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Chapter 440: Metropolis Mystery (End)

The snowstorm in Gotham had just subsided, and the weather was slightly warming up, causing the snow to melt. However, the melting snow brought even colder weather, coupled with icy roads, so most people chose to stay at home.

In other cities, logistics would have surely come to a halt at this time, but Gotham's truck drivers were always undeterred by difficulties. As soon as the weather improved slightly, they resumed their work.

However, not all truck drivers could hit the roads at the moment. Some were forced to close their businesses and stay at home for various reasons, including Jack.

The reason he couldn't work was quite simple. The car accident at the central roundabout not only affected Schiller and Bruce's family but also affected Jack.

He wasn't at the center of the roundabout but waiting at a junction for the traffic light. When the green light, which shouldn't have been lit, turned green, Jack didn't hesitate. He stepped on the gas and rushed out.

He knew it wasn't a real green light, but how could he miss such a blatantly fun opportunity to play bumper cars?

However, playing bumper cars also comes with a cost. The truck he was driving broke down, and it couldn't be repaired quickly, so he had to stay at home.

In a loft apartment on Elizabeth Street in the East District, the oil drum furnace had gradually extinguished. The cold wind blew in through the window, and a figure on the bed turned over, smacked their lips, and their teeth chattered, yet they continued to immerse themselves in their dream.

In the dream, he was in a massive amusement park with attractions like the spinning bat, bat bumper cars, bat house, and the bat cave adventure.

Jack was sitting on the spinning bat, holding onto the vertical pole of the bat's head, with wide eyes, looking around with a smile. Suddenly, the ride stopped, and a voice came over the amusement park's broadcast system:

"Jack, please come to the service desk. Someone is looking for you. Jack, please come to the service desk. Someone is looking for you. Repeat..."

Jack knocked on the bottom of the spinning bat and, suddenly, a red light lit up at the ticket counter. He held onto the wooden pole, saying, "I haven't finished ten rounds yet! You can't make me leave; I paid for the ticket!"

But soon, he was kicked out, and he could only walk along the amusement park's brick path with a dejected expression.

He passed by an amusement park store that sold various bat dolls and bat-shaped lollipops, as well as drinks with bat images.

Seeing the store, Jack suddenly rushed over, making a finger-gun gesture and pointing at the empty counter, saying, "Quickly! Hand over all the bats! Yes! Hands on your head, turn around..."

Then he slowly put his hand down, taking big strides into the store's shelves, grabbing several bat dolls. Before leaving, he reached for a bat-shaped lollipop from the counter, but in his haste, he almost tripped over the shelf.

Leaving the store, he looked around sneakily, then grinned happily. He hurriedly opened one lollipop, put it in his mouth, and revealed a content smile, strolling leisurely towards the service desk.

The service desk was in the hall of a building shaped like a bat about to take flight. Jack walked into the bat's mouth, but it felt like coming home.

In the hall, there were many claw machines and vending machines, blinking with various colored lights. Jack looked around, feeling curious and delighted. Amid the colorful lights, his green hair changed into various colors.

At the service desk, waiting in the rest area was a figure wearing a suit. Jack walked in and said fiercely, "You scoundrel! You made me waste money on the ticket. I didn't even finish ten rounds!"

The figure turned around, and it was Schiller, who had entered Joker's dream world through the dream.

His gaze fell on the three round bat dolls in Jack's arms. Jack noticed his gaze and retreated cautiously, tightly hugging the dolls, saying, "What? You want to buy them yourself!"

"But I don't have bat coins. Where did you get the bat coins to buy these things?"

"I... I met my neighbor, Joe. He's a kind person, so he gave me a bunch of bat coins." Jack pouted, speaking rapidly.

"Okay, would you be willing to share some with me?"

"No!" Jack squeezed the three dolls tightly until they were slightly deformed. Schiller immediately said, "You're lying. You don't have any bat coins. You didn't buy a ticket either. You're a ticket dodger and a robber."

"I didn't! I didn't!" Jack shouted loudly, but the surroundings gradually faded until everything turned into a vast white space.

With a "bang," the bat dolls in his hand disappeared. Jack looked lost as he held his empty arms.

But he seemed unaware that the dolls were gone and continued tightly hugging his arms, saying with a dramatic tone, "Oh, my children, my John, Shaq, and little Jack, I know you've just gone to school..."

"Don't pretend anymore." Schiller said disdainfully, "Your bats are now having a dual flight in the real world."

Jack's movements slowly stopped. He put his arms down very slowly, then pouted, and the corners of his mouth drooped downwards.

"So, how was that dream? Consider it my gift to you. As long as you do me a small favor, I'll recharge your bat coins enough for you to have a good time," Schiller said.

Jack shook his head and said, "This is what you successful people do, using your success to make money from poor people like us. Not only that, but you also exploit our time."

Saying this, he raised one corner of his mouth high. Schiller didn't pay much attention to his strange expression. He conjured up a chair for himself and a pile of fire in front of him. Jack simply sat on the floor, warming his hands over the fire.

His face showed no signs of madness; on the contrary, as he stared mesmerized at the leaping flames, he exuded a hint of philosopher-like demeanor. Slowly, he began speaking:

"Do you know? This winter has been tough for me because too many people are laughing just like me."

"I went closer to listen to what they were laughing about, and their words disgusted me."

"They said they made money, bought houses, and are about to move. I thought, well, fine, go ahead and move away, you disgusting sewer rats..."

"They don't like me either, I know, because I used to be the happiest among them. No matter what happened, I always laughed."

Suddenly, a trace of sadness appeared on Jack's face, and he said, "If a Joker can't be the happiest person in the crowd, then he isn't a good Joker."

"A lousy Joker can't make Batman laugh, so he'll leave here, and I can't find him anywhere..."

Jack pushed his jaw forward, making his lower lip move upwards, and at the same time, his Adam's apple trembled up and down, like the preparatory action before a child bursts into tears.

Schiller reached out and said, "Stop, don't cry."

"Will you let me finish? Wasn't I about to bring you bat news? If you don't want to listen, I'll leave now."

Jack made a "puff" sound from his mouth, rubbed his face vigorously, and then looked at Schiller expectantly. The fire's light reflected in his eyes, giving them a childlike innocence and making them gleam brightly.

"You should know that he went to Metropolis, where he met two friends who seemed to be very compatible with him – one called Lex and the other called Clark."

"Of course, I don't know if he'll forget his old friend Jack if he stays there for a while, but I think you can also reunite with him; he won't mind."

Jack's expectant expression gradually diminished. He sneered and said, "Is that all you're going to tell me?"

He wore an expression of utter boredom and continued, "Of course, I know where he went and what he's doing there, but it's all so dull."

He shook his head and said, "Attending a boring party, investigating a boring murder case, engaging in tedious reasoning, fighting a bunch of boring enemies in that utterly boring place called Metropolis..."

"Why should I go there? What's there to enjoy? Are you going to make me kidnap ordinary people to lure Batman out again? I'm fed up with it."

"You're too picky," Schiller picked up a piece of wood, threw it with a hook, and tossed it into the fire. He sighed helplessly and said, "Well, then let me put it differently..."

"Batman went to Metropolis, and there, he encountered two people who might become his best friends or worst enemies in the future."

"Now, the relationship between these three individuals is not yet clear, and how things will turn out depends on who pushes them in which direction."

Jack's eyes lit up, and he turned his head, staring intently at Schiller. Schiller didn't look at him but continued:

"I know you want to ask why I'm not doing this myself. I can tell you clearly that I just want to sleep right now..."

Jack suddenly became excited, his smiling lips twitched uncontrollably. He rubbed his hands vigorously and then rubbed his arms. He said, "Can I play the role of a villain then?"

"Promote their friendship and then, when one of them betrays Batman, I'll kill him. That way, Batman will surely be happy!"

Jack immersed himself in his own fantasies, his eyes locked on the flickering flames, seeing countless wonderful visions.

He saw himself living in a bat castle, surrounded by a huge bat amusement park. Batman was solemnly beating him on a float in the park, and the crowd around them cheered and applauded. Batman would finally smile... finally...

Jack stared intently at the dancing flames, and as they gradually dimmed, he quickly added another piece of wood to keep the bat alive. The fire burned brighter, illuminating everything as if it were daytime, and Batman had never looked so tall.

In this way, Jack felt himself flying higher and higher...

Of course, he didn't freeze to death like the little match girl on New Year's Eve. Instead, he jerked awake from the bed.

His face showed extreme disappointment, and he stayed still for a moment. He fiercely mauled his pillow and muttered curses under his breath.

Suddenly, he stiffened again, flipped off the bed, and stumbled to the window.

The vast expanse of white snow reflected the dawn's light on his face. Amidst this incredibly bright light, he slowly grinned, revealing a smile full of anticipation.

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