The vehicle jolted relentlessly on the muddy road, swaying left and right. The three people in the back of the van were constantly knocked against the walls, with the sound of Peter’s pained grunts echoing every few seconds.“Oh♂!”“Ah♂!”Su Ming felt a sudden urge to tell him, “Just stand still♂!” But in the end, he decided to pretend he hadn't heard anything.

  He grumbled inwardly. With all the wealth Blithe had, why hadn’t she spent a little to fix this stretch of road outside her door? Every time it rained, even the Batmobile must’ve been shaken to bits, right?

  Cindy, on the other hand, seemed completely at ease, weaving the van through tight turns until it shot down a narrow path. The trees surrounding them were thick and towering, blocking the view of what y ahead.

  Countless branches and vines spped against the windshield, some even finding their way inside through the window, whipping against their armor and spttering the interior with rainwater.

  Su Ming didn’t say a word. He just silently put on his helmet. Cindy knew this area, so he trusted her judgment.

  They continued down the unseen mountain road, and soon enough, they reached a small ravine. The water had surged from the recent storm, muddy torrents mixing with debris, rushing downstream.

  Under normal circumstances, no one would dare keep going. If the vehicle broke down here, they'd all be swept away by the fsh flood, straight to the ocean.

  But Cindy had no concerns. She simply downshifted and, in minutes, managed to steer the van into a cave.

  Inside the cave, it was a whole different story. Instead of the rough terrain outside, it was a smooth, paved road. Concrete paths stretched into the depths, with overhead lights shining brightly from the high ceiling.

  They drove deeper, and in no time, they came to a massive steel door. However, it seemed the st time Cindy had been here, she’d blown it open. Twisted metal y charred and bck beside the entrance.

  Without hesitation, she pulled the van up beside the sleek, shiny Batmobile, killed the engine, and patted the back of the van.

  “We’re here. Off you go. Who signed up for the ‘Mystery Tour’ today?”

  Su Ming jumped out of the van and removed his helmet, finally breathing in some dry air.

  After stretching a bit, his eyes immediately went to the Batmobile. He’d been eyeing this thing in the movies for ages, and now here it was, right in front of him.

  He removed his gloves and ran his fingers over the cold steel. The Batmobile had been maintained by Alfred as if it were brand new. Its glossy bck paint gleamed, every corner and detail sharp and meticulously crafted.

  The back of the car sported a massive turbine jet engine and a tailfin shaped like bat wings. With wide anti-slip tires and a long, sleek body, the vehicle radiated a mixture of menace and elegance. It looked far more impressive than Cindy’s old, beat-up jeep.

  It was also slightly different from the version in the films, probably because of the parallel universe they were in. This Batmobile seemed more like a weapon than just a cool vehicle.

  “Don’t even think about it,” Cindy called out, walking over. “I was thinking of taking it for a spin myself, but the hatch won’t even open.”

  “If it’s controlled by the computers here, then it’s no surprise,” Su Ming said, tapping the gss of the Batmobile. “The Bat and the butler are both tech geniuses.” He slipped his gloves back on. “If you really want it, though, next time you’ll have the chance. After all, you’ve now met the best hacker in the world.”

  Cindy gnced at the few people stumbling out of the van, with Peter still groaning, clearly feeling the effects of motion sickness.

  “You’re talking about Gordon’s daughter?”

  “Yep. You got it. Even though she’s a bit younger in your world, her talent is undeniable. She’s one of the best hackers on the pnet,” Su Ming affirmed.

  “What about where you’re from?”

  “Tch, you definitely don’t want to mess with her over there. If you even try, you’ll have dozens of Bat-like people knocking on your door in no time.”

  Su Ming chuckled. “And don’t forget, Barbara’s part of the Birds of Prey. Even the Justice League might come after you.”

  Cindy nodded thoughtfully. “Sounds like she could be useful. I’ll make sure we get on good terms. Maybe she’ll help me out someday.” She eyed Barbara, who was being helped out of the van. “If we have a future, that is.”

  “You’ve still got time. Once we’re in the Batcave, with Barbara on our side, gathering intel won’t be a problem.”

  The other three finally climbed out of the van, gazing around with wide eyes.

  Despite the dim lighting, which only cast weak glows from a few lights, the camera’s fsh revealed a series of glittering metallic ptforms seamlessly embedded into the cave’s rocky walls. Rows of instruments and computers were scattered throughout, but the most striking feature was the Batmobile at the center of it all.

  “Oh… this pce is incredible! Quick, start the camera, I need to record a special segment!”

  Vicki immediately perked up, barking orders at Peter to get the camera rolling while she pulled out a compact mirror to touch up her makeup.

  Though this wasn’t exactly his turf, Su Ming waved his hands in a welcoming gesture. “Feel free to make yourselves at home. Welcome to the Batcave, everyone! Oh, but Vicki, remember the rules for filming. Got it?”

  “Mhm, got it.”

  She responded, though it wasn’t clear whether she actually understood. But when she saw Peter nodding furiously in agreement, it was clear he knew the drill.

  “What should I do?”

  Barbara was still a little confused. She hadn’t realized that the “secret location” Su Ming had mentioned was actually Batgirl’s hidden base. Had they met before? Could this pce really hold the key to finding her father?

  “Oh, you come with me,” Cindy said. “We’ve got a server here. If you can crack its firewall, you’ll be able to access all of Gotham’s information.”

  Cindy led her to a row of massive computers. The screens were so rge, they resembled walls, surrounded by a dozen smaller ones. The control panel was a maze of buttons, all identical and without any bels. It looked completely impossible to navigate.

  This was the very reason Cindy had been unable to make any progress before.

  Barbara examined the huge server quickly, locating an external port and hooking up her ptop. She started running her decryption program.

  “How’s it going?” Cindy asked, peering over her shoulder.

  “Not sure yet. It seems to be going smoothly. Batgirl’s external firewall is solid, but she’s got a vulnerability in her physical security.” Barbara’s fingers flew over the keyboard.

  She quietly apologized to Batgirl in her mind, but she felt no guilt. This was for her father.

  Su Ming nodded, stepping back to give her space to work. He wasn’t about to crowd her at the terminal. Instead, he wandered around the Batcave, taking in the differences between this parallel world and the one in the comics.

  There was an empty gss dispy case in the corner, with a bck mannequin inside. It was probably where Batgirl kept her battle suit, though it seemed she had taken it with her. The mannequin’s proportions were… a little off, though. Too big in the chest area. That’s a no from me.

  He passed a spiral staircase, which seemed to lead up to the Wayne Manor library. If you wanted to descend from there, you had to py a tune on the piano in the study.

  A surgical table sat nearby. Apparently, Alfred used it for all the repairs and stitches on Batgirl. Truly, the man was a jack of all trades.

  But then, his eyes fell on something strange.

  A massive dinosaur model stood in the center of the cave. It looked like a toy, but Su Ming recognized it immediately—it was part of the Batcave’s security. A mechanical T-Rex, designed to incapacitate intruders. Though it wouldn’t kill anyone, the thing would certainly leave them battered and broken.

  Hmm?

  Wait a second…

  “Cindy~!” Su Ming called out, tilting his head toward her. “Did you take care of the dinosaur?”

  Cindy was busy talking to Barbara, trying to bond and improve their retionship. Hearing Su Ming’s voice, she casually asked, “What dinosaur?”

  “Uh…?”