"Human nature cannot withstand trials, but we know that the Joker loves to test the humanity of others."
Damian emerged from the darkness. Ever since Deathstroke assigned him the task, he had been lurking in the shadows, surveilling and preparing.
He heard Su Ming and Diana's conversation, and upon hearing the name Joker, he guessed what Batman was up to.
Other villains might kill, destroy buildings, or create chaos in Gotham.
But the Joker would completely transform Gotham, turning it from the 'City of the Fool' to the city of madmen, where everything changes, losing the meaning of all previous struggles.
He is 'Chaos' itself; the world seems to seek balance whereby with order, there must be chaos.
Perhaps others don't understand why Batman always faces the Joker first whenever he appears, but Damian knows the reason.
Of course, Su Ming knows it too, but he wouldn't say it.
Diana nodded somewhat guiltily at Da Mi and walked to the side. Previously, Su Ming had turned into Batman and dined with her, and the Teen Titans saw it right away. Now it always feels a bit awkward facing the children's eyes.
Su Ming handed the bottle of wine to Damian. If you're on watch duty, drinking is a good way to pass the time.
"Are you worried about him?"
Damian took the bottle, drank a sip boldly, an ambiguous expression flashed across his face before he returned to a blank look.
"Yes, the Joker must be taken seriously."
Su Ming fished out two cigarettes, handed one to Damian, and lit his own: "Actually, there's no need to worry because he's Batman."
The flame illuminated the black and yellow armor.
And the mixed scent of blood, tobacco, and sweat gave Damian a strange feeling, a familiar unfamiliarity if one had to describe it.
But he still pushed away the white short stick: "You know I'm not of legal age."
"I smoked for the first time far before the legal age." Su Ming smiled, tossed the stick to him, exhaled a puff of smoke: "Some things are hard to comprehend without trying."
Damian squinted, accepting the cigarette.
"This doesn't mean I need to understand the mindset of nicotine addicts."
"Addiction is the most direct way desire presents itself; the ensuing shortage and withdrawal can transform a person with insufficient willpower into an instinct-driven animal. Alcohol, nicotine, even blood, a sense of accomplishment, drugs, all these do."
Su Ming said pointedly, then turned around, watching others busily in the dust-filled hall... Of course, excluding Harley, whose tabletop game seemed perfectly enjoyable, grinning from ear to ear.
But then again, she always seems to be laughing.
Following Su Ming's gaze, Damian also set his sight on those ever-swaying twin ponytails, speaking as though feeling toothache: "What do you plan to do with her?"
Su Ming pulled out a new bottle of wine, took a sip: "After we restore satellite surveillance, I'll send her back to Gotham to tackle the Joker."
"She won't follow your commands."
"I don't need to command the bait... before using the bait, it needs to be preserved carefully, not too dry, and must not become moldy," Su Ming replied calmly, eyes deep: "But when needed, you must cast the bait into the pond for it to take effect."
Damian moved his jaw around, the white paper roll flipping dexterously in his fingers: "Then we will secretly follow her, waiting to fish?"
"Correct answer."
"This is the Deathstroke I know, never doing things without purpose." Damian turned and left, heading to borrow some fire from the Warlock.
Su Ming watched with a smile as his black cape swayed away, savoring the burnt aftertaste using his taste buds.
Yes, Damian was right, only the kid didn't see he was in the game too...
Whether the plan succeeds still requires waiting, a true test of patience for any angler.
"Hey, Poison Ivy sent back word through the plants; she's completed the task."
For some reason, Bo Bo seemed somewhat sneakily, sticking close to the wall and slipped over from the darkness.
"Good, this will greatly aid the plan." Su Ming nodded, handing him a 'dried banana,' probably a gorilla would like it: "But you needn't be so covert; you can say it out loud."
Bo Bo received the banana looking quite puzzled, what sort of lunatic would dry and store bananas? Besides, he wanted steaks or lobsters over this thing.
He shook his head, casually pocketing the banana: "I thought you wanted to keep the mastery of the Green of All Things secret."
"Poison Ivy and I don't have deep ties, and only a few can control the Green of All Things, outsiders can't," shrugged Su Ming, now even gorillas aren't fond of bananas? Truly a dark world."
"But you are already the agent of the Inverted Man. Once the unprecedented Defense Array is constructed, do you know what that means for the Magic Realm?"
The Gorilla moved closer, and instead of raising its voice, it became even more ghostly.
Su Ming sighed, flicked the cigarette butt to the ground, and stomped it out:
"Phew... I come from the Otherworld, where people call me Deathstroke and also Supreme Mage. So yes, I know what it means for the Magic Realm."
The Gorilla opened its mouth, but what came out was different from what it initially intended to say: "Supreme... Mage? That's quite a heavy title..."
"Maybe you won't believe it, but at times, I do feel a sense of responsibility, though not often." Su Ming stood up, placing the wine bottle on the armrest of the chair: "And if anyone wants to take this power, then bring it on."
Bo Bo took a deep breath, rubbing his face with both hands: "Alright, buddy, I just want to let you know that the Gorilla is on your side."
"Glad you've always made the right choice. You truly are one of the smartest people in the Main World." Su Ming patted his shoulder, descended the steps, and walked towards the door: "Now, assemble the Shadow Contract Team. I need everyone to help prepare for the most powerful Magical Array ever."
Even though Su Ming's magical reserves as an agent of the Inverted Man could be described as extravagant, when it came to Magic Arrays, Inscriptions, and Energy Transfer Theory, he was a complete novice.
Theories can be copied, but don't think you can transplant Marvel's magic wholesale; this task certainly requires the involvement of DC's warlocks, using localized methods to achieve it.
In the DC world, Doctor Fate is probably the best at Defense Magic. Unfortunately, that dented helmet had already been thrown by Su Ming into the sun of the Marvel Universe.
Implementing such methods in DC might attract the attention of 'Three Original Sins' or the 'Phantom Stranger', but Su Ming had already prepared plans.
If these people appear now and go to war with Su Ming, they'd practically be standing against the Justice League. Given Su Ming's good reputation during the cosmic crisis, almost all who consider themselves heroes would stand with him.
And if they wait until later to try and stop Su Ming from constructing the Earth Defense Array, it would be far too late.
The Three Original Sins are Pandora, the Phantom Stranger, and the Inquirer. From a certain perspective, they can be considered as amalgamations of certain Earth magic energies, and in theory, it is also their responsibility to protect the Earth.
Their strength is not weak; the Shift of the Stars, Broken Void, and Creation from Nothing are easy for them, but their past performances have been abysmal.
Constantine soloed them without a scratch; the Cold Flame Association even managed to capture these three and hang them like pork in a freezer.
As for the Ghost, who is most opposed to mortals wielding magic power, they are quite powerful, with their dark side, Celestial Erosion, being especially dangerous.
However, Su Ming had long prepared a backup plan, because Black Alice was here, and to her, a powerful yet foolish Ghost would be like a tonic.
Even if there are others in the Magic Realm who have objections, the new version of Kama Taiji is at Eternal Rock, beyond their reach.
With the Defense Array in hand, not only can it limit the Laughing Bat's Otherworld reinforcements, but it can also prevent Satan from causing trouble for Su Ming.
It's important to know that on the battlefield of Barbatos's invasion, Constantine set a trap for Su Ming, and Su Ming tricked Satan. The Hell Demon Kings generally have good memories and are not very forgiving.
Having the Defense Array as a bargaining chip, Su Ming now had the qualifications to grant certain Demon Kings entry rights to the Main World. If they want their little demons to continue their soul business, they can't bypass this.
From this, he could trade for some... useful things.
But that's for later; at the very least, saving the cosmos takes priority.
Right now, the Eternal Rock actually belongs to the Shazam Clan, with six little kids who can grow big or small treating it as a storage room or basement.
They didn't realize the significance of this place or what the seven great magical kingdoms it connects to represent.
Su Ming wouldn't educate them either, but he didn't plan to take it by force. He intended to negotiate a condition with the kids.
For example, using several brand-new PS4s and Xboxes, along with a bunch of games, to exchange for this space deemed 'useless', 'always dark', and 'smelling funny'.
Negotiation is all about mutual agreement, and he needed to spend some of the money he had worked hard to earn anyway.
The budget will be set below 5000 US dollars...
The assembling of the Shadow Contract Team attracted some attention, such as Oliver and Himeko, as well as Damian, who was coughing.
Naturally, the smart Blue Fatty took just one glance and forced himself to look away.
"Alright, Eve, I need a gigantic Purple Light Array, and use this place as the energy supply pivot, linking three different places in the Main World as pivots."
Su Ming didn't care about others' gazes; he directly asked Night Shadow for the crucial question. Although Shadow Contract functioned as a magical team, in the traditional sense of warlocks, Night Shadow was the only one.
In the previous plan to detoxify the Earth, she had already proven her magical foundations.
If Night Shadow couldn't do it, Su Ming would have to find Zatanna. When it comes to improving or inventing new magic, strong fundamentals are necessary.
In terms of combat ability, Alabell was superior to them all. Even though Antithesis Magic had greatly strengthened, an inexperienced Zatanna couldn't match the streetwise battle experience of Miss Colorado.
But if it was about giving new purposes to old magic, the academic approach was more reliable, and this matter brooked no sloppiness.