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Chapter 417: Metropolis Mystery (1)

I think many people should still remember the last battle with the Joker in the dream world. Schiller used the properties of the Lantern Rings to amplify certain emotions in Victor and Gordon, attracting Lantern Rings of various colors.

As previously mentioned, since the battle took place in a dream, the summoned Lantern Rings found that their intended hosts were unconscious. During the contracting process, if the person does not respond positively, the Lantern Ring will not leave directly.

Therefore, the Lantern Rings abandoned their physical bodies and let their energy enter the bodies of the hosts, hoping to awaken their consciousness and provide energy for them in the dream world where they fought the Joker.

However, the physical Lantern Rings were still outside. Since they lost their energy, these Lantern Rings turned into ordinary metal rings and could not be transported back to the Lantern Corps.

After the battle, the awakened individuals found a colorful metal ring beside them. Schiller had informed them in advance, so they collected the rings and handed them over to Schiller.

Schiller was not interested in the Lantern Rings. In his opinion, the so-called "emotional spectrum" was similar to explaining the truth of the world with naive materialism. Therefore, he put the rings in a box and gave them all to Batman.

As everyone knows, once anything enters the Batcave as a collectible, it is as good as gone forever.

As Batman poured the box of rings onto the table, Hal's eyes widened. Having worn the Green Lantern Ring for so long, he could tell that these were not fake souvenirs, but genuine Lantern Rings.

"Where did you get so many??? You..." Hal was speechless, looking at Batman as if he were a strange collector with a special obsession.

Looking at the rings of various colors, Hal realized that there was no Green Lantern Ring among them. Suddenly, he seemed to have discovered some truth.

During the battle with the Joker, Hal had doubts in his heart because the monster's head looked somewhat like Batman's. However, the battle was too intense at the time, and he did not have enough time to think about this issue. Now, could all of this be Batman's conspiracy?

Intentionally creating a monster, attracting the Yellow Lanterns, gathering Lantern Rings of various colors, absorbing their energy, leaving the rings behind, intentionally transforming the Yellow Lantern entity Parallax into a human, luring himself into a trap...

Hal tightened the windbreaker jacket he was wearing, although the jacket was as thick and warm as usual, and the fireplace in Wayne Manor's hall was burning brightly, the crackling of the burning wood did not make him feel any warmth.

Batman played with the Lantern Rings, asking Hal for information about the principles of the Lantern Rings and the history of the Lantern Corps. Unfortunately, Hal did not know much about this area. From the current perspective, Hal was just a lucky person who accidentally obtained the Green Lantern energy. He did not have much interaction with the Lantern Corps and did not know any important information.

"I'm going to do a composition analysis of these rings." Batman turned his expressionless face to Hal, who immediately said, "I'll stay here. My ring is still in that kid's hand."

"And I don't want anything to happen to him, so I'll watch him until he recovers."

Batman did not care about Hal's assurance. Without the Lantern Ring, Hal was just an ordinary person. If Batman did not allow it, he would never leave Wayne Manor.

From Hal's attitude, he seemed to be a mature and wise person, which meant that he was still useful to Batman.

A few minutes later, in the underground laboratory of Wayne Manor, Bruce, who had changed out of his Batman suit, was manipulating an instrument, trying to use scientific methods to analyze the structure of the Lantern Ring metal.

Located in the underground laboratory of Wayne Manor, the area may not be as large as the newly built Batcave, but the equipment is just as complete. Batman himself doesn't know why, but staying here makes it easier for him to calm down when faced with complex experimental data.

Although this place is not far from Wayne Manor on the ground, and you can still hear some noise coming from the ground, it is far less remote and quiet than the Batcave located in the suburbs. But whenever Bruce wants to calm down and think about certain problems, he still prefers to choose this place.

In the dimly lit laboratory, Bruce's fingers are placed on the control panel, and the cold light projected by the screen is like ripples of water. The sudden icy feeling when his skin touches the button can make his mind clearer.

"Ding, ding, ding." The light sound of leather shoes colliding with metal stairs came from behind Bruce, but he didn't turn around. A familiar voice sounded in his ear: "Sir, it's dawn. Please go back and rest for a while."

Bruce's finger, which was about to press the next button, paused slightly, while the data on the screen continued to change.

Underground, time seems to slow down. For Batman, when there are no windows to distinguish changes in light, day and night are not that important.

But Alfred clearly doesn't think so. He walked behind Bruce, handed him a glass of water, and said, "Master Dick is a little tired. That strange energy seems to weaken when he is mentally exhausted, so he went upstairs to rest."

"I have arranged a well-equipped and thoughtful guest room for Mr. Hal. I think he should have fallen asleep by now."

"Miss Aisha has been sleeping for a few hours. Maybe she will wake up soon. I have invited Miss Selena to come over. If you go up in half an hour, you should be able to have breakfast with them."

Bruce stood still, still silent and lonely. His thoughts suddenly returned to that dark cathedral, thinking of that unexpected photo in a somewhat shabby living room.

He turned his head and saw Alfred's deeply wrinkled face. In his vision, time flew backwards rapidly, and Alfred's face became younger, and his face shrank in his sight. A young man wearing a windbreaker, a beret, and holding a hunting rifle was standing next to a haystack in front of a wheat field, taking a photo with two other young friends.

When Bruce saw this photo, he had doubts because the three people in the photo looked too young. At this age, they should not have met each other.

Bruce remembered that when he was very young, he heard his father say that the Pennyworth family was the hereditary butler family of the Wayne family, and the eldest son of the Pennyworth family would become the butler of the Wayne family.

He had heard his grandfather complain that the children of this Pennyworth family were a bit out of line and didn't want to inherit the butler business. At that time, Bruce didn't know who he was referring to, until he grew up, he realized that it was Alfred Pennyworth.

When he first met Alfred, Bruce felt a unique temperament from him. He didn't know if it was the alarm issued by his usual accurate intuition or just a fleeting illusion, but he was sure that his first emotion when he saw Alfred was not shyness, but fear.

Bruce stood by the experimental table, quietly recalling the memories he didn't want to recall, but found many clues from these memories, indicating that this familiar old butler still has many secrets he doesn't know.

Bruce knows what kind of person he is. He wants to get an answer to all secrets. This kind of paranoia has almost become a part of his life, except for Alfred.

Even so, he is still curious about that photo and Alfred's life before coming to Wayne Manor.

He opened his mouth slightly, seeming to not know how to ask, and the old butler stood quietly behind him, his gaze not staying on the constantly flowing data screen, but looking forward, staring at the empty space of this underground experimental base.

The laboratory beneath Wayne Manor may not be as spacious as the Batcave, but it's equipped with everything Batman needs to analyze complex data. Surprisingly, being here helps him calm down and focus.

Despite being close to Wayne Manor, the laboratory is far from secluded. However, when Bruce needs to think, he prefers this place over the Batcave.

In the dimly lit lab, Bruce's fingers hover over the control panel, and the cold light from the screen casts ripples of blue across his skin. The chill clears his mind, making it easier to concentrate.

The sound of leather shoes on metal stairs interrupts his thoughts. Alfred, the butler, appears behind him. "Sir, it's dawn. You should rest for a while," he says.

Bruce hesitates, his finger hovering over the next button. Meanwhile, the data on the screen continues to change.

Time seems to slow down underground, where there are no windows to distinguish day from night. But Alfred reminds Bruce of the time. He updates him on the whereabouts of their guests, including Dick, Hal, Aisha, and Selena.

Bruce's thoughts drift to a dark cathedral and a photo he found in a shabby living room. He turns to see Alfred's deeply wrinkled face, which suddenly appears younger in his mind's eye.

The photo shows a young Alfred standing with two friends in front of a wheat field. Bruce had always wondered about the photo and Alfred's life before coming to Wayne Manor.

He opens his mouth to ask, but the old butler stands quietly behind him, gazing at the empty space of the underground laboratory. Bruce realizes that despite his obsession with secrets, he trusts Alfred more than anyone else.

Bruce remembered seeing Alfred's expression when he glanced at certain data, and he was sure that Alfred could understand it.

So, he decided to start from this angle. He turned slightly and asked, "Alfred, are you from London?"

"Yes, sir. The Pennyworth family has lived in London for generations."

"You..." Bruce wanted to ask Alfred if he went to school like a normal person, but he felt that the question was not smart enough, so he asked, "Which university did you attend? What was your major?"

"Sir, I graduated from King's College, Cambridge University, majoring in pure mathematics and mathematical statistics in the mathematics department."

Bruce's hand on the button froze. For some reason, he instinctively looked at the data on the screen, scanned it from top to bottom, confirmed that there were no errors, and then breathed a sigh of relief.

Then he froze for his own action.

He took his hand off the control panel, rubbed his forehead, and asked, "This major... I mean..."

"No, sir, it's not as complicated as you think. I have no extra interest in mathematics," Alfred smiled, and his voice relaxed Bruce. Alfred explained:

"The educational path of all members of the Pennyworth family is fixed. They attend Eaton College and then go to Oxford University, where they can choose literature or philosophy majors at most, and can only study art or drama. No one has a chance to study science."

"Because majors such as mathematics, chemistry, and physics do not help to become a butler. On the contrary, butlers need to have sufficient literary and artistic accomplishments to chat with their employers."

"So why did you..."

"At that time, I had a bad relationship with my family. I refused to attend Eaton College and didn't want to go to Oxford either. I loved stage plays and dramas the most and wanted to become an actor, but my family strongly opposed it."

"So, I thought, I want to make a stunning move that will surprise everyone. I stubbornly transferred to a grammar school and studied there for a year and a half before being awarded a full scholarship to the mathematics department at Cambridge University."

"My family was indeed surprised, not because of my rebellious move, but because of my academic talent."

"After entering university, my relationship with my family improved somewhat. Although they still did not accept my dream of becoming an actor, they also recognized my idea of not inheriting the hereditary butler profession."

"So why did you..."

Alfred lowered his head and smiled, saying, "The process is a bit complicated, but it's actually very simple..."

Bruce heard Alfred speak in a very nostalgic tone, saying something that surprised him:

"Because of my excellent grades, in the autumn of my sophomore year, I was recruited by MI6 and became a special agent of Section D of MI6..."

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