Chapter 522: 522. News.
It wasn't that Alex didn't respect life, nor that he didn't want the people of the Wasteland to enjoy better food and live better lives.
It was just that the matter of trading resources with the Flashpoint Universe was something Alex didn't want too many people to know about, especially the lower-class civilians.
Old Bruce Wayne and Luthor were the key figures in the trade between two worlds, and that couldn't be denied, nor did it need to be hidden too much. But when it came to others, Alex didn't feel the same level of trust.
There were too many people in this world who had no worthy opponents. Once the economic cooperation between the two worlds was opened up, the schemers hiding in the darkness would definitely start to show themselves.
It wasn't just the Wasteland; the Flashpoint Universe was the same. No one knew whether those whose hearts had been tainted by greed would plan to start a war against other universes. Alex couldn't afford to be unprepared for this possibility.
Marvel had Kang the Conqueror, DC had Reverse-Flash. Although Kang in the Wasteland Universe had already been lost in the time stream, and Barry Allen's mother was still alive in the Flashpoint Universe, which might prevent the birth of Reverse-Flash, that was only a 'possibility'. These two, who had counterparts across countless timelines, could still pose a threat to these two universes.
If they also waded into this mess, it would undoubtedly cause major problems.
From the very beginning, Alex's goal wasn't to bring back boxes of gourmet food from old Batman's place, but rather to package the supplies as scraps—enough to fill people's stomachs, just barely.
And this also had an advantage: once these scraps were shipped to the Wasteland, those with the means would naturally look down on the scraps, meaning there wouldn't be any misappropriation. As long as the supplies were delivered to the people, it would be life-saving.
Old Bruce Wayne clearly understood this, nodding slightly.
"Leave it to me. Wayne Enterprises has been running for years and still has some influence here. Large quantities of supplies might be a bit tricky, but collecting some food waste is no big deal. Also, I have more than twenty slaughterhouses on the outskirts of Gotham and a few cold storage facilities. I should be able to get you a lot of things. You can take what you need now, and by dawn, I'll figure out a way to help you purchase more supplies."
"Cold storage, how old is the meat?" Alex blinked.
"It's not going to kill anyone." Old Bruce Wayne rolled his eyes, offering no further explanation.
It still came down to capital. Alex chuckled and said nothing, giving Batman a knowing glance.
Who would have thought that a problem that had plagued the Wasteland for so long could be solved with just one sentence from old Bruce Wayne? Alex felt much more at ease now.
He believed that once they got through this winter, the Wasteland would welcome the true dawn, and when that time came, hope would finally arrive.
After bidding Batman farewell, Alex went to find a room to rest.
The next morning, Bruce Wayne got up early and left the mansion. It seemed he had taken Alex's words to heart. He didn't even have time for breakfast, rushing off to find a way to get supplies.
By the time Alex woke up, it was already noon. After a night of clear skies, just as the sun began to rise, clouds once again enveloped Gotham.
The rainy days were always very comfortable for sleeping. Alex stayed in bed until he woke up naturally, groggily getting up.
He wandered around Wayne Manor for a while but didn't find anyone. Oddly, Alex turned around and came to the Batcave through the passage.
The Batcave was unusually quiet at this time. Only Tim was sitting in front of the computer, scribbling away, so focused that he didn't even notice Alex approaching.
"Where's Bruce?"
Alex walked up to Tim, stopping five meters behind him. After a moment's hesitation, he gave up on tapping Tim's shoulder from behind.
Tim was still young; what if he scared him? So Alex decided to ask directly.
However, Alex had underestimated the situation. Even though he called out from a distance, he still startled Tim, who jumped up like a spring, instantly ready to defend himself.
The main reason was that only Tim and Bruce were in the Batcave, and the rest were just a bunch of bats. With a sudden voice, Tim had no reason not to be alarmed.
Upon seeing that it was Alex, Tim let out a long sigh of relief.
"He left early this morning to attend a board meeting. He probably won't be back for the next couple of days. If you're hungry, there's food in the fridge, or you can order takeout."
It seemed old Bruce Wayne was still very attentive to his own matters.
After learning where Bruce had gone, Alex silently nodded. He then slipped over to Tim's side, glancing at the notebook on the desk.
"What are you writing so absorbedly? You didn't even notice I got so close to your back."
"Obviously, you didn't make a sound! No footsteps, no breathing. I almost thought you were doing it on purpose." Tim gave Alex a resentful glance, then sighed and continued.
"This is my homework. School starts in a couple of days, so I'm using some free time to catch up."
"You're still in school?" Alex said with some surprise.
"What else would I be doing?" Tim looked at Alex curiously. "Mr. Wayne is paying for my college. He really wants me to keep my hero work and my studies separate, like a normal person."
"Hey, you've been in the business for a while. Have you encountered any tough enemies in Gotham?" Alex casually sat down and asked.
"Tough enemies? There are plenty of those."
As soon as the topic came up, Tim couldn't help but start venting his frustrations.
"I won't even mention the Ratcatcher. We've crossed paths several times and tried to help him, but as you know, finding his wife and daughter is incredibly difficult.
"Recently, a new organization called the Court of Owls has emerged. Mr. Wayne says they've been operating in Gotham for a long time, and they're very mysterious. We've investigated many leads, but the trail always ends abruptly."
Listening quietly to Tim's complaints, Alex nodded as he listened.
The Court of Owls was indeed a very troublesome opponent. Their influence was vast, and their reach was extensive.
These were forces that lurked in the shadows of Gotham, and when their members united, it was difficult to handle with just Bruce Wayne and Tim alone.
"Recently, the Cluemaster escaped prison again. I'm guessing he's planning to get revenge on us from behind the scenes. When we locked him up, his expression was strange, as if he had already prepared for it."
"Cluemaster?" Upon hearing the name, Alex became intrigued.
Of course, Alex wasn't interested in Cluemaster himself. He was just a minor villain in Gotham, a third-tier antagonist, with very few opportunities to take the spotlight. He didn't have anything particularly famous about him.
However, his daughter was a different story. While Cluemaster was a villain, his daughter was a full-fledged hero.
Stephanie Brown, who grew up in a criminal family, developed a deep resentment toward crime. Because her father was Cluemaster, she rarely felt any love from him.
Since Cluemaster frequently clashed with the Batfamily, he was either in prison or on his way there, which made Stephanie hate him even more.
She often wondered if her life would be different, whether she would have had a happy family, if her father weren't a criminal.
In such a situation, as Stephanie grew older, she resolutely chose to go against her father's path. She took on the name "Spoiler," and specifically targeted her father.
After experiencing the thrill of being a superhero, Stephanie found she couldn't stop. She became very close friends with Tim, the third Robin, and even developed special feelings for him.
Later, for a time, Stephanie took on the role of Robin—often called the fourth Robin—until Damian inherited the mantle of Robin. She then became Batgirl, fighting for justice.
Tsk, tsk, tsk.
Alex looked Tim up and down, nodding as he took in the sight.
In the Apocalypse Universe, Batman only had Dick, Jason, and Damian, so it was surprising that the remaining two Robins had appeared in the Flashpoint Universe.
Moreover, considering Bruce Wayne's current physical state, it seemed unlikely he could have another Damian. In that case, it seemed that this world only had Tim and Stephanie as Robins.
"Why are you staring at me like that?" Tim noticed Alex's strange look and instinctively touched his face.
To this, Alex smiled slightly.
"It's nothing. Just congratulations."
Congratulations, young man. With Stephanie by your side, it's likely that you won't need to deal with any love triangles in this universe.
Just as Alex was about to continue speaking, a chat window suddenly popped up on the computer in front of them, flashing continuously.
This scene immediately drew the attention of both Alex and Tim. Tim turned around and typed a few things on the keyboard, as though he was used to this.
Alex, however, was curious. "Is something going on?"
"The Justice Society's network was personally set up by Mr. Wayne, so the Bat Network is also connected to the Society. This is internal information from the Society, probably about a new mission." Tim explained while closing the message.
"Aren't you going to take a look?" Alex asked, unable to resist.
"No need. The Society's missions aren't something I can access, so there's no point in looking." Tim was obedient about it. If it had been Damian or Jason, they probably would have jumped in and tried to get involved.
"If you want to see it, I can show you."
Seeing how interested Alex seemed, Tim pulled up the message and showed it to him, continuing, "It's just an explosion at some ruins in Egypt. It's not a big deal. Doctor Fate and Hawkman are already preparing to go check it out."
.....
📢Advanced chapters on p@treaon📢
For advance chapters: [email protected]/Uchiha_Itachi007 (replace @ with a)
1. 30 advanced chapters of American Comics: Multiverse of Madness.
2. 30 advanced chapters of Warhammer, but Emperor's Chosen.
3. 20 advanced chapters of The Witcher: Wolf School's Hunting Notes.