Chapter 248
Interlude 248: Thomas the Tank Engine's Amazing Adventure
Interlude 248: Thomas the Tank Engine's Amazing Adventure
"Night Owl!"
Seeing Thomas fall, Qin Wei immediately reached out to catch him, but even with his quick reflexes, his fingertips still missed Thomas's ankle.
He then reached for the grappling hook at his waist, but the fleshy lump under his feet suddenly trembled.
He fell down too.
Done!
Before the gasp could even escape his lips, Qin Wei blinked and found himself lying on a soft patch of grass, surrounded by a crowd of terrified people.
His first thought was that he had been hypnotized by the tumor. He looked around warily, only to find the Star City trio, led by Oliver, standing behind him.
"This is an illusion; we need to find a way to escape—"
"Don't be nervous, look at the sky first."
Looking up following Oliver's finger, one sees the sky filled with orange-yellow light, accompanied by faint yellow lightning, so bright it's almost blinding.
The orange-yellow light was interspersed with a few streaks of red and blue light, and if you looked closely, you could even see a few faint green lights.
Meanwhile, the number of people on the grassland is increasing at a visible rate.
These people seem to have been transported here by some kind of mysterious teleportation device.
Is technology in the future world really that advanced?
His gaze followed the convergence of light, and in the distance lay Star City, ravaged by fleshy vines. The enormous sound was like muffled thunder from the heavens, and even from tens of kilometers away, the roar still sent chills down one's spine.
Qin Wei roughly understood what had happened.
If he's not mistaken, the one who saved him, along with most of Star City's residents, was the rumored speedster.
The "glow" and lightning that filled the sky were the traces left by the speedsters during their activities.
As for who that red and blue color representing hope is, there's no need to elaborate.
But what about the green?
"Oliver, is that you up there?" Qin Wei asked jokingly, seeing that everyone was on edge.
"How could it be me! It should be... no! I mean the green light."
"Oh, it's Hal Jordan!"
"How do you know him? Wait, are you still streaming?!"
"Don't worry, it's already closed."
Qin Wei winked mysteriously, then tapped his head. "Nothing can hide from a bat."
Of course, the reason Wei is still in the mood to joke is because he knows that Night Owl is still alive.
The intermittent, startled sounds of Isaiah Thomas can still be heard from their walkie-talkie.
The other person seems to be experiencing something interesting.
Unfortunately, Wei was unable to pass the message on.
However, as long as the other side is alive, things will be easier. Our side not only has Superman, but also Speedster. Qin Wei just wants to find a soft bed to lie down comfortably. He doesn't even know how he will lose this battle.
Meanwhile, an owl, whose whereabouts are unknown, is experiencing a truly fantastical journey.
Following the sound of gunfire, Night Owl turned a corner and found a man wearing a black woven hat, barely alive, in a corner.
He was shot in the back, and the bullet unsurprisingly pierced his spine.
Deeper into the alley, a little boy with tears streaming down his face gripped a pistol and stared warily at the night owl. Beside him lay a man and a woman lying in a pool of blood.
Night Owl had only read the news in the newspaper, but the strikingly similar scene before him still resonated deeply with him.
Thomas Jr. was even unable to attend the funeral of a loved one back then.
He instinctively approached the two corpses, raised his hands, and gestured to the little boy that he posed no threat.
But his attire didn't make him look like a good person, especially since the boy was in a state of panic.
Unsurprisingly, another shot rang out.
boom!
The bullet struck the Night Owl's helmet, sending sparks flying in the night.
The owl was a little annoyed, but luckily the boy's gun didn't have any more bullets.
"Kid, your marksmanship is pretty good, but you shot the wrong target—"
Thomas had only spoken halfway when the words caught in his throat and he could no longer utter a sound. When he saw the face of the man lying on the ground, tears he had never shed before burst forth in an instant.
He was certain he hadn't misread it.
Thomas Wayne, that was his father.
The father's chest still rose and fell slightly, and his sickly flushed face had prominent veins.
His eyes are losing focus, but there is still a sliver of hope to salvage the situation.
"Stay away from them!"
The little boy threw the pistol at the night owl, screamed and lunged forward, only to be kicked away by the owl.
"Bruce, if you want our parents to live, then fucking stay out of our way!!!"
Without hesitation, Night Owl took out the hemostatic gel from the back of his belt and pressed it into Thomas's wound, followed by a miniature portable ventilator and adrenaline.
Martha, who was lying to the side, received the same treatment.
At this moment, various high-tech and urgently needed devices in the future timeline deliver a devastating blow to the so-called "fate".
Who says Thomas and Martha should have died in Crime Alley?
At the same time, the piercing sound of police sirens rang out from outside the street.
The owl knew it had to leave.
"Have Commissioner Gordon take them to the hospital, and then you stay home and wait until everything settles down. I'll come to Wayne Manor to find you, understand?!"
Night Owl pinched young Bruce's lip and said fiercely, then affectionately ruffled the boy's soft, fluffy hair.
Before Gordon and his police arrived, he scaled the walls and climbed onto the roof, disappearing into the darkness.
What did the owl go to do?
Of course, it's about figuring out where you are.
Climbing to the top of the clock tower and gazing at the city bathed in the night, the sense of alienation and familiarity drove him almost to madness.
He was certain this wasn't the Gotham he knew, but both the street signs and the crumpled newspapers in the trash cans told him an undeniable truth.
This is fucking Gotham!
"Damn it, I feel like I've traveled back two hundred years."
He stroked the stubble on his chin, deciding to put his worries aside for now.
Just then, an ambulance carrying the critically injured and unconscious Wayne couple drove past. Night Owl clicked his tongue, hesitated for a moment, and finally decided to follow.
Of course he wanted to return to his original world, but how many chances does one have in life to make up for regrets?
To avoid attracting attention, after finding the hospital where his parents would be treated, Night Owl went to a nearby suit shop.
But because credit cards are not interchangeable, Night Owl simply put on a mask and dedicated his first robbery experience to this strange and wonderful world.
But being a rich kid accustomed to a life of luxury, non-custom-made suits were simply not up to Night Owl's standards.
Thomas picked and chose, going in and out of the fitting room, until the shop owner broke free and pressed the alarm. Only then did Thomas reluctantly carry his chosen clothes and escape.
The old shopkeeper grabbed Winchester and chased him outside, firing a few futile shots into the night sky.
"You despicable thief, your parents will be ashamed of you!"
"Shame? Hmph, they will be proud of me."
In the past, Thomas would have been very likely to break down upon hearing these words, but after the incident in Crime Alley, his mindset had changed drastically.