A brutal shootout. Joker's gang stormed the police station and broke him out. No one expected things to escalate like this.
"Did you guys see how I shot that cop? Like this!" One of Joker's thugs was now full of swagger. Following Joker really paid off. The gangs treated them with respect—guns, bombs, money, whatever Joker wanted, they handed over. This was the life.
That night's attack on the police station had them all fired up. A thug mimicked holding a gun, mouth making "pew pew" sounds. "The bullet went straight through the cop's neck, dead on. Blood everywhere. It was awesome!"
The others laughed. "That's nothing! Did you see that cop whose leg Harley blew off with a grenade? Screaming like hell. Turns out cops aren't scary at all."
"Cops were never scary. Now it's them who are scared of us. We run Gotham now."
Everyone agreed. Joker's gang ruled the city now.
The killing turned into a rush, turning these thugs into full-on maniacs. They used to just mug old folks in the park, but now they bragged about murder.
Joker loved seeing them change like this, because this was human nature. Once rules were gone, people would slide downhill fast, turning savage.
Joker believed no one could escape this ugly truth.
"Puddin', where are we playing next?" Harley clung to Joker, voice sweet and clingy.
"Harvey Dent and Rachel are in my hands now. Let's see what Batman does—save his sweetheart or save Gotham's hope." Joker shoved Harley aside, grinning as he laid out his plan. "Hey, you—take this video to the TV station."
One of his thugs ran off to deliver it.
"Hee-hee, the real fun's just starting." Joker licked his lips, eyes sparkling. He didn't want to destroy Gotham. He wanted to destroy the people—their humanity.
When Independent News Channel received Joker's message, "Broadcast this or the bombs go off," Liu A'dou knew he had no more chances to catch Joker. Joker had already set it up—Harvey and Rachel were wired to explosives. One wrong move and Joker would kill them both.
But the video Joker sent wasn't just about making people choose.
Joker didn't show himself. It was two clips—Harvey and Rachel speaking to each other through walkie-talkies.
In the video, they were both tied to chairs bolted to the floor. Their hands were tied behind the backrests, legs bound to the chair legs, the only thing they could move was their necks.
They knew exactly what was happening. Surrounding them were barrels filled with gasoline, and bombs rigged above them. One spark, and they'd go up in flames.
But neither of them panicked. No screaming, no crying. Instead, they tried to comfort each other.
"Harvey, Harvey, listen to me." Rachel spoke, her voice tinged with fear. She felt something—an ominous dread.
"Rachel?" Harvey quieted. His face was drenched in sweat. He'd tried to break free earlier, but all he'd gotten was exhaustion.
"Harvey, about what you said to me before—I never answered you." Rachel's voice was hoarse, her face slick with sweat too. She'd shouted for help until her throat gave out.
Before this, she hadn't answered? Harvey remembered now—it was just before Joker showed up, when he had proposed to Rachel. She hadn't responded at the time.
Now, Harvey felt something more nerve-wracking than sitting next to a bomb. Was he finally going to get her answer?
"Harvey, I say yes." Along with her tears, Rachel gave Harvey her love.
Even though Rachel had grown up with Bruce Wayne, childhood friends. Bruce was young, talented, and filthy rich, and secretly Gotham's Dark Knight. The dream man for countless women. Rachel had liked him too, and they had even dated. But in the end, she walked away. She was a woman who knew her own mind. She knew Bruce would never fully give himself to love.
But Harvey Dent—he was a good man. Over time, Rachel had come to love his warmth, his light.
Harvey's heart skipped two beats. Finally, finally, he had won her heart. "Rachel."
"Harvey."
The video cut off suddenly, switching to a shot of concrete flooring. Off-camera, Joker's crazed voice laughed: "Hahaha, moved to tears? They're each tied up in different places in Gotham. You can save them. But once this video airs, I'll start the countdown. If you don't find them by 4 PM today—boom, boom—"
"AHAHAHAHA! That sweet little couple will be crispy corpses! Ahahahaha~"
4 PM? Less than three hours from now??
"Get this video out, fast! We need everyone in Gotham to help find them!" Of course, they also called the police. But after what happened last night, the cops were likely even more swamped than they were.
The whole city was mobilized, but Liu A'dou stayed behind in the office. Something didn't sit right. It was like Batman always said, "Joker is never that simple."
Maybe Joker was planning to use the chaos to pull off some hidden scheme.
Liu A'dou frowned, unable to figure out what Joker was really after. Maybe the only way was to use the Eye of God again, catch Joker, and beat the truth out of him. But knowing Joker, he'd keep a remote trigger with him. The moment he sensed danger, he'd set it off, and Harvey and Rachel would die.
Liu A'dou gave in. Joker had never cared about being caught—everything was part of his plan. Spies in the police, allies in the gangs. Joker stood on the shoulders of both worlds, black and white, ready for his showdown with Batman. Rachel, Harvey, and all the good people of Gotham were just his pawns.
The wicked admired Joker, the good feared him, and now, Gotham had no one left to stop him—except Batman.
Liu A'dou walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at the busy street. People rushed back and forth, spreading the video as fast as they could, desperate to help the kidnapped victims. These good people—they were Joker's real target.
Liu A'dou clenched his fists, suddenly realizing that everything he'd brought from another world was useless against an enemy like this. He couldn't even save two friends.
Joker, this lesson you've taught me—I'll never forget.