Chapter 387 - 387: A Taste for Gossip

Wonder Woman moved across the rooftops of Gotham City, feeling the night wind brush against her face. It reminded her that it had been a very long time since she had been able to move around this freely and without restraint.

The streets below were just as unsettling.

In the span of only a few blocks, she had already witnessed several robberies. Women walking alone through dark alleys were constantly being targeted by criminals, and now and then she could hear threats, blackmail, and extortion coming from the shadows.

"Hmph! Gotham City truly deserves its reputation as the crime capital. I'd already heard about it back in France, but I never expected things to be this bad!"

Princess Diana frowned.

She could not stand watching women being humiliated and oppressed. After all, the Amazons themselves had once been betrayed and overthrown by their Greek allies, forcing them to flee across the sea.

So when she saw several women being robbed, she immediately rolled up her sleeves and prepared to intervene.

But before Diana could make a move, the seemingly ordinary Gotham women suddenly pulled handguns from their pockets and opened fire on the robbers.

Gunshots erupted throughout the alley.

At first glance, the whole place looked like a war zone.

"Well, it seems Gotham's women know how to defend their rights with guns. I suppose this place isn't completely hopeless after all!"

Seeing this, Diana did not immediately jump down.

Instead, she settled in and watched the gunfight with considerable interest, almost as though she were sitting in a theater with a bucket of popcorn.

Unfortunately, the Gotham women did not immediately emerge victorious.

After all, just because Gotham had such notoriously tough residents did not mean everyone was a trained marksman—or bulletproof.

Their ammunition soon ran out.

Seeing the situation turn against them, Diana finally leaped down.

With only a few punches and kicks, she sent the robbers crashing to the ground.

"Sinner! To dare attack a woman like that—how utterly shameless!"

Wonder Woman stood triumphantly with her hands on her hips, staring down at one of the robbers lying on the ground.

The man looked at the wrinkled face of the Gotham woman beside him.

Then he looked at the tall, radiant, heroic Princess Diana.

Lowering his head, he cursed under his breath.

"Damn it! Since when did Gotham get another costumed psychopath...?"

Naturally, those words did not escape Wonder Woman's ears.

Diana's eyes flashed.

"What are you muttering about? Do you not feel even the slightest remorse?"

The robber twisted his face contemptuously.

"So that's what this is! Ever since Batman appeared, Gotham's been crawling with self-righteous lunatics who love dressing up in ridiculous costumes. But you think we're going to be afraid of you just because we're afraid of Batman? Dream on!"

At those words, Wonder Woman immediately became interested.

"Batman of Gotham City? I thought he was only an urban legend. So he really exists?"

Diana leaned forward curiously.

"Hey, you! Tell me about him. What exactly is this Batman like? Does he have wings like Cupid?"

Needless to say, everyone had a taste for gossip, and Diana was no exception.

But the criminal ignored her questions.

He simply shut his eyes and refused to speak.

Seeing that, Diana reached for the rope at her side and casually tossed it over him before the criminal could react.

The man's face filled with astonishment.

The Lasso of Truth!

It was one of Themyscira's greatest treasures—an unbreakable divine artifact that compelled anyone bound by it to speak the truth.

It was exceptionally useful for interrogation... among other things.

"Batman is a legendary monster in our city! He was practically summoned into existence just to hunt down criminals like us!" the punk blurted out. "And as for you? You're nowhere near his level!"

His eyes widened in disbelief.

It was obvious that even he could not believe those words had come out of his own mouth.

Princess Diana was very pleased with the Lasso's effectiveness, though she did not take the criminal's praise of Batman particularly seriously.

"Oh? So Batman really does exist?"

Wonder Woman chuckled teasingly.

"People who haven't seen much of the world tend to make a fuss over everything. In the end, he's probably just another person running around in one of those ridiculous costumes you were talking about!"

The captured criminal immediately became agitated.

"Who hasn't seen much of the world? You!"

He raised his voice defiantly.

"Who the hell are you, anyway? Batman isn't just real—he's incredibly powerful! If you don't believe me, just wait until Karl's Batman series comes out. Then you'll understand exactly what kind of status Batman has in Gotham City!"

Anyone trapped by the Lasso of Truth could only speak the truth, even with a blade pressed against their throat.

Therefore, Diana did not doubt the robber's words for even a moment.

What interested her instead was the name he had just mentioned.

"Karl? Who is that? And he's producing a television series?"

Princess Diana looked intrigued.

"Could it be some kind of heroic epic adapted in the style of Egyptian mythology?"

As she spoke, Diana loosened the Lasso around the robber.

After all, someone this weak hardly required the Lasso of Truth to restrain him.

Just then, a lazy voice drifted over from the entrance of the alley.

"Miss, unless I heard you wrong, I believe you just mentioned the name Karl."

The voice paused briefly.

"Sounds like you two really are on the same side."

Diana looked up.

A sleepy, disheveled man stood not far away at the mouth of the alley. He looked utterly listless, as though he had barely enough energy to remain standing.

Yet in Diana's eyes, this seemingly unremarkable man had positioned himself very deliberately across the exit.

He was clearly trying to prevent her from leaving.

"Who are you?"

Diana narrowed her eyes and stared at him meaningfully.

The newcomer was none other than John Constantine, one of the DC world's foremost practitioners of the dark arts and, at present, someone working directly with Gotham City's police commissioner.

"Well... I suppose you can think of me as one of those damned cops in a police uniform—the kind who enjoys making life difficult for people."

Constantine spoke without changing his expression.

"More importantly, I need you to come back to the station with me so I can investigate a few things."

He gave her a lazy look.

"Please don't refuse."

The moment they heard that he was connected to the Gotham police, both the woman and the robber froze.

Their expressions immediately changed.

Then, with remarkable mutual understanding, both of them got to their feet, hurried past Constantine, and fled in panic.

If there was anything worse than encountering a criminal in Gotham City, it was encountering the police.

Not only were some of them completely useless, but they were also notorious for squeezing money out of both victims and perpetrators alike, taking advantage of both sides whenever they had the opportunity.

It was disgusting.

Constantine did nothing to stop the two insignificant figures as they passed him.

In truth, all of his attention was focused on Wonder Woman.

After receiving a report from an informant that a female rooftop prowler matching his description had been spotted in the city, Constantine had immediately headed over to investigate.

By sheer coincidence, he arrived just in time to hear Diana talking to herself about Karl.

Naturally, he immediately placed her in Karl's camp.

"And what if I refuse?"

Princess Diana replied coldly.

Perhaps Gotham's local customs were already beginning to influence her, because the sight of a police officer now irritated her as well.

After all, a robbery had just taken place right in front of her.

There had even been a prolonged gunfight in the street before Constantine arrived.

Yet instead of asking a single question about any of that, this man had appeared and decided that the person who had stepped in to help should be hauled back to the station for "questioning."

What kind of logic was that?

(End of Chapter)

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