Chapter 357: The Fanatical Owls! (4)
The Attack on Wayne Manor
Near Wayne Manor, a small forest was quiet under the moonlight, until the silence was broken by the sound of hurried footsteps.
Over a dozen mysterious figures in black cloaks appeared in the woods. They moved swiftly between the trees, their speed incredible, each step leaving deep depressions in the ground.
They reached the edge of the forest and coldly observed the brightly lit Wayne Manor.
The leader hissed,
"Who are the targets?"
The person next to him produced three photos: one of Bruce Wayne, one of Gotham's current District Attorney Harvey Dent, and one of Luke Shaw's face.
"Bruce Wayne must be captured alive. Harvey Dent and Luke Shaw must die. The fate of everyone else is irrelevant. Be especially careful with Luke Shaw."
The leader seriously examined the photos, then handed them behind him. After the group members quickly passed them around, they cast off their cloaks, revealing black kinetic power armor.
These suits were unlike the subpar versions circulating on the market; they were true weapons of war.
Black armor plates completely encased their bodies, providing all-around protection. The chest and limb joints faintly glowed with dull blue light, and with the slightest exertion, invisible energy seemed to radiate outward.
They had already tested the armor's performance. It was unimaginably powerful.
With this armor, the Court of Owls would be unstoppable.
Under the cover of night, a group of black shadows flew over the manor's outer fence and rapidly advanced toward the mansion.
Confrontation and Chaos
Upstairs in the study, the conversation between Luke and Bruce had reached an impasse. While their personalities had common ground, their essential natures were completely different: Bruce was a hero, willing to sacrifice everything for Gotham and its ordinary people; Luke only cared about those close to him and would use any means necessary to achieve his goals.
"It seems tonight's meeting is destined to end unpleasantly," Luke said expressionlessly, swirling his wine glass. "When I first walked into the manor, my friend told me you and I had similarities. However, based on our conversation just now, our core principles are entirely different."
"If Wayne Enterprises intends to cooperate with Tesla, I'm certainly open to it. Anything else, forget it."
Bruce pointed at a document on the table and said heavily, "Are you truly not considering this? This proposal could expand Tesla's scale tenfold in a year, including entry into the international market."
Luke smiled silently.
"With all due respect, you're an excellent manager, but not a qualified negotiator. I founded Tesla; it belongs to me and will not become an appendage of Wayne Enterprises."
"Farewell, Mr. Wayne."
With that, he rose to leave. Just then, rapid gunfire erupted outside, followed by screams and piercing security alarms.
Bruce's expression changed slightly. He rushed to the window and looked out. In the darkness, he could faintly see multiple black figures attacking. The manor's security guards were utterly helpless against them, like lambs awaiting slaughter.
"The manor is under attack!"
Bruce's initial disbelief—Someone dared to attack Wayne Manor in Gotham?—quickly turned to cold fury. He cast a look of scrutiny and suspicion at Luke, who was looking out the window curiously.
Luke shook his head.
"Don't look at me like that. It has nothing to do with me."
The next moment, however, he inadvertently glimpsed a black figure passing under a streetlight, and his face instantly changed.
Those bastards are wearing my armor!
Bruce also sensed the abnormality. The attackers' clothing shimmered with a metallic luster in the light, and their running stance was bizarre, like that of apes, each step covering several meters.
Power armor!
Damn it, they are actually wearing power armor!
Luke said gravely,
"If I were you, I would immediately evacuate the guests, send them somewhere safe, and then find a way to escape."
Bruce gave Luke a cold look. He quickly left the study, simultaneously instructing Alfred to escort the guests out through the back door and rushing toward the underground elevator.
At the same time, Luke found Barbara, who was trapped in a "male encirclement," grabbed her, and strode toward the exit.
"Luke, what's going on? I think I heard gunshots."
"The manor is under attack. We can't stay here. I need to get you out."
"Attack? Did you say attack? Attacking Wayne Manor?" The girl cried out exaggeratedly. Does anyone even dare to attack Wayne Manor these days?
Luke nodded, offering no further explanation. He shoved open a window and was about to climb out when suddenly, there was a deafening crash.
The mansion's main door was kicked open. Three figures completely encased in black armor stormed into the main hall. One of them was dragging a person.
The sudden appearance of the armored figures terrified the assembled guests.
Alfred stepped forward, his expression grave, and demanded, "Who are you three, and why are you forcing your way into Wayne Manor? You've wounded our guards."
The leader casually swung his arm, throwing the guard's corpse onto the floor. His eyes scanned the room and quickly found Harvey Dent in the crowd. He pointed. The accomplice next to him shot forward like a leopard, knocking aside the guests in the way, and lunged directly at the District Attorney.
Alfred's face paled. He pulled out a pistol concealed behind his shirt.
Bang! Bang!
The bullets struck the enemy's back but merely bounced off, as if hitting soft steel, not even causing a spark.
"Armor?" Alfred was stunned.
The assailant glanced back, his eyes filled with undisguised contempt. The power armor was completely immune to handgun attacks; even high-performance armor-piercing rounds couldn't inflict a fatal wound.
Wearing this armor, he was invincible.
"Idiot!" The man sneered, crashing into the crowd, and reaching Harvey Dent. A brave waiter, sensing the danger, rushed forward to stop him but was kicked several meters away, falling to the ground, his condition unknown.
The power armor not only granted its user formidable defense but also brought strength and speed far exceeding the human limit.
Against such a weapon, ordinary people had no chance of fighting back.
In a corner of the crowd, the veiled lady closely observed the black armor, a gleam flashing in her eyes.
"I want the armor on his body!"
"Your wish will be granted." The attendant bowed slightly, a cold killing intent flashing in his eyes.
The Armor Strikes
The brutality of the attacker was beyond imagination. After locating Harvey Dent, he wasted no time. A fifteen-centimeter long metal blade sprang out from his arm, plunging directly toward Dent's heart. If the blow landed, the Gotham District Attorney would surely die on the spot.
Screams of terror erupted, and the scene instantly descended into chaos. The District Attorney of Gotham was being assassinated at Wayne Manor!
Pfft!
Blood sprayed out, staining half of Dent's suit dark red.
Harvey Dent barely managed to dodge the fatal blow, but the metal blade pierced his shoulder, causing a large gush of blood.
The attacker grinned hideously, ignoring Dent's struggle. He grabbed Dent's collar and effortlessly lifted the man, who weighed over eighty kilograms, into the air with one hand.
"Die!"
The metal blade was withdrawn, trailing blood, and aimed for his abdomen.
The situation was dire. A nearby lady covered her eyes. Just as the horrific scene was about to unfold, a strange sight occurred: the attacker in the black battle armor stopped. His arm froze in mid-air, utterly motionless.
Everyone was confused. Harvey Dent seized the opportunity to break free from the grip, clutching his shoulder and gasping for breath.
He truly thought he was going to die.
The attacker standing by the door roared,
"What are you doing? Kill him!"
"Boss, something's wrong. I... I... I can't move."
"Can't move? What can't move?"
"The armor! Damn it, it... it won't let me move."
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