EBE Chapter 128 Heartbeat
Chapter 128 Heartbeat
Chapter 128 Heartbeat
Li Wei gripped the communicator tightly, his heart still pounding wildly.
He didn't rush in immediately, but waited a few minutes to make sure there was no further movement before speaking into the communicator: "Marlow, what's the situation outside?"
"Everything is normal. The three suspicious individuals have been evacuated," Marlowe's voice came through.
"Roger that. You guys stay put, I'll go meet Batman." After saying that, Li Wei got up and ran towards the entrance of the secret room.
He lifted the metal cover and jumped down.
The secret room was in a mess, with the walls covered in signs of a struggle, rubble scattered all over the floor, and several dead mercenaries lying on the ground—clearly, Bane had set up an ambush here.
Bain lay unconscious in the center of the secret chamber, his mask shattered, revealing a hideous face, and his body covered in wounds.
Bruce leaned against the wall, his body slid slightly, and finally sat on the ground. His Batsuit was soaked in blood, and the hood had slipped down, revealing his pale and tired face.
His breathing was still rapid, but his eyes regained a glimmer of life, no longer empty and despairing as before.
Li Wei hurried over, knelt down, and tried to help him up: "How are you?"
Bruce looked up at him, a faint smile on his lips: "I'm fine."
"No way it's nothing." Li Wei frowned, took out a first-aid kit, and said, "Your wound needs treatment, and the side effects of the muscle-building medication also need to be relieved."
Bruce did not refuse, but simply nodded slightly, allowing Levi to bandage his wound.
"Thank you," Bruce said suddenly, his voice low.
Li Wei paused, looked up, and met his gaze.
"What are you thanking me for?"
"Thank you for protecting me all this time." Bruce's eyes held a hint of sincerity. "The Batcave's surveillance cameras, the anonymous clues, the supplies at the entrance... I know everything."
Li Wei's heart skipped a beat. He thought he had been discreet enough, but he never expected that Bruce knew everything.
"I just did what I was supposed to do." Levi avoided his gaze and continued bandaging him. "Gotham is my home too."
""
Bruce didn't speak, but just looked at him quietly with a complicated expression.
After bandaging Bruce's wound, Levi tried to help him up: "We should go; we can't stay here any longer."
Bruce nodded and, with Levi's help, slowly stood up, his steps still a little unsteady.
"Robin..." Bruce suddenly said, "Is he alright?"
"He's safely out," Li Wei said. "He was very worried about you."
Bruce's gaze softened, and he nodded slightly.
The two walked slowly toward the exit of the secret room, their steps slow but unusually firm.
Stepping out of the greenhouse, the mist had dissipated, and a faint light of dawn was breaking on the horizon; daybreak was imminent.
The police officers outside the manor breathed a sigh of relief when they saw them.
"Advisor Levi, Batman!" Marlowe greeted him.
"Clean up the scene. Bane is yours to take to Arkham's highest-security cell," Levi said.
"clear!"
Bruce leaned against Levi, gazing at the dawn on the horizon, and whispered, "The dawn of Gotham is finally coming."
Li Wei looked at him, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Yes, it's finally coming."
He knew that the battle was not over yet; Bane's remnants still existed, and Gotham's order still needed to be rebuilt.
But he also knew that Bruce had regained his fighting spirit, and Gotham's hope had returned.
And he will continue to stand by Bruce's side, as the silent guardian, and together they will welcome the rebirth of Gotham.
The dawn light shone on the two of them, dispelling the cold and darkness of the night and illuminating the road ahead.
This long and arduous war has finally taken a turn for the better.
And their path of protection will continue.
The dilapidated state of the greenhouse appeared even more menacing in the night, with shattered glass reflecting the faint moonlight.
Beneath the vine-covered metal cover, the musty smell emanating from the narrow passage grew increasingly strong.
Li Wei lay prone at the ventilation duct opening, his body pressed tightly against the cold metal interior.
He held the modified, simple communicator in his hand, its casing already soaked with sweat.
The sounds of fighting in the secret room pounded on our eardrums like heavy hammers, each impact carrying a devastating force.
The dull thuds of punches landing, the crisp sounds of bones colliding, and the sharp whistling of weapons grazing against each other intertwined to create a symphony of despair.
Li Wei adjusted his breathing and stared intently at the battlefield below through the ventilation grille.
The room was small, with cold rock walls and rubble and discarded metal parts scattered on the floor.
Bruce Wayne's black suit was already soaked with sweat and blood, clinging to his thin body.
The suit had obvious tears on the shoulders and ribs, old wounds from previous battles with Two-Face and the Joker.
Each of his punches was accompanied by a tremor in his body, clearly due to the repeated aggravation of old injuries.
His face beneath the hood was as pale as paper, and dark red blood kept seeping from the corner of his mouth, dripping down his jawline.
Bane stood in the center of the secret chamber, his figure as tall and straight as an iron tower, his muscles bulging from the enhancement potion.
His black combat suit was stretched taut, and the muscles in his shoulders were as hard as rock.
Beneath the mask, his breathing was heavy and even, each exhale carrying a scorching heat, exuding an air of complete composure.
His gaze was icy, as if he were scrutinizing prey, and every movement he made carried an oppressive sense of impending doom.
"Batman, where has your former glory gone?" Bane's deep, thunderous voice came through the mask.
He sidestepped Bruce's straight punch, his right hand gripping Bruce's wrist like an iron clamp.
With a sudden twist, Bruce let out a suppressed groan of pain as his body was forced into a contortion.
Bane then kicked Bruce in the ribs, in the same spot where he had been kicked by Two-Face.
Bruce staggered back several steps, his back slamming heavily against the cold stone wall.
Rock fragments fell in a flurry, hitting his shoulders and leaving tiny scratches.
He coughed violently, his chest heaving, and more blood gushed from the corner of his mouth.
The bloodstains fell on the gravel on the ground, spreading out a small, dark mark that was shocking to behold.
Li Wei's heart clenched, and the communicator he was gripping so tightly hurt his palm.
He recalled the footage he had seen on the surveillance camera in the Batcave, Bruce sitting in his wheelchair with a blank stare in his eyes.
I wonder if Bruce took the energy booster I left at the entrance of the Batcave.
Bruce was clearly still recovering from his previous exhaustion, and every act of resistance felt like burning his last breath.
Bane gave Bruce no chance to catch his breath, striding forward and raining down his fists like a storm.
The force of the punch swept past, stirring up dust that landed on Bruce's face.
Bruce could only barely raise his hand to block, and the old injury on his arm went numb from the impact.
The sounds of impact continued, his blocking became increasingly weak, and his body was forced to retreat repeatedly.
"You think you can protect Gotham?" Bane's tone was full of sarcasm.
He punched Bruce in the chest, and Bruce groaned as his body flew out like a kite with a broken string.
He crashed heavily to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust, and pebbles embedded themselves in his armor, leaving small cuts.
He struggled to get up, but the sharp pain in his ribs caused him to fall back down.
Li Wei lay on the vent, his fingers unconsciously digging into the metal grille until his knuckles turned white.
He could clearly see the unhealed wound on Bruce's arm, a remnant of his fierce battle with the Scarecrow.
The wound had now reopened, and blood was flowing down his arm, dripping onto the ground and mingling with the previous bloodstains.
Bruce's fighting movements became increasingly sluggish, each movement appearing exceptionally difficult, his steps unsteady.
But he still didn't give up. He leaned against the stone wall and slowly stood up, clenching his fists.
His knuckles turned white from the force, and the veins on his arms throbbed as he endured the excruciating pain and charged at Bane once more.
"It's ridiculously stubborn." Bain shook his head, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes.
He sidestepped Bruce's attack, grabbed Bruce's cloak with his left hand, and punched him in the back with his right.
Bruce's body suddenly arched, as if all his strength had been drained, and he staggered.
Taking advantage of the moment, Bane slammed Bruce to the ground and pinned him down with his knee in the back.
"Do you know? I was born in the darkest prison." Bane's voice suddenly became calm, yet it carried a chill that went straight to the bone.
"There is no light, no hope there, only endless strife and betrayal."
Bruce struggled to resist, but Bane held him down firmly, preventing him from moving.
His face was pressed against the cold ground, and he could feel the roughness and dampness of the rocks.
"I watched the people around me die one by one, and watched myself being repeatedly tormented by fate."
Bane's tone grew increasingly agitated, and his voice rose several decibels: "And you, Bruce Wayne, were born with it all!"
Levi's heart suddenly tightened; Bane's words were like a sharp knife, piercing through Batman's mysterious veil.
He knew Bruce's pain, the tragedy of his parents' deaths, and his years of solitary perseverance.
But in Bain's eyes, all of this became original sin, a reason to be hated.
He gripped the metal grille of the vent so tightly that it deformed slightly, and sweat dripped from his palms down the grille.
"Wealth, status, love—you use all of that to play the hero," Bain's voice was thick with jealousy. "You use the bat mask to hide your cowardice and mock those of us abandoned by fate!"
Bruce's body stiffened abruptly, a flash of pain and anger crossing his eyes.
He suddenly exerted his strength, broke free from Bane's restraint, turned around and punched Bane's mask.
Bain was prepared and raised his hand to block. The moment their fists collided, a dull cracking sound was heard.
"Bruce Wayne, Batman," Bane said slowly, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
"What will happen if the people of Gotham find out this secret?"
"The hero in their hearts is nothing more than a billionaire hiding behind a mask, a coward who dares not face himself!"
Bruce's eyes sharpened. He stopped talking and just threw punch after punch with all his might.
Each punch carried the power of despair, the roar of resentment, and the obsession with Gotham.
But his body had already reached its limit, and the pain from his old injuries surged back like a tide.
The pain from the broken ribs made each breath feel like swallowing razor blades.
The wound on my arm kept bleeding, and my strength was gradually fading, making my fist weaker and weaker.
Bain easily dodged his attacks, occasionally retaliating with a punch that landed precisely on his old wounds.
"What are you insisting on?" Bain's voice carried a hint of confusion, as well as a hint of pity.
"Gotham has given up on you; the citizens have started idolizing me."
"Your obsession will only make your death more miserable."
Bruce didn't respond, but just stared intently at Bane, the light in his eyes never dimming.
He suddenly accelerated, dodging Bane's fist and punching Bane in the chest.
Bane's body trembled slightly, clearly not expecting Bruce to be able to unleash such power.
But the power of that punch was nothing more than a tickle to Bane, who had been injected with enhancement drugs.
Bane sneered, grabbed Bruce's wrist, and twisted it hard.
With a sharp "crack," Li Wei's heart suddenly stopped beating; it was the sound of bones being twisted and broken.
Bruce let out a piercing roar, his voice filled with pain and resentment.
His body trembled violently, and his injured arm hung limply, unable to be lifted any further.
Bane didn't stop; he grabbed Bruce's arm and slammed him hard against the cold stone wall.
With a loud bang, Bruce's back slammed heavily against the rocks, sending rock fragments flying.
The scratches on the stone wall were shaken to a clearer degree, traces of battles left over the Bat Cave's secret chambers over the years.
Bane raised his other fist high, hovering above Bruce's head, without bringing it down.
"I won't kill you," Bane said coldly and cruelly. "I'll let you live."
"I'll show you how I take over Gotham, and how everything you're protecting will turn to ashes."
"Let you die slowly in despair, so you can experience the pain I once endured."
Bruce's body leaned limply against the stone wall, his eyes vacant, yet still open.
Blood kept gushing from the corner of his mouth, dripping onto the ground and forming a thin bloodstain.
His breathing grew weaker and weaker, each breath accompanied by intense pain, yet he stubbornly persevered.
Li Wei lay on the vent, his body ice-cold, as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.
He could feel his heart pounding wildly in his chest, almost leaping out of his chest.
The communicator was soaked with sweat from his palms, and his fingers trembled slightly from the excessive force.
He wanted to rush down, to save Bruce, and to stop Bane even if it cost him his life.
But he knew perfectly well that with his fighting skills, rushing down would not only fail to help.
Instead, it would distract Bruce, and he might even be easily killed by Bane, becoming a burden to Bruce.
He could only watch helplessly as Bruce was tortured by Bane, as the hero was driven to despair.
This feeling of helplessness was more painful to him than any wound.
He recalled the first time he saw Bane on the outskirts of Arkham, and all the clues he had gathered.
He recalled the intelligence he had secretly passed on to Alfred, and the escape routes he had marked for Batman.
All of this seems to become meaningless in the face of absolute power.
The air in the sealed room seemed to freeze, with only Bruce's faint breathing and Bane's heavy panting remaining.
Bane looked at Bruce leaning against the stone wall, his eyes filled with no pity, only cold mockery.