American comic book: My Father is Superman, am I just an NPC?

Chapter 252 Batman: So this is what his relationship with Superman is like!
Inside the dimly lit bat cave.

The air seemed to solidify into substance.

Various sophisticated electronic devices were interfered with by Ian's uncontrolled speed field.

The computer screen flickered, tiny sparks kept popping out of the circuit board, emitting a crackling sound, and the air was filled with the smell of burning and a heavy, almost suffocating sense of oppression.

Ian, or rather, his cool armored form with three heads and six arms, wearing the [Limited Edition Dharma Form] skin, stood amidst the chaos, radiating light with million-level special effects.

"Make your choice." His three heads, or six eyes, all stared at Bruce Wayne, who was now completely silent, his eye sockets filled with charred blood.

Absolute silence lasted for about... ten seconds.

It's short for an ordinary person, long for a speedster, but for Ian, who is neither an ordinary person nor a speedster, those ten seconds were incredibly boring.

So, while Bruce was frantically brainstorming in his mind, analyzing the weaknesses of the "Ancient Gods," their possible origins, and how to use the environment to escape.

The head in the middle of the "Ancient God" suddenly blinked, and one of its right arms rose up. The Speed ​​Force gathered in its palm, and in an instant, it stole a... selfie stick from the future.

The Speed ​​Force should be applied to everyday life, so that it is no longer something unattainable.

"Crack!"

A crisp click of the shutter pierced the silent Batcave. Ian admired his imposing, three-headed, six-armed form in the filter and nodded in satisfaction. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, one of his heads turned to Bruce and asked in a natural tone, as if visiting a friend.

"Hey Batman, what's your Wi-Fi password? There's no 5G signal at all here." As he spoke, Ian shook his phone.

Unfortunately, Batman is blind and can't see it.

"..."

Bruce Wayne, who was immersed in a life-or-death crisis, the survival of the world, and conspiracy theories about ancient existence, wondered if his recently deaf ears were also causing problems.

Otherwise, how could auditory hallucinations occur?

How did we get to the point about the Wi-Fi password?
Have I missed out on a lot of things along the way?

Consider the occasion! Is this the right time to ask this kind of question?!
A small explosion had just occurred here, destroying most of the equipment. A three-headed, six-armed "ancient god" stood before them, having just been blinded in the explosion!
Is this the kind of place to discuss Wi-Fi passwords?!
"As expected, he's a mentally unstable Ancient God..." Batman mentally diagnosed Ian. He felt that Ian's thinking and logic were completely out of sync with carbon-based life forms—after all, the young Bruce didn't have the composure of the future Bruce, so he would definitely be more easily broken down than the future Bruce.

"Damn it! I didn't even prepare a contingency plan for this!"

Bruce roared inwardly, a chill running from his feet to the top of his head. He had been careless before, thinking that Arkham Asylum represented the limit of human madness. Now it seemed that even in the ranks of the supernatural, such utterly irrational and unpredictable monsters could emerge!
Arkham can't contain something like that!
All of a sudden.

The young Batman begins to feel deeply regretful for his previous "recklessness" and lack of comprehensive thinking, as well as his suspicious nature and persistent feeling of being lacking energy.

At this very moment, Ian himself worsened the patient's condition.

"Stop messing around. By the way, I don't need the password anymore. I have my own technological means. I'm already connected to the Wi-Fi in your upstairs manor."

Ian's middle head was talking to itself.

He was playing with the Y1 phone, which was absolutely nonexistent in this era.

The references and inspiration came from the "Thankful Winning Sect" T1 phone that the previous incarnation of the American Winning Sect publicly sold on the American Internet, but Ian was ultimately much more conscientious than the American Winning Sect.

Although Ian followed the tradition of his predecessors by selling his phone for 998 when the cost was only a few dozen dollars, at least his phone wasn't shipped from the Yiwu region, right?

He has the more efficient workforce of angels.

"Damn!!"

Ian fiddled with his phone for a bit, then his tone suddenly turned annoyed.

"I wasn't even born yet, and my identity information couldn't be used to register on Twitter! I couldn't post updates... cough cough, I mean, to deliver sacred information broadcasts!"

From Ian's perspective, his logic is crystal clear: with such an awesome new form, of course he has to take a selfie to commemorate it; not being able to post it on social media is like wearing fine clothes in the dark.

This is a matter of principle!

At the same time, Ian also absolutely loved the feeling of magic flowing endlessly from the people. For him, there were perfectly legitimate reasons for becoming a "big internet celebrity."

However, the young Bruce was unaware of this reason, as the future Bruce had pondered for a long time before figuring out Ian's characteristics in this regard.

Therefore.

Ian's remarks made Batman feel increasingly that his head was superfluous, his thoughts sinking into a thick quagmire called "Ian's logic."

"?????"

He was completely baffled, unable to understand how Ian's thought process could jump faster than those speedsters. No wonder the Flash often talked incoherently like a madman.

It turns out that the source of the Speed ​​Force is a madman.

"Not yet born..."

Bruce could only subconsciously grasp this clearest keyword and begin frantically speculating about the details of this unknown ancient god, even going so far as to indulge in conspiracy theories.

"Could it be... that those three children weren't unexpected visitors from the future at all, but rather bait deliberately thrown out by this ancient god? Was it to lure me in, to exploit my curiosity about the unknown and my confusion about 'blood ties,' to make me unable to resist using the Speed ​​Force to see the future, thereby opening a gap in the timeline and helping it break free from the eternal prison?" This is what paranoia looks like; Batman had already automatically conjured up an evil scheme in his mind.

“Yes, yes, yes! That’s how it is. I’m always so smart.” Ian nodded all three of his heads at the same time, his tone full of approval that said, “You finally guessed it.” Although he himself didn’t quite understand what Batman was talking about, he figured that going along with what Batman said was the right thing to do.

suddenly.

Ian seemed to realize something.

He turned to look at the three specially designed hibernation pods in the corner.

Sure enough, Jonathan, Jordan, and Damian were locked up inside.

"No wonder I ended up in the Batcave, so they were here too." At this moment, Ian finally understood what Batman had been rambling on about.

As if he had figured out an important clue, he turned his attention back to Batman, rubbing his six hands together at the same time, making a "sizzling" sound of energy friction.

"My mission is almost complete, so hurry up and choose your eyes! Gold eyes, silver eyes, or the Cthulhu-themed big eyes that are currently on limited-time sale?"

"Or if you've got your eyeballs in your eye, just tell me, and I'll go dig them out for you right now." Ian chuckled in his super electronic "Savita" voice.

Seeing this, Batman calmed down somewhat.

“Blindness has robbed me of my sight, but it has made my other senses and intuitions even more acute.” He did not respond to the question about the choice of eyes, but instead tilted his head slightly, “looking” in Ian’s direction with his empty eye sockets, and suddenly spoke, his voice hoarse but with a firmness that seemed to have discerned certain information.

"Tell me, why... there's a hint of panic in your voice, as if you've done something wrong?" Batman's bubbly voice is back!

"????"

Ian's three heads froze simultaneously.

"You misheard me! What could I have done wrong? I haven't done anything yet! It's your own problem! Don't blame everything on me, okay?"

The middle head immediately denied it, his tone a little hurried.

“Heh, just like I said, even though I can’t see your expression right now, it makes my ears and my sense of subtle emotional fluctuations more acute than ever before. You’re urging me on, even… there’s a hint of barely perceptible urgency.” Batman became increasingly certain of his guess.

"Damn Gotham Batman!"

Ian, feeling anxious that his hard-earned bravado might be exposed as mere bluffing and that he was actually clueless about the timeline changes, suddenly became anxious.

"Bruce Wayne, wake up. You're not as important as you think. The tide of time won't be turned back because of the struggle of a blind bat."

His left side immediately responded with a deeper, hoarse voice, attempting to project authority; in this era, he didn't want to reveal his true identity.

An ancient god becomes the son of Superman?

That would mean losing countless generations of seniority for no reason.

Ian's explanation was tinged with a mix of sneer, disdain, contempt, and sarcasm, demonstrating a masterful application of Hollywood's emotional management manual.

however.

He forgot the truth that only the worst actors go to Hollywood.

Batman paused for a moment, then his pale lips curled up slightly, forming an extremely subtle yet confident arc.

"I see……"

He seemed to instantly understand many key points: "My blindness will disrupt the original course of time, causing the future to shift in a direction you don't want to see, right? That's why you're so eager for me to choose new eyes, hoping that I can regain my sight to ensure that... 'history' can run according to the trajectory you know, or rather, you expect."

Bruce's empty gaze precisely "locked" on Ian's direction. Although Ian couldn't see him, the invisible pressure made him feel as if he were being focused by a searchlight.

Seeing Ian fall silent, Batman continued to apply psychological pressure, his tone carrying an air of confident composure: "I can sense that your silence contains evidence that I guessed correctly. It seems I am indeed important to the 'correct' development of the future."

"Then you can't kill me, in fact... you need me to live and to fulfill a certain duty 'perfectly,' and your silence is my punishment..."

He's still analyzing!
but.

Ian isn't the typical villain. That's why Batman couldn't deliver all the verbal sparring.

"Thorn--!"

A loud ripping sound of duct tape being torn interrupted Batman. The next second, Batman felt a tightness in his mouth. A piece of duct tape, which appeared out of nowhere and smelled strongly of machine oil, tightly sealed his mouth. The disadvantage of not having a helmet covering the mouth was now fully demonstrated.

Perhaps it would allow Bruce to project a white image and avoid being mistaken for a black guy when he's trying to appear righteous, but now Ian doesn't even need to remove the shell when he's gagging him.

"Shut up!"

Ian, the one with the middle head, gave a furious critique.

"I'm not saying this because I'm in a hurry! I'm just forbidding you from quoting Daredevil's lines anymore! If you quote more than three lines, it will be considered copyright infringement! We have to be aware of copyright!"

He shouted, arguing illogically.

He completely ignored how many classic lines from other universes he'd plagiarized over the years. It's clear that Ian was genuinely taken aback by Batman's terrifyingly precise, surgical-like analysis. Therefore, to demonstrate that his "super intelligence" was no less than "Batman's intelligence," he...

Ian decides to fight back!

Continue to play the role of "Speedy Ancient God" well!

“I admit, if you used your brain to make roasted pig brains with chopped chili peppers, you could make three more servings than others. But now, it’s my turn to analyze you, Bruce.”

Ian also incorporated his Dr. Hannibal Lecter habits.

It's all to make myself completely evil.

"What are you waiting for?" He leaned down, and three heads simultaneously approached Batman, whose mouth was taped shut and who was tied to a chair. The eyes of the six men flashed with a dangerous light.

After a pause, Ian spoke again in that low, teasing tone into Batman's ear: "Or rather, what are you doing here stalling for time...?"

As he spoke, Ian casually raised one of his right arms.

On the ground, the communicator that Bruce had taken out to make a call, but which was still in use, was pulled into his hand by an invisible force.

"Da~"

Ian skillfully pressed the amplification button with his tongue.

"Uh! Uh-huh!"

Batman stared wide-eyed at his empty sockets.

I heard the communicator.

His body then began to struggle violently, trying to stop it, but Ian only had to think of it, and the Speed ​​Force shot out like a living thing, instantly scavenging the aircraft carrier arresting cable from the Batcave.

God knows why Bruce hoarded this stuff in the Batcave.

However, it wouldn't be surprising to find anything in the Batcave. Ian simply used Batman's items to tie Batman and his chair together into an even more secure "dumpling."

Batman cannot be restrained by ordinary ropes.

"This thing is definitely powerful, but the mold sells to you for five million US dollars a stick. I... I mean, I kindly suggest that you buy it on Pinduoduo for only 30,000 US dollars."

Ian even thoughtfully explained that the app also allows users to invite friends to help cut the price.

"?????"

Batman still can't figure out what's going on. In the midst of the tense atmosphere, it suddenly felt like a commercial break.

"Alright, I've done my part. Don't say I didn't tell you my money-saving secret." Then, Ian cleared his throat, and under the manipulation of the Speed ​​Force, his vocal cords and facial muscles instantly simulated Bruce Wayne's unique voice, a very deep and slightly hoarse voice.

He spoke into the communicator.

"Ah Fu, is Superman here?"

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the communicator.

Then came Alfred's voice, which remained calm but couldn't hide his worry: "Young Master? Your voice... is there phlegm stuck in it? It sounds strange."

He clearly sensed something was wrong.

Fortunately, the insightful butler did not dwell on the issue.

“Superman hasn’t arrived yet. I tried to contact him, but he seems to be busy dealing with the trouble Lex Luthor is causing. I’ve looked into the situation with Luthor.”

"It seems that Luther has... kidnapped Mr. Kent's mother, Ms. Martha."

These words.

It was like dropping a bombshell inside a bat cave!
Although Batman was unable to speak while bound, his body visibly stiffened, clearly indicating that the news had also taken him by surprise. Ian's reaction, however, was many times more intense!
"What did you say?!"

The three heads exclaimed in surprise at the same time, and the "ancient god" aura that had been deliberately maintained vanished instantly, leaving only pure shock and a trace of... panic?
He certainly knew who Mr. Kent's mother was referring to—his grandmother, Martha Kent!

At that moment, countless memories pieced together in Ian's mind! He finally realized which timeline he had arrived in—not the timeline where his father and Batman were already...sleeping together. It was Batman v Superman! Lex Luthor's conspiracy! And that classic line, "Save Martha!"
It was this battle, which erupted due to misunderstandings, conspiracies, and Luther's instigation, that nearly brought the two future world's best partners to their deaths!
All this information flooded Ian's mind. "Whoosh—!"

Without any hesitation, and without even bothering to say another word to Batman, Ian burst into a dazzling gray-white lightning bolt, and instantly transformed into a streak of light, disappearing into the Batcave!
Inside the empty bat cave, only Bruce Wayne remained, tightly bound by the aircraft carrier's arresting cables and his mouth still sealed shut. He was just about to take advantage of the "Ancient God's" sudden departure to concentrate on thinking of a way to escape, such as how to use his tongue to pry open the tape, or how to use a chair leg to rub against a hidden emergency switch.

however.

These thoughts have not yet been put into action.

"Whoosh-!"

The streak of light went and then returned.

Ian's figure suddenly reappeared in front of him, moving so fast it was as if he had never left.

“I almost forgot, the timeline here can’t fluctuate too much.” Ian’s right arm reached out, holding a small, bio-tech-looking container soaking in some kind of nutrient solution. Inside were a pair of lifelike blue eyeballs with neural interfaces.

“These are original items I dug out from some Batmen. They’re original and handmade by me, so it’s normal for them to be a bit more expensive. I’ll deduct the purchase cost from your card myself.” After saying that, without giving Bruce any time to react, Ian’s two left arms stretched out like lightning.

Two soft "plop" sounds followed.

In a way that transcends modern medical understanding, he precisely "inserted" those "original" eyes back into Bruce's already empty eye sockets!

"hiss!!"

Batman inhales the formaldehyde gas from the adhesive tape.

A tingling and slight stinging sensation came over me.

Then came a surge of light! Light! The feeling of regaining my sight was so intense! My vision was even clearer and sharper than before!
"Well!!!"

He groaned, instinctively closing his eyes, then snapping them open again. Ian had vanished once more, as if he had never returned to the room.

"This is truly... the hot-swappable of biological organs..." Although Bruce's mouth was still taped shut and he couldn't speak, his mind was in turmoil.

The worldview has been impacted like never before.

Say something.

Batman isn't afraid of any mysterious beings in the "fantasy," "mystical," or "magical" genres, but it's things like Ian that can overturn the "science" he's most familiar with that truly evoke his fear.

“Kent’s mother is going to be killed, and he’s in a hurry… so much so that he can’t even continue to toying with me…” Batman forced himself to calm down and began to analyze.

Ian had already left, leaving the Dark Knight alone in the dimly lit Batcave, still bound and reborn in the light, his thoughts in turmoil.

soon.

Recalling the information Ian had previously shared about the future, he felt he had deduced Ian's identity, and a hint of horror flashed in his newly acquired eyes.

Those fragmented pieces of information converged in Batman's extraordinary mind, and after he meticulously organized them and used divergent thinking based on the existing information, they were processed.

"So, he's Superman..."

Answer.

It seems as if it's about to be revealed.

"My own younger brother!"

Why must Martha live?

Who says that women in their sixties or seventies can't have children?

Anyway, Batman thinks it's possible.

(End of this chapter)