21. Gotham: Future Development Plans for Zuzu City
29.
If there were a ranking contest in Gotham of "villains that citizens least want to meet," Killer Croc would definitely be on the list.
Firstly, his terrifying appearance and massive size—a powerful tail capable of paralyzing an adult with a single lash—and secondly, compared to other villains, Killer Croc can sometimes be controlled by his animalistic instincts, becoming as ferocious as a real crocodile and difficult to communicate with. These factors have severely impacted Killer Croc's reputation, with people's immediate reaction to him being to faint or flee, creating a vicious cycle in his reputation.
The light in the sewers was already dim, and Killer Croc's presence blocked out most of it. Aria watched the sewage trickle down his tough, dark green scales, glad he didn't shake it off like a dog—even though the farmer was waterproof, he had a bunch of furry little creatures behind him.
Killer Croc blinked, his eyelids nictitating membranes closing and opening. The dark-haired woman with the sword, reflected in the dark yellow eyes of a beast, showed none of the fear Killer Croc should have shown. She remained the same fearless figure as before, forcing her to look up at him because of the height difference.
Waylon Jones snorted heavily, his appearance had changed a lot since last time - the medicine jar had torn off his arm during the battle with Bane. Although his regenerative ability allowed him to quickly escape from the predicament of the broken limb, Waylon realized that he had slipped a few steps towards becoming a complete crocodile-man.
The other party didn't speak first, so Aria took the initiative to step forward, stuck her sword into the ground to indicate that she had no ability to hurt him, and smiled as she looked up:
"Hello, friend, I didn't expect to see you here again."
She spoke casually, as if she had bumped into an acquaintance somewhere. If this weren't a sewer with a strange smell, it would have been a good time to chat.
"Since you didn't tell me your name last time, I'll have to take the liberty of calling you 'my friend' first."
Aria held the sashimi above her head—a classic farmer's move. "Would you like some sashimi? It's still fresh."
When Killer Croc first entered the sewers to make a living, he ate everything, including other people's kitchen waste and rats - the rats in the underground world can grow very large and make a crunching sound when chewing, but it is still difficult to fill his stomach.
At such times, he especially hoped that a few fish would jump out of the dirty and smelly sewage, and he would swallow them all, no matter how big or small.
I won't go into detail about the rest of the story, but as Waylon Jones's fame grew in Gotham, he rarely ate those things—raw fish, dead rats, anything involving raw meat and blood. Furthermore, Killer Croc came to dislike anything that reminded him of Crocodile. Back in Arkham, a guard once offered him a bucket of fresh, live fish, and he quickly taught him the truth with his fists.
In Gotham, money is everything, and money can buy dignity - the guy in shorts who was next to Batman before was right. He is not good at brains, but he can use force to the extreme, use his fists to make money in the Gotham underworld, and carve out a world for himself.
Killer Croc didn't accept the farmer's sashimi. He blew a long breath that blew Aria's hair. After realizing this, Waylon consciously held his breath: "You shouldn't come here."
The world above ground is relatively peaceful during the day, but its underground world is dark all year round. Here, the law of the jungle prevails, where the strong prey on the weak. Anyone who still has a way out should learn to protect themselves and stay away from here.
"My friend and I accidentally walked in here, so we immediately looked for the exit." If the sewer signs were correct, they would be out after walking about 800 meters.
Aria noticed that Douglas was still holding the strap of the Doberman beside him. She realized that he might be very nervous about the appearance of the crocodile man, so she wanted to end the conversation as soon as possible.
"I'm so sorry to bother you... I'll visit you next time."
Killer Croc waved his hand, and the farmer thought it meant he agreed, so he turned around and was about to leave with Douglas. Suddenly, Whitey jumped up and growled at the depths of another dark pipe behind them.
"Woo woof woof!" Accompanied by Xiaobai's barking and the alertness of the entire dog pack, more than a dozen sewer residents, holding scrap copper and iron as weapons and with tattered clothes, walked out from the deep and invisible fork in the pipe.
——Here gathered all those who were abandoned and driven out by "civilized society". These people were displaced, and Killer Croc gave them a place to sleep and a way to make a living, so the sewer became their "home".
Aria frowned, put away the sashimi, and walked towards the group. They knew the woman had hidden her sword somewhere, so every time she took a step forward, the crowd retreated. The little carrot head, who retreated a little slower, was exposed at the front of the crowd like an oyster on the beach after the tide receded.
The farmer half-knelt down and held her hand.
The hands were thin and small, and it felt like touching bony bones. Aria gently touched the newly formed scars, which were pale pink. The girl silently pulled her hands back.
Aria was silent, and it took her a while to find her voice.
"…Does it still hurt?"
The girl shook her head. Such a gentle gaze made her feel like she was on fire. She avoided Aria's gaze and stared at the shoes with exposed toes. "This is an injury 'up there'. It will heal here."
Here, although food is still scarce, few people would break into their homes just to hurt them for fun - those people on the ground are also afraid of the deep and invisible darkness here, afraid that they will be hunted if they are not careful while walking in the dark forest of reinforced concrete.
Aria wouldn't ask the child why he didn't go to an orphanage or some other shelter. She knew that some poorly managed shelters were just as prone to bullying as those living independently. The farmer just felt... a little sad.
Just like the shadow of the war between the two countries can be seen in Stardew Valley, the seemingly peaceful and comfortable farm life also has inexplicable shadows behind it.
The girl slowly moved to Aria's side like a cautious cub. She wiped her hands repeatedly on her tattered clothes before reaching out and grasping the edge of the farmer's clothes. "The Crocodile King wants us to take you out. I'm very familiar with the environment here, so let me do it."
Killer Croc said nothing, seemingly dismissive, and without even a word of hello, he dived back underwater. Seeing someone accept the mission, the other adults who had come from nowhere also dispersed.
Aria turned her wrist and took the little girl's hand. She tried to pull her hand out again but failed. She whispered, "Sir... my hands are very dirty..." She felt that she couldn't wipe them clean even with her clothes just now. Now that the person on the ground was holding her hand, her hands would definitely be dirty as well.
The farmer was quite cheeky: "It's too dark in here, I can't see a thing."
"You don't want me to tumble into the water later, do you?" Aria said, her mouth becoming increasingly loose. "Just so you know, I can't swim. I'll probably sink or get washed away. The only place I'll have to carve 'The great AAA agricultural and sideline product distributor drank his fill of water here' as my tombstone."
"From now on, just come and pay your respects to me at Easter, Desert Festival, Flower Dance Festival, Hawaiian Banquet, Moonlight Jellyfish Festival, All Souls' Day, Ice Festival, Squid Festival, and Winter Star Feast. How's that? Not too much to ask, right?"
She followed the little girl who led the way, and Xiaobai ran back and forth between them and Douglas, diligently ensuring everyone's safety. The farmer had just finished his last sentence when he saw the sewer exit and the sunlight filtering through from above.
"...As a thank you, I'll treat you to a good meal!"
…
Doug couldn't go back to his previous residence, but fortunately, he had a few good friends at work who lent him some money. The Gotham Police Department was always understaffed, and the priority of arresting fugitive suspects like Douglas whose crimes had not been confirmed had to be lower than that of the Arkham Psychiatric Unit.
As long as the people and dogs were still there, they could still survive in this city. As long as they survived, there would be a chance to fight back against Black Mask.
After everything was settled, Xiaobai seemed to have his own things to do. He sniffed Douglas and Aria, and gently put his face against the farmer's cheek.
It has acquired Aria's scent, so that the dogs in Gotham and Metropolis will know not to bully this person, otherwise they will suffer the consequences.
After checking the partially empty inventory, Aria wiped the blood off the pitchfork and said goodbye to Xiaobai.
Douglas saw that it had no intention of going with Aria, and after much hesitation, he couldn't help but remind her, "Even though you left all the sashimi for that girl, this isn't a long-term solution."
Food will always be eaten up, and people in society need not only food, but also education, medical care and care. If she wants a child like her to grow up healthily in Gotham, her own strength is far from enough.
"I know."
Aria spoke calmly, as if she was going to the market to buy vegetables: "That black skull is one of the people who caused this situation, right?"
Doug obviously didn't want to watch her crash into death. He sat in the spare wheelchair, and even if his tone was tactful, he couldn't hide the anxiety between the lines: "That's between Black Mask and me. It's a problem I have to solve."
"You don't have to make that kind of sacrifice for someone you just met."
"Hmm...it's not really a sacrifice?"
The farmer scratched his head, puzzled by the other party's intense reaction. "I was just planning to discuss future development plans with the mayor of Zuzu City."
She grinned, showing Douglas her sharp fangs.
"But now I know the Black Skull's name."
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Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or provided me with nutrient solution between 2024-07-06 23:45:15 and 2024-07-07 20:59:31~
Thanks to the little angel who irrigated the nutrient solution: Wow, why did the magic fail, sweet girl mad, 1 bottle of Rin Temple;
Thank you very much for your support. I will continue to work hard!
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