In The DC World With Marvel Chat Group

Chapter 287: Senistero Crisis

Dick sat in front of the breakfast stall with Aisha in his arms while Jason stuffed sandwiches into his mouth. The older kids gathered in front of the food cart to place their orders. Jason looked at Dick and said, "So, that wealthy old man really wants to send you to boarding school? That's not a good place!"

"It's a normal kind of boarding school, the kind where kids from wealthy families go, not those prisons for children."

"Well, it's almost the same. If he sends you to those prisons, I think it would be better for you to escape as soon as possible. Those kids there are really suffering," Tire said, walking over with a glass of iced fruit juice.

"I heard they sell the kids sent to boarding school to the most ruthless gang leaders, or they make them disabled and sell them for begging in other cities," the Red Train added.

The group approached with their food and sat down around the small table.

At that moment, Jason sighed with a troubled expression. The others asked him, "What's wrong?"

"It's about the task that weird guy in the Batman costume gave me. I don't know what to do."

"He made it sound easy, asking me to investigate those 'parents' who control the kids. But I can't just approach the heads of those children and ask, 'What's going on with you guys?'"

Behind the red truck, Copperpot approached with a tray. He put it down, sat on a chair, and adjusted his collar. Rocket teased him, "You always carry yourself like an old-time aristocrat. Does eating like that make the food taste better?"

Copperpot ignored her and said to Jason, "You're still young and can easily find another way. Blend in with the kids on another street, then find a job like that. Then you'll have a legitimate reason to meet those bosses."

Tire pondered for a moment and said, "Indeed, the rest of us wouldn't work. We're too old and strong, those little bosses wouldn't want us. But you, and you, Dick, with your age and appearance, you could probably fit in..."

Dick shrugged and said, "In a few days, I might have to go to school."

He turned to see Jason staring at him, so Dick sighed and said, "Well, I guess I can hang out with you guys for a couple of days."

After some discussion, Jason and Dick decided to go to Greene Street on the outskirts of East District and work as cigarette vendors, hoping to gather information from the little bosses there.

After finishing their meal, Dick took Aisha back to Wayne Manor, where Alfred told him, "Master just came back and is looking for you."

Dick nodded and went with Aisha to Bruce's study on the third floor. Once inside, Bruce said to him, "Pack your things, and get ready to go to school next week."

Dick hesitated for a moment, appearing somewhat resistant. When Bruce looked at him, he suddenly felt a strong sense of nostalgia.

When a person faces the same situation from different perspectives, they realize that their younger self was reckless and impulsive. Bruce looked at Dick standing at the door, as if he saw himself standing in the counseling room years ago.

He always felt that the professor had some undisclosed secrets, that he must have some superpowers. He eagerly wanted to learn the art of mind-reading from that psychology professor, and attempted to bypass the stage of learning all the theoretical knowledge, aiming to directly grasp the ultimate essence of psychology.

How did the professor do it? Bruce found that his memory was somewhat hazy, and he didn't understand why Schiller didn't want to teach him at the time. He believed that he had a natural talent for psychology, the kind that would make him a student who excelled effortlessly.

However, later Bruce discovered that psychology encompasses more than just the topic of "what the other person is currently thinking"; or rather, this topic is actually relatively simplistic and superficial within the field of psychology.

The true essence of this discipline lies in the exploration of the human inner world, the formation of personalities, and the fundamental causes of human behavior. Such profound knowledge can only be acquired through the extensive study of complex and in-depth texts, along with years of practical application and analysis.

Now, it appeared that Dick also wished to bypass the process of attending school, practicing, and gaining experience, in order to directly acquire Bruce's superpowers. Standing in the position of an elder, Bruce keenly felt the same helplessness that Schiller must have felt back then.

Does Bruce possess superpowers? From the perspective of an ordinary person, he does indeed possess them. Not only is he incredibly wealthy, but he is also naturally gifted with high intelligence. He excels at learning almost anything quickly. His physical abilities, coordination, and flexibility are exceptional. In a sense, these qualities can already be considered superpowers.

However, Bruce is acutely aware that his current level is not solely reliant on his innate talent. The learning and practice processes cannot be bypassed.

"Listen, Dick, of course, I can let you forgo school and run around the streets every day, just like any other child in Gotham. Alternatively, you can continue to practice the acrobatics you enjoy and avoid learning the languages, math, and dance that you dislike..."

"But it is precisely because I believe you have talent, and that you shouldn't settle for a career as an acrobat, that you need to undergo a more systematic and extensive education to find the path you truly wish to pursue..."

Perhaps because Bruce had once played the role of Dick in front of Schiller, he had a bit more patience with Dick, and even went so far as to explain his reasons for this arrangement, which was quite rare for Bruce, as he rarely explained his actions to anyone.

"Really? Do you truly think... my talent is not bad?" Dick looked at Bruce and asked.

Bruce made an effort to recall his past interactions with Schiller, and then replied to Dick, "Yes, it seems that way for now. However, the kind of achievements you can attain will ultimately depend on your performance in school..."

"Of course, don't forget that even though your parents have returned to Brooklyn, I can still call them. If your grades aren't satisfactory, I believe I can invite them to Gotham..."

"I'm going to pack my things!" Dick put down Aisha, turned around, and ran off. Bruce stood in place and let out a sigh, feeling a sense of nostalgia. He realized that it was difficult to be on the receiving end of the situation where a teacher invites parents, but when used to threaten others, it was indeed effective and satisfying.

On this particular morning, Bruce, who had just been promoted to an elder, began to understand his college professor Schiller in a subtle way. Indeed, one's stance determines their attitude.

By the time they finished lunch, Dick took Aisha to play on the lawn of Manor. Dick effortlessly swung around the monkey bars, gracefully landing above the bar with his arms extended, before grabbing onto it with both hands. He executed a somersault and landed on the ground in a perfect pose, causing Aisha to laugh and applaud continuously.

Dick walked over to the monkey bars again, planning to swing a few more rounds. However, he suddenly noticed a small patch of grass on the nearby lawn that appeared to have been blown over by the wind.

Just as he was about to investigate, a powerful whirlwind engulfed his surroundings. He shielded his face with his arms and took a few steps back. When he opened his eyes again, he discovered that Aisha had also been knocked down onto the lawn.

As he approached to help Aisha, a beam of yellow light descended from the sky, revealing a man floating within it, dressed in a yellow bodysuit. He hovered in mid-air, and Dick widened his eyes and asked, "Who are you? Why are you here?"

At the same time, Sinestro, who had descended from the sky, felt quite frustrated.

The Lantern's navigation system only brought him to the vicinity of Earth's atmosphere, and he had to locate the specific city where Parallax had landed on his own. However, shortly after arriving near Earth, he was intercepted by a Green Lantern named Hal.

As soon as Hal saw Sinestro's yellow attire, he threw a punch. The two engaged in a fierce battle high above Earth.

To Sinestro's surprise, Hal, a newly emerged and relatively unknown Green Lantern, possessed extraordinary strength. Sinestro nearly depleted all the fear energy in his ring before finally knocking Hal into the sea.

Seizing the opportunity, Sinestro swiftly circled Earth and eventually discovered that the source of the fear energy he sensed was located in Gotham on the East Coast.

Upon landing, he had expected to witness the Parallax-possessed individual wreaking havoc on the city, turning it into ruins. However, to his astonishment, the city was eerily calm. The buildings remained unharmed, and the residents hadn't fled, as if nothing had occurred.

This outcome perplexed Sinestro. According to his recollection, this was highly unlikely. Parallax was a creature of chaos, unlikely to comprehend the functioning of an orderly world. Therefore, it would wreak havoc without restraint. When Parallax had possessed him previously, it had destroyed several cities on different planets. Earth should have suffered a similar fate.

What puzzled him even more was that, after an extensive search, he discovered that the trace of Parallax's presence emanated from within a human household. However, when he arrived at the location, instead of encountering the monstrous and menacing figure he expected, he found a... young human girl?

Sinestro glanced at the yellow power ring on his hand, then looked up at the little girl, and repeated this several times, finally confirming that she was indeed their Yellow Lantern Corps' Lantern Beast, Parallax.

Sinestro descended to the ground and addressed the little girl, "How did you end up like this? What are you doing here? Come with me."

Aisha stared at him with her large eyes, showing resistance. Dick, who was beside them, saw Sinestro approaching Aisha and immediately ran over without hesitation, intercepting Sinestro, and exclaimed, "What are you planning to do? This is Wayne Manor!"

Sinestro didn't want to waste time talking to humans at all. With a wave of his hand, Dick was sent flying by a beam of yellow light. Aisha looked at his soaring figure, widened her eyes, and then turned back to look at Sinestro.

Aisha opened her mouth, revealing a set of sharp teeth, and Sinestro confirmed that Parallax had disguised itself as a human.

Just as Sinestro was about to reach out, in the next second, he saw the little girl take two steps back, take a deep breath, open her mouth wide, and raise her head...

In an instant, an indescribable scream tore through the sky above Gotham.

"Dad!!!!!!!!!!!"

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