128 Bruce's Line (Two-in-One): Would You Mind?
At that time, Aria was engaged in a minute-long tug-of-war with Red Robin over the issue of "whether to undergo a physical examination or not". The kind-hearted Clark Kent acted as a buffer, and the farmer jumped back and forth across Kent.
"No, absolutely not!" Aria objected strongly. "What if I'm locked up? The crops will wither after the season."
It seemed to be the most difficult situation. Just as Tim Drake sighed and agreed to provide the farmer with a farm management plan, the plane arrived.
This was not the time he expected.
But Red Robin already knew the answer—after eliminating some possibilities, the remaining one, no matter how outrageous it sounded, was the truth.
The Batwing stopped on the sand, the cabin opened, and after a burst of dust, the fully armed Batman walked down from it.
The equipment he carried was not even suitable for desert combat. It seemed that B had indeed come in a hurry. Red Robin felt helpless. He vaguely felt that Batman's attitude implied a more subtle strength.
...but I have to admit, the effect is quite good.
"Aria."
The name spoken from Batman's mouth seemed to have some special magic. The farmer's eyes stopped wandering and her legs stopped running around. Her non-existent ears also fell down. She let go of the hand holding Clark Kent's red cape, and inhaled, exhaled, and gasped like a large dog that was finally sent to the examination table.
Then he slowly moved to Batman's side.
She wasn't usually this scared of Batman! If it weren't for the apparent mess she'd made, the farmer would have been perfectly comfortable saying "hi" to Batman and complimenting him on his new gear.
...Now everything is gone, it’s all Lei Xiaogu’s fault!
The farmer's frustrated look made the young reporter Clark very worried. He sighed softly and turned to Batman.
"B, I think maybe you could give her a little more time to adjust."
Not everyone can maintain a good attitude to deal with the cold inspection equipment after experiencing a series of events such as body swapping. Perhaps the farmer needs a cup of hot cocoa and a chair that he can sink into more at this moment.
Based on Superman's own experience visiting the Batcave, it doesn't seem to offer anything like that.
However, Batman shut down Superman's words with just one sentence: "I know my limits, Superman."
…
Aria hugged Clarke before leaving.
"Don't worry, Xiaoya." Clark Kent reached out and patted the farmer's back. He smiled after feeling her relax a little. "I can swear to you, it's really not that scary."
It looked like a mutual aid exchange meeting between two large experimental dogs, Tim Drake thought. He subconsciously glanced at Batman, but Batman said nothing.
Tim Drake, however, had a question: "What are you going to do if the inspection still doesn't solve the problem?"
Of course, the question shouldn't be raised now, after all, the Kryptonian is right next to him. If he really wants to discuss it, Tim Drake should go back to the Batcave and ask - but this question was originally asked for others.
"There will be a way."
I guessed it would be like this.
Looking at Superman's side, the Kryptonian rescue dog was obviously completely relaxed because of this sentence, and even took over the hosting business very enthusiastically.
"Don't worry, Xiaoya. I will take good care of it for you while you're away from the farm."
"I used to help my dad with farm work."
…
The Batwing originally only had two seats, and it was only after Batman joined the Justice League that the latest generations of aircraft had a significantly spacious rear cabin. Tim Drake had seen several versions of the design, one of which could eject the occupants directly from the cabin - it was said that the inspiration came from a distant relative of Wonder Woman, who... oh no, this god once boldly asked Batman why he didn't fly like other people, and then Bruce turned around and added this new feature to the plane.
Before, Tim Drake thought that there would probably be no other possibility of using this function except escape, but now... now he is not so sure.
Because Aria was so excited on the plane.
"Wow!" Being carried and flying and relying on a flying vehicle to take off are two completely different concepts. The farmer put on noise-canceling headphones and pressed his forehead against the glass window. The last bit of nervousness before getting on the plane was quickly wiped out by the scenery that caught his eyes.
She seemed to have returned to her previous state of being generous in giving enthusiastic praise to everything she had never seen.
This feeling is a bit dangerous. When you know that no matter what the outcome is, it will not be easier than the moment when your mind is empty, you always subconsciously hope that time will stay at this moment.
Perhaps Batman thought so too. He leaned back in his chair, turned on the spaceship's assisted driving mode, and took out a handful of candy from his bat belt.
The farmer exclaimed, "Thank you!"
She and Tim Drake each had half. Although Red Robin's posture when taking the candy was a little stiff for some reason, Aria was obviously very happy.
With the farmer's high spirits as a backdrop, the atmosphere in the entire cabin changed. It looked full of joy, as if they were about to go to an amusement park.
Is this correct?
…
It didn't take long for Red Robin to fully understand Batman's need to hand out candy.
The cabin was not high enough for the farmer to complete the traditional action of throwing the candy up and then eating it, so she could only put the candy in her mouth and crunch it like a traditional human.
And when she's not eating candy, she always seems to have a lot of questions to ask: "Where are we going? Your secret base? Should I wear a blindfold or earmuffs?"
There are also: "Why are you wearing this?" "How have you been recently?" "You look a little tired, have you had a good rest recently?"
"Batcave, yes, no need." Batman flew the plane smoothly, and when he answered Aria, his tone was quite reassuring: "Black Bat has spewed into Gotham Bay. Subduing him requires special underwater equipment."
As for the last two relatively personal questions, Batman did not answer.
Aria clearly wasn't upset by this.
"I see."
She nodded and leaned back in her chair. Almost everyone could hear the farmer's brain turning, thinking about the next round of questions. So Red Robin picked out a few chewier ones from the pile of candies Batman gave her and placed them in her palm.
"Here," Tim Drake said amiably, "eat this."
The farmer took it up with a challenging spirit, and for the next while she was busy fighting the sugar and didn't say anything.
Red Robin caught a glimpse of Batman's shoulders drooping slightly from the corner of his eye. He didn't know if he was secretly relieved, but Red Robin himself felt that the world was quiet.
…
The Batcave has comprehensive facilities. Not only can the Batmobile be dropped into the garage unimpeded, but even airplanes have a docking platform.
The farmer didn't know that being able to enter here meant that Batman's trust had reached a certain level. She just looked at Batman's favorability which had slowly climbed to five hearts, and felt that he was really a good vigilante.
The farmer had no doubt that even if her favorability with Batman was 0, he would still provide help without hesitation if she encountered trouble.
After Red Robin came back, he said he had other things to do and left first, so Batman was the only one left to lead the entire inspection.
People never feel tired when doing bad things. Aria watched Batman walking around among different instruments and equipment, and she followed him, clicking behind him.
Batman: ...
He stopped and watched the farmer brake suddenly and almost hit him. The corners of his mouth seemed to rise a pixel.
"nervous?"
Aria nodded, then shook her head.
After all, Batman had done everything he could along the way, and it would seem a bit unkind to make a fuss again - although the farmer knew that the results of the examination would to some extent affect Batman's subsequent attitude towards her and his plans, she was still very willing to regard it as a "kindness".
"It doesn't matter," the farmer patted his chest, as if to himself, "There is no difficulty I can't overcome!"
There was no sound, Batman was still looking at her.
Because of the goggles, it is actually difficult to capture where Batman's line of sight is.
However, when he looks at someone, unless he intentionally hides it, that gaze will be as conspicuous as an incandescent lamp. This is a habitual scrutiny, which has probably become a part of Batman's habits.
The farmer felt like she was standing in the spotlight. Perhaps when the countdown was over, she would be thrown into the ring and fight with an opponent of unknown strength.
"Actually..." She gestured with her hand: "There is still a little bit."
It's not easy to tell the truth, but fortunately Batman really listens. Aria saw him turn and leave, his cape rising slightly behind him.
When Batman reappeared, he took back a teddy bear.
"Wow." This was really beyond the farm owner's expectations. She didn't expect that Batman not only had a hobby of collecting teddy bears, but was also very generous to lend them to others when needed.
Summary: Although Batman is strict in some aspects, he is really a good person.
The farmer touched the teddy bear and found it soft and new, so she decided to borrow it with caution.
"I will protect it well," Aria said solemnly, "and I will return it to you intact."
Batman was strangely silent for a moment: "...You don't have to give it back to me."
"A stuffed animal can help ease tension to a certain extent," Batman stated. "Some of the inspections will be conducted in a completely closed environment. You can bring it in as a companion."
If there were reverse favorability, the farmer's favorability would have jumped by one heart after Batman said this.
"Thank you, Batman!"
"Can I make clothes for it?"
"Can you give it a T-shirt with a bat logo on it?"
Aria picked up the little bear and looked at him with round eyes: "Would you mind?"
Batman: ...
Batman looked away very quickly.
…
But soon the farmer couldn't laugh at all.
Because the inspection cabin was really completely enclosed as Batman said, and you couldn't see your hand in front of you.
Lying inside was like lying in a mission hibernation chamber. The whole world fell into silence. Aria hugged the little bear and tried to make some sound.
"Batman?"
The other end seemed to be debugging, and soon Batman's voice came from somewhere, probably the sensor in the cabin.
"I am here."
I feel a little more at ease.
Perhaps because there was no sound from the farmer, Batman hesitated and continued to ask, "Listening to music?"
A bit curious about Batman's playlist, the farmer nodded: "Great!"
Aria thought he would play heavy metal rock music, and she was even prepared to sway to the music in the examination room and reminisce about this ups and downs summer.
But Batman just played some classical music.
The elegant aria was like moonlight and water, rising layer by layer and submerging the farmer.
About twenty minutes later, when Batman opened the inspection cabin, he unsurprisingly looked into the eyes of the farmer, who was not asleep at all.
Aria gave a thumbs-up and sat up like a corpse. "Good taste, my friend. But next time, could you please change the song to one of our farmers'?"
It sounded so classy. The pickaxe in her backpack turned into a goblet, and the overalls on her body suddenly turned into a tuxedo. If it weren't for the wrong occasion and the wrong person, Aria felt that she could even invite the other person to a ballroom dance.
Of course, ballroom dancing is only available in the Pelican Town version, where everyone faces each other and competes to see who can squat faster and more gracefully.
…
Of course, she knew that Batman's tastes were probably as unshakable as his own values...
But unexpectedly, this time Batman agreed to her request.
"Can."
Now the farmer became the one who was fidgeting. Aria sat on the examination table, a little doubting her ears.
"real?"
Batman said nothing more, but he handed over a brand new cup with a bat logo printed on it. Hot cocoa was steaming inside, with a soothing smell.
…It looks like it can add a lot of energy, but it also seems to make people more nervous.
"Is Gotham going to be destroyed tomorrow or am I in hospice because I'm dying?"
The farmer took a deep breath and began to recite his will: "If it's the latter, remember to divide the farm in two after my death. Catwoman and I will each get half of the 40,000. The 40,000 will be awarded to Clark Kent. I feel safe with him taking care of the dogs. The dinosaur eggs will be left to Damian, but he must help me with farm work for a full season before he can claim them - even after I die."
"Of course, if there's anything on the farm that you think is worth studying, feel free to take it."
...But would he really be short of these? The farmer expressed deep doubts about this.
—Batman seems to have it all, even immunity from death.
But all Batman did was pick up the inspection report and callously bring back the farmer's wild imagination of the afterlife: "Neither."
"Oh." Aria touched her nose.
"There are no problems with the physical parameters. I can say I'm quite healthy."
"The stability of the soul is also acceptable." The farmer's body, shaped by a high-dimensional civilization, possesses perfect stability and longevity characteristics. Perhaps it was because of this that Lei Xiaogu tried so hard to snatch it.
It was a very simple and even quite good result, but it was not the final answer that the farmer wanted to know.
"So..." Aria kindly added this twist to Batman's story, earning him a somewhat strange glance.
"so?"
"So now you know everything. Red Robin should have told you the parts you didn't know."
Aria looked at Batman with a serious expression and sparkling eyes.
The farmer doesn't care much about the attitudes of the order maintainers, but she cares a little about Batman's thoughts... She wants to know how the people she gradually trusts view her existence?
——So she asked directly.
"So, what are you going to do, Batman?"
"Will you expel me? Will you consider me a threat?"
Aria held the hot cocoa like a bear holding a honey jar. "People's favorability is indeed affected by gifts, but it has to be something they already like. Like you and Wayne, I still don't understand what you like. Why do you say you like it, but after giving a gift, the favorability only increases a little bit..."
Sorry, when talking about Bruce Wayne, we have to mention the large number of bombs that were stolen. Speaking of bombs, the farmer’s resentment cannot be stopped.
"I already gave him the bomb," the farmer said, finishing his hot cocoa in one gulp. "How can this friendship be fake?"
It was true. At least that night, when Batman came back from his night patrol, he wouldn't have nightmares about the farmer blowing up Gotham in the middle of the night.
"He didn't say." Batman's voice was still low, and his answer was obviously the part about "Red Robin should have told you too."
"Huh?"
Now the farmer was dumbfounded.
Sorry, Red Robin, I thought you would share all the information with Batman, but I didn't expect you to be the one who kept your mouth shut.
"But you can definitely guess it a little bit..." With Batman's keen sense, it would be strange if he didn't notice this abnormality.
The farmer said this nervously, looked at him with puppy dog eyes, and returned to the core of the problem again.
"So, what are you going to do about it?"
What she cares about most is actually...
"Can we... still be friends?"
Batman cautiously took a half step back, not allowing himself to answer such questions until he was out of the range of the farmer's dog eyes.
Before that, he had to make one thing clear.
...That is, what is his relationship with the farmer?
Although it has never been stated explicitly, Batman has always considered himself to be half the farmer's guide.
Chaotic goodness might work elsewhere, but in Gotham, it's more like some unstable chemical prone to metamorphosis.
Batman believes that he has a responsibility to protect every bit of kindness he sees, including her, and that he has a responsibility to guide Aria so that she doesn't have to repeat the mistakes of so many people.
During this process, Batman does not expect anyone's gratitude, and can even endure hatred...
However, things seemed to be different from what he thought.
Perhaps because he is not a native of Gotham and his thinking is different from that of ordinary people, the farmer did not develop any twisted psychology against Batman. Instead, he accepted the kindness very smoothly and found the position that suits him best in this relationship.
By the time Batman realized it, he seemed to have been passively included in the farmer's friend list and became a trustworthy friend.
But things will eventually get back on track.
He said: "Batman doesn't need friends..."
Aria sniffed softly, successfully stopping Batman from swaying forward.
Farmer: I cried, I was pretending.
But the effect was very good. At least it successfully stopped Batman's "Batman doesn't need friends" theory, making him put the topic aside for the time being and return to the beginning.
"You've completed your mission. Your world no longer needs to draw on the energy you captured through your 'action' of building the farm." Batman condensed the long report into something the farmer could understand. "...Your current existence is more akin to that of a superpower."
"So, if you hadn't crossed the line in Gotham, I guess, I wouldn't have taken any action."
Aria breathed a sigh of relief.
"And what needs to be dealt with now is..."
"Little bucket?" The farmer looked desperate. "I can't find so much vacant land anywhere else except in Gotham. Doesn't Gotham have the Wayne Foundation to support startups? Can this be considered self-employed and given some flexibility?"
The answer is wrong.
"Could it be Lewis?" the farmer said pitifully. "But I really think he's doing a pretty good job as mayor. After all, not every mayor would refuse bribes just because they want to hear praise."
Although Mayor Lewis still has a golden statue...at least he looks completely acceptable on the surface.
The answer is wrong.
"Could it be the keg?" The farmer looked even more desperate when he said this: "Then why not deal with Lewis?
"No, neither."
"Your problems are what need to be dealt with, Aria."
"We can't let what's in your head hold you back." Batman said, "Please let me help you."
…
A chip was hidden in her head, and Red Robin sent messages one after another. She could almost imagine how his fingertips tapped repeatedly on the communicator unsteadily when he sent these messages.
"...Even Arkham only injects chips into death row inmates, and those don't include things like sensory suppression."
As we all know, this function is usually invented for only one purpose - to improve efficiency.
Pain is a kind of self-protection mechanism of the human body. Pain makes people feel danger, and fear makes people learn to retreat. However, if people completely abandon these, they will go on a path of alienation.
Red Robin fell silent, and Batman understood his concern.
Now is the beginning of his attempt to solve it.
"Of course, within the rules, the choice is yours..."
Based on Batman's understanding of the farmer, there was probably a 70% chance that this proposal would be rejected - after all, Aria was already accustomed to the positive and negative effects of the system, and it was unlikely that she would decide to solve it based on a few words.
He now says it was so farmers would know who to turn to if they ran into trouble in the future.
...But he didn't expect the farmer's rejection to be like this.
Aria leaped forward and gave him a hug like the wind.
Just like that, Batman froze for a moment and swallowed the second half of his sentence.
The farmer jumped away with a grin: "Thank you, Batman!"
This seemed to be the second time Aria had thanked Batman.
After she noticed that Bat became a little uncomfortable every time she said the word to him, the farmer decided to increase its daily usage in a rather malicious way.
"And you said we weren't friends."
The farmer complained softly in a tone of "you're just being stubborn," "Do relationships usually matter in matters like this?"
...Batman is really capable, but now it is the farmer's turn to speak, how can he give up the initiative so easily!
She clasped her hands together gently and said, "But I'm very, very sorry. I can't agree to this right now."
"Because I still have so many things I want to do. I promised myself that besides building a farm, I should also make my friends happy."
"If I stop moving forward because of pain and fatigue, I will definitely regret it."
"So even if that chip could become the trigger for your manipulation? Even if one day your civilization decides to use it to destroy you?"
"Yes," the farmer said, with a smile that would have lit up a Batcave. "Until then, I'll dance to my heart's content."
————————
Dear little angels, when you see this chapter, there will be several more chapters updated today.
The title of this branch comes from "Martha / Act 2: Last Rose of Summer"
I listened to my friend's advice and combined the two chapters into one, which might make the rhythm better.
Thanks for watching ww
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
