103 Desert: Game?
109.
Phew.
Kara couldn't help but laughed out loud while holding her stomach: "Hahahaha!"
Her laughter was like a ray of sunshine, instantly dispelling the haze of death and madness that hung over the Pool of Lazarus.
Aria, holding the resurrected ancient fruit seedling, looked up and smiled back at her. Red Robin stood aside, his expression serene, the corners of his mouth slightly tense beneath his mask. It was unclear what he was thinking about, making him look like a stone statue.
You can clearly see some of his youthful immaturity when he moves, but now even without speaking he gives off a bit of an oppressive vibe. Can we only say that he is worthy of being Batman's Robin?
Aria looked at him, thinking she should put on some entertainment to relax him, like asking the Ancient Fruit to recognize him as its godfather. However, she had just taken a few steps towards him from the Lazarus Pool when she felt her foot slip.
thump!
The farmer couldn't help falling backwards, splashing water everywhere.
The Aria cruise ship sank on its maiden voyage and won the title of the fastest legend in a sailing competition that no one had ever held.
Tim Drake quickly pulled himself out of his thoughts. The thing he was most worried about had happened. Although Red Robin's reaction was faster, Kara's successful grasp of the essence of bullet shooting was even better. The Kryptonian almost left an afterimage. He grabbed Aria's arm that was exposed above the water to support the ancient fruit seedling and pulled her up.
...I couldn't help but drink a few sips of water from the Lazarus Pool.
"How do you feel now?" Tim took a step closer, carefully examining her face. His voice was so serious that it reminded people of Batman's tone when he was scolding someone. His black gloves gently supported Aria's shoulders, and his red uniform shone with a faint cold light in the light.
It was also the first time that Tim Drake saw someone choking on water in the Lazarus Pool. It was difficult to compare which was more serious, the magical attack or the physical attack.
Aria made a bitter face and coughed twice: "I feel like I'm not in a good state right now."
She carefully placed the ancient fruit seedling she had finally revived aside, patted her chest, and then complained, "Has anyone bathed in this pool before? Does this count as drinking someone else's bath water..."
Mr. Qi would definitely not change the water in this kind of spring that has been passed down for three generations and still exists even after people leave. It's really scary to think about it.
After confirming everything was alright, Red Robin momentarily forgot to keep his distance from the farmer. Upon hearing this, his eyebrows raised, his expression almost speechless. With a deathly smile, he reached out and rubbed Aria's head. Even though the farmer had just taken a dip in the pool, her hair was still dry and frizzy. Perhaps this was just one of her characteristics?
"Don't even think about it," Tim said coldly, "It's better for you this way."
"Kara," Aria whimpered, trying to escape reality in her arms. "This is all an accident. I'm not usually like this."
The wise Kryptonian girl also reached out and touched the farmer's dog's head, and gave a very pertinent suggestion: "You can give Mr. Qi some suggestions later, such as adding a non-slip mat in the pool."
"Even though you won't need it in the future, the next person won't fall down, so that's good too."
"No!" the farmer protested vehemently. "We should also add a swimming pool ladder next to it so that people who can't swim won't drown again after being resurrected."
"Wait a minute," Tim seemed to have finally lost his patience. He pinched his temples and said seriously, "I'm not a professional doctor after all. How about we ask Lei Xiaogu's doctor to take a look later?"
Aria was stunned, her voice weaker: "Why?"
Tim's expression was as serious as if he was announcing the end of the world. He reached out and tapped his temples: "I think there might be something wrong with your brain."
Aria: ...
Why do I feel like I'm being cared for and scolded at the same time?
…
After leaving the Lazarus Pool, the three servants waiting outside bowed deeply to the three of them and clearly conveyed Mr. Qi's intentions: "Miss Aria, Miss Kara, Mr. Red Robin, the master has ordered that you can move freely here. We will take you to your respective rooms. If you need anything, just let us know."
The farmer felt something was amiss, and she couldn't help but glance at Red Robin—there was no particular expression on his face, as if he had anticipated this situation.
Since Batman's assistants didn't say anything, it shouldn't be a big deal, right? Aria felt relieved and raised another question: "But I can't sleep outside. I'll faint and go back to the farm."
Hearing her words, the servant bowed deeply again and said in a calm voice that seemed to instantly dispel all doubts: "You can rest assured about this. The master has found a solution. You only need to rest assured."
Aria's eyes lit up instantly. This kind of technological breakthrough must be shared! Even if the price of the diamonds is high, the farmers can still get them.
As if sensing her thoughts, the servant's lips curled up slightly, revealing a proper and calm smile. "Don't worry at all. The master said these things were originally prepared as rewards for you. As long as you complete all the trials, not only will you get the answer, but even more generous rewards await you."
"Of course, you can ask for anything you want, and the host will do his best to satisfy it. Of course, everything is based on equal exchange."
"Yeah!"
Aria, with a look of excitement, suddenly turned around and hugged Kara beside her. The Kryptonian girl was stunned for a moment, then she hugged the farmer back helplessly and dotingly.
"Kara, I have a great idea!" Aria hugged her and began to share her plan with great excitement: "Let me ask Mr. Qi if he has any trees with red and blue leaves. If he does, we can exchange one and plant it in front of your window. That way, you can see it every morning when you open your eyes!"
"I'll add some tree fertilizer and it will grow quickly. I don't need to wait too long."
Kara didn't expect that Aria would remember the old thing that she had only mentioned once. She didn't know what to say for a moment, so the farmer continued to extend her wish list.
"I also want a pony whistle. God knows how sad I am that I can only introduce Li Bao to everyone in Smallville. She's such a healthy and happy pony, she deserves to be introduced to all my friends!"
After submitting a list of items, Aria felt so happy that she seemed to have gotten them all. She couldn't help but pinch her cheeks and said, "I can get it without going to Jiangdao this time?" Was she dreaming? It had to be a dream.
"If you go to bed earlier tonight, you can get it earlier than expected. After all, dreams mean anything." Red Robin pressed his fist against his lips to hide his smile, which successfully earned him an angry glare from the farmer.
"Alright, let's all get some rest. There might be other problems waiting for us tomorrow." Red Robin ended the topic in time and walked towards his room first, waving behind him: "Good night, sweet dreams?"
…
Red Robin walked down the dimly lit corridor, but suddenly stopped as he turned a hidden corner. His eyes were cold, and his brows were slightly furrowed beneath his mask.
The attendant standing in front of him seemed to have anticipated this scene. His posture remained respectful, but the gentleness in his eyes had disappeared, and his tone had become cold and hard: "Please follow me."
Tim Drake stared at him, motionless for a long moment. He knew Reguxiao's methods well; this seemingly polite arrangement always concealed a deeper calculation. Since the other party had already decided to "play games," there was no need for him to play dumb. "So, starting today, we're under house arrest, right?"
The attendant was momentarily startled. Just as he was about to open his mouth to explain, a secret door in the wall suddenly opened silently, and a nimble figure emerged from the shadows. She stood erect, her aura like a blade unsheathed. Even though she wore the same clothing as an ordinary attendant, it couldn't conceal her innate pride and authority.
Red Robin's eyes narrowed slightly, "Thalia."
"It's not house arrest, it's a trial." Talia removed the sand mask from her head, revealing her impeccable features. Her voice was as calm and unquestionable as ever. "You are Bruce's student. I believe you should understand that every arrangement here is not in vain."
Tim curled his lips slightly. "Trial? The definition of trial seems to be getting broader and broader. I thought the 'reception' at the Lazarus Pool was thrilling enough, but now it seems 'Mr. Qi' has arranged something even more exciting for us."
Talia ignored the sarcasm in his words and just smiled coldly: "This trial is not only prepared for Miss Aria, but also for you. Father is looking forward to seeing how each of you performs in this test."
Tim stared at her, his voice slightly lowered: "What do you mean by 'trial' to Aria?"
"Is Lei Xiaogu to you now 'Mr. Qi' or 'Father', or both?"
Talia might have been enraged in earlier years, but now she was more like a female leopard with considerable hunting experience. Facing the enemy's provocation, she only raised her eyebrows slightly and didn't seem to intend to give a direct answer. "Anyway, all you need to know is that this is a good opportunity."
Tim snorted noncommittally. "That doesn't sound like it's meant for her. It sounds more like it's meant for you guys."
"A good detective doesn't need to hear everything from other people, right?"
"You need answers, and she needs the things her father provides—isn't it great that you have another reason to work together?"
After the meeting, Talia didn't want to stay any longer. She put on her sand mask again and opened the secret door.
"I heard you haven't been sleeping well lately?" Talia said, retreating into the shadows. "It just so happens that the Assassin's League just bought a new batch of sleeping spices. If that doesn't work, try that."
…
Bad news: Red Robin is starting to get a little venomous.
Good news: It seems their friendship has taken a step further.
In the end, Aria still didn't look for Mr. Qi's doctor. She was very confident in her physical fitness. The injury she suffered now was at most a negative buff, which would be over soon.
Mr. Qi's base was like a maze. Fortunately, the three of them were in adjacent rooms. Aria bypassed the guards and knocked on Red Robin's door.
"Boom boom boom, Red Robin?"
"Boom boom boom, Red Robin?"
"Boom boom boom, Red Robin?"
The door finally opened a crack, revealing Red Robin, masked and standing behind it. In that brief moment, he had actually used the materials present to repair his mask. Pure white eyepieces once again obscured his eyes, blocking the few areas where Aria could read his true expression.
It was a pity, Aria thought, that she wouldn't be able to know her friends' moods.
"Hey, Red Robin," she grinned, "Can I come in?"
Tim leaned against the door, his eyes scanning her appearance with a hint of fatigue and helpless calm, like a desperate dog owner who had walked his Beagle for seven or eight kilometers only to come home and find that the dog had destroyed the house. "I have a feeling that if I don't let you in, my soul will never be at peace for the rest of my life."
He stepped aside and gestured "please".
"So come on in."
The room was deserted, with Red Robin's belongings neatly arranged in a square-sized space. Aria politely averted her gaze and sat down obediently in the chair. "Actually, it doesn't seem like there's anything particularly important to ask. I'm just a little curious..."
"What are you curious about?"
Aria looked around furtively, and Red Robin understood: "I checked, there are no eavesdropping devices planted by the Assassin's League here."
"That's good." The farmer patted his chest with relief and raised his question.
"You must have your own mission to accomplish in the desert, right?"
Aria propped up her head. Even without trying to make an expression, her puppy eyes were round and slightly droopy, making her head look very easy to rub. "I was so focused on reviving my ancient seed that I almost forgot to ask..."
"So," the farmer said, pushing himself up and trying to appear more reliable, "is there anything I can do to help?"
…
Tim Drake had been keeping an eye on Aria long before this desert meeting.
It started on a rainy night. Bruce calmly drove the Batmobile out, but when he came back, the air pressure in the Batcave dropped by several degrees, as if grabbing a handful of air in this weather could squeeze out a pool of water.
Although this happens frequently in Gotham, Tim Drake still... well, he has to admit that he and Bruce have the same desire for control.
It didn't take him long to figure out what was making B uneasy—the answer lay hidden in a surveillance video.
The port's surveillance system had been sabotaged before the incident. While the method wasn't particularly sophisticated, it certainly achieved its purpose. However, the attackers clearly hadn't anticipated the Batman's hidden backup surveillance equipment. Using these hidden cameras, Tim quickly obtained footage of the night's battle.
In the video, a woman in bizarre clothing climbs out of a shipping container, wielding a jagged weapon. With ferocious force, she strikes back the surrounding gang members one by one—or, more accurately, with a one-sided beating. Her movements resemble those of some unconventional martial arts, yet possess a dangerous fluidity.
In Gotham, where villains are emerging one after another, the number of people in the gray area who also fight violence with violence has increased in recent years. Drake took a sip of the energy drink and brought her into his attention. He only hoped that this group of people would not be assimilated by the dark side of this city in the future, otherwise Arkham Asylum or Blackgate Prison will have a new bed.
The footage continued to play, and Batman appeared on the surveillance camera...but the footage suddenly stopped at this moment.
Tim stared at the black screen, lost in thought. He knew it wasn't a malfunction, but Bruce had used a surveillance signal jammer.
Tim Drake: Okay, this is even more interesting than he thought. If Bruce's previous level of annoyance was five percent, after confirming that he had personally blocked the surveillance, this level of annoyance rose sharply to ten or twenty percent.
The detective profession is full of insatiable curiosity. Since Batman didn't mention the matter, Red Robin let the investigation proceed in secret - when a new folder was created on the Batcomputer, Tim Drake's database was also updated.
In modern society, it is too easy to find another person's information. The highly developed information technology has made people feel like they have returned to primitive society. As long as there is no top hacker deliberately covering it up, Red Robin is confident that he can find out the other person's information.
However, Tim Drake only found a name and a job history.
Looking at the name on the driver's license, Derek fell into a long silence.
Although calling someone an agricultural and sideline products dealer is not particularly strange in the world, after all, there are people who use the name of drugs to determine the fate of their children, Red Robin still felt a little absurd.
What is more eye-catching than this strange name is her past experience.
As long as people are alive, they will inevitably leave various traces. However, Red Robin found nothing more than an employment record of Aria at another company - no educational background or credit card spending records. Her life before appearing in Gotham seemed to be a blank, which firmly blocked all those who wanted to explore from the truth.
Red Robin, who had originally been investigating the case as a general suspect, became more interested. He believed that Bruce had seen the same information - but judging from the way he handled it later, they had embarked on two completely different lines of reasoning.
As evidence from the subsequent investigation continued to surface, it became clear that Bruce treated Aria as a hapless child who had undergone a botched human experiment. He displayed ample patience during their encounters, guiding her in the proper use of her powers. This Batman somewhat reminiscent of his time with Cassandra. Remember, he prepared a Cassandra-style "Batcave" for her shortly after meeting her.* If it weren't for the apparent incompatibility between her and the family, Tim Drake might have doubted whether the Batman family was about to welcome a new member.
What started to make Red Robin feel something was wrong was the speed at which Bruce's attitude changed - so fast that it was beyond Drake's imagination.
The problem may not be Bruce, but Aria.
As the investigation deepened, he gradually understood part of the "game mechanics" - yes, since the farmer often called this world a game, he tried to understand him from a game perspective.
If this world were a game, then increasing favorability wasn't as unpredictable as the everyday interactions between people. He noticed Aria's gift-giving behavior and observed her occasional "surprises." Normally, he would attribute this to some kind of superpower, but any superpower has its most fundamental source, operating according to certain laws. Aria's "superpower," however, was like a basket overflowing with groceries, containing everything from scratch, often achieving unexpected victories by confusing the enemy.
It is incomprehensible from a superpower perspective, but makes sense from a gaming perspective.
She sees the world as a game, and everything special that appears is a game feature. Farmers just learn to use these features and display them fully.
It made a lot of sense now, no matter where she came from, whether intentionally or not, Gotham had essentially become part of Aria's game. He watched her, watched as the farmer solved Catwoman's disappearance with a joking touch, turned the Court of Owls' nest upside down like a toddler flipping a rock to scald a colony of ants.
...Even before he'd found a weakness, this overly unpredictable power was already making Drake uneasy. Even more bizarre was the attitude of several people at home. They seemed to be under some influence, slowing down their investigation into the farmer's strangely blank past and the subsequent supplementary experiences that appeared like system bug patches. He could even see Bruce making several contingency plans for Aria's loss of control, and then installing new lighting along the sewer route, a route few people would use except the farmer and them.
Obviously, they had to use their own light sticks to light up the sewers before...
Anyway, before things start to go wrong, Red Robin feels it's his responsibility to find out everything before Gotham becomes an arcade.
Tim Drake still has this awareness now, but based on current information, he believes that Lei Xiaogu should be a greater suspect.
————————
*In Kashan's independent issue, I forgot which one
Red Robin: In short, I think you're all OOC.
This is what it feels like to never get hit by a straight ball (pointing and pointing)
Today's three updates are over (bow, thank you everyone
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