Starting with Naruto, I'll become stronger through my own efforts.

Chapter 389 Xia Zuo: I Want to Be Gotham's Ancestor

The Gotham Sisters' robbery went smoothly.

There wasn't even a police presence, because something terrible had happened in Gotham.

After the two major gang leaders were killed by serial killer "Kong," this terrifying murderer suddenly turned around and targeted Gotham civil servants and corporate executives.

Assistant Commissioner of the Tax Bureau, First Deputy Commissioner of the Bureau of Tobacco, Alcohol and Explosives, Chief Assistant to the Gotham Court, Secretary of the Gotham Department of Public Safety, Chief Advisor of the Bureau of Infectious Diseases and Food Safety, Assistant to the CEO of the Water Company, Chief Accountant of Gotham Bank, etc.

The deceased were not prominent figures in their respective departments or leaders of their companies, but the commotion they caused was extraordinary.

When "Kong" killed the Assistant Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service, the Gotham City Police Department mobilized in full force, even more so than when the Joker kidnapped the mayor.

When "Kong" killed 11 people who were not prominent figures, the Gotham City government seemed to have gone mad.

First, Parliament allocated emergency funds, establishing a 50 billion pound security fund to hire security personnel, create a new special security department, and monitor all communications.

Next, the mayor was coerced by his subordinates into signing an approval for the mobilization of the National Guard to impose martial law on the streets.

Even the court passed a temporary special provision after a 15-minute emergency meeting.

This allows police and National Guard soldiers to enter any private residence to conduct investigations without a court order.

Allow police to wiretap communications of any suspected target and arrest any suspect deemed suspicious.

National Guard soldiers are permitted to use all lethal force.

This unprecedented law shocked all of Gotham. Even the mob dared not vie for power, fearing they would be caught in the crossfire.

No one cared about the three beautiful female thieves anymore; even if they stole some jewels, it was a trivial matter.

"A trivial matter—" Bruce looked at his old butler in disbelief: "The dead are actually that important? How come I had no idea before?"

Butler Xia wiped his glasses with a solemn expression and said with unprecedented seriousness, "Young Master, I had no idea about this before either."

When "Kong" killed the assistant to the chief tax commissioner, I was completely baffled. How could such a mid-level bureaucrat, neither high nor low, become "Kong's" target?

"Especially since he was originally going out with his chief, but after Kong pushed the chief aside, he repeatedly confirmed Kong's identity before killing him."

The old butler said with a wry smile, "I never expected that the death of such a seemingly insignificant person would transform Gotham into the horrific place it is today."

"This isn't the Gotham I know—"

The elderly man, in his sixties, had an expression of disbelief that he had never seen anything like it before, and his whole body exuded an aura of dejection as his worldview collapsed.

Bruce was equally incredulous: "Yeah, and the reactions from Congress, the police department, the courts, the National Guard, and the security companies—it gives me the impression that they—they have a real governing body above them."

The old butler put on his glasses and solemnly uttered a name: "The Court of Owls."

"Court of Owls?" Bruce Wayne repeated the name softly, feeling a subtle meaning lingering between his teeth that made them ache.

"Are the names in this city's folk song actually real?"

The old butler softly hummed a rhyme he had been singing since childhood: "Beware the court of owls, they're always watching your every move."

"Peeping into Gotham City from the shadows, hidden among low walls and attics."

"He is with you in your home, and with you in your bed."

"Never mention his name, or his claws will bring you your head."

When the butler sang the third line, Bruce Wayne couldn't help but hum along. The song was eerie and mysterious, inspiring fear and sending chills down one's spine.

After they finished singing, they both remained silent for a long time.

Finally, Alfred, the butler, broke the silence: "I never imagined the Court of Owls was right here among us. If all 11 people killed so far were members of the Court of Owls, their combined power could control Gotham City."

"Young Master Bruce, this is almost all of the government's public power, and even the separation of powers, independent regulation, and mutual oversight among governments cannot restrict them."

Bruce Wayne nodded and said, "Alfred, I understand. In Gotham, and even throughout the United States, the checks and balances on power are directed at political appointees, not these administrative officers."

"If we compare the power of the government to a knife, then these people are that knife, and no one notices that this knife has developed its own will."

"Over the past 100 years, this knife has escaped government control, but they have actively cooperated with the government to maintain the illusion that the government is exercising power."

"In this way, they can reap the greatest benefits while leaving all the consequences to political appointees and the government."

Bruce Wayne took a deep breath: "Their power is far greater than mine."

At this moment, Wayne's feelings were very similar to those of the last emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Chongzhen, before he hanged himself.

He always thought he held absolute power in Gotham, that he could buy a hotel whenever he wanted, build an advanced vehicle whenever he wanted, fire a CEO whenever he wanted, and even change the mayor simply by waiting for the election.

But then he suddenly realized that all he could control were the surface things, and all he could remove were the disguises on the core of power.

"No wonder, no wonder I tried my best but couldn't change the status quo in Gotham."

"It turns out I'm just a tenant in this Gotham house. The most I can change is the renovation; I can't alter the structure at all!"

"Because this house in Gotham has another owner!"

Bruce Wayne gritted his teeth, his hands clenched so tightly that his whole body trembled slightly from the force.

He considered an even more terrifying possibility.

The old butler sighed and said, "The deaths of the master and mistress—I'm afraid they weren't so simple."

Joe Zier, an ordinary criminal like any other, is the man who murdered Thomas Wayne and his wife in Crime Alley during a robbery, leaving Bruce Wayne an orphan.

Looking back now, I realize how similar this guy was to Lee Harvey Oswald.

Without a strong military background or a history of violent crimes, he managed to kill the theoretically highest authority in a country or city.

Then they were all inexplicably shot dead. Jozier, who had less influence, died in prison, while Oswald, who had immense influence, couldn't wait to go to prison and was shot dead by the tavern owner on the way.

Haha, the tavern owner, an ordinary person with no military background, a man whose marksmanship is so bad that he can't even hit 40 points in ten shots, actually managed to break through the police escort netting and, without being able to see the target, blindly fired at the moving police car, killing Jozier with one shot.

Bruce once mocked the FBI for being stupid, but he himself found himself in the same situation and was deceived for so many years.

How could there be no problem?

The death of 11 mid-level civil servants today has caused Gotham to declare a state of emergency and issue a martial law order.

When Thomas Wayne and his wife were murdered and the mayor was kidnapped, all that was done was to close off one street, and there was no follow-up investigation.

Bruce Wayne sighed deeply. "I need to talk to Shazo. I suddenly realize I don't know much about Gotham. I want to hear what that madman has to say."

Alfred, the butler, hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Shazo?"

"Oh, right, he's Sora," then we should talk to him.

After all, the facts speak for themselves: Shazor had killed at least several hundred gangsters, including more than 70 prominent figures, and Gotham City hadn't reacted much; at most, they'd just help collect the bodies.

He has only killed 11 civil servants so far, without even causing any casualties among guards or political officers, yet he has turned the entire city of Gotham upside down.

It's clear that Xia Zuo killed the right person; his blade struck a vital artery, which is why Gotham's ruler reacted so strongly.

If Batman wants to save Gotham, he must find out who the real enemy is.

In a secluded, magically protected meeting room with lead-lined partitions, several seats around the round conference table were already empty.

At this moment, the attendees were also humming a sinister song: "—Never mention his name, or his claws will come for your head."

One of them sneered, "We've disgraced our seniors! Five whole days, knowing exactly where 'Kong' is, and we still couldn't take him down. The Court of Owls has completely lost face!"

-

"There's no way around it, Sora is an unprecedentedly powerful psychic, while we are not."

"A superpowered person? Can a superpowered person even beat a gun? If one gun isn't enough, then a hundred guns, a thousand guns! Is that still not enough?"

"Hmph, of course not!"

"147 flood security personnel fired more than 5000 rounds, but they were still unable to stop him from killing our chief accountant."

"He withstood over 5000 bullets, yet he didn't kill anyone except his target. He clearly wasn't using his full strength!"

"This isn't a monster we can handle. We need stronger monsters! Let monsters fight monsters!"

"Unfortunately, we can't find any stronger monsters right now. If we could, why would the Court of Owls be hiding in the shadows of Gotham City?"

"Can we seek help from the Vatican?"

"Don't even think about it. We've been at odds with the Vatican for so many years. Although they are very powerful, they can only mobilize so much of Gotham's resources."

"Heh heh, if the Vatican could have deployed such a powerful force to Gotham, would we have gotten to where we are today?"

"What do we do then? This won't work, that won't work, are we just supposed to wait to die?"

"I have a plan, but it will make a huge commotion—"

"What do we care about these things now? If we unite, what can't we suppress? Speak up!"

"Okay, it's hard to pinpoint Kong's whereabouts, but his base is pretty clear, isn't it?"

"Then, I organized a National Guard assault, a battalion of more than 800 men, plus tanks, armored vehicles, and bulldozers, but we just couldn't break through."

"If we can't break through, can't we bomb them?"

"Hmm? You mean—"

Once the "confirmed airborne" status is returned, bombard the entire forest!

"Missiles, artillery shells, aerial bombs, high-explosive bombs, thermobaric bombs, armor-piercing bombs, white phosphorus incendiary bombs—throw in everything! I refuse to believe we can't kill a superhuman!"

"After all, 'Kong' is still human, isn't he? He's a carbon-based life form!"

"hiss""

"You've certainly made a lot of noise. Even if we do our best, we can't suppress it."

"What's the point of considering the consequences now? If we keep thinking like this, all our people will die. What's the point of considering anything when everyone's dead?"

"Let's vote then. Should we launch a bombing raid?"

A minute later, the voice that made the suggestion laughed: "Hehehe, so you're all like me, saving your life is the most important thing."

"Haha, we're all judges in the Court of Owls, what's the difference?"

"Alright! Then let's fight 'Sky' and show him the ruthlessness of an owl!"

"Never mention his name, or his claws will bring you your head."

The undercurrents and accumulating malice unknowingly formed a mysterious "momentum" that Xia Zuo sensed, stimulating him into an unconscious state of excitement.

He licked his lips, looked up at the sky, and muttered, "Come on, come on, come and attack me. Then I can directly target you guys and save so much effort in analysis and investigation."

"Come on, let me kill to my heart's content!"

Even the mentally ill have principles. Xia Zuo's principle is to only kill enemies, so he will never break this principle.

Gangs are the enemy, so from the boss to the henchmen, they are all killed without mercy; if you encounter them, just crush them to death.

But government employees are not enemies; they are just unfortunate working people and cannot be killed.

Therefore, Xia Zuo can only conduct a thorough investigation and careful verification before launching an attack, once he has confirmed that the target is indeed problematic.

Since he was the one who launched the attack, even if the security personnel opened fire on him, he cannot be considered an enemy, so he still cannot be killed.

This led to the strange phenomenon that Xia Zuo had only killed 11 people in the six days since he began his actions.

Xia Zuo endured countless bullets from security personnel, yet he couldn't kill anyone because of his principles, which left him feeling resentful.

It wasn't that no one had attacked before; National Guard soldiers were menacing, carrying various weapons and driving tanks...

Armored vehicles and bulldozers were there, but once they arrived at the site, they were just going through the motions.

Despite the noisy commotion, they weren't really putting on an attack; it was all just for show.

The National Guard has very new equipment, but its training is inadequate, and its subsidies are of unknown amount, so of course no one will actually put in any real effort.

But the atmosphere today was different. It wasn't the languor and laxity of the National Guard's attack, but rather a meticulous seriousness, a cold and indifferent killing intent.

Xia Zuo was very satisfied with this military aura.

"I hope they can step up their game today and bring out the highest level of the US military, so I can truly prove my strength."

"After tonight, I'll be the ancestor of Gotham, able to do whatever I want!"

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