Gotham City?
Hearing this name, Fenric froze for a moment.
For anyone familiar with the DC world, Gotham City was a place that needed no introduction—an infamous, iconic city.
It wasn't just the home of the legendary superhero "Batman." It was also the birthplace of countless supervillains.
The Joker. Harley Quinn. Bane. The Penguin. Poison Ivy. Mr. Freeze. Killer Croc. And so many more.
As the saying went: "The folkways are simple in Gotham, and talent pours endlessly from Arkham."
Now, Fenric finally understood why the citizens around him hurried along at night.
There were simply too many criminals in Gotham.
Even with Batman's tireless crusade against crime, he couldn't stop it all.
After all, Batman was only one man. He couldn't possibly guard every street in Gotham.
The middle-aged man who had been speaking with him noticed Fenric's distracted look and reminded him anxiously, "Sir, it's late. My child is still waiting for me at home."
Fenric returned to his senses, gave a faint smile, and nodded. "Thank you for the warning. Go home—and good luck."
"Thank you for your blessing!"
The man responded politely before vanishing quickly down the street.
Fenric stood still, raising his head to look into the distance.
Was it the weather, or was Gotham simply always like this? The city seemed perpetually smothered by a heavy, suffocating gloom.
Dark clouds blanketed the night sky, ensuring Gotham remained forever cloaked in shadows.
Then—
A brilliant light pierced the horizon, scattering some of the darkness.
The beam projected upward, shining against the clouds, forming a massive, unmistakable bat-shaped symbol.
The Bat-Signal.
The citizens on the street immediately brightened, smiles spreading across their weary faces.
"It's Batman!"
"Batman is out enforcing justice!"
"Hahaha, those damn criminals must be quaking in their boots!"
Fenric looked up at the symbol, listening to the cheers around him. His lips curved slightly in amusement.
Ding—!
Just then, the cold, mechanical voice of the system echoed in his mind:
"Attention: Main Mission released."
Main Mission: Establish a Force
Mission Description: Form a force of at least one hundred subordinates within thirty days.
Time Limit: 30 days.
Failure Condition: Obliteration.
Hint: The larger the sphere of influence, the higher the mission evaluation.
Warning: Disclosure of the Samsara Space to dungeon characters is forbidden. Violators will be obliterated.
Fenric's expression didn't change.
"So, I'm in Gotham City… It'd be a waste not to say hello to Batman."
He was already thinking ahead—interacting with key figures might trigger hidden missions.
With that thought, Fenric began walking toward the Bat-Signal.
He wasn't in a hurry. After all, he knew Batman's true identity. Finding him would never be difficult.
So, Fenric strolled leisurely through the streets.
A gust of wind blew past, sending a newspaper fluttering to his feet.
The bold headline caught his attention:
[SUPERMAN IS DEAD!!]
Fenric narrowed his eyes.
"Superman is dead? Did Doomsday already kill him? So the Justice League storyline is just beginning?"
His heart stirred at the thought.
According to the original plot, Batman and the others resurrect Superman to fight the coming threat. But… if I stop his resurrection, will that trigger a hidden mission?
Without Superman, the Justice League can't possibly handle Steppenwolf from Apokolips. The system won't just let Earth be destroyed, will it? If I step in, maybe I'll receive a hidden mission to defeat Steppenwolf myself.
The more he considered it, the more likely it seemed.
It was worth testing.
Of course, his main task still took priority. Hidden missions could only be pursued as extras.
This was the absolute advantage of knowing the plot. He could exploit it, pushing the storyline in different directions to see if hidden tasks appeared.
Other Samsara participants, no matter how hard they racked their brains, would never think to attempt this.
Fenric continued on his way, weaving into narrow side alleys as he neared the Bat-Signal.
For an ordinary person, wandering into Gotham's alleys at night was practically a death wish.
But Fenric was no ordinary person.
It didn't take long for trouble to find him.
Several gangsters spotted the lone stranger and began following. When Fenric turned into a deserted alley, they quickly surrounded him, blocking his path.
"Hey, boy!" sneered the leader, waving a pistol. "If you don't want a few extra holes in your body, hand over your cash."
Fenric raised a brow.
He hadn't been surprised by the robbery—he noticed them tailing him long ago.
What surprised him was that even petty street thugs casually carried guns. That said everything about Gotham's public security.
Truly a city of "unsophisticated folkways."
Fenric was about to make a move when his ears twitched.
Something had just cut through the air above.
His mind shifted instantly. Instead of striking, he decided to play along.
"You… what are you doing? I—I don't have any money."
His exaggerated acting was almost comical, not the least bit convincing. But that was the point.
If he was right, Batman was already here, lurking in the shadows.
Fenric's response was enough bait.
The leader scowled, pressing the muzzle of the pistol to Fenric's forehead.
"I'll count to three. If I don't see the cash, your brains are gonna decorate this alley. One…"
"Two."
Fenric didn't even blink.
Bullets no longer posed any threat to him.
"Three!!"
The gangster's eyes burned with rage as he pulled the trigger.
But before the shot rang out—
"Whsshh!"
A sharp dart whistled out of the darkness.
It struck the gangster's wrist with precision, knocking the gun from his hand.
"Arghhh!" the man howled, clutching his bleeding wrist.
The fallen pistol clattered onto the ground.
His companions gasped. When they saw the shape of the dart, their faces went pale with terror.
A bat-shaped dart.
"D-Damn it… It's Batman!!"