer eye on you. Once you return to your normal state, they should reduce their surveillance. Then, we can figure out how to investigate further."

Clearly, with Batman's external brain in place, Clark gave up thinking and acted instinctively. Although this Batman was just a cat, in some ways, it seemed even better. After all, people generally trust animals more than they do humans.

After taking Bat Cat to the doctor, Clark was preparing to return to his dormitory. However, when he opened his room door, he was met with a bewildering sight.

Two individuals lay in his room, covered in soot, indicating they had been electrocuted. Pikachu stood on the sofa, holding a game controller. Upon seeing Clark return, he said, "While you were away, these two broke into your dorm room. I knocked them out and found this on them."

Pikachu hopped off the sofa's backrest, retrieved something from between the sofa cushions, and handed it to Clark. It was a medal bearing the image of a sickle, hammer, and a red flag.

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Next Chapter>>Chapter 603: Using the Sword to Kill the Eagle (Part 1)