Bane's Attack

Plop!

Bane retracted his hand, now smeared with brains and blood, as gently as if he'd crushed a bladder of urine.

He disgustedly flicked the white slime from his hand, letting the headless, blood-spewing corpse collapse onto the floor. "Trash from the gutters. You were foolish enough to try and spy on me."

He kicked the body into a corner with his foot. "Even more foolish to not run the second you were discovered."

"We're very sorry, Bane! This guy's like an unkillable zombie, we stabbed him through..."

"Ah—ah, no need to say more, my friends."

Bane ignored his panting subordinates, quickly putting the Court of Owls' Talons Assassin out of his mind. He relaxed his muscles, his broad chest rising and falling with his deep breaths.

"Relax. Feel it with me."

Bane's three subordinates exchanged glances. They felt nothing but the thick smell of blood from the corpse.

"Feel what? Bane?"

"Look out at the street... what do you see?"

"Empty," the Cave Dweller and Zombie Man answered one after another. "Lifeless."

"A city accustomed to its own terror has tasted fear," the Birdman said.

"Yes, that's right, this is your power, Bane, you've made them feel fear."

"They plan to mobilize the army to deal with you, but they don't understand what they're facing at all."

They flattered him cautiously: "They only deserve to tremble at your feet."

My master.

The subordinates didn't say it aloud, but thought it in their hearts.

"No."

But Bane's answer surprised them both.

"It's not like that!" Bane suddenly growled in a low voice. "You don't feel it at all."

"Batman has overshadowed this city for too long. Gotham City used to be the largest drug production and trade center in America! The biggest human trafficking market! The most prosperous gambling city!"

He spread his arms, as if embracing a darkness invisible to the eye.

"Gotham is a criminal's paradise! For so many years, the US government has dumped criminals from all over the country into Blackgate Penitentiary.

Then they'd be quickly bailed out, released on medical parole, escape, and reappear as Gotham citizens.

Gotham, as it's called, has been a super-prison from the very beginning. They wish all the scum would kill each other until they die, until someone comes to stop them from continuing to use Gotham as a trash can!"

He laughed sarcastically. "Before Batman was born, the public order in the entire United States was ten times better than it is now!"

"You say Gotham fears me? Ridiculous."

"Gotham doesn't fear; she's excited! How wicked, she's actually excited!"

"Finally, someone is going to defeat the Bat, finally, someone is going to kill the Bat. Those scum, gangsters, villains, can finally return to their past unbridled criminal lives."

"The quiet on the streets isn't because of fear, but because of anticipation! They're rejoicing, looking forward, everyone hates Batman, they want Batman dead! The scum hate the Bat, the powerful hate the Bat, even the old men and women working in the white powder factories hate the Bat!"

"Batman tries to save Gotham? Don't talk nonsense, Gotham doesn't want to be saved at all, this bitch just wants to remain decadent forever!"

Bane felt it, he could feel it.

Gotham, like a cruel mother, whispered in his ear, urging him to murder her only son, that battered fighter.

This wicked bitch, alluring him, striking a proud, queen-like pose before him, demanding he prove his greatness and strength through the filthy trials of those ignorant fools, and then...

To pluck the never-before-touched laurel wreath—

Murder Batman!!!

This truly is...

An honor beyond measure.

He sat back down on the sofa, his body unconsciously tensing and leaning forward, causing him to hunch slightly. But this did not diminish his majesty; instead, it made him look like a beast poised to strike.

"The three of you, leave this building as quickly as possible. Surrender directly to the army, I'll find you later. If you're here, I can't act freely."

Bane's voice was low, yet surprisingly carried a soaring quality, like magma surging and roaring deep underground.

Light crossed the curtains, illuminating his bulging biceps, making him look like a true iron man.

His three subordinates left in a hurry. They had no doubt about Bane's decision, nor did they dare to question it.

Bane sat on his sofa, looking up, waiting quietly.

The long street was dead silent, deserted.

"Zzzzt... M1A2 Abrams Main Battle Tanks and M2A3 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles are ready..."

"Roger that."

"The M109A6 Self-propelled Howitzers and M777 Howitzers are in position."

"Roger that."

Somewhere in Gotham City, this is the National Guard's field command center.

Mayor Carlo turned his head to look at the sullen Jim Gordon beside him. "Hey, Jim, stop sulking. You don't really think I'm an idiot, do you? How does that saying go?"

"Strategically despise the enemy, tactically respect them."

"We've deployed nearly 40,000 National Guard troops, tanks, machine guns, heavy machine guns, armored vehicles, and even semi-automatic missiles."

Mayor Carlo couldn't help but complain.

"This military configuration is enough to conquer some small African nation. Gordon, you've been a cop in Gotham City your whole life, have you really forgotten how terrifying modern weapons are?"

"We've seen those so-called 'superhumans' before, but in the face of real modern military might, they're all trash."

Mayor Carlo said with no small amount of pride, "This is all thanks to the accurate location you provided, Gordon. As far as I'm concerned, as long as we relocate all the residents in the surrounding area, we can just directly carpet bomb with missiles. Forget Bane, even a man made of iron would melt into water. We wouldn't even need to trouble Batman."

"So that's why you belittled Batman so much on TV?"

"Oh, come on, Gordon!" Mayor Carlo casually threw an arm around Gordon's neck. "That was just a tactic to lure Bane out. Didn't you personally adjust the TV signal to ensure Bane would be captivated by the program?"

"This is also a tactic to attract voters, the strongest way to canvass for votes by showing everyone your tough image." Gordon pushed away his arm and mercilessly exposed Mayor Carlo's words.

"Tsk—People need some spiritual sustenance. But Gordon, do you really think it's a mentally healthy choice for people to place all their hope in a masked vigilante?"

Carlo lay back in his chair without a care.

"No matter how strong Batman is, he's still just one person. I don't deny his contributions to Gotham over the years, and I don't have any ill feelings towards him personally. But you have to understand, in the face of the nation's instruments of violence, individual strength is insignificant. Humans are essentially collective beings."

Mayor Carlo spread his hands, making a grasping motion in the air.

"More people, more strength."

He said, "The public should regain confidence in the government, not place their hopes in individual heroes. Don't you think the current fanatical adoration of Batman by the public is a dangerous sign? They don't trust the police, they only trust Batman."

"No matter how we smeared Batman on TV, we have to admit that Batman's influence among the public has surpassed normal levels."

"Remember Harvey Dent from before? The Dent Act, hahaha, famous! Ha! Then Dent turned bad, and the act ended."

Mayor Carlo said, "Only a stable organization like the government can guarantee the city's stability in the long run. Even if I die today, this perfectly functioning machine will continue to operate normally."

"The government's authority must be re-established, starting today by apprehending all these supervillains."