Chapter 615: I, Joker (Thirteen)
Chapter 615: I, Joker (Thirteen)
"Religion begins with faith, science begins with doubt." Feng Bu Jue's speech continued. "That masked madman uses religion to enslave you, but what he truly relies on... is science." He raised his arm, pointing the submachine gun in his left hand at Kliberdoctor beside him. "Doctor, would you mind stepping forward?"
"My pleasure." Kliber shrugged, stubbing out his cigarette butt before walking calmly into the camera's view.
"Let me introduce to you all..." Feng Bu Jue chuckled ominously. "Heh... This is the most trusted subordinate of the Gotham King, the sorcerer who grants The_Bruce eternal youth—Kliberdoctor."
Kliber remained silent, staring calmly at the camera. To civilians, this bald, bespectacled old man was practically a stranger. Though he occasionally appeared behind The_Bruce alongside Gordon, he'd never spoken publicly before.
"Your god is 91 years old this year. He became The_Bruce at sixty..." Feng Bu Jue continued. "And this Kliberdoctor is even older than The_Bruce." As someone who'd read the original comic scenario, Feng Bu Jue knew these details intimately. "It was he, through his unparalleled scientific mastery, who forged a god. Over the years, Kliberdoctor has regularly replaced that Batman bastard's blood, skin—even entire organs when necessary."
"You know far more than I imagined..." Kliber finally spoke.
Upon hearing this, Feng Bu Jue turned his grotesque face toward the doctor and smiled, though he offered no reply.
"Every year, this Kliberdoctor prepares four or five sacrificial subjects in his laboratory, to be used in this slaughter's ritual." Feng Bu Jue quickly shifted focus back to the live broadcast. "Look at my face..." He pointed his gun at his own visage. "Its creation isn't complicated... First, burn my skin, then bleach it slightly. Next, use a laser scalpel to carve this grinning expression. Hehe... Hahahaha..." He cackled wildly. "Of course, the most crucial step is inserting a chip along my nose into my brain. That chip contains all the memories Joker needs and warps my personality, making my speech and behavior utterly mad."
Feng Bu Jue paused, then continued, "The super-criminals you've seen before—Two-Face, Lao Xiu Gu, Riddler, Penguin, Scarecrow... All were created using similar technology." His voice rose. "Batman manipulates you! He spreads false fear, forcing you to submit to his strength. Gotham is sick... And so are you... Terminally ill!"
"Xiao Buding..." Ruo Yu addressed Feng Bu Jue with her usual reluctant boss tone. "Mind the time."
Her reminder was justified. At this moment, The_Bruce and the Robin Squad had completely abandoned their pursuit of Two-Face and Poison Ivy, rushing toward Batmancastle at full speed. In their private communication channel, Xiao Ling and Xiao Tan had already announced this twice.
"Don't worry, dear." Feng Bu Jue replied over his shoulder, unusually eager to respond, his expression smug as if he'd scored a victory.
"Gotham's citizens!" Feng Bu Jue faced the camera again, adopting his most charismatic, commanding posture. "Tonight, I and my companions will give you a chance—a real chance..." He paused for effect. "Do you want to become gods? To replace The_Bruce? Hahahaha..." Another burst of laughter. "Let me establish a new rule... From now on, I, Harley Quinn, Two-Face, and Poison Ivy will stand with you, doing everything possible to weaken Batman's military power, giving you a relatively fair competitive environment. Hehe... All you need to do is eliminate that fraud, The_Bruce, to take his place..." He added with a menacing grin. "No matter what methods you use."
Silence fell over Gotham.
In this moment, the previously chaotic streets became eerily quiet.
But this silence didn't last long. A restless energy spread through the crowd. Even the most devoted Batman followers now felt shaken.
"Hahahaha... Hahahahaha... Hahahahahaha..." Feng Bu Jue concluded his speech with Joker's signature maniacal laughter. He flicked two fingers to remove his headset, tossing it aside before turning to leave the camera's view.
"Doctor, you're coming with us." Ruo Yu shifted her gun toward Kliber.
"Heh... I figured as much." Kliber smiled. "You don't need to point a gun at me—I'll go willingly. But... I can't guarantee we'll survive leaving this place." He gestured toward the room's only exit with his eyes. "I'd bet my life that right now, behind that door, there's a group of heavily armed guards waiting..."
Before he could finish, Feng Bu Jue grabbed him with one hand and slung him over his shoulder.
Meanwhile, Ruo Yu holstered her dual pistols, retrieved her sealed sainthood, and suddenly intervened toward the wall on the command center's side.
[Name: Sky Gate Four Steps Slash]
[Skill Card Attribute: Active Skill, Permanently Mastered]
[Skill Category: Martial Arts]
[Effect: Advance four steps, releasing four intersecting sword qi slashes]
[Consumption: Stamina Value 500]
[Learning Condition: Martial Arts Proficiency A, Spirit Arts Proficiency C]
[Background: A martial arts technique derived from the first formation of the Taoist Forty-Nine Array—the "Heavenly Gate Array." It contains twelve forms. When combined with the Heavenly Gate Formation and used to attack within the array, it becomes invincible.]
Step one: a vertical slash upward. Step two: a horizontal leftward strike. Step three: a twisting downward cleave. Step four: a rightward diagonal cut.
After those four steps, Batmancastle's thick walls were slashed open by sword qi, leaving four intersecting cracks forming a neat cross shape.
Ruo Yu sheathed her sword, then immediately followed with a side kick that shattered the rectangular section at the center of the cracks.
"Brilliant work, dear!" Feng Bu Jue laughed, then leapt through the exit with Kliberdoctor slung over his shoulder.
Ruo Yu sighed helplessly but quickly followed, jumping out of the castle's outer wall alongside Feng Bu Jue.
Almost the moment Ruo Yu jumped out, the room's door burst open. A group of armed guards stormed in, shouting, "Freeze!"
Unfortunately, they were a second too late...
"He... They jumped out that hole!" A staff member inside pointed at the wall's opening.
"I know." The_Bruce's low voice rumbled through the sound system. He stood behind the guards, his right eye's lens equipped with thermal imaging, allowing him to track Feng Bu Jue and Ruo Yu's escape route from the corridor.
"Cut the video signal." Bruce calmly ordered.
The staff member who'd survived Feng Bu Jue's gunpoint stood frozen for a few seconds before realizing his duty. "Yes, Mr.!" He scrambled to his feet, rushed to the control panel, and stopped the live broadcast.
All citywide screens instantly went black. This time... they couldn't replay Gordon's propaganda video either. That religion-brainwashing speech had become meaningless.
"How long do you plan to lie there?" The_Bruce asked coldly, grabbing Gordon's collar to haul him up.
Gordon jolted awake, his hand dropping the grenade he'd been holding.
Pah!
The_Bruce caught the grenade mid-air. "Have you slept enough?"
"What... What?" Gordon was still dazed.
"Hmph." The_Bruce exhaled, releasing him. "Assemble all forces and prepare to suppress the rioters in the city."
"Uh..." Gordon hesitated a second. "Yes!" He instinctively responded, the word escaping before he fully regained his senses. He bent to retrieve his headset, then opened the communication channel. "All units, activate the highest emergency protocol! All Robin Squads in Gotham, immediately assemble at Batmancastle! This is not an exercise, repeat... This is not an exercise!"
(End of Chapter)
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