"You're right," Selina said, but Axel jumped in before she could continue.
"After seeing that woman from a distance, I caught a strong… damn, antique scent," Axel muttered. "If it weren't for how incredibly young she looks, I might have mistaken her for an old veteran. Her figure is sexy, but her eyes… they carry the weight of time."
He shot the woman in the distance a meaningful glance. The woman tried to keep her composure, but the corner of her lips twitched.
Old veteran, huh? Antique scent, huh?
Diana felt her wrists tense.
Once Lucius had sent her to the hotel, she didn't sit idle. Diana wasn't the type to wait around. She slipped away from the security detail and rode Gotham's Sky Rail alone to observe near Little Italy.
When she first saw Axel and his companions, she had been slightly intrigued. Especially when Axel chose the Sky Rail instead of a luxury car, it showed some potential.
But now?
Seeing Axel's grim expression and recalling his whispered words, she realized that whether he had potential or not, his punchability was undeniable.
Diana subtly leaned against the platform, scanning Gotham City in the distance.
"Since she seems strange, why not bring her over and ask?" Victor said beside Axel. "Boss Axel, let me handle it. You wait here for a moment."
Victor took two steps forward, hand on his gun, clearly intending to abduct Diana for questioning.
Axel burst out laughing. "Wait for a moment? Wait for what, Buddy? To attend your funeral?"
He quickly grabbed Victor and pulled him back.
"Alright, Buddy, I may be lecherous, but I'm not desperate. I can't drag every attractive woman I see over for a romp. Gotham has enough chaos as it is. Fish and Oswald in the East and Otisburg Districts need our support. Don't make extra trouble. Just come shopping with me."
With that, Axel and his companions passed Diana without paying her any attention. Diana didn't react, and Axel had no intention of bothering her.
At the ticket gate, Axel casually pulled out his gun, planning to score three free tickets.
"Don't mess around, Axel!" Victor snapped.
"This is Little Italy, the heart of our gang. Most people here are connected to our network!"
Victor waved to the ticket collector. The man immediately bowed and said, "Boss Victor, why are you here? Wait… is this… the legendary Wraith?"
"You should call him Boss Axel, you idiot," Victor replied, smacking the man lightly before leading Axel onto the platform.
Diana furrowed her brows as she watched. Her instincts were correct—Axel was surrounded by dangerous allies who could lead him astray. If those bastards weren't managed, Axel himself would be an even bigger problem. She would likely need to intervene tonight.
Meanwhile, Axel and his companions boarded the Sky Rail. After traveling a short distance, Victor leaned toward Axel.
"Boss Axel, what's that woman's deal? You know her, right? Is she tied to your origin?"
"What the hell kind of relationship is that?" Axel shook his head, patting Victor's thigh. "If I'm not mistaken, her name's Diana. Look her up if you're curious. But whatever you find, don't provoke her. Otherwise, next year I'll be bringing flowers to your grave."
Axel himself felt puzzled. How had Diana gotten to Gotham so quickly? He wasn't surprised by Wonder Woman's presence—she had been active since World War I—but why so early?
This was only Axel's third day in Gotham. News of him hadn't even spread through half of America, let alone Europe.
Although he wasn't afraid of Diana, her arrival complicated his plans.
To trigger chaos in Gotham among ordinary mortals, Axel only needed to be as reckless as Jinx. But to execute a massive explosion in a city with top-tier superheroes and Justice League veterans, he would need the cunning of the Joker.
Superheroes were manageable—their concern for civilian lives was always a weakness. Each had tens of millions of vulnerabilities. As long as Axel could threaten enough people at once, even Wonder Woman wouldn't stop his demolition plans.
If he randomly planted hundreds of large bombs in Gotham, including kindergartens, schools, and nursing homes, Wonder Woman might dismantle them all—but could she sustain that effort indefinitely?
The presence of Diana was one complication. Other early superheroes could make things far trickier. Compared to Diana, whose skills leaned toward physical combat and some magic, fully magical heroes had far more options. If old-timers like Shazam showed up, Axel's seven-day plan might unravel.
Future heroes like Superman had weaknesses, but seasoned veterans like Shazam were flexible and far less predictable.
Axel decisively patted Victor's thigh.
"Buddy, send someone to check out Diana immediately. Find out why she's in Gotham. Her full name: Diana Prince."
Victor nodded and went aside to make arrangements.
Selina, crossing her legs, nudged Axel's calf with her shoe.
"Is she really that much trouble, or are you just interested in her?"
Axel pinched Diana's calf playfully. "What if she's trouble, what if I'm interested? Got a suggestion, Selina?"
Selina held his wrist and grinned. "If it's just interest, I can flirt with her. That glance alone tells me she likes women too. Her figure isn't like Liv's, but she's still sexy, and her temperament is extraordinary."
Axel chuckled, ruffling Selina's hair. "Keep that as a last resort. I am interested, but she's not just minor trouble. If she wanted to, she could kill tens of thousands in minutes. Selina, there are real gods in this world. That woman is one of them."
Selina's eyes widened. She pressed her finger to Axel's lips.
"If she's a god, what about you, Axel? Are you some god among mortals? Because if that's the case… you certainly look like one!"