The red skull-masked man sneered at Oliver Queen, clearly amused by the sharp defiance in Oliver's eyes. "Are you hallucinating? You're handcuffed to a chair," he taunted, gesturing at Oliver's restraints.
"Really?" Oliver replied, his voice calm. He slowly spread his hands, and the handcuffs fell away. "Not anymore."
The red skull mask man's smile froze. "How… how is that possible?"
Before he could react, Oliver snatched up the chair and smashed it into him. In the confusion, Oliver grabbed an electric baton from another attacker. A gunshot rang out from the distance, and Oliver instinctively pulled one of the men in front of him as a shield. Bullets tore through the air, hitting the man's body. When the gunfire paused, Oliver dashed forward, chasing after the man who had tried to escape.
Su Zhan watched from the shadows, quietly evaluating Oliver's performance. "His movements are crisp and decisive. For an ordinary person, he's already very strong. His archery is even better. But this fight is still lacking something." Su Zhan felt a twinge of disappointment. Perhaps the opponents were too weak, giving Oliver no real chance to show his true potential.
He watched as Oliver pursued his target, his own etheric battle suit materializing over his body. Su Zhan followed silently, keeping a close eye on the unfolding events.
Outside, the sound of gunfire echoed through the night. Oliver's physical fitness was impressive, and his movements had a certain parkour grace. He responded quickly to every threat, weaving through the chaos with agility. Soon, the chase led into a nearby factory. Bullets flew, but Oliver moved with speed and precision. He leapt up, grabbed an iron cable, and swung down on his quarry, knocking the gun from the man's hand before wrapping an arm around his neck.
"Don't… Don't kill me…" the man begged desperately.
Oliver's expression hardened. "No… my secret can't be known."
With a sharp twist, Oliver broke the man's neck and lowered him gently to the ground.
He turned, ready to check on Tommy, but froze. A man in a black battle suit stood behind him, calm and unmasked. Su Zhan's handsome Asian face was visible, and he was sipping coffee, watching Oliver with an amused expression.
"I seem to have accidentally discovered your secret," Su Zhan said, his tone light. "Are you going to kill me too?"
Oliver's eyes widened in shock. He hadn't heard Su Zhan approach. He tensed, wary and ready to fight. "Who are you?"
Su Zhan smiled, his gaze playful. "Want to know who I am? It's simple. If you can beat me, I'll tell you."
He set his coffee aside and beckoned with his fingers.
Oliver didn't hesitate. He launched himself at Su Zhan, moving fast and striking hard. Su Zhan met him blow for blow, but he didn't use any of his powers. He wanted to test Oliver's close combat skills to see what the future Green Arrow was truly capable of.
Oliver's attacks were fierce and relentless. His strength and speed were impressive, and his fighting style was raw, direct, and efficient. Su Zhan found himself genuinely challenged. For the first time in a while, he felt the thrill of a real fight, one where he couldn't simply overpower his opponent with brute force.
A punch landed. Su Zhan didn't move, but Oliver staggered back, shaking out his aching fist. He looked at Su Zhan with surprise, realizing just how much stronger his opponent was. Su Zhan grinned, set his coffee down, and stepped forward. "Come on, let's keep going."
They clashed again, fists flying, each strike landing with satisfying force. Su Zhan took the initiative, but Oliver's experience and instincts allowed him to counter every move. The fight was intense, and Su Zhan grew more and more excited. He even abandoned defense entirely, trading blows with Oliver in a brutal exchange. After a few more punches, Oliver's face was bruised and his breath ragged.
"Stop, don't fight!" Su Zhan suddenly called out, stepping back. Oliver paused, grateful for the reprieve, and didn't try to attack again.
Before Oliver could react, a translucent green cell appeared around him. He lunged at it, but the barrier held firm, bouncing him back.
He stared at the cell in astonishment, pounding on it to no avail.
Su Zhan calmly picked up his coffee, then sat down. A large, plush sofa materialized beneath him, and he crossed his legs, sipping his drink as he watched Oliver with a quiet smile.
After a moment, Oliver stopped struggling, catching his breath.
"Calm now?" Su Zhan asked, his tone gentle. "Listen to me. My name is Su Zhan, from Coast City. If you pay attention to the news, you might have heard my name."
Oliver's eyes narrowed. "Green Lantern?"
Su Zhan's smile widened. "So you have heard of me. That saves me the trouble of explaining. I came to find you, nothing more. I just wanted to see what kind of person you are. Now that I have, I won't keep you. You have a lot to deal with, and I'm sure you know how to find me if you're interested."
With a wave of his hand, the cell around Oliver vanished. As Oliver stared in surprise, Su Zhan disappeared as suddenly as he had appeared.
"Green Lantern… Su Zhan," Oliver whispered to himself. He hurried back to check on Tommy, who was still waiting for him. The police would come soon, and questions would be asked. How had they escaped? After all, they were just ordinary people, and their attackers had guns.
Originally, Oliver had planned to claim that a hooded vigilante had saved them. Now, he had a new idea. There was a ready-made shield: Green Lantern.