Batman also knew that Tim was originally one of Owlman's targets, just a backup.
He had only just linked this young man to Owlman's files, as adults and children still had many differences in appearance.
Batman happened to be familiar with this matter. At that time, Owlman felt Tim was a bit too perceptive and worried that he would discover the truth too early during the adoption process.
Moreover, in terms of learning abilities, Tim seemed more adept at using his brain; his talent in combat was not as good as Dick's. Therefore, Owlman ultimately chose Dick, who preferred hands-on action, as Talon.
There was another very important reason why Owlman chose Dick at the time: Dick's parents were notorious thieves, so killing them would cause no guilt.
And Owlman had anticipated that even if Dick eventually uncovered the truth, when he found out his parents were both thieves, there was a certain chance Dick would choose to forgive Owlman's actions.
As long as it wasn't revealed that it was a planned murder, Owlman could still try to manipulate him, and everything was not irreversible.
It could be said that Tim should thank Dick; it was Dick's sacrifice of his entire family that ensured Tim's parents remained alive.
However, Tim's good luck apparently didn't last long. By the time he was in high school, Owlman's rule in Gotham had gradually reached its peak.
His parents witnessed a scene during a Court of Owls mission and were subsequently eliminated.
The Court of Owls eventually disposed of the bodies, and Tim never even saw a picture of his parents. They became one of Gotham City's most common missing persons.
From that day on, Tim swore that he would become the greatest detective in the World, find out the reason for his parents' disappearance, and bring them back, whether alive or dead.
Recently, due to the Justice League's crackdown, he had learned about the situation in Gotham from outside sources, and thanks to the news media, Tim knew that Gotham had temporarily become safer.
He took the opportunity to sneak back, and he was very bold. As soon as he returned, he set his sights on the Cobblepot Family. This time, as always, he was there to gather intelligence.
He had long understood the Cobblepot Family; it was a family rooted in Gotham before the city was even established, one of the "Sin" that, like the Wayne Family, actually controlled the city.
The Penguin was actually a member of the Cobblepot Family, a piece of news he had never heard before.
Moreover, he learned through black market intelligence that many "nobles" would gather here, so he certainly wouldn't miss this excellent opportunity to gather information.
Some intelligence couldn't be found externally, but these actual participants within the families might have some clues about the Court of Owls... He didn't expect that his first investigation back out would coincide with another feast of slaughter.
The last time he saw such a scene was at the Elliot family's residence, during Thomas Elliot's coming-of-age ceremony, when the young Thomas shot his parents and indiscriminately fired at the other guests present.
At that time, Tim escaped by feigning Death, but he was still discovered by Thomas while quietly fleeing.
Because Tim was an illegal intruder, he was once falsely accused as the perpetrator of the tragedy until he cleared his name by publicly releasing the video from his pinhole camera online.
But this also caused Thomas Elliot to hate him to the core, and this true murderer even placed a Bounty on his head in the black market.
Tim was forced to flee Gotham City because of this; not only were assassins looking for him, but even the Police wanted his head for money.
Gotham City lacked everything except poor desperadoes.
Tim felt that with his limited fighting skills, he wouldn't survive 24 hours in a place like Gotham City, surrounded by wolves.
So, on the day he saw the Bounty, he fled the city.
Batman appreciated his courage and ability. He might not be the most outstanding warrior, but his mind could completely compensate for any lack in combat power.
Besides, Tim himself was not a warrior; he was a detective.
But Batman felt that he could be more than just a detective.
"Bring this child. This is not the place to talk."
After speaking, Batman retreated into the Shadow and disappeared in a blink of an eye.
"What do you say?" Dick was indifferent.
Red Hood 'tsk'ed, grabbed Tim, and walked out.
Tim struggled violently, but after taking two punches from Red Hood, he became much more compliant.
A few minutes later, only countless corpses remained, as if silently recounting a brutal slaughter.
It's estimated that these "favored children of heaven" never dreamed that one day they would be wantonly slaughtered like dogs... Gotham City's underground labyrinth, the Joker Gang's old stronghold.
"My friends, the time has come! Today is the moment we fulfill the Jester's last wish!"
Below Bane, a group of fully armed rioters raised their automatic weapons high and cheered loudly.
They planned to seize various government secret locations throughout Gotham City today!
They wanted to eliminate the city's government and establish a free port without government or oppression from rulers!
"They are simply a mob!"
On the other side of Bane and the others, a group of irregulars was secretly observing them.
The speaker was Beast Girl, a metahuman who had recently appeared in Gotham City and managed to escape Owlman's initial period of frantic purging.
At this time, she was working for the Catwoman faction.
Catwoman heard her words and nodded with a face as calm as Water.
"Catwoman, we can't let them continue like this. If their plan succeeds, Gotham will be worse than when it was ruled by Owlman!" Copper Tiger frowned, speaking with some concern.
Bane's "anarchism" was, to be honest, very appealing, especially to people who grew up in Gotham City, constantly hoping to drag the high-and-mighty founding families into hell.
Back then, the Jester was able to gather such a large force, and his vision of an anarchistic Utopia was one of the important reasons for attracting people to join.
"But our forces are far inferior to Bane's; their influence has expanded too quickly." Black Spider's face was hidden behind a mask, his voice slightly distorted.
"We must stop them, but we can't do it alone!" Catwoman said.
Captain Boomerang suggested, "What do you say, can we tell the Penguin and his people about this? I heard they're expanding recently too."
"Penguin? That damned traitor?"
Logically speaking, Bane's ideology was more destructive to Gotham City, but the Joker Gang generally hated the Penguin more.
Because every one of them had, more or less, suffered persecution from Gotham's "nobles"; you could pick anyone out and they would have a grudge against one or more of the founding families.
Even the Penguin himself was one.
But he betrayed them, chose to stand with his enemies, and even shamelessly wanted to exploit the people of Gotham City with those scumbags.
If Bane and his followers were a mob, then the Penguin was a complete class traitor!
He was the target that the Joker Gang had always resisted and attacked...
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