"Tsk, tsk, tsk, it seems the truth isn't like that. You've tarnished your mother's name, quite disobedient." Zorro stroked his mustache with his free hand, showing a regretful smile: "It seems she can't be called Martha anymore. Let me think, how about changing it to Marseta? Do you like Spanish names?"
Now, there's no need for action, the Cruel Knight has already shown a look of existential doubt, in his memory, things weren't like this at all.
But everything around suggested reality, this alley, this smell, everything indicated that this was a past event, that he really shot from behind.
Did he hypnotize himself to make him believe he was facing an enemy? No, it shouldn't be like this...
But the brain and memory are the least reliable things, he knew that too.
So he couldn't trust himself, nor could he trust everything in front of him.
But now he's in Crime Alley, behind him is an empty street, he can't escape.
Zorro sheathed his rapier, hugging his arms: "Why don't we try again, you're a scumbag, a killer without a doubt, but I need you to admit that."
"..."
"Now I turn around with my back to you, will you shoot me in the back?" Zorro really turned around, appearing relaxed: "Only three seconds, if you don't shoot, I'll kill you, but I'll give your mother's name back to her, how about that? Of course, shooting me in the back won't be faster than my sword, I'll still kill you, and you'll die a coward, your mother will be ashamed of you."
The Cruel Knight, of course, had other weapons, being Batman, how could he only have two pistols, there was another at his lower back, one in his boot.
As Zorro turned around, he already had a gun in his hand.
He told himself that Zorro was just an illusion, all of this was an illusion, though he couldn't understand how this was happening, killing the other would be his chance to leave!
Whether he shoots from the front or the back was of no consequence to him now, maybe Zorro really was a reflection of his inner self, he understood he was indeed a murderer now.
But it was better to live.
Without hesitation, he raised his handgun, but in the next second, arrows pierced through his chest.
The cold black metal was soaked in blood, this silent assassination attacked him from behind.
Even Batman, such a wound was too severe, N Metal combined with poison, he tried to pull the trigger, but already lost strength.
He looked back, only seeing his younger self, holding his parents' hands, skipping and jumping down the alley, still discussing how amazing Zorro was in the movie.
Maybe.... it was all his fault....
No matter how unwilling he was, his body still fell, Zorro quickly turned around and approached, kicking his gun far away, while his rapier severed the tendons in his hands and feet.
The plan succeeded, but still, he couldn't be given a chance to self-destruct, avoiding mishaps in the gutter.
"He's already dead, no need to sever hands and feet." Oliver retracted his folding bow, pulling the N Metal arrows from the Cruel Knight's corpse: "Toying with others' memories and psyche, you're quite the sadist."
To ensure a lethal strike, he flashed behind the Cruel Knight while Deathstroke distracted him, letting off five arrows in an instant.
Su Ming indifferently began to strip the Cruel Knight's belt, which held the most items, taking it first: "After all, he's Batman, in my eyes, his real weakness was only that one day, any plan against him needs to revolve around that day."
"This is more secure then....." Diana approached, the Fire God Sword unsheathed, swiftly severing the Cruel Knight's head: "Now, can we confirm death?"
Su Ming wiped the blood off his face, and Strangulation quickly helped clean him, he said with slight helplessness: "A headless corpse is certainly fine, just a bit inconvenient when I'm looting."
"Let me see, let me see quickly." Harley circled Diana, eager to see the head, curious about how this Batman differed from their world's Batman.
"Here." Diana tossed the head to Harley, while observing Deathstroke's all-black outfit changing into familiar black and yellow armor: "You can ask our Batman what you want, no need to loot the corpse."
Su Ming, re-donning the Holy Statue Uniform, flexed his neck, walking to the wall to retrieve the 'bat ear' he cut off earlier.
"It's still necessary, the Cruel Knight knows the Dark Knight Order's communication method, with this." He shook the black triangle in his hand: "We might find the Laughing Bat...."
"Or I might find you first, hahahahahahaha...."
The sharp ear suddenly emitted laughter, the Laughing Bat remotely controlled the device into amplifier mode, and he obviously knew what just happened.
Su Ming looked up at Diana, calmly bringing the sharp ear to his face: "Long time no hear your enchanting laughter, Bruce."
"Oh? Do you miss my charming charisma?" the Laughing Bat burst into maniacal laughter somewhere: "But I don't miss you at all, you've never been my target, why stand in my way?"
"It's nothing, just looking for a place to spend money. If the Main World is destroyed by you, I'll lose millions," Su Ming said with a smile.
"You can tell such lies? Hahaha, I knew I wasn't wrong about you. You're just as dark as I am," the Laughing Bat paused, seemingly hearing something incredible, but soon laughed.
Su Ming shrugged. "You don't have what I want, so don't blame me for standing on the opposite side."
"Oh? I think I know what you want. How about we make a deal?"
"Sorry, I don't make deals with destined losers." Su Ming took out a cigarette, leaned against the wall, and said slowly, "As they say, make sure you're on the side of the winner, right?"
"I won't lose."
"Heh, as long as I'm here, you won't win."
"Hahaha... Well, we'll see. Just a reminder, you're already lagging, hahahaha..."
After saying this, he overloaded the circuits, causing sparks to fly from the pointed ears in Su Ming's hand and the helmet in Harley's hand, burning out all the electronic components.
Su Ming clenched his fist, and the smoldering gadget crumbled like a cookie in his hand, falling to the ground piece by piece.
He frowned, pondering silently. The Laughing Bat likely saw what was happening through the Cruel Knight's visor, realizing Su Ming's trick, which was expected.
Playing Zorro, combined with Poison Ivy's hallucinogenic pollen, along with Green Arrow's ambush and Diana and Arthur blocking the retreat, was a decent plan.
But it could only be used once.
Cameras wouldn't be fooled by pollen. Laughing could easily see what the Cruel Knight saw, hear his conversation with Zorro, and discern it as psychological manipulation, thus understanding what happened.
Yet it was the Dark Knight Order that had reduced numbers first, so why did Laughing say Su Ming was behind?
"Strangulation."
If it was a bit hard to understand, then put it aside. It could just be Laughing's way to disrupt thinking. Instead of dwelling on it, it was better to quickly gather new intel.
The most reliable way to destroy evidence was definitely the symbiote. Last time, decapitating the Laughing didn't ensure his death, and that mistake wouldn't happen again.
"Poor guy..." Green Arrow made a cross on his chest, witnessing the symbiote hunting for the first time. But as the second darkest hero, he quickly came around. "Shall we look at other files? Are there any more useable options?"
Su Ming pulled out a few files from his pouch and tossed them to Green Arrow. "These were once Laughing's observational targets. At least two more people are on these lists."
Green Arrow took the lists, flipping through them like a menu. "Any recommendations?"
"Then take a look at our main course, this one, Bat Owl." Su Ming pointed at the menu as if making a recommendation.
"Wait a minute..." Oliver looked puzzled, glancing at Diana and then at Su Ming. "Isn't Owl supposed to be Bat's greatest nemesis?"
Su Ming nodded, motioning for him to read the file. "Owl refers to members of the order Strigiformes, primarily nocturnal birds of prey, distributed widely across the world, commonly known as owls..."
"What kind of history is this? Joining the Owl Court to become Gotham's dark ruler, going through rigorous training to become the Multiverse's strongest Hawk Priest... Are we really looking at Batman's file?" Oliver was bewildered as he read more. Was this still Batman?
Su Ming shrugged. "Bat Owl, as the name suggests, is a bird, not a bat. Hawk priests are fervent followers of Barbatos, skilled in using dark abilities like magic. This one might be the suspected magic user in the new Dark Knight Order."
"I thought Laughing had fallen out with Barbatos," Diana bit her lip.
"That's simple. Laughing just needs to offer something more enticing than Barbatos. Smart people like Batman, even as a Hawk Priest, wouldn't be expected to show much loyalty to Barbatos. It's merely leveraging power to achieve his goals."
Su Ming quickly answered, and judging by his style, this Batman with attributes of both bat and owl was the most well-rounded.
Oliver scratched his head, recalling the footprints seen in the restaurant. "Okay, there's one more, the Caster might be barefoot, and there's another one in leather shoes."
Su Ming shook his head, placing a hand on top. "There are too many Earths in the Dark Multiverse. We only need to prepare for Batman, assassination, poisoning, digging traps... these methods must not only be used but also simultaneously. Once we decide to act, it has to be many against one. If we accidentally get separated, we regroup at Wayne Manor, and no one should be alone..."
Green Arrow squinted, realizing that Deathstroke, who seemed the least serious, was the most serious of all...
Seeing that the others agreed, Su Ming turned to find Director Gordon, needing to arrange a safe house for him.
"Gotta think this through carefully..."