Wilderness Challenge [Comprehensive British American American Entertainment]

Gotham, Old Town, The Old Pumpkin Bar.

Thordgreen Campbell wrapped his windbreaker tightly, put his hands together and breathed a sigh of relief.White smoke gushed out of his mouth, the heat dispelled the severe cold for a short while, and was immediately covered by wetter and colder air.The briefcase tucked under his arm began to slide down with the movement.

Mr Campbell works for an insurance company and has dealt with three insurance claims today.He is tall, with an honest face, upright and serious. Although he has a small belly because of his middle age, he is still very energetic in the eyes of outsiders.

A guy like him is supposed to be out of place in the Old Pumpkin Bar—what kind of person with a serious job would hang out in a place like this where all kinds of religions gather?Even if the newspapers like to tease the locals of Gotham, they are happy to make jokes themselves, and some circle things are universally recognized after all.

But Sodergreen had reasons to come.

He sat down on the greasy high chair and pretended to wipe the tip of his nose with a handkerchief.The bartender slid a martini over, and the liquid dangled in the glass without spilling a drop.The fat man sitting next to him was talking on the phone at the top of his voice, spitting out some swear words from time to time. He had a "thug face" that was enough to be included in the police standard. It is as inconspicuous as whitebait mixed into a fish pond.

Sodergren took a sip of his wine with a tight throat.

At this moment, someone patted his shoulder from behind him. "Mr. Campbell," said the visitor.The voice was light and ethereal, softer than oriental silk, but it fell on Sodergren's ears as heavy as a stone.

"My God!" He jumped in horror—literally, and subconsciously grabbed the hand backwards.The skin that came into contact was very rough, and there seemed to be some scars.He didn't really touch it, just a quick touch, because the other party quickly retracted the outstretched hand and hid it in the huge and spacious sleeve.Looking up through the sleeves, the visitor was completely hidden in the hood, and his face could not be seen clearly.

"I'm the one who contacted you yesterday." The hooded man said.The bartender flew over as if casually, then took out a brand new rag from the sink, and slowly wiped the wine glass. "Come on, Mr. Campbell," said the Hooded Man again, "let's get to the right place to talk."

Sodergren rose obediently but uneasily.

"Fuck!" the fat man on the right yelled, "yes, yes, you're wrong, I said it's going to be clean and beautiful, but the bat is like crazy, who dares to touch him ?”

There was a roar of laughter in the bar, and people whispered "Bat", "Penguin" and "Joker Gang".

The man in the hood led Sodergren to the cubicle and sat down. He took off the hood, revealing a featureless face, and immediately took out a certificate from his pocket and handed it to him.

Sodergren looked around and saw that there was a yellow identity card inserted in the document, with a white eagle pattern on the upper left corner, a big "shield" written on the upper right corner, and the most ordinary and unimaginable imaginable printed on the bottom. An odd name rivaled only by Tom, David and Jack.S.H.I.E.L.D., he chewed, always thinking that he had heard of this name somewhere, but he didn't have a clue for a while.

"We're in charge of Homeland Security," said the Hooded Man. "Someone has learned that you keep a list, and we'd like your help... of course, and we'll offer you a good price."

"I don't understand, what do you want this gift certificate for?" Sodergren handed back the certificate.He wiped his palms on his pants, but that didn't help, the sweat continued to spill. "This gift list is just my early exchanges. Could it be that you suspect that I will threaten national security? It has been more than 20 years, why should I give it to you?"

"If you must know," the man in the hood shrugged, "this gift list is a personal exchange before you attended a party more than 20 years ago, and the host of this party was Thomas Wayne. I believe Mr. Campbell must still remember it." Him?"

Sodergren broke out in a cold sweat. "What does this have to do with you?"

"Thomas Wayne had a misfortune less than a month after the party—"

"Enough!" cried Sodergren suddenly. "None of us knew it was going to happen. It's a tragedy, a complete tragedy. Poor Thomas, he's a good guy, and even the most ballless bum would Praise his name...Great Wayne, generous Wayne..."

"But you indirectly contributed to his death." The hooded man said calmly.

The wide screen in the bar is playing a movie, the woman on the screen is radiant, even the tiniest strands of hair are shockingly beautiful, you can’t see the fierceness in the wild, and the hands seem to be soft and boneless, how come It doesn't look like it can knock down a giant beast.Sodergreen knew she was Little Wayne's girlfriend.Little Wayne, he shuddered at the thought of the name, and his mouth was dry. "I swear to God I never had a bad heart."

"Then give us the list." The hooded man stretched out his hand.

Two and 10 minutes later, he got what he wanted.

The list was taken out of the briefcase, folded, and carefully placed inside the windbreaker.The man in the hood showed a satisfied look, nodded, and left the Old Pumpkin Bar with the connector.

The bartender was still wiping the wine glass when he opened the door, and the glass looked no different from before.

The two broke up in the alley behind the bar.

Sodergren glanced back: the man was standing in the icy rain with his black long-handled umbrella open, his hood pulled down, and the corners of his windbreaker rolled into black waves in the cold wind.

The rain was getting heavier and heavier, and he stumbled towards the entrance of the alley.

The bluestone floor tiles have been in disrepair for a long time, and dirty muddy water splashed in the gaps, hitting the freshly brushed black leather shoes dots. "Damn!" cried Sodergren sharply. "Damn! Damn! Damn!"

He left the dark alley in two or three steps, took a taxi, got out of the car, put his briefcase on his head and ran towards the house.The key was stained by the burrito in the bag in the morning, and it was a little oily. It kept slipping in the trembling hands, and the door couldn't be opened no matter what.

During the stalemate, a few traces of sticky liquid flew down from the top.

Sodergren raised his head half annoyed and half puzzled, and looked directly at the lifeless pale face.He recognized this face, and he recognized the half that was hidden by the curtain.Every morning, the owner of the first face will prepare breakfast for him, and wash clothes for him at night. They used to sleep on the same bed, eat on the same table, and breathe in the same space.And the second face - the owner of the second face always raised his head and called him "Dad".

Convulsions struck his throat, and Mr. Campbell uttered a long, inhuman cry.

The blood-curdling cry was cut off in the middle.

It was unclear whether it was the wind, the sharp blade, or the cold hand of a person. The thing slid across his neck cruelly and firmly, stuck firmly, like a pair of iron clamps, and even lifted him upwards.Sodergren felt that he had returned to his childhood, back to the time when he was caught and beaten by his stepfather for committing a crime after class, he was helpless and full of fear.

Immediately there was a crisp and dull crack.

"Crack it!"

Immediately came a strange yet familiar word.

"The Court of Owls sends you hello."

Sodergren didn't have another chance to struggle, he started to fall.

down, down, down...

***

Dick fell headfirst into the cushion.

"It's not true," he muttered at the teal upholstery. "It can't be true."

Jennifer sat cross-legged across from him in a heroic manner, and stretched out a hand to him in a leisurely manner.The schistosomiasis has been completely cured by Osborne's research laboratory, and other parasites and gastrointestinal problems caused by eating raw food are also slowly recovering. Her complexion is getting better every day, and she "even" has the strength to educate this A new addition to the estate.

It was a perfectly normal afternoon at Wayne's old house.

Except a few minutes later, Bruce Wayne got a call and had to go up the Batcave to the living room.He has not been in high spirits for the past few days, and his face is even more gloomy, and the whole manor is filled with dark clouds.At home, Alfred and Jennifer treated him like nothing happened, only Dick was trembling, afraid that something in the training session was not good enough.At this moment, he was staring at the back of Bruce disappearing on the stairs, and he just breathed a sigh of relief when he turned his head and saw Jennifer walking straight towards the bat host.

"!"

He watched Jennifer pick up the information on the side of the host and look through it, and his face gradually darkened, getting closer to Batman.

"Is it okay?" Dick couldn't help asking, "Bruce said that we are not allowed to read those materials..." His original words were that these things don't need your intervention, and don't need other people to care about them.Dick, who has been trained for a long time, naturally has some opinions on this, but he has gradually learned not to argue with Batman, why...

"You should take a look, too." Jennifer glanced up at him from the file, "Dick, come and look at these things. Bruce is dealing with a bizarre murder case, and I think it's very problematic."

"But—but—" stammered Dick, and he even turned to the old butler for support.

Alfred coughed silently behind his back, pretending he didn't see anything.

Jennifer waved her hands indiscriminately, "Come here." She gave him a meaningful stare. "I know that Bruce always likes to carry everything alone. I will recite his words. You'd better not take these things to heart. You have to understand his words backwards."

Dick: "..."

Is that right?

yes... that's right...