After the chaos of the kidnapping, Oliver Queen wasted no time in shaping the story. When the police arrived and questioned him and Tommy, Oliver used the Green Lantern as a shield, claiming that it was Green Lantern who had saved them. It was a convenient cover, and one that would keep his own secret identity safe for now.
Meanwhile, back at the hotel, Carol Ferris had just finished her shower. Wrapped in a bath towel, she sat on the couch, watching the news. Ever since she learned her boyfriend was the Green Lantern, Carol had taken a keen interest in superhero news. She often browsed the latest headlines, comparing each new hero to Su Zhan. Every time, she came to the same conclusion: no one was stronger than her boyfriend.
She found this habit a little silly, but it made her happy. As she flipped through the channels, she heard the door open.
"Back so soon?" Carol called out, glancing over her shoulder.
Su Zhan stepped inside, his gaze lingering on her. Sometimes, he thought, there was nothing more alluring than a woman half-covered. "Yeah, just finished what I needed to do. I expect Oliver will come to see me soon."
Carol stood up, the towel slipping a little as she moved closer, teasing him. "Who is he? What's his superpower?"
Su Zhan grinned, closing the distance between them and pulling her into his arms. "We can talk about that later. Right now, don't you think there's something more important we should be doing?"
Carol looked up at him, her eyes sparkling. "I'm listening to you."
"Really? Then let's see…" Su Zhan's lips curled into a mischievous smile as he gently guided her down, his hands tracing her shoulders. Carol quickly understood his intent, and rather than resist, she reached up and began to unfasten his belt.
Their laughter and whispers faded into the quiet of the room. As night fell, the two lay together, content and wrapped in each other's arms. Oliver Queen did not come that evening, but Su Zhan was not worried. He knew Oliver would seek him out soon enough. After all, Oliver needed to protect his secret, and now that Su Zhan knew it, there was no way Oliver could ignore him. If not tonight, then certainly tomorrow.
The next morning, Oliver Queen was determined to visit Su Zhan. However, after the previous day's events, his mother was unwilling to let him go out alone. She insisted on hiring a bodyguard for his safety, and so John Diggle entered the picture. Diggle was a former soldier, now a professional bodyguard, confident in his ability to keep Oliver safe.
Oliver, of course, had no intention of being followed. As soon as they got into the car, he struck up a casual conversation with Diggle, learning about his background and experience. Diggle spoke with pride about his military service and his new job, promising to keep Oliver safe. But as he finished his introduction, he realized Oliver was gone. The car was empty, and there had not been a sound.
Oliver had already slipped away, making his way directly to Su Zhan's hotel. He had managed to find out where Su Zhan was staying and was determined to get answers. How did this man know his secret? What did he want?
He knocked on the door, heart pounding. After a moment, the door opened. Oliver was surprised to see a beautiful woman standing there instead of Su Zhan. For a second, he wondered if he had the wrong room, but then the woman smiled and spoke.
"Are you Oliver Queen? The billionaire who disappeared five years ago? I didn't expect you to be the one he mentioned," Carol said, her tone friendly and curious.
"He?" Oliver asked, still unsure.
"Aren't you looking for Su Zhan?" she replied.
"Yes, I am."
"Come in," Carol said, stepping aside. "He just woke up and is in the shower. Please, have a seat."
"Thank you. And you are…?" Oliver asked as he entered the suite.
"I'm his girlfriend. My name is Carol Ferris," she replied, realizing she had not yet introduced herself.
"Oliver Queen," he said, offering his hand. Though she already knew who he was, Oliver's manners were impeccable.
Oliver quickly realized that Carol was just an ordinary person, but she clearly knew about Su Zhan's identity as Green Lantern. The openness between them reassured Oliver. It seemed Su Zhan had nothing to hide and no malicious intent. Before coming, Oliver had tried to find information about the Green Lantern, but there was little to go on—just a few sensational news reports and rumors.
A moment later, Su Zhan emerged from the bathroom, greeting Oliver with a friendly smile. "You came," he said, sitting down across from Oliver.
Oliver got straight to the point. "I want to know your intentions. Why are you looking for me?"
Su Zhan smiled and shook his head. "Don't be so tense, Oliver Queen. Five years ago, everyone thought you died in a shipwreck, but you survived on a hellish island in the waters near China. You trained; you became someone new. Now you're back to save the city and redeem your father's legacy. Am I right?"
Oliver's eyes widened in surprise. He realized Su Zhan really did know his secret.
"Now that we've got that out of the way, let me explain. You know me as Green Lantern, but that's just one of my identities, or rather, one of my abilities. The world is vast; the universe, even more so. There is a group called the Green Lantern Corps, guardians of peace across countless sectors. Earth and its neighboring planets belong to Sector 2814, which is, in a sense, under my watch. I have a lot on my plate, and sometimes I can't handle everything on Earth. Every city has its own heroes."
He looked at Oliver with a knowing smile. "You, Arrow, are the guardian of Star City. I came to meet you, to get to know you, and to see if there's anything I can help with. In a way, this is also an inspection."
Although Su Zhan had never visited the Green Lantern Corps headquarters, and the Corps had not officially recognized his status, it did not matter. No one else knew that.
"Inspection? Inspection for what?" Oliver asked, overwhelmed by the flood of information. He had only just begun to think about saving his city, but Su Zhan was talking about protecting the planet—no, the universe.
"I just told you. Other cities have their own heroes, but our vision shouldn't be limited to just one city. We should think bigger. When powerful enemies appear, you can't handle them alone. That's when everyone comes together. And the people I'm visiting now are all potential candidates for that team," Su Zhan explained.
Oliver sat back, taking it all in. The world was changing, and he was only just beginning to realize how big the stage really was.