บท 514: Alfred is Missing
After rigorous training, Arthur wasn't necessarily stronger than the original Batman, but he held his own quite well.
He effortlessly dealt with the elite thugs around Falcone, capturing him smoothly. However, as he prepared to interrogate Falcone for information, a group of mysterious individuals suddenly attacked, catching Arthur off guard.
Engaging in a brief confrontation, Arthur quickly realized that these assailants were well-versed in the ways of the League of Shadows—they were assassins!
"I guessed right... Ra's al Ghul, show yourself!"
Prepared for such a situation, Arthur activated the Batmobile hidden nearby. Loaded with explosives, it unleashed flames into the crowd, causing chaos. In the midst of the roaring explosions, Arthur emerged unscathed, while the League of Shadows assassins either perished or were injured.
With Falcone in tow, Arthur wasted no time. Using the Batmobile, he raced out of the now-burning warehouse.
He had no intention of confronting the Ras Al Ghul head-on. According to clues revealed in a Quiz game, he prioritized extracting intel from Falcone. As for Ra's al Ghul, that could be dealt with later.
Unexpectedly, Ra's al Ghul wasn't prepared for Batman's tactics. Delayed for a moment, he couldn't catch up with the Batmobile, only witnessing Arthur taking Falcone away.
An eager Arthur couldn't wait to bring the Batmobile to the safety of the Batcave. Finding a secluded place, he began questioning Falcone, he was surprisingly cooperative and laid out all the information he knew.
Indeed, Ra's al Ghul was the mastermind behind it all. In Falcone's words, they were not hierarchical; they were partners with mutual benefits. Ra's al Ghul needed Falcone for local intel and occasional facilitation, while Falcone was enticed by the quality goods Ra's al Ghul provided and the hired League of Shadows assassins to eliminate rivals.
Their collaboration had been established long ago, and this was the part Arthur was most concerned about—the Wayne Manor fire years ago. The true culprit behind it was none other than Ra's al Ghul!
Falcone was unaware that the current Batman was the last surviving member of the Wayne family. However, he slowly recounted the events of that fateful night. Initially unaware of Ra's al Ghul's involvement in the Wayne Manor fire, Falcone thought it was merely a scheme to profit from chaos. However, when Gotham descended into turmoil, the League of Shadows approached him, wanting to add fuel to the fire in the already chaotic city.
At that time, Falcone believed Ra's al Ghul intended to exploit the disorder for financial gain. When asked to provide the identities of certain police officers and security personnel, he didn't refuse and arranged accordingly.
Among those individuals were League of Shadows assassins posing as cops and security personnel. They infiltrated the chaos, and set Wayne Manor ablaze, aiming to kill the Wayne family. Although the assassins were ruthless and left minimal evidence, two corrupt cops accidentally discovered the truth.
These two officers, initially thinking Falcone orchestrated the Wayne Manor fire, kept it to themselves out of fear. Years later, in their retirement, one officer, in a drunken state, accidentally spilled the truth in a tavern.
Fortunately, Falcone controlled that area, and he promptly suppressed the information. After all, there was still a surviving Wayne, now the richest man in Gotham, and Falcone didn't want unnecessary trouble.
Moreover, Falcone didn't want to shoulder the blame without gaining some advantage. He interrogated the two cops, learning the details and deducing that the mastermind behind the fire was Ra's al Ghul and the League of Shadows.
Knowing this secret, Falcone considered it a valuable bargaining chip for future dealings with the League of Shadows. However, now he realized he had made himself too vulnerable: "Haha... They think I've lost my usefulness. Do you think they're here to save me? No, they're here to kill me!"
In a raspy voice, Arthur responded, "So, in a way, I saved your life."
He was surprisingly calm, much more composed than he had anticipated.
After learning the truth, he thought he would be deeply shocked, causing the chaotic darkness within him to once again erupt unexpectedly. Yet, his heart is surprisingly calm.
Perhaps he has already accepted it, and now all he wants is an outcome?
Avenging the Wayne family, settling the score, and inheriting Thomas Wayne's legacy to transform Gotham – these are Arthur's obsessions. The latter is much more challenging than the former, but now he's making good progress.
Arthur is ready to hand over Falcone to Gordon, but he refuses, fearing that falling into the hands of the police would mean certain death. With his influence, he could easily infiltrate the Gotham police, let alone dealing with a more formidable and ruthless League of Shadows.
Falcone, with his imaginative mind, feels safest staying by Batman's side. "I trust a vigilante like you more than the police."
Arthur rolls his eyes, and at this moment, Gordon arrives. Arthur, not wanting to bring Falcone with him, had already informed Gordon to come and apprehend him upon obtaining the results.
Falcone vehemently protests but is eventually escorted into the police car. Gordon, expressing concern, tells Arthur, "The League of Shadows is planning a major operation in Gotham, but we know too little about them."
"I will handle this matter," Arthur replies before leaving in the Batmobile.
After dark, he returns to the rebuilt Wayne Manor, only to find something amiss. The butler, who would usually greet him first, is nowhere to be seen.
Frowning, Arthur explores the mansion but can't find any trace of the butler. The vast mansion seems deserted, with no one else but him.
Has something happened to Alfred?
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