"Uh…"
Clark always felt something was off.
"Eric, can't you go any faster?"
In the dark of night, Eric was flying through the air.
His flying speed was a bit slow, not much faster than a bird's.
Clark held onto Eric's clothes, flying forward with him.
While he wasn't afraid of heights due to fear of falling, it felt strange.
"If I speed up, I'm afraid you'll be directly thrown off."
Eric gave a cold glance at Superman, who was holding onto his clothes below.
In his memory, it was always Superman holding others while flying, so he never thought Superman would one day be carried by him through the air.
Although he couldn't hug him, thinking about the contrast from before still gave him a strange feeling.
"I wonder when I'll learn to fly!"
Clark said with a hint of melancholy.
"I don't quite understand. I once experienced a similar feeling before. One day, I woke up and found myself floating above my bed. It was a wonderful feeling."
Clark brought up the story of how he used to float in the air and cause his bed to collapse.
"If you try to learn to fly, it means you've fully matured, Clark."
Eric said lightly.
He knew how strong the "Son of Krypton" would become in the future; Darkseid, Anti-Monitor, and all those threats to the universe's life and death were all dealt with by Clark.
Once Clark learned to fly, it would probably mean the seal was broken, and he would become the omnipotent "Superman" in Eric's memory, not the rebellious, clumsy, and indecisive Clark he was now.
However...
If that happened, would it mean that if Eric didn't continue to improve his own strength, he would be heavily beaten by this guy in the future?
Clark would soon awaken his flying ability. If Eric couldn't quickly improve his strength, the situation between them could easily undergo a "two-level reversal"!
Feeling the strong wind blowing past his ears, Eric fell into a state of thoughtful reflection, preparing for danger in times of peace.
After more than ten minutes, the two landed in an empty alley in Metropolis.
"Is this the so-called 'Thug Gang' territory?"
Eric looked to the side and asked Clark.
"Yes, it's here. I remember there were many people here last time I came."
Clark looked left and right in confusion.
Eric ignored the other person, activating his Super Vision to look at the buildings shrouded in the night, penetrating through layers of obstacles, his gaze reaching inside the buildings.
Noisy entertainment venues, ordinary residential houses...
Every scene within the buildings was completely captured by his vision.
Thug Gang Headquarters.
The gang leader was reporting the situation to a mysterious person dispatched by the headquarters.
"We discovered his abilities. He's not an ordinary person; bullets can't hurt him at all, and his speed is like a gust of wind! This has completely gone beyond the scope of a normal person."
The bald middle-aged leader of the Thug Gang, who had a lean physique, reported to the mysterious person.
The man, entirely hidden in the darkness, with a black hood and mask, adorned with various cold weapons, looked intimidating. After listening to the bald man's report, he remained silent for a moment.
"So, you want to hire him to work for us? Although he possesses such strength, he's not a trustworthy guy, and… is someone who robs banks every other day someone we can recruit? We've spent years on this plan, and we won't allow anyone to ruin it."
"What plan?"
As soon as the words fell, two figures walked in from outside.
Hearing the unfamiliar voices, both were greatly startled.
The bald man looked at Clark, who was walking behind Eric, his eyes wide. He hadn't expected the other party to find him!
"It sounds like you're plotting something big. Did we interrupt you?"
Eric asked casually while surveying the surroundings.
"You… how did you? Where are the people outside?!"
The bald man stood up, asking Eric with a shocked expression.
He had clearly instructed his subordinates to guard outside, so it was impossible for these two guys to enter without alerting anyone.
"You mean your subordinates?"
Eric shook his head, "They've already been dealt with."
"W-what?!"
Before he could react, Eric stepped forward, moved in front of the bald man, grabbed him by the neck, and lifted him up.
"This arrow, is it from your gang?"
While holding the other's neck, Eric showed the black arrow in his hand to the other party.
The bald man, whose throat was clutched, struggling to breathe and gasping for air, had a flicker of fear in his eyes.
Although he wanted to appear tough, the pain in his throat and the lack of air in his lungs prevented him from maintaining his tough persona.
"Cough, cough… That was just a warning, I had no intention of harming anyone!"
Terrified, he hadn't expected this guy in front of him to possess the same strength as Clark Kent.
Looking at Clark, who was now glaring at him from the side, the bald man's heart was instantly filled with despair.
"He… he took our money, but he didn't do the work for us. This was just a warning!"
The bald man stammered, casting his gaze towards Clark.
Clark felt a bit uneasy under his gaze. Although he wanted to refute immediately, remembering his agreement with Eric to remain silent, he could only turn his face away, pretending not to have heard.
Eric was not satisfied with the bald man's answer, increasing the force in his hand. "Another question, are you a gang or a terrorist organization?"
The bald man was somewhat caught off guard by Eric's question. After a moment of stunned, he quickly replied, "We… we are an ordinary gang, not a terrorist organization."
"Is that so?"
Eric nodded, "But I'm skeptical about that."
"Let him go!"
The person in the black uniform, hood, and mask, sitting opposite Eric, stood up and said to Eric.
The other party crossed his arms over his chest, looking directly at Eric, who was choking the bald man's neck, his voice chilling. "Either go to hell, or there's still a glimmer of hope. Let him go, and you've made your choice."
"Is that so?"
Eric smiled and released his right hand from the bald man's throat, saying, "I'm afraid the one who needs to make a choice is you, not me."
With that, he swiftly extended his left hand and, before the bald man could fall to the ground, twisted his neck.
With a "crack," the bald man instantly died and fell to the ground, without even a muffled groan.
"You!"
Seeing Eric so easily and cleanly dispatch the bald man, the hooded man's heart was instantly filled with rage, and at the same time, he became extremely wary of Eric!
He had never seen a being with such speed, full of killing intent and an unapproachable cold aura. Even just standing in front of him made him feel extreme danger.
Affected by the warning in his heart, the hooded man's eyelids twitched wildly, and he immediately drew his bow and nocked an arrow!
A sharp arrow immediately shot towards Eric.
The hooded man, who had been trained for many years, driven by hatred to sharpen himself into a keen blade, instantly revealed his true colors.
But to his surprise, something else happened!
With a whoosh!
The black arrow was caught just before it entered the other party's body.
Eric held the arrow in his palm, which had shot towards him like a black lightning bolt.
"Is this all your arrows can do?"
Eric sneered, throwing the black arrow to the ground.
"If this is the extent of your arrows, then you can prepare to die!"
The next second, the man in black's eyes widened, and a storm raged in his heart!
Eric lightning-fast charged at him, extending his hand to grab him.
A fierce aura, accompanied by a strong wind, startled the hooded man!
Having undergone strict, even brutal, training, he violently pushed off the ground with his right foot, attempting to create distance between himself and Eric using the recoil.
After creating space, he quickly pulled out his right hand, swiftly and decisively drawing a black arrow from the quiver on his back.
Even though he was enveloped and oppressed by Eric's aura, unable to breathe, he still managed to draw a black arrow for a counterattack at high speed.
He didn't expect that the moment he nocked the arrow on the bowstring, it was snatched back by the other party.
To the hooded man's horror, the arrow pierced his shoulder.
The arrow, with its titanium alloy blade, cut through his skin and embedded itself into his scapula.
Intense pain surged, and the hooded man instinctively retreated, but he didn't expect the arrowhead to be pushed a few times, penetrating deeper into his muscle.
He grunted, bent over, and sweat instantly drenched his skin.
He had never seen such an inhuman individual; he was completely subdued the moment they engaged in combat.
He had heard the Thug Gang members talk about a newly discovered individual with superhuman strength, and he had initially thought it was an exaggeration. He never expected such a being to truly exist!
After embedding the arrowhead into the other's scapula, Eric coldly stared at the other party.
"Now, can you tell me your name?"
The hooded man, drenched in sweat and completely drained of strength, looked up at Eric, panting as he spoke his name, "Malcolm Merlyn."
"That name? You're from the League of Assassins, aren't you?"
A smile appeared on Eric's lips. "I've heard of the League of Assassins' magician? I didn't expect to catch such a big fish."
Malcolm Merlyn is the CEO of Merlyn Group. Merlyn Group is a well-known enterprise in Metropolis, with its headquarters in Star City.
Malcolm himself is a member of the League of Assassins, nicknamed "Magician."
Green Arrow's stranding on a deserted island was caused by this guy. He placed a bomb on Green Arrow's yacht, inadvertently exiling Oliver Queen to Purgatory Island for five years.
Because he is very good at using a bow and arrow, he became the villain "Dark Archer," and after Green Arrow returned, he always acted as his arch-nemesis.
Since he confirmed that the other party was the culprit behind Green Arrow's stranding on the deserted island, Eric decided to spare his life.
Otherwise, if he killed him, and Green Arrow didn't experience "deserted island survival," wouldn't Eric's sin be a bit too great?
A crimson glow emanated from his eyes, like the man-eating gaze of a beast in the dark night!
Malcolm was so frightened that he took a step back.
"Now tell me, what was the plan you just mentioned?"
Eric asked him in an unfriendly tone.
"To… to destroy Gotham, and then rebuild a new Gotham on its ruins! This is Ninja Master's plan."
Without hesitation, the cowardly Dark Archer immediately told Eric everything he knew.
"An undead rat?"
Eric sneered. He had no interest in the other party's grand plan to destroy Gotham.
Whether it was destroyed or not was none of his business; that was Batman's headache.
However, he did become interested in Ninja Master.
"I heard Ninja Master often boasts that their group once caused a plague in ancient Rome, burned London to a deserted land with a great fire, and used the Mongols to spread the plague throughout Europe. It sounds like all the most heinous acts were done by them. Now you want to destroy a city again?"
After a moment of contemplation, Eric asked the other party, "I want to meet Ninja Master. Can you arrange that?"
Yes, he was interested in the "Lazarus Pit" that Ninja Master possessed, which could resurrect Deadman and restore youth.
Since he encountered someone from the League of Assassins, he naturally wouldn't let it go easily.
"I…"
Malcolm shivered, shook his head, and a look of fear appeared on his face.
"I can't do it! I can't directly contact Ninja Master. Although he is the leader of the League of Assassins, he rarely shows himself. Even I have only seen him a handful of times."
"Is that so?"
The crimson light in Eric's eyes grew stronger. "Since he's planning something in Gotham City, he'll definitely show up in Gotham. Once he does, contact me."
Turning around, Heat Vision shot from his eyes, and a dark red line cut horizontally.
The gang members attempting to rush in from outside were cut in half by the Heat Vision, their bodies instantly separated.
Blood instantly spurted out!
The entire room became an environment filled with the pungent smell of blood.
Clark stood aside, turning his head away, somewhat unable to bear it.
Although he knew this was not good, he didn't know how to persuade Eric.
"Don't have any hidden agendas, or your fate will be the same as theirs."
After threatening Malcolm a few times, Eric turned and left.
He had already used the Cosmic Staff to mark the other party's body; their every move was under his control.
Clark, who had been silent, glanced at the gruesome scene and quickly followed Eric's footsteps.
"Alright, Clark, after leaving the gang, your silence order is no longer needed."
Eric saw Clark's hesitant expression and said to him.
"Do you know that Ninja Master?"
"To be precise, I know him, he doesn't know me."
Eric replied, "Just a boastful old rat who's lived a bit too long."
"I see."
Clark pondered for a moment, then asked, "Will that Malcolm cause us any trouble?"
"He won't. Malcolm is a very intelligent man."
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