Volume 2 Honoring Robin Chapter 16 What goes into the alley on four legs and comes out on two legs?
When Mason woke up, he discovered, not surprisingly, that his potion had overlasted and had turned into a ball of charcoal.
But he was in no mood to clean up the disgusting-smelling failed product.
Instead, the young man suddenly stood up and rushed out the door, and then he saw a rusty box covered with seaweed and barnacles placed neatly at the door.
There are footprints that have not yet dried up on the steps of the bamboo building in front of me, extending all the way to the beach washed by the sea.
It's as chilling as a ghost story.
But the presence of the iron box with the Flying Dutchman emblem indicated that Mason's dream was real, including Will Turner and the "veiled prophecies" about the end of the world he had told him.
And the truth that made Mason's heart run wild like a thousand horses.
"The zombie virus in this world was actually released by Old K? And from what Will described, Old K's team hadn't encountered the catastrophic disaster at that time. The time is exactly the same as more than two months ago."
Mason stroked his chin, wrapped the rusty box in a piece of cloth and took it back into the house.
Captain Will didn't say much more.
After Mason promised to take his wife and children away from this world, the captain of the ghost ship promised to collect as many rare materials and various items as possible for Mason in the following time.
Although there are legends of ghost ships everywhere in this world, there are not many ships that can actually travel on the seabed. The treasures buried deep in the sea can only be obtained by a ghost ship like the Dutchman that is truly cursed by the sea god.
The deal itself is great.
From Mason's point of view, it is a win-win situation.
But the young man couldn't be happy at this moment. He turned the strange lock of the rusty box in front of him according to Will's instructions, and thought to himself:
“Although we have long known that the Star Club is not a good thing, the practice of spreading the virus worldwide is a bit too much. The most important question is, why did they do this?
If the purpose is just to plunder resources, there must be a more efficient way.
And there is also the 'end of the world' that Will Turner keeps emphasizing.
He definitely wasn't referring to the zombie disaster that was spreading across the world, and from what he said, this doomsday didn't even have much to do with the Star Society."
Mason squinted his eyes trying to get an answer.
But unfortunately, the information he had at hand was too little to piece together the truth.
"Click"
With a crisp sound, the box in front of him was opened.
The interior is well waterproofed, so the things stored inside are not wetted by sea water. On the top is a nautical chart with the location of a small island in the Caribbean Sea marked on it.
That's where Will Turner's wife and son are now. According to the agreement, Mason is going to take them back.
Below the nautical chart was a slightly worn parchment notebook.
The top half of this thing records all the locations where the cursed guys on the Flying Dutchman buried their treasure, and the bottom half is the knowledge recorded at Mason's request.
Will Turner's Blacksmithing Notes
Use: Learn the blacksmith's forging skills, which also records some unique forging techniques mastered by the legendary pirate Will Turner.
Item Description: If it weren't for love, the legendary pirate Will Turner might have become the world's top blacksmith.
Mason took the notebook in his hand and flipped through a few pages, and he found some tips written by Will on it, which were to teach Mason, a novice blacksmith, how to deal with the special material of cursed gold coins.
The notebook also records many forging techniques and production blueprints for weapons and armor, so that Mason, who had never known how to get started with forging, now has a sample to learn.
This somewhat dispelled the mysteries in Mason's mind about the Star Society and the end of the world.
He is a person who likes to do things according to plan, and he doesn't like such unexpected events. However, considering that he hasn't even figured out the dark truth of the Star Society yet, it would be a bit worrying to think about the end of the world.
So after a few minutes Mason calmed himself down, sat back at his workbench and started remixing the Brown|Owl potion.
He liked this feeling of being able to concentrate on his work, and it lasted until the evening. When Mason finished making the tenth downgraded version of the weak brown|owl potion, the prompt he had been waiting for finally popped up:
"Successfully completed the production of an excellent craftsmanship alchemical item, and the alchemical branch proficiency increased by X20, currently at Lv3."
"Using magic fire many times to complete item creation, the flame manipulation skill has been improved and is currently at Lv1."
"Mmm, double yolk, I like it."
The young man stood up and stretched himself, admiring the yellow-brown high-grade vitality potions he had made for a few seconds before putting them into a specially made wooden box and throwing them into the suitcase.
He walked outside the bamboo building and looked at the setting sun slowly sinking into the sea in the distance. He heard the unique engine sound of the flying motorcycle and looked up. Charles was driving the motorcycle back here with the drunk Catwoman in the bed.
"Hey, Mason, come here and let your sister hug you."
Selena jumped out of the car, drunk, walked barefoot on the beach, and staggered forward in a gorgeous palace dress.
Mason refused her hug and frowned again.
"Why are you so drunk? Didn't you go to discuss business?"
"Yes, let's talk business!"
Catwoman smiled and took a stack of documents from Kite Man, who seemed to have drunk a lot, and stuffed them into Mason's hands. She put her hands on her hips and said:
“Bring the King’s Envoy from the British Royal Fleet, Captain Chevalier, the Pirate King of the Mediterranean, Captain Armand, the Pirate King of the Black Sea, and Madam Qing, the Pirate King of the Pacific.
There are also priests from the South American Church, tribal witch doctors hiding in the forest, and gentlemen and nobles from the thirteen states of North America...
Too many.
They all ordered at least 50,000 , and of course the 500 samples have been divided up by them.
In return…
Charles!
Open the eyes of our little cutie Mason!"
Selina snapped her fingers.
The kite flyer behind her immediately took out several large boxes from his bag and opened them in front of Mason. In an instant, the flood of jewels and treasures even illuminated the evening beach.
Catwoman drunkenly took out a lady's crown made of purple velvet and decorated with luxurious pearls and gems from a box beside her and put it on her head. She then took the platinum scepter handed to her by the Kite Man and turned it around in her hand.
“The Queen’s crown from the French court, the Pope’s scepter from the Vatican, these are priceless treasures from our place that I could never steal no matter how powerful I am.
But now they have become part of my personal collection.
I absolutely loved this trip, my sweet little brother Mason."
Catwoman smiled and pounced on him. Despite Mason's disgusted resistance, she left several "flaming red lips" on his neck and cheeks. She climbed on the young man's back and said drunkenly:
"Maybe I'm drunk, but do you want another French kiss? My dear, for the sake of these wonderful harvests, I can..."
"You reek of alcohol! God, like a drunkard."
Mason pushed her down.
Of course he was very gentlemanly and held her hand to prevent her from falling.
He rubbed his forehead with a headache as he looked at Selina, who was staggering as she walked, and said to the kite man who was wearing many rings and playing with a golden pipe inlaid with gems:
"Charles, go to the tavern and call Constantine back. Now that the contract has been signed, we will go back to Gotham tonight."
Mason helped Catwoman, who was holding the crown, scepter, and a large box of top-quality jewels, to the side of the stairs, then walked a few steps forward onto the beach and said to the female pirate Angelina who had followed him:
"We are going to 'go back' and will be back in seven days. During this time, you should keep an eye on Jack Sparrow. These things are for your self-defense."
He handed the female pirate a bag filled with weapons, explosives, and a large amount of low-level potions, and stuffed the sea chart left by Will Turner into her hands, and instructed:
"Go to this island with Jack and bring back a mother and her child. This is very important, Angelina. I hope you and Jack can complete it with all your heart."
"Elizabeth Swan?"
When the female pirate saw the name marked on the map, she frowned and said:
"Isn't this the 'Pirate King'? I heard that Jack once had a relationship with her. Could that child be her?"
"Jack is a dashing and romantic man, so don't think too much. Here, hold this."
Mason pinched his fingers to summon his K Team Captain's ID card and asked the female pirate to touch it. The latter stretched out her finger and touched Mason's card, and a ball of red light quickly wrapped around her arm.
The burning feeling made Angelina tremble with pain all over.
As Mason watched, a dark black ghost claw tattoo quickly appeared on her left arm, indicating that she had officially become a reserve member of Team K and the Star Society.
"Now, we are a team."
Mason took out the tight-fitting suit Catwoman had worn before and handed it to the pale-faced female pirate, saying to her gently:
"Welcome to Team K, Angelina. I hope we can have a pleasant cooperation in the future."
"Thank you for the pain I inflicted, Captain."
The female pirate curled her lips, held her battle suit and bag in her arms, felt her obviously growing strength, and blinked her eyes and said:
"So I can use your name to cheat people... er, I mean recruit men? The Black Pearl and Jack will also be under my command?"
"That depends on your ability to control a man, girl. After all, Jack is the soul of that ship."
Mason looked back at Constantine, who was being carried back by Charles, dishevelled and still talking nonsense. He shrugged and said to the new member:
"Anyway, don't forget to collect resources. The more you collect, the easier our lives will be in the future."
"See you in seven days."
——
While Mason and others were packing up in the other world and preparing to "go home", a "farewell" scene was also taking place in Gotham, but compared to the jubilation over there, this side seemed much more painful.
"boom"
A black figure fell from mid-air amidst the pouring rain.
The hook that was supposed to hold his body and allow him to glide was cut off in mid-air by a flying weapon, causing Batman to make a mistake and fall headfirst into a dirty alley at night.
His bat suit was now covered in bullet holes and scratches from sharp weapons, and even his bulletproof cape bore traces of being burned by flames.
Master Batman is rarely in such a mess in his own city.
But he did not give up because of the pain coming from all parts of his body. Instead, he held on to the wall and moved forward quickly, trying to hide in the darkness that had always protected him.
"Barbara...calling...the BatNetwork...for support!"
Batman's tone was staccato.
It was obvious that he had suffered a severe blow and was having difficulty breathing. The world spinning in front of him meant that the poison that was injected into him by the sneak attack had begun to spread in his body.
He called out to the person he trusted most on the comms.
That was a member of the Bat Family who had worked with him to maintain order in the city, but tonight when the master needed it most, the usually reliable communication fell into a long and strange silence.
No one responded to the call for help.
It was like another invisible cold blade piercing into his already shattered heart.
"boom"
A muffled gunshot came from behind.
Batman dodged the bullet but the shooter's shooting skills were obviously very strong.
The specially made bullet whirled and hit the old man's back, penetrating into his body along the tear in his armor, bringing up a handful of blood.
The force of the impact caused the poisoned Batman to fall to the ground.
But he still reacted quickly, grabbing a first aid needle from his combat belt and about to stab it into his neck, but a flying black combat boot kicked his wrist and kicked the needle away.
A pair of powerful hands covered in armor reached out, grabbed the master's shoulders and pulled him up from the ground. In the heavy rain that continued to fall in the darkness, the two men wrestled with each other at this moment like two wild beasts pouncing on their prey in the darkness.
Each sees the other as prey.
The cold raindrops flowed down Batman's helmet, mixed with the blood flowing from his nostrils and mouth corners and fell from his chin.
In the eyes of this silent and cruel man, which were becoming increasingly weak due to the effect of the poison, was reflected a red, streamlined, round helmet.
There are no eyes or facial features. It should be made of some high-tech protective material.
The metal armor the opponent was wearing was very similar to the bat suit. His movements were agile and deadly. Every time the old man tried to fight back, he would detect it in advance and give him a more crazy and heavy blow.
He's like another young, angry version of Batman.
But he used a gun!
This makes the attacker even more dangerous.
"I know you, Batman!"
A hoarse voice came out from the red helmet in the rainy night, carrying extreme hatred and a touch of madness caused by pain. He lifted up the weak Batman like a bull and slammed him against the wall, breaking the bricks.
He roared:
"Your attacks! Your defenses! Even your suit and your weapons! I know you better than anyone else, and I know how to defeat you.
like this!"
"bass"
The attacker threw away his hands, and the dark shark-tooth combat knife popped out from the metal arm armor, leaving an X-shaped scar on Batman's body, causing blood to spurt out in the rain and making the poisoned man groan.
He fell to the ground and was lifted up by the attacker's neck. He punched Batman hard in the abdomen, followed by a series of torrential blows, venting his deep hatred.
"I won't kill you, but I will let you experience my pain! In every nightmare that you will never wake up from, just as I beg you to save me, you will also beg someone to redeem you from the darkness...
But there won’t be.
There will never be anyone to answer your longing, and prayers are no match for the weakness of despair, remember? You taught me not to be defeated by fear.
I've never been defeated by fear, but you have defeated me."
He looked at the man in front of him with blood on his face, his deep laughter echoing in his helmet, and he said:
"They gave me a name, they called me 'Scarlet Knight', and they wanted me to replace you as their most deadly weapon.
I agreed.
This is the reward they gave me.
A chance to settle this blood feud with you in your city.
Bruce Wayne!
stand up!
Keep getting beaten!"
"Who are you?"
The master, who was about to lose consciousness, immediately became furious when he heard the other party shouting out his real name. He struggled to resist the continuous punches, and while staggering backwards, he took out a smoke bomb from his arms and threw it on the ground.
Thick smoke rolled up in the heavy rain, forming a smoke screen. The attacker could have continued his attack, but he did not. Instead, he stood in the smoke and waited quietly.
When the smoke cleared in the rainstorm, there was no sign of Batman around.
"Run, Batman."
The attacker who called himself the "Scarlet Knight" lowered his hands, letting drops of blood drip from his gauntlets.
He squatted down.
Picking up the torn, bloodstained cloak in the dark alley, he thought of the days when he had walked through the city under the protection of this cloak.
Those beautiful past times seemed like a dream that had long ended.
The more beautiful the dream is, the more desperate you will be when you wake up.
The Scarlet Knight held the torn cloak in his hand and whispered as if saying goodbye:
"The power that made me who I am will destroy you. May pain and despair flow like poison through your veins. Tonight, Batman dies.
Gotham is also dying.
You'll know who I am, Bruce.
You’ll know it when this city and all your expectations start to burn.”
