Chapter 242: 12th Century Knight
"Dad, I think I found a lead."
Just as Batman discovered a seemingly ordinary Metropolitan Museum theft case potentially involving Dark Wind Lord and Kingpin's shadows—preparing to pursue further leads—Venom Robin suddenly spoke.
Batman looked toward Venom Robin, only discovering Robin had rotated the computer screen away. One hand extended toward Batman:
"Give me chocolate and I'll tell you what I found."
Batman glanced at Venom Robin.
This was his Batcave. Batman possessed ten thousand methods obtaining whatever materials Robin had discovered.
But he didn't employ those means. Instead, like magic, a chocolate bar appeared at his fingertips, placed into Venom Robin's hand.
SWISH!
The instant chocolate appeared at Batman's fingertips, Venom Robin's extended tongue coiled around it, rolling it into his mouth.
While puffing his cheeks, he rotated the screen toward Batman.
The screen displayed a report from over ten years ago—content regarding British citizen Ellis Whitman's death.
Within the report, one inconspicuous line had been highlighted by Venom Robin:
"British archaeologist Ellis Whitman had long sought and studied similar artifacts."
Beside this line was an attached blurry photograph. Barely discernible details showed objects resembling the stone tablet fragment pattern from the Roman galleries that had nearly been stolen.
Leads progressively revealed themselves. But problems simultaneously multiplied.
A Japanese yakuza organization. New York's Kingpin. A British archaeologist. These three elements appeared completely incompatible.
"Robin, help me hack Yami Kaze Group's trade records. Identify whoever employed that thief crew targeting the Roman galleries." Batman said.
"Why not just ask them directly?" Venom asked while chewing chocolate.
"They're tools—only responsible for accepting payment and working." Batman explained.
"I'm also a tool. Except I don't take money—only chocolate." Venom Robin spoke pointedly.
Batman's hands seemingly could conjure chocolate anytime. Two more chocolate bars appeared at his fingertips.
Just as Venom Robin prepared reaching for them, Batman shifted his hand away, observing Robin while saying:
"You're not a tool. If I must correct this point—you're my family."
Once in Gotham, Batman could rarely voice these words. Even knowing many times that simply speaking them would resolve conflicts immediately.
Yet Batman still couldn't manage it.
But after arriving in Peter Parker's body, Aunt May—warm as sunshine—had illuminated Batman with her light.
From initially educating Venom, Batman had continuously attempted changing himself. Including before departing for New Mexico, when Batman tested Venom Robin, he'd directly explained his thoughts quite clearly. (Chapter 184)
This wasn't Gotham. This was brighter New York.
Batman wouldn't fail noticing what even Dr. Octavius and others could observe—Venom Robin's "rebellious phase." He'd chosen completely different methods from previously handling other Robins.
"Tch, who cares, Old Bat." Venom Robin turned his head aside while saying happily, simultaneously extending his hand backward, accepting chocolate from Batman's hand.
CHOMP! CHOMP!
Both chocolate bars were stuffed into Venom Robin's mouth simultaneously. Both cheeks immediately puffed like a toad.
He remained completely unconcerned, rapidly searching Yami Kaze Group's trade records while asking:
"Dad, how far back should I search?"
"Two and a half years." Batman said.
That thief crew's black-clad leader had mentioned preparing two full years for this operation—indicating whoever employed them had contacted Yami Kaze Group minimum two and a half years ago.
Their workstations immediately switched roles. Batman pursued stone tablet-related leads. Venom excavated Yami Kaze Group's secrets.
Batman didn't worry whether Venom possessed network technology skills, nor worried he'd leave any traces allowing Yami Kaze Group discovering them and reverse-tracking.
Before the Adirondack Mountains battle against Anti-Venom, the rough-voiced Venom—obviously in symbiote "adult" state—had wandered extensively through Batman's memories.
That entity had even penetrated Batman's deepest memory recesses, witnessing the eight-year-old boy Batman protected within his heart.
He possessed most of Batman's memories—including network technology expertise.
Despite never having opportunities displaying those skills, undoubtedly current memory-restored Venom Robin similarly ranked among this world's premier hackers.
Hacking mere Yami Kaze Group was effortless.
As for Batman himself, he rapidly located British archaeologist Ellis Whitman's information through various materials.
Records indicated Ellis Whitman belonged to the Whitman family. This family's crest bore certain similarity degrees to that stone tablet fragment's patterns.
"Whitman family... Throughout America and New York, approximately one hundred fifty thousand people surnamed Whitman."
"They obviously can't all connect to the Whitman family possessing the family crest on the stone tablet."
"Seeking leads through this avenue represents extreme difficulty. Unless possessing Brother Eye or Alfred's assistance."
Pages of materials rapidly passed before Batman's eyes. Where he ultimately stopped bore no Whitman family connection—instead showing Metropolitan Museum information.
Batman obviously wasn't viewing the Metropolitan Museum's official website, but internal data regarding exhibits housed since the museum's establishment.
Logically, every museum artifact possessed detailed documentation—minimum thousands of words, maximum hundreds of thousands.
But this time differed. Batman spent thirty minutes locating the stone tablet's information. It contained only one sentence:
"12th century British knight tomb inscription rubbing."
Batman stroked his chin beard. Peripheral vision detected Venom Robin looking toward him. His hand had already conjured another chocolate bar, extending it over.
"Old Bat... Dad, encountered problems?" Venom Robin bit down on Batman's hand with one chomp—but only rolled away chocolate without injuring Batman whatsoever.
Observing the screen stopped at the Metropolitan Museum's internal record page, Venom Robin couldn't help asking.
He possessed Batman-inherited network technology expertise, naturally knowing not all materials could be obtained online.
Beyond Metropolitan Museum's residual information, throughout the entire network, only British archaeologist Ellis Whitman's death report mentioned it briefly.
Naturally, Venom Robin concluded the stone tablet lead had reached dead end.
"No." Batman's voice exceeded Venom Robin's expectations. "I've already discovered the lead's critical element."
***
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