## Chapter 8: Bane’s Assault
*Tap tap tap!*
Someone knocked on the window of Chen Tao’s van.
Chen Tao rolled down the window and saw the same thugs who had tried to extort him earlier, this time with a larger group, brandishing machetes and crowbars.
“You really think dressing like Batman makes you Batman? You actually scared me…”
Chen Tao didn’t bother with pointless chatter. He extended a hand, which instantly transformed into a spinning tire. He smashed it against the thug’s forehead while he was still stunned.
“Scram!”
Robbing in Gotham with machetes and fighting the second-generation Robin, a physics-based hero, with a rusty sword? How low-class.
Watching the thugs scurry away, Chen Tao shifted his expression and grabbed the microphone.
“Hello, hello, can you hear me? Good, you can hear me.”
He clamped down on his voice, using the Cheshire Cat’s cold voice to speak into the microphone.
“Good day to all of you, dear mercenaries.”
Then he quickly switched to Deathstroke’s voice:
“I’m glad you didn’t have any conflict. Believe me, that’s exactly what I want. Now, untie Killer Croc.”
Deathstroke maintained a stoic expression, not asking any stupid questions like “Who are you?”
He mentally assessed whether he should continue to be involved in this mess.
He could smell a conspiracy. Indeed, it always started with a story like this: a shadowy villain behind the scenes, luring in a naive mercenary.
Mercenaries didn’t take just any job—except for someone like Deathstroke, a superhuman who was strong enough to kill any employer trying to double-cross him.
But under normal circumstances, mercenaries were mortal. Being betrayed by their employer could easily lead to their demise. Therefore, someone like Deathstroke would usually only take jobs through a trusted middleman.
For example, the Ventriloquist had proven himself to be a kind, pure, and rule-abiding crime boss, which was why Deathstroke had come here.
But this unknown villain…
The Ventriloquist untied Killer Croc’s ropes.
The beast jumped up from the ground, teeth bared. With Deathstroke’s gun pointed directly at him, it was a close call.
Fortunately, the crocodile didn’t attack. With shining eyes, he ran into the pile of cash, painstakingly picking up each bill from the dirt and carefully stuffing them back into the van.
“Hee hee! I have two hundred million dollars! Hee hee!”
The Captain Boomerang beside him suffered a mental breakdown from envy: “Damn it, why is my salary only—”
Chen Tao switched to Boomerang’s voice:
“Don’t envy Killer Croc, he’s just receiving his base salary for the next four years in advance—”
“And I, a generous employer, guarantee that after you complete my task, everyone here will be able to take home a few hundred million dollars in a few months. This is an unprecedented opportunity, it all depends on whether you have the guts to take it.”
“…”
Deathstroke immediately made his decision. He was definitely getting involved. It wasn’t about the money, he just enjoyed taking risks.
Chen Tao continued to talk a bunch of nonsense, which could be summarized as:
“I, the Rich Brother!”
“Your Wealthy Employer”
“Throwing Money Around”
“On the Use of the Power of Money”
“This Pie is Big and Round”
Chen Tao wasn’t actually a good speaker, but it was different when his audience was surrounded by mountains of dollars.
With the visible cash and the bone-throwing Killer Croc on one side, and the naked threat of three other mercenaries on the other, Deadshot forced a stiff smile while the Tattooed Man slapped his belly happily. The atmosphere quickly became heated.
Captain Boomerang joined in the commotion: “Oh, great employer! You are so generous!”
His Shakespearean opera-like groveling made Deathstroke speechless.
“…Weren’t you planning to decline any follow-up missions?”
“I changed my mind.”
Ugh, money-grubbing scum. Deathstroke scoffed.
Chen Tao continued, “So, the temporary team is formed. I’ve already thought of a name for you guys, it’s called the Suicide Squad.”
“What a depressing name.”
“I’ll give you an extra $100,000.”
“That’s a great name.”
Whatever, flattery doesn’t cost anything.
Regardless, Deathstroke felt relieved. The current mission was completed. As for the following missions, as long as he was careful, he should be able to make it home alive.
With two hundred million dollars, maybe he could retire and then spend time with his daughter…
Chen Tao behind the screen also breathed a sigh of relief. Once he dealt with Bane, maybe he could retire and spend time with… the air…
“Once I earn two hundred million dollars, I’ll go back home and buy a big villa, then spend time with my wife—”
*Pop!*
It was like crushing a puddle of urine. Captain Boomerang’s blonde head, wearing an eyepatch, was crushed like a watermelon by a large hand. His spear fell to the ground, powerless.
*Pop!*
Several kilometers away, Chen Tao spat his coffee onto the livestream screen and stood up abruptly, slamming his head against the van’s ceiling.
Time seemed to slow down.
Deathstroke widened his eyes, hearing the Cheshire Cat’s shrill, distorted meow: “Enemy attack!!!”
He saw the massive figure… the half-naked upper body, bulging with muscles, veins like pythons winding across his skin.
Most striking were the bright green tubes connecting his head and arms, and the mask…
“Bane!”
…
…
…
Bane felt like he was constantly falling through an empty void… the deep darkness coalescing into an ocean.
This was his cradle, and his tombstone.
But this couldn’t confine his mind.
His soul broke free from its coffin, wandering in the white night where death and life coexisted.
He needed to find that bat monster. He had to stand there, in its shadow, defy it, and ultimately kill it! And his fear, too, would die with it—
By then, the entire Gotham would sing:
Holy, great warrior Bane conquered the evil demon—Batman!
Holy, Bane, you rule Gotham’s four corners, surpassing all others!
But the warrior’s adventure wasn’t always smooth sailing… The demon sent his minions.
The beast with green face and sharp teeth, his defeated subordinate. He crawled at the demon’s feet for money.
It bared its fangs, trying to intimidate the mighty Bane.
But the warrior wasn’t intimidated.
He swung his uppercut, which swayed like a pendulum. Killer Croc staggered backward, falling to the ground.
“I thought I crushed you, beast… and now I have to kill you.”
The monster leaped up, its mouth full of fangs spewing venomous breath… It roared, its heavy fists slamming into the warrior’s head, its sharp claws tearing at Bane’s flesh.
“You want to be king of Gotham, huh? You wouldn’t even be a contender if it wasn’t for your juice!”
Bane slammed a fist into its face, sending it crashing to the ground again.
Another punch, its head pressed against the ground, sending gravel flying.
Another punch, half of the beast’s head was embedded in the concrete.
Bane grabbed the wreckage of a nearby car, lifting it high—
“I don’t need Venom to kill a bug like you…”
*Bang!*
“Because I am Bane!”
*Bang!*
“The nightmare of all obstacles!”
*Bang!*
“The bane of all living things!”
*Bang!!!*
Killer Croc let out a loud scream as the wreckage deformed, twisted, and shattered.
A gunshot rang out. Bane dodged the bullet and turned.
His movements were as agile as a dolphin leaping out of water, his gaze shining in the white night where reality and illusion intertwined.
Ah… Of course, the demon had other minions.
(End of Chapter)
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