Chapter 18: Flying Dragon

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“With such a huge haul this time, we can start thinking about doing a little renovation on the church.” Roland suddenly had the thought on his way back.

“What made you think of that all of a sudden?” Jason asked curiously.

“Well, I was thinking that once we get the church fixed up, we could attract people in need of help…”

“Tell me the truth.”

“Proper churches have confessionals. I was wondering if I could use one to hear pretty girls’ secrets, then take advantage of them while they’re vulnerable…”

“I knew it. That’s exactly what I thought you were up to.” Jason sighed. “Right now, we’re only staying in an abandoned church temporarily, so it hasn’t caused us much trouble. But if you’re saying we’re actually going to run this church, then there’ll be all sorts of problems.”

“Really?”

“Leaving everything else aside, the paperwork alone will be enough to give us a headache.”

“I can ask someone about that.” Roland thought of Prosecutor Harvey, a friend of Commissioner Gordon’s—Two-Face. He probably had not turned evil yet, so asking him for advice should be fairly reliable.

“Hey, Commissioner Gordon.” With that thought, Roland immediately called Gordon.

“I’m in the middle of something. If you need something, just say it.” Gordon covered his cheek as he spoke. Several matters had piled up all at once lately, leaving him overheated and suffering from a terrible toothache.

“Well, I happen to have a church. It’s been abandoned for so long that I was thinking of renovating it and providing the citizens of Gotham City with a place where they can pray…” Roland told Gordon about his idea.

“Oh, oh, that sounds great…” Gordon began muttering inwardly. Could this fellow Roland actually be doing something a priest was supposed to do? The whole thing felt suspicious no matter how he looked at it. Could he be trying to scam people out of donations?

With that in mind, Gordon asked, “Why are you telling me about this?”

“It’s just that I don’t know what procedures are required.”

“I don’t know either.” Commissioner Gordon was utterly baffled. Although he had studied the law, this was definitely the wrong area in which to consult him.

“What I mean is, you have a pretty good relationship with Prosecutor Harvey, don’t you? He should be very familiar with legal matters. Could you introduce me to him?”

“You certainly took the long way around to say that.” Gordon thought for a moment, then said, “How about tomorrow? Are you free?”

“I’m free every day.”

“All right, then. Come to the entrance of the police station at five tomorrow afternoon.”

“Okay.”

Roland hung up.

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“So that’s all it took?” Jason asked. “I didn’t realize you were so familiar with Commissioner Gordon.”

“We’re on fairly good terms. I’ve helped him catch criminals before.” Roland explained.

“Are you talking about me?” a sultry female voice asked.

Poison Ivy was wearing a light, flamboyant dress and sitting on a London plane tree by the roadside. Vines threaded through the leaves, while flowers bloomed all over her body.

Roland stared at her, his eyes going slightly wide. He could not help swallowing. “Beautiful, what can I do for you?”

“And you still have the nerve to ask what I want… Don’t you know what you’ve done?” Poison Ivy gave him a seductive smile. The great tree beneath her began to move, launching an attack on Roland.

“I have no idea.” Roland raised his hands into a defensive stance, cursing Batman inwardly.

Wasn’t he supposed to have beaten amnesia into Poison Ivy? Apparently, she had only forgotten what Batman had done, while remembering everything involving Roland perfectly well.

“Heh heh… There’s no point pretending.” Half-sitting on the tree, Poison Ivy directed the plant monster beneath her to swing its thick branches down at Roland in a relentless barrage.

Roland stomped the ground, shattering the bricks and tiles beneath his feet. Using the footwork of his martial art, he slipped straight through the gaps between the branches and punched the trunk. The massive tree shook violently, sending wood chips flying.

“What incredible martial arts! So it really was you who rescued Bruce Wayne—and beat me until I lost my memory!” Poison Ivy shouted angrily.

“How was that my doing?” Roland’s expression twitched. If Poison Ivy had truly lost her memory, why had she come after him specifically?

But if she had not lost her memory, why was she pinning everything Batman had done on him?

Still, it was only a tree. Even one that could move was no match for Roland’s fists. After a few more punches, its branches and leaves were sent flying, and Poison Ivy, perched atop it, began to feel the pressure.

But controlling plants was not Poison Ivy’s only trump card. Her body could also secrete deadly toxins capable of killing a target or controlling someone’s mind.

Seeing that the tree under her control was about to be dismantled by Roland’s bare hands, Poison Ivy leapt down and threw herself at him.

He was clearly a lecher. Surely he would catch her. Once he did, she could defeat him in one move! Poison Ivy bit her red lip and thought.

“What’s this supposed to mean?” Roland looked up. The moment he did, he froze in place.

Then Poison Ivy performed a flying dragon straddling his face.

Roland fell backward onto the ground, and the scene quickly became too embarrassing to look at.

“Uh…” Jason, who had been watching from the side, could not help opening his mouth wide. What on earth was happening?

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Poison Ivy’s face flushed crimson. She released her toxins and knocked Roland unconscious.

“You…” Jason tried to rush over and help, but vines instantly bound him up like a dumpling.

Poison Ivy had just begun to speak when she saw a gigantic bat-shaped shadow blocking the light behind her.

“Batman…” Poison Ivy gritted her teeth.

“Let them go,” Batman said coldly.

“Not a chance!” Poison Ivy sent the vines on her body whipping backward, but they struck nothing.

The next moment, several cables had bound her tightly, and she was thrown to the ground.

“What happened to him?” Batman checked Roland’s breathing and, upon finding that he was still alive, clipped a device onto his hand.

“He’s only unconscious.” Poison Ivy snorted.

“Strange… Why is his blood pressure so high? Can your toxins have that effect?” Batman asked in surprise. “It almost feels as if he’s been subjected to some kind of stimulus.”

Poison Ivy’s face reddened. She turned her head away and said nothing.

“I know what caused it.” Jason smiled meaningfully.

A few minutes later, Roland gradually regained consciousness. An odd scent lingered around the tip of his nose.

“You’re awake.” Batman stood beside Roland. “Poison Ivy has been subdued.”

“Oh… Thanks.”

“How did your fighting skills improve so dramatically?” Batman asked.

“Uh… That’s Chinese kung fu. Amazing, right?” Roland said. “Chinese culture is vast and profound. You wouldn’t understand.”

“You’re trying to pass me off as some ignorant foreigner, are you?” Batman said in Mandarin, giving him a sidelong glance. “Do you think I don’t know what kung fu is? Kung fu is honed over time. A few years of basic training—no, wait. You’ve only been practicing for two or three days, and you can already fight like this?”

“I’m a martial-arts prodigy. It’s perfectly normal for me to be different from you.” Roland forced out an explanation.