Bruce turned his head at the sound, only to see the boy named Jason, startled into sitting on his bottom, his rubber ball falling to the ground and bouncing a few times before coming to a stop.
Jason glared resentfully at Theodore, then hopefully turned his gaze towards Bruce Wayne, as if expecting the rich man to intervene.
But after two seconds, realizing Bruce had no intention of speaking and Theodore menacingly bared his fangs at him, Jason decisively picked up his ball and ran away.
Even after Bruce turned his head back, Theodore's face still held a fierce threat.
"That boy seems to be very afraid of you," Bruce observed Theodore with a probing look.
"Oh, maybe a little. I've given him a few lessons," Theodore deliberately adopted an arrogant tone, "That's how it is with little brats who aren't used to Gotham."
Through the listening device on Bruce, in the Batcave, Tim couldn't help but roll his eyes.
Hey, are you even used to Gotham?
Don't talk as if you're a local. According to the records, you've only been in Gotham for less than two months!
Wayne's handsome nostrils subtly flared, and he leaned closer to Theodore with great interest.
"You 'gave him a few lessons'? Could you elaborate on that part?"
Theodore stared at the man before him, and at his beautiful and handsome face, that nauseating, strong sense of disgust surged within him once more.
Any Gothamite with common sense could understand the meaning behind Theodore's words.
Even a brainless Gotham Baby was no exception.
So Wayne didn't misunderstand Theodore's allusions; he just wanted to hear the details.
Those details of infighting, those extreme, cruel processes accompanied by blood and screams. Theodore had no doubt that Wayne enjoyed the taming of every innocent soul no less than a cerebral orgasm.
Assessment complete: this is a purebred pervert.
But it didn't matter; this question was exactly to Theodore's liking.
Without even needing to feign it, Theodore naturally revealed a malicious, sinister grin at the sight of Wayne's pampered face.
"Of course, Mr. Wayne, I'd be happy to tell you."
"Let's start with my hobbies. As you just heard, I like to act in the middle of the night. After all, when everything is quiet and everyone is asleep, even Miss Anna on duty isn't very focused. I can easily sneak into anyone's room, then gag their mouth… Heh, no one will care how many holes I've poked in them with nails or kitchen knives."
So, do you understand what I mean, you perverted rich man?
Theodore thought fiercely: If you dare to lay a hand on me, if you dare to sleep next to me at night… I will tear off your entire skin, dissect your abdomen, and pull out your intestines like rubber candy!
On the other end of the listening device, Tim held his headphones, his expression subtle.
At the same time, a light, quick footsteps sounded behind him.
A smooth, agile arm quickly took one earphone from Tim's left ear, happily sharing the Bat Family's special channel.
"Hi, Little Red," Nightwing greeted his brother familiarly, "I heard Alfred say Bruce has an orphanage visit today. What are you listening to?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the lingering echo of Theodore's last sentence came through the headphones.
Nightwing: "..."
Dick took off his headphones, shaking them twice with some doubt, as if suspecting they had gotten wet.
"Are the late-night horror story programs now broadcast during the day?"
Tim didn't want to speak, pointing to the computer screen, indicating that it was the Batman channel.
Nightwing put the headphones back in his ears and listened with a frown.
In the orphanage, after listening to Theodore's description, Wayne's expression seemed to become more serious, his sparkling pupils somewhat subdued.
However, before Theodore could even slightly relax, Bruce threw out the next question.
"Very interesting imagination, child. You said you don't like to study, but you really should try writing some essays; you'd be very good at it."
What a clumsy provocation.
Hiding the most desired question beneath the topic, waiting for the person who falls for it to expose it themselves.
Theodore deliberately put on an act of a teenager whose self-esteem had been pricked, angrily pressing down on the table in front of him.
"Oh? You don't believe in my abilities."
Wayne said with a smile, "I just believe that children lock their doors when they sleep."
"Ha? You think a small lock can stump me?"
Theodore widened his eyes, looking at Bruce Wayne provocatively.
"Give me a hairpin, a bobby pin, a meal card… anything will do, there's no lock in the world that can stump me—what's a common door lock? I can even open the combination locks of Arkham Asylum!"
Whether he could do it or not, he'd put out the tough talk first.