American Comics: Something's Wrong with This Superhero World

Chapter 177 Helping You Maintain Your Dignity

"At 3:18 a.m. today, Penguin, the notorious supervillain who committed multiple extremely cruel murders after escaping from prison, was involved in a car accident and has been confirmed dead," the news anchor announced on television in the morning.

Bruce Wayne angrily turned off the TV and said to Alfred with great irritation...

"How could that guy just die like that? I was just thinking of waiting until he made a bigger scene before I caught him."

"The truck driver was drunk, and the penguin got run over. There was nothing we could do; it was an accident," Afu explained patiently.

"Damn it, isn't there any good news?" Bruce cursed angrily.

"Yes, that's true. Superman's approval rating has recently rebounded, and Catwoman's personal photobook is more popular than expected, surpassing Black Cat's," Afu said.

"What kind of good news is this? One's a troublemaker, the other's a bitch who likes to show off her body~" Bruce Wayne rolled his eyes and asked Alfred, "How's the Joker doing? Did he commit suicide?"

The Joker is Wayne Enterprises' most popular supervillain, but after the company made him famous, instead of being grateful, the Joker only thought about getting a raise. He even secretly colluded with Stark Entertainment, determined to terminate his contract and join Stark Entertainment.

As a major capitalist and super-rich man, Bruce Wayne certainly couldn't allow his top supervillain to defect to Stark, who was at odds with him. So Bruce Wayne personally stepped in and detonated the bomb that had been planted next to the Joker—Sophie.

Bruce Wayne's methods certainly didn't stop with Sophie. In addition, Bruce also arranged for Falcone's men to physically attack the Joker and bribed the Joker's family doctor, Harleen Francis Quezel, to change the psychiatric medication the Joker had been taking, making the Joker's mental illness even worse.

Bruce Wayne's ultimate goal was to make the Joker commit suicide under both mental and physical trauma, turning Stark's superhero agency, which had paid a hefty breach of contract fee and signing bonus, into a laughing stock.

The most ingenious thing is that after the Joker's death, Stark Industries, which hadn't even had a chance to launch products with the Joker, didn't earn a single penny from the dead man, but Wayne Man, which had collaborated extensively with the Joker, was able to make a fortune by exploiting the Joker.

While this matter was a matter of life and death for the Joker, it was just one of many battlegrounds in the power struggle between the two billionaires, Bruce Wayne and Tony Stark.

"Um..." Alfred hesitated. Bruce Wayne had a strong sense of pride. He was already confident that he had won the battle against the Joker. Now that Alfred told him that the Joker had not only not committed suicide, but was also radiant and in much better spirits, Bruce Wayne would definitely be furious.

"Something happened?" Bruce Wayne, seeing Alfred's reaction, immediately guessed that something was wrong. "The Joker hasn't committed suicide yet? What happened?"

"It seems the Joker has gotten back together with Sophie, so not only has he not committed suicide, but his mental state has improved significantly. I estimate he'll be able to return to acting soon," Afu said hesitantly.

"What? Didn't I already help Sophie empty the Joker's pockets? How come she's still with the Joker? Don't tell me that bitch suddenly has real feelings for the Joker."

Bruce Wayne said incredulously that, based on his understanding of Sophie, it would be impossible for her to reunite with the Joker without sufficient benefits.

"I heard that Maroney got Quentin Tarantino to tailor a movie specifically for Sophie, and that's why Sophie reunited with the Joker for the sake of the movie's promotion," Afu replied.

"After all, the Joker is one of the most popular supervillains. Even if it's just for the hype, many people are willing to buy tickets to go to the cinema to see the movie starring the Joker's girlfriend."

"Hire Sophie to make a movie? Her? I don't remember Maroni having such bad taste, right? Besides, he shouldn't have the guts to ruin my plans." Bruce curled his lip in disdain and said to Alfred, "I think there's more to this than meets the eye. You should investigate thoroughly."

"Yes, young master," Afu nodded.

"Also, since the Joker doesn't want to commit suicide, let's send him away. Have his personal physician add something to the Joker's medication," Bruce Wayne said to Alfred.

"Remember to do it cleanly. After it's done, deal with that private doctor too. It wouldn't be good if someone found something to expose us. I have quite a few enemies now."

"I understand, young master. But that private doctor is a real gem. Should we send her over to you before we kill her?" Afu suggested. If he weren't too old and incapable, Afu would have liked to have something happen with that private doctor named Harleen Francis Quezel.

Bruce is getting on in years and still doesn't have a child. As a father, Alfred is very worried about this and seizes every opportunity to send all sorts of beautiful women to Bruce Wayne's bed.

If Harlin is lucky enough to get pregnant, then Afu wouldn't mind letting her live for another ten months.

"Top-tier? I have three top-tier women in my bed right now. I have no interest in a woman who's destined to die." Bruce Wayne curled his lip in disdain. He'd seen plenty of top-tier women; he didn't need another one.

"Understood, I'll take care of it right away." Afu didn't try to persuade him any further.

After watching Afu leave, Harleen fell into deep thought. Her long, golden hair cascaded over her shoulders, shimmering with a soft sheen. She wore a pair of delicate glasses that made her bright blue eyes appear even deeper. Harleen wore a simple business suit, the hem ending just above her mid-thigh, and black stockings encased her long, slender legs, showcasing their unparalleled beauty.

In the living room, a bottle of medicine sat on the table, seemingly awaiting Harlin's decision. She walked quietly to the table, crossed her arms, and frowned slightly, clearly caught in a deep dilemma.

Bruce Wayne truly lives up to his reputation as Gotham's richest man; the price he offered was enough for Harleen to abandon her professional ethics without hesitation. If Bruce Wayne were to kill someone else, Harleen would not hesitate to drug them, then fly away from Gotham forever and find another place to live a life of wealth.

The problem is, the Joker is Harleen's idol. When Bruce Wayne asked Harleen to change her medication, she didn't do so and instead reminded the Joker to be careful of Bruce.

Harleen's biggest dream is to become a true supervillain alongside the Joker. She's even thought of a name for herself: Harley Quinn. She's also given herself a stage name for this.

However, reality is far from ideal. After becoming the Joker's family doctor, Harleen realized that the Joker's actions and deeds were nothing more than acting and company hype. The real Joker was not as dashing as portrayed in the news; instead, he was a humble and pitiful man driven to mental illness by his girlfriend.

Although her ideals were shattered after witnessing reality, Harleen still had a great fondness for her idol. She always hoped that one day the Joker would transform into the real Joker, and that she could become Harley Quinn just like she dreamed.

(End of this chapter)