Reading settings
Chapter 233 We've Been Surrounded By Him
Metropolis.
Bruno Mannheim hadn't left his house in a long time.
To the outside world, their Intergang was flourishing. The underworld leaders of Metropolis, and even other cities including Gotham, had all heard that Intergang had found a powerful backer. They were now advancing by leaps and bounds, posturing as if they were about to become the number one criminal empire on Earth.
But honestly, wielding equipment centuries ahead of the world, with resources almost sufficient to arm an interstellar force, the most evil idea they could come up with was just robbing more banks to get more cash to spend. Their so-called ambition was, in truth, quite limited.
However, their actions weren't entirely without reason. After all, the DC Universe was a special place. Your technology could be centuries ahead of the world, but it was laughable in the face of the incredible powers wielded by individuals everywhere. With a pile of mass-produced minion equipment from Apokolips, crushing weaklings and smurfing was fine, but if they really wanted to pull off something big, they couldn't even get past Metropolis's own Superman, let alone anyone else.
Moreover, their suspected involvement with aliens had recently attracted the attention of A.R.G.U.S. For this reason, Intergang's leader, Bruno Mannheim, had no choice but to keep his head down and lay low, changing strongholds several times a week to avoid being tracked.
In fact, after the initial excitement of obtaining interstellar weapons wore off, Bruno now found himself feeling a bit nostalgic for the past.
Back then, as the crime lord of Metropolis, he lived lavishly and was a respectable figure in high society, influential in both the underworld and legitimate society. It was nothing like now, where he not only had to hide and keep his head down, but also had a formidable boss he couldn't afford to offend looming over his shoulder. He had to do whatever those aliens commanded. Where was the majestic aura he once had as the emperor of crime?
One day, as he was holed up in a newly relocated stronghold preparing to eat, a trusted subordinate named Jack quickly found him.
As the head of the organization, his current location was considered classified information even within Intergang. Ninety percent of the members weren't qualified to know where their boss was. As his right-hand man, Jack was one of the few who knew his hiding place.
Bruno was a little surprised. "Jack? Didn't I send you to raid Belle Reve Prison and snatch that Martian?"
"Yeah, we went," Jack said sheepishly.
"You went? So soon?" Bruno was astonished. "Why didn't anyone report the situation to me?"
"Uh... there was a small accident."
Jack secretly glanced at his boss's expression and said in a low voice.
"We followed the plan, successfully blew open the gate, and stormed the prison. Belle Reve's guards crumbled easily, just as expected, but... uh... an unexpectedly tough character showed up."
Bruno's eyes flickered, and he frowned. "Superman again?"
Lately, Intergang's main opponent had been Superman. Nine out of ten major operations were ruined by the big blue guy. But what could they do? They were Metropolis villains, after all.
"Superman... That Lord was right, we have to find a way to deal with this threat, or we'll be unable to make a move," Bruno said in a deep voice. "Clinton had designed an ambush before, successfully luring Superman into our carefully laid trap."
"It would have been a great achievement, but who would've thought Batman would show up out of nowhere. Otherwise, that Boy Scout wouldn't be a threat anymore."
Jack shook his head and said through gritted teeth, "Someone tougher than him. It was that Ultraman."
Bruno Mannheim sucked in a sharp breath.
*Damn,* he thought, *when did we provoke a character like that?*
"That... um... there's one more thing," Jack hesitated, as if finding it hard to speak. "About that Ultraman... although the mission failed, I... I did manage to lead him to the designated location..."
"Oh?"
Bruno's eyes lit up.
Although the opponent was strong, their confidence was rather inflated now that they had the support of Apokolips's technology. If they could set a trap in advance, like they did for Superman, even someone as powerful as that Ultraman might not be unbeatable.
"Very good. If the ambush succeeds, it will be a great accomplishment," Bruno nodded. "Where did you set it up?"
Jack said timidly, "Just outside. He's waiting for you to come out..."
"Huh?"
Bruno's brain froze for a few seconds, unable to process what that meant.
Then he was shocked, slamming the table as he stood up and roared, "You're the one who led Ultraman here!?"
As he spoke, he swiftly drew his gun and pointed it at Jack's head.
Jack had a pained look on his face. "I had no choice, boss. You didn't see him in action..."
"Anyway, just give up, boss. Ultraman is all over the place outside. We've been surrounded by him alone."
Bruno was furious. He had been hiding everywhere, swallowing his pride, and all his efforts were now ruined by a traitor who led the enemy here.
At this thought, rage welled up from his heart, and malice grew in his gut. With a *click*, he flicked off the handgun's safety. "You... you... you..."
As he was seething with anger, a glance from the corner of his eye revealed a certain red-and-silver steel body that had, at some unknown point, spawned in his room, standing there observing impassively.
It was obvious that even if he pulled the trigger, that being could one hundred percent disarm him before the bullet left the chamber.
Bruno's furious expression vanished in an instant, and his tone became as pleasant as a spring breeze.
"You... you... you... honestly. You didn't even give me a heads-up that such an important guest was coming. Tsk, I didn't even have time to prepare a reception. How can I be so neglectful to an honored guest?"
As he spoke, he had already placed the gun on the table, quickly stood up, and moved aside to offer his chair, politely facing Orin Vale. "Please, sit. Please, sit..."
"No need to be so polite. I just have a few questions," Orin Vale said with a wave of his hand.
"You're being too formal," Bruno said with a chuckle and a wave of his hand. "Ask whatever you like. Never mind questions, if you asked me to dig up my mother's grave, I'd immediately arrange for people to do it."
Even Orin Vale couldn't help but do a double take. *Damn, that's harsh.*
*You're the filial son, huh?*
As they say, a great man knows when to bend and when to stand tall. For some people to climb so high and even latch onto the thigh of a cosmic emperor, they really can't get by without some... silver-tongued skills.
As soon as Orin Vale asked, he confessed everything in detail.
The cause was much as Orin Vale had guessed, similar to the developments in the original comics and the Superman animated series. One day, a spatial tunnel (most likely a Boom Tube) suddenly opened in the Intergang Headquarters, and out stepped a gentleman in a suit and leather shoes (presumed to be Desaad in disguise, based on the animated series).
That gentleman was very generous, providing them with incredible weapons for free, giving them the ability to fight against Superman.
But as everyone knows, the things you get for free are often the most expensive. When the other party finally started making demands, they discovered they were already in too deep to get out. The entire Intergang had essentially been reduced to being Apokolips's thugs on Earth.
"Batman? Why would I know where Batman is?" Bruno looked completely baffled.
"Before Batman disappeared, he was investigating Intergang and your alien masters," Orin Vale prompted.
Bruno shook his head repeatedly. "If you think we took care of Batman, you're dead wrong. Just before the Gotham media reported his disappearance, he came looking for me."
"Looking for you?"
"Yeah, in one of my safe houses. Not even many people in the Organization knew where I was; heaven knows how he found it." Bruno huffed. "I was sleeping in my bed in the middle of the night when he suddenly dragged me up and asked me a bunch of questions similar to the ones you just did..."
A thought stirred in Orin Vale's mind.
So, Batman had actually caught the leader of Intergang long ago. But he didn't make a move, likely realizing that Bruno Mannheim was just a puppet.
Acting rashly would only alert the enemy, and it would have no effect on the mastermind behind the scenes—they would just replace the puppet and continue their operations, and the only clue they had would be lost.
"What else did he ask?" Orin Vale asked.
"He also asked about a person... I don't know how he found out, but his knowledge of our organization's internal affairs was astonishing."
"He even knew about 'Steppenwolf'..."
"Wait, what wolf?" Orin Vale interrupted.
"He calls himself 'Steppenwolf'. He seems to be some kind of high-ranking general from that alien race. Our contact said that from now on, we must obey his commands, and he will be in charge of all matters on Earth."
"But we've never met him directly. I don't even know if he's actually a wolf..."
Orin Vale pondered for a moment.
Steppenwolf, the villain from the DCEU Justice League movie. A member of the New Gods, a general of Apokolips. But unlike Desaad, who is a strategist, he is a general.
The matter being handed over from Desaad to Steppenwolf was likely a signal.
A signal that Apokolips was preparing to formally launch a war.
"So, that Steppenwolf," Orin Vale asked, "did he say when he would arrive?"
Bruno Mannheim gave him a strange look.
"In fact, the information I received is that he has already arrived."
(end of chapter)
Metropolis.
Bruno Mannheim hadn't left his house in a long time.
To the outside world, their Intergang was flourishing. The underworld leaders of Metropolis, and even other cities including Gotham, had all heard that Intergang had found a powerful backer. They were now advancing by leaps and bounds, posturing as if they were about to become the number one criminal empire on Earth.
But honestly, wielding equipment centuries ahead of the world, with resources almost sufficient to arm an interstellar force, the most evil idea they could come up with was just robbing more banks to get more cash to spend. Their so-called ambition was, in truth, quite limited.
However, their actions weren't entirely without reason. After all, the DC Universe was a special place. Your technology could be centuries ahead of the world, but it was laughable in the face of the incredible powers wielded by individuals everywhere. With a pile of mass-produced minion equipment from Apokolips, crushing weaklings and smurfing was fine, but if they really wanted to pull off something big, they couldn't even get past Metropolis's own Superman, let alone anyone else.
Moreover, their suspected involvement with aliens had recently attracted the attention of A.R.G.U.S. For this reason, Intergang's leader, Bruno Mannheim, had no choice but to keep his head down and lay low, changing strongholds several times a week to avoid being tracked.
In fact, after the initial excitement of obtaining interstellar weapons wore off, Bruno now found himself feeling a bit nostalgic for the past.
Back then, as the crime lord of Metropolis, he lived lavishly and was a respectable figure in high society, influential in both the underworld and legitimate society. It was nothing like now, where he not only had to hide and keep his head down, but also had a formidable boss he couldn't afford to offend looming over his shoulder. He had to do whatever those aliens commanded. Where was the majestic aura he once had as the emperor of crime?
One day, as he was holed up in a newly relocated stronghold preparing to eat, a trusted subordinate named Jack quickly found him.
As the head of the organization, his current location was considered classified information even within Intergang. Ninety percent of the members weren't qualified to know where their boss was. As his right-hand man, Jack was one of the few who knew his hiding place.
Bruno was a little surprised. "Jack? Didn't I send you to raid Belle Reve Prison and snatch that Martian?"
"Yeah, we went," Jack said sheepishly.
"You went? So soon?" Bruno was astonished. "Why didn't anyone report the situation to me?"
"Uh... there was a small accident."
Jack secretly glanced at his boss's expression and said in a low voice.
"We followed the plan, successfully blew open the gate, and stormed the prison. Belle Reve's guards crumbled easily, just as expected, but... uh... an unexpectedly tough character showed up."
Bruno's eyes flickered, and he frowned. "Superman again?"
Lately, Intergang's main opponent had been Superman. Nine out of ten major operations were ruined by the big blue guy. But what could they do? They were Metropolis villains, after all.
"Superman... That Lord was right, we have to find a way to deal with this threat, or we'll be unable to make a move," Bruno said in a deep voice. "Clinton had designed an ambush before, successfully luring Superman into our carefully laid trap."
"It would have been a great achievement, but who would've thought Batman would show up out of nowhere. Otherwise, that Boy Scout wouldn't be a threat anymore."
Jack shook his head and said through gritted teeth, "Someone tougher than him. It was that Ultraman."
Bruno Mannheim sucked in a sharp breath.
*Damn,* he thought, *when did we provoke a character like that?*
"That... um... there's one more thing," Jack hesitated, as if finding it hard to speak. "About that Ultraman... although the mission failed, I... I did manage to lead him to the designated location..."
"Oh?"
Bruno's eyes lit up.
Although the opponent was strong, their confidence was rather inflated now that they had the support of Apokolips's technology. If they could set a trap in advance, like they did for Superman, even someone as powerful as that Ultraman might not be unbeatable.
"Very good. If the ambush succeeds, it will be a great accomplishment," Bruno nodded. "Where did you set it up?"
Jack said timidly, "Just outside. He's waiting for you to come out..."
"Huh?"
Bruno's brain froze for a few seconds, unable to process what that meant.
Then he was shocked, slamming the table as he stood up and roared, "You're the one who led Ultraman here!?"
As he spoke, he swiftly drew his gun and pointed it at Jack's head.
Jack had a pained look on his face. "I had no choice, boss. You didn't see him in action..."
"Anyway, just give up, boss. Ultraman is all over the place outside. We've been surrounded by him alone."
Bruno was furious. He had been hiding everywhere, swallowing his pride, and all his efforts were now ruined by a traitor who led the enemy here.
At this thought, rage welled up from his heart, and malice grew in his gut. With a *click*, he flicked off the handgun's safety. "You... you... you..."
As he was seething with anger, a glance from the corner of his eye revealed a certain red-and-silver steel body that had, at some unknown point, spawned in his room, standing there observing impassively.
It was obvious that even if he pulled the trigger, that being could one hundred percent disarm him before the bullet left the chamber.
Bruno's furious expression vanished in an instant, and his tone became as pleasant as a spring breeze.
"You... you... you... honestly. You didn't even give me a heads-up that such an important guest was coming. Tsk, I didn't even have time to prepare a reception. How can I be so neglectful to an honored guest?"
As he spoke, he had already placed the gun on the table, quickly stood up, and moved aside to offer his chair, politely facing Orin Vale. "Please, sit. Please, sit..."
"No need to be so polite. I just have a few questions," Orin Vale said with a wave of his hand.
"You're being too formal," Bruno said with a chuckle and a wave of his hand. "Ask whatever you like. Never mind questions, if you asked me to dig up my mother's grave, I'd immediately arrange for people to do it."
Even Orin Vale couldn't help but do a double take. *Damn, that's harsh.*
*You're the filial son, huh?*
As they say, a great man knows when to bend and when to stand tall. For some people to climb so high and even latch onto the thigh of a cosmic emperor, they really can't get by without some... silver-tongued skills.
As soon as Orin Vale asked, he confessed everything in detail.
The cause was much as Orin Vale had guessed, similar to the developments in the original comics and the Superman animated series. One day, a spatial tunnel (most likely a Boom Tube) suddenly opened in the Intergang Headquarters, and out stepped a gentleman in a suit and leather shoes (presumed to be Desaad in disguise, based on the animated series).
That gentleman was very generous, providing them with incredible weapons for free, giving them the ability to fight against Superman.
But as everyone knows, the things you get for free are often the most expensive. When the other party finally started making demands, they discovered they were already in too deep to get out. The entire Intergang had essentially been reduced to being Apokolips's thugs on Earth.
"Batman? Why would I know where Batman is?" Bruno looked completely baffled.
"Before Batman disappeared, he was investigating Intergang and your alien masters," Orin Vale prompted.
Bruno shook his head repeatedly. "If you think we took care of Batman, you're dead wrong. Just before the Gotham media reported his disappearance, he came looking for me."
"Looking for you?"
"Yeah, in one of my safe houses. Not even many people in the Organization knew where I was; heaven knows how he found it." Bruno huffed. "I was sleeping in my bed in the middle of the night when he suddenly dragged me up and asked me a bunch of questions similar to the ones you just did..."
A thought stirred in Orin Vale's mind.
So, Batman had actually caught the leader of Intergang long ago. But he didn't make a move, likely realizing that Bruno Mannheim was just a puppet.
Acting rashly would only alert the enemy, and it would have no effect on the mastermind behind the scenes—they would just replace the puppet and continue their operations, and the only clue they had would be lost.
"What else did he ask?" Orin Vale asked.
"He also asked about a person... I don't know how he found out, but his knowledge of our organization's internal affairs was astonishing."
"He even knew about 'Steppenwolf'..."
"Wait, what wolf?" Orin Vale interrupted.
"He calls himself 'Steppenwolf'. He seems to be some kind of high-ranking general from that alien race. Our contact said that from now on, we must obey his commands, and he will be in charge of all matters on Earth."
"But we've never met him directly. I don't even know if he's actually a wolf..."
Orin Vale pondered for a moment.
Steppenwolf, the villain from the DCEU Justice League movie. A member of the New Gods, a general of Apokolips. But unlike Desaad, who is a strategist, he is a general.
The matter being handed over from Desaad to Steppenwolf was likely a signal.
A signal that Apokolips was preparing to formally launch a war.
"So, that Steppenwolf," Orin Vale asked, "did he say when he would arrive?"
Bruno Mannheim gave him a strange look.
"In fact, the information I received is that he has already arrived."
(end of chapter)
