C301

"Ended!"

Looking at the mess in the underground base, Wonder Woman exhaled, glanced around at everyone present, and smiled.

"Perhaps I should formally introduce myself. I am Wonder Woman, Diana Prince, a helper summoned by John Constantine."

"Of course, we know you're Wonder Woman," Xiaoyu said curiously. "But why are you the only one who came to help? If Batman were here, wouldn't it be easier to deal with the demon?"

Wonder Woman shook her head. "No, they're not actually well-equipped to handle demons. As for why, I think John Constantine should be the one to explain it to you."

After speaking, she cast a deep look at the Ghost Rider form that Johnny had transformed into. Then, without another word, she blurred into an afterimage and vanished before everyone's eyes, leaving only her parting words lingering in the air.

"Let's stop here for today. We'll have a chance to meet again in the future."

Jackie Chan and the others exchanged glances.

Although the matter had seemingly concluded, they couldn't shake the feeling that they were just bystanders—left in the dark about what was truly happening. The real players behind the scenes had yet to reveal themselves.

And at this critical moment, John Constantine—who had orchestrated all of this—was nowhere to be found.

At the same time...

In a quiet tea room in Chinatown, Anton took a slow sip of tea, his eyes half-closed in satisfaction.

It was the first time since crossing over that he had tasted something truly reminiscent of home.

Coffee, no matter how expensive, had always unsettled him. Whenever he thought about its origins—be it from cat feces, bird droppings, or macaques—it left a bad taste in his mouth.

Anton sighed.

Riiing!

Suddenly, his phone rang.

Glancing at the caller ID, he wasn't surprised to see it was Secretary of Defense Keller.

These days, most government-related matters reached him through Keller.

On one hand, most of the incidents Anton was involved in touched upon national security, which fell squarely within Keller's jurisdiction. On the other, Keller had a good personal relationship with him and often played the friendship card.

"Anton, I think you should write a report."

After a brief greeting, Keller's voice carried a hint of frustration.

"You're aware of what happened in Los Angeles. We don't need to go over the gang shootout—38 dead is already a mess—but the magic. You need to explain the situation regarding the Holy Lord and the demon."

Anton shrugged. "Shouldn't Sheriff Black from District 13 have already given you a full report?"

"He has," Keller replied. "But I want to hear it from you."

Anton sighed. "Mr. Keller, if you want more details, I'm afraid I can't help you."

"What do you mean?" Keller pressed. "Isn't John Constantine one of yours? And even if he isn't, surely Wonder Woman—Diana Prince—is?"

"You're half-right," Anton said. "Constantine isn't a Justice League member. At best, he's our magical consultant. As for Diana, she and Constantine have a personal connection.

"This time, John needed help with something, and since Batman and the others aren't equipped to deal with magic, Wonder Woman was the only one who could assist him."

Keller hesitated, then asked, "So, the Justice League has known about magic for a long time?"

"It's not just the Justice League—you've known about it too."

Anton's voice was calm but firm.

"As far as I know, Sheriff Black reported the supernatural incidents to his superiors. But no one believed him. You all dismissed his reports as hallucinations. If he weren't so competent, he would've been removed from his position, wouldn't he?"

Keller fell silent.

Anton's words, while devoid of direct accusations, carried an unmistakable rebuke.

Of course, Keller wasn't offended. He often criticized his own government just as harshly.

"Anton," Keller said after a pause, "I want to meet John Constantine. Can you arrange it?"

"Of course," Anton replied cheerfully. "I'll set it up at the old antique shop. Just tell Sheriff Black—he knows where it is."

After all, Anton had been planning to push John Constantine's persona into the spotlight as the go-to expert on magic.

The establishment of the Dark Justice League requires manpower. In some cases, official assistance may be needed to suppress information.

Therefore, having John Constantine meet with the authorities would actually be beneficial to the formation and operations of the Dark Justice League.

"It's a deal," Keller said before hanging up the phone and proceeding with the handover work.

Antique Shop

A large truck pulled up in front of the shop.

Inside the cargo box was a statue of the Holy Lord.

With so many eyes watching, it wasn't convenient to transfer the Holy Lord directly to the war fortress in space. However, moving him into the truck and parking it outside the antique shop was still a reasonable temporary measure.

Before long, Dad and the others returned to the shop.

John Constantine was already seated, sipping tea—the authentic leaves that the old man had carefully treasured.

"Oh, you lot really make yourselves at home," Dad muttered.

Seeing his prized tea being casually consumed, his eyes practically turned green with anger. He clenched his fists, contemplating whether to release the demon from the bottle and fight Constantine for three hundred rounds.

"You scoundrel! Do you have any idea how rare that tea is?" Dad fumed. "I—I don't even drink it myself!"

Tea leaves , produced in Mountains, is the most prestigious tea from the region. It grows on a steep rock wall in Jiulongyu, and even after being brewed nine times, it retains its original rich flavor, earning the title King of Teas.

Though tea is widely available on the market, many are mere imitations. Because the tea's quality depends on the specific rock area where it's grown, there are significant differences in taste and price.

Naturally, what Dad had in his collection was the real thing.

Constantine took another sip, savoring the fragrance on his lips and tongue, then grinned.

"This tea is really good."

He leaned back, looking completely at ease. "Come on, old man, don't be so stingy. I did just solve a major problem for you."

"What major problem? We could've handled the demon ourselves!"

Dad cracked his knuckles, fully prepared to unleash his techniques and teach Constantine a lesson. It had been years since he'd last fought, but he had not forgotten that he was still a master martial artist.

"Take a look outside at that truck," Constantine said casually. "That's the problem I solved for you."

"What?"

Before anyone could say more, Xiaoyu, who had just entered the shop, noticed the truck parked outside.

Curious, she peeked into the cargo box.

A second later, she froze on the spot, eyes wide, completely stunned.

Her voice trembled as she stammered, "Uncle Long—Long—Long! Dad!"

"You guys need to see this!"

Xiaoyu screamed, "It's the Holy Lord! The Holy Lord has been captured!"

"What?!"

Dad was speechless.

….

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