Here is the translation of the Chinese web novel chapter to English:
Chapter 51: The Riddler (Part 2)
“Prisoner, Edward Nigma.”
“You must remain completely silent. Any conversation, noise, or movement will be met with swift and severe punishment. Now, to prepare for your transfer to Cell Block C, please place your hands in front of you.”
…
Jim Gordon was about to put the straitjacket on the Riddler.
This was a top-of-the-line prisoner transport vehicle, with a reinforced body and bulletproof glass. The doors and windows were made of metal to prevent escape.
Inside the huge vehicle, over 20 heavily armed police officers were on high alert, each wearing bulletproof vests and carrying rifles.
Gordon was confident that with this level of security, even the Riddler couldn’t escape.
Probably.
“Have you talked to him?”
The Riddler said, “Are you hurrying to transfer me to Arkham?”
“I don’t like to give warnings,” Commissioner Gordon replied. “Let’s start with the threat of rubber bullets.”
He turned to the officer beside him and said, “Make him kneel.”
The officer raised his gun and pointed it at the Riddler.
Rat-a-tat-tat… Five or six guns were suddenly aimed at the Riddler’s forehead, the laser sights creating an eerie sight.
“Let’s play a game.”
The Riddler said, “How long does it take to escape from prison?”
“10 seconds? 15 seconds? Half a minute? An hour? Or even a lifetime?”
A chill ran down Gordon’s spine as he sensed something ominous.
“The answer is—”
“20 seconds.”
“Shut up, you—”
Jim Gordon realized what the Riddler was planning to do, but it was already too late.
“Hey, Andrew! Wait, don’t listen to Gordon. Remember, you have three kids, Maya, Caroline, and Kate—”
As the officer heard the familiar names, his gun hesitated for a moment.
“And I’ve escaped from Arkham over a dozen times, I’ll find them, I’ll kill them.”
“What?”
The officer whispered, his voice trembling with fear.
A huge terror gripped Commissioner Gordon’s heart.
“Officer, you’re following orders, not making choices.”
“Chris, Commissioner Gordon doesn’t know about the secrets you’ve been keeping from him, does he? You’ve been taking bribes from Two-Face, and you’re involved in the Black Mask’s drug trafficking network—”
The Riddler continued, “You may have forgotten, but Harvey Dent was a former district attorney, and district attorneys are experts at collecting criminal evidence. So, here’s the interesting part.”
“The evidence he’s collected would be enough to put you in Blackgate Prison for 100 years.”
“And I have those records, dear Chris. If you don’t do as I say, everything you’ve done will be exposed—”
“Oh dear, I didn’t realize your colleagues might have also heard about your dirty secrets.”
“This is bad, they’ll report you as soon as they get back, do you really want to go to prison with the inmates you’ve arrested?”
Why not propose a better solution?
You think the idea of ‘killing everyone present to keep the secret from leaking out’ is a good one? Of course, you’ll have to protect me too, or else my death will expose your secrets as well—
Gordon saw Chris’s gun hand tremble twice.
“Chris, don’t believe the Riddler—”
Gordon’s words were cut off as Chris pointed his gun at him.
“Damn it!”
Jim Gordon cursed, “Quickly, gag him—”
“Darryl, Jill, Christopher, Raphael, Ron, Connor, Josh…”
“It seems I know all of you, and your lovely, sweet, soon-to-be-dead families, and your deepest, darkest secrets.”
“Feels like we’re meeting for the first time.”
The Riddler said, “This is an interesting game.”
Bang!
A policeman suddenly shot his own comrade in the head without warning, and the chaos began.
Bullets pierced flesh, broke through bones, and stopped in organs. Another policeman fell silently, a victim of the system.
That’s… getting the upper hand!
“Let’s start.”
The Riddler said.
“No, put down your guns, listen!”
Commissioner Gordon was still trying to find a way to stop the chaos, but it was too late.
“Put down—”
“I heard! You also heard, I have *##%%@#* kids!”
“I will never let Edward Nigma, a psychopath, walk out of this car!”
“Everyone, stop! Darryl, put down your weapon, now, I’m not joking—”
Bang!
“Who is the person you meet for the first time, and also the last time?”
“The Arkham guard.”
The Riddler lay on the ground, leisurely placing his hands behind his head.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The intense gunfire continued.
“Oh no, too specific, you have to be here to do that.”
Bang! Bang!
“Who is the person you can meet once and never see again?”
“A bunch of idiots with bullets in their heads.”
Bang!
“No, I don’t feel anything, it’s so frustrating, that’s why I need to talk to him, he’s the one who can make everything reasonable.”
Jim Gordon knelt in the blood-soaked floor.
“Oh, God…”
“Gordon, can’t you contact him once more? I’ll be very grateful.”
…
“No way, Joker, this is pure suicide.”
The Scarecrow said, “Batman has already set a trap for you, and I won’t follow you. No way.”
“What do you mean, no way?”
“My point is, our goal is too small, Joker. We’re supposed to destroy the entire city, not just one person.”
“But this city, you’re just a pawn, and once we’re done with him, Gotham will be ours, and even if it’s just for ourselves, we have to do it…”
“We can’t let that outsider Bane take away Batman’s attention from us!”
“So, you’re just going to foolishly go ahead? I don’t understand why Batman’s attention is important to our plans.”
“Break off this ridiculous idea, you Joker, I’ve had enough of your solo actions.”
The Joker’s face darkened.
“You’ve decided, is that so?”
Then, without warning, he punched the Scarecrow in the face.
“You actually hit me for Batman? Very unwise.”
The Scarecrow stumbled backward, holding up his hand with the fear toxin: “I can crush him anytime I want!”
“Hahahahaha, your fear toxin?” The Joker laughed maniacally. “I’ve been waiting for it!”
(End of chapter)
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