Viktor didn't nod immediately, nor did he refuse on the spot. He simply unconsciously rubbed the fish scale residue left on his palm with his fingertips.

  This sudden proposal always hides some unknown reason, even if the one proposing it is Tom who has been good with him over the past seven days.

  "Why are you asking me that all of a sudden?"

  Viktor's voice was calm, with no hint of emotion.

  "Superheroes... to me, it seems more like a bel that you Earthlings use to categorize 'special groups.'"

  Tom put down the fishing rod in his hand, turned around, and pulled out a clean cloth from the cabin. He then slowly wiped the water stains off the ship's railing.

  He didn't speak again until the boat's side was completely clean and he turned to look at him.

  "You want to live on Earth for a long time, right?"

  Tom's tone remained gentle but carried a certainty that couldn't be avoided.

  Viktor nodded slightly.

  The original intention of escaping from the Viltrum was to escape the endless killing and find a pce where he could live peacefully.

  Earth, even though its situation was uncertain, was still his "home" in his heart, and the best option at the moment.

  "If you want to stay here for a long time and live normally… You need a real identity."

  Tom's voice grew a little deeper.

  "And without an identity, you can't work or travel normally… but the biggest problem isn't just that. It's where you come from."

  He paused, his gaze falling on the few shallow scars on his chest, and continued, "Your civilization's values are almost the opposite of Earth's values. Right now, not many people know you exist, but once more people find out about your background, how do you think they will see you?"

  Viktor's eyelids lowered slightly. He, of course, knew that if the brutal reputation of Viltrum ever spread, they would probably find it hard to accept him.

  "Think about Superman."

  Tom mentioned the man who had saved him.

  "You know, he's never avoided talking about this in any interview. His pnet was destroyed a long time ago, and there's no threat left behind. Moreover, Superman grew up on Earth with a natural kindness toward humanity. But even so, how many people have truly accepted him?"

  Superman is always the first to rush in and save people.

  However, the people are filled with doubts. There are some who say he's an alien spy, and others worry he might lose control one day and bring disaster to Earth. There are even calls to the government to supervise him.

  Viktor furrowed his brows. He actually understood. If he were in the shoes of an Earthling who knew nothing about Superman's true nature, he'd probably be worried too.

  However, from his current position, Viktor was scared that he would likely be viewed even worse than Superman by them.

  "He's strong enough, strong enough to easily ignore any ws and rules on Earth."

  Tom's voice carried a hint of sentiment.

  "It's like when you were fishing in the sea just now. Whether you were trying to catch a few fish for lunch or just wanted to feel what fishing is like, the fish would get scared and flee from you, or even be crushed by you unintentionally."

  "Your power and Superman's are like that."

  Tom stretched out his hand, pointing to the calm sea in the distance.

  "Unless you never use your abilities again, maybe live like me, working from sunrise to sunset... but do you think you can do that?"

  Viktor lowered his head, looking at his clenched fist without realizing it. This power was born from years of blood and fighting in war. It was the only thing that kept him alive back there.

  Right now, giving it up would feel as impossible as… stopping breathing. Moreover, if any Viltrum ever came looking for him, without his power, Viktor would be completely helpless.

  "When you were flying high in the sky, looking down at the sea, those fish had no idea what you were going to do next, but their fate had already been affected by your existence."

  "Using superpowers is like putting yourself in that high position. To prevent ordinary people from being afraid of you or rejecting you, you have to give them a reason to accept you."

  "Superheroes are that reason."

  Tom finally got to the point.

  It's about showing ordinary people through actions that this power is not a threat, but a form of protection.

  "Of course, this path won't be easy. You'll probably face a lot of doubts and attacks, but it's the most suitable path for you right now."

  Viktor stood on the fishing boat, gazing out at the endless sea, lost in thought.

  Tom's words made a lot of sense.

  If he wanted to live peacefully on Earth, he'd have to get past the hurdles of being an "alien" and from "Viltrum."

  But just the thought of always having to protect others, like Superman on TV, made Viktor feel uneasy. The reason he fled Viltrum was also to escape from a fate and not be forced to serve anyone or anything.

  The sea breeze blew for a long time, and he still didn't say anything.

  Tom didn't rush him. He just picked up the fishing rod again and quietly fished, as if the suggestion from earlier was just a casual conversation.

  It wasn't until the sun began to set that Viktor finally spoke up, slowly, sounding a little unsure.

  "I still need to think about it."

  "It's fine, you have plenty of time to think."

  Tom said, putting down his fishing rod and smiling gently, but there was a sly glint in his smile.

  "However, there's one thing I need to make clear. I'm just a small fisherman, and I can't support you for the rest of your life."

  Viktor paused for a moment, then quickly realized.

  Tom was indirectly urging him to make a decision and reminding him that he couldn't hide forever in this safe pce.

  Viktor nodded without argument.

  "I'll recommend someone to you. They might be able to help you solve your identity problem, at least for a while."

  Tom packed up his fishing gear and started tidying up the things on the fishing boat.

  Viktor felt a bit curious.

  "Who?"

  "You'll know when you get there."

  Tom left it at that, moving the packed fishing gear into the cabin.

  "Let's go, we'll head back and pack up. We'll leave tonight."

  ...

  Back at the small seaside cabin, Viktor quickly packed his things.

  Honestly, there wasn't much to pack—just a few changes of clothes that Tom had bought for him.

  Tom, on the other hand, rummaged through a storage room and pulled out a rusty car key. He found a cloth, wiped off a very old-looking pickup truck parked outside the house, and cleaned it up a bit.

  The truck was covered in scratches, and the tires were a bit defted. It looked like it had been around for at least ten years.

  Tom inserted the key and turned it a few times with force. The engine let out a sound as it sputtered to life, finally starting up, with bck smoke pouring out of the exhaust.

  "Don't be fooled by how it looks, it runs smoothly once it's going."

  Tom patted the steering wheel and said to him.

  As soon as he opened the door, Viktor noticed the seat was covered in dust. He grabbed a rag, wiped it off, and then sat in the front seat.

  To be honest, the style of the car seemed a bit outdated.

  After searching a map for a while and asking a few questions, Viktor finally learned that Tom's seaside cabin was located on the outskirts of the Metropolis.

  Metropolis was the pce where Superman lived and worked.

  He got an idea and looked at Tom, who was backing up the truck:

  "You're taking me to meet Superman?"

  Tom paused for a second, then shook his head.

  "No."

  After the pickup truck merged onto the main road, it headed toward the city.

  ...

  When they reached an intersection in the road, Tom didn't choose the path leading to the downtown Metropolis but instead turned onto another road heading toward Gotham City.

  "Gotham City?"

  He furrowed his brows. Even without watching TV news, just based on the faint memories from his past life, Viktor knew what kind of pce that was.

  A city with a high crime rate, constantly shrouded in darkness. It's the total opposite of sunny, happy Metropolis, more like a pce always covered in shadows and danger.

  The pickup truck drove through the night for nearly two hours, finally reaching the center of Gotham City.

  The atmosphere here was completely different from Metropolis. Even at night, the streets were filled with a sense of oppression, and the neon lights glowed in wet puddles on the ground, making strange, creepy reflections everywhere.

  Tom drove the pickup truck and finally stopped in front of a towering building.

  Wayne Enterprises

  Viktor froze.

  'Tom brought him here?'

  "We've arrived."

  Tom turned off the engine and said to him.

  "This is Wayne Enterprises. The person you recommended is here?"

  He asked with confusion.

  'He kind of guessed what was going on, but who exactly was Tom? He knew Superman, and now he knew Batman too?'

  "I know Superman, and Superman knows Batman."

  Tom said this while rolling down the car window.

  "And not many people know this but the CEO of Wayne Enterprises, Bruce Wayne, secretly knows Batman. He can help you."

  Viktor didn't show any emotion but rolled his eyes in his head.

  Tom was being way too obvious with that comment.

  Before Viktor could respond, Tom was already ushering him out.

  "You can go in by yourself. Bruce Wayne will be waiting for you inside. I have things to do, so I won't accompany you."

  After he reluctantly got out of the car, Tom waved and drove off in the old truck, leaving without looking back.

  He watched the taillights disappear into the night and sighed in frustration. He turned to look at the building in front of him, momentarily feeling at a loss.

  Honestly, Viktor really didn't want to meet this guy as he remembered him as a gloomy, humorless, and boring person. Just as he was about to turn and leave, the building's revolving door suddenly opened.

  A tall man in a bck suit stepped out, with his hair meticulously combed, and he wore a gentle smile. He looks like a calm and powerful businessman, but also has a quiet sharpness.

  The man's gaze immediately fell on Viktor, and he quickly walked over, extending his hand.

  "Hello, I'm Bruce Wayne. I believe the person who recommended you to me has already mentioned me to you."