The Gotham night, just stepping into summer, was fervent. Palm trees on the beach swayed before the neon signs. With a "pop" sound, a hand in fingerless gloves opened a beer, white foam surged out. The flowing liquid carved a path like Moses parting the sea on the can, condensed with cold mist, and washed away the fine sand particles on the uneven wooden table, rolling into the gaps of the grain, sliding into the pit made by plastic sandals.
The foot in slippers lightly tapped the ground. A hand in tactical gloves rested on the chair's armrest. Arkham Knight pulled up his chin mask and gulped down some beer.
"Latest call from Washington." Robin sitting opposite him put down the beer can and said, "The Justice League is building a new base. Right here in Gotham. See that sea? There's going to be a new ugly building there soon."
"Don't put it that way, Robin," Barbara gently shook her head. Her golden-red hair fluttered in the evening breeze, palm leaf shadows faintly visible on her red and white polka dot headband.
"Ever since he became president, every building constructed in Gotham has been ugly. Is that what you mean to say?" Nightwing interrupted Barbara, and she merely glanced at him helplessly.
"We've gathered here today not to discuss these trivial matters." Arkham Knight put down the beer can with a muffled "thud," he declared firmly, "We can't let the Justice League continue this way."
"What do you mean?" Barbara asked.
"They aren't loyal," Arkham Knight replied, "They want preferential treatment but aren't willing to pay the price; they fear power but refuse to take action. And Bruce chooses to let them run wild. Do you really think this is okay?"
"Are you referring to their hope that Bruce would give up the presidency? That's just a fool's dream. Now, with the union of fifty states, the Federation's situation is great. The president will never give up at this time." Robin said.
"I usually don't like to side with you, Jason," Nightwing spoke up, "But this time is different, I agree with you. The Justice League is meddling too much. Why can't Batman be president? He's already fulfilled his duties to Gotham. We're helping him. He just wants to make this country better. Why do they think he can't do it?"
"It's obvious; they're trying to meddle in Gotham now." Arkham Knight said, "Otherwise, they wouldn't choose the new base's location on Gotham's coastline. It's not just about adding another ugly building."
"I can understand them," Barbara said, "Since Bruce came to power, he's taken many aggressive measures. Emphasizing industry and resuming industrialization benefited the working class but threatened those vampires on Diamond Street. They made a big fuss, and some people died. The Justice League can't stand this."
"Yeah, to them, just slowly talking things over with those tycoons can solve everything peacefully. But since our identities were exposed, I knew it was impossible." Robin snorted coldly.
"Perhaps they're not bad, just too naïve," Barbara shook her head, "Since the Batman Family's identities were exposed, we have no retreat."
"What do you plan to do?" Nightwing asked. His gaze swept across the room, finally settling on Arkham Knight's face.
"Do you know why they want to build a new base?" Arkham Knight asked and then gently shook his head, "Earlier, he told me part of his plan. There will be new members in the Justice League."
"You mean he's trying to balance the power with new members? That doesn't seem like his style." Barbara slightly frowned, "I'd rather believe he'd drive the Batmobile and knock the opposition out."
"That was long ago," Arkham Knight said, "Now he's the president, he can't do that. Although I also think the people he brings won't necessarily be good either."
"Human-shaped Batmobile? Sounds good." Robin laughed, "I hope it knocks them head over heels."
"The base won't be built quickly, but the new members will come soon. We can approach them before they settle in the base," Arkham Knight revealed his plan, "Since Batman sought them out, they should lean toward Batman. We must ensure they don't get brainwashed by those sanctimonious ones within the Justice League."
"You're exaggerating," Barbara disagreed, "Their conflicts haven't escalated to that degree. Superman supports most of Batman's actions, and Wonder Woman only has some opinions on Batman's diplomatic plans. We can't make them opposed."
"Why do you think Batman is looking for newcomers?"
Barbara looked at Arkham Knight, who asked.
"Perhaps he thinks the conflicts are soon to escalate to another level. This implies he'll make a move."
The others became tense. Nightwing placed both hands on the table and asked, "Did you get any information?"
Arkham Knight shook his head, "If there really was information, he should tell his assistant, right, Robin?"
Robin silently drank his beer without speaking.
"What must he do for the Justice League's conflict to escalate that he has to introduce new external forces to balance?" Barbara asked softly, pondering.
"No one can guess his purpose before he acts, but I think the new members he finds will know part of the plan. We need to go there and gather intelligence."
"That's not good," Barbara shook her head, "Jason, you're still so bold. You want to get beaten up and bedridden for a month again?"
"Hah, not a month. No more than 20 days, and I only lost three moves to him," Arkham Knight said.
"Jumped onto the presidential vehicle with all world media present, even shattered the windshield. Those three punches weren't undeserved," Robin couldn't help but complain, "If we did that, perhaps we'd be hung on Capitol Hill."
"Don't test Batman," Nightwing said, "After all these years, haven't you learned? Anything he doesn't want you to know, you can't know beforehand. Even if you do know, it's false information. Are you sure the answers you get from the new members won't be another trap?"
"So what if it does happen again? At worst, I'll just lie down for another 20 days." Arkham Knight said with a carefree attitude.
Seeing his indifferent manner, the others helplessly shook their heads. Nightwing and Barbara exchanged a glance. Barbara asked, "Do you know who Batman is looking for?"
Arkham Knight shook his head and said, "Probably another superhero he dug out from some mountain. This person doesn't need to be too strong, just a little cunning will do."
"Have you noticed..." Robin hesitated.
"What?" Arkham Knight turned to look at him but saw Robin was looking up at the sky.
The others also looked up, but after a long time, they couldn't see anything except a bright moon hanging high.
"Wait, since when can Gotham see the moon?"
"This isn't right," Arkham Knight squinted and said, "Today's moonlight seems a bit too bright."
Barbara also turned to look at the beach. The waves appeared whiter under the moonlight, and even the deep sea surface was lit into a dazzling light blue. There wasn't that abyss-like darkness, but rather a colder pallor.
They all looked toward the moon, but that bright moon didn't respond, simply hanging alone in the night sky, quietly shining, casting a more chilling and lonely outfit over the City of Darkness.
Suddenly, a voice sounded in Barbara's headset. She pressed her headset and then said, "An abnormal energy fluctuation has been detected on the rooftop of the Wayne building."
Arkham Knight crushed the empty beer can. Robin donned his cape. Nightwing took out his batons. Several figures quickly headed into the city. Before long, they arrived near the Wayne building.
Wayne building, though distinctive, was far from isolated. Standing on the surrounding rooftops, they couldn't see anything special about the Wayne building's rooftop.
"Where's the person?" Arkham Knight asked.
"The target moved three minutes ago," Barbara's voice came through the headset, "They seem to be near Central Plaza now."
They chased over again but still saw nothing. Robin wanted to get off the rooftop to take a closer look, but Arkham Knight reached out an arm to stop him and said, "Don't go down. Something's not right."
He looked up at the moon again. Just one glance seemed to be dazzling, making him freeze for several seconds before he reacted. But when he looked again, the moon was normal as if the bright flash just now was an illusion.
"Back to my base," Arkham Knight said.
Robin took one last look at the ground but still followed Arkham Knight away. They returned to Arkham Knight's new base. Barbara had already sent over the surveillance video.
Invariably, wherever there was an abnormal energy fluctuation, the moonlight was extraordinarily bright. Although there was no figure, the unusual optical phenomenon alone was enough to attract attention.
"What do you think is causing this?" Arkham Knight's fingers lightly tapped on the table.
"It's hard to judge right now. But to say it's a superpower seems too bizarre. Whose superpower could affect the moon?"
"My judgment is the opposite. This should be a superpower user's trick," Arkham Knight squinted his eyes and said, "Looks like the new member Batman recruited has quite an ambition."
"Can you use the aberration in the optical phenomena to predict his next appearance?" Arkham Knight asked rapidly.
"I think it's possible. Hold on." Barbara's voice remained calm, and soon she said, "Calculated the route. The next stop is... the rooftop of your base."
A strong figure leapt onto the rooftop. As soon as he arrived, it was as if he was in a heavenly realm. The moonlight here was so bright it blurred the outlines of everything; both the nearby rooftop and the distant city melted into a cold white light.
A slender figure stood in the moonlight, ethereal and solitary. A silver-white long robe woven from moonlight billowed in the breeze, and the long wand in his hand gave a gentle wave. After a crisp sound, the bullet from Arkham Knight's gun fell to the ground.
Arkham Knight did not get angry, instead twirling the two guns in his hands and holstering them. He walked forward boldly and said, "Stop with the ghostly tricks. Who are you?"
"Moon Knight."
As the words fell, the scene before them suddenly vanished, leaving the rooftop empty. The distant city was all normal again, as if what they just saw and the people in it had never existed.
Arkham Knight looked up again, only to find thick clouds covering the sky, blocking out any glimpse of daylight. Where was the moon in the sky?
With a roar, lightning sliced across the sky. Gotham was raining again.