Chapter 1466: The Bird Returns (11)_1

"Should we split up?" Red Robin uncertainly followed behind Red Hood, who strode ahead and responded over his shoulder, "If we don't split up, are you going to listen to their father-son drama?"

"That idiot Damian never considers why Batman ever does anything aimless. If he has brought us all here, then he must have a reason. We can't let him have his way!"

Their heavy footsteps echoed through the empty, desolate corridor. Red Robin rubbed his arms, "I feel something isn't right about this place."

"Don't tell me that your keen radar is buzzing, disturbing your thoughts again, Mr. Detective!" Red Hood responded irritably, "Going on a mission with you is worse than going with Dick, at least he's predictably stupid!"

"Jason, when will you learn how to speak politely? Tone down your weird temper! All I'm doing is expressing my feelings." Red Robin looked around as he complained.

When they arrived at the elevator, Red Hood heedlessly pushed opened the doors and declared, "These are all Batman's defeated minions. We weren't afraid of them when they were wreaking havoc in Gotham City. They were beaten by Batman and locked up. Why are you scared now?"

"Haven't you noticed yet? The situation in this universe varies largely from what we've thought." Red Robin continued to reason, with a chilling doubt messing up his thoughts, but he analyzed seriously, "Batman is the core of Gotham. If he changes, the entire Gotham, even Arkham Asylum, could be entirely different."

"Hence, we need to figure out what's happening with this universe's Batman and Gotham!" Red Hood strode into the elevator, with a tone that became rule-bound and serious, "You're not seriously thinking that Batman just tossed us here because he wanted us to stop pestering him, right?"

Red Robin walked into the elevator behind Red Hood, he hesitated, catching the implication in Red Hood's words, so he ventured, "You mean, Batman wants us to investigate the secrets of this universe?"

"Isn't it painfully obvious?" Red Hood snorts, "This universe is quite different from our home. If Batman had heard of these differences, wouldn't he be curious? Don't you know him? He wants to know about everything in all universes, so he can control it all."

Red Robin thought Red Hood's arguments made sense. He furrowed his brows, thinking, "Indeed, Batman probably learned about this universe's situation from the Flash. However, he couldn't investigate himself due to other engagements, so he sent us."

"Also, this universe probably isn't dangerous, just unique. Otherwise, we wouldn't be the first choice for a reconnaissance mission." Red Hood speculated, "He's not worried about us being in danger here, so why are we scaring ourselves?"

Red Robin nodded fervently. He increasingly felt the sense behind Red Hood's words. Sometimes he had to admit that Jason was the most daring and motivated among them, which precisely fit the gap in his cautious and meticulous personality.

Just as he thought that, Red Robin turned his head towards a poster on the elevator wall. As a detective, he instinctively scrutinized everything. He immediately noticed the poster frame glue was still damp.

"This painting has been changed recently?" Red Robin muttered, approaching the wall. He picked at the junction between the frame and the wall, motioning to Red Hood. They collectively jostled the frame loose.

"These many traces of glue, looks like the frame might have been changed several times within the week?" Red Robin's tone was filled with confusion. He frowned and examined other parts of the elevator, and noticed that the carpet underneath his feet had wrinkles.

Red Robin immediately crouched down to investigate. He pulled at the folds, then went to the corner of the elevator to tug at the carpet's corner. When he lifted a bit of it, the carpet seemed to have been replaced multiple times recently as the nail marks were clearly visible.

"Come here, Jason. Let's lift this carpet." Red Robin decisively said, and Jason walked over. Both of them yanked at the carpet's edge together.

With a "ripping" sound, half of the carpet was torn off. The sight of the real elevator floor underneath left them both dumbfounded — it was filled with blood-stains, obviously coming from different people and at different times.

After being taken aback for two seconds, Red Robin sucked in a breath. He kneelt down, lowered his head to examine the blood traces carefully, then said, "At least one man and one woman, the man's blood residue dates back to two weeks ago, the woman's blood...it hasn't been congealed for more than three hours!"

"Could it be that a mental patient went crazy and hurt themselves, resulting in their bleeding?" Red Hood asked.

Without even looking at him, Red Robin turned around, ripped the frame off, discovered blood residues at the seam behind the elevator wall. He shook his head: "This amount of bleeding can't be due to a small injury. Unless they went mad and slit their own throats or cut off their thighs, the blood wouldn't splatter so far."