Reading settings
Chapter 304: The Adorable Little Reporter
This sounded rather eerie.
Because as everyone knows, Batman is the life Bruce chose, a part of him that he could never forget or abandon no matter what.
If he really forgot about Batman, then something big was probably about to happen.
"Actually, I should have realized something was wrong the day before. He came back that day with a good appetite, saying he wanted to eat my pancakes. Later that night, he listened to some music and went to bed early—do you have any idea how abnormal that is? It's never happened since he returned from his travels around the world!"
Kara thought for a moment and said, "Maybe he was just tired and wanted to give himself a day off?"
Orin Vale glanced at her but didn't say anything.
Kara quickly nodded. "That's true. What nonsense am I talking?"
"That night, I saw the Bat-Signal. I casually asked the Young Master if he was getting ready to change into his suit and go out. But he asked me back... 'What suit?'"
"Hmm... that is a bit suspicious," Orin Vale mused.
"That was just the beginning. Similar signs have become more frequent these past two days," Alfred said. "Two full days have passed, and he hasn't gone down to the Batcave even once. I found it strange and tried to test him a few times, but all the results were the same without exception—he's forgotten, completely forgotten. He doesn't remember there's a Batcave under the Manor, doesn't remember anything related to Batman..."
Orin Vale thought for a moment and said, "But that's exactly what you wanted, isn't it? You always hoped he would leave Batman behind and live out his life peacefully?"
Alfred was at a loss for words.
After a moment of silence, he let out a soft sigh.
"I do, of course I do. I've dreamed of him being able to let it go. That's why I've waited until today to talk to anyone about this, because seeing him like this now, watching him go to work, enjoy himself, and love like a normal person... it's as if I'm seeing a scene from my dreams, as if this is how things were always meant to be."
"But I just can't help but... worry, do you understand? Batman has faced too many things we can't comprehend, too many enemies. I don't know if this is a blessing or a curse, and I'm even more uncertain about what will happen next..."
"I understand," Orin Vale nodded. "Don't worry, Alfred. We'll figure it out."
The call ended.
"So, are we going to Gotham to check it out now?" Kara was eager to go. "You and me, together?"
Orin Vale said, "You make it sound like we're a team."
"We can be a team," Kara pouted. "You never take me with you anywhere, but I can actually be a great help. I'm really powerful now. My abilities have..."
She stopped abruptly as she was speaking, her expression changing slightly.
"Wait, I hear something, a cry for help... Metropolis!"
She turned her head towards Metropolis, her Super Vision activating as her gaze penetrated the atmosphere to focus on the source of the sound.
A bridge was collapsing.
It seemed that even when not facing giant monsters or alien spaceships, the disaster-prone Metropolis could never escape its bad luck. Perhaps it had been damaged during a previous alien invasion, as a massive overpass was now collapsing.
"The bridge is about to fall. But it's fine, Kal should... Kal?!"
Kara's vision locked onto the Daily Planet's office.
Great, it seemed Kal had also noticed the bridge. He was standing by a window at the Daily Planet, eyes wide as he and his colleagues stared in the direction of the dusty bridge.
The people of Metropolis were lucky. Despite the constant disasters, they had Superman, one of the most powerful beings on Earth. He would never stand by and watch when people needed help.
Sure enough, he made a move!
Upon seeing this, the most powerful being adjusted his glasses, quickly fumbled in his pocket, pulled out a cross, then closed his eyes and began to pray for God's blessing.
Kara: "???"
Kal, what are you doing, Kal?
Isn't this the part where you're supposed to rip open your shirt, reveal the 'S' emblem, find a telephone booth or something, and fly out?
There was no time. Kara made a split-second decision and shot out like a gust of wind with a *swoosh*. She had already broken the speed of sound as she flew out of the warship, diving straight towards Metropolis at full power, sweeping through its streets like a storm.
In the nick of time, she caught the first car just a moment before it slid off the tilting bridge.
The Driver was screaming for his life in the driver's seat. Kara grabbed the back of the car, placed it on the Ground, and let out a long breath, muttering to herself, "It's okay, I got it, I got it..."
What followed were several round trips at supersonic speed, as she caught nearly every person and every car falling from the bridge—the all-purpose Kryptonian bio-force field ensured that no one was harmed by the secondary impact.
Finally, she even used her Super Speed to repair the entire bridge. The whole process took only what seemed like two minutes to a normal person. After she was done, many spots were still hot, and the traces of Heat Vision welding were faintly visible...
But it was now even sturdier than before.
People began to clap and cheer. Someone started shouting Supergirl's name, and the thunderous applause made the young woman a little embarrassed.
However, when she saw Orin Vale floating in the air nearby, waiting for her, she immediately remembered there was something more important to do.
"Ah, sorry for the wait," she hurriedly flew to Orin Vale's side. "We need to go check on Kal. Something's not right with him either."
"Yeah, I noticed." Orin Vale had also already scanned the little reporter Clark inside the Daily Planet with his Super Vision.
Definitely not right.
A minute later, Clark Kent was with them on an empty rooftop.
"Ultraman and Supergirl!"
The little reporter was so shocked his glasses nearly fell off his nose.
"You... you're here for me to interview you? Oh my God, I must be... This has to be a dream."
As he spoke, he slapped himself with a *thwack*, then muttered.
"It's really not a dream..."
Orin Vale and Kara exchanged a glance, seeing the strange look in each other's eyes.
"Uh... Kal? Are you okay?"
Clark looked left and right. "Kal? Who's Kal?"
"You, of course! You're starting to scare me," Kara leaned in close, placing her hands on his shoulders and speaking earnestly. "Kal-El, son of Krypton, my cousin, and also... Superman..."
"Whoa, whoa, hold on, ma'am. This is a little too close for comfort."
As Kara leaned in, Clark actually blushed a little, backing away like a shy boy from a small Town.
Then he suddenly froze, as if only now sluggishly processing what she had just said.
"Wait, did you just mention... Superman?!"
His glasses slid down his nose again, his face a mask of shock and excitement.
"Oh my God, I'm his biggest fan. Where, where? Is he here too?"
Orin Vale: "..."
Kara: "..."
(end of chapter)
This sounded rather eerie.
Because as everyone knows, Batman is the life Bruce chose, a part of him that he could never forget or abandon no matter what.
If he really forgot about Batman, then something big was probably about to happen.
"Actually, I should have realized something was wrong the day before. He came back that day with a good appetite, saying he wanted to eat my pancakes. Later that night, he listened to some music and went to bed early—do you have any idea how abnormal that is? It's never happened since he returned from his travels around the world!"
Kara thought for a moment and said, "Maybe he was just tired and wanted to give himself a day off?"
Orin Vale glanced at her but didn't say anything.
Kara quickly nodded. "That's true. What nonsense am I talking?"
"That night, I saw the Bat-Signal. I casually asked the Young Master if he was getting ready to change into his suit and go out. But he asked me back... 'What suit?'"
"Hmm... that is a bit suspicious," Orin Vale mused.
"That was just the beginning. Similar signs have become more frequent these past two days," Alfred said. "Two full days have passed, and he hasn't gone down to the Batcave even once. I found it strange and tried to test him a few times, but all the results were the same without exception—he's forgotten, completely forgotten. He doesn't remember there's a Batcave under the Manor, doesn't remember anything related to Batman..."
Orin Vale thought for a moment and said, "But that's exactly what you wanted, isn't it? You always hoped he would leave Batman behind and live out his life peacefully?"
Alfred was at a loss for words.
After a moment of silence, he let out a soft sigh.
"I do, of course I do. I've dreamed of him being able to let it go. That's why I've waited until today to talk to anyone about this, because seeing him like this now, watching him go to work, enjoy himself, and love like a normal person... it's as if I'm seeing a scene from my dreams, as if this is how things were always meant to be."
"But I just can't help but... worry, do you understand? Batman has faced too many things we can't comprehend, too many enemies. I don't know if this is a blessing or a curse, and I'm even more uncertain about what will happen next..."
"I understand," Orin Vale nodded. "Don't worry, Alfred. We'll figure it out."
The call ended.
"So, are we going to Gotham to check it out now?" Kara was eager to go. "You and me, together?"
Orin Vale said, "You make it sound like we're a team."
"We can be a team," Kara pouted. "You never take me with you anywhere, but I can actually be a great help. I'm really powerful now. My abilities have..."
She stopped abruptly as she was speaking, her expression changing slightly.
"Wait, I hear something, a cry for help... Metropolis!"
She turned her head towards Metropolis, her Super Vision activating as her gaze penetrated the atmosphere to focus on the source of the sound.
A bridge was collapsing.
It seemed that even when not facing giant monsters or alien spaceships, the disaster-prone Metropolis could never escape its bad luck. Perhaps it had been damaged during a previous alien invasion, as a massive overpass was now collapsing.
"The bridge is about to fall. But it's fine, Kal should... Kal?!"
Kara's vision locked onto the Daily Planet's office.
Great, it seemed Kal had also noticed the bridge. He was standing by a window at the Daily Planet, eyes wide as he and his colleagues stared in the direction of the dusty bridge.
The people of Metropolis were lucky. Despite the constant disasters, they had Superman, one of the most powerful beings on Earth. He would never stand by and watch when people needed help.
Sure enough, he made a move!
Upon seeing this, the most powerful being adjusted his glasses, quickly fumbled in his pocket, pulled out a cross, then closed his eyes and began to pray for God's blessing.
Kara: "???"
Kal, what are you doing, Kal?
Isn't this the part where you're supposed to rip open your shirt, reveal the 'S' emblem, find a telephone booth or something, and fly out?
There was no time. Kara made a split-second decision and shot out like a gust of wind with a *swoosh*. She had already broken the speed of sound as she flew out of the warship, diving straight towards Metropolis at full power, sweeping through its streets like a storm.
In the nick of time, she caught the first car just a moment before it slid off the tilting bridge.
The Driver was screaming for his life in the driver's seat. Kara grabbed the back of the car, placed it on the Ground, and let out a long breath, muttering to herself, "It's okay, I got it, I got it..."
What followed were several round trips at supersonic speed, as she caught nearly every person and every car falling from the bridge—the all-purpose Kryptonian bio-force field ensured that no one was harmed by the secondary impact.
Finally, she even used her Super Speed to repair the entire bridge. The whole process took only what seemed like two minutes to a normal person. After she was done, many spots were still hot, and the traces of Heat Vision welding were faintly visible...
But it was now even sturdier than before.
People began to clap and cheer. Someone started shouting Supergirl's name, and the thunderous applause made the young woman a little embarrassed.
However, when she saw Orin Vale floating in the air nearby, waiting for her, she immediately remembered there was something more important to do.
"Ah, sorry for the wait," she hurriedly flew to Orin Vale's side. "We need to go check on Kal. Something's not right with him either."
"Yeah, I noticed." Orin Vale had also already scanned the little reporter Clark inside the Daily Planet with his Super Vision.
Definitely not right.
A minute later, Clark Kent was with them on an empty rooftop.
"Ultraman and Supergirl!"
The little reporter was so shocked his glasses nearly fell off his nose.
"You... you're here for me to interview you? Oh my God, I must be... This has to be a dream."
As he spoke, he slapped himself with a *thwack*, then muttered.
"It's really not a dream..."
Orin Vale and Kara exchanged a glance, seeing the strange look in each other's eyes.
"Uh... Kal? Are you okay?"
Clark looked left and right. "Kal? Who's Kal?"
"You, of course! You're starting to scare me," Kara leaned in close, placing her hands on his shoulders and speaking earnestly. "Kal-El, son of Krypton, my cousin, and also... Superman..."
"Whoa, whoa, hold on, ma'am. This is a little too close for comfort."
As Kara leaned in, Clark actually blushed a little, backing away like a shy boy from a small Town.
Then he suddenly froze, as if only now sluggishly processing what she had just said.
"Wait, did you just mention... Superman?!"
His glasses slid down his nose again, his face a mask of shock and excitement.
"Oh my God, I'm his biggest fan. Where, where? Is he here too?"
Orin Vale: "..."
Kara: "..."
(end of chapter)
