American Comics: The Strongest Villain

The tension was palpable as the four of them exchanged glances, the awkward atmosphere thickening.

Batgirl—Barbara Gordon—felt a sting from the way Su Sheng's dark eyes scrutinized her, as though he was sizing her up with a mix of curiosity and disdain. She couldn't shake the feeling of being belittled. This was reinforced when Su Sheng spoke, making her frustration boil over.

"Batgirl?" Su Sheng said, his tone dripping with casual familiarity.

Batgirl, trying to regain her composure, was further infuriated by Su Sheng's next comment. "Aren't you paralyzed yet?"

Paralyzed? Was he mocking her? Batgirl's anger flared. Was this guy deliberately provoking her? The deliberate disregard for her attempts to contact him, coupled with his irritating demeanor, only made things worse.

"Catwoman, Harley Quinn, Batgirl—Gotham always has its surprises," Su Sheng chuckled, his amusement evident. Suddenly, he lunged towards Batgirl with unexpected speed.

Batgirl, caught off guard, instinctively stepped back to evade him. But before she knew it, Su Sheng had deftly snatched off her mask, his actions swift and smooth. Frustration mounting, Batgirl launched into an attack, but Su Sheng's agility made him nearly impossible to hit. He darted and weaved, his movements resembling a graceful dance of evasion.

Batgirl was well aware of Su Sheng's skill, but his effortless dodging was infuriating. She had honed her combat techniques rigorously, but against Su Sheng's relentless and efficient style, she found herself outmatched. Despite her own combat prowess, she was outclassed in experience, strength, and speed.

As Su Sheng's fighting style abruptly shifted from dodging to direct aggression, Batgirl struggled to keep up. His attacks were overpowering, each blow pushing her further into a defensive stance. Su Sheng's intensity was overwhelming, his strikes a brutal storm that left Batgirl reeling.

"Not good," Batgirl thought as Su Sheng's speed increased. The next thing she knew, a sharp pain exploded in her lower abdomen as if struck by a car. She doubled over, gasping, and collapsed to the ground.

"I've already had encounters with Catwoman and Harley Quinn. Not hitting you would feel like a missed opportunity," Su Sheng said, bending down to grab Batgirl's hair and tilt her head up. Her eyes were brimming with pain and tears.

"Batman's mysterious methods aren't suited for you. Phone booths and riddles? What's next—will you be waiting for a wheelchair?" Su Sheng continued with a smirk. "Or should I just paralyze you outright? Now."

Batgirl shuddered involuntarily. Despite his seemingly playful tone, the fear he instilled was real. She sensed that Su Sheng was not joking.

"Don't worry, I'm only paralyzing you; I won't take your photos or anything," Su Sheng added with a bright smile.

Batgirl clenched her teeth, fighting to suppress her trembling.

"Don't want to? Then forget it," Su Sheng said, pouting as he released her and stepped back. He twirled her bat mask on his finger, then addressed her directly. "Barbara Gordon, the police chief's daughter and Batman's protégé. What do you want from me?"

Barbara Gordon glared at him through gritted teeth. "What's your name?"

"Su Sheng."

"Su Sheng, I'll remember that," Barbara said, her anger giving way to determination. Gotham had fallen into chaos, Batman was missing, and Barbara, still inexperienced, was struggling to find him or locate the nuclear reactor. Her search led her to Su Sheng, whose impressive marksmanship and elusive skills were hard to ignore.

She had found no record of Su Sheng in the police files, and he wasn't listed among Batman's known adversaries. Despite the frustrating encounters so far, Barbara needed his help. But she couldn't shake doubts about her decision—his erratic behavior and disregard for protocol had shaken her confidence.

As she watched Su Sheng play with her bat mask, Barbara made a snap decision. She reached for a smoke bomb on her belt and hurled it to the ground. Smoke quickly filled the air.

Barbara aimed her grappling gun at the roof, fired, and ascended rapidly.

"Typical Bat Family antics—throwing smoke bombs and wasting resources," Su Sheng muttered as he walked out of the alley, shaking his head in bemusement.