Chapter 21: Bain’s Surge
Pfft!
Bain withdrew his large hand, covered in brain tissue and blood, as if he had casually pinched a bubble. He disdainfully flicked off the white sticky liquid on his hand, allowing the headless corpse to slump to the floor. “Garbage from the sewer. You’re actually foolish enough to try monitoring me.”
He kicked the corpse into a corner: “What’s even more foolish is that you didn’t escape immediately after being discovered.”
“We’re very sorry, Bain! This guy is a zombie that won’t die, and we clearly stabbed him with a sneak attack…”
“Ah, no need to explain, my friends.”
Bain didn’t bother with his subordinates’ verbal apologies, quickly tossing aside the assassin from the Owl Court. He relaxed his muscles, his broad chest rising and falling with deep breaths.
“Take it easy. Let’s experience this together.”
Bain’s three subordinates exchanged a glance. They didn’t feel anything except the heavy smell of blood and corpses.
“What are we supposed to feel, Bain?”
“Look outside… what do you see?”
“It’s empty and desolate,” the hole dweller and zombie man replied in unison: “A city that’s dead and rotting.”
“A city that’s arrogant and numb, having a taste of fear,” the birdman added.
“Yes, you’re right. This is your power, Bain, making them feel fear.”
“They’re planning to deploy troops to deal with you, but they fundamentally don’t understand what they’re up against.”
They carefully flattered him, saying, “They’re only worthy of trembling at your feet.”
My lord.
His subordinates didn’t say it out loud, but they thought it silently.
“No.”
But Bain’s response was unexpected.
“It’s not like that!” Bain suddenly let out a low roar: “You haven’t felt anything at all!”
“Gotham has been plagued by the Batman for too long. Gotham City was once the largest hub for drug production and trade, human trafficking, and the most prosperous city for gambling!”
He spread his arms wide, as if embracing the invisible darkness.
“Gotham is a paradise for criminals! So many years ago, the US government would lock up all criminals in Blackgate Prison. Then, they’d quickly release them on parole, and they’d become citizens of Gotham City.”
He sneered: “The so-called Gotham has been a super-prison from the start, where they’d let all the scum fight each other to the death until someone comes to stop them from treating Gotham like a garbage dump!”
He laughed sarcastically: “Before Batman was born, the entire US was ten times safer than it is now!”
“You say Gotham is afraid of me? What a joke.”
“Gotham isn’t afraid; it’s excited! How evil is that, getting excited?”
“Someone is finally going to take down Batman, someone is finally going to kill Batman. All those scum, hoodlums, and gangsters can finally return to their unrestricted criminal lives.”
“The silence on the streets isn’t because of fear, but because of anticipation! They’re celebrating, waiting with bated breath, and everyone hates Batman. They want Batman dead! The scum hates Batman, the elite hates Batman, even the old women working at the powder mill hate Batman!”
“Batman tries to save Gotham? Don’t make me laugh. Gotham doesn’t want to be saved; it wants to fall forever!”
Bain felt it; he could sense it.
Gotham was like a cruel mother, whispering in his ear, urging him to murder her only son, the battered warrior.
This evil woman, in front of him, was striking a pose, displaying a queen-like arrogance, demanding he prove his greatness and strength by going through the dirty trials of the ignorant mob, and then…
going for the crown that no one has ever touched – killing Batman!!!!
This is…
glorious.
He sat back on the sofa, his body unconsciously tensing up, making him look like a beast waiting to pounce.
“You three, quickly leave this building. Surrender to the military directly. I’ll come find you later. You’re in the way.”
Bain’s voice was low, but it gave off an unexpected sense of grandeur, like magma erupting from the ground.
The light from the window highlighted his bulging biceps, making him look like a real iron man.
His three subordinates hastily left, not doubting Bain’s decision, nor daring to question it.
Bain sat on the sofa, looking up at the sky, quietly waiting.
The long street was dead silent, with no signs of life.
…
…
…
“Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle… M1A2 Abrams main battle tank and M2A3 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle are ready…”
“Received.”
“M109A6 self-propelled howitzer and M777 howitzer are in position.”
“Received.”
Somewhere in Gotham, at the National Guard’s on-site command center.
Mayor Caro turned to a sulky-looking Commissioner Gordon: “Hey, Jim, don’t always look so glum. You won’t really think I’m an idiot, will you? That phrase is how it goes, right?”
“From a strategic perspective, we should despise the enemy, but from a tactical perspective, we should respect the enemy.”
“We’ve mobilized nearly 40,000 troops from the National Guard, with tanks, machine guns, heavy machine guns, armored vehicles, and even semi-automatic missiles.”
Mayor Caro couldn’t help but smirk.
“This military configuration is enough to conquer some small African country. Gordon, you’ve been a cop in Gotham for so long; have you really forgotten how terrifying modern weapons are?”
“Those so-called superheroes we’ve seen, but in the face of true modern firepower, everything is trash.”
Mayor Caro said with a hint of pride: “We owe it to Gordon’s accurate intel. According to my calculation, as long as we evacuate all the residents around the area, we can just directly launch a missile strike, and Batman will be nothing. We don’t even need to bother with Batman’s grandeur.”
“So this is why you were degrading Batman on TV?”
“Ah, come on, Gordon!” Mayor Caro熟ly hooked his arm around Gordon’s neck: “That was just a ploy to attract Bain’s attention, wasn’t it? You personally adjusted the TV signal to ensure Bain would be drawn to it.”
“It’s also a tactic to attract voters, showcasing your tough image to the public.”
Gordon pushed away Mayor Caro’s arm, mercilessly exposing his intentions.
“Tsk, people need some spiritual comfort. But, Gordon, do you really think it’s normal for people to put all their hope in a masked vigilante?”
Mayor Caro snorted, lying back in his chair.
“Become strong, and you’ll be safe.”
He spread his arms wide, as if grasping something in the air.
“Many people, much power.”
He said, “The people should regain their trust in the government, not pin their hopes on individual heroes. Don’t you think the public’s fanatical worship of Batman is a dangerous signal? They don’t believe in the police; they only believe in Batman.”
“No matter how much we smear Batman on TV, we have to admit that his influence has exceeded normal bounds.”
“Do you remember Harvey Dent? The Dent Act, haha, what a big deal that was!”
Mayor Caro said, “Only a stable organization like the government can guarantee the city’s safety in the long run. Even if I die today, this well-oiled machine will continue to operate normally.”
“The government’s authority must be re-established, starting with capturing all these supervillains today.”
(The chapter ends)
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