Chương 517: The Oath of Not-Killing
Ra's Al Ghul face was beaten into a pulp by Arthur. At this moment, he complained that the Arthur problem was being too soft.
Falcone, hanging from the ceiling, widened his eyes. He thought, "Isn't it essential to consider the decency of your face in such situations? You've reached this state of being beaten, and still making fun of him."
Arthur understood Ra's implied meaning. Indeed, he didn't make empty threats or show off. What Ra's referred to was Arthur's commitment to not killing. After mastering the arts in the League of Shadows, similar to Batman's encounter with the League, the final lesson was to execute a prisoner, a rite of passage. Arthur, having foreknowledge of the plot, escaped the League in advance and took on the mantle of Batman in Gotham, inheriting the principle of not killing.
Dealing with criminals without taking their lives may result in them becoming more dangerous. Batman's no-kill rule, in Arthur's perspective, allowed criminals to evolve into more cunning and dangerous foes. It was like nurturing them; letting them experience being caught, beaten, and escaping only led to their self-improvement or large-scale criminal activities.
In other words, Batman's insistence on the no-kill rule contributed to the decay of Gotham. Arthur was aware of this, but he had to adhere to the no-kill rule to restrain the darkness and chaos within him. The shadow, the Joker residing deep in his heart, would devour him if exposed to the taste of blood.
Ra's al Ghul recognized Batman's no-kill rule as his greatest flaw. He, with a bruised and swollen face, stared at Arthur, still trying to teach him as a mentor, "Humans emerged from the primal jungle, built homes, and developed civilization... The world may seem bright now, but its core has never changed: survival of the fittest!"
Arthur stared back, "You're right. Despite thousands of years passing, some scumbags never change. They prefer being beasts in the wild over being human. But I'm not like you, and there aren't many like you either!"
Seemingly seeking death, Ra's al Ghul deliberately provoked him, "Let me guess, the person you're looking for isn't your parents or your brother..."
Before he could finish his morbid joke, Arthur, in a fit of rage, kicked him away. Sirens outside indicated the arrival of the police. Arthur warned the still-hanging Falcone to stay put; the police would come soon.
Falcone sighed in helplessness. He hoped the freak in front of him would show some mercy and untie him. Being suspended like this was unbearable.
Ignoring him, Arthur went to pick up the seemingly lifeless body of Ra's al Ghul and took him to another warehouse. Ra's widened his eyes, recognizing the place where he had planted a bomb, intending to kill Arthur.
"Do you want to die so badly? Since it's your wish, I'll fulfill it for you!"
Even the official Batman, in the end, can use the concept of 'not saving' to mistakenly kill a Ra's Al Ghul. Arthur believes he should grasp a more flexible moral boundary. The bombs in the factory are timed, even without a remote, they will still explode. This was a setup by Ra's Al Ghul, who successfully poisoned the water supply earlier. Arthur decides not to defuse the bomb crisis and walks away after throwing Ra's al Ghul into the factory.
Shortly after leaving the factory, a deafening explosion occurs, flames soaring into the sky, and Ra's was also blasted into the air. Gordon's police force arrives just in time to witness the spectacular fireworks. Gordon quickly notified the fire brigade to put out the fire and then led the police carefully into the factory area.
They met Arthur soon, and Arthur didn't waste any words. He explained the matter about the water plant in a few words and was about to get in the batmobile and leave. After hearing this, Gordon was covered in a cold sweat and stopped him: "Wait a minute, so you're telling me that soon all the drug addicts in Gotham will turn into beasts and madmen?"
"No, they have been tricked now."
Arthur, without hesitation, informs Gordon, "No, they have been saved now, I've prepared the antidote in advance and arranged for personnel. You can head directly to the hospital."
Since returning from the League of Shadows, Arthur had secretly brought some blue flowers, handing them over to Wayne Enterprises' research department. This advantage over the official Batman allowed him to be prepared for the inevitable confrontation with Ra's Al Ghul.
In a short time, he developed the relevant antidote. The preparations weren't a result of predicting Ra's plot but Arthur's proactive planning with multiple contingency plans. Gordon is amazed at Batman's calculated actions.
Arthur, driving the Batmobile, heads towards the cemetery. It's near dawn, the darkest time of the night. The streets are quieter than before, and the Batmobile's engine roars loudly, reflecting Arthur's impatience.
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