novellk Chapter 123 Discussion
Chapter 123 Discussion
Chapter 123 Discussion
"Your so-called justice is nothing but a self-deceiving lie. A lonely hero will eventually be crushed by his own obsession."
Batman's body trembled slightly, not from pain, but from Bane's words.
He knew that Bane was telling the truth—for so many years, he had fought alone in the darkness, enduring unimaginable pain and loneliness.
But Gotham's evil seems to have no end, and his efforts sometimes seem like a futile endeavor.
But he didn't give up. He suddenly opened his eyes and, with his last bit of strength, punched Bain's knee.
Bane staggered and released his foot from Batman's chest.
Batman seized the opportunity to get up and charged at Bane, his fist carrying a resolute force.
But his strength was already exhausted, and the power of his punch was like a tickle to Bane.
Bain easily grabbed his wrist, and with a forceful flick, slammed him to the ground again.
Then Bane stepped forward, stomped on Batman's arm, and pinned him to the ground, rendering him immobile.
Batman's face was pressed against the cold ground, his cheeks stained with dirt and blood, his eyes empty and filled with despair.
He could feel Bane's fist hovering above his head, carrying a devastating force, yet it hesitated to strike.
A few seconds later, Bane slowly withdrew his fist. He looked at Batman, whom he had pinned to the ground, his tone full of mockery.
"I won't kill you. I'll let you live, let you watch Gotham slowly descend into darkness, and let you watch your own obsessions completely crumble."
After saying that, Bain straightened up and turned to walk towards the exit of the amusement park.
His steps were steady and composed, without the slightest hesitation, as if everything that had just happened was just an insignificant game.
His figure gradually disappeared into the weeds, leaving behind only a suffocating silence.
Levi only dared to climb down from the observation cabin after Bain's figure had completely disappeared from sight.
He rushed to Batman's side, crouched down, and carefully helped him up.
"Batman, are you alright?"
Batman leaned against Levi's chest, his body limp as a puddle of mud, blood still trickling from the corner of his mouth.
His eyes were empty, devoid of any light, as if he had lost all hope and strength.
Li Wei took a clean towel out of his backpack and handed it to him.
Batman didn't speak, but slowly raised his hand, took the towel, and mechanically wiped the blood and dirt off his face.
His movements were slow and stiff, each movement seeming to require a tremendous amount of effort.
The towel was quickly stained red with blood, but he still didn't stop, as if only in this way could he hide the humiliation and despair in his heart.
Looking at his dejected expression, Li Wei felt a heavy sense of powerlessness.
He could provide clues, mobilize police forces, and provide covert assistance, but he couldn't bear the humiliation of Batman's defeat or heal his inner wounds.
Batman is Gotham's hero in the dark, the city's hope, but he is ultimately just a mortal who gets tired, gets hurt, and despairs.
"bomb..."
Batman suddenly spoke, his voice so hoarse it was almost inaudible, his eyes fixed on the carousel.
Li Wei then remembered the bomb's countdown. He immediately got up and rushed towards the citizens who were tied to the pillar.
"Don't worry, I'm here to save you!"
He quickly ran to the pillar, took out the tools he carried with him, and began to disarm the bomb.
Time was of the essence; the bomb's countdown had less than ten seconds left. Li Wei's fingers flew across the keyboard, sweat dripping from his forehead onto the bomb's button.
"5！4！3！2！1！"
Just as the countdown reached zero, Li Wei successfully cut the bomb's fuse.
The red number on the bomb stopped at 00:00; it did not explode.
The kidnapped citizens breathed a long sigh of relief, their faces showing the joy of surviving a disaster, and some couldn't help but cry.
Li Wei untied their ropes and gestured for them to leave the park as soon as possible.
"Quick, get out through the exit! There are police officers waiting outside!"
The citizens nodded quickly, helped each other, and ran towards the amusement park exit.
One of the young girls glanced back at Batman, who was leaning against a pillar, her eyes filled with worry.
Is he...is he alright?
"He'll be alright," Li Wei said softly, a hint of uncertainty in his voice.
After all the citizens had left, Li Wei returned to Batman's side.
Batman remained leaning against the pillar, staring blankly ahead, his hand still tightly clutching the red-stained towel.
Li Wei didn't disturb him, but simply stood quietly beside him, keeping him company in silence.
The sunlight gradually rose, shining on Batman, but it could not warm his cold eyes.
The weeds in the park swayed in the wind, making a "rustling" sound, as if they were sighing silently.
Li Wei knew that this defeat was a huge blow to Batman; he was not only physically injured, but also suffered unprecedented humiliation.
After a long while, Batman slowly raised his head, looked at Li Wei, and said in a hoarse voice.
"Bane... I'm his target."
"I know."
Li Wei nodded.
"He's been draining your energy and breaking your spirit; he wants to destroy you completely."
Batman didn't speak, but slowly closed his eyes, a weary, bitter smile on his face.
He knew that Levi was right. Bain knew him too well; he knew his weaknesses and his obsessions, which was why he could strike at his vitals with such precision time and time again.
"You need treatment," Levi said. "I'll take you to the Bat Cave."
Batman shook his head and struggled to stand up.
His movements remained unsteady, yet carried an indomitable strength. "No need," he said. "Gotham..."
There's still a lot to do.
Looking at his stubborn back, Li Wei felt a pang of emotion.
Even after suffering such a heavy blow, even when he was physically and mentally exhausted, he never forgot his mission and never gave up his belief in protecting Gotham.
Batman, holding onto a pillar, slowly straightened up and then walked towards the amusement park exit.
His steps were still unsteady, but unusually firm.
A black cloak trailed behind him, stained with mud and blood, like a wounded but still tenacious bat.
Li Wei didn't follow, but silently watched his figure disappear into the depths of the park.
He knew that Batman needed time alone to process this defeat and humiliation. And he had more important things to do.
Li Wei took out a walkie-talkie and dialed Gordon's number.
"Gordon, the Joker has been subdued, all hostages are safe, and the bomb has been defused."
But Batman... he encountered Bane, was seriously injured, and was in a very poor mental state.
Gordon was silent for a moment on the other end of the phone, his tone heavy.
"I understand. What exactly is that bastard Bane trying to do?"
"He wants to destroy Batman, to destroy Gotham's hope."
Li Wei's voice was deep.
"We must find Bane's hiding place as soon as possible and stop his next move."
Furthermore, Batman's condition is currently very unstable, so we need to increase patrols in Gotham and hold the city until he recovers.
"I've already made the arrangements."
Gordon's voice came through, tinged with weariness, yet still resolute.
"How are things on your end? Do you need any support?"
"No need, I'll go back to the police station now and organize the clues from the scene."
Li Wei said.
"Also, have the technical department carefully analyze the items on the Joker to see if they can find any clues about Bane."
After hanging up the phone, Li Wei took one last look at the eerie and bloody abandoned amusement park before turning and walking toward the exit.
The sunlight shone on him, but it could not dispel the gloom in his heart.
He knew that the war with Bane had entered its most difficult phase.
Batman's defeat has made the situation even more dire, and Bane's next move is likely to be even more aggressive, but he has not backed down.
His gaze grew increasingly resolute, and his steps became more and more steady.
He knew that as long as he didn't give up, as long as Gordon didn't give up, as long as everyone who protected Gotham didn't give up, they would definitely be able to wait for the day when Batman could stand up again.
We will definitely be able to defeat Bane and restore peace to Gotham.
Outside the amusement park, police officers were calming the frightened citizens.
Technical personnel have entered the park and begun collecting clues from the scene.
Li Wei walked towards his pickup truck, and outside the window, the streets of Gotham gradually regained a glimmer of life.
Early risers began clearing the rubble, and shopkeepers reopened their stores.
Although fear still lingered on his face, a defiant glint appeared in his eyes.
Li Wei started the pickup truck, and the roar of the engine filled the morning light.
He knew that the road ahead would be difficult, and that more dangers and challenges awaited him, but he was fearless.
Because he knew in his heart that he was not fighting alone. Batman was still there, Gordon was still there, and countless people who stood firm in Gotham were still there.
The battle against darkness is far from over, but Li Wei is ready.
No matter the cost, he will persevere until the day when light returns to Gotham.
The pickup truck drove away from the abandoned amusement park and sped towards the police station.
Behind the car, the gloomy park gradually disappeared from sight, but left a deep mark on Li Wei's heart.
That was Batman's humiliation, but also their determination to fight back.
Gotham's morning news was completely dominated by the name Bruce Wayne.
On the electronic screen, a financial reporter stands in front of Wayne Tower with a microphone in hand, his voice deliberately lowered as he probes.
"According to internal sources, Wayne Group President Bruce Wayne's health has recently deteriorated sharply."
The front page of the street newsstand featured a photo of Bruce attending a charity gala—he was hunched over, pale, and even his signature smile betrayed his weariness.
"Has the Playboy run out of ideas? Or is the Weasley Empire about to change hands?" The eye-catching headline pierced Gotham's heart like a needle.
Li Wei sat in the driver's seat of the pickup truck, his fingertips tracing the scratches on the steering wheel, his gaze sweeping over the citizens who had stopped to watch the news on the roadside.
Someone crossed their arms and sneered, "I told you he wouldn't last long. He was living a life of debauchery all day long, and now he's getting his comeuppance."
Some people shook their heads and sighed, "If Wayne Enterprises collapses, Gotham's clean energy project will be completely hopeless."
Another girl in a school uniform, clutching a newspaper, quietly retorted, "He's done so much charity work, how can you say that?"
Li Wei started the pickup truck, the roar of the engine drowning out the chatter on the street.
He knew better than anyone that the "illness" reported in the newspapers was just the tip of the iceberg of Bruce Wayne's countless wounds.
The despair of being humiliated by Bane in the amusement park, the excruciating pain of broken ribs, and the darkness he had carried alone for years had already overwhelmed this hero of the night.
The speculations in the news were varied, but no one knew that the "playboy" they were talking about was still fighting a bloody battle with fugitives on the streets last night.
Li Wei turned on the car radio, and a talk show host's sarcastic remark came through: "Bruce Wayne can't even stand up straight now, can he? I bet he'll have to sell Wayne Enterprises and retire within a month."
He abruptly turned off the radio, and the carriage fell into dead silence.
People in Gotham only ever see Bruce Wayne's glamorous side, but they never see the scars hidden beneath his suit, nor the loneliness he endures alone in the darkness.
Li Wei picked up a document from the passenger seat—it was the police department's assessment report on the security situation around Wayne Group, and also his pretext for going to Wayne Manor.
The pickup truck drove along the winding mountain road, with lush trees on both sides, but they couldn't hide the oppressive atmosphere in the air.
The iron gates of Wayne Manor slowly opened, and the old butler, Alfred, stood at the door, looking even more haggard than when they last met.
His eyes were sunken, his hair had turned even whiter, and his usually impeccably tailored tuxedo was now wrinkled.
"Mr. Levy," Alfred's voice was hoarse, filled with barely concealed weariness, "the master is waiting for you in his study. I'll take you there."
Levi nodded and followed Alfred through the courtyard of the manor.
The once neatly trimmed lawn is now overgrown with weeds; the water in the fountain is no longer clear, and a few fallen leaves float on it.
This manor, once a symbol of wealth and power, now exudes an air of decay, much like its owner.
As I approached the study door, a sudden, sharp "crash" sound came from inside, like the sound of breaking glass.
Then came Alfred's suppressed roar: "Sir! You can't go on like this!"
Levi stopped in his tracks, and Alfred also paused for a moment, his expression then becoming even more somber.
"Let's go in and take a look," Alfred said in a low voice, his hand trembling slightly as he pushed open the door.
In the study, sunlight streamed in through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, but it couldn't dispel even a trace of gloom.
Bruce Wayne stood with his back to the door, wearing a loose black shirt with the cuffs casually rolled up, revealing an unhealed wound on his arm.
Countless white pills were scattered on the ground, and a broken glass medicine bottle lay in the middle, the liquid spreading along the cracks in the floor, emitting a faint bitter smell.
Alfred stood a few steps away from Bruce, trembling and his chest heaving. "This is some medicine I had someone bring back from Switzerland to relieve your pain. Why did you spill it?"
Bruce didn't turn around, his shoulders shrugged slightly, and his voice was hoarse, like sandpaper scraping: "I don't need these."
"No need?" Alfred's voice suddenly rose, a desperate roar in his voice.
"Look at yourself! Two ribs are broken, an old back injury is inflamed, you can barely stand. How long do you intend to keep going?"
Li Wei stood at the door, not going forward, but just watching quietly.