## Chapter 82: Midnight
The night was deep.
Bruce Wayne stood by the Gotham River, gazing at the vast night sky. A full moon, bathed in cold moonlight, stirred the wind that swept across the vast river.
The surging tide, white with foam, reflected shimmering spots of light.
What a majestic and grand, resplendent night scene!
“Boop, boop, boop…”
Bruce answered the phone.
“Okay, capitalist hunk, after all this time, Ivy and I finally managed to plant trees all around Gotham! Gosh, working day and night without rest, it’s killing me, you should really hang me on a lamppost.”
Harley Quinn’s face appeared on the screen, sporting huge dark circles under her eyes—this wasn’t her usual makeup look. She complained loudly, “Ivy’s about to collapse!”
Beside her, Poison Ivy looked like a consumptive, with the Cheshire Cat supporting her.
“Thank you for your hard work, Harley, and to all of you.”
Bruce’s voice was quiet, distant, with a low, otherworldly quality.
“I appreciate your contributions.”
He said, “It all makes sense. You are Gotham’s last line of defense. In the worst-case scenario, Ivy’s plants will be the best tool for confirming the trajectory of nuclear weapons, ensuring that our interception missiles have more time and opportunity to catch up with the launched nukes.”
Harley was about to whine about her pay, but Bruce cut her off, “Your account will be credited with $100 million in 10 minutes, and Poison Ivy will get hers too. Now shut up.”
“Woohoo!”
Bruce hung up the phone.
He looked silently at the river, at the corner where the moon’s reflection couldn’t reach in the middle of the water. It was as black as ink, shrouded in gloom, as if real monsters lurked within.
“Boop, boop, boop…”
Bruce made another call.
“Batman calling Robin. Are the signal jammers installed throughout Gotham City?”
“They’re done, Batman. As you instructed, we’ve deployed extra jammers in key areas like the circus, amusement park, and Wayne Tower.”
The young Robin’s weary voice came through the screen, “Our chief scientist says the range of these things is over 20 meters. If he’s right, then no one will be able to launch anything in those areas.”
But not necessarily in other places.
Bruce thought.
Deathstroke’s head popped into the frame.
“We’ve been climbing up and down for the past four days, running around at your beck and call, Batman. Honestly, haven’t you already recovered that nuke? Is there really going to be a second one…?”
“Hey, smarty-pants, you clearly don’t understand Gotham.” Killer Croc cut him off, the green monster chomping on some jerky. He mumbled, “The worst always happens in Gotham. You know, this city is a vicious bitch, she never knows what mercy means.”
“Undeniably.”
Bruce replied in a low voice, “That’s why we need to be prepared.”
“See you.”
Bruce hung up the phone.
He extended a hand.
Silvery particles swirled around his hand, his palm dissolving into a crimson black gauze.
He extended his other hand, driven by the silvery particles, the green claws of a gigantic dinosaur emerged faintly.
Bruce let out a stifled groan.
He waved his hands to disperse the two forms of transformation.
“I’m not finished yet.”
He muttered silently.
He stared into the darkness in the center of the river, his eyes fixed on it as if he wanted to imprint it into the starry river in his eyes.
“I’ve come this far, I’ve done well. I haven’t lost. I’ve done as well as the real Batman.”
In the space of imagination and the world of thought, in that grotesque darkness, a bat howled silently.
Bruce faced it, facing the bloody, horrific scene in the bat’s mouth!
“I’m sure I’m not finished yet.”
“Between us, you, me, our story has a while to go before it ends.”
He chuckled softly, “You see, fate tells us that I may have to represent Batman and fight you to the death one last time.”
A faint glimmer lit up in his heart, dispelling all fear, hesitation, and trepidation.
He loudly berated himself, the roar like a mountain collapsing, a thunderous noise that echoed in his heart, roaring towards the universe:
“Listen!!! In life, there may be countless paths, but there is absolutely no turning back! For any action, either don’t do it at all, or do it to the fullest, there’s no such thing as giving up halfway!”
“Everyone! That cowardly, incompetent self! You listen up!!! I am Bruce Wayne!”
“But I am also— ”
“Bat! Man!!!”
He whispered,
“Gotham.”
“I’m here!”
The silvery particles swirled again, transforming him into the nano-body of a broken bat. Bruce wrapped himself in his fluttering cloak, stepping out into the night wind, the wind that refused to rest in Gotham tonight –
Without looking back!
…
…
…
Bane reviewed the small booklet Batman had given him on how to deal with the Joker for the last time.
He stroked the spine of the booklet, his face radiating infinite affection and murderous intent.
He finally went over all the plans in his mind, then turned off the light in the room and carefully locked the booklet back in the safe.
But before he could reach the door, he groaned and slumped as if he were deflating. He quickly pressed a button to activate the toxin pump and soon recovered.
He opened the door, and a bustling scene unfolded before him.
This was originally Gotham’s biggest prison: Blackgate Penitentiary, but it had been completely transformed into a military base.
A large number of guns and weapons were being distributed in an orderly manner. This war machine, with Bane’s original men as its core and Blackgate’s prisoners as its flesh and blood, was ready and waiting to bathe in blood.
“Where is the Joker?”
He grabbed a passing soldier, who immediately saluted when he saw Bane. The few Blackgate inmates behind him followed suit, performing various awkward salutes.
After being directed by the soldier, Bane walked down several corridors and found the Joker.
“Hey, you know, I told you at the time, ‘You must be wanting to turn off the flashlight while I’m halfway up, so I can fall directly to the ground! Hahahahahaha!”
The atmosphere was surprisingly pleasant. Bane narrowed his eyes, this cruel and depraved villain actually got along well with his men.
Interesting.
Of course, he wasn’t a good person himself.
He pulled the Joker out of the room, who still had a bottle of beer in his hand.
He pulled the Joker aside: “My ally, I have a very important task for you. To completely defeat Batman, we need to work together…”
“You must…”
“…As soon as…”
Having sent the Joker away, Bane stood by the window.
The moonlight was bright, he guessed that this moonlight must also be shining on Batman.
“It’s time for the final battle.”
He muttered to himself.
“I’m not finished yet, Batman.”
“We’re destined to be entangled in battle for a lifetime.”
(End of chapter)
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