We Only Have One Chance

Downton set down his fork, waved the woman away, then drew his pistol from behind his back.

After chambering a round, Downton raised the gun and fired two shots into the ceiling.

Bang! Bang!

The instant the gunshots rang out, even the woman, who thought she had seen it all, trembled in fright.

As for the other people in the restaurant, after a brief stunned pause, some immediately crouched beneath their tables while the rest scattered in a frantic escape.

If Downton killed one or two of the fleeing people right then, ordered everyone else to stay where they were, and grabbed a suitable hostage...

He could have started a small-scale robbery at the Kane Hotel.

But Downton wanted the restaurant to descend into chaos. Only a chaotic restaurant would make the security guards who intended to shoot wary of acting.

As he rushed toward the fleeing crowd, Downton scooped up a little boy whom his careless mother had left behind.

He rubbed the boy's face with the muzzle of his gun and said with a smile.

"Kid, Uncle's taking you on an adventure!"

"You're lying! You're a bad guy, aren't you?!"

The little boy looked four or five years old, so he was hardly stupid. He cowered in Downton's arms, clutching his collar as he spoke.

Hearing the boy's words, Downton grinned at him.

"Quit talking. You're a hostage now, hahaha!"

Laughing, Downton freed one hand and waved at the stunned security guards in the distance.

Then, carrying the child, Downton swaggered down the stairs, walked out of the Kane Hotel, crossed the garden at the entrance, and reached the street.

After smashing the window of an Audi R8 with the butt of his gun, Downton put the child down and used his pistol to force the middle-aged man in the driver's seat out of the car.

"Morning, buddy. Hope you're enjoying Gotham!"

As he started the car, he waved the muzzle at the middle-aged man standing there with his hands raised.

Hearing Downton's words, the man's face turned red with anger.

"I only bought this car three weeks ago! Y-you take it easy on her, buddy!"

"Haha, I'll drive it however I want. Wait to pick up your car from the police station!"

Under the middle-aged man's heartbroken gaze, Downton stomped on the accelerator and shot off at full speed.

With the force pressing him into his seat, he scraped past several cars and barreled through the small temporary encirclement set up by the police who had just arrived, narrowly avoiding a crash.

After speeding through another two blocks, Downton drove the car straight into a BMW 4S Dealership.

While the dealership descended into chaos, he climbed out of the car and walked farther and farther away against the flow of the crowd.

Meanwhile, in a helicopter flying above Gotham, Gordon helplessly watched the chaos Downton had caused.

Beside Gordon, a sniper asked quietly.

"I have Downton locked on. Can I fire, Captain?"

"Would firing do any good?"

Gordon replied helplessly, then continued watching the departing Downton through his binoculars.

While Downton had been sleeping, Gotham had kept running. To gather information on Downton, Gordon had even met with Falcone.

In Gotham City, where gangs ran rampant and corrupt cops ruled the streets, Gordon, as nearly the only good cop in the department, could not have survived without enough influence behind him.

Although the Gordon family had now declined, during his father's and uncle's generation, the Gordons had been one of Gotham's most prominent families.

Gordon's father had been Falcone's friend. In fact, both his father and uncle had been members of the Court of Owls!

What did that mean?

If Gordon had chosen to go along with the corruption when he was young, he would at least have become Commissioner of the Gotham Police Department. He might even have become Gotham's mayor.

The only reason he was now merely a minor deputy captain was that his ideals ran contrary to the interests of too many people.

As for last night, after visiting Falcone, Gordon had spoken with him at length and exchanged intelligence about Downton.

As a result, Gordon now understood some of Downton's abilities.

Death would cause him to teleport at random and revive. He could even teleport when captured.

So how was Gordon supposed to catch him?

And what would be the point of killing him?

Thinking of this, Gordon shook his head weakly and spoke to the sniper.

"Pull back. Let him go. Send a few people to follow him and keep track of his location.

"He may attack the Dimitrov Family next, or he may get involved in the operation over in Metropolis.

"Falcone has already sent people into the Dimitrov Family's territory. We also need to seal off their battlefield. Damn it!

"As for Metropolis, General Lane arrived at her daughter's side last night and prepared a trap the military believes will work against Downton.

"If Downton chooses to meet reporter Ryan in Metropolis, then he'll be Metropolis and the military's problem from then on.

"I actually hope he leaves Gotham. Gotham without him has already left me unable to see any hope. If he stays in Gotham, who knows how chaotic this city will become!"

At that, Gordon frowned as something suddenly occurred to him.

After pondering for a moment, he continued.

"No, he also went to Wayne Manor yesterday.

"Although we still haven't figured out Downton's attack patterns or criminal principles, the losses he has caused so far have either been gang territories, wealthy people with some degree of assets, or relatively high-end stores and banks.

"By that logic, Wayne Manor may also become Downton's target!"

"Wayne Manor!"

Gordon's words left the other officers in the helicopter momentarily stunned. They truly had not considered that possibility.

After all, in Gotham City, the Wayne name was at the heart of everything. Even though Bruce Wayne had only just returned to Gotham after seven years, no one believed the Wayne family would face any problems.

That was because the Wayne family's corporate operations and butler were simply too formidable!

Now that Gordon had pointed it out, the officers immediately wore looks of eager anticipation.

Police officers could be resentful of the rich too. They would love to see a great family like the Waynes make fools of themselves.

If the Wraith Downton, who answered to no law, blew up the richest family in all of Gotham...

That would be absolutely thrilling!!!

Meanwhile, at the Wayne Manor Gordon had just mentioned...

Alfred carried breakfast over, gently pushed open Bruce Wayne's bedroom door, and saw Bruce sitting at his desk, drawing and writing.

With his back to the door, Bruce spoke without turning around, even though Alfred had made no sound.

"Remember to knock next time."

"Indeed, Master. Of course I should knock, but the reason I didn't was because I didn't want to find you awake."

In response to Bruce's reminder, Alfred gave a bitter smile and placed the breakfast on Bruce's desk.

As he arranged Bruce's utensils, Alfred continued.

"Even if it means wasting a breakfast I carefully prepared, I would rather you slept longer. You did not return until four in the morning last night, and it is only eight twenty now.

"Bruce, less than four hours of rest will not allow you to operate more effectively in Gotham at night. Whatever you intend to do, you must at least give your body the strength to support your ambitions."

"But time waits for no one, Alfred!"

Bruce interrupted Alfred, then showed him what he had been drawing.

Noticing the mask on the paper, which seemed to have cat ears, Alfred nodded gently.

"Is this the mask you want? I will break down the design plans so we can place orders with suppliers around the world.

"However, are you sure you are prepared? This is much earlier than you originally planned.

"Or has something else affected you? Is it the Wraith who kidnapped the Deputy Secretary of Defense's daughter?

"If so, changing your plans for someone who suddenly appeared is not a rational decision. He can clearly make many mistakes, but we only have one chance, Bruce."

After waiting all afternoon, the expected ending without any recommendations really came. I won't even get another trial run next week. My mentality is shattered.

I'll work hard to steady myself, and I'm also asking everyone to keep reading. Please don't stockpile chapters. It really is possible to kill a book that way.

Qidian is different from before. Every new book's performance depends on continued readership. Without it, there is nothing. Sigh, I'm exhausted.