HCB Chapter 82 Midnight
Chapter 82 Midnight
Chapter 82 Midnight
Late at night.
Chen Tao stood on the banks of the Gotham River and saw a bright moon stirring the cold wind as it swept across the vast night, flowing eastward across the river.
The tide rises, creating white waves that reflect shimmering spots of light.
What a magnificent and serene night scene!
"Beep beep beep..."
Chen Tao answered the phone.
"Okay, capitalist strong man, after planting for so long, Ivy and I have finally planted trees all around Gotham! God, working day and night without rest, I'm exhausted, you should hang streetlights."
Harley Quinn's face appeared on the other side of the screen, sporting huge dark circles under her eyes—this was nothing like her usual makeup look. She complained loudly, "Ivy's practically collapsing!"
Beside her, Poison Ivy looked sickly, and the Cheshire Cat was supporting her.
"Thank you for your hard work, Harley, and all of you."
Chen Tao's voice was deep and resonant, carrying an otherworldly quality.
"I am very grateful for your efforts."
He said, "All of this makes sense. You are Gotham's last line of defense. In the worst-case scenario, Ivy's plants will be the best aid in confirming the trajectory of a nuclear weapon, ensuring that our interceptor missiles have more time and opportunity to catch up with the launched nuclear missile."
Harley was about to say something more pointless about demanding her unpaid wages when Chen Tao bluntly told her, "Your account will be deposited with $1 million in 10 minutes, and Poison Ivy will too. Okay, shut up."
"Yay!"
Chen Tao hung up the phone.
He silently gazed at the river, at the center of the water, at a corner untouched by the moonlight. There, pitch blackness reigned, a somber atmosphere, as if a real monster lurked within.
"Beep beep beep..."
Chen Tao made another phone call.
"Batman is calling Robin. Are all signal jamming devices in place throughout Gotham City?"
"Batman is complete. As you mentioned, we've deployed more barriers in key areas like the circus, amusement park, and Wayne Tower."
A weary young Robin's voice appeared on the screen: "Our chief scientist said this thing has a range of over 20 meters, and if what he says is true, then no one will be able to launch anything from these areas."
But that may not be the case in other places.
Chen Tao thought to himself.
The Deadshot's head burst into the frame.
"For the past four days, we've been climbing up and down, running around like headless chickens at your beck and call, Batman. Honestly, you already got that nuclear bomb back, there really is going to be a second one..."
"Hey, smarty-pants, you obviously don't know Gotham." Killer Croc interrupted him, the green monster mumbling indistinctly as he munched on some jerky.
"The worst things always happen in Gotham. You know, this city is a vicious bitch, she doesn't know the word 'mercy'."
"Without a doubt."
Chen Tao replied in a low voice, "Therefore, we need to be even more prepared."
"See you later."
Chen Tao hung up the phone.
He stretched out a hand.
Silvery-white particles swirled around his hand, and half of his hand festered into a dark crimson veil.
He then stretched out his other hand, and driven by the silvery-white particles, a green dinosaur claw faintly appeared.
Chen Tao grunted.
He waved his hand, dispelling the two transformations.
"I'm not finished yet."
He muttered to himself silently.
He gazed at the darkness in the middle of the river, staring intently at it, as if trying to imprint it into the starry river in his eyes.
"I've come this far, and I've been doing a great job. I haven't lost. I've done just as well as the real Batman."
In the realm of imagination and thought, in that menacing darkness, a bat howls silently.
Chen Tao stared straight at him, staring directly at the ghastly, dripping blood in the bat's mouth!
"I'm sure I'm not finished yet."
"Our story, between you and me, will continue for some time."
He chuckled softly, "You see, fate has told us that I'll probably have to fight you one last time, representing Batman."
A glimmer of light shone in his heart, sweeping away all his cowardice, hesitation, and fear.
He roared at himself, a deafening roar, like the collapse of the heavens and the earth, echoing in his heart, raging across the entire universe:
"Listen carefully!!! In this life, there may be a million paths, but there is absolutely no turning back! When you do something, either don't do it at all, or go all the way. There is no such thing as giving up halfway!"
"Everyone! You cowardly, incompetent selves! Listen to me!!! I am Chen Tao!"
"But I am also—"
"Batman!!!"
He murmured:
"Gotham".
"I am coming!"
Silvery-white particles swirled around him again, transforming him into a tattered bat-like nanomaterial. Chen Tao billowed his flowing cloak and rode away, carried by the most restless evening wind in Gotham tonight—
Without even turning back!
……
……
……
Bane reviewed one last time the booklet Batman had given him about how to fight the Joker.
He stroked the spine of the booklet, his face revealing a murderous intent tinged with tenderness.
He reviewed all the plans in his mind one last time, then turned off the room lamp and carefully and solemnly locked the booklet back in the safe.
But before he could even reach the door, he groaned and slumped down as if deflated. He quickly pressed the venom injection button and soon returned to normal.
He pushed open the door and was greeted by a bustling scene.
This place used to be Gotham's largest prison: Blackgate Prison, but it has now been completely converted into a military camp.
A large number of guns and weapons were distributed in an orderly manner. This war machine, with Bane's former subordinates as its backbone and prisoners of Blackgate Prison as its flesh and blood, was ready and waiting to drink blood at any time.
"Where is the clown?"
He casually grabbed a soldier who was walking by, and the soldier immediately snapped to attention when he saw Bane. The several Blackgate prisoners behind him also followed suit, making various non-standard attention and salute gestures.
After being shown the way by the soldier and turning through several corridors, Bane met the Joker.
"Hey, you guys know what? I said back then, 'You're definitely thinking of turning off the flashlight halfway up so I can just fall flat on my face!' Hahahaha!"
Surprisingly, the atmosphere at the scene was quite harmonious. Bane narrowed his eyes. It was astonishing that a cruel and depraved villain like the Joker could get along so well with his soldiers.
interesting.
Of course, he himself wasn't a good person either.
He called the clown out of the room; the clown was carrying a bottle of beer.
He pulled the Joker aside: "My ally, I have a very important task for you. In order to completely defeat Batman, we need to work together..."
"You must..."
"...When the time comes..."
After dismissing the clown, Bane stood by the window.
The moonlight was bright, and he guessed that it must also be shining on Batman at the same time.
"It's time for the final battle."
He muttered to himself.
"I'm not finished yet, Batman."
"We are destined to be entangled and fight each other for the rest of our lives."
(End of this chapter)