Chapter 762: The Catwoman

Shi Ler looked at Selina, who was crouched on top of the utility pole, with a hint of exasperation. "Why won't you come down? Am I that frightening?"

Selina stared at his expression, as if to say, "Don't you know yourself?"

Shi Ler had no choice but to tap the utility pole with his umbrella. "Even if you never went to school, you should know that climbing over the school fence violates the rules. What are you doing here?"

"I… I…" Selina stammered, then said, "I came to find someone."

"Find someone? Who? … Oh, Bruce, right? Then why not use the front gate?"

"The front gate?" Selina's expression grew even more confused. "I can use the front gate?"

Shi Ler sighed, looking up at her. "Of course you can use the front gate. You're not a gang member or a fugitive—you're here to visit your boyfriend. Who's going to stop you?"

Selina eyed him warily. "You're not trying to trick me into coming down, are you?"

Shi Ler turned and walked away, saying as he went, "If you want to stay up there, stay up there. It's going to rain soon."

Several minutes after Shi Ler left, Selina cautiously peered toward the school grounds, then slowly slid down from the pole. She couldn't believe this professor was actually so reasonable.

Selina thought it over and decided she might have misunderstood Shi Ler.

Last time, Shi Ler dragged them into his dream because he hadn't slept well—it wasn't his fault. It was those agents and that man named Clark who made too much noise.

Selina completely forgot her own loudness and blamed everything on the agents and Clark. Then she remembered: when Shi Ler pulled her into the dream, he'd even invited her to the amusement park. That showed he was actually quite kind.

As she walked toward the school, Selina nodded to herself, convinced her reasoning was correct.

Though Selina had never been to school, she knew that teachers, doctors, and similar professions were deeply respected. People with high education usually had more reason, and better tempers.

Just now, even though she'd climbed the fence and broken the rules, Shi Ler hadn't done anything to her—he'd even warned her it was going to rain.

As she thought about it, Selina entered the university campus, turning her head left and right constantly, like a naive girl who'd just come to the city.

The scenery here was truly unlike anything she'd seen anywhere in Gotham. There was a beauty to its order.

Yes, order. Everyone walked on the crosswalks. Cars were parked neatly in their spots. The only sounds were the insects chirping in the bushes. Even the lights flickering inside the lecture halls had a rhythmic grace.

It was completely different from Gotham's chaos. Though each had its own beauty, she had to admit—this place was far more livable.

After wandering around for a long time, Selina found no trace of Bruce. But she knew Bruce Wayne was a celebrity—ask a few people, and she'd find him easily.

Selina was beautiful, with a unique aura. If she didn't say she came from the slums, most people would assume she was a Hollywood actress or a theater performer. Almost no one would refuse her request for directions.

After asking a few people, Selina learned that over the past few days, Bruce had only gone to class and spent all his time in the library—he'd definitely be there.

Following the directions, Selina arrived at Gotham University's library. But when she got there, she saw many people leaving—and no one entering.

Selina glanced left and right, and on the library's wall, she spotted the opening and closing times.

Unfortunately, it was exactly closing time. Everyone was leaving. Selina couldn't get in.

But the good news was—she spotted Bruce in the crowd. She quickened her steps, planning to surprise him. Then she noticed someone else moving faster.

A girl in a dress swiftly pushed through the crowd and reached Bruce's side, reaching to grab his arm. Bruce sidestepped, avoiding her touch.

Selina froze. She narrowed her eyes, staring at the two, then glanced around and slipped behind a tree.

Watching them walk side by side, Selina's anger flared. Even though she knew Bruce wasn't a man who'd grow old with her, they were still a couple—and he'd promised her that as long as they hadn't broken up, he wouldn't fool around.

Now this? He hides in school not to study, but to date—and he'd kept it secret from her. Selina felt betrayed, furious.

But after watching from behind the tree for a while, her anger slowly turned to confusion. She realized Bruce didn't seem to want anything to do with the girl.

Of course, Selina had seen similar situations before. Even when she held Bruce's arm, women still came to flirt. Bruce always handled them well—without her having to say a word. So she wasn't worried.

But this stranger's behavior was odd. Usually, the women who chased Bruce were socialites. They didn't care about him—they wanted his name or his money.

In those settings, they'd never act too boldly. They'd go through the usual hints and signals. If Bruce still didn't respond, they'd smile and walk away, seeking their next target. Social time was too valuable to waste on a wooden man.

But this girl was strange. Bruce ignored her, yet she kept clinging. And in broad daylight, passersby were staring, whispering—enough for Selina to hear.

"That Goth girl is shameless! She's shaming us! Who in their right mind would keep pestering Bruce Wayne, that bastard?" a girl said to her companion.

Another girl glanced around, lowering her voice. "I heard she tried to climb into Bruce's bed and got rejected. I heard it from Bruce's roommate—definitely true…"

"Did you hear? The Goth family's in financial trouble. That's why their daughter's acting so shamelessly?"

"Bruce may be a playboy, but he's made it crystal clear he's not interested. Why is Tracy still chasing him?"

Bits of gossip drifted into Selina's ears. She frowned. Something told her this wasn't just about the Goth girl having a crush on Bruce.

Selina's eyes flickered. Now, she wasn't in a rush at all. After spending so long with Bruce—or rather, Batman—she knew he played the field with almost every woman.

But even when he played, Bruce was picky. Beauty was just the baseline. He preferred women who were cultured, with unique, captivating qualities. Otherwise, you couldn't even get in line to play with Bruce Wayne.

Though far away, Selina was certain: this Goth girl was merely pleasant-looking. Round face, a bit of baby fat, big eyes, long lashes—but nothing extraordinary. Not a beauty by any stretch. Definitely not in Bruce's league.

Confident Bruce was safe, Selina turned her attention to the other target: the Goth family.

Selina thought: if the Goth family was short on money, they should find their own solution. Stealing someone else's boyfriend? What kind of move was that?

Selina was far from generous. She held grudges fiercely. What she and Bruce had was their business—but sending a third party to interfere? That was going too far.

With that thought, Selina no longer cared about finding Bruce. All she wanted was to ruin the Goth family.

As Gotham's infamous thief, Selina knew exactly how to retaliate against the Goth family.

The next morning, Gotham's weather improved slightly. Though still overcast, the wind had died down. The newspaper boy's bell rang closer and closer. A gloved hand yanked the mailbox's bell sharply and vanished.

Mrs. Goth stepped out of the manor, one hand pressing her scarf, the other pushing open the gate. She opened the mailbox and pulled out her newspaper.

But as she reached inside, her fingers brushed against another envelope. Mrs. Goth frowned, reached in again, and pulled it out.

It was a scented envelope, sealed with a peculiar wax stamp.

Mrs. Goth squinted, studying it, trying to identify the family crest—but it didn't match any known Gotham house. It looked more like… a cat's head?

She pinched the envelope—it was thin. Only a single sheet inside. No danger. She took it back into the manor, found her letter opener, and slit it open.

Pulling out the paper, she saw several lines of elegant cursive English. The message was brief—no long greetings, no roundabout phrasing:

"Hello. I am a thief. You've probably heard my name—I've visited every manor in the Manor District."

"Tonight, I'll pay your home a visit. I very much hope your estate holds something I want."

"—Catwoman"