In the virtual world, at the heart of the Gotham City district.
The scene of a chaotic street bank crime unfolded, illuminated by flames, with smoke billowing, everything appearing as if it were a realistic enactment of a storyline.
AI civilians scattered in terror, armed criminal gangs ran rampant, and helpless police officers groaned in pools of blood. Players, unsure and alarmed, watched from a safe distance. Even the neon lights on the roadside dimmed slightly at this moment, casting a murky shadow.
"The Bat... Signal?"
Atop the bell tower of a Western-style building, a Cat lay on Caesar's shoulder, gazing up at the strange beacon in the night sky, murmuring to herself in confusion.
All the people in the city, at this moment, were also looking up at the night sky symbol. Although the animal symbolized the dark lifeforms of the night, it inexplicably served to soothe the panic of the civilians and deter criminal elements effectively.
"Damn it! He's coming, hurry up and drive, get us out of here!"
The masked crime boss, seeing this, growled fiercely with a hint of fear and dread in his eyes, waving his arms and signaling his accomplices to get back into the modified van.
At the same time, players within a kilometer radius of the area received a simultaneous branch Mission message:
"Option One: Trigger temporary Mission [Stop the Terrorists from Escaping]
As a good citizen of Gotham City, you should stop all unjust evil forces, even if it means risking your life at any moment!
Mission Requirements: Stop the terrorists from escaping by your own strength and delay them as much as possible!
Mission Reward: Justice Citizen Badge, Batman favorability +10."
"Option Two: Trigger temporary Mission [Help the Terrorists Escape]
Abandon justice and personal principles, cross the bottom line of law and ethical morals, and become a member of darkness obedient to inner desires!
Mission Requirements: Help the terrorists escape with your own strength and let them go free!
Mission Reward: Gain recognition from the forces of evil, Batman favorability -10."
The Cat stared dumbfoundedly at the system popup, then glanced at Caesar, "Your Mission... is deliberate, isn't it?"
"With justice, naturally comes evil. Gotham City is inherently a place of extreme dichotomy and distinct tendencies towards extremes," Caesar said with a happy smile, looking down at the players below and whispering, "So, choose. Things that people dare not do in reality will be infinitely magnified in this virtual space, tempting them to follow the path they yearn for in their hearts."
The players below hesitated, and after three seconds, none of them chose to accept the Mission.
Seeing this scene, the Cat relaxed a little and squinted at Caesar, "That's good. Human nature tends to be more gray and neutral, meaning they tend to stand by and do nothing about things that don't concern them."
Caesar smiled and said nonchalantly, "I already guessed that. It's just because the players have just arrived in Gotham City. Once they become familiar with the environment here and acquire a certain amount of armament, they will sooner or later make a choice between justice and evil."
"Will this choice indirectly affect reality? What will you do to players who invest in the forces of evil— real-world monitoring, scrutiny?" The Cat asked nervously as she looked at Caesar.
Caesar smiled but remained silent. In the virtual world, people tend to lean towards their inner choices.
*Bam!*
With no players stepping forward to delay the time, the criminal gang drove the modified van filled with cash, crashing through the wreckage of police cars blocking the road, and was about to accelerate away at the corner of the intersection.
But just as the three modified vans reached the corner, a black afterimage suddenly swept past the side lane, and blue flames sprayed from the exhaust pipes behind, as the massive low-profile four-wheel-drive tires rubbed against the road at high speed, sparking flames. A beautifully executed drift stopped in the middle of the road, forcing the criminals' vehicles to brake abruptly.
"What the hell is that?"
The players at the scene were all collectively stunned. The vehicle blocking the criminals was clearly an oddly shaped Batmobile!
Compared to the usual luxurious and expensive sports cars, the car in front of them was more about ruggedness, toughness, domineering, and heavyweight, with heavy-duty four-wheel-drive wheels and the entire body covered in bulletproof steel plates, all in a cold, dark color. The appearance of the whole car resembled a nocturnal bat, with an immensely striking visual impact.
"It's Batman, step on it and breakthrough!"
The terrorist leader shouted loudly, grabbing the steering wheel from his henchman in the passenger seat, slamming the accelerator, and directing the modified van fiercely towards the Batmobile ahead.
The Batmobile refused to back down, its engine roaring as it charged head-on toward the opposing van—
*Bam!*
The two vehicles violently collided with each other.
Despite the modified van's large size, being struck by the low-profile Batmobile caused its front end to collapse and shatter. It was like a giant being knocked down by a dwarf, with the wheels still spinning at high speed as the vehicle rolled over on the road, both vehicle and occupants tumbling 360 degrees.
The van's doors and windows were damaged, and a large amount of cash spilled out, creating a cascade of bills raining down at the intersection.
The Batmobile came to a stop unscathed on the road, and the door opened, revealing a mysterious man wearing a black Batman uniform stepping out.
He was tall and muscular, his uniform barely concealing his perfectly toned physique. Draped over his shoulders was a black cape that reached his calves, and he wore a bat mask and earpiece helmet, with only a slightly stubbled chin visible, his eyes blinking with white light through some kind of device.
"It's Batman!"
Many AI civilians exclaimed in shock, while the remaining criminals in the two other vehicles paled at the sight of the man blocking their path.
"Keep attacking!"
"Retreat immediately!"
The vehicle with the criminal leader had already been incapacitated, and the remaining gang immediately diverged in different opinions. Some criminals from one van disembarked with weapons, preparing to confront Batman, while the van behind started to reverse, attempting to retreat.
Batman suddenly moved, swiftly sprinting ten meters ahead. Although the criminals who got out of the car had started shooting, all the bullets landed behind and around him.
As he approached, Batman used both his hands and feet, demonstrating his exceptional combat skills. In just a few seconds, all the criminals, despite their advantage in firearms and numbers, were cleanly defeated, with not a single one able to last more than a few rounds against him, a top-tier human combatant.
After dealing with the criminals who disembarked, Batman coldly looked up at the criminal vehicle that had already fled a hundred meters away. Suddenly, he raised his hand and fired a steel grappling hook, hooking onto a building wall in the distance. The cable pulled him upwards, soaring into the sky.
In the air, Batman spread his arms, his cape seemingly transforming into bat wings, allowing him to swiftly pursue the remaining criminal gang's vehicle.
Witnessing this dramatic turn of events, not only the AI civilians but also the players were stunned, gazing in awe as Batman disappeared into the distance.
Throughout the process of combating crime, Batman remained silent, but his actions and methods were straightforward and decisive, like a Dark Knight born purely for justice.
(End of Chapter)
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