Talon!?"
Talon's unauthorized action, without any command, filled the old man's heart with intense unease.
Qinuo weaved through the crowd and leisurely approached Tim.
"Little Tim, how did you find me?"
"I didn't find you, I just guessed. Uncle, you led us here to deal with the Court of Owls, so you'd definitely be interested in the outcome."
Tim said with a smile.
"Very clever, but sometimes it's better not to be too clever. It will draw you into a dangerous vortex."
Qinuo stroked Tim's hair.
"Then, Uncle, are you dangerous?"
"For my enemies, very dangerous."
"That's good then."
Tim breathed a sigh of relief, the tension on his face finally dissipating a little.
At this moment, Pamela, Venom, and Harley were injecting the limb regeneration serum into the others.
"Little bird, you almost lost your life again. I saved you this time, shouldn't you say something? Hahahahaha."
Harley extended her hand with a laugh, gently poking Jason's helmet, her eyes full of playfulness.
"Shut up."
Jason's face was terrifyingly grim.
He knew in his heart that he had been manipulated this time. Little Joker Girl and Uncle, these two members of the Wayne Family, were both fakes. A deep sense of frustration and anger surged within him.
The old man did not stop their treatment; he simply kept his gaze fixed on Qinuo.
"Who exactly are you?"
"My current identity is Batman."
"So, the hundred Batmen were also your doing?"
"Mm."
"Why oppose the Owl Council? There is no conflict of interest between us. Whatever you need, I can provide."
The old man tried to persuade Qinuo with the allure of benefits, a hint of expectation in his eyes.
The surrounding Court of Owls members, sensing the unfavorable situation, had already begun to scatter and flee like birds and beasts. However, the old man remained rooted to the spot, unmoving.
With the ability to control Talon, and a group of people behind them who had remained undetected, how could they possibly escape without the other party's permission?
Qinuo didn't even look at those Court of Owls members.
"I've already found what I wanted: Challenger's Mountain."
"You're after the Nth Metal! Can you spare me? I can pretend none of this happened, and even help you cover up all traces here.
If you kill me, you will surely be hunted by the Owl Council. I can also tell you about other Owl Council…"
The old man spoke urgently, trying to use his bargaining chips to buy a chance at survival.
"Washington, Mexico, Egyptian Pyramids, North Pole Bunker…"
Qinuo calmly listed a series of locations, each word striking the old man's heart like a heavy hammer.
The old man's face instantly turned ashen, and large beads of sweat continuously broke out on his forehead.
He had originally thought these hidden strongholds would be strong negotiating chips, making Qinuo cautious, but he never expected Qinuo to know all about them.
"Don't worry, I'm Batman now. I won't kill anyone," Qinuo consoled.
The old man subtly sighed in relief; as long as he was alive, there was hope.
Just then, hurried footsteps sounded from behind.
"My Lord, all passages are sealed. We can't get out!"
A Court of Owls member ran over, panting.
The Court of Owls members who had fled earlier now rushed back, one by one, out of breath, their masks presumably lost somewhere, their faces etched with terror and helplessness.
"Not all of them. The entrance to the White Labyrinth isn't sealed yet."
No sooner had Qinuo spoken than a sound like a waterfall crashing echoed from deep within the White Labyrinth.
"What exactly have you done!"
The old man's face instantly became extremely grim, his voice filled with anger and terror.
"Nothing much, I just thought it was a waste to have such a large space idle, so I repurposed Gotham's sewers."
Qinuo wore a faint smile, but his words sent shivers down one's spine.
The old man's face instantly turned ashen, completely devoid of color.
The Court of Owls members also instantly understood Qinuo's meaning; a nauseating stench faintly permeated the air.
On the other side, Dick and the others, who had regained their strength, looked at Qinuo's back with equal horror.
What could be in Gotham's sewers? Such a vast amount of sewage would be enough to completely inundate this place.
"I should leave.
As Court of Owls, you should soar in the sky and nest in trees, not hide in these dark sewers like rats.
Remember to find a different place in your next life."
As Qinuo spoke, he opened a portal.
Little Joker Girl was the first to rush in; she hadn't known there was this part to the fun.
"Don't go, save me! Aren't you Robin? I confess, save me."
"I'm only 16, I'm still a child, save me, I can sleep with you, I'm still a virgin."
"Oliver, it's me, Gotham William, I've had drinks with you many times. I can give you all my money, just take me out of here."
"I was forced, I'm innocent…"
At this moment, they had lost all dignity, tears streaming down their faces, desperately begging for help from those around them, their voices filled with despair and pleading.
There were even many people they knew inside.
Noble young ladies, playboys, philanthropists, Gotham officials.
Jason and Oliver unhesitatingly shook off the outstretched hands and quickly entered the portal, their eyes filled with disgust.
"Uncle…"
Dick and Tim were grabbed by the wrist by the crowd, looking at Qinuo with some hesitation.
"If you want to stay, I won't object.
However, you'll need to be confident enough to drag these dozens of people through a cesspool."
Qinuo glanced at them, speaking indifferently.
Dick and Tim shivered; just imagining the scene made them feel like death would be a release.
The stench in the air grew stronger. Qinuo, along with Venom and Pamela, walked into the portal. He had kept his bio-force field active to block the smell.
Dick and Tim also struggled to break free from the crowd, rushing towards the portal without hesitation.
From behind them came a demonic roar:
"You will all go to hell, I won't let you off even in death."
"I'm still a child! Why won't you save me?"
"You are demons! The Court of Owls will not spare you!"
"Wait for me…"
Amidst these shrill screams, Dick and Tim rushed into the portal.
The moment they entered, the portal vanished with a roar, and the pursuing crowd stumbled, falling heavily to the ground.
Hope was completely shattered, and they descended into utter madness.
"It's all you! If you hadn't pulled me into the Court of Owls, I'd be enjoying myself in Gotham right now."
"You're still a virgin? Then I'll be the one to make you a woman."
"Die!"
"Ahhh! My eyes!"
Confused curses, violent struggles, and agonizing screams intertwined, like a living purgatory.
The old man looked at the disgraceful Court of Owls members, filled with despair, and slowly turned, facing the giant Court of Owls statue, slowly kneeling.
"Beware the Court of Owls, that watches all the time. Ruling Gotham from a shadowed perch, behind granite and lime. They see you at your hearth, they see you in your bed. Speak not a whispered word of them, or Talon will come for your head."
The old man softly sang the Court of Owls' nursery rhyme, opened the gem on his scepter, took out a pill, and swallowed it without hesitation.
Soon, his body began to melt, gradually turning into a puddle of black water, disappearing into the chaos.
As a noble, even in the last moments of his life, he wished to preserve that so-called elegance.
The White Labyrinth also spewed out a yellow flood, inundating the area.
"Help! Gurgle gurgle…"
Desperate cries gradually faded in the darkness.