National Guard

Chen Tao darted across the rooftops. Whenever he reached a wide stretch, he turned back into legs; whenever he reached a flat surface, he turned into wheels. Bane gave it everything he had, but still couldn't catch him.

Fight? What the hell am I supposed to fight for? Can I even win? I'm getting the hell out of here.

His speed soared to seventy miles per hour. His mood was carefree. Bane, rockets—let them all eat his dust.

"Bane, aren't we going to keep chasing him?"

The pale man nicknamed Zombie carried a rocket launcher on his shoulder. Cold sweat covered him, and his face was black and blue.

He had gotten too caught up in the chase and strayed too far from Bane, only to be punched in the face by the dinosaur.

How dare he get in the way of my escape!

If Bane hadn't come over and caught him, he would probably be in intensive care by now.

Damn it! I've never seen anyone who could run like that in my life... All right, it's a dinosaur. But I've never seen anything this absurd, either.

Bane's other two men, Cave Dweller and Birdman, wore expressions no different from Zombie's. They looked thoroughly sour—not only could they not catch up, they were constantly being picked off by Deathshot. This was impossible to play. When they heard Bane finally say they weren't going to pursue him, they unconsciously let out sighs of relief.

Bane stood quietly in the middle of the street, gazing up at the rooftops as Batman fled into the distance. He looked like a young man on a summer evening, spreading his arms and embracing the cool night breeze beneath a sky filled with fireflies.

"Cave Dweller, the situation has changed."

His subordinate, nicknamed Cave Dweller, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. "Understood, Bane. I'll immediately submit a comprehensive report analyzing Batman's weakened condition and unknown abilities."

"No, there's no need. We're going to initiate a new plan. But we need time. Find something to keep Batman busy so he won't have time to cause us trouble."

Bane's voice was clearly deep, yet its tone gradually rose, like a beast that had caught the scent of blood, or a singing girl softly calling for the lover she adored.

"Batman ran because he wasn't confident he could beat me, and coincidentally... neither am I. I originally wanted to test his strength, but he didn't give me the chance—he was more cautious than I imagined."

He leaped into the air, rising and falling between the buildings like a comet. The distant sirens grew louder for him, just like the low chanting of the Jews when Moses parted the sea.

"The way we wage this war has to change... Everyone, go prepare. Keep in radio contact."

"One more thing. Don't clash with the police. It won't be good if the streets get wrecked. After all... this will eventually be my city."

Meanwhile.

Splat.

After more than half an hour of high-speed sprinting, Deathshot, Cheshire Cat, Killer Croc, and Ventriloquist were dumped into a small alley by Chen Tao. The killing and pursuit just now felt like a dream.

"Mm..."

His mind was empty.

His thoughts had stalled.

Cheshire Cat said, somewhat dizzy, "I don't remember Batman being able to do any of that."

"Obviously, he spent a long time back then hesitating between becoming Batman and becoming Dinosaur Man." Deathshot ground his bloody teeth together and told a cold joke.

"So we've just been dumped here?" Killer Croc roared. "Where's the employer? Where's Batman? Where's my money?"

Deathshot paid no attention to Killer Croc's shouting. This time, he was genuinely considering never accepting another job like this again.

Just look at what he had run into—Bane, Batman, and that superpowered man called Tattooed Man. A few years ago, no matter how much trouble there was, he would have dared to charge in as long as the money was good enough. But things were different now. He had a daughter.

When Bane's hand had been pressed against his throat, he had wondered more than once what would happen to his daughter if he died.

The answer was: nothing.

Zoey had adoptive parents. When news of his death arrived, his daughter might grieve a little... but in the end, she would forget him.

His existence would fade into the clear sky like a hyacinth. No one would remember him, no one would mourn him. He would not even live on in anyone's memories, like a wandering ghost—like Captain Boomerang, Slipknot, or Tattooed Man.

That was something Floyd Lawton could never accept.

Deathshot knew very well that he was scum, a supervillain. His love for his daughter could never be selfless or devoted. His love contained a vicious possessiveness—ugly, yet deeply passionate.

He wanted to watch his daughter grow up!

He wanted to keep living with his daughter!

He wanted to see his daughter start a family and build a career!

He wanted to witness every important moment in his daughter's life!

He wanted to die in a hospital bed to the sound of his daughter's sobs!

That was Floyd Lawton—the weak and despicable wish in his heart!

Therefore, even if he was seen as a coward and an idiot, the mercenary known as Deathshot had to keep living timidly.

So he turned toward Ventriloquist, who was still searching the ground for his lost glasses, and said, "Enough, Arnold. Tell the employer behind you that I'm quitting."

Ding!

The elevator doors opened.

Chen Tao took the elevator to the top floor of the Gotham City Police Department. A young clerical officer looked as if she had seen Batman, and the document folder in her hands hit the floor with a smack.

Chen Tao kept his expression under control, calmly slipping into the stairwell beside the elevator and making his way to the roof.

Damn it, why is this grappling gun so hard to use?.jpg

Commissioner Gordon was waiting for him on the roof.

"I turn on the Bat-Signal, I turn off the Bat-Signal... Hey, I turned it on again, and now I've turned it off again..."

Chen Tao tiptoed up behind him.

"Gordon."

"Wah! I definitely wasn't playing!"

"Mm..."

Chen Tao said, "So, what was so urgent that you had to call me here?"

Gordon sighed. "There are crazies all over the streets lately. The situation has reached the point of being completely unmanageable."

That was stating the obvious.

Chen Tao narrowed his eyes behind his mask and waited for Gordon to continue.

"I know you've done a lot. You brought in Mad Hatter, and Zas..."

"Get to the point."

"All right." Gordon sighed as if he had made up his mind. "The mayor has decided to deploy the National Guard. It's dangerous, but I can't stop him."

The National Guard was an independent military force under the state government, and the only regular army capable of conducting operations on American soil.

The mayor making such a decision meant they had completely lost faith in the situation in Gotham.

Chen Tao's reaction was:

Excellent!

The National Guard should send four or five hundred thousand soldiers straight into Gotham, pound Bane into meat paste, then crush Gotham's villains with overwhelming force and send every last one of them to the electric chair. Then Batman—Bruce Wayne—could retire in triumph and peacefully enjoy being a wealthy man.

Gordon pinched the bridge of his nose. "But these people don't understand Gotham at all. They're using the methods they use against ordinary criminals to deal with Gotham's lunatics. Something is bound to go wrong... But our foolish mayor thinks this is just another campaign stunt."

"I'm worried about that, but even more troublesome is that they've already listed you as one of their targets. Dead or alive."

"So you're asking me not to interfere with the National Guard's purge of Bane and Gotham?"

Yes!

Chen Tao cheered inwardly.

"That's right." Gordon wore a pained expression. "I'll do my best to keep the military from causing too many problems, but you really can't keep appearing and provoking those politicians' sensitive nerves. I know it's unfair to you..."

Ah, not at all.

Chen Tao maintained a solemn expression, but Gordon interpreted that solemnity as something else.

"All right, all right, Bat. You can keep working on the Bane case—damn it, it's not as if you'd stop even if I refused."

"No, you misunderstand."

Chen Tao immediately cut off his train of thought. "I really won't partici—"

"Beep beep beep..."

But at that moment, the sound of the Bat-communicator interrupted their conversation.