Warframe Voidwalker : Multiverse Journey

After pressing the controller, the fireplace in the study suddenly shifted. With a muffled sound, the wall slid aside to reveal an underground passage.

"Is this... something my father left behind?"

Bruce clearly recalled how his father Thomas would always lock the study door when working. During those times, his mother Martha would play with him until his father finished.

In the past, he'd assumed his father simply wanted a quiet environment to work. Now, he began to understand that Thomas had been engaged in something secret.

"Master Bruce?"

The sound of the moving fireplace attracted Alfred, who had been bringing tea and snacks.

Bruce was alone in the study. Could something have happened to him?

Concerned, Alfred hurriedly pushed open the door but found nothing immediately alarming—only Bruce's astonished expression.

Following Bruce's gaze toward the fireplace, Alfred saw the wall had transformed into a cave entrance, startling him.

"It seems the manor has a rat problem—they've dug quite a tunnel."

Bruce immediately countered Alfred's suggestion.

"No, my father left this. You can use this controller to open the fireplace."

Bruce held up the device. Having discovered his father's secret, he couldn't help sharing the revelation.

A hidden passage left by the master?

Looking at the controller in Bruce's hand, Alfred was stunned. He had served the Wayne family for years, yet he'd never known Master Thomas had created such a secret base.

Turning to lock the study door, the two grabbed flashlights and ventured into the passage behind the fireplace.

The cave extended deep beneath the manor, but presented no immediate danger. Years of neglect had left it covered in dust.

After walking some distance, they descended a staircase and encountered a security door resembling a bank vault.

"Did my father install this?" Bruce examined the heavy door with confusion, then turned to Alfred. "You truly didn't know about this secret area?"

Such a massive security door couldn't have been installed discreetly. No matter how careful his father had been, how could he have hidden this from Alfred?

"I'm sorry, Master Bruce. I genuinely had no knowledge of this hidden room."

Alfred, the Wayne family's devoted butler, appeared equally perplexed. He couldn't recall any suspicious behavior from Thomas that would explain this underground chamber.

Bruce approached the combination lock and tried every password he could think of—his birthday, his parents' birthdays—but each attempt triggered an "incorrect password" response.

"Alfred, what do you think the password might be?"

"I'm afraid I don't know either," Alfred shook his head.

Unable to open the security door, they returned to the study to consider alternative approaches.

...

Having eliminated the assassins, Marcus flew directly back to Wayne Manor. The immediate threat had been neutralized, ensuring Bruce's temporary safety.

Upon returning, Marcus found only Selina wandering the manor, occasionally examining antique furnishings.

"Appreciating that valuable vase?"

Marcus's sudden voice startled Selina, who nearly dropped the delicate object.

"You're back? What happened with the assassins?" she asked curiously, recognizing Marcus.

"They knew nothing useful. I sent them to join the souls of those they've killed."

Though Marcus spoke casually, Selina sensed the terrifying intensity behind his words. He had eliminated every assassin.

"Where's Bruce?"

"Reading in the study. I got bored and came out to explore."

Marcus nodded and headed toward the study. Certain matters required discussion with Alfred.

As he reached the door, it opened to reveal Bruce and Alfred, both covered in dust.

"What have you two been doing?"

Bruce answered immediately upon seeing Marcus.

"Teacher, we found a secret room my father left behind, but we've tried numerous passwords and can't open the security door."

In Bruce's heart, Marcus had become like family. Beside him, Alfred nodded solemnly.

A secret room left by Thomas?

Marcus rubbed his chin thoughtfully before asking:

"Have you tried all possible passwords? People typically choose codes with personal significance—birthdays, important dates, family names..."

Hearing Marcus's suggestions, Bruce realized he had only attempted obvious passwords and family birthdays, neglecting other possibilities.

Pressing the controller again, Bruce activated the mechanism. To Marcus's surprise, the stone fireplace wall slowly rose, revealing the dark passage.

"This is truly unexpected. I've spent considerable time in this study and never discovered a secret room."

Despite living at Wayne Manor for months and frequently using the study, Marcus had never detected this hidden chamber—a fact he found genuinely surprising.

He accompanied them into the passage, and after traversing the narrow staircase, they again reached the security door.

"Try your parents' wedding date first..."

Bruce continued pressing combinations into the lock. As rejection sounds repeatedly sounded, his frustration grew. He still hadn't tried his own name.

Father's name: wrong!

Mother's name: wrong!

His own name... click

Bruce, increasingly discouraged with each failure, froze at the unexpected sound and looked up at the door.

The security door had unlocked.

Beyond it lay a chamber filled with computer equipment—resembling Thomas's private office.

Walking to the computer desk, Bruce discovered a letter addressed to him.

The letter explained that while reforming Wayne Enterprises, Thomas had sensed danger surrounding him. Uncertain when he might be killed, he had prepared this message.

The letter had been written when Bruce was twelve—not long before his parents' murder.

Reading these words, tears welled in Bruce's eyes. He desperately missed his parents.

"It appears your parents' killers were likely high-ranking Wayne Enterprises executives," Marcus concluded.

Thomas had been reforming the company, threatening certain individuals' interests. They had hired assassins to eliminate the Wayne couple and halt the reforms.

Bruce, spared by the killer, hadn't initially concerned these conspirators. What threat could a child pose?

But as Bruce grew and demonstrated similar reform ambitions to his father, these entrenched interests had grown alarmed. They deployed the same strategy again, hiring numerous assassins to eliminate the Wayne bloodline completely.

Unfortunately for them, their assassins had failed. Bruce remained alive and well, while the killers had been reduced to ash by Marcus's Phantasmal Lantern.

"As long as I live, I will never let them succeed!" Bruce declared firmly.

"Your life will never be peaceful from this point forward," Marcus nodded gently. "Here's my advice: create comprehensive plans for everything you undertake. Prepare for the worst scenarios you can imagine."

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