There is no Batman in Gotham City comics.

Chapter 84, Act 2

The pattering raindrops awakened an ordinary day.

Today is Independence Day, the second most important holiday in the United States after Christmas. While other cities in New Jersey are making preparations for celebrations and parades, Gotham City is no different from any other day.

There were no banners, no drumbeats, and no spontaneous crowds of people with American flags painted on their faces flooding the streets. All that was there was Mayor Poker’s routine speech at Robinson Park Plaza, once a year, with even the speech script being just a few perfunctory changes.

No normal person would want to listen to that nonsense, especially on a damp and sticky rainy day.

Poker's promises are a pie in the sky, repeatedly baked. Lowering crime rates, increasing employment, strengthening oversight of government officials, and so on—nobody believes this tired, worn-out rhetoric. Gotham is rotten to the core; Harvey Dent alone cannot save it.

Isn't that right? Look at Harvey Dent when he first arrived, he was all high and mighty, but after several assassination attempts, he had no choice but to back down and huddle in a safe house under the protection of several police officers.

He faced only two choices: corruption or assassination.

Of course, there are some minor variables in this matter, if Maronny falls from power.

Inside Gotham Bank, Richard put on white gloves and ran his fingers through his hair in front of the bathroom mirror.

Since the accident a few days ago, Qin Wei had not contacted him again, which made Richard, who was eager to slaughter the pig and rip off the customer, extremely distressed. In the past few days, he had been unable to eat or sleep well, feeling bound by his empty pockets, and his former life of debauchery was gone forever.

"No, I have to find that bastard again!"

Richard took out his phone and made the 28th harassing call to Qin Wei in the past three days.

Unlike the previous terrible experiences of being instantly rejected, after a frustrating busy signal, Qin Wei's beautiful voice rang out from the receiver.

"Mr. Richard, what brings you here?"

"Mr. Wei... ugh!"

Richard covered his mouth in surprise, but almost fainted from the awful smell on the gloves.

"Does my voice really disgust you?"

"No, that's not true, sir..." Richard protested repeatedly. He was usually so busy with work that if he hadn't instinctively covered his mouth this time, he wouldn't have realized how strong the smell of the gloves was.

"If you don't object, I'd like to schedule another time to discuss the investment with you."

With his phone tucked under his shoulder, the man opened a drawer and replaced it with a new one.

"Sure, let's do it today."

In front of the victim, Qin Wei made a criminal announcement.

"That's great! What's the exact time?"

"I will come to find you."

After saying that, Qin Wei hung up the phone.

……

What do you mean I'll come looking for you? That doesn't sound very nice! Richard stroked his chin.

boom!

Whoosh—!

Just as he was trying to ponder the deeper meaning of those words, a series of gunshots rang out in the hall, followed by a loud shattering of glass.

Peeking halfway out of the locker room, he saw two robbers wearing black stockings rush into the hall through the shattered glass door.

"Hands up! We're just here to rob you. As long as you cooperate, no one will get hurt!" The leader of the robbers raised his Thompson submachine gun and fired a burst at the security guard who was trying to draw his gun to fight back.

The security guard collapsed in a pool of blood, howling in pain, while the customers, crouching on the ground with their heads in their hands, let out high-pitched screams like startled chicks.

"Anyone else want to try out the bullets...?"

Before he could finish speaking, the robber's head exploded.

The shooter was Richard.

He gave the bolt a hard thud, and with a crisp thud of a spent cartridge hitting the ground, the man made his grand entrance.

At this moment, Richard, wielding a Winchester 97, exuded a fierce aura comparable to Arnold Schwarzenegger riding "Fat Boy": "Please don't call the police, I'll handle this man!"

Seeing his companion killed, the last remaining robber slid and hid behind a pillar in the hall. Richard raised his gun and fired, the shot blasting a horrifying gash in the marble pillar.

The robber was too scared to move, but Richard had no intention of letting him go. As he closed in, he raised his gun and fired again.

boom!

In the same spot, the gap in the pillar was even larger, and flying stone chips were flying everywhere.

Everyone in Gotham is a skilled marksman, and even this tall, thin bank manager's hobby is frisbee shooting.

"Sir, would you like me to process your journey to hell?"

Richard didn't want to hand things over to the police; his boss had given him a death order to kill any robbers who dared to rob the bank.

Maroney knew better than anyone that only death could frighten those lawless thugs.

Shot after shot, the stone pillar was shattered under repeated bombardment.

Just as he was about to succeed, a flash of light appeared on the tall building above, and then the weapon in his hand was knocked to the ground.

Richard reacted with lightning speed, flipping over and leaping behind the counter before the thugs could retaliate. He stared at the deformed shotgun barrel lying on the ground, his mind filled with doubt and unease.

A sniper rifle? There's backup!

But what happened the next second shattered his expectations.

A series of screams erupted outside the bank. With a screech of brakes, a bomb-proof bus reinforced with iron plates charged like a furious rhinoceros, shattering the entire glass wall as it crashed into the bank.

The bandit who had survived Richard's gunfire was also run over by the wheels.

This is clearly another group of robbers. Look at their ample equipment; they not only have a bomb-proof vehicle, but they've even set up snipers on a high-rise building.

Compared to the two arrogant petty thieves from before, this group was a genuine, well-trained army! Richard's Adam's apple bobbed as he shakily pulled out his phone to contact Maroney, but the no signal message on the screen sent a chill down his spine.

No way, they even have signal jammers?

The frightened crowd scattered and fled outside under the cover of the billowing dust, including several security personnel.

These guys are smart; they know that the little guns in their pockets are useless against these heavily armed robbers.

Of course, not everyone was smart; many security guards remained dedicated to their duties, hiding behind cover and aiming their guns at the car doors.

"Oh, so many people are courting death?" Qin Wei sneered from inside the car.

He pressed the switch in his hand, and a Gatling gun rose from the roof of the car. This was specially prepared to deal with these security personnel. If anyone dared to fire back, they would have to endure the terrifying firepower of the Gatling gun, which fires 100 bullets per second.

But it seems that it's no longer needed, because as soon as this thing appeared, the remaining security personnel obediently dropped their guns and lay down on the ground.

Their posture of crouching with their heads in their hands was extremely standard, clearly indicating that they had undergone standardized training.

Justice prevails within range!

Sizzle—!

Amidst the hissing sound of the hydraulic valve releasing air, Qin Wei, wearing a Kevlar bodysuit, was the first to step out of the car.

After noticing the corpses of the cannon fodder robbers at his feet, he shook his head regretfully:

"What kind of company are you, trying to rob me of a bank?"