The police station gates closed.
The streetlights and drifting snowflakes were shut out behind the iron gate.
James Gordon's resolute back was shut out with them.
"Sit here."
Under the police officers' arrangement, Li Zu sat down at a desk.
A file lay on the desk, containing information on Gotham's infamous villains, such as Calendar Man, Black Mask, and Bane.
Even "Batman" was on record.
Yet Li Zu, the "newcomer," was unknown to everyone.
Li Zu shifted uneasily. He changed positions, turning his head from left to right, then back to the left.
"Don't worry."
A young-looking police officer walked over and placed a cup of hot coffee in front of Li Zu. "We'll definitely bring the criminal to justice."
"Thanks~"
Li Zu held the coffee and took a sip before his lips could touch it. He also suppressed that "straightforwardness" of his, lest the "bastard" inside him say something like, I prefer milk tea and orange soda. I don't like coffee.
Because of the Blackgate Penitentiary riot and the explosion near Gotham City Hall, the Gotham Police Department was more understaffed than ever.
Other than Li Zu, there were only three officers in the lobby, each seated in a different corner. Li Zu was right at the intersection of their lines of sight.
Any unusual movement from him would inevitably draw all three of their attention.
Slurp~
Li Zu took another sip of coffee. His brows seemed ready to knot together, furrowed into a tight clump.
Finally,
ten minutes later, he stood up, pulled out the plastic toy meat saw from his pocket, and slowly walked toward the nearest officer.
Gotham City Hall,
before the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows,
Batman knocked down the burly man in the black hood with a single punch... After taking over a dozen heavy blows and nearly being lifted up and snapped in half at the waist, he seized his chance to counterattack. An uppercut struck the man's jaw, successfully turning the tables.
"Deathstroke isn't here, and neither is that other freak." Batman slowly walked toward Joker. "That only leaves you..."
"HAHAHAHA!!!" Joker interrupted Batman with loud laughter. He raised the controller in his hand and gestured with it. "With just a gentle press, this thing will... boom! The building will become Christmas's most dazzling firework!"
Joker suddenly spread his arms wide, his split grin mimicking the sound of an explosion.
Batman halted.
He could not determine whether Joker was telling the truth. A madman's thoughts were difficult to predict.
Naturally, it would have been impossible to plant explosives beneath more than a dozen buildings in a single night. But what if Joker had thought of using this method to threaten Batman on the very first day he impersonated Black Mask?
To be safe, Batman stopped.
But Joker did not stop moving. He extended his index finger and forcefully pressed the button.
"Like this!" Joker said.
Click. A crisp button press.
RUMBLE~!!!
From the corner of his eye, Batman could see through the window as a skyscraper collapsed with a thunderous crash. A gust of wind swept past, and a blizzard carried away the dust filling the sky.
That building vanished as though it had evaporated from the world.
Even without reaching the scene, Batman could imagine the horrifying sight... Blood would be flowing like rivers there. The stench of blood almost seemed tangible, struggling to break free from Batman's imagination and bore into his nostrils.
The pungent smell of blood made the veins on his forehead bulge.
"HAHAHAHAHA! Do you like this Christmas present?" Joker reclined in his swivel chair, clutching his stomach as he laughed wildly.
He was not laughing because Batman's anger over the destroyed building amused him.
Rather, an enraged Batman might very well cross his bottom line and kill him with his own hands.
Dragging someone who clung to a bottom line into the abyss of madness—that was where Joker's joy lay.
Batman was furious, but because Joker held the "Grim Reaper's scythe," he had no choice but to stop.
He could only roar:
"JOKER!!"
Li Zu walked behind the nearest officer, raising the meat saw above his head, ready to bring it down at any moment.
The other two officers did not notice him. They were both busy with their own work.
But Li Zu did not strike. A few seconds later, he slowly lowered the plastic toy knife.
"Need something?"
The officer seated in the chair sensed someone standing behind him. When he turned and found Li Zu, his eyes curiously fixed on the plastic toy knife in Li Zu's hand.
"May I ask... um, where's the restroom?... I might have drunk too much tonight~" As he spoke, he squeezed his legs together, as though he truly could not hold it any longer.
"Second floor, turn right. Don't wander around," the officer casually instructed, pointing toward the stairs.
"Thank you."
Under the watchful eyes of the three officers, Li Zu openly walked up to the second floor.
The second floor was empty.
After circling around and failing to find what he wanted, he went up to the third floor.
Then he reached the fourth floor.
Li Zu stopped outside an office and looked up at the sign on the door.
"Archives."
Li Zu stepped forward, preparing to search the archives for something "useful" to him.
With the countdown about to end, only Gotham's records could fulfill his greatest needs.
"What are you trying to do?"
Before Li Zu could reach out and push open the door, a voice came from beside him.
A girl in a casual padded jacket stretched out her arm to block the entrance. She stared at Li Zu warily. "This is the archives. You can't just go in!"
Her eyes examined Li Zu from bottom to top.
He wore a black padded jacket, had an Asian face, and, most conspicuous of all... a Christmas-red hat.
He looked more like some bizarre version of Santa Claus.
No reindeer, no sack of gifts, and no chimney climbing.
Yet he radiated an utterly strange aura.
"I'm looking for something. This city is being destroyed, and I think the solution might be in there!" Li Zu pointed at the archives and asked, "Do you know Batman?"
He decided to borrow the name.
"Batman?" The girl's attitude changed. She asked excitedly, "You mean Batman? Do you know him?"
"We met earlier tonight."
Li Zu had not expected Batman's name to be so useful.
Click~
The door was already open.
A massive archive room.
The girl pulled Li Zu inside and turned on the computer.
"What do you need?" she asked expectantly as she sat before the computer.
It was as though she had imagined herself as Batman's assistant.
"Gotham's Blackgate Penitentiary was attacked, and a lot of bastards escaped from inside," Li Zu said. "I want you to help me look up information on some supercriminals. The more, the better~"
"No problem!"
The girl rapidly hammered at the keyboard.
"Look at this!"
Li Zu leaned closer and looked through page after page of files.
"Bronze Tiger."
"Copperhead."
"Penguin."
"..."
With every criminal he saw, his exploration progress increased.
World Exploration Progress: 63%, 64%, 65%...
It rose bit by bit.
Then it stopped at 68%.
At this point, many of Gotham's "talents" had yet to appear.
"You've been a huge help," Li Zu said generously, though another malicious amusement lingered in his heart. If the girl learned that he was a villain who specifically opposed Batman rather than a superhero, how amusing would her expression be?
"Can you tell me your name?" Li Zu asked.
"Barbara Gordon!" Barbara introduced herself, then asked, "And you?"
"Toyman."
Li Zu took out a toy pistol and handed it to Barbara. "Merry Christmas~"
(End of chapter)
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