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"Alright. I understand," Bruce said after taking two deep breaths. He felt short of air and tore off the mask.
He'd already been exposed. Wearing it no longer mattered.
"So," Bruce continued, "you're an IRS agent auditing criminals for illegal income and tax evasion. And because you saw my equipment, you figured out who I am?"
"Not quite," Morin said, waving his hand. "I also made a few deductions of my own."
"This suit was discontinued long ago. The only place it still exists is Wayne Enterprises' Applied Sciences division. Before coming here, I reviewed Gotham's background. Fox, who runs Applied Sciences, is principled and capable. But because he doesn't agree with Earl-the one trying to seize your shares-he was pushed there and sidelined."
"Officially he's still the division head. In reality, he's basically a warehouse manager. Someone like him would never let this equipment vanish without reporting it. But my intelligence showed no record of that. So the only person who could've made it disappear is you-Bruce Wayne, the legitimate heir of Wayne Enterprises."
"That's not all," Morin added calmly. "Our intelligence department also investigated your past. Your connection to the League of Assassins isn't a secret to us."
"I originally planned to approach you later. I didn't expect you to come to me first. At first, I wasn't sure it was you-but with everything combined, you're the only one who fits."
"...Your intelligence department is that good?" Bruce asked, genuinely impressed.
From Morin's explanation, Bruce caught the key point.
The IRS intelligence department.
"Of course," Morin said, nodding without hesitation. "FBI. CIA. NSA. All a step behind us."
He even stepped on his colleagues from this world. Colleagues were competitors, after all.
Aside from the completely fabricated "intelligence department," everything else was true.
And Bruce had no way to verify it.
Morin wasn't worried at all.
"So you're planning to clean up Gotham?" Bruce asked.
If a top-tier federal agency had its sights on Gotham, Bruce felt he might not need to act at all.
"I am," Morin said again, bluffing smoothly. "This is my final mission."
"Final mission?" Bruce caught the unfamiliar phrase.
"That's right. I'm already a senior field agent. I meet the requirements for promotion. Once I complete this mission, I'll become an unprecedented top-tier field agent."
"This is the last step."
"What... is the mission?" Bruce asked. He had a bad feeling.
"To personally uncover all tax evasion across Gotham's power structures," Morin said. "Primarily the major ones."
"Wayne Enterprises included."
"The headquarters won't provide any support beyond initial intelligence. In fact, even that's already stopped."
"So it's just you?" Bruce felt a sharp drop in expectation.
He'd thought a national-level force was moving in.
Instead, it was one man. Alone. Without ongoing intelligence support.
It wasn't that Bruce underestimated Morin. He knew Morin was stronger than himself.
But hope rose high.
And disappointment fell just as far.
"That's right," Morin said. "I'm using the police identity to keep things legitimate."
He looked at Bruce.
"What about you, Mr. Bruce? Don't you want to change Gotham?"
"You knew that too?" Bruce was shocked. He hadn't even begun acting yet.
"Then why do you have all that equipment?" Morin chuckled. "Cave diving?"
"But honestly," he added, "your idea is far too naive."
"Naive?" Bruce frowned.
"I don't know why no one tried to stop you," Morin said bluntly. "You have the capital to easily change Gotham. But instead, you choose this... childish approach."
"You lack experience. Your perspective is too narrow."
"My father once tried to save everyone with his power," Bruce said. "It didn't end well."
"That's because he used it the wrong way," Morin replied, shaking his head.
"When billions are divided among millions, each person gets very little. And your father couldn't even do that. Wayne Enterprises belonged to him-but it was never solely his."
"...What are you saying?" Bruce asked.
"There's only one way to solve Gotham," Morin said. "Use overwhelming individual power to suppress hostile forces, while offering enough benefits to attract strong external powers."
"There's a Chinese saying: all hustle under heaven is for profit. If you truly want Gotham fixed, capital is the sharpest tool."
"Capital..." Bruce repeated quietly.
"You're lucky," Morin continued. "You have capable people clearing the path for you, letting you deploy capital freely. But you're also foolish."
"You don't know how to use it to its fullest."
He sighed.
"Let me put it this way. What do you think of New York?"
"...Safe," Bruce answered after a pause.
Given the conversation so far, he avoided words like 'prosperous.'
Despite being criticized, he wasn't angry.
Because... Morin made sense.
He definitely didn't enjoy being insulted.
"Not perfectly safe," Morin said, "but smugglers and drug dealers don't run rampant. Why?"
"Because capital brought profit. Conglomerates moved in. And tell me-would those groups allow criminals to openly threaten their safety?"
"No," Bruce said.
Alfred had told him something similar before.
"Exactly," Morin smiled. "At that point, Gotham's problems-even the roots-resolve themselves."
"You won't need costumes and games."
Is Gotham difficult to fix?
Morin's answer was simple.
Let me teach you how to play the capital game.
When profits are so massive that even the military wants a stake in Gotham, even the Joker won't dare act recklessly.
"..." Bruce fell silent.
Reluctant as he was to admit it, following Morin's logic...
It sounded feasible.
"Of course, it's not that simple," Morin said. "Before that, Gotham's surface-level security still needs fixing."
"And that's why I'm telling you this," he added. "I need your help-in every sense."
"In return, I'll help you solve these problems."
"Didn't you say the final mission must be done alone?" Bruce asked.
"Alone means no help from within my department," Morin replied. "Anything else is fair game."
"You want Gotham changed. I want evidence of tax evasion."
"In that sense, we can work together."
"...How?" Bruce thought briefly. His interest was clearly stirred.
So far, Morin's words were logical and convincing.
That didn't mean Bruce fully trusted him.
He would verify everything later.
"First, we assess gang power and decide priorities," Morin said, gesturing at Bruce's unfinished suit.
"Stick to your original plan for now. We need intelligence before acting."
"Oh, right. Give me your number."
After exchanging contact information, Morin unceremoniously ushered him out.
Bruce left in silence.
He had more questions.
Morin was already impatient.
On the way out, Bruce wondered if buying Morin's rental house might be more effective. As the landlord, conversation might go smoother.
The thinking of the wealthy truly was different.
...
"Master Wayne?" Alfred asked. "You seem unsettled."
"I am," Bruce replied, still deep in thought.
"Did the operation fail?"
"It did," Bruce said. "But it also brought good news."
He explained Morin's information in detail.
"What do you think, Alfred?"
"That intelligence is likely genuine," Alfred said after thinking. "I once served in MI5. Mr. Morin is correct-the IRS operates above the FBI and CIA in some areas."
"I don't understand the ranks he mentioned," Alfred admitted. "But his explanation of Gotham... is intriguing."
"You think so too?" Bruce nodded.
"I'm not well-versed in capital operations," Alfred said. "But I recommend speaking with Mr. Fox."
"Not Earl?" Bruce asked.
"Master Wayne," Alfred said calmly, "I dislike speaking ill of others. But Earl is not a good man. Making him chairman was a mistake."
"Mr. Fox is far more reliable. In every way."
"I understand," Bruce said. "I'll see him tomorrow."
"And... I'll get new equipment."
Morin's terrifying strength had only made Bruce more eager to improve.