Departure, Fifth Timeline

Global communications returned to normal.

All ten major cities in America suffered varying degrees of damage. Surprisingly, quite a few buildings in Gotham City had collapsed as well.

Shortly afterward, Wayne Group suddenly announced a donation of one hundred million in campaign funds to Arthur’s campaign team.

The matter was highly intriguing.

Major newspapers speculated that Arthur had more than a sixty percent chance of winning the election.

Of course, it would have been impossible for him not to win. The remaining candidates were all peripheral members of the Comedy Troupe and would withdraw from the race for various reasons when the time came.

Meanwhile, America’s three chambers swiftly passed bills restricting artificial intelligence and robot research and production.

Luther attended the hearing with a Toilet Plunger on his head, sincerely admitting to technical flaws and expressing his willingness to offer compensation.

His willingness to admit his mistakes, along with his performance in resisting Skynet…

Indeed, it was impossible to keep pursuing LexCorp endlessly.

After all, the government was its sole procurement client and had also invested funds in it. The responsibility could not all be pinned on Luther alone.

As for Wanda’s matter, it was naturally shelved without trial.

Tony took the lead by throwing money at the problem. Once the compensation was paid, he obtained letters of forgiveness from the residents of Westview. Continuing to press the matter would have been rather disrespectful.

Director Fury’s pressure was the main reason.

Then there was the Avengers’ contribution in protecting New York.

Considering all these factors, the upper echelons abandoned the unrealistic idea of putting Wanda on trial.

---

Inside Arkham Fortress.

Allen held Left Pouch and Right Pouch as he washed himself, thoroughly enjoying the process.

Lilith, far away in another city, instantly received the sensation.

Damn it, not again.

Lilith was currently in a meeting with the Vampire Princes and did not dare make a sound.

She could not help recalling how Allen had used two bats as bath poufs.

Those were her pair of…

Yet he had used them to lather foam all over his body.

Don’t think about it. Stop!

The more Lilith tried to suppress the thought, the more her imagination ran wild.

The flush on her cheeks spread all the way down her neck, making her look like a fully cooked lobster.

Hold it in. Don’t think about it, or pictures will start appearing in my head.

Bastard, what is he washing? Why is it so long and strip-shaped?

The twelve Vampire Princes noticed Lilith’s change. They remained outwardly impassive, but their eyes conveyed knowing looks.

Meanwhile, Allen had one Red Bat clamped between his legs while using the other to wash his fingers. Otherwise, one might have thought he was washing some other part of his body.

"Finally clean and pure again."

After finishing his bath, Allen dried himself, changed into his hospital gown, put a sock over each of Left Pouch and Right Pouch, and settled them in a birdcage.

"Unita, I’m heading home."

"Please take care, Commander."

Through a portal, Allen returned to his hospital room. He immediately dug out a banana and stuffed it into his mouth, then headed curiously toward the recreation area.

The criminal patients were watching television reports about the situation in various cities.

They were effectively prisoners, so naturally they could not have phones. They could only watch television during recreation time, meaning they knew nothing about what had happened outside.

"Little Green got discharged?"

Allen looked around and noticed that a familiar figure was missing.

"She was discharged the day before yesterday," Killer Croc answered honestly.

He remembered how provoking Allen last time had gotten both his hands broken. He had become much more obedient now.

"What a pity."

Allen pushed up the nonexistent glasses on his nose and said profoundly, "She merely left a small cage for a larger one. I believe she’ll come back."

"Lillian said she wasn’t going to settle in Gotham. She wanted to live in a quieter city," Killer Croc reminded him.

"You believe what women say? Wake up, simp." Allen scoffed.

"…"

Killer Croc looked stunned. He had merely offered a kind reminder, so how had he become a simp?

Forget it. In Arkham Asylum, he was probably the only genuine mental patient. Everyone else was a criminal Batman had captured.

Returning to his bed, Allen lay down under the covers.

He had not brought Nanaue back. Arthur had been busy canvassing for votes lately and borrowed Nanaue as a mascot, at least to establish a down-to-earth public image.

Time Anchor locked. The host may travel.

Currently available professions: Archer, Warrior, Undead Priest.

Friendly reminder: The fifth profession requires 75% more experience to level up.

It was finally here again.

The Fifth Timeline.

Allen carefully considered the three professions before finally settling on Warrior.

"I already have three magic-based professions. This time, I’m going all in on a physical profession."

At present, aside from Thief, Alchemist, Priest, and Mage were all magic-based. He needed to develop in a more balanced way eventually.

Come to think of it, this was the first time Allen had actively chosen a profession.

Congratulations, host, for choosing the Warrior profession.

As the prompt flashed away, faction options appeared next.

Available timelines are as follows:

Justice faction: Green Lantern Corps, Titan Empire, Kryptonian Civilization.

Evil faction: Annihilation Swarm, Kree Empire, Knowhere.

Congratulations, host, for choosing Knowhere.

---

Knowhere was the largest gathering place for interstellar hunters in the universe.

As such, black-market goods from planets across the cosmos were quickly traded and fenced here. Many shady bounty missions even circulated through taverns.

Of course, Knowhere’s staggering profits inevitably attracted the covetous eyes of outside forces. However, with the Collector, one of the Elders of the Universe, stationed there, he was enough to deter any petty troublemakers.

Allen sneakily crept through an unfamiliar planet.

All sorts of aliens passed by, but none showed much curiosity toward Allen.

After all, their standards of beauty differed. They did not judge other races too harshly, and as for strange behavior, that might simply have been a feature of that species.

"Shit, why can’t I understand a single word?"

Allen cursed viciously. "What the hell is wrong with this idiot author? Do I have to learn alien languages too? Doesn’t he know mental patients are under a lot of psychological pressure? What a pain in the ass."

He wandered at a crossroads.

Allen looked around furtively, searching for prey.

"Found a Blue Elf."

Grinning, Allen locked onto his target.

The other man was drunk, staggering toward an alley, probably intending to take a leak.

A-da!

A sneak attack sent him sprawling.

"&￥#&￥+"

The man was clearly furious. Rolling over, he saw a strangely dressed man looming over him and immediately began cursing loudly.

With a flick of his sleeve, he unfolded a mechanical bow, nocked an arrow, and fired.

The moment he released the string, the arrow became a streak of silver light.

Allen tilted slightly aside and coolly caught the arrow in his mouth.

"…"

The blue-skinned alien was stunned rigid by the sight.

As Allen closed in step by step, the blue-skinned alien begged for mercy in terror.

Unfortunately, they could not understand each other and spent a long while talking past one another.

The blue-skinned alien suddenly realized something. He took out a miniature device and gestured for Allen to stick it behind his ear.

"Can you understand what I’m saying now?" the blue-skinned alien asked.

"I can understand now." Allen looked delighted.

"This is a Universal Translator. Twelve Energy Credits, please."