nucmednet Chapter 122 Taunt
Chapter 122 Taunt
Chapter 122 Taunt
Just as Li Wei had managed to bring some order to the piles of files at the Gotham Police Department, the dedicated phone on the desk rang shrilly, shattering the brief tranquility of the dispatch room.
On the other end of the phone, the voice of the local police officer trembled uncontrollably.
The screams of citizens could be heard intermittently in the background.
"Consultant Levi... abandoned amusement park... the owner is dead! The death was gruesome, there were... clown markings at the scene!"
'
Li Wei's fingers clenched tightly, revealing that he was not at peace.
The abandoned amusement park is located in the eastern suburbs of Gotham. It has been closed for many years. In the overgrown park, the rusty roller coaster tracks look like a grotesque skeleton.
The Ferris wheel stood silently in the night, a corner that should have been deserted, but now it had become a new bloody stage.
Combining Bane's previous plan—releasing Arkham convicts, diverting police resources, and exhausting Batman's stamina—Lee Wei instantly grasped the overall picture.
Bane will never let these fugitives fight on their own; he wants to make them pawns in a chaotic game, and the Joker will inevitably be the sharpest and craziest one.
"Please provide details about the situation on site."
Li Wei's voice was calm and steady, drowning out the whispers of the other officers in the dispatch room.
"Where are the signs? What was the cause of the boss's death? Were there any eyewitnesses?"
"The mark on the base of the Ferris wheel is a clown's iconic smiley face graffiti, painted with red spray paint, and mixed with... mixed with blood."
The police officer paused, clearly having witnessed a scene too gruesome to bear.
"The boss was struck on the head with a blunt object and died. His body was tied to a pillar of a carousel, and a clown doll was hanging on his body."
Several residents nearby said they saw a group of people rush into the amusement park last night, and the one leading them was the madman in the purple suit.
They also heard the boss crying for help, but no one dared to approach.
Li Wei stood up, grabbed the black bodysuit and pistol from the back of the chair, and did so swiftly and decisively.
"Notify Sheriff Gordon, I'm on my way to the scene."
The technical department was instructed to immediately send people to extract the bloodstains from the graffiti and the fingerprints from the scene.
In addition, a three-kilometer radius around the amusement park was cordoned off, and nearby residents were evacuated to prevent the clowns from setting a secondary trap.
After hanging up the phone, Li Wei rushed out of the police station.
In the early hours of the morning, the fog had not yet lifted on the streets of Gotham, and the glow of the streetlights cast dappled shadows on the ground.
Citizens along the way hurried along, their faces bearing lingering fear—the chaos of the past few days had already pushed the city's nerves to their limit.
Li Wei drove the pickup truck, the roar of the engine particularly clear on the quiet street.
Outside the car window, one could occasionally see parents running frantically with their children in their arms, or passersby shivering behind the roller shutters of shops.
Their eyes were filled with despair, like stars swallowed by darkness.
Forty minutes later, the pickup truck arrived at the outskirts of the abandoned amusement park.
The police cordon has been set up, and several officers are guarding the entrance, their faces grim as they stop citizens who try to gather around.
Upon seeing Li Wei arrive, a police officer immediately went to greet him.
"Advisor Levi, it's too dangerous inside. The Joker's men might still be lurking nearby!"
"I'll go check the scene. You guys continue to guard the perimeter and absolutely do not let anyone in or out."
Li Wei patted the police officer on the shoulder, put on gloves and a mask, bent down and crawled through the cordon, heading deeper into the amusement park.
The park was desolate, with waist-high weeds covered in morning dew that dampened and clung to my trouser legs, chilling me to the bone.
The rusty amusement rides were faintly visible in the thin mist, and the horses on the carousel had severely peeling paint and distorted features, as if they were screaming silently.
The roller coaster's track was winding and twisting, its top hidden in the mist, giving it an eerie and sinister feel.
The air was filled with the smell of rotting grass, mixed with a faint stench of blood, making one's stomach churn.
Li Wei walked very lightly, his sharp gaze sweeping over every corner.
He knew that the clown's choice of this location was no accident—an abandoned amusement park with a complex terrain, making it easy to hide and ambush.
Ferris wheels and carousels can serve as both the Joker's "stage" and an excellent barrier for Bane to ambush Batman.
Given Bane's modus operandi, he would inevitably use the Joker to lure Batman there, then secretly lay a trap, waiting for Batman to exhaust himself.
As for Batman, Levi knows him too well.
Every crime in Gotham, every innocent death, becomes a heavy burden on his shoulders.
Batman will not stand idly by as the Joker murders the amusement park owner and takes over the park—a blatant provocation.
He will come alone and bring the clown to justice.
"A meticulously planned hunt."
Li Wei muttered to himself, his steps halting beneath the Ferris wheel.
The red smiley face graffiti on the base is particularly eye-catching.
The paint wasn't completely dry, and there were dark red bloodstains mixed in at the edges, indicating that it had been painted recently.
He crouched down and gently touched the graffiti with his fingertips.
The paint had a rough texture and a pungent chemical smell, which was exactly the same as the spray paint model that the clown usually used.
Without pausing, Li Wei slowly climbed up the Ferris wheel's support structure to the top observation deck.
The view here is expansive, offering a panoramic view of the entire amusement park layout.
At the same time, the support structure can be used to conceal one's figure, making it an excellent position for lurking.
He lay prone on the cold metal bulkhead, his body pressed tightly against the hull, trying to blend into the shadows, his gaze fixed on the direction of the amusement park entrance.
Time passed slowly, the thin mist gradually dissipated, and sunlight pierced through the clouds, shining into the park, but it could not dispel the bone-chilling cold.
Li Wei's body gradually stiffened, and dew soaked his hair and clothes.
A chilling coldness spread through his skin, but his eyes remained sharp, showing no sign of relaxation.
He knew that Batman and the Joker's arrival wouldn't be long.
About an hour later, a black figure appeared at the entrance of the amusement park.
Batman's cape unfurled in the morning breeze, like a bat spreading its wings.
His steps remained steady, yet he could not conceal the deep-seated weariness within him.
His eyes, visible beneath the hood, were bloodshot, clearly indicating he had just finished a battle and hadn't had a moment to catch his breath.
Li Wei could see new scratches on his cloak, and faint bloodstains seeping from the bandages on his arms—old wounds from his previous battle with Two-Face.
Batman did not rush in, but paused at the entrance for a moment, his eyes scanning every corner of the park warily.
Clearly, he also sensed the strangeness of the place and knew that the clown must have set a trap.
But he did not back down. He took a deep breath and, like a cheetah, lunged into the park, his figure quickly disappearing into the weeds.
Not long after, a sharp and maniacal laugh shattered the tranquility of the park.
"Oh! Batman, you've finally arrived! I thought you were too scared to keep your promise!"
The clown's voice came from the direction of the carousel, filled with undisguised excitement.
"I've prepared a grand performance for you, and you're the star, while the audience... is the city's lovely people!"
Li Wei lay prone in the observation cabin, looking in the direction of the sound.
On the carousel, the clown is wearing his signature purple suit.
The collar was open, and the tie hung crookedly around the neck.
His face was covered in white paint, grass clippings, and dirt, but it couldn't hide the madness surging in his green eyes.
He sat at the top of the carousel, holding a modified toy gun in his hand.
The gun was pointed at several citizens tied to a pillar—clearly, these were his new hostages.
Batman rushed to the carousel, his black cape drawing a sharp arc behind him.
"Joker, let them go."
His voice was hoarse, like sandpaper rubbing against the ground, and every word conveyed extreme exhaustion, yet it still carried an undeniable authority.
"Release them?"
The clown burst into exaggerated laughter, his body doubled over with mirth.
"Batman, you're always so boring! Don't you want to see what kind of wonderful sparks will be created when a carousel and a bomb are combined?"
He raised his hand and pressed the remote control, and the carousel suddenly started to turn slowly.
At the same time, the time bomb on the pillar began its countdown, the red numbers flashing glaringly as 5:00.
"See that? Five minutes! You only have five minutes."
Defeat me and save them, or... turn into fireworks with them!
The Joker's laughter grew increasingly maniacal as he raised his toy gun and fired it in Batman's direction.
The gun didn't fire bullets, but rather poison needles with a paralyzing effect.
Batman reacted quickly, dodging to the side. The poison needle grazed his shoulder and embedded itself in the weeds behind him.
Without hesitation, he raised his hand and threw several batarangs, accurately hitting the control switch of the carousel.
The carousel gradually slowed down and eventually stopped, but the bomb countdown continued.
"Oh? You've got some skills!"
A flicker of excitement crossed the clown's eyes as he leaped off the carousel.
Suddenly, a sharp dagger appeared in his hand, and he charged towards Batman.
"But that's not enough! I want to see how long our great Batman can last when he's exhausted to the limit!"
The two immediately began to fight. The clown's moves were completely unpredictable, yet extremely cunning.
Like a nimble viper, he relentlessly attacked Batman's wounds and weaknesses, while hissing out insane words.
"Give up, Batman! You can't hold on any longer! Gotham doesn't need a hypocrite like you! Chaos is the most beautiful form of order!"
Batman's movements were much slower than usual, and each punch seemed unusually difficult.
His old rib injury throbbed with pain, and every breath pulled at the wound, making him tremble with pain.
But he gritted his teeth and stubbornly resisted.
He knew he couldn't fall; if he did, the hostages' lives would be in danger.
Li Wei lay in the observation cabin, watching the fierce battle below, a heavy sense of powerlessness rising in his heart.
He could clearly see Batman's stamina rapidly depleting, sweat dripping from his forehead down his cheeks and forming small puddles on the ground.
His breathing became increasingly rapid, and each counterattack seemed to exhaust all his strength.
The clown kept striking his wounds, and blood seeped into his black suit, leaving dark red streaks on the ground.
A middle-aged man tied to a pillar couldn't help but shout.
"Batman, watch out behind you!"
Batman instinctively dodged to the side, and the Joker's dagger grazed his back.
The dagger sliced open a long gash, and blood gushed out instantly.
Batman staggered back a few steps, leaned against the pillar of the carousel, and coughed violently, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
"Hahaha! You hit it!"
The Joker laughed maniacally, raised his dagger, and charged at Batman again.
"This time, I'm going to send you to hell!"
At this critical moment, Batman suddenly raised his head, a resolute glint in his eyes.
He endured the excruciating pain, dodged the clown's attack by turning to the side, and at the same time reached out and grabbed the clown's wrist, twisting it forcefully.
With a "crack," the clown's wrist was snapped, and the dagger fell to the ground.
The clown screamed, his smile freezing instantly, replaced by a pained contortion.
Batman gave the Joker no chance to retaliate, punching him in the face and knocking him to the ground.
He staggered forward, took out specially made handcuffs, and firmly handcuffed the clown to the pillar.
After doing all this, he could no longer hold on and leaned against the pillar, panting heavily.
His body was as limp as a puddle of mud, and his vision began to blur; he had clearly exhausted his last bit of strength.
The bomb's countdown continues: 00:30.
Batman struggled to defuse the bomb, only to find that he didn't even have the strength to lift his arm.
His body trembled incessantly, and the pain from his wounds surged like a tidal wave, almost causing him to lose consciousness.
Just then, a tall figure suddenly emerged from the shadow of the Ferris wheel.
Bain!
He was dressed in a black combat uniform, wearing his signature mask, and stood tall and straight like a pine tree.
Each step carried a heavy sense of pressure, as if the ground was trembling slightly.
He crossed his arms and looked coldly at Batman, who was leaning against a pillar, with a hint of mockery on his lips beneath the mask.
Li Wei's heart sank, and he gripped the pistol hidden at his waist—but he didn't move.
He knew that rushing down at this moment would not only fail to save Batman, but would also make him a target for Bane and disrupt Batman's rhythm.
He could only lie prone in the observation cabin, barely daring to breathe, silently watching everything below.
Bane walked up to Batman, looking down at him with a cold and authoritative tone.
"Batman, you look disheveled."
Batman struggled to lift his head, his eyes beneath the hood filled with vigilance, but without a trace of fear.
He struggled to stand up, but Bane stepped on his chest.
Bane's strength was immense; Batman felt his ribs were about to break, he was having difficulty breathing, and more and more blood was spilling from the corner of his mouth.
"You think you can save Gotham?"
Bane's voice was like a howl from hell, piercing through the mask and carrying a suffocating sense of oppression.
"You think you're a lone hero? No, you're just a pathetic wretch trapped by your own obsession."
He bent down, grabbed Batman's cape, pulled him up from the ground, and then slammed him down hard.
Batman crashed heavily to the ground with a thud, his consciousness becoming even more blurred.
"The city you protect is filled with sin and darkness."
The citizens you want to protect will only panic and trample each other in the face of danger.
Bane's voice grew colder and colder, each word like a sharp knife piercing Batman's heart.