chapter 186 part 2
When he turned his head back again, the driver suddenly pulled out a gun and shot him in the head!
"Bang!"
Fresh blood splattered across the car window, and the robber in the passenger seat instantly lost his breath.
The driver took off his Joker Mask, revealing a smiling face.
He hummed an unknown tune, driving through the streets of Gotham City.
As he drove,
Suddenly! A slight tremor came from the car compartment. The driver subconsciously looked at the rearview mirror, only to see a large money bag shaking violently.
He jumped in fright, almost losing his grip on the steering wheel.
Just then, a pale hand reached out from the money bag, and then, a green-haired fellow crawled out.
His face was painted with an exaggerated Joker makeup, but it lacked the red nose, making him look exceptionally eerie.
"Don't be scared, brother." The Joker grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellowed teeth, and said with a smile, "Look, is your companion truly dead?"
The driver's heart jumped. Of course, he wouldn't fall for such a simple trick.
But just then, his peripheral vision caught some movement from the passenger seat, and he subconsciously turned his head!
But it was just a rope pulling the passenger's corpse's arm; there was definitely no sign of life!
His scalp instantly prickled, terrified beyond belief. In his panic, he hurriedly tried to aim his gun at the Joker behind him, but the Joker was quicker!
"Bang!" A gunshot rang out. The driver's head slammed heavily against the steering wheel, and fresh blood streamed down his forehead.
The out-of-control vehicle, like an unbridled wild horse, veered wildly across the road. Finally, with a "bang," it crashed violently into a large tree!
The Joker wobbled out of the car compartment, his face still bearing that crazy smile, as if this entire chaos was within his control.
He brushed off the dust from his clothes, looked at the messy scene around him, and burst into laughter, his insane cackles echoing through the silent night sky.
Meanwhile, the scene inside the apartment building presented two completely different atmospheres.
Bruce Ren was busy in the kitchen, his spatula flying up and down. Amidst the smoky haze, wafts of delicious food aroma spread out.
In the living room not far away, Joker's wife, Jane Ru, was lazily sitting on the sofa, her eyes glued to the TV screen, watching the program with relish.
She couldn't be blamed; a sudden big fire had caused her to lose all her furniture and appliances at home. Now, if she didn't come here to watch TV, she truly had no other way to pass the time.
With a "sizzle," Bruce Ren finished stir-frying the last dish, scrambled eggs with tomato, plating it steaming hot.
He carried the plate steadily to the dining room and placed the dish on the table.
At this moment, the table was already laden with three dishes and one soup.
Stewed beef ribs with potatoes, West Lake beef soup, scrambled eggs with tomato, spicy stir-fried meat—a balanced assortment of colors, truly enticing.
When Jane Ru saw the table full of sumptuous dishes, her eyes instantly lit up. Her hands clasped together involuntarily, her eyes full of praise, genuinely exclaiming, "Bruce! You are a culinary genius! Whoever marries you will truly be blessed! I've never seen such delicious Chinese food."
"Of course, what you usually get are all 'improved' versions; this is the authentic taste."
Just then, hurried footsteps came from outside the apartment door.
The Joker, carrying various bags, returned to this floor from outside, huffing and puffing.
He first went to his own door, pulled out a key, and opened it. The room was pitch black and silent, with no sign of his wife, Jane Ru.
The Joker frowned slightly, a trace of displeasure flashing across his face.
Immediately after, he pulled a master key from his pocket and skillfully picked Bruce Ren's apartment door.
With a "creak," the door slowly opened. The Joker strode into the room, tossing a bag of money onto the floor.
Only then did he raise his head to look inside the room.
When he saw the two people sitting warmly at the dining table, he was startled for a moment. Then, a strange smile curved his lips, and he spread his hands, saying in a sinister tone, "Heh heh, are you two preparing to eat? Before eating, did you happen to... engage in some intimacy?"
When Jane Ru heard these words, her expression instantly soured. She abruptly stood up and shouted at the Joker, "Jack! Are you insane? I just came to watch TV! What kind of nonsense are you thinking about all day?"
Just as the atmosphere in the room grew tense,
A strange figure silently appeared on Bruce Ren's balcony!
The figure was shrouded in darkness, tall and emanating an aura that chilled one to the bone.
Everyone's gaze was instantly drawn to it.
Jane Ru, terrified, covered her mouth and let out a short, sharp scream.
The Joker's originally mischievous smile instantly soured, a hint of panic flashing in his eyes.
When everyone clearly saw that the figure was Batman, the air in the room seemed to instantly solidify.
Batman's gaze was like a torch. He first swept over everyone in the room, then finally landed on the money bags piled on the floor.
Subsequently, Batman's gaze turned to Bruce Ren.
Bruce Ren, under this scrutinizing gaze, immediately waved his hands in explanation, "Why are you looking at me?! It has nothing to do with me! Don't wrongly accuse an innocent person!"
At this moment, the Joker grinned, "Boss! This is the money you arranged for me to steal, and I've brought it all to you! It seems our Mr. Batman doesn't like you doing this, does he? Should I help you send it back?"
"Damn it, are you trying to frame me?!"
At this point, Batman's gaze was indeed completely different from before, now much more hostile.
Bruce Ren was in a situation where even jumping into the Yellow River wouldn't wash him clean.
Although he wasn't afraid of Batman, being framed was still quite vexing.
"Should I call out to Stephen Fang? Let's see how that 'fourteen-year illegal immigrant' plates dishes in the back kitchen!"
"I, Ren Arakawa, am invincible! Do I lack your Wayne Enterprises' paltry gold coins?"
Bruce Ren sighed. There was no way to explain it now. Batman had his own way of thinking; when he made up his mind, not even Hydra could change it. It looked like he'd have to deal with this by force!
A great battle was about to erupt!
But Batman didn't seem to intend to directly lay hands on Bruce Ren.
Meanwhile, the Joker had quietly slipped to the doorway, looking as if he was about to escape.
Batman reacted swiftly, his gaze locking onto the escaping Joker. Without hesitation, he pulled a Batarang from his belt. His arm swung like lightning, and the Batarang, carrying the whistling wind, shot straight towards the Joker like a black blade!
The Joker couldn't dodge in time. With a tragic cry of "Ah," the Batarang accurately struck his arm.
Batman frowned slightly at the sight, thinking he had succeeded.
But just then, a shocking scene unfolded!
This fellow, the Joker, actually gave a violent shake, and the struck arm detached from his body, falling to the ground.
Batman focused his gaze, only to realize it was merely a prosthetic arm.
"No, is this a normal person?"
"Who goes out wearing a prosthetic arm?"
Without waiting for Batman to react further, the Joker seized this interval, ruthlessly abandoning Jane Ru, turned and dashed out the door, immediately disappearing from everyone's sight.
The room instantly fell into a dead silence, the atmosphere extremely oppressive.
Bruce Ren looked at Batman, and Batman's cold gaze also fell on Bruce Ren.
The two faced each other like this, and time seemed to freeze.
A long time later, Jane Ru broke the suffocating silence. Her voice trembled slightly as she suggested, "Why don't... we eat first? The dishes are getting cold."
Her words carried an unnatural lightness, an attempt to ease the extremely tense atmosphere.
Batman didn't respond. He simply turned silently and walked with steady steps directly to the money bags by the doorway.
He bent down, his hands steadily picking up the money bags. Then, he strode towards the balcony.
Pausing briefly at the edge of the balcony, Batman leaped high like an eagle and swooped down towards the street below.
Jane Ru, seeing this, gasped in alarm and hurried over.
She knelt at the edge of the balcony and looked down.
However, the night was deep, and the street below was empty. Batman's figure seemed to be instantly swallowed by the darkness, vanishing without a trace.
(end of chapter)