Chapter 619: I, Joker (Xvii)
Chapter 619: I, Joker (Xvii)
Gordon’s eyes reflected endless despair and fury, yet he could no longer resist his fate.
Seconds later, he crashed from the high platform, landing face-first in a gruesome death.
The crowd below stared at Gordon’s corpse, their doubts resurfacing.
“Could we have been wrong?”
“Was Gordon the fraud all along?”
“The Batman God’s strength is real!”
“We were tricked by the Joker!”
The same mob that had just roared for Batman’s overthrow now wavered.
In the world of Western comics, there’s always a group like this—today demanding the extermination of mutants, tomorrow insisting superheroes reveal their identities, and the day after cheering for those very “freaks.”
Do they truly have faith? No… they have no convictions at all. Hypocrisy, pragmatism, stupidity, rationality—these intertwine to form their nature. In the end, what guides them is nothing but reality itself.
As a movie once said: “They side with whoever wins.”
Feng Bu Jue understood this perfectly.
“Hahahaha!” A maniacal laugh erupted. The next second, Feng Bu Jue (the Joker) reappeared on every giant screen in the city. “You deformed Batman freak… you really are ruthless!”
“What’s happening?” The_Bruce hissed into his communicator. “How did he hijack the screens?”
“We don’t know, Mr.,” a staff member from the command center replied. “We haven’t transmitted any video signals.”
“Damn it! Then stop him now!”
“We’re trying… but…” The voice hesitated. “It’s not working. Whoever he is, his system access is higher than ours.”
The_Bruce’s expression darkened instantly. The answer struck him like lightning: “Kliber… That bastard… I should’ve known.”
“Hmph,” Feng Bu Jue continued on the screen. “Did you really think killing Gordon and pinning all the crimes on him would let you reclaim your throne?” His voice rose. “And you lot—mindless idiots! For decades, you’ve watched him stage this same farce. What makes this time any different?”
“He’s right!”
“Gordon’s death means nothing!”
“Fraud!”
“Face trial yourself!”
Watching the crowd’s shift, The_Bruce seethed.
There was only one option left.
“Silence!” The_Bruce roared, leaping to the platform’s edge. He flung off his mantle, activating the sonic device on his combatarmor-plated.
The shockwave rippled outward, his regal presence instantly silencing the plaza outside Batman Castle.
“You want my blood?” The_Bruce glared at his kingdom, at his ignorant, greedy subjects. “Then come take it yourselves!” With that, he stepped forward and leapt from the high platform.
Black bat wings unfurled midair as the Batman’s shadow descended.
Instinctively, the crowd recoiled. For the first time, they realized The_Bruce might not be a god—but he was an undisputed slaughter machine.
Boom!
The impact shattered the concrete, spreading cracks like a spiderweb.
Gotham King landed, carving a circular clearing in the dense crowd. None dared approach his stance.
“Come on,” The_Bruce stood tall, coldly challenging. “I’m right here. Do you lack the courage to even raise a weapon against me?”
Before his words faded, a shotgun blast rang out.
Firearms change everything. Killing with a gun is entirely different from using cold steel… Perhaps none dared confront Bruce hand-to-hand, but shooting him? That was another matter.
After the first shot, the second and third followed naturally.
Seconds later, civilians near The_Bruce with weapons opened fire.
Yet…
Protected by his combatarmor-plated, The_Bruce stood firm, unshaken.
Bullets ricocheted off his body, deflecting into the crowd alongside stray shots.
Amidst the chaos, screams, death cries, and furious roars erupted.
Blood spilled onto the ground—but not a single drop came from Gotham King. Instead, those surrounding him collapsed in heaps.
“Doubting my divinity is the gravest mistake you’ll ever make,” The_Bruce declared, advancing. “I’ll judge you myself, reminding you of the only truth in this city.”
“This is your plan? What is this—Batman Unparalleled?” Feng Bu Jue’s mocking voice cut in on the screen. “Spreading fear through extreme violence, then rebuilding faith on that fear? Hah! How pathetic… and boring.”
“You dare lecture me on fear?” The_Bruce knew the Joker could hear him. “Isn’t that exactly what you do?”
“True,” Feng Bu Jue admitted. “But my goal differs. I don’t seek to rule… Hehehe… I just want them to understand some basic truths.”
“Truths?” The_Bruce scoffed. “In my view, the only lesson you teach is chaos.”
“Long ago,” Feng Bu Jue interrupted, his tone solemn, “this city labeled many as madmen—antisocial lunatics and anarchists, calling them supercriminals.” He shook his head. “Let me clarify—I, the Joker, am nothing like them…”
Suddenly, chaos erupted.
“Look!”
“Oh my God! It’s…!”
“Batman! The new god! The new god has arrived!”
The crowd surged as another figure in Batman armor, mantle billowing, soared from the sky.
“Hmph?” The_Bruce looked up. “Colin… Hmph… I knew you’d come.”
Though Qiao Yi wore a Batman mask, Bruce recognized him instantly. His combatarmor-plated had advanced facial recognition—so long as the system had the data and thermal imaging worked, disguises were useless.
“Perfect timing!” The_Bruce raised his left arm, firing a bright yellow laser beam at the airborne Colin. “Die!”
Qiao Yi reacted swiftly, twisting midair with a mantle flip, narrowly evading the attack. He landed ten meters from Bruce.
The crowd scattered like a retreating tide, eager to let the two “Batman gods” settle this.
“Ready to fight someone stronger?” Qiao Yi steadied himself, mantle snapping shut as he faced off.
“You’re clever, hiding your moves with the mantle,” The_Bruce said. “But to me, these tricks are meaningless.” Not a bluff—his thermal imaging already tracked Qiao Yi’s hand reaching for his utility belt.
“Today is your apocalypse, Bruce!” Qiao Yi hurled a Batman Batarang.
“Heh…” The_Bruce smirked, countering with his own Batarang. Though slightly slower, his weapon flew faster, deflecting Qiao Yi’s and continuing its assault.
Qiao Yi rolled sideways, dodging against a wall. As the Batarang whizzed past, he shouted, “Your armor can’t protect you forever!”
“But it’s working just fine, isn’t it?” The_Bruce retorted. “Hmph… Colin, unleash everything. I’ve been waiting for someone like you.” His eyes gleamed with excitement. “Come on! Kill me and become the new god!”
“Don’t think I’m like you…” Qiao Yi lunged, kicking midair. “I don’t want to be a god. I am Batman!”
Crack!
Qiao Yi’s kick struck The_Bruce’s jaw—a vulnerable spot. The impact caused a mild concussion, sending Bruce staggering backward.
“This can’t be…” The_Bruce gasped. “How can his strength be this great? This isn’t human!”
“You’re confused, aren’t you, Bruce?” Feng Bu Jue’s mocking face reappeared. “You’re wondering how your enhanced body and superior combatarmor-plated could lose to a commoner relying on fists and a standard Batman suit.” He paused, teasingly.
“Hahahah! I won’t tell you why!” Feng Bu Jue laughed, spinning before the camera. “Figure it out yourself! Hahahaha!” The signal cut.
……
Meanwhile, in the Batcave…
“Are you done playing?” Ruo Yu asked Feng Bu Jue, who still grinned.
“Eh? No more ‘Little Buding’?” Feng Bu Jue chuckled.
“I’m ten points suspicious,” Ruo Yu replied. “I wonder if calling you that was even necessary.”
“Of course it was!” Feng Bu Jue said. “It’s for maintaining character image. Definitely not because I wanted to flirt.”
Ruo Yu glared icily. “Feng Bu Jue, you should be grateful you are Feng Bu Jue.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“Commander, you’re so slow,” Xiao Ling chimed in.
“Feng Bu Jue’s always been… that way,” Xiao Tan added, helping Kliber carry gear. “Though Rain Sister’s words were… that way too.”
“Oh!” Feng Bu Jue suddenly realized. “I get it! You’re saying if I were anyone else, you’d have been harsher, right? Hehe…”
Ruo Yu sighed. “Maybe I’ll report you for harassment. Sounds fun.”
“Hey,” Kliber interjected, unfazed by their banter. “Even with diluted Bane’s Blood, Qiao Yi’s chances against The_Bruce are negligible. Remember—my combatarmor-plated was designed to kill, unlike Bruce Wayne’s toys.”
Feng Bu Jue replied enigmatically, “Don’t worry, doctor. I won’t let Qiao Yi die… But his trial has only just begun.”
(End of Chapter)
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