The Lasso of Truth hung from a nearby streetlamp, forming a noose.
Hades's voice came from the knight, "Let's use this wedding noose to prove it. Let Wonder Woman tell me if her love for me is real. The 'wedding noose' will make her speak the truth."
"Oh, wow."
Wonder Woman shrugged. "Just binding me can make me tell the truth, but why set it up as a noose? Is it to hang me if the truth is that I don't love you?"
Despite saying this, Diana showed no intention of backing down. She glanced at the silent Eric. "Although it seems like a terrible idea, I think it's worth a try."
Eric didn't think Wonder Woman would fare well with her idea of using the Lasso of Truth for a lie detector.
After all, having been struck by Hades's 'Cupid's Arrow,' Eric didn't believe she would have no feelings for Hades.
Diana cast a complex look at Eric, then walked to the gallows formed by the Lasso of Truth. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and put her head into the noose.
"Now tell me, Wonder Woman, do you love me? Just speak the truth, and no one will hinder our marriage."
Hades, seemingly a bit agitated, asked Wonder Woman impatiently.
"Hades, I truly love you!"
Wonder Woman said something that made Hades extremely satisfied.
"Hmph, that settles it."
The bloodied knight glanced at Eric, declaring his victory. "It seems our wedding will be perfect. I've finally found a woman who loves me."
"But—"
Wonder Woman, her neck caught in the Lasso of Truth, suddenly changed her tone, glancing at Eric. "I love him more! This fervent love is more intense than what I feel for you, Hades!"
Wonder Woman pointed at Eric, saying something that left Hades dumbfounded.
"And you said you would bind me, not through trust, which is impossible!"
Saying that, she ripped off the Lasso of Truth from her neck and quickly whistled.
The tall horse she had been riding earlier ran to a spot not far in front of her.
Wonder Woman flipped in the air and swung onto the horse's back, simultaneously throwing the lasso in her hand to Eric.
"Catch!"
Facing the Lasso of Truth thrown by Wonder Woman, Eric hesitated for a moment, but ultimately caught one end of the rope.
"Whoa!"
With a sudden pull forward, she yanked Eric onto the horse's back, and the two sat tightly pressed together on the horse.
"Hoo!"
Holding the reins, Wonder Woman controlled the tall horse, making it raise its front hooves into the air, majestically displaying its image.
"No one can bind me in this manner, whether man, woman, or god!"
Saying that, she slapped the horse's rump, and the reddish-brown steed immediately galloped forward.
Hades did not pursue, simply letting them escape.
However, the emotion of being fooled remained evident on his face.
After Wonder Woman's silhouette disappeared into the city, Hades sighed helplessly.
"Even Eros's twin arrows can't make her love me?"
The thudding sound of hooves echoed on the city ground.
Eric sat on the horse, letting Wonder Woman carry him forward.
He was a bit confused now; who exactly was the runaway bride?
"You just said you loved Hades?"
Eric asked Wonder Woman with a frown.
"Yes."
"And you love me too?"
"I wasn't lying."
Controlling the horse as it galloped through the city, half of Wonder Woman's voice was drowned out by the howling wind.
"I love everyone in this world!"
"..."
Listening to her explanation, Eric was silent for a moment before replying, "That's truly an absurd yet unassailable answer. I should even thank you, as you've created a formidable enemy for me."
"Because you are human, my love for humans surpasses that for the gods of Olympus, so I love you more! I am also human."
Wonder Woman said to Eric, "Furthermore, Hades will not take his anger out on you. He will only direct all his fury towards me, because he has already determined that I orchestrated all of this."
The undead horse knew the way out of the Underworld, and Wonder Woman had the authority previously granted by Hades, so she easily brought Eric out of the netherworld.
Upon re-entering the surface, Eric looked at the sun in the sky, feeling a sense of rebirth.
"Hades deliberately let us go."
Wonder Woman looked at the sun on the horizon and said, "If he wanted to stop us, it would be effortless."
"Was his heart broken by you, his almost-bride?"
After all, if a man's soon-to-be bride said she loved another man more, most people couldn't tolerate that insult.
He now suspected whether this so-called King of the Underworld had a peculiar preference.
Eric glanced at Wonder Woman, preparing to leave.
"Aren't you curious why I was in the Underworld?"
"Actually, regarding other people's private matters, I generally adhere to the principle of never asking too many questions."
Eric had little interest in the story of this youthful Wonder Woman.
His most important task now was to go back and settle accounts with those three women.
"Even if it's something related to you, you don't want to ask?"
Wonder Woman stopped Eric, who was about to leave. ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
"What?"
Eric turned to face Wonder Woman.
Wonder Woman glanced at the gradually darkening sky. "I know a place you might be interested in."
Metropolis.
Clark continued to search for the next magician.
Due to his prolonged inability to find the fragmented magic book pages left by Lana, Clark became increasingly agitated.
His patience was slowly running out.
Most of the magicians he had sought out previously, when faced with his coercion, chose to confront him head-on.
Of course, the result was that all of them were 'magically backfired,' turning into tumor-like monsters.
Although these monsters were eventually dealt with, there was no progress in the investigation.
His flight speed in the air suddenly accelerated, creating a conical explosion cloud in the sky.
As Clark's speed continued to increase, the rumbling in the air grew louder and louder.
Zatanna, who was in her detached apartment, looked up as the booming explosions gradually receded.
"Is that thunder?"
Zatanna murmured to herself in confusion.
But the weather was clear now, so how could there be booming thunder in such conditions?
Somewhat puzzled, Zatanna thought for a moment but couldn't come up with any coherent answer. She lowered her head, preparing to continue studying the documents in her hand.
These documents were materials she had collected from her father's study.
Although her father was now missing, she had never given up searching for him.
She not only searched all over the world for things related to mysterious magic but also used her extensive magical knowledge to decipher and read various magic books in her father's study.
She had been trained by her father since childhood. In her early life, her father's guidance and training were almost her entire existence.
Every morning at five o'clock, her father would wake her with a very simple command, which she would obey without hesitation, as if by magic.
As the sun gradually rose, she began to train in other aspects of magic, such as escaping from a straitjacket or breaking free from a locked box.
Although these were difficult for her and often resulted in injuries.
But each time, her father would encourage her, "The path of magical training is always about seeking a glimmer of life on the road to Death."
Although it was tiring at first, she always gained a lot of happiness from it.
This was something she cherished more than the growth in magical experience while learning magic with her father.
"But why do we speak backward?"
Zatanna often asked her father this question, and his answer was, "We are hiding from certain dangerous things."
"Magic is dangerous, and the more powerful the magic, the heavier the price. We always try to protect ourselves, but the power of mortals is ultimately limited."
Zatanna exhaled and threw her pen onto the desk.
She suddenly remembered her father had once mentioned that Constantine had encountered such beings.
Did she really need the help of that scoundrel Constantine this time?
Zatanna thought while picking up the book beside her.
The sky gradually darkened, and the room became increasingly dim.
Outside the window, a moth flew into the room.
Zatanna instinctively uttered a spell, wanting to turn the moth into a firefly that could illuminate the dim room.
She immediately stopped after uttering the first syllable of the spell.
She had almost forgotten that she couldn't cast spells now.
"Unconscious habits can sometimes really kill you!"
Zatanna exhaled and flipped the light switch.
The room was instantly filled with the light of the incandescent bulb.
Placing the magic book she had finished studying back on the shelf, Zatanna took out a book titled "cthulhu."
"Although it's meant as recreational reading as a novel, looking at it now, it does give a subtle sense of touching upon some dark level. "
Zatanna carefully read the words, gradually immersing herself in the eerie world created by Eric Kent.
"Perhaps the people in the Day of Slumber really saw the things inside and attracted those higher-level beings. Although I don't know why Eric Kent himself understands all this, perhaps he can give me answers."
Thinking this, she immediately put down the book, put on her coat, and walked out.
She needed to go to Eric's house.
Although she knew Eric was temporarily missing, she might still find some useful clues.
As soon as she walked out of the apartment, she saw the person she least wanted to see, standing outside waiting for her.
"I didn't know you'd still be haunting me, Constantine."
"Actually, it's not haunting; it's that I can very clearly detect your movements, or more precisely, predict them in advance. For example, right now I can confirm that you intend to go out, and it's the kind of long trip where you need to lock the door, close the windows, and won't know when you'll return."
Constantine stood under the streetlamp, a cigarette dangling from his mouth, speaking as he exhaled smoke.
"Is that so?"
Zatanna took a step closer to him, her gaze fixed on him with ill intent.
"While most of the time you can use your clumsy tricks to track me and figure out my whereabouts and intentions, today, you're wrong, Constantine."
Zatanna said to him, "I'm just going to a nearby small town. Based on the distance, it's the kind of place where you don't need to lock the doors and windows."
"Hmm, who knows? But Little Zha, the 'long trip' I mentioned isn't measured by distance. Get in the car!"
Saying that, he patted a nearby car, "I'll take you."
"Is this your car?"
Zatanna asked him in surprise.
"I don't remember you having any money to buy a car. Weren't you being chased by creditors last time, leading you to pawn your favorite watch? I remember you often boasted that it was an heirloom from your father."
Constantine showed no displeasure at Zatanna's mockery, or rather, his thick skin had automatically ignored her words.
"While I'm mostly penniless, I still have money for a rental car."
Constantine opened the car door. "Also, I need to clarify, it wasn't an heirloom from my father. My old man, who died years ago, didn't leave me any heirlooms. He lay in a hospital bed, transforming day by day into a terrifying presence, that was the gift he left me."
"You truly are a bastard, Constantine!"
Hearing Constantine speak of his father with no respect in his words, Zatanna couldn't help but curse.
"That's already established. Do you want to get in?"
Constantine asked her from inside the car.
Biting her lip, Zatanna hesitated for a moment, but ultimately got into the car.
After the old car's engine started, it sped down the road.
They soon arrived at Smallville.
"It should be a right turn on Highway 31, then a bumpy road, and finally you'll reach Kent Farm."
Constantine said to Zatanna, who was in the passenger seat, while smoking.
"Are you sure you don't want to bring a gift or call ahead? After all, for a farmer, the most unwelcome guests are the agricultural tax bureau and ill-intentioned visitors. It makes the farmer think of all sorts of troubles combined."
"No need, you just need to rein in your bastardly behavior."
Zatanna rolled her eyes at Constantine.
"No, I think what's least needed is a polite demeanor."
Constantine frowned. "This town is a bit strange; I'm worried the people here might also be affected somewhat."
"Knock, knock, knock!"
Jonathan and Martha were sitting in the living room. Hearing the knock, they immediately went to open the door.
"Hello, Mrs. Kent, I'm Zatanna, Eric's friend."
Seeing Martha's bulging belly, Zatanna immediately greeted her.
But after glancing at Martha's belly again, a look of confusion appeared in her eyes.
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