The Comprehensive Evolution of American Comics.

Chapter 1096 Barbara Gordon

"Dang! Dang! Dang!"

After a few ancient chimes, it was lunchtime at Gotham High School, and the students could finally enjoy their long break.

After finishing his lunch, Dick took a walk to the courtyard and sat down under a big tree to rest, sorting out the recent trivial matters about the Young Justice League that had been swirling in his mind.

Since the team members confessed last time, Luther and the others have not contacted Connor and his group again. Robin speculates that this is related to the recent emergence of the Reach insectoids.

Since the emergence of the Zerg in the Reach, the Illuminati has seemed to have vanished without a trace, unable to find any further information about them.

The timing of these two events was too coincidental, leaving Dick no choice but to think carefully. He felt that the Illuminati must have some connection with the Reach.

But this doesn't fit their assumptions about the way Luther, a member of the Illuminati, would behave.

Everyone in the Justice League knows that Lex Luthor is a human supremacist. He believes that human potential is no less than that of any other creature, and he looks down on even Superman, who is known as a god among men.

Luther has always wanted to free humanity from the control of aliens, demigods, or gods, even if the latter have no malicious intent.

It was these ideas, coupled with Luthor's own stubborn and inflexible nature, that made him Superman's enemy.

Although Luther is evil, he has indeed made a lot of efforts to benefit mankind; otherwise, LexCorp would not have become the leading super corporation on Earth.

Dick couldn't understand how Luther could cooperate with aliens. Could it be that they were wrong and Luther wasn't actually a member of the Illuminati?

Or perhaps Luther doesn't actually have that much say in the Illuminati. Even if he disagrees with cooperating with aliens, he can't influence the Illuminati's decisions on his own, so he has no choice but to temporarily obey their orders.

If that's the case, then the Illuminati might not be as invincible as they think. Perhaps they can use the fact that the Zerg are in the Reach to turn Luther against them and dismantle the Illuminati from within.

But did that cunning old fox Luther really fall for it?

Dick's little brain was racing, completely oblivious to Barbara quietly approaching him from the side, until he was awakened by the rustling sound of her shoes crunching on the grass.

"Barbara?" Dick raised his hand to shield his eyes from the glaring sunlight.

“I thought busy Dick Grayson had forgotten about me.” Barbara pulled her skirt up and sat down about a hand’s width away from Dick.

"Dick, what's wrong with you lately? I often see you all alone at school."

Dick showed unusual patience with Barbara, his only friend at school, he said with a smile.

"Really? Haven't I always been like this? There's no difference from before."

Barbara shook her head and said, "It's different. You used to be alone, but you would come to see me occasionally. But lately you've been completely by yourself."

Dick was speechless. There had indeed been a lot going on lately, so much so that it had disrupted the balance of his identity that he had always maintained. Without realizing it, he had been taking on too much of Robin's work.

If Dick had always been alone, that would have been fine, but he had a caring friend, Barbara, who immediately seized on his weakness.

This also served as a wake-up call for Dick, and it's never too late to take heed.

"No, that's not true. But Barbara, why haven't I visited you lately? Are you feeling lonely?" It has to be said that Batman might be a good teacher, but Bruce Wayne might not be.

Dick, unsure how to deal with his friend, inadvertently resorted to Bruce's flirtatious tactics, speaking in a very frivolous tone and using very arrogant language.

A frivolous playboy might be a good choice for a one-night stand, but he's definitely not someone you should have a long-term relationship with. Most girls wouldn't get too entangled with such a person to avoid getting into trouble.

Dick regretted it as soon as he said it, but Barbara just frowned, then stood up without saying a word, straightened her skirt, and turned to leave.

Dick wanted to explain, but seeing the other person's expression, he thought it best to wait until the other person calmed down first.

Time flew by and it was time to leave school in the afternoon. Barbara didn't appear in front of Dick again, which made him think that she was avoiding him.

This made Robin feel very guilty, and he planned to visit Barbara in person on a day when Chief Gordon was not around to apologize.

As for why he chose a time when Chief Gordon wasn't home, it was obviously because Dick was afraid Gordon would hear that he had treated Barbara frivolously, and that she would pull out a pistol and shoot him.

Just kidding. Although Chief Gordon certainly wouldn't be that irritable, Dick still isn't planning on dancing in the minefield.

Putting aside Dick's business for the time being, it was already dusk, and he needed to prepare to enter Robin's mode.

As usual, Dick returned to Wayne Manor in his private car, greeted Alfred, and then prepared to go directly into the Batcave and teleport to the Young Justice League's base.

Alfred also implied that young master Dick was becoming more and more like old man Wayne, and that he was no longer going to eat the dinner that the old man had spent time preparing.

This made Dick, whose skin wasn't as thick as the old bat's, laugh awkwardly. He eventually agreed to do other activities after dinner, which satisfied the old butler.

Just as Alfred was about to go to the kitchen to get dinner, he heard the doorbell ring at Wayne Manor. He looked through the security gate and saw an unexpected person.

"Is this Miss Barbara?"

“It is I, Mr. Alfred.”

Barbara was still wearing her Gotham High School uniform, and there was a pink bicycle next to her, so it was clear that she had just finished school and headed straight for Wayne Manor.

However, since Barbara was riding a bicycle, she definitely couldn't catch up with Dick's private car, so she arrived much later than the latter.

"Excuse me for my sudden visit, but I have something to discuss with Dick. May I come in?"

Alfred wanted to say that Master Dick wasn't home and that Barbara should come another day, but the two of them were practically one after the other, so this reason was completely untenable.

Reluctantly, the old butler had no choice but to grant Barbara's request to visit after informing Dick, and opened the gates of Wayne Manor.

Barbara strode confidently into the manor, pushing her bicycle with an air of triumph, a stark contrast to Dick, who was drenched in sweat.

“Hey, Barbara.” Dick waved awkwardly. “I didn’t expect you to come looking for me so soon.”

(End of this chapter)