The town of Gotham is rustic, and Arkham is rich in talent. These are not mere sayings.
In a dark alley, a young boy witnessed a thug gun down his parents. From that moment on, his life’s trajectory changed irrevocably. He left Gotham, and when he returned, he had become the Dark Knight, a figure that struck fear into the hearts of all criminals in the city; he called himself Batman.
In Arkham Asylum, a large contingent of his henchmen awaited him.
However, as time passed, technology advanced, and magic flourished. The criminals’ arsenal also continuously evolved, making it increasingly difficult for Batman to combat them.
Having completed his patrol, Batman, with a weary body, returned to the Batcave.
It’s hard to imagine that on this seemingly ordinary night, Batman had thwarted fifteen criminal activities, seven of which were ordinary robberies, three were high-tech crimes, and the remaining five were all magic-related offenses.
Batman wasn’t bothered by technological crimes. After all, Wayne Enterprises, a leading enterprise in Gotham and even the entire country, was a formidable force in technology, if not the absolute top.
What truly gave Batman a headache were magic crimes. In the realm of magic, apart from Bai Qi, everyone else was just starting. The mages they could recruit were all subpar students who graduated from magic academies but failed to secure positions there.
Take today, for instance. Even with equipment designed to counter magic, Batman still suffered significant losses when he encountered them, even sustaining a deep gash on his abdomen.
This was also why Batman ended his patrol early today.
In the Batcave, Batman, physically and mentally exhausted, leaned back in his chair. Alfred, his butler, approached with a medical kit.
Placing the kit on the table, Alfred opened it and retrieved a cotton ball soaked in alcohol to disinfect Batman’s wound.
While tending to his wound, Alfred said, “Sir, I must say, magic is unlike anything else. It cannot be forced. You are past the age for learning magic. Why not entrust this matter to someone more suitable?”
As soon as Alfred finished speaking, a voice echoed from behind them.
“Indeed, Batman, your butler is right. Why not find someone more suitable for the task?” Su Dan Novel Network.
Hearing the familiar voice, Batman’s relaxed posture instantly tensed. He leaped from his seat, spun around, and hurled three Batarangs towards the source of the voice, his movements fluid and seamless.
“These toys, to deal with me? I’d advise against it.”
The speaker was none other than Bai Qi.
Catching the three Batarangs with ease, Bai Qi walked forward with a smile. Butler Alfred, with his usual perceptiveness, saw no ill intent from Bai Qi towards his master and did not interfere. As Bai Qi approached, Alfred subtly stepped back a couple of paces, clearing the way for him.
Bai Qi placed the Batarangs on the table, then pulled up a chair from beside him and sat down naturally in front of Batman.
Looking at Bai Qi before him, Batman frowned and asked, “Do you have something you need from me?”
Bai Qi replied, “Do you remember the favor you owe me from our encounter at the Volcano Manor?”
Hearing Bai Qi’s words, Batman’s frown deepened.
“So, you’re here to collect on that favor.”
Seeing Bai Qi nod, Batman quickly added, “Let’s be clear, there are certain things I will not do, and there’s no point in you asking.”
“I know, I know.”
Bai Qi nodded and said, “I understand your character, and I certainly won’t put you in a difficult position.”
“Alright, tell me, what do you want me to do?”
“I want you to be a teacher, just once.”
“A teacher?”
At the word “teacher,” Batman instinctively glanced at the display cabinet behind him. Among the various Bat-suits, there was also a Robin costume.
“You should know, I’m not a good teacher, and I don’t have the energy to teach students.”
It was clear that the Robin costume brought back some unpleasant memories for Batman.
Bai Qi shook his head and said, “Don’t be so quick to refuse. Whether you teach well or not, as long as you teach earnestly, I won’t blame you even if the results aren’t ideal. I’ll just consider myself to have misjudged.”
Seeing Bai Qi’s persistent insistence, Batman finally relented.
“Alright, who do you want me to teach?”
“My daughter, Bai Xi.”
Hearing that the student was Bai Qi’s daughter, Batman was stunned. He was not only shocked that Bai Qi, a primordial demon, had a daughter but also that he would entrust her to him. After all, most of the time, they were adversaries.
Bai Qi, however, dismissed it nonchalantly, saying, “It’s alright, it’s alright. There are many things you cannot see now because you haven’t reached the necessary perspective. But I can tell you, Bai Xi is extremely important. Her existence is tied to the survival of the entire world.”
Batman knew Bai Qi wasn’t joking. Bai Qi had no reason to deceive him. As a primordial demon, Bai Qi would be the last person to wish for the destruction of the main world, a conclusion Batman had reached from his extensive intelligence gathering.
“But don’t worry.”
After delivering such a weighty statement, Bai Qi immediately shifted to a lighter tone, saying, “You don’t have to be a teacher right away. You have a year to prepare. In one year, I will bring Bai Xi here, and she will study with you for another year. After that, I will come to assess her progress. I hope you won’t disappoint me.”
Though Batman’s expression remained impassive, he had grasped the key word “another” from Bai Qi’s statement. This implied that Bai Xi was currently studying elsewhere. However, considering that this would allow him to repay Bai Qi’s favor sooner, Batman agreed.
The matter settled, Bai Qi approached Batman and, with a single healing spell, mended the wound on Batman’s abdomen. Before leaving, he added,
“Batman, you really should find a subordinate who knows magic.”
The moment Bai Qi left, Alfred entered with a plate of freshly baked pastries and two cups of hot tea. He looked around with a hint of disappointment and said, “I was hoping the demon gentleman could sample my cookies and offer some feedback.”
When Batman returned in the evening, Alfred, as his butler, would always prepare cookies or other pastries for him. Seeing Bai Qi’s arrival, he had intended to make more and perhaps get his opinion on his baking. He hadn’t expected Bai Qi to leave so soon, thus missing out on the opportunity.
As Alfred placed the tray on the table and prepared to bandage Batman’s wound, he was surprised to find that Batman’s abdominal wound had already healed. Recalling Bai Qi’s recent visit and after a moment of thought, he said, “Sir, perhaps we should consider hiring a magical… assistant?”