It was the rainy season, and the sky was filled with a patter of small raindrops, hitting pedestrians' faces head-on with a damp smell. The sky was always gloomy, with layers of dark clouds surrounding Gotham City. Looking up, the boundless dark clouds seemed to bring a thrilling sense of oppression.
Gotham residents, clamoring for shelter and grumbling about the awful weather, often went about their daily routines, often grumbling and cursing the dreadful weather. Rainy season in Gotham City only made its residents even more irritable, as crime rates often soared during this period.
"This damn weather makes it so troublesome to have to be fully armed every day when going out." The citizen who spoke quietly put his hand on the pistol at his waist. This made him feel at ease. Gotham in the rainy season really made the weak people feel uneasy. They were very worried about the safety of their lives and property.
"Isn't it the same every year? What's there to complain about?" A homeless man shivered with cold. He struggled to light the waste in a broken oil drum and warmed himself comfortably. He listened to the curses of passersby, grinning with his yellow teeth and emitting an unpleasant laugh.
This is an elderly homeless man whose life journey mirrors the evolution of Gotham City over the past few decades. He has lived through the terrifying era of Falcone, witnessed the rise of the Dark Knight, and witnessed firsthand the brutal battles between the Dark Knight and a terrifying enemy known as the League of Shadows. Gotham City, a city of tens of millions, is shrouded in the Dark Knight's shadow.
This old homeless man is a living history of Gotham City.
The pedestrian checked the time, thought for a moment, and then came over to warm himself by the fire. The weather had left him freezing, his hands and feet practically numb. The homeless man gestured to him and smiled. The pedestrian cursed again and handed him ten dollars, which the homeless man happily accepted. Only then did he make room for the pedestrian.
"Nice clothes!"
The pedestrian adjusted his rain-blurred glasses and realized that the ragged homeless man was wearing an expensive mink coat. Although the coat was already worn in many places, it was probably because the homeless man had worn it for a long time. The pedestrian worked at Wayne Enterprises and was a discerning person. His boss, Bruce Wayne, loved wearing clothes like this, which cost thousands of dollars a piece and looked very stylish. A poor guy like him could never afford such clothes.
The tramp added another handful of garbage to the broken oil barrel as fuel. When he heard passers-by talking about the clothes, he felt a little proud. This was one of the few glorious moments in his life.
"I told you this was a gift from Bruce Wayne. Do you believe me? The situation that day was very similar to now. It was also raining. Bruce Wayne came out of a high-end restaurant with a bruised face. I was so generous as to let him warm himself by the fire for free. At that time, I didn't know any noble Bruce. He was from two different worlds, right? But Bruce warmed himself by the fire and gave me this dress as a reward, along with a lot of tips."
The homeless man gestured, happily recalling the scene of that day. He continued, "Then one day, that man appeared—the Dark Knight named Batman, who traveled at night like a ghost. That day, he knocked down a criminal and gave my clothes a thumbs-up! He praised me and said, 'Nice clothes!' Well, you can't believe it, Batman also praised me!"
The homeless man tightened his coat carefully. A drop of rain fell on it. The homeless man quickly wiped it with his black fingers, with a distressed look on his face.
The passerby was a bit skeptical. He could barely believe the suit was a gift from his boss. Bruce had always been so unruly, up to all sorts of ridiculous things, just like Tony Stark in New York City. But Batman had praised his suit?! Hehehe... Do you take me for a fool? The mysterious Dark Knight only appeared where there were criminals. Why would he bother talking to a homeless person?
The citizens of Gotham City are proud to have Batman. When Batman appears at night, the citizens can always sleep peacefully.
But various official agencies and dark forces hated it with all their might. This unknown bastard had ruined their deals time and time again. He had disrupted the gang's drug and arms trade, disrupted public officials' bribery, and destroyed the financial resources of many people. The feud was too big.
But no one has ever been able to catch this guy.
"What? You don't believe me? I'm telling the truth! I really did speak to the Dark Knight. Old Jack never lies, everyone knows that!" The tramp grew anxious, slapping the oil drum angrily, his face flushed and his neck thick with anger. This was his most glorious story, and how could anyone not believe it?!
The homeless man grabbed hold of the passerby, babble-like. His black hand, stained with rain and mud, touched him, leaving a conspicuous handprint on his suit, like a child's graffiti.
"Okay, I believe it, I believe it!" The pedestrian raised his hands in surrender, a look of disgust on his face. "I believe it, okay? Compared to this, I care more about Bruce's affairs. He is my bread and butter. Batman and the like have nothing to do with me."
"Master Bruce... he is such a kind man! We poor people rely on Master Bruce to survive! I heard that people from Stark Group are coming, and the two sides want to exchange military technology..." The homeless man stretched out his voice and stared at the passers-by meaningfully. He had already stretched out one hand, rubbing his index finger and thumb, making a gesture of counting money.
The passersby glared at the somewhat greedy homeless man and walked away without looking back. Are you kidding? He's a Wayne Enterprises employee! How could he not know that Stark Enterprises had sent someone? It's ridiculous! Anyway, he's already warmed up and has to hurry to work...
From behind, a homeless man sighed with regret. The pedestrian quickened his pace and walked even faster. He didn't want to stay in this place for even a second.
As world-renowned giants, it's not uncommon for them to collaborate with each other. Furthermore, the two aren't in competition. Stark Enterprises has focused on military industry for fifty years, while Wayne Enterprises specializes in high-tech, extending its reach across a wide range of industries.
Gotham City's Ministry of Commerce officials and the Wayne Group's CEO were already waiting at the port. This kind of out-of-character welcome would not be surprising if it was for the Stark Group, as the other party was no less powerful than their own, the Trillion-Dollar Group Stark!
If the two giants start to cooperate, the interests involved will be too huge, and the people of Gotham City cannot ignore it. This is likely to create tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of jobs.