"Chief, those people specifically asked to see you by name. They asked me to pass on this message: they say you will definitely like their cooperation."
Seeing Bane's cold smile, the henchman, though terrified, still made his point clear.
Ever since he arrived in Gotham looking for a place to stay, he had been noticed by this group of locals. In fact, it was thanks to them that he was able to find the location of the Gotham sewers so quickly.
The other party seemed to have anticipated his leader's arrival in Gotham, and even though he was afraid of displeasing Bane, he still had to deliver the message.
"Okay, once we've settled in, we'll go and have a proper talk with them."
Bane wasn't stupid; he understood the principle that even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake.
Even a well-known mercenary group like theirs wouldn't risk clashing with local powers.
Overconfident, he believed that with his superior strength and Zhihui, he could defeat any opponent with malicious intentions.
Two days later, at a ranch on the outskirts of Gotham, Bane got out of a modified Hummer.
After receiving confirmation from his men that they had entered the sniping position through his earpiece, he swaggered in with his two henchmen.
"Welcome, Mr. Bane."
A man who looked to be in his thirties, but whose demeanor was far older than his age, stepped out from the crowd to greet Bane.
"So you're the one who invited me? And one of Gotham's so-called upper echelons?"
Bane's tone was indifferent; someone who grew up in prison was naturally at odds with these successful people.
If the other party hadn't been a local bigwig, and hadn't been so adamant about discussing cooperation, Bane wouldn't have bothered with them at all; he could have just dealt with the Gotham City government along with them.
"Mr. Bane, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Jones Howard; I think you've probably heard of me."
Jones extended his hand in a polite handshake, but Bane completely ignored him.
Even towards this high-ranking man, Bane spoke with a hint of disdain, "Who do we have here? It's just a high-ranking official in Gotham's legal department, the Howard Family, who are already well-known."
As the mastermind behind turning Gotham into his criminal base, Bane had already gathered information on most of Gotham's key figures before arriving.
Jones Howard naturally already knew this; according to the information, this guy should have connections with some underground organizations in Gotham, and he wondered if this guy was meeting him on their behalf.
A flicker of resentment crossed Jones's face in response to Bane's rudeness, but he quickly put on a smile again.
"Mr. Bane, I'd like to talk to you about a collaboration. Let's go inside."
Jones gestured for him to enter, and Bane sneered before stepping inside.
His men had already secretly surrounded the area, and he wasn't afraid of them playing any tricks.
With the power enhanced by the potion, ordinary people are like ants in his presence, and he could easily snap their necks if anything went wrong.
The manor, Jones ' private property, was intended as a place to relax in his leisure time, but it has now been transformed into a solemn altar.
As soon as Bane entered, he saw a statue in the very center, which appeared to be a man dressed in loose robes, but his face was completely blurred.
"Ha! Have all the rich people in Gotham started worshipping Jashin?"
Bane's words were full of sarcasm; as a mercenary leader, he had also witnessed some supernatural forces.
The statue and its surrounding layout clearly indicate that it was intended for worship.
Jones, who had been all smiles, changed his expression for the first time and spoke with a somewhat serious tone:
"Mr. Bane, please watch your words. God cannot be insulted. My God is not some Jashin, but the true Heavenly Venerable of Ten Thousand Desires who can bestow blessings upon all living beings!"
"Tch~~"
Bane didn't argue with Jones. All he knew of people who believed in Jashin were either Madman or psychopaths. He wasn't afraid of them, but he didn't want to provoke them either.
He found a sofa and sat down with an air of authority, Bane spoke very eagerly:
"Speak, what exactly do you want from me? What business do you, a high-ranking government official in Gotham, have with me?"
"It'd better be straightforward; I don't like beating around the bush."
Jones sat down opposite Bane, then waved for the others to leave. Once only he and Bane were left, he spoke with a hint of fervor:
"It is my god who has sought you out. My god has chosen you and intends to bestow upon you some power, which is why I have brought you here."
"What the hell!" Bane cursed angrily, feeling like he'd been played.
With a swift lunge, two thick arms pressed down on the armrests of the sofa where Jones was sitting, staring at him like a wolf.
"Stop trying to fool me with your brainwashing tricks. I don't believe in God. Your so-called Jashin have nothing to do with me. You'd better give me a good reason not to rip your head off."
I'll say it again: Show respect to our God!
Jones looked at Bane with a serious expression and spoke each word carefully, while simultaneously reaching out and grabbing Bane's wrists with both hands.
Wait, is he trying to outmuscle me?
Perfect, let this ungrateful bastard know what true power is!
A bloodthirsty glint flashed in Bane's eyes; he intended to teach the man before him a lesson.
Before he could even exert any force, he felt a piercing pain in his wrist, followed by his strong arm being firmly controlled by another pair of thin arms.
Although Jones had no fighting experience, the genetically modified fluid he was injected with had already brought his physical abilities to an inhuman level.
Bane is nothing more than a nobody. His so-called ' Venom ' enhancement potion only allows him to do whatever he wants among mortals, and he's not even on par with Captain America next door.
Although the gene serum Jones was injected with was only the lowest-level Symbiote Serum, it still gave him 70% of Homelander's power, which was far beyond Bane's ability to contend with.
Jones completely overwhelmed Bane in terms of his physical prowess, which was something Bane had always admired strength, found hard to accept.
"Damn it, you think you can crush me like this?"
Bane strained fiercely, exerting all his strength, the enhancement serum pumping continuously into his body, but the power in his arms showed no sign of weakening.
To be honest, if Xu Xiao hadn't given the order not to eliminate Batman prematurely, Jones alone, after being injected with the Symbiote Serum, could have killed Batman.
After all, Bruce Wayne's strength lies in his intellect and the equipment he's equipped with through various world-enhancing techniques; his actual Power Level is just a dummy among extraordinary heroes.
"Could you please show a little respect, Mr. Bane?"
Jones's expression was cold as he firmly suppressed Bane, who was much taller than him.
All of this is a blessing from my God, a power from my God!