"Snap!"
A sharp sound came from not far away, possibly a cable being severed by the wind, or the rain causing a short circuit in the transformer box. The Wayne Group lightbox above their heads suddenly sputtered a spark and a wisp of gray smoke, and went out.
The wisp of smoke was quickly dispersed by the rain and vanished. The two merely looked up at the now-darkened billboard without saying a word.
The surrounding area turned dim, except for the glowing cigarette tips of their cigars, flickering on and off.
Su Ming thought for a moment before deciding to speak first, "I come from a parallel world; what's the situation in Gotham now?"
The counterpart was also Deathstroke; this was information he could share with her. When intelligence can't be used in action, she won't spread or sell the information.
Just like how Batman collected the weaknesses of all the superheroes on Earth, ready to resolve the situation instantly if they ever turn evil.
This information is a kind of strategic reserve, allowing Su Ming to prove his sincerity without worrying about future repercussions in the short term.
Without anybody paying her to kill him, keeping secrets with her was relatively safe.
Deathstroke and Batman both know each other's true identities, yet due to their principles, Batman wouldn't attack Deathstroke unless a crime is committed, and even if something is known to be his doing, lack of evidence means no appearance.
However, Deathstroke's work is always clean and efficient.
And Deathstroke wouldn't target Batman's true identity, Bruce Wayne, because the Wayne Group is too wealthy, and Bruce's life is extremely valuable. Without at least a few hundred billion, Deathstroke has decided to let Bruce's head remain on his neck, maybe cash it in someday?
Just like the Joker, who also knows Batman's true identity, but only wants to play with the Bat and not that boring billionaire.
But that doesn't stop him from kidnapping people around Bruce, from the butler Ah Fu to several of Bruce's girlfriends. They've all been kidnapped by the Joker, forcing Batman out to play his games.
A whole heap of villains know Batman's identity, including Black Mask, Silence, Bane, and others. The symbol of Gotham City is Batman. Only by defeating Batman can one claim to rule Gotham, and defeating Bruce without the Bat guise just means taking down a playboy billionaire...
Deathstroke exists on the dark side of this society, so he must also protect the society's existence.
Whether someone wants to destroy the Earth or play outside the rules of darkness, these are Deathstroke's enemies.
In the comics, every time an alien boss comes to invade Earth, chaos ensues. Thugs seize the chance to rob banks or jewelry stores, and even ordinary people grab TVs from roadside shops, thinking why not when superheroes are busy.
But among those taking advantage to mess with superheroes, you'd never find Deathstroke. On several occasions, he's even helped the heroes deal with alien and otherworldly invaders, resolving world crises without charging a dime.
However, once the crisis is over and the world is safe, Deathstroke resumes his mercenary business, and any superhero obstructing him has but one fate—elimination!
"Hmm, I figured as much, your skills are impressive, but I've never heard of someone like you."
Cindy, with a cigarette dangling from her lips, spoke quietly, drowned out by the sound of rain, yet Su Ming heard clearly.
"Have you met people from a parallel world before?"
He asked her, both standing side by side, watching the distant Bat Lamp's light twist and turn in the stormy clouds.
"A pitiful person, wearing a fabric hood like a bank robber, using old-fashioned firearms. He was quite old, his body deteriorating, but he came to kill..."
Cindy said indifferently, speaking of misery without a flinch of emotion on her face.
"Did he say why he came to this world? Or how he left?"
Su Ming also wanted to leave; while his previous life was dull, at least in his original world, his homeland was peaceful and stable, with people living in peace, places to rest safely.
There was no fear of alien invasions or superhero villains beyond common knowledge.
"He did say, a criminal group called the 'Syndicate' killed his child. He managed to come here by following them when they traversed worlds, trying to find a chance to kill them... Unfortunately, he never succeeded. Our world is ruled by the Amazon Council, whose high centralization represents faster response and greater power. Parallel world invaders are quickly repelled. They returned to their world, shutting the space-time gate, and the old man naturally went back."
"Did the Justice League drive them away? Wait, do you have a Justice League in your world?"
Su Ming pondered for a moment before deciding to ask, because just before his crossing, DC had just updated a new DC Universe event—"Metal." If there was no Justice League, it meant this was a Dark Multiverse, a reflection of a Bright Multiverse.
They are universes composed of dark matter, like two sides of a coin, but due to the nature of this world, everything here turns out darker than the ordinary DC parallel universe.