Chapter 428: Batman: The Dark Knight (3)

Before this, although Cassandra had not formally met Bruce, the attitudes of Barbara, Dick and others, as well as Bruce's tone that seemed to rise whenever he mentioned her name, gave the audience a message: there must be some secret relationship between Cassandra and Bruce.

After all, when he was "Bruce", he was a famous playboy in Gotham.

Most comic fans and passers-by are well aware of this.

From helping Bill Finger clear his name when she was young to fighting to the end with Warner Bros. for the live-action film rights of Batman, Su Yun has shown that she is a very typical Batman fan.

Well, this time she finally got the initiative, and it seemed natural that she would "realize her dream" with her idol...

Even though there is a generation difference between the two in real life and in the movie, Cassandra is a very standard Chinese girl with black hair and brown eyes, and looking at Bruce's beautiful blue eyes, passers-by will definitely not think of them in any other way.

Besides, compared to Bruce's numerous ambiguous relationships in the comics, animations, and TV series, Cassandra, a "newly introduced" female character, is not only of Chinese descent, but also a perfect match for Bruce in terms of her stunningly beautiful appearance and her ruthless yet quiet strength...

Especially when Cassandra was in Hong Kong, under the name of "Hong Kong Black Bat", guarding the city as a vigilante, she was so heroic, beautiful and moving.

Even the black bat-marked combat suit with a full mask matches Bruce's look as Batman, and they look like a real family!

And most importantly, Barbara and Dick, Batman's assistants, both identify with her and seem to have a good relationship with her - this is undoubtedly the greatest support for a dark knight who shoulders responsibilities and burdens.

The only problem at the moment is that the beautiful girl is always surrounded by suitors attracted by her charm, and this suitor is the younger generation that Bruce had high hopes for before...

It doesn’t matter, this is dramatic enough, and it can also add a plot that everyone likes to the serious main storyline - after all, this movie is still positioned as a commercial blockbuster.

If the film is really serious and full of bitterness and hatred, even though comic fans will certainly praise it for its authenticity and depth, the majority of the box office figures from passers-by will be sold out...

So, while comic fans and passers-by were all looking forward to the show, Bruce was so angry that he exploded on the spot when he saw that "his Kassan" not only accepted flowers from other people but was also holding hands with another man.

When Bruce heard that Cassandra was going to have dinner with Dent, he immediately followed.

Dent didn't know that Bruce was the Batman he admired very much. He only knew that Bruce was a playboy, so he naturally regarded Bruce as a suitor who was struck by Cassandra's beauty like himself.

Besides, Bruce had clearly seen Cassandra accept his flowers and accept his dinner invitation, but she still kept pestering him...so Dent didn't give Bruce much of a good face the whole time.

Bruce seemed to have no idea of ​​Cassandra's silence and Dante's cold eyes. He even picked up a blonde girl and stuffed the bouquet in her hand. Then he followed them into the restaurant and asked to share the table with them.

"I don't know if we can share a table here." Dante, who had already sat down, looked up at him. "This restaurant is very famous and difficult to book. It took me three days to get a reservation."

"Don't worry, I'll definitely do it." Bruce ignored him and pulled the blonde to sit down, "Because I own this restaurant."

The double date turned into a dinner for four. In order to avoid an awkward atmosphere, Bruce, Dent and the blonde girl chatted casually, except for Cassandra who always showed off her icy beauty.

Considering that Dante is the new Attorney General of Gotham, the topic inevitably turns to the public security in Gotham. In response to this, the blonde, who is also a dancer from the Top Ballet like Cassandra, said that it is incredible that the citizens of Gotham actually worship a masked vigilante.

In this situation, Dent didn't have to worry too much and just said that Gotan was proud of the citizens who bravely stood up for justice.

The blonde was even more dissatisfied when she heard this: "What Gotan needs is a true hero like you who is elected by the people, not a so-called vigilante who is above the law."

Unlike Cassandra who quickly raised her head and gave him a cold look, Bruce, who was not willing to openly support his other identity, responded to the blonde's words like a playboy, saying that Batman was indeed too arrogant.

Dent didn't care about anything at this moment. The vigilante and secret partner he had always admired was insulted like that. He immediately argued for Batman's actions, causing the three people at the table to look at him with agitated expressions.

Unlike Bruce and Cassandra, who were looking at him with admiration and contemplation, the blonde was more suspicious. She simply raised a piece of paper to cover Dante's eyes: "Maybe you are the caped crusader?"

"If I have the chance, of course I would." Dent replied with a calm smile, "No matter who Batman is, he can't want to be Batman forever. Maybe he has always hoped that someone can take over this responsibility from him."

In the comics, Batman once intended to let Dent take over his job, so when the movie reached this part of the plot, most comic fans were very satisfied.

In the eyes of passers-by, they are more curious about how Bruce, as Batman, will face this young man whom he loves and hates.

At the end of the dinner, Bruce finally pretended to be convinced by Dent and threatened to hold a fundraising party for Dent to support his idea so that he would no longer have to worry about funding.

The daily disguise and the night-time crime-fighting almost exhausted Bruce's energy. When the Liu Group, whom he suspected, came to Gotan to discuss business with the Wayne Group, he could not help but fall asleep in his seat.

The Liu Group was very dissatisfied with this and thought that the Wayne Group did not respect them, but Bruce had no intention of cooperating with them. He used an excuse to ask them to come to Gotan, purely to investigate the strange accounts of the Liu Group that had been growing steadily every year.

As for the Liu Group, they were not without ulterior motives: they had been dealing with those people hiding in the dark in Gotan, and when the news came out that the police were going to seal off those money laundering banks, they were determined to come over and transfer the dirty money.

Liu and Xiao Chou secretly worked together to transport all the dirty money away in advance, which made the Gotham City gang leaders who were in a meeting to discuss how to deal with Batman and the police next very dissatisfied. Moreover, if Xiao Chou had not robbed these banks before, they would not have been tracked down by the police so quickly.

Xiao Chou's thinking has never been understood in a normal way. Facing the furious gang leaders, he appeared in the meeting room in a carefree manner. After analyzing that their current misery was due to the appearance of Batman, he directly stated that the leaders could use half of the money to hire him to deal with Batman.

This was like trying to steal food from a hungry wolf, and it undoubtedly once again aroused the anger of the leaders.

It's a pity that ruthless people are no match for madmen most of the time. The anger of the leaders not only failed to help them regain their original money and status, but instead they were defeated one by one by Xiao Chou, and his power slowly infiltrated among them.

At the same time that Xiao Chou was infiltrating the dark forces, Batman also used a trick to capture Liu, who had secretly escaped back to Hong Kong.

Liu did not reveal the location of the money, but he was more or less self-aware and planned to use the list of relevant personnel in exchange for his own safety.

With this list, Dent and the police arrested more than 500 people, which attracted the attention of the mayor: "It's crazy to prosecute so many people at once."

Dent, who was called before the mayor, said that this was exactly his purpose - even if the bosses could be released on bail, it would not be so easy for those middle and low-level subordinates. So while waiting for the trial and appeal, some people would inevitably cooperate with the police in order to reduce their sentences.

"By doing this, you are putting yourself in the most dangerous position." The mayor looked at him earnestly, "Those who are affected and whose wallets are reduced will come to trouble you."

"Once they catch us, both you and I will be driven out of office... There is no turning back."

But Dent and the judge who supported him had made up their minds to take this risky and drastic approach in exchange for a peaceful future for Gotham City.

The fundraising party arrived as scheduled. Dent, who was not afraid of criminals, seemed so out of place in the social occasion surrounded by wealthy people.

After finally dealing with a group of wealthy people who all had their own thoughts about him, Dante quickly walked to the old butler Alfu and asked about the situation of his female companion.

Alfu said that Miss Cassandra was staying on the balcony, which was very quiet and safe.

Dent nodded, and planned to go see Cassandra after dealing with another group of wealthy people who came to him - it would be best if he could find an opportunity to take her away early.

He was fed up with this kind of social occasion full of false smiles, and considering Cassandra's quiet and cold personality, she would definitely not be able to adapt to it... But she still accepted his invitation and came with him as his companion.

Compared to Dent's chivalrous and tender demeanor at the party, Bruce and Cassandra were completely silent under the moonlight on the balcony.

Bruce fell into deeper silence when he recalled Barbara's analysis of Cassandra and Dent's feelings and her words "You know, even the best weapon will break if you push it too hard".

"What are you afraid of, Bruce?"

"You're afraid that if Cassandra experiences a normal life—school, work, falling in love—then she'll discover what she's been missing..."

"And you...will lose her?"

Barbara's voice, which was a little distorted due to electronic communication, was still ringing in his ears. But just when Bruce was about to speak, it was the usually taciturn Cassandra who spoke first: "You are confused."

Bruce smiled bitterly: Her "intuition" was always accurate.

"Is your choice Dante?" Cassandra asked again when she got no response.

"I should be the one asking you this." Bruce looked over.

"I... don't know." A hint of confusion finally appeared on her usually cold face, but it soon disappeared and turned into a look of trust and firm expectation that she looked at him.

However, facing such a look, Bruce shook his head and said, "You should learn to make your own choices."

Before Cassandra could react, Dante realized that Bruce was also on the balcony and hurried over. He took Cassandra away from the balcony with a little anxiety.

On the way, Dante couldn't help but ask, "What were you and Bruce Wayne talking about just now?"

"He let me make my own choice," Cassandra answered honestly. "Do you have your lucky coin?"

Hearing this, Dante smiled. His handsome face was half bright and half dark in the sidelight, making his outline more distinct. "My lucky coin cannot be used by you for the time being."

Most people who know him know that when faced with a choice, he would use the method of tossing a coin to make a decision; but few people know that the coin he uses is a special coin with both sides identical.

Therefore, when faced with choices, he never "took his chance" but created his luck.

Just as he is determined to bring light and justice to the city of Gotham, which has long been known for its darkness and chaos, he will choose the path he has chosen no matter how difficult the road ahead is.

The next moment, Dent, who was about to say something, was suddenly knocked unconscious and dragged away by Bruce who rushed up from behind.

There was a lot of noise at the party. Cassandra glanced at Bruce's back as he quickly disappeared around the corner of the corridor. She then glanced at Xiao Chou who was grabbing the old butler Alfu and asking about Dante's location at the other end of the venue. Then she walked towards the venue without hesitation.

Seeing Cassandra, Xiao Chou immediately let go of Alfu and grabbed her, holding the dagger close to her face: "Are you Dante's female companion? You are indeed a beauty..."

"Where is Dante now?"

Considering her current disguised identity, Cassandra couldn't resist directly, so she had to show a weak but trying to remain calm appearance and face Xiao Chou's crazy words.

He was talking in a messy way, and told Cassandra not to be afraid of his appearance, because he was accidentally pushed into the chemical pool by Batman when he was "doing chivalrous things", and he became like this, so he was also a victim...

I don’t know whether what he said is true or not, but whether he was once a victim or not, he has now become another perpetrator.

It was not until Xiao Chou really seemed to be using the dagger to give her the same permanent smile as his that Cassandra saw the opportunity and began a seemingly desperate resistance.

"You have a strong temper, I like that." Before Xiao Chou finished speaking, a deep and hoarse voice immediately rang out in the meeting room -

"Then you will love me to death!"

Noticing the appearance of Batman, Xiao Chou immediately increased the force of the clamp in his hand, and replaced the dagger in his other hand with a more powerful weapon. He dragged Cassandra to the French window, as if he was going to take her hostage. "If you want me to put down my weapon, then take off your mask first and let everyone see who you really are!"

"You made a wrong choice." Batman, who had already dealt with his men, said as he looked over here.

"Really?" Xiao Chou suddenly smashed the glass of the French window behind him and pushed Cassandra down. "You really don't know how to talk."

A strong wind blew past his side. Xiao Chou turned around and looked down from above. He saw a huge cloak like black wings spread out in the hazy moonlight.

Not only did this action fail, but it also cost him a lot of his own capital. The darkness in Xiao Chou's eyes seemed to blend into the increasingly dark night, making him look even more depressed.

Batman and Cassandra, who landed safely at the water's edge, also glanced at the distant lights and fell into silence again.

"I understand your answer," Cassandra said confidently.

“I’m sorry.” Before Cassandra could respond, he added, “It’s because I broke my promise before.”

"No need to say this, I will do anything for you -" Cassandra was silent for a while, "including my life."

Batman shook his head: "You don't need to do this. This city is important to me, and you are also important to me..."

The slightly petite and light figure in contrast gently hugged the tall and burly figure beside her with a look of comfort, but Cassandra did not respond to his last sentence, but only whispered that she had accepted his "apology".

"So, will you perform for me again?"

"What did you do?"

"I have already rented the hall for one night..." he replied, "Just for us."