dhibooks Chapter 1: The People Behind Batman Revealed
Chapter 1: The People Behind Batman Revealed
Chapter 1: The Person Behind Batman Revealed (Please Add to Favorites)
Gotham... is a black page.
It is the white words you wrote on black paper, the path you desperately pursued, a path of continuous depravity.
It's like the first sentence of the last story in your life.
—Batman: Impressions of Gotham
……
"Buzz... Gotham Bulletin brings you the latest news... The tense standoff between the ventriloquist and police at the Gotham Evidence Bureau has lasted for 3 hours, and experts believe..."
"...It's just freaks attracting each other...the Arkham Escape a few days ago...because of Batman, you know, he attracted those..."
"Batman still hasn't arrived at the scene, and we can't help but wonder, are the rumors of Batman's death true? Is the Gotham City Police Department really so incompetent...? Wait, there's a new development. It's Batman! He's here!"
June brought continuous rain to Gotham City, but the plaza in front of the Gotham Evidence Bureau was busier than usual.
Before Chen Tao's Batmobile had even come to a complete stop, a large group of reporters swarmed around it like flies to carrion.
Braving the drizzle, they pushed and shoved the protesters holding signs that read "We don't want Batman" and the police officers with batons trying to maintain order.
The camera flash was constantly going off.
"Batman, what are your thoughts on the recent rumors in Gotham that you were killed by Bane...?"
"...Regarding the challenge issued by the ventriloquist, have you...?"
"...Batman, why are you doing this so openly this time...?"
"You freak! It's all your fault! That lunatic inside, you know what? You attracted..."
"...Grab him! Grab him!"
The protesters who attempted to attack the Batmobile were quickly subdued, but Chen Tao ignored them.
Amidst the chaos, facing gazes that were either adoring, indifferent, or disgusted, he opened the sliding roof of the Batmobile and inhaled the first wisp of damp air from the rainy night.
call--
He was unusually nervous.
Having been an actor in his previous life, he should have been used to being in the spotlight long ago.
But... today is different from the past.
Chen Tao sighed. Being transported to the DC Universe was one thing; as a huge American comic book fan, he was confident he could manage. But he never imagined he'd transmigrate into the body of the famous Batman, Bruce Wayne himself…
What happened to clinging to someone powerful? How come I'm the one becoming the powerful one?
As is widely known, Batman is the only one of the seven members of the Justice League without superpowers, and is very likely the most powerful pure-blooded human ever to have existed on Earth.
He is incredibly wealthy, exceptionally intelligent, possesses unparalleled wisdom, has extraordinary fighting skills, and an unwavering will. He can punch Darkseid and kick the Justice League; he's simply too awesome to describe in words!
But—what does all of this have to do with Chen Tao, the time traveler?
Oh, by the way, Batman is an orphan, and he was an orphan in his past life as well. That might be their only thing in common. The original owner of this body, who lost both parents, plus the transmigrator, who also lost both parents—this double orphan combination is just incredibly cool.
What's even more infuriating is that being transported to Batman was already hellish enough, but the timeline he traveled to was actually during the events of *Batman: Knightfall*, when the Dark Knight was about to face one of the few utter defeats of his life—having his spine broken by Bane!!!
This can no longer be described as hell mode.
Chen Tao also considered abandoning everything and leaving Gotham, but he quickly gave up on such a foolish idea.
Bane knows Batman's true identity; to flee without a fight would be tantamount to suicide.
Once Bane defeats him and completely controls the city, perhaps... no, without a doubt, it will be his death. Even if he survives by chance, he'll be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life...
His gaze drifted to the lower left corner, where he saw a line of small, silvery-white characters that only he could see.
The Alfred Protocol is now in effect.
[WARNING! You need at least one anchoring item to synchronize Batman's memories!]
Damn it, everyone else comes to the Bat Cave, signs in to get Platinum Kryptonite, swallows it, and instantly becomes Superman. But he doesn't even have the basic perk of being a transmigrator like [the original owner's memories]!
Three days after he arrived, he even tried the toilet paper in the bat cave, but it didn't react at all.
Chen Tao knew about the Alfred Protocol, but in the comics, it was supposed to be a physical mechanical device that Batman used to prevent his memories from being altered, not this strange thing that appeared on his retina!
"Batman!"
A shout interrupted Chen Tao's thoughts. He turned his head and saw Gotham City Police Commissioner Jim Gordon running towards him.
He had two large dark circles under his eyes, and his messy, wet brown hair, mixed with some gray and white, lay on his forehead, making him look both disheveled and neurotic, like a groundhog that had been raped to the point of neurasthenia.
"My God! Batman! You're here. It's unbelievable that you're still alive. I saw Bane break your neck with my own eyes. Are you really Batman, or is the Joker just picking up Batman's clothes from his corpse, putting on his mask, and playing some kind of role-playing game with me?"
"Let's stop this pointless probing," Chen Tao replied. "Don't be misled by that rumor."
He immediately sensed the probing undertone in Gordon's joke and interrupted him. Yes, his body was real, but his soul was fake. So don't discover the truth, astute detective.
Chen Tao sighed inwardly; dealing with these shrewd people in Gotham was truly difficult. Without Batman's memories, he had to rely on himself for everything.
He turned his gaze to the Gotham Evidence Bureau, which stood silent in the rain.
So, this is the plan.
As a huge fan of American comics, he knows the Batman comics by heart and is very familiar with the villains in the comics.
With his acting skills as an Oscar winner and his past experience as a psychologist allowing him to control others' psychology, he might be able to try to psychologically control and manipulate some weaker or less-than-ideal villains, and then use them to fight against Bane...
Chen Tao looked at Gordon and got straight to the point.
Did you bring what I asked for?
"Oh, of course."
Chief Gordon's gaze shifted from his face, and he raised the evidence bag in his hand. Inside was a grotesque wooden puppet with a scar on its face.
Scarface, the doll most beloved by ventriloquists.
"Okay, give it to me."
Chief Gordon was clearly hesitant, but he still obediently handed the evidence bag to Chen Tao, which relieved Chen Tao.
He thought for a moment, then explained:
"The source of that rumor, Bane, did not kill the so-called Batman. It was not me, but my disciple, the Angel of Death."
"Yes, yes, yes."
Gordon wisely didn't continue the topic.
Chen Tao gave him a deep look.
"We'll talk about this later."
He then took out a huge satchel from the back of the Batmobile, holding the Scarface puppet in his hand, and walked towards the entrance of the Evidence Bureau in full view of everyone.
"call……"
He whispered in a barely audible voice:
ladies and gentlemen.
The props are ready, and the actors are in place.
Please allow me the honor to announce that the performance...
Start.
This book has already been internally contracted and signed! Everyone can invest with confidence.
(End of this chapter)