Chapter 163: What Did You Do Last Night?
"Sorry for visiting without calling ahead, but finding you was difficult enough. And I simply couldn't find your contact information—in fact, I wasn't even sure if you use a cellphone."
Lex Luthor said faintly, a slight smile on his face as he held his hands behind his back.
"But it seems that doesn't matter. You noticed our arrival anyway."
"It's hard not to notice, man."
The woman adjusted her striking red hair, chuckling lightly as she glanced at Luthor's head, which was as bald as the gleaming glass curtain walls of Metropolis.
"Your head is like a streetlight in the darkness. You must not be very good at stealth at night."
The smile on Luthor's face vanished.
"Show some respect for my boss, Witch."
His secretary, Moxie, stepped forward.
"You're facing the most intelligent man in the world... Aah!"
Moxie cried out in alarm as she was suddenly hoisted upside down. Magical tentacles emerged from the darkness, slithering up her black-stockinged long legs and onto her body...
...and tied her up in a Tortoise Shell Binding.
"Oh, come on, not again!"
Moxie struggled with all her might, but the tentacles only tightened their grip, causing her face to flush an even deeper red.
This situation felt strangely familiar, as if it had just happened not long ago...
Seriously, why is every single one of these crazy women the boss finds so perverted?
Luthor glanced sideways at his secretary dangling in mid-air in a rather indecent pose, then expressionlessly turned his gaze back to the witch before him.
"I know about you, Circe. You, and that Amazon they call 'Wonder Woman'—your numerous entanglements over the past century."
"Ha, I've experienced far more than you can imagine, much more than a mere century," Circe chuckled.
As one of Wonder Woman's earliest and most prominent villains, she was born in 1200 BC. She was undying and eternally youthful, and her magic could rival that of the Gods—for years, she had been their enemy.
She had fought the Amazons in ancient times and believed them to have been wiped out. So when Wonder Woman—a demigod Amazon—appeared out of nowhere, Circe learned that the Amazons were not extinct and immediately made Diana her number one target.
"However, for a mortal, you certainly know a lot. I'm surprised you managed to find me..."
"Not just any mortal, but Lex Luthor, the greatest mind on Earth." Luthor chuckled proudly. "I've built archives on the superpowered individuals of Earth; for years, I've collected all kinds of information.
"Aliens, products of laboratory accidents, magic... I know far more than the average person can imagine."
"So, why have you come to find me?"
"For an ally. For power." Luthor said resentfully, clenching his fist. "To take back something I once possessed, but have now painfully lost."
Circe glanced again at his reflective head.
"Your hair?"
Luthor's expression stiffened again.
"Ha, just kidding. Actually, I know of you, Lex Luthor. You're one of the few men in this world I admire."
Circe giggled.
"You want power? What a coincidence. I've been preparing something recently that you might be interested in. Have you ever heard of the 'Fallen Realm'?"
"No," Luthor said. "But I'm willing to hear the details."
"I knew you were an ambitious man."
Circe stepped forward, deliberately leaning into his arms, her eyes shimmering with allure.
"I know you're destined for great things. But the night is still young... care to come to my room for a long chat?"
Luthor grasped the witch's small hand, which appeared fair and delicate but was, in fact, at least three thousand years old.
"My pleasure."
Hand in hand, the two of them entered the room.
The secretary, still struggling against the tentacles, was on the verge of tears.
Hey, Boss, can't you have her put me down before you get down to business?
Damn, I think they've gotten tighter...
"The Fallen Realm?"
Orin Vale placed a "Song of Ice and Fire" on the table in front of Diana and sat down opposite her.
Diana eagerly licked her ice cream. Before she could even speak, she saw Kara emerge from the direction of the basement, clutching her back and limping.
"Last night's session was exhausting. I'm dead tired, and I still feel a little weak. Can we please skip it today?"
The young girl looked pitiful, her big eyes filled with expectation.
Last night had been her daily Kryptonite resistance training. To be fair, Orin Vale hadn't forced her; she had gotten overconfident. After a few days of practice, she felt that the tiny Kryptonite fragments had almost no effect on her anymore. Getting carried away, she thought Kryptonite wasn't so tough after all and decided to try a more potent piece.
And so she ended up like this, limp as a salted fish. Her face had been green all night.
"I warned you a piece that big was too much, but you just wouldn't listen... Fine, fine, we'll skip today. Get some proper rest."
"Yay~"
Having received permission, Kara's eyes immediately lit up. Full of energy, she was gone in a gust of wind.
Watching her back as she instantly revived to full health, not looking the least bit exhausted, Orin Vale suddenly began to wonder if he'd just been played.
He turned his head and saw Diana sizing him up with a suspicious gaze.
"What did you do to her last night?"
"Nothing, I was just helping her train..."
For some reason, even though it was the truth, the words sounded unconvincing even to his own ears. Saying it this way would only make her more suspicious...
Unexpectedly, Wonder Woman's expression immediately cleared with understanding.
"Oh, training. You're still a bit too lenient with her. How can you let her slack off just because she's a little tired? When I was a child, during my first two days of training, I also felt completely drained every day. But I persevered."
"Perseverance is key in these matters. That's how true warriors are forged..."
"You have a point."
Orin Vale mused, holding his chin. He figured there was a good chance Kara was faking it and had probably already run off to the basement to play games.
"Maybe I should increase her training load in a bit."
Licking her ice cream, Wonder Woman nodded slightly, her expression saying, "That's how it should be."
"Getting back to the topic... you just mentioned the 'Fallen Realm'?"
"Yes, it's been the talk of Olympus recently. Zeus is dead, and the entrance to the Fallen Realm has been reactivated. It's said to hold the secret of Zeus's divine power, and many people are coveting it—including many who should not possess it."
Wonder Woman's expression grew serious.
"I'm not afraid to face anyone, including the Gods. But I can foresee that if I get involved, I will likely face more than just one or two enemies this time."
"So, although I'm reluctant to admit it, this time I truly need something I've neglected in the past—allies."
"I get the gist." Orin Vale nodded. "So, about that 'Fallen Realm' you mentioned... its key. I'm guessing you already know where it is?"
"I only have a general idea. I know it's somewhere in Metropolis, but to pinpoint the exact location, I'll need the help of a wizard... a sufficiently wise wizard."
At this, both of them turned their heads in unison towards the kitchen.
Just then, a thunderous boom erupted from the kitchen.
This was followed by the smell of something burning—the tragic demise of another pot...
Orin Vale looked back at Diana.
"A wise wizard, huh?"
(end of chapter)