Chapter 28: Pleasure First

Wayne Manor, underground.

Alfred walked down the newly built spiral escalator and, unsurprisingly, found Bruce in his Bat-suit, sitting at the computer, furiously typing away.

"I'm glad to see the entrance renovation is complete. But just in case you've forgotten, you haven't been back to the manor from the Batcave since last week," Alfred said.

"The manor is Bruce Wayne's home, and Bruce Wayne is just a mask for Batman," Bruce replied expressionlessly. "I'm fine here."

Alfred didn't argue directly, just shrugged: "Looks like the next generation of the Wayne family will inherit a musty old mansion."

After a pause, he muttered to himself, "As if there'll even be a next generation."

Bruce seemed used to his butler's sharp tongue and didn't take it to heart. The Bat-computer screen showed keywords like "giant" and "Ultraman," clearly a continuation of the amusement park incident from the night before.

The man who had been on TV earlier was now excitedly giving an interview: "I said it before, he's definitely some kind of god sent to punish the wicked Gotham City! The end of Gotham is near!"

Alfred watched silently for a moment, then said, "I heard that the children were rescued by this... um, mysterious giant. Maybe it means he's friendly?"

Bruce paused and said, "It's too early to make that conclusion, Alfred. We don't know his origin, his purpose, or his specific abilities."

"Always view things with suspicion; I remember, you've emphasized it, Master Bruce."

Alfred seemed used to it. His young master was essentially a master of prudence. He once saw Bruce editing a file on the Bat-computer titled "How to Fight Back If a Zombie Virus Breaks Out." The same file also contained projects like "What If Gotham Gets Flooded" and "What If Aliens Invade."

At that time, Alfred had an old saying stuck in his throat. He held it in for a long time but eventually didn't say it out loud.

Whatever, as long as he's happy.

He had a premonition that the entries in this file would not end at three thousand. Anyone else who saw it would definitely think Wayne was certifiably insane.

Bruce stood up again and put on his helmet.

Alfred frowned, "Going out again?"

"The Riddler is almost at his wit's end; now is not the time to relax," Bruce said, heading toward the Batmobile.

"But you haven't slept in three days..."

"My current limit is a week; I'm still in good condition."

With that, he jumped into the Batmobile and roared away with the engine's thunderous sound.

Watching the departing Batmobile, Alfred couldn't help but sigh.

He had a strange feeling, as if he were watching Bruce—someone he cared for like his own flesh and blood—embarking on a road of no return.

"Don't be picky with your food."

Shen You suddenly turned around and sternly looked at Kara, who was secretly picking out the green peppers.

Kara's face turned red, and she tried to argue, "I... I was just setting them aside to eat later..."

Shen You stared at her expressionlessly for a moment.

"...Okay, sorry."

Kara obediently put the green peppers back in her bowl and started eating them.

The old wizard sitting next to them smiled and handed Kara a piece of salmon from his plate.

Kara's face lit up with joy, and she blushed, "Thank you, Grandpa!"

The old wizard smiled, stroking his big beard with satisfaction.

Over the past few days, he had grown increasingly fond of this lively and adorable little girl. Having guarded the sanctuary for nine thousand years, many of his human emotions had long faded.

Now, after his magical power waned and he was forced into retirement, he found something he'd once lost in this little café on the corner.

Something that had been sealed in his memories for nine thousand years—something called "home."

The weather had been gradually cooling down over the past few days. Gotham was already a relatively damp place, and the cold air soon followed the season's steps.

But strangely, despite the cooling weather, Shen You still noticed that the young women frequenting the café were all dressed lightly, baring their shoulders, arms, and long legs, sometimes even revealing deep and mysterious cleavages. You'd think they were conserving fabric.

It made Shen You admire them immensely.

I'm an Ultraman; I'm not afraid of regular cold temperatures, but how are you all not afraid?

Tom, the down-and-out writer, expressed his willingness to kneel before the young women. He thought this was a great act for world peace, and since he had limited ability, he could only offer his burning gaze to warm their bodies in the cold world.

Kara's language talent was also quite impressive. Whether it was because of her awakening super-brain or not, she had learned to communicate with Shen You without telepathy in a relatively short time.

Sometimes, when she saw other little girls coming to the café after school, carrying their backpacks to have a quick meal and some coffee, Kara would be envious.

She once grabbed Shen You's sleeve, looking at him with big eyes, and said she wanted to go to school too.

Shen You thought about it and said that if she really wanted to, it could be arranged. But she had to be fluent in speaking first, and she had to control her superpowers well. They didn't want her to accidentally use her heat vision and burn a teacher, right?

So Kara pouted, unhappy, and continued practicing her language.

"Is this where Liba-Ku and Aliha were stopped?"

A tall man stood on the streets of Gotham, looking at the passersby in a hurry, frowning.

Weak.

That was the first word that came to his mind.

Primitive and backward civilization, low technological level, poor racial talent, weak physical constitution like reeds...

"How did those two idiots fail in such a place?" the man wondered.

"Maybe there's more to it," said the woman beside him.

A woman who was unforgettable at first glance, even from a distance, even in a crowd. Most people wouldn't remember her face but her curves. Her face was remarkable, but compared to her figure, it was not as striking. Most people, after seeing her, would only remember one word: big. When asked to describe her face, they wouldn't recall it.

So much so that it even had a superman's glasses-like confusing effect.

The woman ignored the stares of the people around her and leaned lazily on the man, her close proximity causing distortions.

"Those two might be idiots, but they're capable idiots. If they failed on a Level 3 civilization planet, it surely means it's not as simple as it seems."

The man nodded slightly, "You have a point. We should proceed cautiously, trying to locate the Kryptonian girl's whereabouts first."

"No need to rush."

The woman laughed, her body sinuously entwining with his, their close proximity causing even more distortion.

"We've been traveling a long way; we should rest and enjoy ourselves before getting down to business."

The man was startled, "Didn't we just enjoy ourselves before coming here?"

"That was before we arrived. A change of scenery, a different mood; the pleasure might be different too," the woman winked.

"You're right."

The man smiled.

"Let's enjoy ourselves first."