"Barbara, I think I know why Jason went missing."
After interrogating Ventriloquist, Batman shot his grappling gun, swinging between Gotham's skyscrapers while communicating with Barbara in the Batcave via a channel signal.
"I can't believe there's another world. If the Batman in that world doesn't have a no-kill rule, he could definitely convince Jason to join him."
"I know, but you also know that world is very dangerous, and it's about to swallow ours. We have to rescue Jason and then close the gate connecting the two worlds."
"So what are you planning to do now?"
"First, I'll find another person with a dual personality and see what other information I can get."
"Alright, I'll search for information on Harvey Dent for you right away… I'll start with the Bat-computer's facial recognition system… Found him. A camera recorded Harvey Dent going into Watt Tower at noon, and he hasn't come out since!"
...
...
Inside Watt Tower, Qingshui was still listening to Harvey Dent recount stories from the other world.
Or rather, relay them.
"So, that world is pretty miserable too. Whether it's villains or heroes, anyone with the ability and courage to resist was practically wiped out, leaving only civilians living in endless fear and despair," Qingshui said, tapping his finger on the table.
But isn't saving the world usually something heroes do?
Why are they looking for me?
"You can't just rely on me to solve this," Qingshui told Harvey Dent.
Harvey Dent replied, "I know. We need to get Batman involved too."
"Exactly."
Just then, the incandescent lights on the ceiling flickered a few times, then quickly went out.
"Looks like he's here," Qingshui said, looking up at the ceiling.
Batman's stealth skills were excellent. He was hidden on the roof, spraying quick-setting gel explosive onto the ground from a bottle, even drawing a bat shape.
However, Qingshui could clearly see Batman's position and movements using Transparent World.
There was a long-range projector on the roof of the building across the street. Batman probably intended to use it to project a shadow, creating the illusion of him swinging in through the window, then seizing the opportunity to blow open the roof and snatch Harvey Dent.
And he was wearing an Anti-Puppeteer Suit similar to last time, though the design was slightly different, suggesting an upgrade in function.
But there was something inside the suit with extremely high density that emitted a special electromagnetic field to interfere with external signals. Even Qingshui's Transparent World, formed by his mental power, was somewhat disrupted, making it hard to see clearly.
Is this design meant for me, or for the red-caped guy with X-ray vision in Metropolis next door?
Qingshui didn't know, but if he didn't have Transparent World, he might truly have been caught off guard.
"Hey! Up there! Stop hiding! Just come in through the window! And the few guards outside this building, stay by the door, don't shoot!" Qingshui shouted upstairs, cupping his hands around his mouth like a megaphone.
To ensure Batman could hear, he even used his ability to manipulate air vibrations, directing his voice towards the upper floor.
Batman's movements stiffened for a moment, then he silently swung in through the window.
"Cool! New suit? Is it for me? But honestly, I thought you'd come up with a more superhero-like way than dropping from the roof. Coming in through the window like this just feels a bit… lacking," Qingshui said to Batman, propping his leg on the table.
The latter ignored Qingshui and looked at Harvey Dent.
"It seems you also met your counterpart from another world, and told Watt."
"Yes, you already know what happened?"
"Before I came to find you, I ran into Ventriloquist."
Harvey Dent then, as if realizing something, relayed the words of the other Harvey Dent: "So that guy isn't dead either."
It was then that Batman finally looked at Qingshui.
"Why are you looking at me? You haven't gotten tired of chasing women every day and want to try something new, have you? Just so you know, I'm not into that."
"This situation actually involves you too."
"How is this related to me again?!" Qingshui said, speechless.
"It involves both of us. The Court of Owls has tried to eliminate me many times. Each time, I dismantled their plans and even severely crippled them," Batman continued.
"And now there's you, someone they also can't defeat. So, internal disagreements arose, eventually leading to a split."
Qingshui didn't ask further, instead gesturing for Batman to continue.
"I've been tracking the Court of Owls these past few days, which is how I uncovered this secret," Batman said.
Harvey Dent interjected, "No wonder I couldn't find you."
Batman then began to tell another story.
"The Court of Owls emerged with Gotham's very founding. Shortly after, to control Gotham's darkness, the Court of Owls made sacrifices to a dark entity, praying for power."
"However, as time went on, the more sacrifices they made, the stronger the power they gained, and the harder it became to control. In 1920, Amadeus Arkham's mother went mad from the influence of this dark force. Amadeus founded Arkham Asylum, intending to treat his mother, but he, too, was eventually affected by this power and killed her."
"After the deaths of his wife and children, and before succumbing entirely to madness himself, Amadeus, with his last shred of clear will, closed that dark door. At that time, the Court of Owls had also entered a brief period of decline due to internal strife. Since then, the door has never been reopened."
"Until now. Some among them believe the dark power's influence has receded and that the door can be opened again to reclaim that power. But there's also an opposing faction, which led to internal conflict. Clearly, the former has now won, the latter has been defeated, and the door has been reopened. However, the influence hasn't receded; it has surged back."
The story had now come full circle.
"So, you came to me intending for us to storm the Court of Owls together and close the door?"
"If you can restrain yourself from killing."
"Do you think that's possible?"
"That's why I'll go myself. If I don't come back alive, I hope you'll take my place and continue to fight crime in Gotham. The other Robins aren't mature enough yet to bear this responsibility."
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