"It doesn't look like a group to me."

They hurried down the fire escape to avoid the chaotic flow of people. Lucius Fox went to block the main gate to prevent employees and students from passing. Dick followed Moses and said, "If they just want to find out the relationship between Bruce and Batman, they only need to send snipers to block the Wayne Building and lock us in. Attacking Arkham is completely unnecessary."

"Nightwing is right. Xiao Chou previously destroyed Hydra's undercover plan. Could this be their revenge?"

"We can't draw a conclusion at this point." Moses took out a pair of plain glasses from the inside pocket of his suit and put them on. They had communication and scanning functions, not as good as Batman's armor, but better than nothing. "Analyze the ballistics."

The scene of the sniper hitting the coin was captured by the building's camera and transmitted to the chip. A few seconds later, he turned around and scanned the two children, hesitated for a moment, and said to Dick: "You go protect those students."

Dick: "Why? Red Hood is more appropriate in age."

Jason: "What about me? How can I help?"

"Because you are the vigilante of Bludhaven City, you can give them a sense of security after changing into a uniform." After saying this, Moses considered whether it would cause a blow to the other teenager. As a result, he turned around and found Jason looking at Dick with a smug look and making a 'one' gesture.

I'm in the lead now, he mouthed.

What are you guys competing for? Batman was confused, but the situation was too urgent for him to think about trivial things: "Jason Todd, go find Lucius and stay in a safe place. Don't leave until the matter is resolved."

"…Why?! I can help!"

"unnecessary."

That was a callous response.

As soon as he finished speaking, in the unwilling eyes of the minors, Moses quickly opened the safe and took out the equipment he had kept in the Wayne Building. When he was about to put it on, Dick walked up to him and held the wrist holding the cape: "But won't your identity be exposed to the criminals? You are the boss of the Wayne Group. Everyone is watching Bruce Wayne's every move. As long as you go missing, they can connect you to Batman."

"Or, how about I dress up as Batman?" Nightwing swallowed his saliva under the scrutiny and insisted, "We are a little short in height, but we can use height-enhancing pads. As long as we don't give them a chance to get close to us, no one will notice."

What he said was actually a solution.

It’s not like Moses hadn’t thought about it.

But - do you really want to drag a child into trouble because of such a personal reason?

He considered a lot at this moment. About his relationship with Nightwing, Nightwing's attitude, people's opinions of Batman, and...what influenced his judgment more, his own wishes.

Why does Batman need Robin?

Moses had never thought of this before.

He was resisting thinking.

Having seen how the public's thoughts are conformist and how close Batman is to the edge of a cliff, he understands people's worries and fears. The basic starting point of the newspapers' condemnation and defense of the Knights of Gotham is: Is he making the city better or worse? If Gotham is getting better, the lunatics in Arkham will wreak havoc to fight Batman; if she is getting worse... can people's lives be called safe and happy before Batman appears?

It's nothing more than indifference and numbness to chaos.

Now everything seems to have hope, but the wounds that have not seen the light for a long time scream out in pain when they come into contact with the sun: Why can't you let me continue to sink?

Some people were saved by him.

Some people may die because of him.

The system once told him: You should not take the losses caused by the villain's revenge against you as your own responsibility.

Moses can recognize this and face all kinds of admiration and criticism calmly. The rosy praises are not really for the vigilante who fights violence with violence, and the disgust and ridicule of others cannot make this road more tortuous. As for love, he has already received enough when he was Bruce Wayne, even if no one can tell which of the two identities is more real.

But he also knew that things would be very different when he decided on his assistant - when he decided on Robin.

That will become his unshirkable responsibility, whether good or bad.

Just like the red cape that Robin II wore when he landed in the Batcave in the virtual world.

Batman is running away from this. When he's Bruce Wayne, he can be natural and funny around kids, but Batman can't be around anyone.

"I refuse," Moses said as Dick looked at him in disbelief.

"What are you talking about? Are you still having a fever? This is obviously a reasonable suggestion!"

"Come on, Dick." Jason grabbed Nightwing, who was about to grab Batman's collar impulsively, "You can't convince him."

"I don't understand." said the young man with blue eyes.

Jason: “I thought you understood?”

Dick: “What?”

"Tolstoy," Jason said mockingly, "is a true Russian thinker whose insights are still valid a hundred years later."

Nightwing shut up.

Moses didn't know what they were talking about, but he was relieved that he could convince the rebellious children without any physical contact. As for the killer outside who might be from the Assassin's League... he focused his attention on the Gotan sewers connected to the basement of Wayne Building.

Fifteen minutes later, he rushed into the inconspicuous old building, which was a fish that escaped when the Wayne Group's philanthropic industry benefited the surrounding areas. The red brick house and cement floor looked dilapidated among the tall buildings, and when people walked on the stairs, they could even hear it making a sound of being overwhelmed.

I will buy this building sooner or later. When he almost broke the rusty railings with his bare hands, Moses thought to himself. Can I build a shopping mall after demolishing it? Or a hospital?

When he arrived at the floor pointed by the ballistic analysis, behind the tattered wooden door, a woman dressed like an ordinary office worker in a black suit but with the aura of blood and fire on her body was half leaning against the window where the hot weapons were placed.

"Should I say it's been a long time... or is it our first time meeting?" she asked gracefully and softly, stroking the black barrel of the gun with her fingertips like shaking a wine glass on a banquet table.

Next to the woman were several balled-up dirty quilts. A homeless man with gray hair was curled up in the corner, his chest not moving.

"I didn't kill him." Talia al Ghul noticed Batman's gaze and shook her head in disapproval. "The winter in Gotham was too cold, and he was dead by the time we found this perfect spot. You shouldn't focus on such trivial matters while we're talking, Bruce. It makes you look weak."

"This is not weakness." The man answered indifferently, observing the angle of the weapon. "The sniper who just fired was not you. Where is that person now?" The height was wrong. The person who did it should be a man or woman taller than Talia.

"You don't object to my calling you that?"

"Believe in whatever conclusion you think is correct."

Talia smiled. "To be honest, I'm not sure. Your performance was so outstanding that I ignored the danger behind you. Which child helped you last time? The one with blue eyes or the one with green eyes? I prefer the one with green eyes." She shrugged. "It looks like they were born to us. What do you think?"

"I know SHIELD is investigating you."

"They were too cautious, too blinded by the government, and naively believed that Bruce Wayne had no temperament for a man, and never combined the two options again."

"Hydra—" she said playfully, "has chosen a good time for revenge, which has caused you so much trouble. Their only goal is the Titan Potion, in order to build an army that can fight against the government superheroes. The Assassin's League is different. We have a longer-term goal."

Moses vaguely felt that this conversation was a show of goodwill. Because a lot of information didn't need to be told, and Talia wasn't the kind of villain who would die if she didn't show off.

Batman tries to approach her: "They are blind... and you are just too arrogant."

"So I won't make the same mistake twice. Stop, Bruce, don't go any further." Talia said, "I don't expect you to obey, so - think about the children behind you. The sniper you care about, 'Death Clock', just sneaked into the Wayne Building. If I send a signal or lose consciousness, he will take action."

The Gotan vigilante still looked unmoved.

Being stared at by those emotionless eyes, Talia sighed with satisfaction: "This time I agree with my father's point of view. Batman, you are better than any man I have ever met. The only shortcoming is that you are soft-hearted, but personality problems can also be solved by acquired education."

She came over and touched the other's cheek with her gun-wrapped hand.

"I have a humble request." The woman clung to Batman like a venomous snake and hugged his shoulders, as if in a cold hug. "Promise me, Bruce, and I will let you go."

"Your purpose." A solemn voice rang in her ears.

"My father wanted a successor," Talia whispered. "He chose Gotan, thinking that this chaotic land would be more likely to produce strong people."

"I'm afraid I wasn't the one he initially focused on."

"That's right. Before you showed up, he had his eyes on Hugo Strange, the psychologist at Arkham Asylum. So he funded the director of the asylum, Quincy Sharp, to create a chaos that would destroy the city."

Batman snorted softly.

"I know you're not used to my father's approach." The brown-haired, green-eyed woman smiled, "But it was a bold and effective plan, and he almost succeeded—because of you."

"My failure brought you to his attention."

"Behind Xiao Chou stands the Assassin's League." Batman continued her words, "You used him to test me. How rational can a person who trusts a madman be?"

"We don't trust Xiao Chou, this is just a deal. You don't understand how dark the underground of Gotham is, Bruce, it is a stubborn and corrupt place. How about joining me in the Assassin's League? We can carry on the great cause and raise a perfect offspring together."

They stared at each other among the ruins, and for a moment, Thalia almost thought that this stubborn man was impressed by her.

But no.

He said, "Three o'clock, move on, Nightwing."

"Okay~" a brisk voice sounded, and the young man said, "Excuse me, lady, you have your assistant, and Batman has his too."

"Pah," said another boy next to him.