Tessa saw all of Ian's reactions.
"This is fate, you can't stop it." Tessa's voice was like a verdict, with the unshakable seriousness of a command, and her fingers tapped lightly on the edge of the bed, making a regular "tapping" sound.
Ian's pupils flickered slightly.
"There is always a way." He seemed to calm down suddenly and looked directly into Tessa's eyes as she turned her head to look at him. The depth of her eyes that made him feel dizzy became more and more intense.
"This is fate, inevitable, and it is also your prejudice against death." Tessa's fingers tapping the window frame paused slightly, and a sudden deathly silence filled the frozen house.
Ian's expression was rarely serious. "Maybe death is not really scary, but the indifference to life and accepting the death of family members without doing anything is truly scary."
His response made Tessa's eyes narrow slightly. The pale woman patted her chest with her slender hands, and a somewhat novel smile appeared on her face.
"That really hits the nail on the head."
She winked at Ian, but his expression didn't change.
"What you've said to me is not meaningless." Ian actually also has a bit of serious wisdom, but he doesn't use it very often in his daily life.
After hearing this, Tessa's smile became even more intense.
"Maybe I just hope you can learn to accept reality." Her tone was still somewhat gentle, as if she were comforting a child who needed pity.
"Your family is very special, so it's a little different..." What she said did make some sense, but Ian didn't find it credible.
"Yeah?"
Ian just turned his head and looked at the black and white corridor without comment. The doors of several bedrooms were closed. "But I think you haven't comforted my brothers yet."
His words seemed to have a hidden meaning.
"What does it matter?" Tessa tilted her head and still looked very happy. "You are the youngest child. There is nothing wrong with me being more considerate of your feelings."
It makes sense.
"I don't know Grim Reapers, but in my opinion, Reapers shouldn't have such emotions... So, you are chatting with me here, it must be for a reason and meaning."
Ian's brain was working very fast now, and he gradually figured out some strange things. In response, Tessa just chuckled and looked down at the cold street below.
"I'm just killing time. I've lived too long and it's tiring." The female Grim Reaper's voice was filled with sighs and a hint of melancholy.
Ian said nothing and just looked at her quietly.
The obsidian eyes shone startlingly bright in the fading world.
After a moment.
"Okay, you cunning little guy." Tessa's voice broke the silent atmosphere. She curled her lips and raised her hands in an exaggerated gesture of surrender.
"I confess that compared to your father... I am more interested in you. Before I saw you, I didn't even realize that you are so special."
"This is a first in my boring career - that's why I decided to give you a chance, a chance that is far more generous than our Grim Reapers' boss."
Tessa glanced at the back of Ian's hand again, and after a pause, she continued, "I can give you seven days to find out why your father died."
Ian was slightly stunned by the sudden cold tone of the words.
"You want me to go back in time?"
Ian frowned and gently touched the back of his hand with his other hand. He got a very crucial piece of information from the words of the female reaper in front of him.
This made his pupils tremble a few more times.
"No, no, no, I don't admire you to that extent." Tessa suddenly laughed, "Your father's death will be delayed, and these seven days are the last chance for your father... and this city. Don't expect your father to help you. He doesn't even understand what's happened to him."
"Little guy, you can only rely on yourself... Let me see if a miracle can be born from you." Tessa's voice was filled with a hint of expectation.
After saying, without giving Ian a chance to ask more questions, her body suddenly leaned forward and fell directly to the street below the house, as if her whole body was completely integrated into the black and white night.
"Is this matter related to the safety of Metropolis? If I find out where the problem lies, my father won't have to die?" When Ian rushed to the front of the window, he could no longer see any figure.
Not only did the female reaper Tessa who was falling towards the street disappear, but even those densely packed men in black also disappeared. It was as if they had never appeared before, coming and going without a trace.
"Ian!"
"Ian!!"
"What's wrong with you?"
…
In doubt and uncertainty, Ian's world suddenly seemed to be refilled with sound and color. Everything around him seemed to be distorted and then intertwined into a blurry paste.
"Um?"
Ian couldn't help rubbing his eyes.
Opening his eyes again, he saw that one of Clark's hands was on his shoulder, and the other hand was constantly waving in front of his eyes. The old father's face was full of worry.
"Why did you suddenly become dazed?"
Clark was obviously worried that Ian's condition would worsen. Although he already knew some things about Ian, he still felt that the psychiatrist's diagnosis might not be wrong.
Hannibal is a well-known psychiatrist in the country, and he often helps the police solve cases. It is for this reason that Lois and Clark contacted him.
"That woman..." Ian looked behind Clark, and his voice stopped abruptly. There was nothing behind Clark. He turned his head sharply and looked towards the window.
The window looked as if it had never been opened.
"What just happened?"
Ian couldn't help but ask.
Clark frowned and looked at his little son carefully, his eyes becoming more and more worried. "I came out of the bathroom and saw you suddenly standing there with a distracted look in your eyes."
It's no wonder that his father is worried. Ian's behavior is exactly the same as what he learned through speed reading about the typical symptoms of schizophrenia patients.
'So, you can't even remember the thing that I accused you of cheating on you... Or maybe it never happened in reality?' Ian suddenly felt like he was living in a Matrix.
Can't tell.
I really can't tell the difference!
"Dad, did anything strange happen during the day?" If he couldn't tell the difference, he didn't bother with it. What Ian cared more about was the cause of Superman's death, mentioned by the Reaper Tessa before.
He always felt that it must be related to something that happened today.
However, "You know, just some boring news collection...very boring." Clark pushed his glasses, and he obviously had no intention of telling the truth.
"…"
Ian stared at his old father for a long time.
"Go to bed quickly. As for the incident of you encountering robbers, don't worry. I will definitely take it very seriously." Clark didn't notice that Ian's expression was unusual.
He patted Ian's shoulder in assurance.
"…"
Ian, who still wanted to show his cards, was brought into the room by Clark.
"See you tomorrow, Dad," Ian said softly.
Clark was visibly stunned.
"See you tomorrow."
He smiled, watching Ian's door close, but once he was alone in the hallway, Clark's smile faded into a thoughtful confusion.
"Did something happen..."
Clark looked in the direction of the toilet.
His eyes flickered a little.
He raised his arm that was covered by his sleeve, and the hideous wound was still emitting green light. However, the feeling of becoming increasingly weak before seemed to have suddenly stopped.
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