anovelconsole Chapter 118 Another Turbulence
Chapter 118 Another Turbulence
Chapter 118 Another Turbulence
He knew that Batman was no longer strong enough to fight the Joker one-on-one, and he had to find a way to stop the Joker.
He quickly scanned his surroundings and saw an abandoned office building next to the mall.
The rooftop and the shopping mall rooftop are about the same height, separated only by a narrow alley.
Li Wei immediately rushed into the office building and ran quickly up the stairs.
The stairwell was pitch black and filled with dust and debris.
He ran wildly, ignoring the obstacles in his path, and finally reached the rooftop.
He lay on the edge of the rooftop, looking at the clown on the roof of the shopping mall across the street, took a deep breath, and pulled out the small pistol Gordon had given him from his backpack.
His marksmanship wasn't particularly accurate, but the distance was close enough to hit the target.
He aimed at the clown's leg and gently pulled the trigger.
With a "bang," a gunshot rang out, and the bullet struck the clown in the thigh.
The clown screamed and fell to the ground, dropping the remote control he was holding.
Batman seized the opportunity and finally climbed to the rooftop.
He rushed to the clown, snatched the remote control, and pressed the stop button.
The countdown stopped, and the bomb was successfully defused.
Batman looked at the Joker lying on the ground without making any further moves.
He just leaned against the wall, panting heavily, almost too weak to move.
His body was limp like a puddle of mud, and his eyes began to blur, clearly having exhausted his last bit of strength.
Li Wei holstered his pistol, turned, and left the rooftop of the office building.
He knew that Batman needed rest and treatment, not police interference.
He went down the stairs and back onto the street, where he saw police officers rushing into the mall to evacuate the hostages.
The clown was also subdued by the police and put into a police car.
The fire in the city center was gradually brought under control, and the sounds of sirens, fire trucks, and citizens' cries gradually subsided.
Only the occasional wailing of ambulances echoed through the empty streets.
Li Wei didn't linger; he walked towards Wayne Manor.
He knew that Batman would definitely return to the Batcave to heal, and he had something else to give to Bruce Wayne.
In the early hours of the morning, Gotham finally regained a semblance of calm.
The sky began to lighten with the first hint of dawn, and the morning light shone through the thin mist onto the scarred city streets, bringing a faint glimmer of light to this dark city.
Li Wei drove his pickup truck along a secluded mountain road.
This road leads to the back hill of Wayne Manor, which is also the entrance to the Bat Cave.
The pickup truck stopped beside a dense forest. Levi got out, walked into the woods, and found a secluded corner to hide.
He knew that Alfred would come to pick up Batman, or that Batman would return to the Batcave on his own.
Sure enough, not long after, the stone door of the Bat Cave slowly opened, and Alfred pushed a wheelchair out.
His hair was a little messy, his eyes were red, and his face was full of worry and exhaustion.
The man in the wheelchair was Bruce Wayne, who had already removed his Batman suit.
He was wearing a black bodysuit and his face was deathly pale.
His lips were pale, and a trace of blood remained at the corner of his mouth.
He leaned against his wheelchair, coughing weakly, each cough seeming to drain all his strength.
The phlegm he coughed up contained obvious streaks of blood, staining the handkerchief Alfred handed him red.
"Sir, please slow down, don't use too much force."
Alfred's voice choked with emotion as he carefully pushed the wheelchair, his movements as gentle as if he were handling a fragile treasure.
Li Wei felt a sense of heaviness as he watched this scene.
Bruce Wayne has sacrificed too much to protect Gotham, and his body is severely overworked.
Bane's plan continues, and the battles to come will only become more difficult.
He emerged from the hidden corner and slowly walked towards the two of them.
Alfred immediately stopped alertly and stood in front of the wheelchair.
He relaxed slightly after recognizing Li Wei, but did not move.
"Mr. Li Wei, what are you doing here?"
Li Wei glanced at the weakened Bruce, then took out a small white bottle from his pocket, which contained the stamina suppressants he had prepared in advance.
"I mean no harm, I'm just here to deliver something to Mr. Bruce."
Alfred's gaze swept over Levi, then looked at the medicine bottle in his hand, his eyes filled with vigilance.
But he could sense that Levi meant no harm, and Bruce was indeed in dire need of medication.
"This is an emergency medication for the police station. Its main ingredients are inosine and B vitamins, which can quickly relieve fatigue and stabilize heart rate."
""
As Li Wei spoke, he handed over the medicine bottle.
"I learned from the news that Mr. Bruce's health is very poor and he needs immediate rest and treatment. This bottle of medicine can help him hold on until you find a suitable treatment plan."
Alfred hesitated for a moment, but ultimately took the medicine bottle.
He opened the medicine bottle, smelled the contents, and nodded after confirming there was nothing unusual inside.
"Thank you, Mr. Levi."
Li Wei didn't say another word, nor did he ask Bruce for specific details.
He knew that everyone had their own secrets, the secrets of the Batcave, the secrets of Bruce Wayne, and none of them should be easily pried into.
He simply nodded slightly, turned and walked into the depths of the woods, his figure quickly disappearing into the morning mist.
Alfred looked in the direction where Levi had disappeared, then looked down at Bruce in his wheelchair, sighed softly, and pushed the wheelchair into the Batcave.
The stone door slowly closed, hiding all the secrets and weariness in the darkness.
Li Wei returned to the pickup truck, started the engine, and drove towards the police station.
Outside the car window, the morning mist gradually dissipated, and sunlight pierced through the clouds, shining on the streets of Gotham and illuminating the remaining scars.
But he knew that this calm was only temporary; Bain's plans were still ongoing, and an even bigger storm was waiting for them.
Bane released all of Arkham's hardened criminals, allowing them to wreak havoc in Gotham.
In reality, they were using them to weaken Batman and the police, while simultaneously expanding their own influence and taking over Gotham's underground order.
However, no informants have been found within Wayne Enterprises, and Bane could use them to track Bruce Wayne's movements at any time and launch a fatal attack.
Thinking of this, Li Wei's eyes grew increasingly resolute.
He looked at the sky gradually brightening ahead and made a silent vow in his heart.
No matter the cost, he will stand with Batman and Gordon to protect Gotham.
The most urgent task at hand is to find Wayne Group's informants.
Only in this way can we stop Bane's plans and prevent the city from falling into deeper darkness.
The pickup truck drove through the streets in the early morning, where traces of the chaos from the previous night still lingered.
Broken glass, charred remains, dried bloodstains.
In the distance, some residents had already begun to leave their homes to clean the streets, their faces showing relief at surviving the disaster and hope for the future.
Li Wei knew that as long as there were people willing to protect the city, as long as there were people who did not give up hope, Gotham would not be swallowed by darkness.
And he will be one of the most steadfast among them.
He took out his phone and dialed Gordon's number.
"Buddy, the Arkham fugitives are under initial control, the Joker and Scarecrow have been captured, and all the hostages are safe."
His voice was deep and steady.
"But we cannot let our guard down. Bain's plans are still ongoing, and we still have some work to do."
First, we must immediately intensify our investigation into the Wayne Group, focusing on newly hired employees and senior managers, and we must find Bain's informants.
Secondly, strengthen the security of Arkham Asylum and reinforce security measures to prevent Bane from attacking again.
Third, all police officers should be notified to increase patrols, especially in areas where fugitives may be hiding, and to apprehend all fugitives as soon as possible.
Fourth, we must closely monitor Batman's movements. His physical condition is currently very poor, and we need to hold Gotham's defenses until he recovers.
"I know."
Gordon's voice came through the phone, sounding tired but still firm.
"I've made all the arrangements, so don't worry. You must be tired after a long day, come back and rest."
17
"No, I still have some clues to organize," Li Wei said. "I'll be back at the police station later."
After hanging up the phone, Li Wei tossed it onto the passenger seat.
With his right foot on the accelerator, the pickup truck sped off towards the police station.
Li Wei knew he had no time to rest; there were more important things to do next.
There are still more clues to gather, and even greater dangers await him.
But he was fearless, because he knew in his heart that he was not fighting alone.
The war with Bane has entered its most critical phase, and he must give it his all.
Gotham's morning news was like a boulder thrown into the already turbulent lake of the city.
The cross-border cooperation negotiations between Wayne Group and the European energy giant have officially broken down, and the news has dominated headlines across major media outlets.
Electronic screens on the street played related reports on a loop, and financial analysts spoke eloquently to the camera, their tone full of regret and doubt.
Li Wei sat in the driver's seat of the pickup truck, the news broadcast on the radio exceptionally clear. His fingertips tapped lightly on the steering wheel, his eyes focused.
This negotiation is crucial for the Wayne Group. If successful, it will not only inject huge sums of money into clean energy projects but also open up the European market.
However, the failure of the negotiations has undoubtedly made matters worse for the already stalled clean energy projects.
Even more suspiciously, according to media reports, the reason for the breakdown in negotiations was the leakage of core trade secrets.
It was no coincidence that the other party had prior knowledge of Wayne Group's bottom price and technical parameters.
"Li Wei, Wayne Group has sent a request for assistance."
Gordon called at just the right time, his tone tinged with seriousness.
"Bruce Wayne suspects the leak of the negotiations was an inside job and wants our police department's consultant, that is, you, to personally intervene in the investigation and find the leaker."
"That suits me perfectly."
Li Wei's voice was calm, but a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.
"The spies Bain planted within Wayne Enterprises have finally had a chance to surface."
After hanging up the phone, Li Wei turned the car around and drove towards the Wayne Group headquarters.
The Wayne Tower soared into the clouds, its glass curtain wall gleaming with a cold, hard luster in the hazy daylight.
Just like the impression Bruce Wayne usually gives—tough, aloof, yet carrying the hopes of the entire city on his shoulders.
The vehicle drove into Wayne Group's private parking lot, where a security guard in a black suit with a serious expression was already waiting.
"Mr. Levi, I am Mr. Wayne's assistant. Mr. Alfred sent me to pick you up."
The security personnel spoke respectfully, leading Li Wei into the building.
The hall was spacious and bright, with a spotless marble floor.
The screens on both sides played promotional videos for Wayne Enterprises' charitable projects, creating a stark contrast with the chaos on the streets of Gotham.
Li Wei followed behind his assistant, but his gaze inadvertently swept over everyone in the hall.
The receptionist's fingers flew across the keyboard, but her eyes kept glancing at her phone.
As the cleaning lady pushed her cleaning cart to a corner, she quietly slipped a note to a passing employee.
A young employee in the data entry area frequently made excuses to go to the restroom, and each time he returned, he looked flustered.
These subtle anomalies, which might seem like ordinary work scenes to others, could not escape Li Wei's keen observation.
He knew that Bain wanted to obtain information about Bruce Wayne's whereabouts and the Wayne Group's core information.
It's impossible to just plant a single informant; instead, an underlying information network will be built.
By utilizing the often-overlooked lower-level employees to transmit fragmented information, a complete intelligence can eventually be pieced together.
"Mr. Levi, Mr. Alfred is waiting for you in the conference room."
The assistant stopped and pushed open the door to a conference room.
Inside the conference room, Alfred, dressed in a sharp tuxedo, looked even more somber than when he had last seen him outside the Bat Cave.
Seeing Li Wei enter, he stood up to acknowledge him.
"Mr. Li Wei, thank you for coming."
This leak of the negotiations has dealt a significant blow to the group. More importantly, we suspect the leaker is connected to the recent series of actions targeting Mr. Wayne.
"I see."
Levi sat down opposite Alfred and got straight to the point.
"I need to review the list of all employees involved in the project during the negotiations, especially the lower-level employees, including receptionists, cleaners, data entry clerks, etc."
In addition, I need to understand the core content of the negotiations, the schedules of the participants, and the internal information transmission channels of the group.
Without the slightest hesitation, Alfred immediately had the relevant information brought to him.
"These are the documents you need, and the group's internal surveillance footage can be accessed at any time."
We only hope to find the leaker as soon as possible and prevent further danger.
Li Wei took the documents and quickly flipped through them.
His gaze swept across the densely packed list; thanks to his extra intellectual capacity, his thoughts were exceptionally clear when he was fully focused.
Based on the anomalies observed in the lobby, several suspicious individuals were quickly identified.
Sarah, the receptionist, is responsible for registering all visitor information and recording the departures of internal staff.
Masha, the cleaning lady, is responsible for cleaning the high-rise office area and has the opportunity to access unlocked documents and computers.
Tom, the data entry clerk, was directly involved in the compilation and entry of negotiation materials.
"I'd like to speak with these individuals individually."
Li Wei pointed to three names on the list, speaking calmly.
Alfred nodded. "I'll make the arrangements. You can use the meeting room next door."
The first person called in was Sarah, the receptionist.
She was wearing a business suit, her hands nervously clasped together, her eyes darting away, avoiding Li Wei's gaze.
"Mr. Li Wei, what can I do for you?"
"During the negotiations, did you disclose any information to the outside world regarding Mr. Wayne's itinerary or the negotiations?"
Li Wei's gaze was fixed on her, his tone calm yet carrying an invisible sense of pressure.
Sarah's body trembled slightly, and she quickly shook her head.
"No! How could I dare to leak secrets? I'm just a receptionist; I have no access to core information at all."
"Yeah?"
Li Wei took out a printed copy of the call log.
"During the negotiations, you made three calls a day to an unknown number, each call lasting no more than a minute. What were you doing?"
Sarah's face turned deathly pale instantly, her lips trembled, and she couldn't speak.
Li Wei knew that these low-level employees who had been bribed often had very weak psychological defenses.
No need for excessive questioning; simply pointing out the key evidence is enough to break them down.
"I...I was threatened."
Sarah's tears fell, and her voice choked with sobs.
"Someone contacted me and said they would harm my family if I didn't provide Mr. Wayne's itinerary and visitor information."
I had no choice but to do as they told me to. I really didn't know that was leaking secrets...
Li Wei didn't say much, but simply asked her to write down the unfamiliar number and the contact person's characteristics, and then had the security personnel take her away.
Next up was the cleaning lady, Martha, whose reaction was completely different from Sarah's.
She kept her head down and remained silent, refusing to admit anything no matter how Li Wei questioned her.
It wasn't until Li Wei produced the surveillance screenshots showing her secretly passing notes that Martha finally confessed.
Her request was simple: protect her grandson's safety, and she would give everything.
It turned out that her grandson was seriously ill and needed a huge amount of medical expenses.
Bain's people promised to cover all medical expenses as long as she provided fragments of documents from the upper office area and information from her computer screen.
Finally, there's Tom, the data entry clerk.
He had relatively good mental fortitude and initially tried to argue that he was just doing his job and had not leaked any information.
But when Li Wei pointed out that he had copied encrypted files to his personal USB drive multiple times at key points in the negotiations, his psychological defenses completely collapsed.
He eventually admitted that he had been bribed and had leaked the core parameters and bottom line of the negotiations to Bain's people.
In just a few hours, Li Wei had figured out the information network that Bain had planted at the bottom of Wayne Enterprises.
These employees did not know each other and each thought they were providing information to a single person.
Little did they know that their combined information constituted a deadly intelligence capable of destroying an important negotiation.
Instead of immediately handing over these clues to Alfred, Levi returned to his pickup truck and compiled all the clues into an anonymous document.
He knew that Bain's informants might not be limited to these individuals, and that publicly dealing with these employees could alert the others, allowing even more deeply hidden informants to escape.
He turned on the car's computer, connected to a public email address, and sent the document to Alfred's private email address.
The postal key contained only one sentence: "Clean up the Buddhist households, beware of the remnants."
After sending the message, he deleted all the recordings and restored the car's computer to its initial state to ensure that no trace was left.
Having done all this, Li Wei activated the Oath Card and drove away from Wayne Corporation.
By this time, it was getting dark, and neon lights were illuminating the streets of Gotham.
The multicolored lights reflected on the wet streetlights, creating a hazy, dreamlike effect, yet also exuding an inescapable sense of oppression.
Instead of returning to the police station, Li Wei slowly patrolled the streets of Gotham.
He knew that after the blow of the failed negotiations, Bruce Wayne's condition would probably be even worse.
As Batman, he bears the heavy responsibility of protecting Gotham.
As Bruce Wayne, he has to support the massive Wayne Enterprises while also bearing the expectations and pressures left by his parents.
With the double burden weighing on him, coupled with the recent continuous battles and physical exhaustion, he was already overwhelmed.
As the vehicle approached Wayne Tower, Li Wei subconsciously looked up.
With his exceptional eyesight, he could clearly see the view from the top of the building.
On the edge of the building's rooftop, a solitary figure stood.
He was dressed in simple dark casual clothes, without Batman's cape and hood, only the loneliness and weariness of an ordinary person remained.
Standing on the rooftop was none other than Bruce Wayne.
Li Wei parked the car in the shade by the roadside, turned off the headlights, and silently watched the figure on the rooftop.
Bruce's back was hunched over; he was no longer the upright billionaire he always was, nor the fearless, charismatic hero he once was.
He stood motionless against the evening breeze, like a solitary statue.
Li Weineng could roughly guess what he was thinking about at that moment; most likely it was his parents.
In Gotham, everyone has their own pain.
Bruce's pain is etched into his bones; it is the driving force that propelled him to become Batman, a wound that he can never truly heal.
As the evening breeze blew by, Bruce slightly raised his head, seemingly gazing at the scenery of Gotham.
The city he dedicated his life to protecting is still shrouded in darkness, where crime, chaos, and danger are ever-present.
He tried his best, but still couldn't make the city better.
In the end, even his own company fell into crisis, and he could not completely trust the people around him.
Li Wei could clearly feel Bruce's exhaustion and struggle; it was a deep-seated sense of powerlessness.
It's like a drowning person, seemingly unable to break free from the shackles of fate no matter how hard they try.
He didn't go forward to disturb them, but quietly hid in the shadows, like a silent guardian.
He knew that Bruce Wayne at this moment needed no comfort, and never needed any advice.
He just needs some time alone to process the pain and confusion in his heart.
After an unknown amount of time, Bruce slowly put away the photos, turned around, and walked into the shadows on the rooftop, disappearing from sight.
Li Wei then started the vehicle and continued patrolling the streets.
A heavy feeling settled over him. He knew that Bruce Wayne would soon don the Batman mantle again and throw himself back into battle.
Because he had no way out, Gotham needed him.
Just as Levi was preparing to head towards Arkham Asylum to check on the security situation there.
The cell phone in my pocket suddenly vibrated violently, breaking the secluded tranquility.
He saw from the caller ID that it was Gordon calling, his voice urgent as if he wanted to burst through the receiver.
"Levy! Something's happened! The transport convoy from Arkham Asylum has been attacked! The Joker and the Scarecrow have been kidnapped!"
Li Wei's heart sank, and his grip on the steering wheel tightened instantly.