American comics: Only I know the plot

Chapter 142 Defeat

The retreat of the remaining mercenaries was like the receding tide; the cries and fleeing quickly dissipated on the streets of Gotham. Smoke and dust mingled in the cold air, and every breath carried the bitter taste of war.

Li Wei followed closely behind Batman's black figure, his steps steady and firm as he strode through the smoke and rubble, each step solid and powerful, the soles of his shoes crunching over broken glass and deformed metal with a soft, rustling sound.

Catwoman leaped nimbly between buildings, her black figure flashing past the ruins like a phantom, leaving no trace. Her sharp claws left shallow marks on the walls, showcasing her agile skills.

Robin led his team to wipe out the remaining enemies. His movements were swift and decisive. Although the boy was slender, he had the courage of an adult. The four of them formed an encirclement and pressed forward step by step, giving the enemy no chance to breathe.

The final spearhead of the counterattack was aimed directly at the dark heart of this city that had long been shrouded in darkness—the rooftop of Gotham City Hall.

The night sky was tightly locked by thick, dark clouds, preventing even a sliver of starlight or moonlight from penetrating. The world was deathly silent, save for the howling wind sweeping through the buildings, like the city weeping softly.

Only the searchlights atop the city hall swept across the deathly silence, their stark white light piercing the darkness with a chilling and desolate quality, illuminating every corner of the rooftop with exceptional clarity.

This is the throne where Bane trampled Gotham's order and crushed the city's hopes; it is the ultimate central stronghold for his rule over Gotham, and every brick and stone is imbued with the aura of oppression and despair.

Behind every bunker on the rooftop, at every corner, stood Bane's last remaining assassins. Their eyes were fierce, their muscles taut, and their fingers were on the trigger, concealing deadly intent.

Li Wei gripped the alloy short stick hidden in his sleeve. A sharp, piercing pain shot through the still-healing wound on his left arm. It was a graze from a bullet during the raid on the armory; the flesh was torn and still bleeding.

But he completely ignored the pain, his gaze fixed on the tall, black figure in front of him, never looking away for a moment. That figure was Gotham's only hope, something he would do everything in his power to protect.

Bruce's physique and combat strength have recovered to near their peak. He stands tall and imposing, his black battle suit clinging to his body, outlining powerful lines.

However, the subtle stiffness left by the old spinal injury could not escape the eyes of Li Wei, who observed and memorized it day and night. It was the mark of Bain's own folding, the pain etched into his bones, and the reason why this decisive battle had to be completely ended.

Li Wei swore countless times in his heart that no matter the cost, he would never let Bruce suffer even the slightest injury, and he would protect this Dark Knight even at the cost of his own life.

The four of them pressed on, encountering increasingly weaker resistance along the way, almost to the point of being easily defeated. The once arrogant and domineering mercenaries were now as pathetic as stray dogs.

Bane's main force had already been exhausted in the battles of the armory, the destruction of the drug base, and the fierce street battles. Those thugs who once ran rampant in Gotham have now lost even the courage to resist.

The remaining mercenaries either fled in panic, abandoning their armor and weapons, or laid down their weapons and knelt in surrender, trembling with their hands over their heads, utterly powerless to resist, knowing full well that they had already reached the end of their road.

But the closer Li Wei got to the roof of the city hall, the more his unease spread like wildfire, tightening and binding him. It felt as if an invisible hand was gripping his heart, and even his breathing became heavy.

Bain was never one to sit idly by or easily admit defeat; this man was driven by a burning desire for destruction, madness, and an unyielding obsession.

This demon, who crawled out of the hellish Penado prison, and the madman ruthlessly expelled by the Shadow Alliance, grew up in endless darkness and pain, and had long since etched despair into his soul.

He lived his entire life in despair, darkness, and pain, with destruction and madness etched into his very bones. He had never felt warmth and could not bear to see any hope in the world.

His decision to retreat to the rooftop suggests he harbors a terrifying trump card capable of overturning everything and causing mutual destruction. Li Wei could even foresee that the trump card was enough to plunge the entire Gotham into utter ruin.

Li Wei's nerves were stretched to the limit, every nerve like a taut bowstring, not daring to relax even a little. His senses were mobilized to the extreme, paying attention to every slight movement around him.

As he kept up with the team, he quickly scanned the surrounding environment, memorizing all the terrain, blind spots, and cover, even memorizing an inconspicuous ventilation shaft.

Robin kicked open the main door on the ground floor of the city hall. The metal door twisted and deformed, emitting a piercing scream that echoed through the empty hall, startling the birds hiding in the corner.

The few guards inside tried to put up a last-ditch resistance, but as soon as they raised their weapons, they were instantly subdued by Catwoman's claws and Batman's batarangs, without even a chance to sound the alarm.

The stairwell was covered with dried bloodstains and scattered bullet casings, bearing the marks of a fierce battle. The walls were riddled with bullet holes, and the floor was sticky and difficult to walk on, revealing a shocking and tragic scene.

The air was thick with the pungent smell of gunpowder, blood, and dust, making it hard to breathe and causing one's stomach to churn, but no one had time to care about the discomfort.

As Li Wei rapidly advanced upwards, he repeatedly checked all possible ambush locations, preparing to fight at any moment. With each step he took, his unease grew.

"The entrance to the rooftop is completely sealed off and reinforced with thickened explosion-proof steel plates. Forcing a breakthrough will take time and will alert the enemies on the rooftop." Robin's voice came urgently from the communicator, carrying the composure and calmness of a young man.

"The ventilation duct on the left leads directly to the rooftop platform, but the duct has a limited load-bearing capacity, allowing only one person to pass at a time, and it cannot carry heavy equipment." Catwoman followed closely behind, accurately reporting the terrain. Her stealth experience made her particularly sensitive to these kinds of hidden passages.

Without the slightest hesitation, Batman raised his hand and fired the grappling hook. The metal hook firmly locked onto the wall, and he rapidly ascended towards the rooftop. His movements were fluid and graceful, exuding an undeniable authority.

"Catwoman, use the pipes to encircle us. Robin, hold the middle of the stairs to prevent reinforcements. Levi, follow me and break through from the front."

The deep, resonant command was concise and powerful, each word conveying an unquestionable resolve and strength. It echoed through the empty stairwell, bringing a sense of peace to the heart.

Li Wei immediately responded and increased his speed, closely following Batman's figure, not daring to fall behind in the slightest. He knew that this was his battlefield, and the responsibility he had to shoulder.

The outer wall was rough and cold, with gravel constantly sliding down. The grappling hook was firmly locked onto the wall, carrying the two of them up rapidly. The wind whistled past their ears, scraping their cheeks painfully.

Below him lay a bottomless abyss, the city lights flickering blurry and indistinct. One wrong step and he would be smashed to pieces. But Li Wei showed no fear, his eyes fixed only on the goal ahead.

In just over ten seconds, the two had already reached the edge of the rooftop. The wind was raging on the rooftop, making their clothes flutter and the cold was biting.

Li Wei was the first to peek out and observe, taking in the layout and guard situation on the rooftop. He clearly remembered the location of every assassin and the placement of every weapon.

In the center of the open platform, Bain stood alone like a black iron tower, his aura fierce and ferocious. His body, more than two meters tall, stood like a small mountain, exuding a chilling sense of oppression.

He was shirtless, his bulging muscles jutting out like hard rocks, exuding explosive power; every muscle spoke of his strength and brutality.

The green enhancement tube connected to his back gleamed with an eerie and dangerous light in the dim light; it was the source of his power, but also his fatal weakness.

Eight fully armed assassins stood around Bane, their guns pointed at the rooftop entrance, ready for battle. They were Bane's loyal followers and were prepared to die with the rooftop.

Each assassin had fierce eyes, wielded heavy weapons, and their knuckles turned white from the force of their grip, ready to fight to the death. Their existence was to protect Bane's final madness.

"Batman, you've finally dared to show yourself."

Bain's laughter was rough and manic, like the violent friction of frosted metal, making one's scalp tingle and one's heart chill. His laughter was filled with disdain and twisted pleasure.

"I thought you would forever hide in a dark corner, never daring to come out and face me, hiding like a stray dog."

Bruce landed steadily, his black cloak sweeping across the ground and creating a gentle breeze. His aura was as solid and imposing as an ancient mountain, without the slightest emotional fluctuation, only a cold killing intent and unwavering determination.

"Your reign ends here, Bain."

"Today, I will make you pay the price for all the blood debts Gotham owes, and make you atone for everything you have done."

Li Wei immediately retreated to the high ground on the west side of the rooftop, seizing the best, most unobstructed viewpoint. From here, he could keep a close watch on the battle and be on guard against enemies from all directions.

His mission was crystal clear, etched in his heart—to be on alert for all remaining enemies at the first moment, to eliminate any possibility of interference with the final battle, and to ensure that no one disturbed the duel between Bruce and Bane.

At the same time, he must keep a close eye on the battle situation. If Bruce is in any danger, he must immediately rush to his aid without hesitation, even at the cost of his life, to give Bruce a chance to survive.

Catwoman leaped silently out of the ventilation duct, taking down two assassins from behind like a ghost. Her movements were light and silent, her claws slicing across the enemies' necks without even a groan.

Robin quickly rushed to the rooftop and engaged in close combat with the guards on the front. His moves were swift and sharp, and he was not at a disadvantage at all. With the swing of his short stick, he deflected the enemy's attacks one by one.

Within a minute, all the assassins on the rooftop were completely wiped out, leaving only Bane, isolated and helpless, standing in the center of the rooftop like a trapped wild beast.

Catwoman and Robin quickly retreated to the flanks, forming a perfect triangular encirclement with Batman and Levi, completely blocking all of Bane's escape routes and leaving him with no way to escape.

The four men trapped Bane firmly in the center of the rooftop, cutting off all his escape routes and possible breakouts. The final battle had finally reached its decisive moment.

The outcome seemed predetermined. The darkness that had shrouded Gotham for months was about to come to a complete end, and the light of Gotham seemed to be about to descend.

But Li Wei's unease did not dissipate; instead, it intensified, and his heart raced. He felt that things would not end so easily.

Bain looked around at the surrounding crowd, his face devoid of any fear, only displaying a morbid fanaticism and ferocity—a madness that was about to drag the world down with it.

"Do you think you can defeat me with such insignificant means? You think you can end my reign?"

"Naive! Foolish! Utterly ridiculous! You have no idea what true despair is!"

"I crawled back from hell to earth, having nothing to begin with, so naturally I dare to drag the whole world down with me, to make you all taste the pain I suffered!"

Bruce's eyes turned cold, and a chill emanated from his body. He said no more. He knew that it would be a waste of time to talk to this madman.

With a swift movement, like a black arrow released from a bow, it hurtled straight towards Bane with the force of breaking through the wind. Its speed was so fast that it left afterimages, and the air was torn apart with a slight popping sound.

Without any probing or fancy moves, he immediately launched a deadly attack aimed at the vital points, determined to finish the battle quickly and give Bane no chance to play any tricks.

He memorized all the weaknesses Levi had marked, and every movement and every attack was precise to the millimeter. It was intelligence that Levi had obtained at the cost of his life, and it was the key to defeating Bane.

The fist struck Bane's ribs directly. It was an old wound left by Penado Prison, and also the location near the injection site of the enhancement drug, making it one of Bane's most vulnerable blind spots.

Bain roared and retaliated, his fist whistling through the air with terrifying force that made the air vibrate. This punch was enough to shatter concrete, let alone flesh and blood.

However, his movements had become noticeably sluggish and stiff, no longer as swift as before. The side effects of the enhancement drug were gradually wearing down his body.

The side effects of the enhancement drug are rapidly eroding his bodily functions: blocked blood vessels, nervous disorders, and a rapid loss of stamina—all fatal weaknesses that Li Wei had already identified.

Blood vessels bulged wildly under his skin, forming a hideous bluish-purple spider web that covered his chest and arms, a shocking sight and irrefutable evidence of the drug's backlash.

His breathing became increasingly rapid, his chest heaved violently, his breath became disordered and completely out of rhythm, and each breath was accompanied by a burning sensation from the medicine.

His strength was rapidly depleting, his reaction speed was drastically reduced, and his vision began to blur and become double. His body had already been ravaged by the enhancement drugs.

Levi clearly saw and remembered all these subtle changes. He knew that Bruce's tactics were working and that Bane was on the verge of collapse.

Bruce's attacks became increasingly fierce and deadly, each move targeting Bane's weaknesses, giving his opponent no chance to breathe.

Bruce's dodges, blocks, and counterattacks were executed flawlessly, giving Bane no chance to breathe or retaliate. Every movement he made precisely avoided Bane's attacks, and every strike he made hit the vital points.