The Death Knell

In the dim bat cave, you can vaguely hear the sound of water and the rustling movements of small animals. The sound is so weak, but it is like furry skin squirming in your ears.

After Batman spoke, several members of the Justice League entered the obedient mode immediately. They were already too accustomed to obeying his orders.

Batman's voice was still so calm, but he didn't know whether he had forgotten the pain or used his willpower to control himself.

But now it looks like he's back.

Su Ming found a chair and sat down. Next to him was the hidden staircase leading to the lower level, and the moist breath was slowly flowing down below.

While Batman's plan is definitely different from his, it doesn't hurt to hear the details.

Batman looked at him and then at Green Arrow: "I took a look at the situation in Arkham just now. The Laughing Bat went there, but the Joker got away before him."

Oliver looked at the countless green eyes hanging upside down above the cave. He touched his beard: "So, is this good news?"

"Yes, the Joker cannot die." Batman replied affirmatively, and he retracted his hand into his cloak: "His blood, like his madness, is a very serious source of infection, let alone another toxin. "

Su Ming nodded and fiddled with the rose that was transformed from the strangulation on his chest: "Because there is Dionysian factor in his blood, if it is contaminated with drinking water or food, it will create a large group of madmen with the ability to heal themselves. The Laughing Bat wants to kill He is the second best, or rather, he is more interested in his blood."

"But the Joker killed Selena..." Diana frowned, she still preferred revenge.

Batman paused slightly, and the muscles on his jaw twitched: "I will find a way to rescue her, but now our first priority is to protect the earth."

Arthur was drowsy while listening. When he saw that the topic was slipping towards 'protecting the earth' and 'for justice', he quickly raised his hand to indicate that he wanted to speak.

"Stop talking about that. I understand the truth. Just tell me where you can stop that smiling fake. I'm here with a super weapon this time."

After speaking, he proudly clapped the Poseidon Trident in his hand. This white-gold weapon was emitting a soft blue light, and the light radiated slowly like ocean waves.

Seeing his appearance, Batman had to use part of his willpower to control himself from touching his forehead, because both Deathstroke and Green Arrow had done so.

"The Laughing Bat killed the clowns in their world, inhaled the clown toxin, and became a new toxin host. Once someone kills him, the madness will fall on the murderer and become a new clown. .”

It seemed that Arthur had forgotten this, and Batman could only remind him again.

That poison, or curse, cannot be erased. This world is destined to have such madness. No matter how many times the host is killed, it will turn the murderer into a new clown.

After hearing his explanation, several people looked at the death knell at the same time, with questions in their eyes.

Su Ming shrugged and relaxed on the back of the chair:

"Don't look at me. Although I chopped off Kuangxiao's head last time, it was obvious that the injury did not kill him. Oh, it seems that you need to add a few more pieces of information. Kuangxiao can still regenerate his limbs after separation. The ability to self-heal is either because the concentration of the Dionysian factor in his body is very high, or the world feels that one portion of madness is not enough and wants to order another takeaway..."

"Hopefully it's not the latter, that would be too bad." Oliver blew the mustache on his upper lip, because that didn't sound very nice.

What the world needs is either world rules or high-level concepts, which cannot be killed by conventional means.

Maybe Batman has a backup plan? Or does Deathstroke know something? But he himself had no clue in a short time.

"You said two possibilities, but this is just a piece of information. What else do you know?" Batman noticed something in what Deathstroke said before.

Su Ming raised his hand and touched the Laughter Badge on his chest, and then turned his hand over: "I had some doubts when I played against him last time. The Laughing Bat may have something similar to Harley." Abilities, like seeing something beyond walls.”

Batman looked at him expressionlessly: "I don't agree with your statement. Whether it's Harley or the Ambush Bug, their so-called seeing that they are just comic characters is actually a manifestation of mental illness, causing auditory hallucinations and Hypothetically, this all requires treatment.”

"Do you really not believe it? Or are you forcing yourself not to believe it?" Su Ming smiled.

Batman's expression didn't change at all, and he looked away: "If you keep insisting on the fourth wall, I can only help you reserve a bed in Arkham."

"You know about the Bat Spirit and Troublemaker, and you also admit the existence of the fifth dimension. Is it difficult for you to admit things beyond the Origin Wall?" Su Ming scratched his face in a funny way. He knew that Batman was the latter. : "I think this is the difference between Luther and you."

"The fifth dimension, the tenth dimension, these are not helpful to our current situation. The wall of origin has exploded, and there are only blazing eyes outside the wall. You know better than me the things related to it, such as the Upside Down Man, such as Papetou Ah, I'm waiting for your explanation in the near future."

Batman ended the conversation unilaterally, turned around with his chair, and continued to project some information onto the screen of the Brother Eye host:

"Now we have to deal with the Laughing Bat first. The Wall of Origin has been destroyed. The void outside is swallowing up our multiverse. Some universes have been destroyed. We don't have much time."

Su Ming's purpose of teasing Batman failed. He was very strict and did not reveal any real secrets.

If Batman didn't know, that would be to fool a child. Although he could guess some of his motives for doing this, Su Ming still wanted to hear his own explanation.

"Okay, let's put aside the controversy and see what the other one is going to do."

Batman tilted his head slightly: "He's not me."

"You are Bruce Wayne, he is also Bruce Wayne, he is your counterpart in another world..." Oliver stretched out his hands to gesture, just short of an apple or a pen.

"Because I'm Batman." Batman interrupted Oliver's gesture, turned around, pressed a series of buttons, and a map of Gotham City was projected on the screen.

It's just that his map is more detailed and accurate. Not only roads and buildings, but also three sewer systems and some tunnels dug by illegal immigrants are shown on this map.

"Oh, that's good. It seems like you are really showing some sincerity now." Su Ming stared at the map intently and said teasing words.

In the past, he kept some secrets hidden, but today it seems that he has adopted an open attitude. You must know that Gotham is his life. Taking out the secrets about Gotham's geography is equivalent to entrusting his family and life. .

"Stop your weird accent. You are not Italian. If you want to memorize the map, I will only give you three seconds."

"It's alright, you can continue." Su Ming smiled.

Batman randomly changed the picture, re-blocking the buildings and roads on the ground, and focusing everyone's attention on the sewer system.

He explained quickly: "If you want to understand what the Laughing Bat intends to do, you must first understand what the Court of Owls has done in this city."

"They repaired the sewers?" Oliver spread his hands.

"It's more than that. The map you just saw is just the location I know. There are more secrets in Gotham underneath. It's like a treasure that can be explored endlessly." Batman emphasized, explaining his map Not complete either.

"More like an endless abyss." Diana crossed her arms and expressed her opinion. Although the city was gloomy, London was as clean as a blank sheet of paper compared to here.

Batman ignored her complaints and continued his topic: "Around 1790, when the construction of Gotham was still in progress, Owls infiltrated some nobles. Together with several major families, they used gold mixed with amber. They built houses out of metal and built the first sewer system underground to facilitate the Talon's covert operations and to choose a location for their home base of the Night Owl Maze."

"You took over the maze. It should have been last year." Oliver continued.

"Yes, but it's just a maze. Claw Zero is still at large. The members of the Owl have gone underground again. I met a large number of Owl Priests in Egypt during the last Barbatos invasion..." Bat Xia quickly added without looking back.

He doesn't mind his teammates diverging their minds to expand their ideas. Green Arrow may be able to think of something, but Batman should be the one who makes the decision.

"Well, after that, they used magic to plot against you. You were sent to laugh like crazy and tied to a spire in the dark multiverse. You kept having nightmares, but it was me who saved you." Su Ming said with a smile.

Batman glanced at him: "I paid, and then let's get down to business. Around 1930, the influence of the four major families on the city further declined. In other words, the Court of Owls had to go into hibernation due to a series of infighting. Gotham has entered an era of rule by eight major families composed of foreign immigrants. At the same time, because of the high profits from bootlegging, they built Gotham's second set of sewers. This set of waterways is so spacious and hidden that you can even drive a motorboat in it. Built to transport moonshine.”

"Then the third system was built with your money, right?" Su Ming already knew the answer.

“Because when I came back to the city, the sewage problem on the streets was so bad that Wayne Enterprises funded the latest drainage and sewer systems to make it easier for people to travel on rainy days.”

"But what's the use of saying this? Arthur has flooded all three systems." Diana objected.

"Because these three sewer systems are just passages, not the destination of the Laughing Bat. If he finds the key locations first, Gotham will be doomed."

Batman pressed a few buttons, and a complex water supply equipment appeared on the screen, which was connected to almost all drinking water pipes.