What Bad Thoughts Can Batman Have 95

## Chapter 95: The Predictable Transformation (Subscribe)

It was 3 am, and the city of Gotham was aglow with lights. Bruce Wayne had just received a communication from the Riddler.

Our Mr. Nygma had obediently locked himself back in his transparent cell, patching up the hole he had dug with a spoon using wall plaster.

The Riddler was one of the smartest people in the world, capable of doing anything. So, patching up a wall was reasonable, right?

Both Jokers had been captured.

Now, only the nuclear bomb remained, probably.

Bruce thought silently.

He sat on the floor of Arkham Asylum, gathering his strength, with Bane and the Joker, who had been severely injured after using Titan Toxin, lying on the ground beside him.

The two muscular men lay naked on the floor, the Joker’s body slowly deflating, having been pushed down by Bane.

Breaking the Joker hadn’t taken much effort. Bane seemed to have already succumbed as well. But Bruce was still using every moment to rest as much as possible.

Thomas and Martha Wayne, freed from Bane’s control, stood there dumbly, like parents waiting for their child to come home from kindergarten.

“Missile destroyed 80%!” Lucius’s voice boomed in the communication. “84%!”

He spoke quickly, “86%, Batman, if the missile isn’t completely destroyed before it leaves the atmosphere…”

“92%!”

He shouted, “Good job, Poison Ivy!”

“98%!”

Bruce listened quietly to his increasingly excited voice. The sound echoed out of his earpiece, beating in rhythm with Lucius’s heart, shouting.

And finally!

“100%!”

Bruce heard Lucius exclaim, “We won!”

He slumped down in his seat, gasping heavily.

“I can’t believe we did it. We planned for so long,” Lucius said. “So many pre-programmed missiles, even the most advanced anti-missile interception system would need luck to catch them all…”

He marveled at the feat, then praised Poison Ivy. Then he heard Batman say:

“Lucius, you used all your interception missiles, right?”

Lucius paused.

“Yes,” he said, “But we intercepted all the missiles. The worst-case scenario you mentioned didn’t happen.”

Bruce sighed.

“In Gotham, if there’s a worst-case scenario, it will happen.”

Lucius heard him state his conclusion, and then continued:

“Check the satellite imagery, Lucius.”

He heard the other side say, “Did you see the nuclear flash from the explosion on the satellite imagery?”

Lucius’s heart skipped a beat.

He rushed to the satellite control panel, and saw the blank space on the satellite image, making him speechless.

He was too overjoyed and had overlooked an obvious fact:

Even if the interception missiles successfully intercepted the nuclear weapon, at such a close distance, they should have been able to hear something.

And until now, there had been complete silence, which meant…

“That nuclear bomb wasn’t among those missiles we intercepted!”

Lucius groaned, “Oh my God!”

“What happened?”

“That means the worst-case scenario has happened.” Bruce sighed heavily.

“The Joker was tricked. Someone used him to distract us, to force our hand.”

He said, “And we couldn’t ignore the possibility that the nuclear warhead was actually among those missiles. Therefore, we had to use our prepared interception missiles to intercept all of them.”

“And once all our interception missiles were used…”

“That mastermind could then calmly launch the real nuclear bomb!”

Lucius’s voice trembled. “But this doesn’t make sense. Who could have done this? Who could have used the Joker, manipulated him like a puppet?”

“Who could have planned such a meticulous scheme? How did he know everything would unfold as he planned? How did he hide his existence from us, from –”

“It’s obvious.” Bruce answered him. “Someone who has been in front of us all along.”

Bruce stared intently at Bane lying on top of the Joker.

The other man seemed to be still under the influence of laughing gas, his smile stretching from the corner of his mouth to his ear, a humorous, kind smile.

“Someone who seemed to have been defeated by the Joker.”

He continued, “In this world, the more complex the plan, the greater the return, but also the more likely it is to fail.”

“This is because there are too many variables in a complex plan, and the planner has poor control over the entire plan, so it often fails.”

“But if you look at it from another angle… if someone could completely control every corner of a complex plan, hold the key to the whole plan, fully control the actions of a scapegoat, and then stand up and reap the rewards at the last moment…”

“Then theoretically, a super complex plan would be easier to achieve than a simple, brutal attack.”

Lucius said, “I think I understand what you mean…

Bruce switched Lucius’s voice to speakerphone.

“But who is this person? This mastermind behind everything… who could it be?”

“Yeah, I’m curious too.” Bruce stared at the Bane lying on the ground: “Who could this person be?”

A heavy silence fell.

The air hung still, breathing alongside Bruce. Then, the world was stripped of its fantastical veil.

“It’s me.”

Bane’s twisted smile abruptly vanished.

He stood up from the ground expressionlessly, his rough skin rubbing against the floor, making a low scratching sound.

“This is your real means of weakening me, right?”

Bruce looked at him without surprise. “That poison you drank, the one that could supposedly destroy my body, was just a pretense, right?”

“Of course, my Bat.”

Bane replied, “You are always so sharp.”

He said, “I studied your nano-body, the unknown high-tech composition of your body, which is clearly beyond the scope of human capabilities.”

“Unfortunately, I really did hope to create a poison like this… for you.”

He emphasized the “you”.

“But sadly, I’m not really skilled in micro-engineering.”

He said honestly, “If there’s a next time, I’ll definitely learn it.”

“But now.”

Bane held back his inner excitement and joy. His tone was calm and steady, as devoid of emotion as possible.

He didn’t want to show Batman his smugness, his murderous, soaring, high-pitched, yet subtle, low whispers. He didn’t want to show them to Batman.

“You have to stop the real nuclear bomb. You alone, only you can do it.”

Bane said, “You have to face it head-on.”

“Ah, I know.” Bruce answered him softly.

He muttered, “I knew it all along. Things would always turn out like this. The worst case scenario always happens.”

“It’s always like that.”

I can’t write anymore. My mind is blank. It’s Saturday tomorrow, so I’ll add an extra chapter!

(End of chapter)

**Glossary:**

* **Strawman (also known as 乔纳森·克莱恩, Jonathan Clein):** This is a reference to the Strawman character in the Batman universe.

* **Arkham:** Arkham is a fictional city in the Batman universe, known for its infamous asylum.

* **Oswald (also known as 企鹅人, Penguin Man):** This is a reference to Oswald Cobblepot, the Penguin character from the Batman universe.

* **Court of Owls:** This is a secret society in the Batman universe.

* **Harley (also known as 哈莉·奎因, Harley Quinn):** This is a reference to Harley Quinn, a character from the Batman universe.

* **Blayneac:** This is likely a typo, meant to be “Brainiac,” another character from the Superman universe.

* **Kryptonian:** A Kryptonian is from the planet Krypton, Superman’s home planet.

* **General Lane:** A character from the Superman universe.

* **Superman:** This is a well-known superhero with super strength and the ability to fly.

* **Black Zero:** This is a likely reference to a character or group related to the Batman universe, as it is not explicitly defined.

* **Amanda Waller:** This is a character from the DC universe, who is known for her leadership of various government groups like Task Force X (also known as the Suicide Squad).

* **Batman:** This is a well-known superhero who relies on detective skills, strategy, and technology to fight crime.

* **Manchester Black:** This is a character from the Superman universe, known for his anti-hero status.

* **Lincoln March:** This is a character from the Batman universe, a potential candidate for mayor of Gotham City.

* **Wayne:** This is the family name of Batman.

* **Gotham City:** This is the city in which Batman operates.

* **Joker:** This is a well-known villain who is Batman’s nemesis.

* **Robin:** This is a sidekick who aids Batman.

* **Batcave:** This is Batman’s secret hideout.

* **Phosphorus Doctor:** This is a likely reference to a character from the Batman universe, as it is not explicitly defined.

* **Seeker of Death:** This is a likely reference to a character or organization related to the Batman universe, as it is not explicitly defined.

* **The Jester:** This is a likely reference to a character from the Batman universe, as it is not explicitly defined.

* **Lucius Fox:** This is a character from the Batman universe, who is a business executive who helps Batman by providing him with technology and resources.

* **Arkham Asylum:** This is a mental institution for criminals in Gotham City.

* **Bain:** This is a villain from the Batman universe, known for his strength and his ability to use Venom.

* **Amber Gold:** This is a likely reference to a character or organization related to the Batman universe, as it is not explicitly defined.

* **Bat Knight:** This is a nickname for Batman.

* **Alfred Protocol:** This is a likely reference to a set of contingency plans created by Alfred Pennyworth for Batman in the case of his death or incapacitation.

* **Hantao (陈韬):** This is the Chinese name for Bruce Wayne, the character’s real name.

* **Gotham:** This is a shortened name for Gotham City.

* **Bruce:** This is the first name of Batman.

* **Wayne Tower:** This is a skyscraper in Gotham City owned by the Wayne family.

* **Card Writing:** This is a likely reference to a character or organization related to the Batman universe, as it is not explicitly defined.

* **Leave of Absence:** This refers to a break from work or duties.

* **Outline:** This is a brief summary or plan for a piece of writing or a project.

* **Subplot:** This is a secondary plot within a larger story.

* **哇 (Exclamation Mark):** This is an interjection indicating surprise or excitement.

* **Clayface:** This is a villain from the Batman universe, who can shape-shift into any form.

* **Victor Fries (Mr. Freeze):** This is a villain from the Batman universe, known for his ability to control ice and cold temperatures.

* **Gordon:** This is a reference to James Gordon, a police commissioner in Gotham City who is a key ally of Batman.

* **Riddler:** This is a villain from the Batman universe, known for his love of puzzles and riddles.

* **Small Clown (小丑):** This is a reference to a character or group related to the Batman universe, as it is not explicitly defined.

* **Penguin:** This is a villain from the Batman universe, known for his use of umbrellas and his penguin-themed attire.

* **Harley Quinn:** This is a villain from the Batman universe, known for her association with the Joker.

* **Scarecrow:** This is a villain from the Batman universe, known for his use of fear toxin.

* **Baso Caro:** This is a likely reference to a character or organization related to the Batman universe, as it is not explicitly defined.

* **Mud-faced Person:** This is a likely reference to a character from the Batman universe, as it is not explicitly defined.

* **Alfred Pennyworth:** This is Bruce Wayne’s loyal butler, who helps Batman in many ways.

* **Lex Luthor:** This is a villain from the Superman universe, known for his intelligence and his hatred of Superman.

* **Rudy Jones:** This is a likely reference to a character or organization related to the Batman universe, as it is not explicitly defined.

* **Niema Mr. (Thomas Wayne):** This is the Chinese name for Thomas Wayne, Bruce Wayne’s father.

* **Titan Toxin:** This is a chemical compound that increases strength but also has negative side effects.

* **Muscle Monster:** This is a likely reference to a character from the Batman universe, as it is not explicitly defined.

* **Five-Faced Person Harvey Dent:** This is a reference to Two-Face, a villain from the Batman universe.

* **Perry White:** This is a character from the Superman universe, known for his role as the editor of the Daily Planet.

* **Clark Kent:** This is the identity of Superman when he is not in his superhero costume.

* **General Zod:** This is a villain from the Superman universe, known for his military prowess and his hatred of Superman.

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