Chapter 168: Batgirl?

A pair of bat-shaped ears, a mask covering her entire face. A black cloak, tight armor hugging her petite figure. A hollow golden bat symbol was drawn on her chest, though it was slightly distorted by the young girl's developed physique.

Yes, a young girl. Even fully covered, her small stature gave it away. She was too short for Police Department work, and she likely wouldn't even make it past the resume stage.

Almost immediately, they judged her like they did Freddy "Poisonous Bee" a few days ago—a kid with too much justice and just enough martial arts to think she could be a hero, inspired by the recent rise in superhero wannabes.

"Let me handle this."

Green Snake yawned, lazily walking toward the girl in the Bat suit.

"Okay, kid, I don't know where you came from, but we're busy with grown-up business. You'd better step back before you get hurt. But... I guess you won't listen. So let's make this quick."

Maybe Li Shou's earlier taunt had triggered something, but it seemed they didn't mind ganging up on him for revenge. However, when it came to a young girl in cosplay, they figured showing any mercy would ruin their reputations as pros.

"Get out of here, kid, this doesn't involve you!" Chief Li Shou shouted, even though he could barely stand.

He figured she was just a clueless girl trying to play hero. But here stood four world-class assassins. Even he, a seasoned fighter, had been beaten down. He couldn't imagine what they'd do to this girl.

Green Snake didn't even bother putting up a fighting stance, standing with a smug grin. "Take one step, and I'll drop you."

Batgirl didn't wait. She punched.

Boom.

Green Snake didn't even move—like a frozen video game character stuck in lag. He just stood there, took the punch square to the face, and fell backward. His body hit the ground, his chest heaving before he lay still.

Killers: ?

Li Shou: ?

Everyone was a combat expert, skilled in at least two or three martial arts, but no one saw how she did it. The punch was awkward, not even resembling a proper boxing move. It looked like Green Snake had basically walked into her fist like an idiot.

But no one was a fool. Green Snake was a well-known figure in their organization. He wouldn't have gone down that easily, even if caught off guard. This girl was no joke.

Black Eagle watched his wife get knocked out and quickly realized this wasn't some kid playing dress-up. Maybe they'd stumbled across a real superhero—the kind causing a buzz on social media recently.

"Interesting."

He narrowed his eyes, signaling to his team. They quickly surrounded Batgirl.

"I've always wanted to test one of these so-called 'superheroes' myself," Black Eagle said, his voice low. "Looks like I finally get the chance."

Despite his words, Black Eagle had no intention of a fair fight. The three of them moved in simultaneously, but the girl in black carried a presence that unnerved them.

Li Shou desperately wanted to help but could barely stand. He leaned against the wall, praying for the girl's safety.

But it quickly became apparent his prayers weren't necessary. The ones in trouble were Black Eagle and his team.

Batgirl made her move. She went straight for Black Eagle, the strongest of the three. Her punch didn't follow any recognized fighting style. It was fast and from an odd angle, leaving Black Eagle confused.

Unable to react in time, he stepped back, only to expose himself to more flaws. Batgirl was on him, locking his arm and snapping it before he even knew what hit him.

Two moves, not even a full breath. His teammates didn't have time to help. The top assassin, Black Eagle, had already lost an arm.

All three were stunned. None of them had seen moves like this before, even in their wildest dreams.

The tall, thin assassin known as Ghost Face lunged in, but Batgirl had already predicted his knife attack. She crouched low and swept her leg, preemptively dodging while counterattacking.

Ghost Face reacted quickly, trying to avoid the leg sweep, but it was a feint. Batgirl's real attack came from a spinning kick aimed directly at his most vulnerable spot.

The kick was perfectly timed, catching Ghost Face in the groin. The impact doubled him over, causing him to drop his knife and stumble back.

Kestrel, the third assassin, was halfway through a punch when Batgirl glanced at him coldly. The look alone told him that his attack was flawed.

Kestrel paled, trying to adjust his movements. But his hurried corrections only created more mistakes.

Batgirl moved in calmly, grabbed his head, and slammed her knee into his nose. The impact shattered it, and he crumpled to the floor.

Black Eagle, now missing an arm, was the only one left. But after seeing what had happened, his will to fight was gone. He stared at the girl like she was a monster.

Even Li Shou, bruised and battered, was in disbelief.

These were four top-tier killers—people who could take him down easily. Yet this young girl in a Bat costume had taken them out like it was nothing.

The whole fight lasted maybe ten seconds. Maybe less.

Li Shou quickly realized that the scariest part wasn't her speed or strength. Due to her age and size, she couldn't have relied on raw power. She had beaten them purely with skill—some kind of martial arts so advanced that these "masters" couldn't comprehend it.

He suspected she hadn't even broken a sweat.

To onlookers, it was terrifying. But to Cassandra, the girl in the Bat suit, it was just another day. In the original comics, Batgirl had been known to take down top-tier killers like Shrike, a member of the League of Assassins, with a single move.

Even in the DC world, her martial arts prowess bordered on superhuman.

Black Eagle, gritting his teeth, asked, "What are you?"

Batgirl tilted her head, pointed to the bat on her chest, and replied with a stilted, but clear, "I... Night... Revenge... Batgirl."

Black Eagle: ?

Li Shou: ?

Chu Cheng: ?