Wayne Tower is a more prominent landmark in Gotham City. Though it may not be the tallest or grandest now, the giant white W logo on its rooftop is always lit at night.
The construction of Wayne Tower doesn't really conflict with it.
Publicly, Wayne Tower is used as a public facility observation deck, with some communication equipment sponsored by Wayne Group below to boost mobile signals in Gotham City, improve the landmark to enhance citizens' pride, and also monitor weather and environmental pollution, hence its height.
In any case, there are a bunch of reasons, and Bruce always can make things sound so plausible.
Wayne Tower serves as the headquarters of Wayne Group, where more than a dozen subsidiaries have their collective offices, acting as the true heart of the group.
How Wayne Group makes money and develops are all decided through meetings in this building.
The famous Wayne Research Department is located there, where Dr. Fox works in the basement year-round, secretly developing equipment for Batman.
The old man has spent his life researching high-tech for Batman in a place devoid of sunlight, and now even his son has become 'Batwing', dragged into the muddy waters of the superhero world, making life too dark.
Last time Su Ming saw Dr. Fox, he noticed that his health was poor, suffering from rickets due to the lack of sunlight exposure, and his face had aged like a dried walnut.
Comparing him to Dr. Erskine, it's a world of difference.
Dr. Erskine, now past seventy, can still eat three bowls of rice, drink a bottle of wine, and cut down three acres of pineapples in one go without any trouble!
Moreover, Su Ming has no mandatory research demands from him, just to research new types of pineapples, how nice?
Unlike Batman, always needing to upgrade the Batsuit, Batmobile, and this Bat and that Bat, giving people a headache.
Their current target now is Wayne Tower.
The portal's location is at the top of a residential building not far from the tower. When Su Ming arrived, he saw Charise standing at the edge of the rooftop in a crouched position, looking far into the distance.
The two women under her command stood guard behind her like left and right arms, while the Divine Child was just tapping away on a laptop nearby.
"You've arrived. As you suggested, we've conducted a thorough search of Gotham, which took quite a bit of effort." The Fallen Knight turned around and pressed the golden mask on her face.
She immediately recognized the Demon, as the armor that seemed to drape living flesh is too exaggerated, and the sword decorated with a skeleton doesn't look like anything good.
However, she said nothing; as an anti-hero in Gotham, she knew not to ask what she shouldn't, especially when facing characters like Deathstroke.
"There are over a hundred skyscrapers in Gotham. The list I've given you to investigate has been narrowed down to four places; you didn't exert much effort. Now, let's get to the point. Is he the only one here?"
Su Ming walked to her side, and Strangulation took out the Eye of Ra from a pouch for the host to use as a telescope.
Wayne Tower, too, has that twelfth-and-a-half floor interlayer.
"If the person you're referring to is the one who doesn't smile, then yes, but it's the first time I've seen someone wearing dress shoes walk straight up the wall of a tall building in the middle of a torrential rain."
Charise calmly answered as her purple hooded cape fluttered in the breeze.
"You've been to the Seaside Mansion? What about the underground maze?"
The Seaside Mansion is a codename; its official name is the Gotham Yacht Club, but since their gathering spot is in an old villa by the seaside in the Old Town, those in the know all call it the Seaside Mansion.
It is where the contemporary Owl Court's branch was in Gotham, more advanced than the underground maze.
But on the Night of the Owls, the already-exposed Owls had taken poison before Batman could trace them there, dying without leaving any traces.
Bruce discovered 34 people, all of whom committed suicide, leaving not a single clue.
This act by the Owl Court covered their tracks, hiding themselves entirely until the day Barbatos attacked, showing their claws.
Charise silently felt the wind brushing through the gaps of her mask and nodded: "Checked, it's still an empty nest like before, but I can probably guess who's likely a member of the Court among the people I've dealt with."
"What's there to guess? There are 11 noble families in Gotham who are all Owls, countless small fries. Batman forced 34 people to death; the numbers don't match. Who's the one who slipped through the cracks? I have an idea." Su Ming lightheartedly remarked, seemingly ignoring Charise's concerns: "Besides, your Humiliation Squad fights for justice, while I fight to make a living."
"Heh, do you think I'll believe that?" Charise chuckled. Deathstroke claimed to be a mercenary, doing whatever for money, but after using her networks and hacker skills, she found things were not so simple.
Many of Deathstroke's actions from this other world are documented, some due to witnesses, others captured on video; what he does stands in stark contrast to what he claims.
Charise knew it was like this; after all, he was Deathstroke, a man whose life is an embodiment of tactical deception.
Su Ming shrugged, Strangulation putting away the Eye of Ra, finding nothing interesting outside: "Whether you believe it or not is of no concern to me. The Owl Court lost their sense of purpose after Barbatos and Mad Laugh betrayed them; they aren't the primary enemy now, so I can't be bothered with them."
"Now another Hawk Priest has emerged, and it's Bruce Wayne." Charise crossed her arms, playing with her Knight's Flying Knife, which looked like a small blood-red cross.
It signifies its owner's 'blood debt must be repaid' mentality.
Su Ming pondered how to eliminate his enemies without damaging Wayne Tower, but he didn't let it show: "Hmm, so you all know Batman's identity, but this place could be under satellite surveillance or other means of eavesdropping, so be cautious."
"Isn't that why we wear masks? Now masks don't shield our faces but our mouths. Besides, who in Gotham doesn't know Bruce's identity? It's only hidden from the common folk. People from prominent families like ours always have ways to get messages."
"Your butler related to Alfred?" Su Ming joked.
Charise sighed in resignation, putting away the flying knife, and hid her voluminous golden waves behind her head:
"When I dressed like this, I indeed considered emulating Batman. After all, he's an ordinary person, and so am I; he's wealthy, and so am I. I hoped this symbolized that I, as an ordinary person, could live in this city and seek justice for others. But that doesn't mean I mimic everything about him; I don't even have a butler."
"So, your cross doesn't act as God's will then?" Su Ming took her flying knife in a magic trick style, examining it closely.
Charise snatched back her flying knife: "Batman spent over a decade creating the Bat as a totem in this city. But I don't have as much time to waste as he did, so I chose an existing totem from this world, this one."
With that, she pointed to her chest, where a large blood-red cross was drawn, and after the rain, it seemed to be still flowing.
"You don't buy into that stuff." Su Ming pulled out the Godslayer, turning it into a hammer: "Just like me."
"Even if God exists, when the criminals slaughtered my entire family, he should have sought justice for me; we were once the most devout believers... not now, where I've realized everything relies solely on myself."
Su Ming signaled his team to gather, speaking somewhat reflectively: "Constantly killing for free isn't going to help your reputation. I suggest you charge, even if it's just one US Dollar, and the moral scrutiny and critique you face will diminish significantly."
"...."
"I won't tell you why, but consider this advice as your payment. Humanity, you see, never cherishes what they get for free, thinking it's an entitlement, but once they've paid a price, it'll never be the same again."
With that, Su Ming instructed everyone to ready their weapons. As soon as the portal opened, he was the first to charge through.
Suddenly, various colored lights burst forth from the distant floors.