4 Chapter 4: What is it like to be struck by Superman?

The afternoon training session lasted only half an hour. The rookie team managed to score 12 points, thanks to Clark intentionally holding back.

"Finally, I get to lie down next to Little Superman!" Li Ya sighed in relief.

What made him even happier was that his friendship with Clark increased by another five percent in that short half-hour.

Meanwhile, the senior teams couldn't hide their disappointment. They were supposed to teach the newcomers how to play football, but instead, they found themselves falling behind, which didn't sit well with their egos.

"I'll mark Clark and try to bring him down. Then we can play in formation B!" Whitney strategized, recognizing Clark as the key player for the newcomers.

If they could limit Clark, they still had a chance at victory.

The game resumed, and Li Ya passed the ball to Little Superman and ran behind, grateful for his assist.

In the meantime, Whitney made a sliding tackle toward Clark from the side.

"Wow, he dares to slide tackle Superman! This guy's a real warrior!" Li Ya's admiration for Whitney grew.

Clark, dazzled by the continuous goals, especially with Lana shouting his name, felt like he was on cloud nine.

Suddenly, Whitney slid in with a tackle, catching Clark off guard. Clark couldn't let Whitney touch him. It would be like being hit by a speeding truck.

What happens when someone collides with a speeding truck? Their legs get crushed!

"Oops!"

Clark tried to kick forward with his right foot, but he missed Whitney's sliding tackle. His steps became chaotic, his balance shifted, and he fell backward.

Who was behind him?

It was Li Ya!

Li Ya had been ready to enjoy Whitney's misfortune, but then he realized Clark was falling toward her.

If it were anyone else, maybe Boulder Johnson, Li Ya might have tried to help him. But this was Clark Kent, the man known as the Man of Steel, who could crush a piece of steel over you. Who would help you then?

His instinct told him to escape, but Li Ya sadly realized he didn't possess Superman's reaction time or speed. He could only watch Little Superman get closer and closer in his line of sight.

"Big brother, don't do it!"

That was Li Ya's last thought. The next second, he heard the sound of bones breaking, and then he was sent flying.

It felt like being hit by a sports car going at 122 miles per hour. It couldn't get any worse than that!

"Oh no, Li Ya!"

"What happened?"

"God, his bones are broken! Call an ambulance! Dial 911!"

Li Ya still had some residual consciousness. But when he heard someone mention calling 911, the famous money-draining American ambulance, he fainted.

It's over. Everything is ruined!

What frustrated him the most was that he couldn't go to Lana's house to help her with homework tonight. It was a missed opportunity!

When Li Ya woke up again, he found herself lying in the town hospital ward.

The room wasn't spacious, and he was the only patient in the bed. The curtains on the west side were open, letting in the warm sunlight from noon.

"Thank God, you finally woke up!"

A middle-aged man wearing a police uniform, with swollen eyes as if he hadn't slept all night, spoke to him.

Li Ya recognized him as his uncle, James Rogers.

As he shifted his body, he felt a piercing pain, and James quickly pressed him down. "Don't move. The doctor said you've fractured three ribs and your right-hand bone is broken. Take some rest now."

"How long have I been unconscious, Uncle James?" Li Ya asked weakly, struggling to utter a few words.

"For an entire afternoon and a night. Don't worry, I've already arranged for you to take a break from school," James sighed. "Kent's kids are too careless..."

Fortunately, injuries are common in football, so no one suspects anything wrong with Clark.

"Don't blame him. In football, collisions happen. It's just that I'm not in the best shape, and I need to work on my fitness in the future."

Li Ya didn't blame Clark. On one hand, he didn't mean to cause harm, and on the other hand, he was counting on his Superman card!

Thinking about the Superman card, Li Ya immediately closed his eyes and consciously entered the system space.

She thought that after this incident, her friendship with Clark would improve slightly, but things didn't go as expected. Their friendship value had dropped to 30%.

"Darn, it..." Li Ya's face turned pale, and she almost spat out blood.

Not only was he hospitalized with severe injuries, but he also lost the chance to have quality time with Lana for intense studying. And to make matters worse, his friendship with Little Superman had decreased.

I've lost my chance!

It kept bothering him, but she couldn't find an explanation. Clark himself was a responsible person. When such a thing happened, he blamed himself internally and felt ashamed to face her, so their friendship value decreased.

It must be like this. He hadn't discovered his relationship with Lana.

Uncle James listened to Li Ya and encouraged him with a hint of approval in his eyes. "Good, if you think so, then you can rest assured. By the way, there's a flower on your bed, and it was given by a little girl, a girl from the Blue family."

"Yes, she came here last night, and the Kents were here too. I think they'll be back around noon today," James said, shrugging.

As expected, footsteps echoed in the corridor, and then the door to the ward opened. First, a middle-aged couple entered, followed by Clark, head down, and Lana holding a bouquet.

"Sheriff Rogers, we're so sorry for all the trouble caused," the middle-aged man in old-fashioned denim said as he approached Li Ya, shaking his hand. The two adults focused their attention on him, slightly trembling.

These two must be Clark's adoptive parents, Jonathan Kent and Martha Kent.

Martha, although middle-aged, still had her charm. She took out a lunchbox and said to Li Ya, "Li Ya, on behalf of Clark, I want to apologize to you. I cooked some soup for you. I hope it helps you get better soon."

"Aunt Martha's soup is delicious. I tasted it a bit earlier, and I think you'll like it too!" Lana placed fresh flowers on the bedside and winked at Clark, signalling him to say something as well.

Clark opened his mouth, and from his expression, it was clear that he blamed himself. He seemed to hate having superpowers. He just wanted to be a regular high school student, play with friends, and play football together.

"I'm sorry!"

Li Ya said lightly to the crowd, "Could you all please step out for a while? I have something to discuss with Clark alone."

Aunt Martha was a little concerned and asked, "Can't you say it in our presence?"

Father Kent intervened, waving his hand to interrupt Aunt Martha. Then he smiled at Li Ya and said, "Yes, Clark, you can stay with Li Ya for a while. Let's go outside!"

Led by Father Kent, everyone left the ward, and Lana pouted unhappily. "Why can't it be said in front of me? You guys are being so mysterious."