Chapter 57: Suppression

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"Ladies and gentlemen! And our dear little ones! Please enjoy our special performance next!"

"That's right! The mutants you're seeing before you are the very ones people fear—the mutant monsters that cause terror just by being mentioned!"

"But please, take note—here, they are just... marvelous creatures providing entertainment for us!"

As the host spoke, a performer holding a long whip lightly flicked it, striking a mutant on the back.

This mutant had a hard shell on its back and short limbs, resembling a large turtle standing upright.

As the whip struck, the mutant obediently dropped to the ground, crawling around like a turtle.

The crowd burst into enthusiastic applause, though there were several people who showed visible disgust at the scene.

Mike frowned and looked at Charles and Eric. "Don't watch this, let's go."

"Dad!" Charles's face turned pale. "Is he like us?"

At that moment, Mike wanted to say "no" to the child, but in the end, he nodded.

He knew that both Charles and Eric had already figured it out. A simple "no" would seem hollow and false. Right now, the two children needed warmth—a comforting embrace to shield them from the malice around them.

Mike walked up to Charles and hugged him tightly.

Charles, though scared, peeked out from Mike's shoulder, his eyes still fixed on the performance.

"These people are disgusting! These sons of b****es!" Eric muttered angrily, feeling an overwhelming sense of fury.

At that moment, the three of them couldn't help but feel a deep empathy because of their own identities as mutants.

Mike didn't scold Eric for cursing. Instead, he pulled Eric into his arms, whispering, "Control yourself, don't let your powers spiral out of control."

Eric nodded and buried his face in Mike's chest, no longer watching the performance.

Clark, standing nearby, also turned away, feeling repulsed. He found the scene disturbing, because, in some ways, he shared many similarities with mutants.

The show continued.

Apart from the first mutant, another appeared on stage.

This mutant had also undergone physical mutations, sprouting insect-like antennae. She had the ability to blow crystal-like bubbles, which sparkled under the stage lights.

Now, the two mutants, much like the animals from earlier, performed in front of the crowd, guided by the cracks of whips and the sounds of whistles.

Eric clenched his fists and suddenly spoke. "Dad, I want to save them!"

Mike paused, then said to Charles, "You contact them, see what they want."

Charles wiped his tears and focused intently on the mutant crawling on the ground.

The mutant paused, scanning the crowd. But with another crack of the whip, he resumed his crawling.

A few seconds later, Charles looked stunned, then turned his gaze to the other mutant.

"What happened?" Mike asked, sensing something was wrong just from Charles's expression.

"They both refused," Charles replied, his voice low and filled with sadness.

"What?" Eric exclaimed in disbelief. "How could that be?"

"They said that if they leave, their lives would be even worse. They might not even be able to get enough food. At least here, they get some money," Charles explained with pain, his voice trembling as he quietly sobbed.

Mike sighed inwardly.

He picked up both children, turned to Clark, and said, "Let's go."

Staying here any longer, he feared that Charles and Eric would lose control of their powers and cause an explosion of energy.

Clark nodded and followed behind Mike as they left the circus.

The performance on stage ended, and the comical clowns took the stage, performing exaggerated and silly antics to conclude the show, bringing joy to the audience.

However, the Kent family couldn't share in that joy.

After leaving the circus, the suffocating feeling that had gripped Charles and Eric began to fade away.

Mike took the three children to a restaurant and ordered some food.

The three of them had grim expressions. They sipped their juice, but their appetites were completely gone.

Clark glanced at the two and sighed lightly. "Dad, why did they refuse?"

Upon hearing the question, both Charles and Eric looked up at Mike.

Mike took a sip of coffee, exhaled slowly, and said, "You save them, and then what?"

Eric, feeling excited, replied, "Then they'll be free."

"Free? Will freedom stop them from being hungry? Will it help them survive? Do you think, given their condition, they could find work to support themselves?" Mike asked.

Eric fell silent, while Charles carefully spoke up, "We could help them. We could help them survive!"

Mike raised an eyebrow, "We save these two—can we save all mutants? Can we find work for every mutant?"

Charles fell silent at that, his gaze dropping to the table.

At that moment, Eric looked at Mike with determination. "Then we save everyone!"

Charles stared at Eric, sensing the passionate, molten-hot feelings bubbling deep within him, ready to explode at any moment. He clenched his fists and added, "Yes, we save everyone!"

Mike looked at the two children, who had just vowed to change the world, and smiled. "But not now."

"You need to grow, grow strong enough to make that wish come true."

"Still, no matter what, as long as you're right, I'll support you both!" he said, a proud smile on his face.

The two children nodded firmly.

Mike ruffled their hair. "Now, eat. Growing starts with filling your stomach."

"Mm!" they both responded, digging in.

Clark's gaze shifted from his father to his two brothers, his heart swelling with warmth and pride at having such a family.

Half an hour later, the four of them finished eating and left the restaurant.

The night was just right, with the city lights still sparkling.

With Christmas approaching, they decided to take a walk around the street, relaxing and enjoying the atmosphere. When they saw that it was getting late, they got in the car and headed home.

Their villa was quite a distance away.

Fortunately, Mike was an excellent driver, and they quickly made their way near the villa area.

As they drove along the winding road leading to their neighborhood, Mike glanced back at Eric and Charles. Seeing their wide eyes, with no sign of sleepiness, as if they were deep in thought, he chuckled and shook his head.

It seemed that tonight's events had made a strong impact on them.

However, if they wanted to make a change, they needed to keep pushing forward.

At that moment, Clark, who had been looking out the window, suddenly changed his expression. "Dad, get ready to stop!"

"What's wrong?"

"Someone needs help!"

"Eh?"

(End of Chapter)