But the active components within the teorite needed soone to extract them as well as further refinent and dissemination.
Bakar was selected as the key figure to execute the plan, but at that ti, only nobles could beco lords. They chose Edmund Wayne, a fallen noble with no family to rely on, and the two successfully arrived at the New Continent.
By that ti, General Arkham had already been affected by the teorite and had beco deranged. The two easily defeated him, but during the final showdown with General Arkham, Edmund keenly sensed sothing was amiss with Arkham and chose not to kill him but instead imprisoned him underground in Arkham Fortress.
After gradually regaining his sanity, General Arkham shared his speculations with Edmund. Edmund also noticed Bakar's unusual activities—he was assembling sothing in Gotham Village.
After a period of investigation, Edmund found that Bakar frequently traveled between Gotham Village and the current site of Arkham Asylum, transporting so materials into Gotham Village for processing, then spreading them via pirates and smugglers.
The material Bakar was processing was teorite crystals.
Edmund spent a significant amount of ti researching what exactly these crystals were used for. Unfortunately, most of his research results ca from himself. He discovered that he had developed cancer and his ntal condition was deteriorating.
Realizing he didn't have much ti left, Edmund had no other choice. He decided to collaborate with the East India Company to establish a new city away from Gotham Village to prevent the spread of crystal pollution. However, he didn't realize that it was the East India Company that was the behind-the-scenes manipulator.
This ultimately led to his failure in the duel against Bakar, as the East India Company had never supported him from the beginning. The East India Company, the Order Sect, and Bakar were all in cahoots.
The East India Company pretended to help Edmund in order to use his status as a lord to build water conservancy projects in Gotham. Bakar had buried a large quantity of crystals underneath Gotham Village, and by establishing a reservoir above Gotham Village, the crystal pollution would continue to spread through Gotham's water system.
Using Edmund's reputation ensured that the Gothamites wouldn't suspect the reservoir. Indeed, they successfully achieved this. Previous mayors had tried and failed to dismantle the reservoir, even though the old dam was decommissioned, the Gotham Reservoir still stood.
The crystal pollution not only caused a high incidence of cancer in Gotham but also affected the ntal states of Gothamites, leading to many becoming mad. As Arkham Asylum was built right above the teorite crater, the madn would get enhanced every ti they were admitted, resulting in their ntal conditions worsening, and Gotham's security then deteriorated, eventually becoming what it is today.
After hearing Maggie's narration, Shiller was sowhat emotional. In a sense, the actions of the East India Company were even worse than the Court of Owls. If they had succeeded, the world would have turned out differently.
But Shiller couldn't help asking, "Why didn't they succeed?"
Maggie sneered and said, "Would you allow a sect wielding such power to co-rule the world with you?"
Shiller imdiately understood. It was the classic internal strife. It made sense, though. These two organizations, both devious, might cooperate when there's no clear plan, but once they start seeing progress, both would be extrely wary of each other.
The East India Company feared the Order Sect's enigmatic tactics, while the Order Sect feared the East India Company's significant global influence. Plans carried out until the end would not result in mutual achievents but would undoubtedly involve each trying to sabotage the other to prevent them from seizing their accomplishnts.
"That was a very long struggle," Maggie's voice was unusually calm, "In the end, the East India Company fell through the sands of ti, and the Order Sect quietly disappeared. But if you had to say who won, I think it would be the Sect. They survived till today."
"Yes, their strategic retreat enabled them not to vanish imdiately but to barely survive. They still haven't abandoned their plans and are plotting a world-shocking prophetic disaster."
"'The vampire of flas dances in the forest'?"
"It seems you have uncovered a lot." Maggie smiled, sat up, and reached for her nthol cigarette.
"It seems you're not worried," Shiller observed her relaxed deanor, "Telling all this suggests you no longer wish to work for the Sect. But it seems you're not worried about the prophecy coming true."
"Because the prophecy will not co true," Maggie's voice conveyed conviction, "Edmund will achieve the final victory."
"Why?"
"Because he sold his soul to the devil."
In the forest outskirts near Gotham Reservoir, Brad looked at the familiar stains of blood and burnt ashes, sighing softly.
His face, urgently searching for the Death Angel, suddenly lost its anxious emotion, as if it had never appeared. When he turned around, the brightest star in the sky was hanging above the treetops.
Near the Forest, a lively party was being held at the camping site, another Gotham Police Departnt gathering, with the spirited Bruce, engaged Gordon, and the forcibly brought along Pale Knight and Batman, but this ti Fiona, Catwoman, Nightwing, and Jason were also present.
While Bruce was setting up the grill, he suddenly saw flas rise in the nearby Forest.
Gordon saw it too, thinking the Forest was on fire, and quickly organized people to go put it out. Bruce also hurried over.
They rushed into the center of the Forest, only to find a group of cloaked figures dancing around a kneeling tall figure.
"Paul?!" Gordon exclaid.
Batman looked up, and seeing that bright star in the sky, his expression changed and he murmured in a low voice: "The prophecy..."
Just as he was about to rush out, Catwoman stopped him. Bruce also stood still, watching the developnts—watching for most of the night.
These cultists chanted there for most of the night until the sky brightened, and the stars disappeared, without summoning anything.
Catwoman couldn't stand it anymore, nor could Gordon endure any longer. With a wave of his hand, fully ard police officers rushed over, capturing all the confused and bewildered cultists.
Shiller then found Brad in a small alley on Bourbon Street.
"Paul isn't a descendant of the Vare family, is he?"
Brad smiled and said, "You really found out. Yes, I pretended to be anxious to make the Order Sect believe I was worried they would take Paul away to fulfill the prophecy, to cent his identity as a descendant of the Vare family. But actually, he should have the surna Wayne."
"The Vare family indeed had two children born back then, one was sent to the Wayne Family, whose descendant is today's Bruce Wayne, or should be called Bruce Vare."
"And the real descendant of the Wayne Family, who was swapped out, was supposed to be killed, but I saved him following the contract with Edmund. His descendant is Paul Vare, or rather Paul Wayne."
"And I didn't kill the other descendant of the Vare family intended for diversion, I just sent him to a civilian family, seems like the surna was... Collins?"
"Cunning devil," Shiller comnted, "Watching others busily working in vain, is that interesting?"
"You're right, that's exactly the pleasure of a devil." Brad finally laughed out, "Edmund wanted to act as a hero thwarting conspiracies, but I didn't want to appear too righteous, a bit of artistic flair is necessary, isn't it?"
"When they hopefully found the Vare family's descendant lost among the people, spent a lot of effort to kidnap and control him to recite the spell, but in the end, because the inserted card wasn't right, and they absolutely couldn't get through, missing the last chance, their feelings must have been quite spectacular?"
Shiller couldn't help but applaud for him, and as his clapping went on, the behind crew entered the scene. Brad's smile slowly faded.
"Who are they? ... Wait! What are they doing to my house?!"
Shiller pulled out a land transfer contract gotten from David and said, "Sorry, it's my house now."
"No! That building is my family's entrance and exit to the real world; you can't demolish it! Stop!!!"
Shiller then showed a smile, saying, "Sorry, watching people busily work in vain, is just this interesting."
"Now, na a price to buy back your own house from , or—give the house to ?"
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