Foreword: This is the story of Batman, one of DC's greatest heroes, which takes place before the Justice League was established and Superman had not officially debuted. Because of the bias towards the new 52, each hero and villain has an origin, which is more realistic, and the old man was already about 33 years old when he formed the Justice League. But the master here is the story not long after he became Batman.,The master here is younger.,There's no scheming like the later period.,Batman's identity is still a burden or a cover for another identity.,The first time I wrote it.,Book friends who have read it give some advice.。

Prologue: A Rainy Night

Night, Gotham, Wayne Manor. Alfred, the old butler, sat in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, and the wind was raging, and the lightning was thundering, and the wind and rain were blowing. The raindrops of beans hit the window and crackled, bringing a different sense of rhythm to this unquiet night. In front of the radio, Gotham News is playing.

[Today is the 30th day that Batman has disappeared from Gotham City, since Batman removed the Joker in the factory explosion and former prosecutor Harvey . Dent, now that the Two-Faced has been brought to justice, we haven't heard anything from the Dark Knight. And with the disappearance of the Dark Knight, the crime rate in Gotham City, which once dropped to a bottom line, has also begun to gradually increase, can we understand that this vigilante who has always been at the top of the Gotham Police Department's wanted list is an important factor in maintaining order in Gotham, and now his disappearance means that Gotham City is no longer able to save, and can the incompetent police and government officials give us a reasonable explanation? 】

Alfred turned off the radio, glanced at the room in the attic, took a photo album from the bookshelf on the side, sat in front of the window and flipped through it, the album was not thick, but Alfred flipped through it very slowly, because it was one of the few in his memory, belonging to the former young master, now the old man Bruce. Wayne's happiest time.

The album features Bruce as a child and his late parents, Thomas. Wayne, Martha. The group photo of Wayne together has the appearance of him crying when he was just born, the joy of him going out with his parents to catch butterflies, and a few photos of Bruce playing with a little girl, which are also one of the few photos. Looking at these photographs, which only existed in the past, Alfred was a little in a trance, and he couldn't tell what era he was in.

"It's another rainy day, Lord Thomas." Looking out the window at the pouring rain, the old housekeeper let out a sigh and looked at the portrait hanging on the wall.

It was the only portrait of five-year-old Bruce wearing a dress and his parents, because it was the first time he had been painted like this with his parents, the young Bruce looked a little nervous and anxious, after all, it was still very difficult for a child to stay still in a position for a long time, so Bruce didn't behave very well, but this was also the only portrait of him and his parents. At that time, Alfred and Bruce didn't expect that the accident would happen so quickly, so suddenly, that this family of three, which should have been the envy of many people, was instantly left with only a five-year-old child and an old housekeeper to support him.

Back in 1974, Alfred had just retired from the British Special Forces, and as an elite of the Special Forces, Alfred had completed many tasks. Infiltrating assassinations in the heart of the enemy, and also solving some supernatural incidents, it can be said that as an excellent soldier, with this resume, he can rise to the top, whether in the military or political circles, he will be a new star.

But he didn't, he gave up all the honors and power that he had at his fingertips, retreated bravely, and came to another country to start a new life. He was tired of the days of taking a gun away from someone's life, even if it was a heinous one. When he first came to Gotham, he attracted many local gangs, businesses, and nightclubs, and they wanted Alfred to be his bodyguard, but Alfred refused, and in the end, he chose to apply for the position of housekeeper of the Wayne family, the most influential family in Gotham City.

No one would have thought that this executioner, who had been on the battlefield with bloody hands and a strong British accent, and who looked like a gentleman, would choose a job as a waiter, but the person in charge of the interview at that time happened to be the sole owner of the Wayne family, Thomas. Wayne. After seeing Alfred, he asked only one question: "Why did you choose to come to me?" With the Wayne family's abilities, it was easy to find out about every candidate, and Alfred didn't intend to falsify his resume.

Because in his opinion, that bloody job was also a part of his life, and he had no reason to veto it.

"I just want to know, for people like me, if there is a second chance to start." Seeing Thomas look directly into his gaze, Alfred replied without humility or arrogance.

"Well, congratulations, Alfred, you've been hired." With a smile on his face, Thomas held out his hand to welcome Alfred. That year, he was 27 years old, and Thomas. Wayne is also 27 years old.

In the days that followed, Alfred began to be in charge of everything in Wayne Manor as the steward of the Wayne family, as a former member of the special forces, or the best of the best, Alfred played many roles, but the butler, apparently not among them. At first, Alfred was very embarrassed in terms of management, and he was used to using everything at hand as a weapon, and it was difficult for him to put these things on hand where they should be used as tools.

And as his master, Thomas. Instead of blaming him, Wayne taught him how to manage, and the young master, who was supposed to enjoy the most power in Gotham City, taught him a lot like his best friend, much to Alfred's baffle. Because his owner spent most of his time putting his business aside, he went to the slums to open a private clinic for free treatment for those who could not afford the high fees, and even allocated a large amount of money from the business for road planning and construction in Gotham City.

"Why are you doing this, Lord Thomas, you should be the one at the top of the list." In his spare time, Alfred once asked Thomas this question.

Thomas, a young man who had a wealth of rival wealth at a young age, just showed a simple smile to Alfred, looked at the new road being built by the construction team under the contract of Wayne Enterprises, and said with emotion: "I am a doctor, Alfred, as a doctor, all I can do is to cure the sick and make the bad things good, now." I'm just doing what a doctor should do. ”

Thomas's words were particularly memorable to Alfred, who had great respect for his mentor and friend. And after a full decade of such time, Alfred also stayed at Wayne Manor for a full ten years, ten years of time for him, the former special forces king, to turn into a competent old butler, he was able to arrange everything in Wayne Manor in an orderly manner, and in this ten years, he saw Thomas find true love, Martha, a kind girl, and he also served as the best man at Thomas's wedding.

Finally, he saw the Wayne family's heir, Bruce. Wayne's croaking and loud crying made him feel that his life had become brighter, and he was also invited by Thomas to become Bruce. Wayne's Godfather. As a man who is not yet married, being the godfather of a child is a ray of light in life for Alfred.

In the rest of the day, Alfred did his best to take care of little Bruce, and when Thomas and Martha gave free medical treatment to the poor people in Gotham, Alfred also had to learn how to change little Bruce's diaper and master the temperature when the bottle was fed, Alfred could say that the five years of taking care of little Bruce growing up were definitely the happiest five years of his life, if there was no such thing.

It was a rainy night, just like the heavy rain now, Alfred, who had been busy all day, took the written resignation letter and prepared to sleep, the fifteen years in Wayne Manor had given him a lot, and Thomas also knew that he shouldn't have tied Alfred to his side all the time, he needed a new life, so he asked Alfred to resign, and Alfred was ready to do the same.

"Jingle bell!" Just as Alfred was about to turn off the lights and go to bed, the phone in front of the desk rang rapidly, an unknown number, and Alfred had a bad premonition at this time, this call would not have too good news for him, but he still answered.

"Yes, this is Alfred." Answering the phone, Alfred felt ready, but the news on the other end of the line caught him off guard.

"Mr. Alfred, we're the Gotham Police Department, and it's ten o'clock tonight. Mr. and Mrs. Wayne were shot, only one child survived, and you need to come over. ”

The phone slipped out of his hand, and the quaint phone hit Alfred's instep, but he didn't realize it, the only thing echoing in his head was the sentence that Mr. and Mrs. Thomas had been shot. He never thought that this kind couple would end up like this, obviously they have been doing good things, but they were shot in the alley like this, just for a pearl necklace! Alfred's brain stopped thinking, and he slumped to the ground, knocking down a row of books.

"yes, I need to go to the police! I need to get to the police station now! The blow made Alfred react, hurriedly removed the trench coat from the hanger, grabbed the umbrella, and Alfred hurried out of Wayne Manor and drove to the police station.

It took only fifteen minutes for Alfred to arrive at the scene of the crime. The couple who had treated him like family lay there, white cloth over them, broken pearl necklaces scattered all over the ground. And his godson, Bruce. Wayne was on the ground, ignoring the mud of the rain, picking them up one by one, and the rain hit his face, his expression was so numb.

A police detective with an umbrella on his head did not stop him, because he knew that this was the last insistence of the little boy. Alfred did not dare to look at the faces of the Thomas, so he stepped forward, took the detective's umbrella, and draped a trench coat over little Bruce.

"Master Bruce, I'm here." Alfred tried to keep his tone as soft and gentle as he could, and said beside little Bruce.

"Alfred?" Bruce Jr. Wayne turned around a little stiffly, looked at his godfather, and hugged him without saying a word. At this time, he needed not some comfort, but a strong shoulder to lean on.

Alfred knew, so he didn't say a word, and no matter how sad he was at this point, he had to stay strong in front of Bruce Jr. The detective on the side didn't say anything, and after handing the umbrella to Alfred, he began to ask; "Alfred. Mr. Pennyworth? ”

"Yes, I am."

"My name is Jim. Gordon, I'm sorry for that, but we'll find out. ”

"I hope so." Having lived in Gotham for so long, Alfred already knew the city, and after a kind word, he left with little Bruce.

Driving back to Wayne Manor, Bruce Jr. wrapped his trench coat and stared out the window without saying a word. Back at the manor, the servants had already slept, and Wayne Manor, which should have been full of life, was like an empty city at this time, quiet, making people feel strange and scared.

Returning to his room with little Bruce, who was extremely nervous, he held the pearl necklace he had picked up and strung back, lay on the bed, and didn't say a word. With a sigh, Alfred was ready to turn off the lights and close the door so that little Bruce could get a good night's sleep.

"Alfred?"

"Yes, Master Bruce."

"Can I leave the lights off? I'm scared. ”

"Of course, Master Bruce." Alfred didn't turn off the lights or leave, but found a chair and sat down beside little Bruce, watched him fall asleep, and then covered him with nightmares even after falling asleep.

Alfred knew that from the moment he sat down next to Bruce Jr., there was no chance of that resignation letter being handed out again, and in fact, he didn't need to hand it out. After that, Alfred became the lifelong butler of the Wayne family, stayed in the Wayne family for ten years, twenty years until the end of his life, and watched the little Bruce in memory leave Wayne Manor, and came back again, but it was a young man with anger in his eyes, a dark knight who belonged to Gotham.

Closing the album, Alfred looked up at the painting on the wall, where Thomas and Martha were still looking at him like this, as always. "I'm sorry, Lord Thomas." Whispering a whisper, Alfred got up, took the dinner he had prepared, and quietly walked up to the attic.

.m.