manynovel Chapter 105 Bruce's Test
Chapter 105 Bruce's Test
Three days later, at dawn, Chen Haotian stood in an abandoned warehouse in Gotham Harbor, inspecting the time-travel device in his hand. Tony was adjusting several monitoring devices beside him, while Nick Fury stood at the warehouse entrance, his sharp single eye scanning the surrounding environment.
"He's here," Fury said in a low voice, his body slightly tense.
A black Rolls-Royce Phantom silently pulled up outside the warehouse. Bruce Wayne stepped out of the driver's seat; today he was dressed in a casual suit, looking like any ordinary billionaire. But Chen Haotian noticed the wariness in his gait and his overly sharp eyes.
"Mr. Wayne, it's a pleasure to have you here." Chen Haotian greeted him with a smile.
Bruce's gaze swept across the warehouse interior, lingering for a moment on the high-tech equipment: "I never miss an opportunity to witness a miracle. Especially when someone claims to be able to travel through parallel universes."
Tony looked up and grinned. "Believe me, the first time is always the most shocking. I remember in The Walking Dead, we were almost surrounded by a horde of zombies."
"The walking dead?" Bruce raised an eyebrow.
"A story from another universe," Chen Haotian said casually. "Are you ready?"
Bruce nodded and stood in the position designated by Chen Haotian. Chen Haotian activated the device, and blue energy began to gather in the warehouse, forming a rotating portal of light. Just as they were about to step into the portal, Bruce suddenly spoke:
"etc."
Everyone stopped. Bruce took a small device out of his pocket; the screen displayed a set of complex data.
"The energy readings are abnormal," Bruce said, his gaze fixed on Chen Haotian's face. "These energy characteristics don't match any known energy source. Moreover, it seems to resonate with some kind of... magical energy."
Chen Haotian felt a slight chill, but his expression remained unchanged: "Parallel universe travel involves physical laws that we haven't fully understood yet. As for magical energy..." He glanced at Fury, "that's another area of research."
Bruce put away the equipment, his eyes deep: "In your world, do science and magic coexist?"
"In some cases, yes," Chen Haotian readily admitted, "just like in your world, the existence of Superman challenges many laws of physics."
Bruce's body stiffened almost imperceptibly: "You know Superman."
"We know a lot of things," Chen Haotian said meaningfully, "including your allies, your enemies, and those crises that haven't happened yet."
A cacophony of sounds came from the other side of the portal—the familiar New York of the Marvel Universe. Tony stepped across first, Fury close behind. Chen Haotian gestured an invitation to Bruce:
"Seeing is believing, Mr. Wayne."
Bruce took a deep breath and stepped through the portal.
The next moment, they were standing in a laboratory on the top floor of Stark Tower. Outside the window was the familiar New York skyline, sunlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows onto the gleaming floor. Tony had already walked to the control panel and brought up the holographic projection interface.
"Welcome to our world," Tony said, opening his arms, "or rather, to one of our bases."
Bruce walked to the window and gazed at the Stark Industries logo in the distance: "Impressive."
"This is just the tip of the iceberg." Chen Haotian walked to his side. "Now, let's talk about the specific details of the cooperation."
For the next two hours, Tony demonstrated various applications of the Arc Reactor technology, ranging from clean energy to medical equipment, and even a preliminary design for a city defense system. Bruce observed each demonstration closely, occasionally asking precise technical questions.
"I must admit, this technology is indeed ahead of any energy solution in our time," Bruce concluded. "But why choose to share it with us? You could easily develop and utilize it in your own world."
Chen Haotian exchanged a glance with Tony: "Because the threat we face cannot be resolved by a single universe. In our world, we have experienced alien invasions and witnessed forces capable of destroying galaxies. And your world... according to our intelligence, is about to face a similar crisis."
Bruce's eyes sharpened: "What exactly is the threat?"
"Darkseid," Chen Haotian said calmly, "the ruler of Apokolips. His gaze has already turned to Earth, and conventional defenses are meaningless against him."
A brief silence fell over the laboratory. Bruce's fingers tapped unconsciously on the window frame, a habitual gesture when he was thinking.
“Even if I believe your warnings,” Bruce said slowly, “most of the alien artifacts in Wayne Enterprises’ collection are not fully understood by us. Entrusting them to you would be too risky.”
Chen Haotian smiled: "We understand your caution. How about this, we offer a compromise: establish a joint laboratory within Wayne Enterprises, where researchers from both sides can jointly study these items. The research results will be shared, but the ownership of the items themselves will remain with you."
Bruce hesitated for a moment: "That suggestion sounds reasonable. But I need more assurance."
"for example?"
"I need to understand your organizational structure, funding sources, and social standing in your own world." Bruce looked Chen Haotian directly in the eye. "Transparency is essential if we are to establish a long-term partnership."
Chen Haotian sensed this was a crucial test. Bruce wasn't just assessing the risks of the collaboration; he was investigating their background. As Batman, he would never easily trust a group of strangers from a parallel universe.
"Apocalypse Technology is a new company, but it has the full support of Stark Industries," Chen Haotian selectively revealed. "In our world, we have a cooperative relationship with S.H.I.E.L.D. and have handled numerous global crises. As for my personal background..." He smiled slightly, "I am Tony Stark's brother, a fact you should have already confirmed through our DNA comparison."
Bruce didn't deny it, but continued, "So what about Mr. Fury? What role does he play in your organization?"
Fury, who had been standing in the corner, finally spoke: "I'm in charge of security and intelligence. In my world, I once commanded S.H.I.E.L.D., an international peacekeeping organization."
"S.H.I.E.L.D..." Bruce repeated the name. "Interestingly, in my world, there is also an organization with the same abbreviation, but its full name is the International Paranormal Defense Agency."
Chen Haotian's heart skipped a beat. This was a SHIELD from the DC Universe, different from the Marvel version they were familiar with. Bruce had deliberately brought up this detail, clearly testing their reaction.
"The similarities and differences between parallel universes are always fascinating," Chen Haotian responded calmly. "It's like how Superman exists in your world, while Captain America exists in ours. The essence is similar, but the details are different."
Bruce nodded, seemingly satisfied with the answer. He walked to the center of the laboratory, his gaze landing on an Iron Man suit in the display case: "I agree to the proposal to establish a joint laboratory. But on one condition: I must personally participate in the research process."
Tony raised an eyebrow: "What, you don't trust our scientists?"
"On the contrary," Bruce smiled slightly, "I think opportunities for intercosmic scientific exchange are rare. Moreover, I am very interested in the research direction of 'combining magic and technology' that you mentioned."
Chen Haotian knew this was yet another test from Bruce. By participating in the research, he could observe the team's working methods and true intentions up close. But this also gave them more opportunities to gain Bruce's trust.
"The terms are reasonable," Chen Haotian nodded, "we accept them."
Bruce extended his hand: "Then, it'll be a pleasure doing business with you."
The moment they shook hands, Chen Haotian felt Bruce's fingers, intentionally or unintentionally, pressing on his pulse. A tiny movement, but enough to gauge the change in his heart rate as the agreement was reached. Chen Haotian maintained his smile, his heart rate remaining steady.
After Bruce left, Tony turned to Chen Haotian: "Do you think he believes us?"
"Trust?" Chen Haotian chuckled. "Bruce Wayne will never completely trust anyone. But for now, he at least believes that cooperating with us is more advantageous than confronting us."
Fury emerged from the shadows: "He was gathering intelligence the whole time. I detected at least three different surveillance devices."
"As expected," Chen Haotian said. "The important thing is that we gained the opportunity to come into contact with those alien artifacts. Kryptonian technology and Amazonian artifacts may be the key to our understanding of the energy of the multiverse."
Tony walked to the control panel and pulled up Bruce's physiological data that had just been recorded: "Interestingly, his heart rate fluctuated noticeably when he heard Darkseid's name. He may have already been exposed to related intelligence."
Chen Haotian nodded: "This is exactly what we need. Bruce Wayne is not only an excellent ally, but also a window for us to understand the potential threats in this universe."
As night fell, the three stood atop Stark Tower, gazing at the lights of New York City. Below them, the destinies of two universes were quietly intertwining. Chen Haotian knew that this meticulously planned collaboration had only just begun; Bruce's probing would not cease, just as their own plans continued to unfold.
On the other side of Gotham, Bruce Wayne returned to the Batcave and immediately began analyzing all the data collected that day. The screen displayed the physiological readings, energy response patterns, and every name and event mentioned by Chen Haotian's team.
"Alfred," Bruce connected with the butler's communicator, "I need you to investigate some names: Darkseid, Apokolips. Also, contact Diana and ask if she has heard of the term 'Amazonian artifacts'."
After hanging up the call, Bruce stared at Chen Haotian's image on the screen and whispered, "Who exactly are you? What is your real purpose?"
Meanwhile, in Stark Tower, Chen Haotian seemed to sense something, looking up into the void with a meaningful smile. This intergalactic contest had only just begun.