Miss Justice is not motivated

A sudden, intense pain coursed through my entire body; every cell and nerve was reacting to an unprecedented agony. But what followed was a prolonged period of numbness, a complete loss of sensation, as if my lower body had never been connected to me at all.

When Dick regained consciousness, he realized what he had lost. Even lying in his familiar room, he felt no sense of security, but he also knew that although the ending was somewhat unfortunate, it wasn't too bad.

Superheroes never have a pre-planned retirement. Their fate is either to fight to the death or to be forced to retire from the front lines due to injury... But why in this way? Doesn't this mean they can't even move their backs?

“Dick? You’re awake.” Unlike his hoarse, razor-sharp voice when he was in the bat costume, Bruce’s voice was now calm and magnetic, making it easy to feel good about him just by listening to it. “You were knocked down by that girl who called herself ‘The Comedian,’ but she didn’t kill you as she declared. Instead, she dumped you in front of a shop.”

“This is really bad, but... what exactly is she thinking?” This was Dick’s confusion. Baina was deliberately trying to cripple them.

"Who knows? We'll never be able to figure out what they're thinking." There was something else left unsaid: Bruce had seen Jason. He might very well be involved in this operation.

Just like he had done before, Jason began interfering in Gotham City's gang activities. However, the Joker hasn't reappeared yet; perhaps his duel with Deadshot led to his death.

"Bruce? What are you thinking about?" Seeing his adoptive father deep in thought, Dick couldn't help but tease him. "What? Are you thinking about Ms. Selena? Speaking of which, your relationship is already so close, when are you getting married?"

Bruce shook his head, a slight smile curving his lips, and looked at Dick with a mocking tone: "Do you know? While you were unconscious, Channing, Sean, Barbara, Corianda, Raya, Helena, Sonia, Tarantula... they all came here and almost tore the entire Wayne Manor apart."

Suddenly feeling guilty, Dick, whose face grew darker with each word, fell silent. Everyone has their own difficulties, and he… well, he'd been hooking up with more than one girl.

After clearing his throat and finishing his list of women, Bruce prepared to list the men as well. Seeing this, Dick's face turned pale, and he quickly changed the subject, saying, "Where's Jason? I remember he came to Gotham, didn't I? I haven't seen him."

After a slight hesitation, as Bruce was pondering how to answer, Nightwing noticed something amiss and said with a wry smile, "No need to say anything, I understand. He still cares about you not avenging him, doesn't he?

"Perhaps... this wasn't solely his will." Recalling this incident, it wasn't just Baina and Jason who were involved. Even Deadshot and Deathstroke were involved, the latter's involvement could be explained as being due to being hired.

However, Deadshot's involvement makes no sense. First, his relationship with Baiana is far from friendly. Second, after escaping the Suicide Squad's control, he should have immediately used his pre-prepared savings to leave the United States with his daughter, instead of coming to stir up trouble in Gotham City. Batman wouldn't let his father-daughter relationship prevent him from arresting him.

There's no reason for him to put himself in this predicament. The Death Shooter certainly isn't following Baiana's orders according to his own will, which means...

Although she was preoccupied with the thoughts of the great Dark Knight, Beaune showed no signs of calm. Upon returning from Metropolis, she immediately began investigating the staff at Arkham Asylum, preparing for her next move.

In the bleak autumn rain, Edward, lying on his sickbed, let out a muffled groan of pain. His right wrist, severed by Beaune, always ached terribly on stormy days like this, as if a bucket of boiling water had been poured into a delicate machine.

Rolling around in bed, Edward, trembling and covered in sweat from the pain, reached out his still-intact left hand and retrieved his bankbook from under the mattress, then carefully opened it.

He was once a proud police officer in Gotham City, but was framed and dismissed from the force for refusing to cooperate with his superiors' lax enforcement of regulations against gangs. However, Edward was not discouraged by this; he encouraged himself to pick himself up and eventually became a security guard at Arkham Asylum, where he dedicated his life to the institution.

Indeed, the security personnel at Arkham Asylum enjoy excellent salaries and, aside from their days off, few incidents occur, making them virtually flawless. However… this is because the security personnel often cannot work long hours; they are frequently forced to leave early for various reasons.

Just like Edward now, having lost an arm and confined to his bed, he has no choice but to spend the salary he has painstakingly saved up, beginning another desperate chapter in his life.

Everything... shouldn't have been so bad. If... if... Edward couldn't help but smile bitterly, and the bankbook fell from his hand to the ground.

Well, there are no "what ifs." Salty tears streamed down Edward's face as he began to ponder what kind of work would suit a person without a right hand.

No matter how bad life gets, there's no escaping it; it's something you still have to face.

"Wait? This is the right place, isn't it? What? You said knock? First, you need to understand one thing... We are wanted criminals! Do wanted criminals have any reason to knock on doors?!" Just as Edward was pondering how to live his future, a voice that sent chills down his spine rang out, and his most honest body trembled involuntarily.

"Get out of the way, let the professionals handle this!" Immediately after these words, a strange piece of music suddenly rang out. The music was very strange, sounding like rock but not quite, powerful and forceful, but for some reason, Edward broke out in a cold sweat, goosebumps rose all over his body, and a chill ran down his spine, almost making this tough man tremble.

"Long time no see, Edward! I've come to keep my promise!" The door to the room was kicked open roughly, and the first to enter was a gray-haired girl carrying a metal briefcase. Bai Aina, walking ahead, greeted Edward casually, her overly familiar attitude rather annoying. "Anyway, it's time for some minor surgery."

Before Edward could jump out of bed and escape through the window, two burly men behind Baina leaped out and pinned him to the bed.

"Stop! What do you want to do! Let me go! Don't come any closer! What do you want to do to me!"

"Good! That's it! Don't let him stop!" Amidst the other party's wails, Bai Aina couldn't help but chuckle strangely as she opened the alloy briefcase, compared the mechanical arm provided by Luther with Edward's arm, and her expression turned strange.

The quality of the robotic arm provided by Luther goes without saying, and its size is also a perfect match. However... there is a very big problem.

That means the arm Luther provided was a replacement starting at the elbow, while Beaune had only severed Edward's wrist. Therefore…

Without hesitation, he delivered a swift chop, and crimson blood splattered directly onto the faces of Deathshooter and Jason, causing them to frown.

Overwhelmed by excruciating pain, Edward immediately lost consciousness. Before Baina could even take out the anesthetic, she fired a tranquilizer dart directly at him.

"Wait a minute, teacher! He's already passed out from the pain. It's no use giving him anesthesia now." He couldn't help but complain, and Ichijo had no choice but to start preparing the surgical instruments.

"That seems true. By the way, Jason, Slade, which of you two can perform surgery?"

"Don't count on me. Although I know a lot about human anatomy, it's for killing people."

"I know some first aid, but don't expect me to help with this kind of surgery."

"Then there's no other way. Let me find a book, learn by reading, and practice at the same time."

"Are you sure there's no problem? Putting aside your brutal amputation method, you didn't even stop the bleeding. Could he have bled to death?"

Edward, who had already woken up, fainted again after being provoked by these words.

Chapter Thirty-Six: Questioning

Gunshots rang out one after another in the otherwise peaceful street. Shops on both sides slammed their doors shut, fearing the ensuing shootout would affect them. Even in the falling rain, the pungent smell of gunpowder and the smoke of gunpowder were impossible to ignore.

After the brief clash between the emerging gang and the established Black Mask gang, the Gotham City police finally arrived, albeit belatedly. Unlike these slow-moving police officers, Batman, having already gathered his information, left looking rather grim.

Sitting in her room reading magazines to pass the time, Bai Aina hadn't expected everything to go so smoothly. Several days had passed since she reattached Edward's arm. She had also been in this world for about half a month. She had originally thought she would have to spend time dealing with the scumbag Tsubasa's girlfriend army, and she had even mentally prepared herself to be beaten and forced to flee.

No one showed up at all, and she didn't know if it was because of Batman... If so, Baina really had to thank him. Although she was now a perfect being, to deal with the stage magician of the Dark Justice League or the daughter of the Devil Trigon... it would be faster to kneel down and beg for mercy; she didn't have a penchant for being tortured.

Anyway, these superheroes won't kill anyone. As long as I sincerely apologize and confess, they will surely have the mercy to forgive me... I guess so.

In short, everything began to proceed as Baina had planned. The previous actions were merely to establish her reputation as the 'Comedian'. The newly formed One Color Gang was the real main event. Although she was the nominal leader, Jason was the actual person in charge. This man, who had also established a gang in Gotham City, was undoubtedly very suitable for this operation.

Although it didn't last long, the One Color Gang quickly attracted a group of people to join thanks to the names of the Comedian and Red Hood.

With the protection of two major mercenaries, Death Shooter and Deathstroke, the Dusty Gang wiped out all the gangs that could be considered tough opponents. After absorbing the remaining members and territories, the Dusty Gang rapidly expanded in size.

"Ugh... how boring. I wish I hadn't chosen this strategy." Putting down the magazine, Bai Aina snorted softly as she tried clenching her fist. Because of her deal with Luther, the Mirakuru serum and magical essence she received from him had allowed her to grow even further.

Mirakuru serum has similar effects to the Super Soldier serum from the neighboring M company, and it is said to have brain-developing effects... Unfortunately, unlike a certain blue pill, Baina did not feel that she had awakened superpowers or become a quantum life form. Instead, she thought this stuff tasted pretty good and felt a little addictive, reminding her of Vita Lemon Tea.

The effects of the Miracle Essence are even more pronounced. This stuff can grant a person an hour of super strength, stamina, speed, as well as resistance to attack, night vision, and underwater survival ability... Well, the last two abilities are not very meaningful to Bai Aina. Even simply imitating animal organs could give her such abilities.

"Ah... let's leave it at that." This room was the new base. Bai Aina looked around and noticed that Yi Tiao wasn't in the room, so she asked Jason, "Two-Tong, have you been keeping an eye on Batman's movements lately?"

"I don't know, I'm very busy right now. Don't ask me." Jason replied impatiently, overwhelmed with work. He was handling everything for the Unique Gang all by himself, while Baina was completely absent. "If you need help, go ask Slade for assistance."

If it weren't for the control of the flesh buds, Jason would have already pulled out his gun and riddled Baina with bullets. His hard-earned savings were being squandered so recklessly; every day Deathstroke spends here is using his savings!

“Then I’ll leave it to you, Slade.” Beaune beckoned to the mercenary standing in the corner and gave him her instructions. He was indeed the best choice; anyone else would have been caught if discovered, but Deathstroke might not be.

Having received his orders, Deathstroke didn't hesitate, opening the door and leaving. Watching his departing figure, Baina couldn't help but let out a soft snort.

Unlike Deadshot or Jason, Deathstroke is truly motivated by money. He remains constantly wary of Beaune, giving her absolutely no opportunity to take advantage… though, of course, forcing her into it isn't impossible.

But that's fine, since it's not her own money. Just as Baina decided to get up and find something to eat, Jason suddenly stood up, turned around, and walked towards the door.

"Wait, where are you going? Have you finished taking care of everything?"

"Of course it's all done. Can't you let me find a place to rest for a while?"

After leaving the room, Jason stretched his neck and headed towards the lounge. Although it was a temporary base, it had little to do with the Lone Wolf gang; he was in charge of the entire gang.

Upon arriving at the refrigerator in the lounge, Jason took out two bottles of chilled beer, sat down at the table, and poured himself a glass after prying open the bottle caps with his thumb.

"Sigh..." Jason sighed as he finished his drink in one gulp. This mission to Gotham had been a complete disaster. Although he had confirmed the Joker's death, and even identified his body... he felt no joy whatsoever.

The expected sense of satisfaction did not materialize; instead, a strange and unsettling emptiness arose, leaving Jason with no choice but to drown his sorrows in alcohol.

What was the reason? Was it because he didn't kill the clown? Or did he simply not care about the clown's death? Actually, the answer was already in his heart. More than killing that beast who destroyed his life, he cared about his father's opinion of him.

"Huh? Mr. Jason?" A surprised voice rang out. A girl with short blue hair stood at the door, looking at Jason, who was drinking, with great surprise.

"Hmm? It's you." Jason glanced up slightly at Yi Tiao and nodded. An impulse suddenly welled up inside him, prompting him to speak. "How about it? Come sit down and have a drink together?"

"Huh? Um... I understand." Although somewhat surprised, Yi Tiao still walked over. Jason also got up, took an unopened bottle of milk from the refrigerator, and took out some biscuits from the cupboard, opened them, and placed them in front of her.

"Um, thank you." She thanked Jason very politely, feeling a little awkward. Although they had been together for half a month, she didn't usually talk to others like that. Especially Deadshot and Deathstroke; seeing those two always stirred a feeling of urges within her.

"You must have only recently met Bai Aina, right?" Jason pushed the wine glass and bottle aside, watching Yi Tiao's expression out of the corner of his eye.

"Hmm? Indeed." Nodding, Yi Tiao didn't deny it, but she didn't know what Jason meant by asking that question.

“I haven’t investigated your past, so I don’t know what you’ve been through or why you chose this path.” Jason’s face broke into a rare smile, his expression calm and gentle, as if he were both mocking and questioning himself. “So, I’d like to know if you… now… reject what I and Baina have done.”

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Seeking Advantage and Avoiding Harm

Her already somewhat unnatural expression stiffened instantly. Faced with Jason's blunt and direct questioning, she seemed to be pondering how to answer.

“Actually, it’s okay if you don’t give an answer. Both I and she can sense your blatant abnormality.” Jason shook his head and continued, looking at the one who didn’t answer immediately.

"No...no, it's not rejection. I just...didn't expect it to be like this." She stammered her answer, her expression somewhat silent, but as if to convince herself, she straightened her back.

“You know what? When I was in Tibet, I interacted with the local people. Through them, I came into contact with Chinese culture, and there I heard a very interesting word.”

"Um... excuse me... this is..."

"This term is called 'seeking advantage and avoiding harm,' which means to gravitate towards the advantageous side and avoid the harmful side. This is also part of human nature, and it will more or less manifest in our unconscious behavior, even without our own awareness."

Jason paused at this point. He noticed that the man in front of him had lowered his head, his face obscured by shadows, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking.

“You don’t think you’re rejecting it, but everyone can see it. You’re hesitant, you’re confused, you’re wondering if this approach aligns with your understanding of ‘justice.’ Obviously, the answer is very clear.”

"Although you have accepted this approach to some extent for various reasons, it is ultimately not due to your own will. Subconscious resistance has caused obvious flaws in your behavior; you... are rejecting these things."

"No...no...I..." Yi Tiao bit her lower lip tightly, and under the interference of external forces, her thoughts fell into abnormal chaos.

On the one hand, she needed to obey the orders given by Baina, but on the other hand, she questioned everything and the 'correctness' of this approach.

"You are questioning whether this approach is correct because you believe that your ideal of 'justice' has an inviolable sanctity. This neutrality that blurs the lines between good and evil is unacceptable to you, so you are rejecting this approach."

"It is human nature to seek advantage and avoid harm. You have decided that this is a way that is detrimental to you. This advantage may not be a material one, but a more direct one, which is... you believe that this approach is not the 'justice' you imagine, and you are not satisfied by it."

"No! I didn't choose to do this because of my own selfish desires. I...I hope..."

“This isn’t a compromise, Ichijo.” It was rare for Jason to address Ichijo by name. This surprised her greatly, and she uttered her most direct and blunt question. “So, what would you think if I told you that even I think this approach is wrong?”

“I…” He instinctively wanted to say something, but then fell silent, finally whispering, “Please speak, Mr. Jason.”

"If this level of compromise can help more people, I don't mind making such a compromise. Rather than maintaining the sanctity of so-called 'justice,' I prefer to believe that genuinely helping others will yield better results."

“Personally, I don’t particularly support this approach. I may feel aversion to it during the process, but if it helps the people of this city, I’m willing to endure it, even if it goes against my previous beliefs and ideas… If it helps others, I don’t mind making such a compromise.”

Of course, if it were that girl, Baina, she probably wouldn't feel any discomfort or awkwardness. Given her wicked personality, she might even feel secretly pleased. Just thinking about her probably hiding in her room laughing to herself gave Jason a headache.

"Excuse me... I'd like to go for a walk." She stood up, downed the milk on the table in one gulp, and then set the glass down. "Thank you."

Jason nodded slightly, watching Yi Tiao leave without saying anything more. Just as he was about to take out a beer to continue drowning his sorrows, Bai Aina, who had appeared out of nowhere, sat opposite him, her smile undisguised.

"You know what? Your smile is so irritating, it makes me want to punch you in the nose and give you a negative impact." Jason's fingers gripped the beer bottle tightly, the glass making a cracking sound, and a bright red crack appeared on it.

"Don't say that, I think we get along pretty well." She said this with a grin, completely oblivious to the fact that she was disliked. "To be honest, what you just said was quite right, although it's not really to my liking."