Chapter 799: Chapter 755: Temptation
The Wave Rider disappeared into invisibility, leaving only Su Ming and Barbara standing on the rooftop of a residential building, a place where the ’paparazzi’ had once lived.
For some reason, looking down at this area resembling a slum, Su Ming still felt a slight reluctance to leave.
But emotions were quickly suppressed by reason; the plan had to proceed step by step. Milk would be available, and so would bread.
A wind carrying a mix of foul odors blew over. This street smell was not unfamiliar to Su Ming and Barbara; it was the scent of sewage mixed with rotten food. If it were Gotham, there would also be more chemical waste and the smell of blood.
Su Ming’s gaze was firm. He knew there would be more trouble ahead. While various parties were taking action, during the time Su Ming resolved Earth’s changes, Luthor and the Mad Laugh would definitely not remain idle.
Barbara, however, was more cautious, glancing around carefully. They were almost surrounded by police, with observation points on nearly every surrounding building.
Su Ming was now a fugitive, so naturally, areas around his home were under tight surveillance. Several policemen lying on the ground with foam at their mouths nearby further confirmed this.
Barbara had witnessed the terror of the Grandmaster with her own eyes. Compared to Batman’s straightforward combat style, this Otherworldly Deathstroke moved with such fluidity that even with an ordinary person’s physique, he knocked down seven or eight sentry policemen almost instantly.
Various moves, whether known or unknown to her, were seamlessly integrated and moved effortlessly. Before the opposition could draw their weapons, Deathstroke had jumped into the crowd using fists and feet, and everyone was knocked unconscious.
After taking down so many people, Deathstroke still looked as if nothing had happened, calmly leaning against the rooftop water tank and enjoying the view.
"Get down, get down, watch out for snipers. Why do you insist on bringing me here?" Barbara crouched and duck-walked cautiously.
Su Ming sighed and looked at Barbara helplessly: "I have no weapon in hand, no hostages, and no accomplices except you. Do the police have a reason to shoot me with sniper rifles?"
"Uh..."
Barbara thought for a moment. That was indeed the case.
The police had regulations that stated they wouldn’t use snipers against unarmed suspects unless capture efforts failed or the suspect clearly resisted arrest.
But Deathstroke was a bona fide Super Soldier; this seemed a significant oversight. Who could capture a Martial Arts Grandmaster?
"So stand up, take off your mask, and relax, enjoy the view." Su Ming pulled out a pack of cigarettes, shook one out to light it, and took a slow puff: "The more the police take me seriously and want to dig out non-existent accomplices behind me, the less impulsive they will act. Upon locating me, they will need to confirm plans, allocate manpower, mobilize resources, evacuate the crowd... all these require time."
Upon hearing this, Barbara stood up, touching her little nose through the mask. Indeed, it was all part of the calculation.
But she quickly lowered her small hand; she was too scared to remove her mask.
"You and Batman are alike. No matter how high you stand, you still remain a Bat, not truly yourselves." Su Ming flicked the ash from his cigarette leisurely and started walking toward the entrance downstairs: "The Bat has made you, but it also confines you."
Barbara followed him. Compared to Deathstroke, she felt she knew nothing, but she was quite satisfied to occasionally hear secrets from him that Batman would never reveal.
Especially considering that Deathstroke was actually her father’s savior and had come specifically to correct his own mistakes, she felt he wasn’t so bad after all.
However, hearing the mockery towards Batman in Deathstroke’s words, Barbara pouted and removed her mask.
Her red-brown hair flowed freely as she quickly ruffled it with her fingers.
"That’s not true; the mask has never restrained me."
"Decades ago, the famous psychologist Maslow published the theory of the hierarchy of human needs, divided into seven levels: physiological, safety, belonging and love, esteem, cognition, aesthetic, and self-actualization. One must satisfy each preceding level before moving to the next, inevitably seeking subsequent needs."
Su Ming slowly descended the stairs, effortlessly taking down a policeman who appeared from the corner with a single move.
Watching the slowly collapsing policeman, with foam still coming out but showing signs of breath, Barbara said no more: "Why are you talking about this?"
Su Ming smiled, motioning for her not to rush, and continued to speak slowly.
"Batman has obtained all needs; he is wealthy, with food and drink abundance. Despite having paranoia, in turn, it makes him extremely secure. He belongs to Gotham, has gained the respect of the Justice League, and possesses a wealth of information and knowledge, able to evaluate things’ pros and cons based solely on will. He is truly self-actualizing; he is Batman."
Barbara tilted her head, the mask dangling limply in her hand, but she understood what Deathstroke meant.
This theory was something she had heard before. Even the country across the Pacific Ocean had adopted it, though they removed cognition and aesthetic parts due to different national conditions, thus creating Maslow’s five needs.
"He is complete, yet others in the Bat Clan are stuck at the fifth level, except for Kate. Batman controls how much you know about something. Regarding the aesthetic level, judging by how you all become bats and birds, it’s clear self-value isn’t even up for discussion; you don’t even have this need yet."
Barbara furrowed her brows, realizing there might be truth in it.
"Why is Kate an exception?!" Barbara’s focus was predictably still on the red-headed girl, perhaps trying to clumsily shift the subject.
Su Ming raised an eyebrow, continuing down the stairs: "Because Kate doesn’t rely on Batman’s information. She has an independent set of intelligence systems affiliated with the military, and she adeptly manages magical affairs, acing this domain beyond Batman’s reach."
"Uh..."
Barbara lowered her head. So Kate has already blended into the Magic Realm?
"Kate’s father, Conor Kane, is the current leader of the Kane Clan, filthy rich, and Kate’s cosmetics are all top international brands. Your father is penniless, and any bit of salary is often voluntarily given to the families of fallen officers. The mice in your kitchen would shed tears."
"That’s... that’s not true! Mice shedding tears, or whatever..."
Barbara’s face turned red. Her family might be a bit poor, but it’s definitely not to that extent!
"Kate’s dad even supports her in being a masked vigilante fighting crime. If your dad knew you were being a vigilante, he’d definitely break your legs."
"Uh..."
"Kate’s dad also supports her in being gay. Your dad doesn’t even agree with you dating."
The original topic between the two was about Batman and the Bat Clan, but Barbara cleverly didn’t want to discuss this matter, so she shifted the topic to Kate.
Deathstroke knew everything, though, and insisted on making comparisons.
Heartache...
Normally it doesn’t feel that way, but once compared side by side, the gap becomes glaringly obvious. She shouldn’t have shifted the topic elsewhere; she should have just honestly talked about Batman...
"It turns out it’s not just me unable to match up to Kate, even my father is no match for Uncle Kane, huh..." Barbara showed a smile as if being toyed with.
Su Ming yawned, indeed, an ordinary person’s body still feels tired. After a busy day, his body might hold up, but his spirit surely couldn’t.
There’s only a few steps left. Once he returns to the rental rooms to retrieve the Magic Floating Cloak and the Spatial Bag, and confirms nothing important is missing, Barbara can repaint the world.
"Actually, your situation isn’t Batman’s fault. It’s mainly because you’re too poor."
"Hmm?"
Su Ming peeked down the hallway. There was no one outside his door. Perhaps the police withdrew some people to let the fish into the net, or maybe they were lurking at other neighbors’ places, but none of this mattered.
He turned the corner and walked towards his home, observing his surroundings while still managing to chat with Barbara.
"Think about it, if you had money, you’d be able to create high-tech uniforms or armor, and you have a decent relationship with Barry. Commissioning Star Laboratory shouldn’t be a problem, right? Next, launch a few of your own satellites to network, then create artificial intelligence, build your own cosmic space station and fleet. By then, Batman would be begging you to let him join."
Su Ming spoke to Barbara in a tempting tone, like a devil.
And it’s true. Batman’s control over the Bat Clan isn’t with warmth but with intelligence holding them in check.
Just look at the cloak war. If Batman were to die, the way those in the Bat Clan mourn is pretty dark, having an internal war to seize the Bat Cloak, believing taking over is the best tribute to him.
Due to past experiences, when these young ones are out of options, they can only seek help from Bat, forming a dependence on him. Without Batman, they’d pathologically want to become Batman.
Batman indeed knows a lot since he once sat on the Mobius Chair, even if the N52 Rebirth didn’t say whether he retained those memories.
But Su Ming isn’t bad either, and he saw things more objectively and thoroughly from a third-party perspective back then.
He knows a lot that Bruce doesn’t, like information outside of the Origin Wall, which the Mobius Chair can’t provide.
After a series of events following Metal, Su Ming suspects either the chair was overhyped, or Batman lost those memories. In any case, many things are beyond Batman’s prediction.
Given this view, Batman seems to have been living tough recently, carrying the Justice League’s banner while having to play with a bunch of pig teammates beyond the Seven Giants.
But as far as Su Ming’s efforts are concerned, the busier Batman is, the better.
"Money... is it really that important?" Barbara frowned.
"For us, money isn’t everything, and it can’t solve all problems," Su Ming smiled, taking out a key from his pocket: "Money just makes what you could’ve done simpler."
"Really? You’re quite wealthy?" Barbara tilted her head.
Su Ming pushed his way into the room, looking at the messy interior, clearly turned upside down by the police.
"Bruce’s money is my money. I’ll always find a way to make him pay..."
