The Empty Grave

The tormented and scarred Alfred died in Arthur's arms. Maybe he was already dead, but he just held on for a breath and told Arthur the last clues.

Expressionless, yet with flames burning in his eyes, Arthur had received unwavering care from Alfred since becoming a member of the Wayne family. Especially after the tragic deaths of his parents and younger brother in a fire, this devoted and graying butler became Arthur's sole family.

Ironically, in the real world, Arthur and Alfred held little regard for each other. However, in this fantastical and bizarre realm, Arthur's bond with Alfred mirrored the genuine connection between Batman and Alfred in the mainstream narrative – considering each other true family.

Alfred wasn't just family; he was Batman's indispensable ally. Whether Arthur or Bruce Wayne, both faced setbacks and challenges in their paths to becoming Batman, and it was Alfred who offered genuine support and assistance. The success of Batman undoubtedly owed a portion of its credit to Alfred.

At this point, Arthur couldn't dismiss everything as a theatrical dream. From the moment he entered this scenario, he found himself deeply immersed. This dreamlike and bizarre world seemed as real as another chapter in Arthur's life.

The promising start of this new life turned tragic, making Arthur feel like an ill-fated individual undeserving of pleasant things. Yet, in the midst of his sorrow, a realization dawned – his brother, the authentic Batman in another reality, lived a seemingly perfect but ultimately tragic life, much like Arthur himself.

Arthur couldn't help but think of the Joker from another timeline, who once claimed that Batman and himself were alike. Perhaps, that statement wasn't entirely off the mark.

Now, Arthur's task was to follow Batman's life trajectory, locate the insane Joker, and defeat him. Laden with grief, he brought Alfred's body back to the mansion, arranged the funeral, and pondered the clues left behind.

Grave, Joker, Bruce, and Dig – Alfred had left four words written in blood: Arthur deduced that what Alfred wanted to say was: that the Joker captured him for the purpose and dug the grave of his brother Bruce Wayne.

Perplexed as to why this matter involved his deceased brother, Arthur, who had visited the graveyard last night for condolences, noticed nothing unusual in the vicinity.

Frankly, Alfred had played the role of the Riddler, but given his age and the torment he endured, the only reason he can survive until he sees Arthur is his tenacity of willpower. One could not be too harsh.

Arthur had no choice but to revisit the graveyard for answers. Before doing so, he thoroughly searched the Wayne Manor vicinity. Although the likelihood was low, what if the cunning and audacious Joker were still lurking?

After spending an entire day, Arthur found scattered clues. Based on these, he deduced that while he was pursuing Ra's, the Joker had taken Alfred to an abandoned warehouse, tormenting him all night – a deliberate psychological play on the part of the Joker.

Arthur understood this, but the painful realization of unknowingly passing by the warehouse where Alfred was held captive, and failing to rescue him, weighed heavily on his conscience. Fortunately, the dark and chaotic feelings that surfaced that night seemed to have vanished since.

While this should be a positive development, a sense of worry gnawed at Arthur. Although unsure about the source of concern, he felt it instinctively.

With complex emotions, he returned to the graveyard. In the daytime, the cemetery exuded solemnity, but Arthur felt the sunlight above lacked warmth, mirroring his icy composure.

This time, he meticulously inspected the graves of his parents and brother. There were no signs of loose soil, which would have been easily noticeable.

Frowning, Arthur reconsidered Alfred's last words. Could he have misunderstood? Was Alfred instructing him to dig up Bruce's grave?

Hesitating, as such an action was disrespectful to the deceased, Arthur, for the sake of unraveling the truth, obtained tools and proceeded to dig up Bruce Wayne's upright tombstone. Soon, he sensed that something was amiss.

The layers of soil on the grave exhibited a stark contrast between freshness and antiquity. The outer layer, weathered by wind and rain over time, may not reveal significant changes, but upon digging deeper, distinctions become apparent. Though subtle and likely imperceptible to an average person, Arthur, having acquired approximately 80% of Batman's skills, possesses the necessary discernment.

He promptly realizes that his brother's grave was unearthed long ago and subsequently restored to deceive observers.

As Arthur delves deeper, he discovers the desecration of the coffin, now empty, devoid even of skeletal remains.

Stunned, Arthur confronts an unexpected scenario, surmising that the Joker may have been monitoring him from the shadows for years, having possibly orchestrated the theft of Bruce's grave.

Yet, Arthur grapples with the mystery of this enigmatic Joker concealed in the shadows. The most plausible speculation points to a Joker from another world.

Arthur recognizes that this surreal world is constructed based on his consciousness, thoughts, and memories. Gotham, once familiar, mirrors events from his real-world future, such as Thomas Wayne running for mayor and citizens protesting.

However, the League of Shadows, Ra's Al Ghul, and Commissioner Gordon differ, originating from the authentic Batman's world, as Arthur learned through Quiz game videos.

In light of this, introducing another Joker seems implausible.

While deep in contemplation, Arthur is suddenly alerted by a bright sensation at the back of his head. Turning around, he perceives a figure silhouetted against the light, squatting on a mound of soil, observing him.