Laughing American comics, I am becoming more and more like a clown

……

It was Lucien who didn't understand the jokes told by the clown in the past, and now his jokes will not be understood either.

Just like Jack said now: "To hurt others and yourself at the same time... just for a joke?"

“People always have to pursue something.”

Lucian leaned forward and flicked the ash off his cigarette. "Some people pursue wealth, abandoning family, love, friends... everything. Some might accuse them of being heartless, but no one would say they lack ambition. Even if they trample on moral laws, they spend their lives madly pursuing 'more wealth.'"

"There are also people who pursue love and don't care about any external obstacles or any behavior of their partner - even if she has had affairs, has children, or has contracted an STD - as long as they love them, you can't laugh at their humbleness, because this is what they pursue."

"Just like now... I'm pursuing a joke. To achieve this, I'm willing to be misunderstood, willing to get hurt physically, willing to expend a lot of energy, and willing to sacrifice many things... This is what I'm pursuing, and this is the only thing I can pursue."

"Why?" Jack asked. "Don't you think this is too shallow?"

Lucien's face looked like it was either sad or smiling. "Let me ask you, Jack."

His tone was calm, with a sigh of emotion: "If a person has nothing to fear and nothing to desire, what do you think this person lives for?"

Jack went to look at Lucien, but now Lucien had his head down, and the ash that seemed to have accidentally fallen on the floor caught his attention. His algae-green hair covered most of his face.

Jack was thinking, seriously assuming: "There needs to be a purpose to live for and a reason to live."

"correct."

"The goal can't be specific... like wealth or love. It's best to be so broad that it's hard to pin down—so it's a joke?"

“So it’s a joke.”

"So you're after jokes?"

"So I pursue jokes." Lucian took a cigarette from the box and lit it:

"I don't know how to explain it to you - it's not that I'm looking for a joke, but this is the best option."

……

Jack couldn't understand this, but he didn't want to talk about it anymore...Lucian's mental state had nothing to do with him, or maybe he cared more about Bruce. After a brief silence, he said, "I'm leaving."

"No." Lucien refused.

Jack frowned. "That will only deepen your misunderstanding. Or I can send him a safety letter. There are some code words that others don't know. He will believe it... Or do you want to threaten me?"

"You don't understand what I mean," Lucian said. "I didn't intend to keep you, Jack. I resurrected you just for a joke. Just like what I said—one expired and one unexpired exchange voucher."

"How do you want to do it?"

"It's a game. You have to wait for me for a while. After I finish telling him the joke, you will appear as the final gift."

"You think I'll listen to you?"

"I thought decent people all had a basic sense of integrity, and at least a heart that was grateful for what they had received... After all, it was me who resurrected you."

Unfortunately, this doesn't apply to Jack, or it may be that Bat-type superheroes have their own ideas - they will always repay a favor, but maybe not now.

So Lucian said again: "Do you think I'm not prepared at all?" He took out a button from his pocket and shook it: "The bomb is in your body."

Jack narrowed his eyes: "I didn't feel it."

"You're in pain all over right now, so naturally you can't tell the difference." Lucian smiled, "Don't be nervous, I have no ill intentions. I won't hurt you or him - this is just a joke."

Chapter 214 Bruce

Jack looked at Lucien deeply... He didn't know how he completed the resurrection. Lucian didn't say anything, and he didn't know the fact that he would not die, so he was naturally afraid to act rashly.

"Besides, Jack, even though we are both injured now." Lucian pulled the gun from his belt, turned it in his hand, pulled the safety, loaded the bullet... and pointed it at Jack's head.

Smiled slightly: "But I have a gun."

……

Jack looked in the direction of Omosen, the mayor who was supposed to die in public. "You won't kill anyone."

"I can't kill anyone," Lucien said. "Guess how you died?"

"Do you think you killed me?" Jack became a little more interesting at this time. He said, "Do you think I can't guess who killed me?"

He could guess, of course he could guess, but Lucien still had to ask: "Who is it?"

Jack and Lucien looked at each other for a moment, but avoided the question: "It's not you."

"It's not me... Let me think about it. The people present here—me, you, Bruce." Lucian said, "Since you couldn't commit suicide, and the person who killed you wasn't me, then... ah..."

The laughter was very light. "Oh my God, Jack, I really should have recorded this conversation. I really should have played it for Bruce - you said that Bruce killed you."

"That's good, I think so too."

……

Jack knew that Lucian did it on purpose, and he also knew that Lucian knew it, but he couldn't point it out, or rather... he didn't want to.

In fact, when Jack met Crazy Laughter for the first time, he recognized that Crazy Laughter was not Lucian, and then he quickly understood what that person was - it was Bruce.

That's Bruce.

……

"If," Jack chose his words carefully, "if I had a better idea."

"About what?" Lucien asked with great interest.

"About... a joke?"

Lucien laughed and refused: "Jack, I'm sure that's interesting, but no, I can't always use other people's ideas."

So Jack thought for a moment, "Or maybe I can help you with something? Is there anything I can do?"

"That's not necessary—you're just a gift, a final surprise. If you show up early, it won't be fun."

Jack didn't give up and continued to try to persuade: "With my help, it will be easier for you to gain their trust... I swear I won't leak the secret."

If Jack goes crazy, whether he turns into the Red Hood, the Arkham Knight or the Joker, Lucien is happy to collude with him.

But he didn't - God knows why he was so rational, but he was obviously not a fun-loving person, nor someone who would allow fun to happen.

"I know why my teeth turned yellow." Lucien looked at the cigarette between his fingers and spoke in words that Jack couldn't understand.

"It's caused by smoking...but smoking causes bad breath."

"So... mouthwash or gum?"

Lucien once complained about the Joker's yellow teeth, but he definitely had never smelled any taste in the Joker's mouth...but his teeth were definitely yellow, so Lucien was always confused about this.

I didn't realize it until today.

----

At first, it was understandable that Lucian hid here and the Silent Bat couldn't find him, but now it has been too long, and if the Silent Bat is not found again, he can be expelled from the bat list.

Lucian had already told Alfred that he wanted to resurrect Jack. It was impossible for Alfred to hide this from the Silent Bat, so the Silent Bat naturally knew about it... Lucian guessed that the reason why the Silent Bat hadn't come to disturb him for so long was probably because he had tacitly agreed.

So the joke about expired and non-expired redemption coupons is not suitable for now, and it can't give Silent Bat a surprise - it's not a surprise if it's expected.

He had to come up with a good idea.

……

Hushbat has been extremely busy lately - not about Jack, not about Lucian, not about bats, not about Arkham, but about Wayne.

Wayne of the Wayne family.

Silent Bat hasn't dealt with this kind of thing for a long time. Since Alfred took over, he has kept everything in order.

But now it is indeed difficult for him to solve the problem alone.

That group of people believed that Alfred was just a butler and had no right to inherit his employer's estate, and that Wayne should belong to the government.

This matter had been resolved once before - when Alfred inherited the estate, the solution was for the Silent Bat to come forward and kill all the opponents, then submit some information, and the rest was approved with great tact.

This time, it was definitely not the idea of ​​Gotham's local old money to question Alfred's inheritance -

"Master." Alfred put down the tray and said, "I still think the best way is for you to become Bruce."

Wayne knew this truth. Whether from the perspective of legality or other aspects, it would be a good thing to become Bruce again. Even in the next few years, when Gotham gradually stabilized, Wayne would always have a greater advantage than a monster that only appeared in the dark.

But his bandages were still wrapped around any exposed skin on his body, and he clasped his hands across his chest, avoiding the question: "It's the army that wants Wayne's money for military expenses... They're greedy."

Wayne is not a maverick, and he often funds the military, police, and certain aspects of the government... But Alfred is the biggest problem. He is just a butler, which makes it difficult for more people not to assume - if Alfred loses the inheritance right, can they get more?

"Killing or intimidating officers is not a good idea, especially now," Alfred warned.

An individual is insignificant in the face of national power, unless that person is a superman, and of course there are no supermen in this world.

"Or if you really don't want to inherit Wayne." Alfred offered another option: "My life span is always going to be fast. If I die, who will inherit the estate... Jack? If Jack is successfully resurrected, then that's certainly possible."

"But sir, no one can inherit the throne more legitimately than you... Only you can make the most of Wayne's abilities."

Alfred didn't say a single wrong word, but unfortunately the person he was talking to was unmoved. The Silent Bat seemed not to hear him. He raised his hand and tapped on the keyboard, and the names of the people scrolled across it:

"The culprit is an officer named Louis, and I will make him regret doing this."

Looking at the bandages tightly wrapped around the Silent Bat's body, Alfred knew he couldn't convince him, so he didn't say anything more.

……

There's nothing beneath the Silent Bat's bandages; its skin and tissue are intact, and it has no disease—just a quirk.

Just like his quirk of not wanting to be Bruce.

Chapter 215: The Way to Control the Joker - Lucian Virus

Lonely, dead, and lifeless.

This is a nightmare.

"Did you dream about it?"

When Jack woke up, he was startled - a pair of eyes were looking straight at him, so close that he could clearly see the pattern of the iris.

He kicked the bed sheet with his feet and sat up in a rather awkward manner: "What are you doing!"

Lucian was not ashamed: "I have no idea about you, but I guess - you must have seen something in your dream."

Jack met his eyes and asked suspiciously: "You mean..."