Inside the training room, in the ring.
Stephanie, wearing a sports vest and tight training pants with her hair tied in a ponytail, was sparring against Jin.
"Faster! Faster!"
Throughout the entire fight, Jin effortlessly dodged every attack.
Stephanie was already drenched in sweat.
After several days of training, faint muscle lines had begun to appear on her previously flat abdomen.
Stephanie used every technique Jin had taught her.
But Jin moved like a nimble cat.
No matter what she did, she couldn't even touch him.
As Stephanie gradually ran out of stamina and her movements slowed down, Jin seized the opportunity.
With a swift motion, he swept her legs.
Stephanie fell straight to the ground.
She lay there panting heavily, sweat covering her forehead, neck, and fair abdomen.
Jin picked up a towel and draped it over her body.
"That's enough training for today."
Stephanie glared at him resentfully, as if he had bullied her.
Seeing her expression, Jin continued calmly.
"Don't look at me like that."
"This is for your own good."
After saying that, Jin ignored the pouting Stephanie lying on the floor and went downstairs.
When he reached the living room, his phone suddenly rang.
Jin took it out and saw the caller ID.
Alfred.
He didn't even need to guess why Alfred was calling.
"Is something wrong, Alfred?"
"I'm sorry to disturb you so late," Alfred replied politely.
"But I do have something to ask of you."
"Mr. Wayne went out two days ago to investigate the Court of Owls."
"He hasn't returned since."
"I'm… a little worried."
Just as Jin expected.
Alfred was asking for his help.
Three days earlier, during the party, many high-ranking figures in Gotham had been attacked by Talons.
Two days ago, Bruce had gone out as Batman to investigate the Court of Owls.
But now two days had passed…
And Bruce still hadn't returned.
Alfred was beginning to worry.
Jin already knew what had happened.
Bruce had fallen into the Court of Owls' trap and was currently trapped inside the deadly maze they had prepared.
"I understand."
"Send me Bruce's last known location."
"Thank you for your help," Alfred replied.
"I'll send it immediately."
After hanging up, Jin quickly received the coordinates of Bruce's last signal before it disappeared.
Just as Jin was preparing to leave, Barbara walked toward him.
"I'm going too."
Barbara was clearly angry.
Jin had never told her that he wasn't an ordinary person.
Until recently, she had believed she was the only vigilante among them.
Now she discovered that Jin had secretly been fighting criminals as well.
Even worse…
Both Jin and Black Lily knew each other's identities.
And the last time, she had even unknowingly helped Black Lily escape.
Thinking about it now made Barbara feel like a complete fool.
As if she had been outplayed by the mysterious woman who suddenly appeared.
Jin sighed helplessly.
After all, he had indeed hidden things from her.
"Fine."
"Let's go together."
Barbara immediately smiled.
"Hmph."
"That's more like it."
---
The two soon arrived near the sewer district.
Jin checked a special device that looked like a smartphone.
It displayed the final signal location Bruce had transmitted before disappearing.
Jin and Barbara exchanged glances.
They nodded silently to each other.
Then they split up and began searching the sewer walls for any hidden mechanisms.
Soon, Jin noticed something unusual.
Several bricks in the wall felt different.
He took out a small flashlight from his system storage and flashed the light toward Barbara.
Understanding the signal, Barbara quickly came over.
Jin pressed down on the strange brick with force.
Immediately, the surrounding bricks shifted and slid inward.
A hidden doorway appeared.
Beyond the entrance was complete darkness.
It was so deep that even the flashlight couldn't illuminate the inside.
It was likely made from some kind of light-absorbing material.
Jin gestured that he would enter first.
If anything dangerous happened, he could respond immediately.
Barbara nodded in agreement.
Jin stepped into the dark passage.
Inside, he couldn't see his own fingers.
However, he could still feel the walls on both sides.
It seemed to be some kind of narrow tunnel.
After walking for a while, Jin turned around.
But there was nothing behind him.
The entrance they had just used had already disappeared.
"Xiaoba, can you hear me?"
Jin tapped the communicator in his ear.
There was no response.
Only faint static noise.
It seemed the place not only absorbed light…
It also blocked communication signals completely.
Even if he couldn't contact Barbara, Jin knew she would eventually enter on her own.
He activated his Observation Haki, carefully sensing his surroundings.
There were no traps nearby.
So Jin continued walking deeper into the tunnel.
Soon…
A faint light appeared ahead of him.
---
Meanwhile, outside the entrance.
Barbara waited for a long time but saw no signal from Jin.
Her expression grew worried.
Did something happen to him?
No.
She couldn't just stand there.
Barbara stepped forward without hesitation and entered the hidden doorway.
A moment after she disappeared inside…
The wall silently closed again.
Returning to its original appearance.