Chapter 134: Choose Your Enemies Wisely, Part 3

Arias awoke the next day to an empty bed and a serene morning. He was getting more familiar with this new life of his and was enjoying it quite a bit. Apeiro was still silent, having not appeared for the past few days for whatever reason. He didn't dwell on this and chose to wait, especially given the lack of knowledge he had regarding her and now his full capabilities.

His focus soon shifted when he remembered yesterday's uninvited guest: Superman.

Since absorbing Lex's knowledge, Arias knew more about Superman than anyone alive—his real identity, his weakness, his hideout, and even parts of his history. To say Lex was obsessed would be an understatement. From the start, Arias had the upper hand on two fronts.

The first was that he could kill Superman with ease. The second was that he could bring his entire world crashing down.

Arias didn't even need to weigh his options. A quick death wasn't sufficient due to the many problems that could arise from it if not handled properly. The real question now was: did Arias need Superman alive for any future projects?

Given Superman's uniqueness and his unwavering willingness to protect humanity at all costs, he could be useful.

*I suppose I'll come to a decision once I'm in Metropolis,* Arias thought, smirking as he stared out into the city before reaching for his phone to make arrangements.

By noon, Slade, Mercy, and he were all on a flight to Metropolis. Inside the lavish private plane, Slade was the most relaxed, reclining in his cabin while remaining alert, just in case. Mercy and Arias were in another cabin, which resembled a minor office or workstation. She was in front of her laptop, while he stared out the window, pondering more complex questions about reality itself.

The cabin's subtle silence was broken when Mercy spoke. "That Rachel Roth kid you asked me to look into... she has one hell of a messed-up past. Born to a mother who was raped and impregnated by some cult, bounced from orphanage to orphanage due to her 'unstable moods and emotions.' I couldn't find anything about her father."

"Maybe he's some powerful underground kingpin who had a change of heart about his daughter. It doesn't matter. If he's that determined, he'll make a move. It's 50/50, really—this whole situation doesn't make much sense," Arias said, smirking slightly.

The information Mercy provided didn't reveal anything particularly interesting, so his curiosity toward Raven had all but ceased at that moment.

Mercy then asked another question. "By the way, out of all the reporters and journalists you could've booked to interview you, why Lois Lane? That bitch only cares about getting big scoops from big men… maybe even literally," she said bitterly.

This didn't surprise Arias. It was publicly known that Lois Lane had briefly dated Lex Luthor. Arias assumed Mercy was ranting due to lingering jealousy, perhaps even fearing that Lois might try to woo him. The reasoning behind some women's actions eluded even him.

The flight didn't last long, with Metropolis not being far from their departure. Upon arrival, Arias immediately sent Mercy away to prepare their rooms and organize a few things for later. She also had business at the LexCorp headquarters and insisted he come along later.

Left alone with Slade and no car, Slade was curious about what was going on. Arias didn't explain, but soon a luxurious car appeared on the runway and drove toward the plane. When the car stopped, Arias finally spoke.

"Go up front and follow my lead," he explained vaguely.

Arias opened the back door and was greeted by the sight of a nervous-looking Roulette. Without glancing at her for long, he sat down. Immediately, she began pouring him a drink. As she did, he looked at her and asked, "Did you manage?"

Roulette finished pouring his glass, nodding as she quickly reached into her purse. Slade observed the exchange from the rearview mirror, prepared for anything to go south and ready for whatever Arias meant.

She retrieved a flash drive from her purse and handed it to Arias, who took it casually and slipped it into the pocket of his blazer before shaking his head.

"It's a shame, really. I had big plans for you," he said in a cold tone, causing Roulette to look concerned.

But before she could react, Arias leaned back into his seat and gave Slade a nod. "Ice her."

Without hesitation, Slade quickly unsheathed his hidden gun at a speed no ordinary human could match. Roulette was ready to bolt, but Slade was too fast.

*Bang*~

A silenced and barely audible shot rang out, and Roulette's body immediately went limp. The shot was clean and precise—expert work. The driver looked ready to panic, but Slade simply pointed the gun at him, and the man fell silent.

Arias looked at the driver, who was already sweating bullets, and spoke. "Drive me to the Trambol Restaurant. I can't be late for my appointment now, can I?"

The driver obliged, though the fear in his eyes was impossible to miss.

Upon arriving at the designated location, Arias looked out the window and nodded approvingly at the driver. "Good job," he muttered before looking toward Slade and nodding. "Leave no evidence."

Slade nodded in return, while the driver grew even paler.

Arias's cold expression was quickly replaced with a charming one as he walked away from the car just as it drove off. Near the restaurant, he spotted the familiar face of the woman he had arranged to meet—Miss Lois Lane.

He approached her casually, speaking only when he was within earshot. "Miss Lane?" he asked, causing the seemingly distracted woman to look at him, surprised.

"Oh, Arias Markovic. I was expecting you to arrive in a flashier way, you know? Cameras and all, maybe even a red carpet just for you," she smiled, already using her journalistic charm to soften him up.

Arias gave a small smile at her words and gestured for them to enter the restaurant. "I may not look it, but I'm more suited to a quiet life," he replied before pausing at the door to look her over, saying nothing.

Lois was perplexed by this. Did he like what he saw? Did he not? She couldn't tell. His gaze wasn't lustful, but it left her doubting herself. She didn't realize he was subtly chipping away at her confidence before their conversation even began.

*Getting him to talk isn't going to be easy,* she thought. *But when have I let that stop me? Shit, I better do this quickly—Clark promised he could get me to where Superman can be found. First this interview, then that one, all in one week. Sometimes I amaze myself.*

She smiled and followed Arias, unaware of the scheme she was walking into.