American comics: Today’s big news Chapter 043

“I can’t fully trust you, so I have to ensure my own safety.”

“I’ll teach you the basic controls for this tank.”

It was Connors’ first time knowing that the Batcave had a second underground level, and that a wildly designed Bat-tank was parked there.

Batman had no sense of security. He agreed to go to Arkham Asylum with Connors, but only if they drove this tank there as well.

“There’s no need for that,” Connors said, seeing Batman immediately become alert, and explained, “I mean, we can drive the tank there, but you don’t need to teach me. I know how to drive it.”

“…” Master Batman became even more vigilant.

After he manufactured this tank, besides himself, even Alfred took a long time to learn how to operate it in training mode.

How did Connors know how?

“I have a special ability that allows me to quickly master any vehicle,” Connors explained with a smile, then started the tank with exceptionally skilled movements.

The existence of a “Driving Grandmaster” allowed him to skillfully control any vehicle!

Although he didn’t get to drive the Batmobile, driving this highly mechanical Bat-tank was enough to satisfy his craving.

So, Batman was tied to the front of the Bat-tank, and Connors drove the tank while starting a live stream.

The live stream was titled “Driving Grandmaster Steals Batman’s Vehicle and Defeats Him.”

Batman was indeed Gotham’s top celebrity. This live stream, with the title “Defeating Batman,” quickly attracted countless people’s attention. Through numerous shares and views, the news quickly reached the ears of the Joker and others.

However, somewhat unexpectedly, as Connors drove the tank towards Arkham Asylum, the Joker and his gang hadn’t arrived yet, but Gotham’s police forces got there first.

Three armed helicopters hovered in the air, countless police cars followed from a distance, and some news media vehicles desperately pushed forward, with huge cameras aimed at Batman, who was tied to the front of the Bat-tank.

“Unmask him! Expose this lawless bastard!” a reporter shouted loudly, but facing the Bat-tank’s massive cannon, no one dared to step forward.

“Whoever dares to take a step forward, I’ll blast them with one shot,” Connors said from inside the Bat-tank, projecting his voice through a loudspeaker.

Through the reporters’ cameras, the sound then reached the ears of countless Gotham citizens.

“A guy who always acts in the dark, wears a strange bat costume, deliberately speaks in a low voice, knows Arkham can’t hold the Joker, but always sends him there—I believe that not just in my eyes, but in the eyes of countless Gotham citizens, this is a complete lunatic.”

“I possess the world’s most advanced driving skills, successfully seized control of this tank, and used it to defeat Batman. Now, with the witness of Gotham citizens, I will also lock him in Arkham Asylum, ending Gotham’s dark rule.”

“By the way… Joker, your plan works really well, and your lines were great too.”

Harley Quinn, Selina, and Ivy hid in the shadows, looking at the huge Bat-tank, which resembled a moving castle, and excitedly said:

“This is awesome—this is exactly what I wanted to do, loudly declaring myself the best villain in front of countless cameras… Eh, wait, something’s wrong?”

Harley Quinn’s praise stopped halfway as she suddenly felt something was amiss.

Didn’t they agree that she would be the one to lock Batman in the asylum?

How was she supposed to do it now, in this situation?

In plain sight, taking away what others considered a “trophy,” easily like eating and drinking, and locking Batman in Arkham Asylum?

This was too wrong!

Harley Quinn couldn’t accept such a seemingly “bestowed” outcome, but she wasn’t just a little crazy; she was also a criminal psychologist. She quickly understood:

“Little Pal specifically mentioned the Joker’s plan at the end, which means he’s using Batman as bait to lure the Joker?”

“Does that mean my true moment to appear is when the Joker shows up?”

When she saw a line of words twistedly growing from the grass in front of her, Harley Quinn knew she hadn’t guessed wrong:

“Wait for someone!”

Screech—

The gates of Arkham Asylum slowly opened with a piercing sound, and a series of armed guards quickly ran out, fearing that the huge tank would directly ram through the gates and burst in.

But the Bat-tank slowly stopped after reaching the vicinity of Arkham Asylum’s gates. The Arkham guards, Gotham police, and helicopters hovering in the sky…

No one dared to act rashly.

Since the guy driving this tank kept calling himself a “Driving Grandmaster” and had kidnapped Batman, he must be a new villain who had appeared in Gotham.

No one could guarantee that if they opened fire, the other party wouldn’t fly into a rage and flatten Arkham Asylum with the tank.

…

“Doesn’t it feel bad when your plan is used by someone else?”

Connors, sitting inside the Bat-tank, occasionally threw out a line or two of trash talk, naturally aimed at Gotham’s Joker.

At this moment, the Joker somewhat irritably covered his ears, rapidly loading bullets into his magazine, then peeked out from his hiding spot at Batman, who was tied to the front of the Bat-tank. The smile on his face grew more and more exaggerated:

“Whether it’s killing Batman or locking him in Arkham Asylum, this matter can only be completed by me—”

After speaking, he pulled out a strangely shaped bomb from his pocket and threw it among the Gotham police.

White smoke instantly enveloped the police. “Don’t shoot,” “Back to back, check your surroundings” were heard from within the smoke.

The Joker sprang out from his hiding spot, threw a few more bombs, and casually put on a gas mask.

“Laughing gas bomb! Hahaha—Bat-boy, I’m here to save you!” The Joker laughed as he rushed into the smoke.

—Then he retreated from the smoke and turned to look behind him:

“Scarecrow, Riddler, you wouldn’t be waiting for me to rescue Batman so you can enjoy the spoils for free, would you?”

As he spoke, the Joker aimed the loaded gun in his hand at Scarecrow and Riddler.

“Of course not!” The Riddler took off his top hat with one hand, bowed to the Joker, then tossed his hat aside. With his other hand, he held up his question mark-shaped cane and fired a shot into the smoke.

“Bang!”

A bullet shot from the bottom of the cane, and a scream came from the smoke. But at the same time, there was movement from the direction of the Bat-tank.

Batman didn’t kill, so his Bat-tank wasn’t equipped with lethal weapons, but rather weapons like air cannons and sonic devices.

At this moment, Connors, sitting in the cockpit, opened the air cannon and fired a blast at the smoke-shrouded area. The violently surging air quickly dispersed the smoke.

The Gotham police and Arkham guards, in twos and threes, holding their guns back to back, breathed a sigh of relief, but then quickly spotted the Joker standing not far from them, and one by one, they pointed their guns at him.

Clang!

The Joker dropped his gun and raised his hands in surrender:

“I’m just here to accompany this old friend to prison.”

The next moment, the Joker rolled on the ground and picked up his gun again, but before he could fire, a huge hammer flew from a distance and smashed in front of the Joker, scaring him into quickly twisting his body to dodge.

“Harley—Quinn?!” The Joker cried out in an exaggerated tone. He saw Harley Quinn’s unique colorful decorations on the wooden mallet.

When the wooden mallet flew, the Gotham police’s bullets had already poured out, embedding a dozen or so yellow-orange bullets into the mallet.

And Harley Quinn followed closely behind, moving with unimaginable agility, making it impossible for the police to aim. She nimbly rushed to the wooden mallet and effortlessly hoisted it onto her shoulder.

“Since Mr. Joker wants to share a cell with Batman, I, Harley Quinn, as a warm-hearted citizen, am very willing to help you out~”

Harley Quinn faced the Gotham police and Arkham guards, whose guns were constantly shifting between her and the Joker, and declared loudly with a clear voice, completely unconcerned.

The reporters’ cameras all focused on Harley Quinn and the Joker, who were surrounded. At the same time, the exit of the Bat-tank opened with a clatter, and Connors stepped out.

The Bat-tank’s exit was nearly three or four meters off the ground, which was nothing to Connors. He easily leaped down and walked towards the Joker.

“Dada-da…”

Unexpectedly, when the Joker saw Connors step out of the Bat-tank, he immediately fired a volley of bullets.

The bullets instantly pierced Connors’ body, and he fell with an expression of disbelief.

“Little… uh.” Harley Quinn hadn’t even finished shouting when she felt the ground under her feet move, and then a line of words appeared on the grass in front of her:

“I’m acting, the rest is up to you.”

…

Scarecrow and Riddler exchanged glances, then tacitly retreated, further and further, leaving the Joker alone to face the Bat-tank, armed helicopters, Arkham guards, and Gotham police.

They were just partners, not loyal comrades who would die for the Joker.

Since Batman was destined to be locked in Arkham today, they could freely carry out their respective plans.

Just before leaving, Scarecrow casually threw his glass bottle full of liquid “fear gas” into the field, and left with Riddler without looking back.

Poison Ivy intercepted the glass bottle with a vine in the air, examined it carefully in her hand, then uninterestingly placed it aside. Seeing Connors appear beside her, she asked curiously:

“How did you do that?”

Got it from watching the show… Connors smiled mysteriously.

[Today’s Gossip: Deadly Toxin]

[Gossip Reward: Grass Figure]

Yesterday at the stadium, due to the large crowd, Connors chose to submit this particular gossip, and the reward was similar to a magician’s paper substitute, which could imitate his actions for a period, during which he could briefly become invisible.

So, what was just shot was merely a substitute.

More skillfully, he manipulated plants to create a lounge chair. Connors put his arm around Poison Ivy and lay down, preparing to watch Harley Quinn complete the subsequent part of the plan.

But someone’s mind wasn’t on the show.

“Should we get down to business?” Ivy seemed uninterested in the tense standoff in the field, and leaned into Connors’ ear to ask.

“…Here???” Connors almost doubted if he heard correctly, and reached out to pinch the Gotham madam’s delicate chin, turning her face away, “Selina’s still here.”

Beside them, Catwoman Selina’s eyes were wide open. The excitement in front of Arkham Asylum and around them made her overwhelmed with gossip.

“You’re right, it’s a bit too much action…” Ivy pushed Connors’ hand away, manipulating the plant lounge chair to continuously deform into an awkward shape, then leaned down and parted her red lips.