The bullet pierced Frank's shoulder, leaving him lying on the ground, pale and clutching his wound. Though the injury was serious, it wasn't life-threatening—at least not yet.
"Good thing you didn't die; otherwise, I'd really be getting slapped in the face," Su Sheng muttered, barely concerned with Frank's injury. After all, that bullet was intended for him. If it had been aimed at him, his copying ability would have activated. His powers didn't just allow infinite duplication and stacking; they also provided a sort of early warning system, making him practically immune to assassination attempts.
At that moment, three figures appeared at the gate.
Leading them was a striking woman in a red dress, her long, dazzling white hair framing an Asian face. Behind her were two men, one carrying a gun and the other holding a large black box that resembled a piano case.
"White Porcelain!" Frank's voice was filled with resentment as he recognized the woman. He quickly turned to Su Sheng, his tone anxious and urgent. "She's with the Chinese Triad, in charge of their drug operations. I just killed one of her men, and now she's here to kill me."
"You promised me—you said if I gave you my daughter, you'd keep me alive," Frank reminded Su Sheng, worry evident in his voice.
Helena, lying on the ground like a dead dog, showed no emotion upon hearing her father's words. White Porcelain, however, let out a disdainful sneer. Then, with a respectful and slightly ingratiating tone, she addressed Su Sheng. "Hello, Mr. Su Sheng. My name is Bai Ci. I'm here to deliver something to you."
"Bring it over," Bai Ci commanded.
The man carrying the box stepped forward and gently opened it, revealing a set of uniforms and equipment—items that Su Sheng recognized from Talia al Ghul.
Su Sheng nodded slightly in approval, and the man closed the box, placed it at Su Sheng's feet, and slowly stepped back.
"Mr. Su Sheng, may I have a word with you?" Bai Ci asked with a smile.
"Sure," Su Sheng replied, returning her smile. But then he glanced at the man with the gun beside her. "But are you sure what you have to say will convince me not to kill your shooter?"
Bai Ci's smile faltered slightly, but she maintained her composure. "I believe so."
"I'll have a chat with her. You can handle the rest yourself, right?" Su Sheng turned to Frank.
Frank nodded absently, his mind racing as he tried to figure out Su Sheng's identity. He had initially thought Su Sheng was just someone with strange superpowers. But now, seeing the notorious White Porcelain of the Triad acting so deferentially, he realized Su Sheng was much more powerful than he'd imagined. Just who was this man? And how strong must he be to command such respect?
Not far from the villa, a black Hummer was parked.
Two men stood guard outside the vehicle as Su Sheng and Bai Ci got inside.
"Let's talk," Su Sheng said with a casual smile.
Bai Ci switched to speaking in Chinese, though her accent was somewhat peculiar, a mix of Mandarin and Hong Kong Cantonese. "In addition to delivering the items, I have another mission: to kill you. The contract is worth 30 million dollars."
Su Sheng nodded indifferently. It was typical of Talia al Ghul to seize any opportunity to eliminate a potential threat.
Bai Ci then turned and pulled out a small box, pushing it toward Su Sheng. He opened it to find stacks of US dollar bills. "Here's the money, and as for the kill... consider it done by me."
"I believe this should be enough to forgive my subordinate's earlier actions?"
Su Sheng looked at Bai Ci with keen interest. "Why did you do this?"
"Because I know who you are and what you did in Gotham. I have no desire to provoke you. In fact, if possible, I'd like to earn your friendship," Bai Ci explained, her tone earnest.
No one in their line of work was foolish. The Triads had a global reach, and it wasn't difficult for them to gather information. Although the official reports of Su Sheng's activities in Gotham were suppressed, the underworld still buzzed with rumors. Bai Ci knew who Bane was and how formidable he had been. Even though she was confident in her own abilities, she wasn't about to provoke a man who had taken down Bane in seconds—not for a mere 30 million dollars.
And this powerful figure was now in Starling City, on her turf.
Su Sheng tapped the box containing the 30 million dollars, then suddenly smiled and pushed it back toward her. "This is the money you skimmed off the top for yourself. I won't ask whether you're afraid of Talia's revenge. Consider what happened earlier settled. Just don't kill Frank for the time being."
"Agreed," Bai Ci replied with a smile. "The Triads are always at your service if you need anything."
Su Sheng smiled back and stepped out of the car, returning to the villa courtyard.
Helena was still lying on the ground, and Frank had managed to sit up, hastily bandaging his wound while making phone calls. Seeing Su Sheng approach with the suitcase in one hand and Helena's hair in the other, Frank lowered the phone. He wanted to ask about the situation but decided against it, watching silently as Su Sheng dragged Helena back into the villa.
In Helena's room, Su Sheng shut the door behind them, then released her and sat down on the bed. He opened the suitcase to reveal its contents: two sets of black uniforms made from the same material as Batman's, along with long coats, trousers, gloves, eye masks, multifunctional belts, a retractable baton, and various rope equipment. Su Sheng carefully inspected everything, ensuring there were no hidden surveillance devices, before getting up to find a bag in the closet to pack it all.
"Come back to life," Su Sheng said softly, looking at Helena. "You're not dead, your secrets are safe, and you now have even more opportunities to gather evidence. You should be happy."
"What's the point? You won't give me a chance to succeed," Helena replied, lifting her head to meet his gaze. "You want me to feel like I'm getting closer and closer to my goal, but you'll always be standing right in front of the door to success—just one step away. I won't dare to die or give up because of that one step, leaving me trapped in despair despite the hope."
"You're so cruel!"
"I don't mind being used, but I won't tolerate being played for a fool. You think I'll lose face?"
…