Gunfire echoed through the city streets, sirens wailing as police struggled to contain the chaos. Carol Ferris found herself trapped in the wrong place at the wrong time, seized by desperate criminals who now used her as a human shield. The police, pinned down by wild gunfire, could only shout warnings to the scattering crowd.
"Run, get out of here!" One of the officers yelled, his voice strained with worry and urgency.
Though fear raced through her veins, Carol kept her composure. She spotted Su Zhan approaching through the confusion, his eyes calm and unwavering even as bullets ricocheted off nearby cars and shattered glass. "Don't come any closer!" the lead gangster barked, waving his weapon in a panic. "Or I'll shoot!"
But Su Zhan only smiled reassuringly at Carol. "Don't worry, Carol. I promised I'd protect you."
He stepped forward, hands raised, moving slowly and deliberately. The gangsters tensed, ready to grab him, but as Su Zhan drew near, a dark green light flared around his body, forming a shimmering barrier. The same energy wrapped around Carol, and the gangster holding her was suddenly hurled backward by an invisible force, landing hard on the pavement.
For a moment, the street fell silent, everyone stunned by the sudden turn of events.
Su Zhan turned to the would-be kidnapper, his expression cool and composed. "You said you'd kill me with one shot? I'm afraid you don't have that kind of power."
With a flick of his wrist, a massive green fist materialized in the air and sent the gangster flying. The other criminals opened fire in panic, but the bullets flattened harmlessly against Su Zhan's energy shield. He waved his hand, and a flurry of green daggers appeared, disarming the gunmen with pinpoint precision. One by one, the gangsters fell, groaning in pain but alive.
Screams and gasps erupted from the crowd as the police rushed in to secure the scene. Su Zhan ignored the chaos and hurried to Carol's side, his voice gentle and full of concern. "Are you alright?"
Carol looked up at him, her eyes wide with shock and wonder. "Who… who are you?"
Su Zhan smiled, glancing at the fallen gangsters and the stunned police officers. "I'm still the person you know. But now, I have the power of the Green Lantern. You could say… I am a Green Lantern."
"Green Lantern?" Carol repeated, awe and disbelief mingling in her voice.
He nodded. "I'll explain everything soon, but for now, let's get out of here."
Before the crowd or the media could react, Su Zhan wrapped an arm around Carol's waist. The green light flared brighter, and in the blink of an eye, they soared skyward, leaving the city far below.
As they flew, voices from the street drifted up behind them: "Did you see that? He said he's Green Lantern!" "We're safe, thanks to him!" "A real superhero—right here in our city!"
Within minutes, news of the Green Lantern's appearance and his rescue of Carol Ferris was spreading across social media and news outlets. Su Zhan's existence as a hero was no longer a secret.
High above the city, Su Zhan brought Carol to a quiet, secluded stretch of coastline. He set her gently on her feet, the green glow fading as he released her. Carol was still breathless, her heart pounding from the adrenaline and the wonder of what she had just experienced.
"Don't be afraid," Su Zhan said softly. "I'm still me. I'm not an alien—just someone with some special abilities, thanks to this ring."
He showed her the Green Lantern ring, then explained how he'd come to possess it and what it meant. He spoke simply, wanting her to understand, wanting her to trust him.
Carol listened, her initial shock giving way to excitement and awe. "I can't believe it… My first boyfriend is a superhero! This is incredible!"
Su Zhan laughed, his tension easing. "There's more. Would you like to experience something even more amazing?"
Carol's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"
He grinned, extending his hand. "How about a trip to space?"
Before she could answer, Su Zhan summoned the ring's energy, creating a protective aura around them both. With a gentle pull, he lifted them off the ground. The world blurred beneath them as they soared upward, past clouds and into the endless black of space.
Carol clung to him, her eyes wide as the Earth shrank below. The stars glittered all around, and the moon loomed ahead, pale and majestic. She could hardly breathe, overwhelmed by the sight.
"Look," Su Zhan murmured, pointing. "That's our home. Beautiful, isn't it?"
Carol nodded, tears of wonder in her eyes. "It's incredible. I never imagined I'd see something like this."
Su Zhan smiled, then conjured a large, comfortable bed from green energy, setting it down gently on the moon's surface. He and Carol settled onto it, the Earth hanging above them like a blue jewel.
"In my culture, there's a legend about a fairy who lives on the moon," Su Zhan said quietly. "But tonight, the only fairy here is you."
Carol laughed, blushing as she leaned into his embrace. "You're such a romantic."
He kissed her, slow and tender, the universe spinning silently around them. For a long time, they lay together, talking, laughing, and simply enjoying the impossible beauty of the moment.
Eventually, Carol whispered, "This is the most wonderful experience of my life."
Su Zhan brushed a strand of hair from her face. "It doesn't have to end here. I may have to leave soon, but I promise—I'll come back to you."
Carol smiled, her eyes shining with happiness and a hint of shyness. She did not resist as Su Zhan drew her close, their hearts beating in time beneath the endless stars.
On the moon, wrapped in the glow of the Green Lantern's power, Su Zhan and Carol Ferris shared a night that neither would ever forget—a night when the impossible became real, and love reached all the way to the stars.