Volume 4: The Last Day Chapter 88: Mason Cooper, the Master of Decentralized Management
Mason felt reassured when Old A said that support was coming, but he himself did not expect that support would come so quickly.
Just as Mason placed the Reverse Flash in the suitcase factory and returned to the deck with Harley and Zod, Catwoman, who was supposed to go to Paradise Island with Talia but turned back halfway, immediately stepped forward and said to him:
"Zha Kang just reported a special situation. He said that the world gate we placed in Osborne Tower is vibrating, and there are many strange connection requests.
He could only make out one of them belonged to the Afterlife Squad, whose identification code Judy had given us.
However, the remaining unfamiliar requests all came from the teams under Mr. Hunter, such as Team Aix and the three teams of Holy Shield, Defender and Punishment that had just entered the Hunter's vassal.
Even the half-crippled Hydra team under the old Green Goblin received a transfer order from Star Castle.
Zha Kang has contacted them, and they said they will enter this world in an hour at the latest and complete the construction of twenty transfer gates. Counting the two small ones in our hands and the next life team's hands, we now have a total of twenty-two transfer gates. "
Catwoman looked at Mason suspiciously and said:
“And Mr. Hunter also said that he would be there in person, and even the Star Castle would allocate some resources to support this unplanned transfer operation. The current plan is to complete the rescue of this world within 72 hours.
And the source of all this is you, little Mason.
Tell me honestly, have you joined some weird power behind my back? Otherwise, there is no way to explain how your appeal has suddenly become so strong."
"Well, it's hard to explain."
Facing Catwoman's series of questions, Mason pretended to be dumb and said:
"Maybe it's because we're lucky?"
"Hmph, if you don't want to say it, don't say it."
Catwoman folded her arms and pouted:
"You have no idea what your luck is like! However, it is a good and perfect ending for this matter to have come to this point. I won't ask any more questions.
But I have a suggestion.”
She looked around and whispered to Mason:
“Although Team K will be stationed in Osborne Tower permanently, which is equivalent to giving up our home world as a base, I thought about it and felt that it would be a pity to give up just like that.
How about I take Jack and the others back to Gotham to change the name of the Glacier Bar and continue to run it? And I can act as a contact between you and Bruce. We need to leave some spies there. "
"You just want to go back and enjoy some time alone with your husband. You feel that you owe that man and Talia's joining you puts a lot of pressure on you.
After all, only women can truly understand who their opponents are. "
Mason immediately saw through Lady Selina's plan. He waved his hand and said:
“It’s not impossible, but we have to wait until this is over and see if we can get some special stuff from the Star Club to ensure the absolute safety of the Glacier Bar . Otherwise, I won’t dare to just throw you over there.
We are too conspicuous over there now. Even though Bruce is helping to clean up the mess, if those guys keep investigating, it will only be a matter of time before you are exposed."
"That's true."
Catwoman sighed regretfully and said:
"Oh, you've dragged me into this pirate ship, and now I've become an old lady who can't go home."
"Don't make a fuss, you're having fun yourself."
Mason reassured:
"I'll take care of this. Now go help coordinate the affairs on Paradise Island, okay? And keep an eye on Talia for me."
Hearing that she could cause trouble for her love rival, Lady Selina immediately became interested. She waved her finger and stepped into the shining Hermes Talisman beside her, turning herself into a stream of light and teleporting towards Paradise Island.
"Mason, are you worried about Taliahu doing something wrong?"
Harry next to him rolled his eyes and whispered:
"Want me to help you get rid of her? I might be able to draw some ideas from Mr. J's past, and we can give her a little 'accident'.
Little Damian may be sad for a few days, but time and Aunt Martha will heal him."
"You'll be the biggest help to me if you behave yourself."
Mason glared at Harry for giving him such a stupid idea and said:
"Did you not take your medicine again today? Or did Quinn take your place again? Don't be so mean, Harley."
"I'll try my best."
Harry shook Mason's wrist, placed it over his heart, and said:
"Whatever you say is what I'm going to do. I'm very obedient. But I feel like my heartbeat is not normal. Can you help me check it out?"
There was a teasing smile on her face, full of encouragement, but Mason coughed and pulled his hand back. He pursed his lips, and Harley turned her head to look.
The gloomy old man was standing in the shadows at the back, looking at them dimly.
"Tsk, no matter which world we are in! Batboy is so annoying!"
Harley screamed in anger when her good time was interrupted. She took out the tranquilizer and drank it in one gulp as Mason instructed. Then she turned around and left with her two vicious dogs, carrying a baseball bat.
She is really smart.
She knew that the old man would definitely talk to Mason about something, so she left the space for Mr. K.
"It's rare to find such a sensible and good girl."
Thomas Wayne walked out from the shadows. He watched Harley drive the two big dogs to cause a series of chaos and disappear around the corner of the deck. Then he said to Mason in a hoarse voice:
“Apart from her slightly crazy personality and uncontrollable mental state, this girl is a really good assistant, but maybe you need to put a collar on her and make sure you always have the chain in your hand.
But she obeys you and tries to please you, so it's not difficult."
"But that's not something Batman would say."
Mason complained:
"I don't want to take advantage of Halle's dependence on me to do anything bad. I owe her something. Of course, as an old man with a mentally ill wife, I will take this into account.
Are you here to talk to me about where you're going? Don't worry, I promised you I'd let you meet Bruce, and I always keep my word."
"No, that's not what I'm thinking about right now."
Thomas Wayne took out the activation key of the Fenrir armor from his belt in the house, returned it to Mason, and whispered:
"I hope you will reconsider taking Martha and I away from this world, especially Martha. I doubt her reaction after seeing Bruce.
I couldn't even think of the consequences of letting her get close to him.
She's gone mad, Mason.
She is beyond help.
And I...
Actually, I am not that normal. Years of rage, hatred, indifference and killing have made it impossible for me to control the darkness in my heart. I have long been incompatible with the world of normal people.
Perhaps the best option is to leave us, the crazy people who have been distorted by the world, here to live and die with this world.
I am very grateful that you let me see Damian before the end of the world. After learning that the Wayne family's bloodline was safely passed on in another world, I have reconciled with fate and felt relieved about the world.
I can finally face my demise without any resentment.
Maybe I shouldn’t have shown up in the first place.”
"No, it's not the way the world is changing that has changed you, Thomas."
Mason explained:
"I asked Barry Allen about this. When he sensed that the entire Speed Force Matrix was about to collapse, he restored the world's direction to the situation seventeen years ago.
What you are going through was not fabricated by a speedster.
You are the real you now.
The only difference is that you didn't meet me seventeen years ago, but now, I have appeared in front of you. I don't want to be a messenger of hope, nor do I want to use these things to blackmail you.
But the fact is, your own world may be about to collapse, and Bruce still needs your help."
He paused and said to the silent old man in front of him:
"Death Bell in my team has told me his origins. There are spies from the Star Society in my world, and they are eagerly planning an invasion of my side.
As long as the aftermath of the Third Impact dissipates, a large-scale invasion operation will be put on the agenda, and Bruce and his friends will need to fight against the malevolence from the dark sea of stars.
Thomas, they are outnumbered.
They need help.
I would love to help them, to aid my homeland as I have aided other worlds, but the truth is, we need more companions and the power that hides in the shadows.
You can't join the Star Club!
I don't want to send your Lordship Fate any more candles to burn majestically, but there is another way for you to join the fray that is about to begin.
I can't put all my eggs in one basket, so your faction is my preparation for starting a new one.
Sending you there isn't just to reunite the Wayne family.
I want you to lurk in my world and accumulate strength as a third party, so that when we need help you can complete an unexpected divine attack from the sky."
Seeing that the old man was still silent, Mason took out his notebook, turned to the latest page, tore it off and handed it to the old man.
The latter took it in his hand, glanced at it, and said in surprise:
"Well, this is a really bold plan. I'm grateful that you think so highly of me, but I don't think that bastards like Diana Prince and Arthur Curry, who you defeated, would be willing to follow my orders.
In fact, I don’t even have the confidence to control Martha.”
"Then you'll have to start making plans from now on, Thomas."
Mason said:
"I'm not asking you to help me revise this plan, I'm informing you that this is your next job.
Talia's father, Ray Xiaogu, has always longed for Bruce Wayne to lead the Assassin's League he left behind, and Talia, an ambitious woman, does not deny this.
I want you to control the League of Assassins, so you have to get rid of Talia first, and then I will give her a job that is more suitable for her.
War Queen Diana and Mad King of the Seven Seas Arthur Curry will be your war dogs, Martha Wayne and her elite Arkham criminal group will be your evil think tanks, and the digitized Cyborg program will build an airtight data intelligence network for you.
Damian Wayne, your little grandson will help you with this every step of the way.
He needs a suitable elder to teach him, and he also needs experience and growth. The blood in his body and the Demon's Head sword in his hand are the best blessing for your legitimacy.
You see, I've been planning this from the beginning."
He paused and said to the old man:
"I know you will agree to it, Thomas, and I know you may not like it but you will do your best.
Because you know that your actions are protecting that world while protecting your son...
You've lost him once, you don't want to lose him a second time.
This is my gift to you.”
Mason stuffed the Fenrir armor activation key that the old man had returned to him back into Thomas Wayne's hands and said:
"The primary authority of the Fenrir armor prototype was transferred to you when you drove it to beat up Reverse Flash just now. Delaman left a complete combat database for the Cyborg program to receive.
You will soon have your own Revenge Batmobile and Revenge Fighter, and I will also customize a new Batsuit and weapon accessories for you.
You will become the second Batman of Gotham City, a more cruel, colder and more terrifying Batman.
You will ride through the night sky of Gotham with your son.
You can teach him a lesson or help him. It’s up to you how you get along with each other. I will not interfere at all and I have no ability to interfere.
My only request is that when Team K returns to our homeland at some point in the future, I want to see a terrifying army that can defeat all invading enemies!
And you!
Thomas Wayne, the Dark Knight forged by rage and revenge, you are the best commander I could have chosen for my Gotham minions."
These words were so powerful that the old man could not find any reason to refute them. Mason had laid out all his thoughts, and even the old man was persuaded.
But he still adhered to the Wayne family's consistent principle of saying one thing and thinking another, and deliberately said in a hoarse voice:
"What if I refuse? You know, Mason, I didn't kill those criminals because I enjoyed killing, I just had to do it, but now, I have lost that reason."
"Simple."
Mason took a step back and looked up at the clown aunt above the deck, who was wearing a purple suit and letting her long green hair fly in the air.
He waved hello to Mrs. Martha who was "looking at the scenery", and said to the old man:
"If you reject my invitation, Thomas, I will change the name of the subject of the plan from 'Thomas Wayne' to 'Martha Wayne'. After the entire text is replaced, I will show it to Grandma Martha. I believe that Martha, who is willing to pay any price to protect her lost and found baby son, will not hesitate or compromise in carrying out all this.
I also know that if she were allowed to do it, she would most likely choose to burn Gotham City to ashes overnight in order to protect Bruce Wayne.
And there's a high probability that no one can stop her from doing this.
So, for the sake of the suffering people of Gotham who can sleep well tonight, please help us, okay? You see, I even helped you choose your station in Gotham.
It’s in the same location as your casino, even the position of the floor-to-ceiling windows is exactly the same.”
He shrugged and said:
“You can look out over the city with Lady Martha and, like a game of connect-the-dots, pick out how it’s different from your Gotham.
I've even prepared a new outfit for your loyal butler, Oswald.
He could resume his role as the Penguin in that city as if I had never been there.
Only I disappeared...
Only those who are wary of me can truly put their minds at ease. And only when I truly hide in the darkness can I discover where those malicious eyes looking at me come from.
Covert operations, that's the Bat-family tradition, it's our tradition."
The old man did not refute.
He carefully went over the brief plan Mason had given him again, and after a moment, he reached out and took off the too-dark mask of the Knight of Vengeance on his head, revealing his middle-aged face that was no longer young and had experienced many vicissitudes of life.
He pointed to the wrinkles on his face and his gray hair and said:
"One last question. I'm old, Mason, and the 'miraculin' I've been taking for body strengthening has ruined my health.
How do you solve this problem?"
"Shua"
Mason stretched out his hands like magic, and more than seven or eight bottles of injection liquid of various colors in syringes of various shapes were placed in front of the old man.
The evil alchemist introduced it in detail:
"The Super Soldier Serum, which comprehensively strengthens the body and grants superhuman physical strength and endurance, the Green Goblin Potion, which takes effect in the short term but has good effects and has side effects that I have weakened, the Warrior Injection, which is used to temporarily strengthen and grant special abilities, the Isu Serum, which is made with my own serum, and the appropriately weakened Superman Enhancer, etc.
There's always one for you, Thomas.
If you can wait a little longer, until my research on the symbiote enters the next stage, I can come up with more options for you.
Just old.
This is not a problem for an alchemist. In a word, as long as you are willing to work, I can guarantee that you will be healthy and work until the day you voluntarily retire...
Just think of this as a 'joining benefit'.
I will pay for your medical insurance later, Thomas, don't worry."
These words choked the old man and he was speechless. He shook his head and said:
"I need a Robin."
“Me, me, me!”
Damian, who was eavesdropping on the side, rushed out with his hands raised high and shouted to his grandfather in the other world:
"I can be your revenge Robin! I've been training for years for this, just give me a chance Thomas, uh, I mean, Grandpa?"
