American comics: Damn it, I’m surrounded by those who worry about their fathers!.

Chapter 1095 Is this bastard a man who likes to have affairs everywhere?

The following day, in the bat cave deep beneath Wayne Manor.

The dim light illuminated the various high-tech devices. Bruce, who had been up all night, stared intently at the data streams and molecular structure diagrams on the holographic projection screen, his eyes bloodshot.

These are research materials on the mysterious metal that Dr. Ethan rescued from the "Abyss" outpost.

Bruce frowned more and more as he looked at the research data on metals.

The atomic arrangement of this metal completely violates known physical laws, exhibiting a strange state that is neither wave nor particle, as if it exists simultaneously in multiple dimensions.

It is unlike any known element on Earth, or even any substance that should exist in this universe.

Even Wayne Enterprises' most advanced equipment cannot fully analyze its characteristics.

"This composition... is more like a creation from a higher dimension, or..."

Bruce muttered to himself, a thought flashing through his mind, "...from a universe with physical rules that are completely different from ours."

This conjecture left him with mixed feelings.

His recent journey through the Marvel multiverse has shown him the vastness and strangeness of the world, and now he seems to have discovered traces of other universes.
He needs more professional help, especially in the area of ​​parallel universe theory.

After a moment of contemplation, Bruce pulled up an encrypted communication channel and contacted Mr. Excellence.

Mr. Elite, whose real name is Michael Holt, claims to be "the third smartest person in the world".

Bruce had previously collaborated with him on some cutting-edge scientific issues, including early theoretical models of parallel universes.

The communication was quickly established, and an image of a man wearing a black suit with a red T-shaped logo appeared on the holographic screen.

"Batman?"

Mr. Zhuoyue sounded very surprised, "That's strange, you actually contacted me on your own initiative. Did you encounter some problem that conventional technology can't solve?"

“Michael,” Bruce cut straight to the point without any pleasantries, “I may have found evidence of matter from other universes.”

He succinctly described the events at the "Abyss" outpost, the properties of the metal, and his own conjectures, and also packaged and transmitted some non-core data over.

"interesting."

Mr. Zhuoyue looked at the transmitted data with great interest in his eyes. "This energy and material structure is indeed beyond the framework of our current physics. It is highly likely to be a product of other dimensions. The on-site data you provided is extremely valuable."

Bruce added, “In addition, I recently…experienced an informal intercosmic trip.”

Bruce then selectively shared some of his observations in the Marvel Universe, particularly regarding his observations on dimensional structures and energy differences.

"My journey through the multiverse may offer you some new research perspectives and comparative samples. I will also send you the relevant observation records."

Mr. Zhuoyue was clearly more interested: "Actual experience data on time travel? That's extremely rare! Batman, you've brought a huge treasure trove of information this time. I'll analyze this data immediately, focusing on the properties of this metal. I'll let you know as soon as there's any progress."

"Thank you."

After the call ended, Bruce leaned back in his chair and rubbed his temples.

Entrusting the task to Mr. Zhuoyue gave him a slight sense of relief, but the sense of urgency in his heart did not disappear.

……

Meanwhile, the metropolis.

To dispel the gloom brought on by Ceresa's nightmare last night, Peter decided to take his daughters out for a walk.

After listening to the advice of Ceressa and Joan of Arc, Peter chose the Metropolitan Museum of Natural History.

Peter is accompanied by Ceresia, her friend Joan of Arc, the energetic Mordred, the lively Boom, and the relatively steady Vi.

The group strolled through the museum, attracting the attention of many tourists—after all, the group was good-looking and had distinct personalities, making them quite eye-catching.

Ceresia was initially a little listless, holding Peter's hand tightly, but she was quickly captivated by the enormous dinosaur skeletons, the dazzling mineral exhibits, and the exotic cultural displays. Her face lit up with a smile again, and she frequently pointed at the exhibits in amazement, chattering excitedly with Joan of Arc.

Peter felt somewhat relieved to see his daughter regain her energy.

It seems I chose the right place.

Afterwards, the group strolled over to the magnificent Egyptian exhibition area.

The massive stone pillars, pharaoh statues, mummies, and exquisite funerary objects create a mysterious and solemn atmosphere.

Just as Peter was admiring a beautifully painted sarcophagus, Ceresa broke away from the group and walked alone towards a replica of a small Egyptian altar in a nearby exhibition hall.

Just as Ceresa was observing the altar, a group of people dressed in uniform black robes and wearing wide hoods silently emerged from the shadows of the exhibition hall and quickly gathered around the altar.

The group moved in perfect unison, exuding an eerie aura.

The tourists didn't seem to pay much attention to them, as if the group naturally possessed a barrier against being ignored.

Seresa was startled and quickly hid behind a huge stone pillar, cautiously peeking out to look.

Under her curious gaze, she saw the leader of the black-robed men slowly remove his hood, revealing an old, wrinkled face with unusually sharp eyes.

Seresa covered her mouth, barely daring to breathe.

What shocked her even more was that the seemingly leading old priest pulled out an ancient-looking wizard's dagger from his robe sleeve, which was crackling with blue lightning.

The wizard's dagger emitted powerful magical energy fluctuations, causing the surrounding air to distort slightly.

The old priest muttered incantations in a low, inscrutable voice.

Then, he gripped the dagger tightly with both hands and plunged it fiercely into the center of the replica altar.

"Om-"

A deep hum resounded, and the runes on the altar instantly lit up with a ghostly blue light.

An invisible energy fluctuation spread out.

Although the energy fluctuations were very weak, they made Ceresa, who was hiding, feel a pang of fear.

"what!"

Ceresia couldn't help but gasp softly.

Just as the old priest's sharp gaze was about to sweep over her, one hand gently covered Seresa's mouth, while the other hand wrapped around her waist, quickly and silently pulling her away from the stone pillar and blending her into the other tourists.

"Daddy?!"

Seeing that it was her father holding her, Ceresa, who had been struggling, breathed a sigh of relief.

She thought it was some kind of bad guy.

Peter gently shook his head at Ceresa in his arms, signaling her to be quiet.

Today was a day for him to relax with his daughters. Although the group of men in black robes were behaving strangely, he didn't want to cause any trouble and spoil their mood.

Peter glanced at the leader of the men in black robes and frowned.

The other party seems to be Lei Xiao Aug from the Assassin's Guild?

What is he doing here?
This old guy has lived for over 700 years. He is incredibly powerful, cunning, and has henchmen all over the world. He also knows Bruce's true identity.
Is this old man planning some kind of conspiracy again?
As Peter pondered, he extended his consciousness to detect the group of people.

He could sense that those people didn't have any direct malice; it was more like they were conducting some kind of secret ritual or experiment.

Ceresia, still shaken, clung to Peter, clutching his clothes tightly.

Peter gently patted his daughter's shoulder, led her out of the Egyptian exhibit, reunited her with his other daughters, and then continued to visit other exhibits as if nothing had happened.

In the afternoon, everyone left the museum and returned home.

In the car, Ceresia couldn't help but ask, "Daddy, what were those people doing just now? Why did that old man stick that glowing knife into the stone?"

As Peter drove, he said to her, "Dad doesn't know either. There are many people or organizations in the world with special abilities. Sometimes they perform rituals that we can't understand. As long as they don't hurt anyone, we don't need to worry too much. Forget about it. Did you have fun today?"

Ceresia nodded as if she understood, her attention quickly drawn to the fleeting street scenes outside the window and Peter's promised ice cream, temporarily putting the eerie scene in the museum out of her mind.

After diverting his daughter's attention, Peter glanced in the rearview mirror towards the museum, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes. Those men in black robes, and that strange dagger, were probably not as simple as they seemed.

……

Nighttime at Padrick Farm.

Artoria was sitting at her desk in her room.

In front of her were several exquisite lunch boxes containing delicacies she had specially bought from a highly-rated Chinese restaurant in the town—crystal-clear shrimp dumplings, crispy-skinned and tender roast duck, fragrant Mapo tofu, and a box of steaming white rice.

As a knight-king with an extremely high pursuit (even an obsession) of food, tasting cuisines from different cultures is one of her greatest pleasures.

Of course, except for octopuses.

She avoided octopus altogether, finding its slippery texture completely unacceptable.

Artoria enjoyed her dinner gracefully and quickly, a satisfied expression on her face, clearly pleased with the quality of the food.

"Mmm, delicious!"

The next second, just as she picked up a piece of roast duck and was about to put it in her mouth, her extraordinary senses instantly detected a very slight and unusual noise coming from the periphery of the farm.

It looked like someone was deliberately moving quietly, trying to sneak in.

Artoria's eyes sharpened instantly, and she put down her chopsticks.

As one of the farm's guardians (in her own eyes), she cannot tolerate any unidentified intruders.

Artoria put down her chopsticks, silently got up, picked up the knight's sword leaning against the wall, and like a hunting lion, silently slipped out of the room and disappeared into the night of the farm.

Artoria quickly pinpointed the source of the noise: a dark figure was nimbly moving along the shadows of the farm barn, heading towards the living room.

Just as the shadowy figure was about to approach the back door of the main house, Artoria instantly appeared behind it and said in an icy voice, "Stop! Who are you?"

The shadowy figure reacted extremely quickly. Almost at the same moment Artoria opened her mouth, the figure suddenly lowered its body and delivered a sharp spinning back kick straight at Artoria's lower body.

The attacker's movements were clean and efficient, clearly indicating that he was a highly trained combat expert.

However, she was facing the battle-hardened King Arthur.

Artoria didn't even retreat; she simply twisted her wrist, which was holding the scabbard, and used the end of the scabbard to strike the opponent's ankle as he kicked out.

"Uh!"

The shadowy figure let out a painful groan, feeling a powerful force surge through it, causing its entire leg to go numb instantly and its body to lose its balance.

Seeing her opponent lose their balance, Artoria casually pulled them aside and threw them to the ground, where they slammed heavily onto the grass.

Artoria stepped forward, the tip of her sword pointing at the intruder on the ground. "Answer my question, intruder, or the next blow won't be so gentle!"

The dark figure on the ground struggled to sit up, seemingly realizing it was no match for the opponent, and stopped resisting.

She hesitated for a moment, then slowly reached out and removed the hood that covered most of her face.

Under the moonlight, a beautiful yet wild face was revealed, with slightly upturned eyes and an exotic charm.

Her long, dark hair was tied back, with a few strands falling beside her cheeks, adding to her alluring yet dangerous aura.

"I have no ill intentions."

The woman said in a calm voice, "I am Talia O. Gu, and I am here to see Peter Padrick."

Talia O. Gu?
Hearing a name she'd never heard before, Artoria frowned even more.

Gripping her sword sheath tightly, Artoria remained vigilant: "Sneaking in at night, is this your way of visiting?"

"I have my reasons."

Talia said irritably as she tried to stand up.

But the pain in her ankle made her stumble.

Just as Artoria was considering whether to subdue her completely, a calm voice sounded from behind her: "Artoria, thank you for your help, but Ms. Talia should have no ill intentions."

Hearing the familiar voice, Artoria turned around.

Peter had somehow appeared on the back porch of the main house, dressed in loose home clothes, with a calm expression on his face, as if he was not surprised by Talia's arrival.

Artoria glanced back at Peter, and seeing him nod, she slowly sheathed her sword, but her gaze remained warily fixed on Talia.

Peter walked down the steps, came to Talia, and extended his hand to her.

“Long time no see, Ms. Talia. It’s been a long time since we last dealt with each other in Gotham. But I think I saw you at the Metropolitan Museum of Art during the day. What’s wrong? Why can’t you give me a formal visit during the day? Why do you have to come to visit me at night?”

While at the museum, Peter not only saw Resius Augu, but also Talia among the men in black robes.

This was the first time Peter had seen the woman who had given birth to Damian for Bruce since their failed attempt to cause trouble in Gotham.

Talia straightened her somewhat disheveled clothes, and facing Peter, a complex expression appeared on her usually stern face.

She also saw Peter at the museum during the day.

To her disbelief, the man's appearance had not changed at all compared to a few years ago.

It's as if this man will never grow old.

What puzzled and shocked her was that Peter had so many daughters after not seeing him for several years!

Furthermore, the powerful aura emanating from the blonde girl in front of her even made her somewhat intimidated.

Could this blonde girl also be Peter's daughter?

That bastard, is he a womanizer?!

Just how many secrets does Peter Patrick hold?

With a complex look in her eyes, Talia stared at Peter, her mind racing with countless thoughts.

She quickly suppressed these thoughts and acted as if nothing was wrong.

“Yes, Mr. Patrick, I was at the museum during the day. I have something I'd like to discuss with you. Could we... find a quiet place?”

Peter glanced at her, then at the wary Artoria, and nodded: "Come with me."

He led Talia to his study.

As Peter walked, he guessed that the late-night visit of the Assassin's Guild princess must mean that some trouble was coming his way again.

Inside the study, Peter adjusted the lights to a soft, warm yellow, dispelling some of the night's chill.

Peter sat behind his large desk, calmly looking at the uninvited guest.

Talia did not sit down immediately. Like an elegant and wary feline, she paced slowly in the study, her gaze sweeping over the rows of books on the shelves, covering magic, technology, history, and even all sorts of strange and wonderful knowledge, before finally settling on the Dark Heart, which Peter had casually placed on the corner of the table and which exuded an ominous aura.

“So, Miss Talia,” Peter broke the silence, “you went to all this trouble, even sneaking into my farm in the dead of night, what do you want to talk to me about? Surely not just to admire my books?”

Talia turned around to face Peter, a smile appearing on her beautiful and exotic face.

She walked to the armchair in front of the desk, sat down gracefully, crossed her legs, and moved with composure, as if she were the one who owned the place.

"To make a long story short, Mr. Patrick, my father, Rashomon Gu, and our organization have been searching for a legendary metal for centuries."

Peter's eyes flickered almost imperceptibly, but he didn't interrupt; he simply listened quietly.

"This metal... according to ancient records, is no ordinary thing, but contains a powerful force close to the origin."

Talia continued, "It may have come from the stars, from another realm, or even... from the realm of the gods. We searched for countless years, with clues coming and going, until recently..."

She paused, leaned forward slightly, and lowered her voice, "We've finally obtained an item forged from this metal—a dagger."

Peter raised an eyebrow slightly. "This is the metal you've been looking for?"

(End of this chapter)