Chapter 828: The Eternal Presence of Jesus (3) (Patreon)

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After opening Arkham Asylum, Bruce had no choice but to get in his car. He changed into the long-missed Bat suit, once again returning to the dark night of Gotham.

Walking out of Arkham Asylum, he reached the outskirts of the East District. Following the edge, he headed south towards the territory of the Red Hood Gang. This area could be considered the secondary center of the East District, apart from Living Hell and Green Street, an emerging active region.

While the main roads had drained most of the water, there were still puddles in the nearby alleys. Stepping on them would splash water high into the air.

Gotham's roads were not designed to handle the weight of so many heavy trucks. As a result, many places had been severely damaged, and some truck drivers preferred to take shortcuts through the narrow alleys, where the road quality was even worse, and there was more standing water.

The children of the roll, for the time being, had been sent back to their territory without any trouble. Jason had been taken to the hospital, but he might have been discharged by now. Standing on a small alley's wall, Batman's gaze wandered aimlessly. He wanted to see a familiar face, but Jason did not appear before him.

He knew he couldn't just enter the Red Hood Gang's territory, barge into their base, and search for Jason. He wasn't a child anymore, and he didn't belong here. Disrupting the rules here would only bring greater calamity to the children.

Heading further east from the roll, he arrived at Green Street. This was where the East District Gang had originated, and it used to be a wealthy area inhabited by prominent gang families.

But that was a long time ago. Now, all the houses here appeared exceptionally old, and people were scarce. The doormen at the few nightclubs at the end of the street were idle, as they hadn't seen any commendable customers in a long time.

Batman walked along their overhead terrace, following the neon lights, until he reached the vicinity of Living Hell. It was bustling here, and from afar, he could see the iconic building, the entire residential structure that unified the entire Living Hell area.

The entire Living Hell area consisted of a single massive building, interconnected and intertwining like an independent world. Standing beneath the colossal steel structure, Batman could see people moving through various narrow corridors.

He was sure that he saw smiles on the faces of the residents here, but it struck him as absurd. The living conditions here were far from ideal, with less than ten square meters of living space per person and narrow passageways due to structural limitations. In some places, people had to bend over to pass through.

Yet, these people seemed genuinely happy and proud. Batman wondered why.

Perhaps it was because they lived better than anyone else here, and that's where their sense of happiness came from. Batman thought that this was unfair because these people had never known a wider world from birth. They didn't know what real happiness in life should look like, and the happiness derived from comparing themselves to those worse off was false, leaving them with many unfulfilled needs.

However, Batman knew that the first phase of the Living Hell redevelopment project had depleted almost all of Wayne Enterprises' liquid assets at the time. This astonishing building was practically built with his blood.

In theory, after saving so many people and improving their lives, making them feel happy, he should have felt proud. After all, he didn't need to do any of this. Those who died here, who rotted here, had nothing to do with him. And now, he had saved them, but they wouldn't show gratitude, and they might even curse him when they read the newspapers.

Batman's rationality told him that all of this was meaningless. Yet, at this moment, a certain emotion welled up within him, and he suddenly understood a phrase Clark had said to him.

"Because I'm stronger, smarter, and can fly, they treat me like a god. But I really don't like it because being a god isn't just about being strong, smart, and able to fly."

"If a person can save everyone and make them all achieve the happiness they desire, then he can be called a god."

"I can't do that, so I don't want anyone to call me a god."

"Or rather, I'm afraid of that title. If they have such expectations of me, and I can't fulfill them, they will be disappointed, and I will feel ashamed."

Batman didn't know if Clark realized that he actually could save all of humanity when he said these words. But now, as he read these words, he knew that he had that ability.

So why didn't he immediately act on it?

What emotions were rising within him right now?

What thoughts were hindering him from giving Schiller a definitive answer?

Perhaps it was human nature, Batman thought, perhaps it was the most instinctual self-preservation as a person. This emotion told him that he didn't want to lose the luxurious Wayne Manor, the Batcave with all its advanced science and technology equipment, and the Wayne Enterprises that provided him with an endless stream of funds.

Was it worth using all of these to exchange for the small happiness of every person unrelated to him?

While pondering these questions, Batman felt like he was on a pilgrimage through the East District. Some of the negative emotions in his heart were being gradually eroded by the wind and sand, and more radiance was shining through the cracks in his heart.

Continuing south from Living Hell, he was getting close to Gotham Cathedral. In a slum residential area very close to this location, Batman stopped outside. He remembered that he had been here before.

He had followed the trail of his parents' killer to this place, reaching an attic where he had encountered the aged Louis, holding an empty salt shaker with nothing inside.

Batman ascended the same building again, leaping onto the balcony of the attic. When he looked inside through the window, there was no one there anymore, just a mess of clutter.

This wasn't surprising because Louis's physical condition had been deteriorating rapidly at the time. He couldn't have survived in this place for three more years. After his death, it seemed that this place hadn't been rented out again; instead, it had become a storage room.

Downstairs, there was a commotion, as if a drunkard had broken a flower pot, and the homeowner was reprimanding him. Further down, there were children screaming, as if someone accused them of stealing.

Batman left the building, continued along the alley, and made his way towards Gotham Cathedral. However, on a nearby street, he encountered someone he hadn't expected—Constantine.

Today, Constantine appeared much more sober. He held a cigar and was bent over, looking for something. When he saw Batman, he paused and looked him up and down, saying, "You're okay? I was actually planning to visit you at the Manor, but your butler wouldn't let me in."

"What are you looking for?" Batman asked.

"Recently, I moved, but the truck driver who helped me move was really clumsy. He bumped around too much, and my materials for making magic circles disappeared. I'm searching around here..." Constantine replied, hands in his coat pockets, scanning the ground carefully.

"Materials? What are they?" Batman inquired again.

"Well, I'd rather not say. It's best you don't know," Constantine evaded the question, pivoting to change the topic. "What are you doing here? I recall that you were injured before. Why aren't you at the hospital?"

Batman remained silent for a moment, then looked at Constantine and asked, "Do you think I can save Gotham?"

Constantine hesitated, glanced around, and said, "I suppose you can."

"I want the truth," Batman said, straightforward and concise.

Constantine sighed, approached Batman, and put his arm around his shoulder, saying, "Bruce, you don't need to burden yourself with such pressure. Really, this city doesn't need to be saved, and it can't be saved."

"Why?" Batman inquired.

"Just... you see, the people here are actually not doing too bad. Maybe you've seen too little of the world. There are places much worse off than this. London's slums might be even worse. You don't need to worry too much," Constantine replied.

Batman kept his gaze fixed on Constantine, knowing he wasn't telling the whole truth. Constantine felt pressured by his eye contact, and after a while, he let go, rubbed his hands, and shuffled his feet, saying, "Alright, you're always so sharp. If you must know, I can only say this: you can't save this city, not because you're not strong enough, but for some more mysterious reasons."

"I know you don't really believe in fate, but fate is real. Maybe someone can decide the fate of this city, and if they don't like it here, they might treat it like a garbage dump."

"You see, this world is so vast. You don't have to turn every dumpster into a house. Every house needs a dumpster, right?"

Constantine spoke somewhat erratically, sprinkling in some mysticism-related terms. Batman, however, understood. He said, "Gotham is the way it is not just due to human factors, right?"

Constantine sighed deeply and said, "There are some things I can't say too plainly. I have a lot of eyes on me. I can tell you this because you're my friend. Batman, don't waste your efforts."

Batman walked past Constantine, who tried to follow but couldn't catch up. He could only watch Batman's figure disappear at the end of the alley.

Batman's steps quickened, as if he were chasing after something. His footsteps grew heavier but more resolute.

The sound of his boots on the steps was like thunder, and Batman ascended the steps of Gotham Cathedral, entering the spacious sanctuary. However, waiting beneath the statue was not the Father but Schiller.

Batman slowed his pace, gradually walking to the opposite side of Schiller. He noticed the halo above Schiller's head but wasn't surprised. Schiller was flipping through the Bible on the pulpit and praying softly.

Then he asked, "Batman, have you made your choice?"

"I will save this city," Batman took a deep breath and said, "No matter the cost, no matter how much I have to sacrifice, and regardless of whether people remember me, I don't care. Because I am the night."

"I will save this place. No matter who arranged Gotham's predetermined destiny, who arranged my fate, allowing the tragedies that could have been prevented to happen repeatedly, I will make them realize how formidable I am. Because I am vengeance."

"I will ultimately save this city. I will use all the resources available to me, my wisdom and talents, everything I've learned from everyone, to win this war. I will win this war, inevitably, because I am Batman."

As he finished speaking, the moonlight that had been dressing Jesus, who suffered, through the skylight above the church, fell upon him.

Schiller continued his low prayers, "Dear Heavenly Father, I repent for my arrogance, for not having listened to the Gospel, not having witnessed Your miraculous descent, for doubting, for not having faith..."

"Now, You have chosen me, sent Your beloved Son into the world to suffer, to be nailed to the cross, to corrode His skin, strip away His appearance, shed His blood, and have His soul pass away..."

Batman lowered his head because he saw a faint light emanating from his wounds.

Schiller's deep prayers resonated throughout the cathedral. As his words picked up speed, the radiance grew brighter until it became a series of halos behind Batman, illuminating him, and then retreating into his body.

"Whoever believes in You on Earth will follow You in Heaven. We have heard from the Lord that, when He died, He also Resurrected. Through all His suffering, we have come to know that He is... the eternal Lord, Jesus."

After the prayer, Schiller smiled at Batman and said, "He who became man and returned to God... Jesus is eternal."

Batman felt that he hadn't gained any additional strength, but something had changed. Finally, he heard Schiller's murmured words echoing in the church, filled with a heavy sense of killing intent that he had never heard before, "Laughing Bat, come quickly... Jesus will bless you. Amen."

[Read at www.patreon.com/shanefreak, and thanks for the invaluable support!]

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Next Chapter>>Chapter 829: The Charms of Education (Part 1)