"Fine." Wally grabbed a handful of the red hood in frustration, breaking the deathly silence in the meeting room.
"Now I admit, Bruce, you're right. This guy isn't just trouble, he's a super troublesome guy who doesn't play by the rules!"
He paced rapidly in place, his red and yellow battle suit leaving afterimages and stirring up a breeze that made the paper documents on the table rustle.
"So what do we do now? Send people to steal back these glowing pieces of junk? Or should we hold a seminar to analyze who can gather all seven Dragon Balls to meet Shenron?"
Wally paused at the corner of the conference table, his hands gripping the surface. "He just said he could grant any wish? What do you think those crazy lunatics who like to oppose us will do when they hear that?"
"Shut up, Wally." John Stewart turned around, green energy surging around the ring, materializing into tiny gears that meshed and rotated in mid-air.
He stood ramrod straight, exuding the cold, hardness of a soldier. "Our primary task is to locate these seven items. We absolutely cannot allow an anomalous energy source of this caliber to remain undiscovered, nor can we allow those with ulterior motives to obtain them."
Clark stepped forward, his red cape cascading down his back. He looked up, his gaze sweeping over the golden lettering in mid-air.
"They landed too fast, their trajectories were completely unpredictable. And..." Clark paused, "These conditions are extremely demanding. 'A heart of justice'—that's hard to define. For Lex Luthor, eliminating me is his justice."
"No matter how demanding, someone can always achieve it." Diana's hand rested on the Lasso of Truth, the golden rope gleaming softly.
She stepped forward, her combat boots thudding on the metal floor. "Human greed and obsession are far more terrifying than you imagine. Once someone tastes the benefits of divine artifacts, they will not hesitate to wage war to collect all seven."
Batman didn't turn around; he pressed his earpiece and switched directly to the internal encrypted channel.
" Oracle."
"I'm here, Bruce." Barbara's rapid typing echoed through the communication channel.
"Activate all League near-Earth satellites and take over the global monitoring network. From this moment forward, any unusual energy fluctuations, dramatic weather changes, or even sudden localized Riot are to be prioritized at the highest level. Report any unusual activity to me immediately."
Batman speaks extremely fast and clearly, and every word he utters carries an undeniable and powerful aura.
"Understood, satellite computing power is being reallocated. I have retrieved the last trajectories of the seven streaks of light before they disappeared, but they caused some kind of space folding phenomenon after entering the atmosphere, making conventional ballistic calculations impossible."
"Then let's use the most primitive method." Batman cut off the communication, turned around, and his black cape drew a sharp arc in the air.
" Clark, Kara, Wally," he called out directly.
"We're here," Clark replied, and Supergirl Kara beside him straightened her back.
"The three of you possess the fastest mobility in the League. Using Metropolis, Gotham, and Central City as bases, conduct a global, physical, carpet-like search. Don't overlook any suspicious energy source, and don't overlook any individual suddenly exhibiting abnormal abilities."
Batman pulls up a global map marked with hundreds of red dots.
"Focus your investigation on prisons, black markets, and sites where large-scale Superhuman conflicts have occurred. Artifacts instinctively attract those who crave power. I need you to dig out the exact coordinates of these seven items as quickly as possible."
"Leave it to me!" Wally transformed into a streak of red lightning and vanished from the conference room in an instant, leaving behind only a gust of wind that sent the documents on the table flying everywhere.
Clark nodded, his body leaping into the air, passing directly through the Watchtower's opening hatch, and carrying Kara into the boundless space.
" J'onn, John." Batman turned to Martian Manhunter and Green Lantern.
J'onn emerged from the shadows, his tall, green body appearing somewhat ethereal.
"You're in charge of analyzing these texts," Batman said, pointing to the runes in mid-air. "Build a psychological profiling model, combine it with the League's database, and identify all potential targets worldwide—heroes, villains, and civilians alike—who might fit these criteria."
Batman's fingers flew across the virtual keyboard, bringing up a list of various villains.
"Especially those with strong obsessions, those who have suffered great trauma, or those on the verge of despair. The condition for the ' Staff of Lies ' is betrayal and being betrayed; the focus should be on investigating double agents and traitors. We need to seize the initiative before others discover the artifact."
"Received." John activated his Green Lantern Ring, scanning and imprinting the text in mid-air, transforming it into a stream of green data that returned to his ring.
" Diana." Batman looked at Wonder Woman, Doctor Fate, and Zatanna.
"You, Doctor Fate, and Zatanna," Batman instructed, "Use magical means to locate these things, and assess whether they would disrupt the stability of the real world. If you find any artifacts, do not touch them rashly; call for backup immediately."
"I'll go right away." Diana turned her ankle and strode out of the conference hall. Doctor Fate and Zatanna exchanged a glance and followed Diana.
In less than two minutes, the once crowded conference hall became completely empty.
Batman pulled out the chair in front of the control panel and sat down.
He brought up dozens of virtual screens, blue light spots reflected on his cold, hard mask.
Data cascaded across the screen like a waterfall; he interlaced his fingers and rested them on his chin, falling into absolute stillness.
Barbara's voice came through the earpiece again.
" Bruce."
Batman didn't change his posture, he just tilted his head slightly.
"Explain."
" Alfred asked me to tell you." Barbara stopped typing; only a faint static could be heard on the channel.
"You haven't had a proper meal in a long time. Tonight, Dick, Tim, Selene, Kate will all be returning to the manor. Alfred has prepared a sumptuous dinner, and he hopes you can come back."
Batman stared at the constantly updating global energy monitoring graph on the screen, tapping his finger twice on the control panel.
" Barbara, you understand the current situation. Seven reality-altering artifacts are scattered across the Earth, threatening to trigger a global catastrophe at any moment. Thor's actions have pushed the entire world to the brink of disaster."
"I know." Barbara sighed, and the sound of typing resumed, only this time at a much slower pace.
"I know this is serious, Bruce. I'm just relaying Alfred's words. He misses you, and everyone misses you. You can't keep yourself chained to the control panel in the Watchtower forever. You're a human being, not a machine."
Batman remained silent.
The blue light on the screen danced on his white eyepiece.
He lowered his gaze, looking at his hands encased in black armor.
These hands have pulled Gotham back from the brink of destruction countless times, but they are also stained with indelible shadows.
For him, the idea of a family dinner is both a luxury and a source of pain.
At this critical juncture, he could not allow himself to indulge in that warm illusion.
Thor's threat is like a Damocles ' sword hanging over the Earth, ready to fall at any moment.
Ten long seconds later.
I'll try my best.
" Alfred will be pleased to hear that answer." Barbara ended the communication.
The automatic doors to the conference room slid open silently.
A man dressed in a clean and tidy blue suit with a matching trench coat walked in.
He wore a fedora, and his face had no facial features, only a smooth, flesh-colored mask.
His leather shoes made a very rhythmic sound on the metal floor as he walked to the conference table, casually pulled out a chair, sat down, and tossed a thick document onto the table.
"Based on my personal multidimensional data analysis and psychological profiling," The Question began, his flat tone echoing in the empty room, "I've reached a very interesting conclusion."
Batman kept his eyes glued to the screen, without even turning his head.
"Speak."
" Thor's actions were essentially a form of psychological bullying."
The Question pulled a pen from his trench coat pocket and twirled it absently on the table. "As long as the League is still trying to find a way to counter him, even if it's just in the planning stage, he will keep creating trouble."
The Question stopped twirling the pen and tapped the table with the tip, making a clicking sound.
"It can't even be called suppression. It's a high-level form of manipulation. The more you rack your brains to target him, the more he'll use methods you can't understand or predict to directly slap trouble in your face. Like these seven toys this time."
Batman finally turned his swivel chair to face the Question.
"Continue."
"Take a look at these conditions," The Question said, pointing to the golden characters that hadn't yet dissipated in mid-air.
"A heart of justice, facing death without fear, being betrayed by others and having betrayed others, defying predetermined fate—these conditions are logically mutually exclusive. One cannot be both the embodiment of absolute justice and a traitor; one cannot sacrifice everything and defy fate."
The Question walked around the conference table and to Batman's side.
"Have you thought about this, Bruce? Why did he specifically leave that last sentence to you? 'I threw seven backup plans at the whole world.'"
The Question held up a finger and drew a circle in the air. "Because he sees through you. He sees through your restless desire for control. You're used to controlling everything, used to preparing weaknesses for everyone. Now, he's thrown seven variables beyond your control onto your chessboard. He's forcing you to make mistakes."
The Question crossed his arms and rested them on the table, his face, devoid of features, staring directly at Batman.
"This is a completely false premise. He created these things without ever expecting anyone to be able to collect them. It's just bait, a torch to ignite global chaos."
He did this simply because he sensed your defensiveness; he was warning you in this way—he wouldn't stoop to smashing the Watchtower with his fists, he could keep you on the run with just a flick of his finger.
The Question excels at unraveling the threads of a conspiracy from a jumble of clues.
He poured out all the conclusions he had deduced, trying to break the absolute composure of the man in black in front of him.
Batman listened quietly, offering neither rebuttal nor agreement.
He stood up, walked to the holographic projector, and quickly entered a series of commands on the control panel.
The golden text in mid-air was broken down into countless data streams and stored in the League's top-secret database.
"I know." Batman turned around, his black cape hanging down to his ankles. "So, we have to get our hands on these seven items."
"Bang!"
The Question slammed their hand on the table and stood up abruptly.
"Insane!" he pointed at Batman, who, though facial featuresless, exuded an absurdity.
"You plan to study the toys he casually sculpted? You plan to use the power he bestowed upon you to fight against him?"
Even if you break these things down to the atomic level, you can't harm him in the slightest! They are the embodiment of the rules, not mass-produced products from Wayne Enterprises ' arsenal! You're just following his script! The more you try to seize these things, the more it proves his warnings were effective!
Batman took a step forward, his tall figure casting a deep shadow under the lights, completely enveloping the Question.
He raised his hand and pressed on a metal buckle on his belt.
"This is his challenge to the Justice League."
Batman stared at the Question's blank face.
"It's also a challenge to me."
He turned and walked toward the exit of the conference hall, his black cloak billowing behind him.
I won't avoid it.
Batman walked to the door, stopped, and placed his hand on the hatch's control panel.
Even if the other party is a god.