Thea said loudly,"Tonight is the signature dinner hosted by our Queen Group and the Star City Police Department. To combat crime, we developed facial recognition software and gave it to the police department for free. Such a good initiative was ruined by this thief!"
Her eyes were locked onto Batman."Do you have any idea how many gang members operate in Star City? Do you know how hard it is to suppress them? If we could eliminate even a fifth of them, the city government could create 20,000 extra jobs!"
"All of that effort was wasted because of her. The Star City Police Department has become a laughingstock. The work of 1,500 police officers and thousands of people in our Queen Group has been completely undone!"
In reality, the so-called efforts of thousands in the Queen Group were mostly the result of Felicity and her three subordinates. Among the 1,500 officers, fewer than 100 even knew the specific details of the operation.
But Thea's words sounded convincing. She painted herself as a dedicated protector of the city, working selflessly in the public interest without asking for anything in return.
Batman, unaware of the full truth, now found himself in an awkward position. He and Catwoman had merely passed through Star City and weren't familiar with the entire situation. In the end, it wouldn't have made much difference even if they had known beforehand. What Thea said was 70% truth and 30% exaggeration. With Felicity's skills, uncovering the real facts would take a dedicated team working around the clock.
Damn it! What now? Should I hand over the slippery Catwoman? I can't just walk away. This isn't Gotham. I don't know anyone here, and I have no connections to rely on.
Besides, Catwoman had just humiliated some of Star City's most powerful figures in law enforcement and politics, making them lose face in their own backyard. There's no way they'd let her off easily. Come to think of it, if someone came to Gotham to stir up trouble, I'd beat them to a pulp too.
After weighing his options, Batman decided that he couldn't turn Catwoman in. The only choice was to change tactics and make amends later.
If they refused to surrender her, they would have to fight their way out. But Bruce Wayne had never been the type to act recklessly. He felt guilty about the situation and didn't want to waste time arguing. Instead, he gave Catwoman a subtle look—one that meant, We need to stop making a scene and leave as soon as possible.
Catwoman saw Batman standing there like a statue, neither speaking nor moving, just exchanging discreet glances with her. She quickly realized she was in trouble. Though she was greedy for money, she was also pragmatic—always choosing her targets carefully and planning her heists in advance.
But today, she had acted impulsively, taking this job on a whim. Now, the rightful owner of the stolen money had confronted her, and she had to face the consequences.
Thea, in her jeans, sneakers, and T-shirt, looked like the embodiment of justice—bright, confident, and righteous. Meanwhile, Batman and Catwoman, dressed in all black, looked undeniably like criminals. No matter how one looked at them, they were the villains in this situation. There was only one logical move: retreat.
Seeing them exchange glances, Thea knew they were about to run. While she wasn't exactly keen on stopping them, letting them escape too easily would seem suspicious. She had to at least put up a fight.
"Don't run!" she shouted, charging straight at Catwoman.
The two had fought before and knew each other's moves well. Compared to Batman—who stood at 6'4", built like a tank, and armored to the teeth—Catwoman was clearly the easier target.
Batman knew they couldn't just fumble their way out of Star City, but watching Thea go after Catwoman, he hesitated. Should he intervene or just stand by?
As the fight between the two women intensified, Batman could tell from their movements that they were evenly matched. Barring exhaustion, they could probably fight until sunrise.
Sorry, kid... Batman thought.
He had no choice but to step in, making it a two-on-one battle.
The moment Batman joined in, Thea felt the pressure increase tenfold. Batman claimed to have mastered 127 fighting techniques. Whoever counted them must have been exaggerating, but his martial prowess was undeniable. He was an expert in Muay Thai, Judo, Sambo, and various other combat styles.
Not only that, but his physical attributes—strength, speed, endurance—outmatched Thea's in every way. And he was Batman. His strategic instincts compensated for any tactical disadvantages she might have tried to exploit.
Catwoman, on the other hand, seemed annoyed that her former lover had come to her aid. Her movements slowed slightly, as if she didn't appreciate the help.
Batman didn't want to seriously hurt Thea. He recognized her sense of justice and didn't see her as an enemy. Both he and Catwoman held back for different reasons, allowing Thea to hold her ground longer than expected.
Just when Thea was reaching her limit—debating whether she should fake unconsciousness or take a few hits and fall to the ground—a loud voice rang out from the street.
"Haha! I've been watching for a while, and I just can't hold back anymore! I need a good fight!"
The only woman in Star City who loved fighting this much was Lady Shiva.
Dressed in her signature black trench coat and red vest, her long hair flowing in the night breeze, she stepped forward.
"Lady Shiva..." Batman let out an internal sigh.
He knew Shiva well. They had fought multiple times—and he had never won.
As the future mother of three generations of Batgirls, she and Batman shared an unspoken connection, even if they weren't exactly close. Otherwise, why would she have entrusted her daughter's training to him?
Lady Shiva walked straight toward Thea. The two stood side by side—one cold and calculating, the other bright and determined—facing Batman and Catwoman.
Batman and Catwoman exchanged glances. They knew this wasn't going to end quickly.
Thea, emboldened by her unexpected backup, felt her confidence surge. She was improving with each fight—learning through experience.
She had Felicity shut down all surrounding security cameras. The fight had already gone on long enough, and if the police showed up, it would only complicate things.
Thea glanced at Shiva and pointed at Catwoman, silently indicating, She's mine.
But Shiva wasn't interested in Catwoman. She smirked and strode toward Batman.
"Batman, our fifth match begins!"
She knew Bruce's identity but refrained from exposing it in front of Thea.
Batman exhaled sharply. This was going to be a long night.
Meanwhile, Thea and Catwoman had already fought four times. The first three had ended in minor defeats for Catwoman, but the difference in skill wasn't huge. In a true fight to the death, the outcome would be uncertain.
Thea wasn't looking for a kill—she was using the battle to sharpen her skills. Meanwhile, Catwoman, no longer as angry as before, adjusted her approach. They both began to fight with more precision, turning it into a methodical sparring match.
In the end, the outcome wouldn't be decided by them. It all hinged on the showdown between Batman and Shiva.
Batman had assessed the situation correctly: the two women had repeated their techniques over and over. The final victor would be determined by stamina.
Eventually, exhausted, they both lost interest in continuing. They stopped fighting and turned their attention to the real battle—the clash between Batman and Shiva.