If You Don't Speak, Torture

"Allen, calm down, the citizens of Gotham are innocent."

Edward persuaded patiently, feeling for the first time that he still had a kind side.

Allen said seriously, "Edward, you always said Batsy was smarter than you in Arkham. This is your chance to prove yourself. Batsy fell into a trap and was kidnapped. If we can save him, it indirectly proves that you are smarter than him, and you'll still firmly hold the throne as Gotham's second wisest."

Edward was stunned. It seemed to make sense, and he had no way to refute it.

"I disagree. Batman is the enemy of Gotham's criminals."

Cobblepot shook his head and refused, unwilling to live under the fear of Batman any longer.

"In your confrontations with Batsy, aren't you all making progress together? Without Batsy, you'd be stagnating and eventually be eliminated by the tide of criminals. I hope you recognize yourselves."

"I don't agree..."

Bang!

Allen's rare patient persuasion was met with Penguin's stubborn refusal.

When reason fails, resort to force.

Immediately, Allen punched through the solid brick wall, his entire arm sinking into it, and said kindly, "Can you withstand twenty years of training in this punch?"

"I, I don't agree with others hurting Batman. I resolutely strike against dangerous elements," Cobblepot said righteously.

"Good ideological awareness."

Allen nodded with satisfaction. Indeed, the foundation of justice is physical force.

Edward asked, "What should we do?"

"Let's kidnap the mayor first."

"Ah!?"

"..."

The rain stopped, and the sky brightened.

In a dilapidated warehouse, a group of masked kidnappers tied up an old man nearing retirement.

He was minding his own business when disaster struck.

Hamilton was sleeping soundly in the middle of the night when a group of masked men suddenly broke into his home, knocked him out with a club, and took him away.

Pulling off the hood, he saw the three people in front of him, along with over a dozen masked kidnappers.

Muffled sounds...

He wanted to beg for mercy, but his mouth was stuffed with a sock. He couldn't help but hope it wasn't someone else's sock; at least his own sock would make him feel a little better.

One person stepped forward and untied Hamilton's mouth. He immediately shouted, "Batman, Penguin, Scarecrow, I'm the mayor! Do you know what you're doing?"

"Release me right now, or the entire Gotham City Police will be after you," Hamilton threatened, trying to maintain his composure.

Cobblepot poked the man's nostril with the tip of his umbrella and sneered, "Don't play dumb with me. Tell me where the real Batman is!"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

A flicker of panic crossed Hamilton's face.

Of course, he knew the people in front of him weren't the real Batman, but he couldn't reveal the secret.

"Let me administer the torture."

Allen, holding a gecko, approached the stubborn Hamilton.

"What are you doing? Stop, don't do that."

In terror, Hamilton watched as the other person stuffed a large gecko into his pants. He writhed in fear, shouting, "Take it out, take it out now, don't do this, ahh~"

"Ah, hmm?"

Allen tilted his head, embarrassed. "I seem to have amused the old man."

Hamilton bit his lip, his body tense. His expression was unreadable, neither pain nor pleasure, causing the kidnappers to look disgusted.

"Shit, we're supposed to torture you, not tickle you."

Allen said angrily, "Unbutton his shirt. I need to show the authority of the Minister of Punishment."

The kidnappers weren't particular. Instead of unbuttoning each button, they directly tore off his shirt.

At this moment, Allen prepared two glass tubes, as thick as his arms, filled with rather large hornets. He said, "Edward, press these onto his chest on both sides."

"..."

Edward reluctantly complied.

Getting stung by hornets on the chest was akin to a breast augmentation.

Hamilton didn't last long before he pleaded, "I'll talk, please stop."

"No, you don't want to talk," Allen took out a large loach and waved it at the old man, introducing it. "This is my wild pet Pokémon, it's so lovable."

Allen brought the half-dead loach to his ear and acted out a scene with great seriousness.

"Mmm-hmm..., I'm listening."

"What, isn't this too cruel?"

"You mean we should make dishonest people experience the top ten tortures of the Ministry of Punishment?"

"Forget it, I'm afraid he's too old to handle it."

Seeing Allen's manic state, everyone couldn't help but feel a surge of fear.

His level of madness was beyond treatment; he should be humanely eliminated.

"I really don't know Batman's whereabouts. The masterminds are all the rich people in Gotham City. They're holding a party at the Empire Hotel tonight at 8:30 PM, seemingly to celebrate a major event."

Hamilton blurted out the information, afraid that something terrible would happen to him if he didn't.

"Got the intel, I'm out."

After Allen left, Hamilton was left tied up in the warehouse.

He waited until nightfall when the sound of police sirens approached.

Suddenly, a glimmer of hope for survival ignited in his heart, but when he looked at his chest, tears streamed down uncontrollably.

"Don't come in, don't come in, I have no face to live, I don't want to live anymore."

Bang!

The warehouse door was violently kicked open.

Commissioner Gordon led his team in the search and immediately spotted the mayor tied to a chair in the center.

However, the scene before him made his old face flush.

Empire Hotel.

The preferred venue for the wealthy's banquets.

Expensive cars lined up at the entrance, with doormen rushing to open doors for the arriving rich guests.

The men were dressed in custom-made suits without tags, and the women wore stylish designer evening gowns. The cheapest thing they were wearing was probably their underwear.

Tonight, all the wealthy and powerful figures of Gotham City were present.

They controlled 60% of the city's wealth. Excluding the assets of ordinary people, the rest belonged to the Wayne family.

As guests arrived one after another, the banquet hall became crowded.

They formed small circles, raising their glasses to chat, as common ground made conversation easier.

At this moment, a man walked onto the stage and lightly tapped the microphone.

Tap, tap, tap...

Instantly, the entire venue fell silent, and all eyes turned to the man.

Behind the man, a large round clock was hung, and the next second, the hour hand pointed to nine o'clock.

Dong, dong, dong...

A chime signaling the hour.

"Ladies and gentlemen, in nine minutes, we will usher in a glorious moment. Everyone present is a witness. Await that day's arrival, and all of you here have contributed. You will surely receive your due rewards."

The man's impassioned speech ignited fervent enthusiasm among the audience.

They not only desired wealth but also power, even aspiring to achieve immortality.

"Heh heh heh..."

A sinister, penetrating laugh echoed through the banquet hall. A Batman in punk-style armor had already descended onto the stage.

To be precise, it was the appearance of the Joker Batman.

"The mad feast begins now."

"Heh heh heh..."

The laughter, filled with madness and delirium, did not instill fear in the crowd. Instead, it stimulated every nerve, causing ecstatic expressions to involuntarily appear on their faces.

This was because they were members of the Court of Owls, and the Joker Batman was their ancestor.

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Thanks to Yang Yu Jiutian, Jiusheng Huainan Bu Tian, Xingyao Jiutian 411, Dai Mao Cai Shi Benti, Shan Wai Qing She, Xiang Qia Tian Mi Mi, Shuyou 20200227125504168, Shuyou 20210308013355339, Hei Se v Guiji, Po Hou Wukong, Jiu Yao Tou Tou Kan, Zheng Fan Ji Qi Ren Buli Ci, Shuyou 20230816083810046, Hun Hun Ri Zi, Wo Shuai Gu Wo Zai Ni Chou Ni Gou Dai, and Shuyou 20220603092708648 for their recommendation votes