[116] : Meeting Batman

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Gotham City, in the DC Universe, is known as the most chaotic city.

Countless famous villains and superheroes from the DC Universe originate from Gotham City.

Batman, Robin, Catwoman, Batgirl...

The Joker, Scarecrow, Two-Face, The Riddler…

So, when Roger arrived in Gotham, he felt a sense of pilgrimage, like visiting sacred places seen in anime, even though he'd never actually done that before.

However, Roger and Jean didn't come to Gotham for a "pilgrimage." 

After Nightwing's death, Batman had been in hiding for quite some time. If not for the emergence of the alien incident, Batman probably wouldn't have come out to resume his role as the Dark Knight.

As for the villains, most had been dealt with by Batman, or they hadn't appeared yet. Roger couldn't encounter any well-known heroes or villains.

At this point in time, Gotham was still chaotic, with gangs running rampant, and the police and government forces being rather weak. On their way there, one could casually toss a stone and hit several gangsters.

That's the kind of place Gotham was.

"Is this the 'fun' place you were talking about?" Jean asked Roger with a hint of distaste while walking down the city's main sidewalk.

Since they had arrived, Jean had encountered three pickpockets and two people trying to size her up.

If it weren't for Jean using her psychic powers to keep people at bay, Roger and Jean might already be sitting in a police station by now.

It was the first time Jean had ever seen such a chaotic city, so she didn't understand what Roger found "fun" or "interesting" about it.

...

"Gotham is fun because Batman lives here," Roger replied.

"Batman?"

Jean thought about the name, vaguely remembering him as someone on par with Superman. She had heard students at the X-Mansion discussing these characters.

"Are you here in Gotham to find Batman?" Jean asked again.

Roger shrugged. "More or less. I just want to ask him a few questions."

Roger was still contemplating forming a team, but he hadn't fully committed to the idea. He felt that meeting Batman, Bruce Wayne, might help him make up his mind. At the same time, he also intended to talk to Batman about the Superman issue.

In the movie Dawn of Justice, colloquially known as Batman v Superman, the invasion of the Kryptonians and the subsequent battle between Superman and General Zod made Batman view Superman as a threat.

Although Batman knew the Kryptonian invasion wasn't Superman's doing, Nightwing's death had changed Batman's mindset, causing him to act more aggressively. So even though Batman knew the events in Metropolis weren't Superman's fault, he still wanted to kill Superman.

Before Dawn of Justice started, Batman had been searching for ways to deal with Superman.

Of course, part of this animosity was fueled by one of Superman's arch-nemeses, Lex Luthor, who had fanned the flames. But after the battle, Superman's death was a fact that couldn't be denied.

The subsequent plot had a significant impact on the entire DC Universe. Superman's death allowed Steppenwolf to invade Earth, followed closely by his master, Darkseid.

After Superman's resurrection, Darkseid controlled him using the Anti-Life Equation, turning him into the Injustice Superman, ultimately leading to the downfall of Earth...

There was a lot to explain, but to sum it up in one sentence:

It all started because Batman became hostile towards Superman.

So, as Roger considered meeting Batman, he also thought about speaking up for Superman, trying to make Batman see that Superman wasn't just an alien, he was essentially a native-born Earthling. His hope was to dispel Batman's hostility towards Superman.

Of course, Roger wasn't sure if he could succeed.

This version of Batman was still highly distrustful. It wasn't until after Superman's death that Batman slowly began to rediscover his original purpose for becoming the Dark Knight.

"Do you even know where Batman is?" Jean asked after understanding Roger's intention.

"Of course, I do. For us who've watched the movies… read the comics, Batman's identity isn't exactly a secret."

Roger casually replied but noticed Jean's expression turning odd, prompting him to ask:

"What's wrong?"

"I don't want to stay here any longer," Jean said with a frown. "This city… the atmosphere here makes me uncomfortable."

Seeing Jean's expression, Roger finally realized just how serious an impact a place like Gotham could have on a telepath like Jean.

Since she constantly used her powers to influence others, Jean had passively absorbed some of their emotions. These emotions were now affecting her mood, making her feel uneasy.

"Why don't you… find a hotel to rest in? Or you could explore another city. I have your number, and I'll call you when I'm ready to leave," Roger suggested.

Jean sighed. "No need. I'll just find a hotel. But make it quick."

Jean didn't plan to accompany Roger to see Batman. She wasn't particularly knowledgeable about the DC world. To her, Superman or Batman, it didn't really matter.

Rather than that, she preferred to spend more time scrolling on her phone.

One couldn't deny that cellphones were truly fascinating.

As Jean left, focused on her phone, Roger couldn't help but worry about her. He felt that if she kept this up, Jean might really turn into an internet-addicted girl. If Charles knew that Roger had corrupted Jean again, he'd probably want to kill him.

The key word being "again."

Roger chuckled to himself and then quickly pinpointed the location of Wayne Enterprises, making his way there at a brisk pace.

At night, Batman might be the Dark Knight, but during the day, he was a playboy. No one would suspect that the chairman of Wayne Enterprises was the same person who terrified criminals at night. This dual identity was one of the reasons Bruce Wayne had managed to keep his secret all this time.

So, finding Wayne Enterprises was essentially the same as finding Batman.

---

Inside Wayne Manor, Bruce Wayne sat at the edge of his bed, dressed in a robe, gazing out at the pool through the villa's floor-to-ceiling windows.

It had been a month since the Metropolis incident, and Bruce had been reflecting for the entire month.

He was contemplating whether to resume his activities as Batman and whether to stop the alien.

The Kryptonian incident had made Bruce believe that aliens were like ticking time bombs, potentially causing a disaster on par with the Metropolis incident at any time.

Indeed, Bruce didn't trust aliens. Whether it was Superman or the two individuals of unknown origin, Bruce trusted none of them.

Aside from his butler Alfred, Bruce currently didn't trust anyone.

Bruce had made a quiet decision in his heart. He got up from the bed, intending to change and head to his secret base, when suddenly, a voice came from outside:

"Mr. Wayne, you sure weren't easy to find."

"!!"

Bruce stopped his hand from reaching for his watch and turned to look outside the window.

Standing by his pool was a man dressed in a black suit.

Bruce recognized him as the "Black Superman" who had fought the Kryptonians in Metropolis. After the incident, this "Black Superman" had disappeared along with the "alien" known as Wonder Girl. Why he had shown up here today was a mystery.

"I don't recall inviting any guests inside," Bruce said, opening the window to address Roger, who was lounging on a deck chair by the pool.

Roger smiled. "Exactly. So, I came directly."

"As a visitor, you should make an appointment," Bruce responded.

"That's too much hassle. Plus, I don't have any official identity in this world, so I came directly. What's wrong? Is Mr. Wayne not welcoming me?" Roger asked, feigning ignorance.

Bruce's expression remained stoic, his lack of welcome practically written on his face.

"Alright, so you're not welcoming" Roger concluded, reading Bruce's face.

He stood up from the chair and floated towards Bruce, saying, "But there's no need to be so hostile. I'm not here to cause trouble. I just have some questions."

"What questions?" Bruce asked.

"What do you think about Superman?" Roger inquired.

Bruce fell silent at Roger's question.

Because it was the same question that had been on Bruce's mind for a long time. But it was something he had never discussed with anyone.

Which made Bruce wonder, did this man have some kind of mind-reading power?

...

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