Chapter 520: The Consequences of Loving a Scumbag
Batman's Scrutiny
"Batman!"
Barbara's eyes lit up, but Linda just curled her lip in disdain. She had absolutely no interest in so-called superheroes. Her crime-fighting with Barbara was purely for fun.
Life without Luke was too boring. Besides eating and drinking, she could hardly find any other form of entertainment.
A dark figure dropped from above—it was Bruce Wayne in his new Batsuit. He first glanced at Barbara, then focused on Linda, his cold gaze carrying three parts scrutiny and seven parts vigilance.
He had investigated the woman's identity: one of the six superheroes from the Battle of Metropolis, of Kryptonian heritage, maintaining a close relationship with Luke Shaw, and very likely the current CEO of Tesla, Linda Danvers.
Barbara greeted him with a smile,
"Long time no see, Batman. Thanks for your help last time."
Bruce remained silent, his gaze pointing directly at the bank manager lying on the floor.
"You weren't here for the underground bank's ledgers too, were you? Too bad, you were a step late." Barbara shrugged. "I've already sent the ledger to the police department's email. Of course, I can copy a version for you if you need one."
Bruce ignored her. He walked up to the manager, removed the power armor's helmet, and shone a light on the special code hidden inside. Like the previous numbers he had seen, it was a product from the same source.
Barbara hesitated. "Is your target the powered armor?"
She glanced at Linda, who sneered,
"Don't look at me. It's not a Tesla product."
"It's not a Tesla product, but it uses Tesla's technology."
With that, Bruce picked up the phone on the ground, stood up, and began to walk away. Linda scoffed,
"What do you mean by that? I sense you are very displeased."
Bruce stopped and spoke, every word sharp. "Tesla sold thousands of sets of police powered armor. And what was the result? The crime rate in Gotham City hasn't dropped; it's started to rise."
Linda retorted, "Why don't you mention the casualty rate? How many police officers' lives did the powered armor save?"
Bruce shook his head.
"The police casualty rate has dropped, but the civilian casualty rate is rising. Criminals are also starting to use powered armor."
"What does that have to do with Tesla? We didn't sell it to him."
"The armor they use employs the exact same technology as the police armor. This technology is unique to Tesla; outsiders wouldn't know it."
This statement struck a nerve, leaving Linda speechless. She had just noticed the same thing: although the armor worn by the criminal wasn't a Tesla product, the construction of the core components was identical.
Bruce said nothing more, fired his grappling hook, and used the rope's tension to soar into the sky.
Barbara was doubtful.
"Is your company..."
"Impossible. Only Luke and I know the core technology. No one else could access it."
"Could it be Luke..."
Before finishing the sentence, Barbara shook her head, denying it. "No, he's not that kind of person."
This comment gave Linda an idea. Recalling Luke's modus operandi, she couldn't help but mutter,
"Could it really be him?"
Of course, these thoughts remained in her head and were never voiced.
A Shared Heartache
After completing the task, the two returned to their secret base. Barbara removed her powered armor, revealing her fine figure, her long auburn hair falling over her full chest, the semi-concealment adding a touch of allure.
Looking at her, Linda suddenly thought of Luke, and she began to sigh.
"What's wrong? Did someone make you unhappy again?"
"No."
"Oh, come on! You're still lying to me."
After being friends for so long, how could Barbara not understand? There was only one person in the world who could make the Kryptonian girl shake her head and sigh: Luke Shaw.
Thinking of him, Barbara's mood also became low. Since the Court of Owls incident, the two hadn't seen each other, only talking on the phone a few times.
After a moment's hesitation, Linda whispered,
"Do you still like him?"
"I don't know. What about you?"
"I don't know either."
Saying this, both girls laughed, their smiles laced with bitterness. No girl would tolerate the man she liked flirting with other women. Yet, this had become their reality.
They were angry and helpless. They wanted to let go but couldn't bear to. They wanted to press forward but were afraid.
The more Linda thought about it, the more frustrated she became. To think a descendant of the great House of El would be reduced to this state! It was infuriating.
"That bastard! I really want to beat him to death."
Barbara nodded in agreement.
"I want to beat him too. He has a girlfriend, but he still provokes others. Who does he think he is? An ancient emperor?"
"He probably thinks exactly that."
Linda scoffed, her fists clenched tightly. A few seconds later, though, she deflated like a burst balloon. She realized a terrible truth: the more fiercely she cursed him out loud, the more intensely she thought of him in her heart. Recalling their time together—eating, shopping, fighting—her lips unconsciously curled into a cursed smile.
"It's over. I'm beyond saving. Absolutely beyond saving."
The girl was filled with despair, grabbing her head and rolling wildly on the sofa.
Watching her friend, Barbara forced a wry smile. Theoretically, the two were romantic rivals, yet they had become friends.
"What are you going to do about Luke?"
"I don't know. Don't ask me."
"What about Carol Ferris?"
"Don't mention her! Annoying!"
Barbara sighed, an inexpressible sense of melancholy washing over her. Luke fulfilled all her romantic fantasies. He was like a magnet, drawing her in firmly. But this magnet was also attracting others.
"Perhaps I should talk to him. If it doesn't work, I'll tell him to get lost."
As she spoke the last sentence, Barbara's expression became incredibly firm. She was only in her early twenties and had a bright future ahead of her. There was no need to waste her life on a scumbag.
Linda stopped rolling. "Do you really mean that?"
"I've made up my mind. No changing it."
"Alright, I hope you get what you want."
Barbara then asked, "When will he be back?"
Linda held up two fingers.
"Two months, if everything goes smoothly. If something goes wrong, it's hard to say."
The Green Flame
For the current Luke, time had lost its original meaning and become blurred.
He hadn't returned to his physical body in a long time. His soul floated in the air, but his consciousness drifted toward an unknown world. This world was incredibly colorful, as if mixed from various types of paint. With a single thought, he could create anything he desired.
Plants he'd never seen, animals he'd never encountered, and swirling masses of spheres.
Thought was stretched infinitely here. In a trance, he saw ten thousand versions of himself—exactly ten thousand, no more, no less.
These Lukes were doing different things, interacting with different people. The next second, all the visions vanished, leaving only an endless green light. The green light turned into a flame, burning fiercely, lighting up every corner.
Consciousness returned to his soul. Luke opened his eyes, a look of confusion on his face.
"My condition is different from what the Heavenly Master's Strategy described. What is going on?"
"Why was the divinity I cultivated replaced by a green flame?"
Luke looked down at the vortex on his chest. "I clearly sealed it away."
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