Chapter 384: Talia, the Beautiful Serpent
A Visit from the League of Assassins
The temperature in the underground labyrinth was much lower than on the surface, yet sweat beaded on the aide's forehead, and his voice was hoarse.
"I don't know what happened, Sir. I've tried to contact them, but the calls won't go through. It might be a signal problem."
Signal issues in the labyrinth were nothing new, so the Red-Robed Grandmaster couldn't fully dismiss the explanation. He was silent for a moment before speaking.
"Go to the northern exit yourself. Take two Talons and see what's going on."
"Understood. I'll leave right away."
The aide nodded and turned to leave with an air of escape.
"Wait a minute," the Grandmaster called out. "Where is Black Hawk?"
"The Baron is in the reception room. He appears to be meeting with an important guest."
"An important guest!"
The Red-Robed Grandmaster looked thoughtful. "Could it be them?"
"Sir, may I go now?"
The Grandmaster waved him off impatiently and turned to walk toward the reception room.
The Temptress and the Talon
The reception room was the most unique space in the Court of Owls, as it was the only area where outsiders were permitted. Sir Black Hawk managed the Court's daily affairs, including foreign relations. Many secretive organizations existed on Earth, and some maintained very close working relationships with the Court of Owls. The League of Assassins was one such ally.
In the dim room, Sir Black Hawk, in his black suit, scrutinized the woman before him with an unusually cautious gaze. The woman was about twenty-five, with lustrous black hair and a face that blended the best features of East and West, making her a stunning beauty. However, her eyes were severely cold, and the occasional flash of killing intent made even the experienced Black Hawk feel a shiver of fear.
The woman had an incredible figure, clearly visible beneath her black catsuit. Her waist was slender, her hips were curvaceous, her legs were round and long, and her body lines were perfect. Her ample chest size was enough to make most men swallow hard.
Sir Black Hawk was experienced with various temptations and possessed good self-control in this area. After only a few glances, he shifted his attention to the person beside her, or more accurately, the armor the person was wearing.
MAX K-I?
This fellow was actually wearing MAX K-I military power armor. Where did he get his armor? Various thoughts raced through Black Hawk's mind, but he didn't voice any of them. Instead, he asked with a smile,
"The Court of Owls has always maintained a friendly cooperative relationship with the League of Assassins. I have met many senior figures from the League. May I ask what your identity is, Miss?"
"Talia!"
The woman straightened her posture, placing her hands on her stomach and accentuating her perfect bustline. "Just call me Talia."
"Ah, Miss Talia."
Sir Black Hawk smiled faintly, running the name through his mind but finding no relevant information about "Talia."
"Your unannounced visit, without prior notice, must mean something urgent. If you require assistance, please speak freely. The Court of Owls is a faithful ally of the League of Assassins, and we will not refuse any help we can offer."
Hearing this, Talia subtly curled the corner of her mouth. Just like her father, another old fox. The enemy was at their door, yet he feigned composure. The thought made her feel suddenly bored, and she slumped her body, no longer displaying her beauty. Seducing an old fox like him held no fun.
"Sir Black Hawk, I am not here to ask for your help; I am here to help you."
Black Hawk's eyes flashed. He replied dismissively, "I appreciate your kindness, Miss, and thank you for your generosity. However, everything is perfectly normal with the Court of Owls. There is no need for the League of Assassins to intervene. Perhaps you have misunderstood the situation?"
Talia pouted. She stood up, resting her hand on the chair arm, ready to leave.
"If that's the case, then never mind. I was going to help you deal with Batman."
"Wait!"
Black Hawk rose swiftly, his tall body stretching long in the lamplight.
"You know about Batman? Who told you?"
"The League of Assassins has its own intelligence channels; I don't need to tell you. Sir Black Hawk, do you wish to continue this discussion?"
Black Hawk remained silent for a while, then gestured toward a chair.
"Please sit. My apologies for my earlier abruptness."
Talia waved him off impatiently. "Stop with the pleasantries. My only goal is Batman—I want to take him away."
"Take him away?" Black Hawk leaned forward, pressing for an answer, word for word. "I don't understand what that means. You want to take him away? Is Batman somehow connected to the League of Assassins?"
"No, there's no connection. We don't even know him. But we need him to work for us."
Black Hawk laughed, disbelieving the woman's words.
"Batman has repeatedly undermined the Court of Owls' operations and caused severe harm to our members. He is our mortal enemy and must die. He absolutely cannot be left alive. You may take his corpse, but a living man, no."
"Fine, I'll wait right here then."
Talia leaned back in her chair, crossing one leg over the other, like a captivating, tempting serpent. "Let's see how the Talons of the Court kill the Bat."
Black Hawk snorted. The mockery in her eyes irritated him. Compared to the massive, worldwide League of Assassins, the Court of Owls was indeed small, but he would not allow them to be openly scorned.
The conversation reached a stalemate. Black Hawk had no time for idle chat. He rose and left the reception room, pausing at the door.
"There is one thing I am curious about. Who is your friend here? He is wearing MAX K-I military power armor."
"That's right, it's the MAX K-I, and it's from the batch you stole."
"What?"
Black Hawk was shocked, unable to stop himself from shouting. "Don't you know that armor has been tracked by Luke Shaw? He can find you at any moment through that suit!"
"Damn it, are you trying to kill us?"
"Don't worry, there will be no trouble."
Talia walked up to the armor and lightly tapped it. "The armor's core system has been modified. No one will know its location except for the League, including Luke Shaw."
"Speaking of which, Luke Shaw is the reason you've fallen into this predicament, isn't he?"
Talia crossed her arms and stared intently forward. "That man is terrifying, isn't he?"
"He knew the location of the power armor all along, but he never said anything. He stayed hidden behind the scenes, watching you fight like a viper, and then struck a fatal blow the moment the dust settled."
"My father greatly admires him. Before I came to the US, he specifically instructed me to stay far away from him and avoid a conflict."
Father!
Sir Black Hawk's pupils contracted. He couldn't help but ask, "Who is your father?"
"Many people call him Ra's al Ghul. As for his real name, I can't tell you that."
"You... you..."
Sir Black Hawk retreated in terror, completely stunned. Talia smiled contemptuously, walked to the desk, opened a drawer, took out a cigar, lit it, and took a deep puff.
"That's right. I am the daughter of the leader of the League of Assassins. Sir Black Hawk, now tell me Batman's location. I need to capture him quickly. Otherwise, he might run into Luke Shaw."
"And based on my understanding of that viper, now is the time he comes to harvest his prey."
Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MistaQuartz
On Patreon, you can explore Extra Chapters in advance!