78. We worship Lewis: the god of purple pants
86.
"But, Mayor Lewis," Aria clutched her chest, her tone filled with regret. She felt like a believer in a church, pleading for a miracle. "Do you really want to watch so many innocent people die today?"
Lewis sighed and tried to show the dignity of a mayor: "It's not that I don't want to help, Aria..." It's just that he simply doesn't have the ability!
The farmer circled the mayor twice, successfully blocking Lewis's retreat route: "Although I have only met you, the mayor, so far..."
... He had long ago thought that the farmer was like some kind of overly energetic dog, and now he was even more certain of this idea. Lewis slowly took a step to the left, and Aria immediately followed him like a ghost!
“Although I have only met you as mayor, in my heart, you are definitely the most wise and visionary leader!”
Lewis's hand, which had been about to push the door open, stopped mid-air. He then clenched his fist into a fist and coughed twice. Even though he knew it was just sweet talk from his enemy, the farmer's heartfelt, genuine praise piqued Lewis's vanity. Despite his calm demeanor, he could barely contain his smile. "Go on."
This is promising!
Aria immediately began to act. She put her hands behind her back, looked back at the past and looked forward to the future: "Because of your management, Pelican Town has been transformed from an ordinary small town into a prosperous and livable place where everyone is happy." Although most of the construction was done by the farmers.
"And now, you've come to the even bigger stage of Zuzu City, causing many visible changes to this city..."
It was a bit of a stretch, considering Mayor Lewis had done little besides collecting taxes and appearing at festivals. But in a city like Zuzu, it was already a good thing the mayor didn't take bribes or collude with gangsters—so the farmer boldly gave Lewis the credit for that as well.
If the farmer could see other people's status, Mayor Lewis would probably be in high spirits. But Aria, the person involved, didn't know how angry she was, and continued to add fuel to the fire: "You should have seen the people who came today, right? Many of them are familiar faces."
"Take Ms. Jane Spitz," the farmer said, cramming his knowledge in the car. He felt his current theoretical knowledge was formidable. "She's a Supreme Court judge. The Zuzu City legal department is always overwhelmed, and today was supposed to be a rare day of leisure."
If it were just an ordinary day, Ms. Spitz would probably go home, take a nice hot bath, and dream a rare dream without crime or murder.
"But..." Aria changed the subject, her tone suddenly colder: "The sharp claws reached out to her. If Nightwing hadn't arrived in time, she would have 'drown' in her bathtub - just because she had previously rejected the olive branch extended by the Court of Owls and refused to use the law to protect their crimes."
Lewis's expression turned serious. Aria, seizing the opportunity, continued to add fuel to the fire. "And then there's Mr. Kip. His wife and children died in an accidental explosion of an old gas pipeline. To prevent more people from suffering the same tragedy, he joined the Urban Planning Department and has been promoting the renovation of the old city during his tenure."
"...but he also became a target for the Court of Owls—they didn't want someone who actually cared about the citizens."
"No need to say anything, Aria." After a flurry of punches, the mayor waved her off, "I will do my best to protect you all."
With the temporary bard-turned-farmer buffing him, Lewis felt he could easily fight Talon one-on-one. "Even if it costs me my life, I won't let Gotham's conscience vanish from my hands today!"
"So you agreed to let me use your basement?"
The farmer had been preparing for this moment for so long, and happily circled Lewis twice more: "You know what? You only need to sacrifice a little bit of your face! Everyone will be safe!"
Aria pressed her thumb and index finger together, indicating that it was truly a trivial sacrifice, not worth mentioning.
"Wait! Wait!" The uneasy feeling that had been haunting Lewis since the conversation with the farmer finally fell like a sword of Damocles. Lewis frantically pressed the door handle, as if his secret had been suddenly exposed.
The offensive and defensive momentum reversed, and Lewis was almost sweating: "When did you know..."
He thought it was outrageous enough that Aria knew that secret, but he never expected that she even knew the secrets of his basement. Is there anything in this world that the farmer doesn't know!
"I've known this for a long time, haven't you?" Aria replied innocently, earning the mayor a distorted expression reminiscent of the famous painting "The Scream." To prevent Lewis from going back on his word, the farmer raised his eyes slightly, revealing a pitiful expression: "Mayor, you're not the type to go back on your word and stay out of this, are you?"
What a big-headed ghost!
Lewis wondered how the basement containing his secrets could help! Should he gather all the Gothamites in a circle around his secret and pray together? This was a night of resistance, not some kind of humiliation ritual targeting Lewis himself!
It looked like Mayor Lewis had no idea there were other things in his basement besides his secrets, the farmer thought. However, since the mayor looked so horrified, she offered some comfort: "Don't worry, Mayor. No one will know those things are yours!"
After all, everyone has only seen her wearing it. The farmer is the player in the world who is least afraid of being embarrassed!
Lewis wanted to say something more, but it was too late. The farmer had already slipped out through the crack of the door like a happy dog, and solemnly announced to the anxiously waiting people outside:
"Okay! No problem! Mayor Lewis agreed!"
Don't agree on his behalf without permission!
…
Nightwing's escort mission is not easy.
His mission target provoked more than one force. Before the court could sharpen its knife against him, Nightwing ran into an assassination attempt by gang members.
It was difficult to determine whether the gangsters' firearms were more formidable or the claws' flying knives were more formidable. After a volley of bullets, Nightwing released his grip on the hostage. Oracle then expertly reported the location, and the network of viewpoints formed by countless Sky Eyes laid out the enemy's positions for him one by one.
"Please pay attention to one, five, and twelve."
"Got it." He looked down at the dust on the ground and adjusted the angles of the two sticks in his hands - there were too many enemies, and it would be difficult to subdue them all when he needed to escort hostages. He could only choose the most efficient way of fighting to fight his way out.
Nightwing has agile steps and can often jump from places that are unimaginable to ordinary people. Several well-equipped gang members cannot keep up with his movements. Instead, they are hindered by their own clumsiness and even accidentally hurt their accomplices.
After successfully defeating a group of people, he paid some attention to inquire about the situation on the other side: "How are the others completing their tasks?"
"Except for this person, all other personnel have been successfully delivered." The oracle's voice was as calm as ever.
"Okay, but I have to defend myself - this was a completely unexpected situation." He spread his hands: "If it weren't for these people, I could definitely be the first to complete the task."
Oracle didn't say anything. She activated the use rights of the vehicle closest to Nightwing - this group of people had premeditatedly blown up his car at the beginning of the battle. If it weren't for Oracle's technical support, he would probably have to "borrow" a car from the street.
However, there was indeed something wrong with the oracle today. After clearing out a new batch of enemies, he thought about it and accurately hit the other party's emotional bubble.
"Worried about A or B?"
From Oracle's perspective, Batman has already controlled the claws, and there's nothing to worry about there for the time being. Now he needs to worry about Aria and the mayor's house, which she said is absolutely safe.
"Kasan just sent me a message saying that Aria plans to send everyone to the basement." The oracle's keyboard tapping sound never stopped. It was likely that he had already investigated the layout and renovation history of the building.
"But the basement isn't solid?"
"...Yes, even if transferring the hostages buys us more time, it is only a matter of time before we are discovered - unless the mayor's basement has refrigeration equipment equivalent to that in the Batcave, which can reduce the activity of the claws." But judging from the oracle's tone, the latter possibility is basically zero.
Does Batman know about this situation? The word "temporary trust" flashed through Oracle's mind, and it was difficult to make the best decision for a moment.
Yet Nightwing is always relaxed. Even in difficult moments facing the unknown, he can still slip in a few small humorous remarks during a tense conversation: "Don't panic, ma'am."
"If I'm allowed to speed, I can give you an answer in two minutes."
…
Mayor Lewis opened the secret door to the basement.
The light coming in from the secret door illuminated a bright passage in the basement stairs that had not been opened for a long time. The beautiful Tyndall effect did not reassure the people waiting in front of the door. Instead, they were more likely to focus their eyes on the end where the light disappeared - it was still dark there, and no one knew what was lurking in the dark.
The fear of dark places seemed to be etched into human genes since ancient times. When Nightwing arrived with the last person on the list, this was the scene he encountered. Even though they had been told in advance that there were torches in the basement, no one among the waiting group dared to take the first step and enter the small door that opened like a huge abyss.
They may not yet know how close the crisis is to them - perhaps in ten minutes, or perhaps within three seconds, the sharp claws that sense the target's location will break through the door and turn this place into a battlefield.
Although Mayor Lewis's expression seemed even uglier, almost everyone's eyes were focused on Aria.
Red Hood handed her a flashlight, and Cassandra snatched an old-fashioned candlestick from somewhere in the mayor's house—the two of them, in perfect sync, thrust their lighting tools into the farmer's hands. Aria accepted the lighting tools with a smile as bright as the light itself. "It's okay, I'll go first. I know this place well. Just follow me!"
She seemed unafraid of the dark and even seemed a bit excited. After leading the group down with her lighting tools, she climbed back up empty-handed, not forgetting to thank the volunteer police: "You've worked hard!"
Their efficiency in gathering personnel far exceeded the farm owner's expectations, countless times faster than the Junimos! Therefore, even though many of them were new to her, Aria was full of respect for these promising young talents.
"We have a tough battle to fight soon." As if unused to such enthusiastic thanks, the huntress tilted her head to the side, a little uncomfortably. "Only if everyone is safe tonight can we consider the mission a success—it's a bit premature to say that now."
Seeing the basement, Helena felt that she knew more or less what the farmer's plan was - she wanted to use a confined space to hide these people, and if the Claws could still find the door, then it would depend on the vigilantes to keep these monsters out.
The task was arduous, but everyone present was prepared to bleed for it.
"Stop?" The farmer's tone was full of surprise, as if such an option had never occurred to her mind.
She realized the Huntress had misunderstood her and blinked, then corrected her seriously, "No, we don't have to stop them."
"On the contrary, we have to let the claws in and let them get into the basement as well." The farmer clasped his hands together, as if holding a flower that had just fallen from a branch, and then smiled gently: "We have to let these claws come into my range."
"Will you all come down with me?"
…
If Nightwing hadn't understood what she meant before, when claws came from all directions, when claws stepped on the eaves of the mayor's house, when he looked out the window and saw only moving shadows, when these court lackeys poured into the open basement entrance like sulfuric acid eroding the ground, he first understood the first meaning of the "siege" plan.
Let the Claws attack them first.
For the sake of the mental health of those important personnel, Aria had them crouch down in the deepest corner of the basement, facing the wall and breathing as slowly as possible. She then stood guard with them in the basement, closest to the entrance, waiting for the opportunity.
With Nightwing's excellent night vision and dim light, just as the claws rushed in, the farmer took out a pair of purple shorts of very bad taste from somewhere, gathered strength with his hands, and then threw it into the air!
The purple shorts flying in the air were like a proud flag, rustling in the wind as they were thrown with such force that they hit the head of a claw accurately.
Seeing that familiar object, Red Hood lost all his composure and roared, "What are you doing? Are you going to humiliate them with your pants?"
"This is a tactic!" The farmer followed suit, raising his voice. "Just wait!"
As if her words themselves possessed some kind of power, as soon as she finished speaking, a huge purple shorts suddenly appeared, and then soared into the sky! Flying towards the direction of the claws!
"It's them!" the farmer said angrily, "They're the ones who stole the pants!"
————————
Nightwing: Wait...
Oracle: Ah this...
Red Hood: Shit!
Kassandra: ...
Lewis: People's joys and sorrows are not the same. I just think they are noisy...
Stardew Valley trivia: In the mayor's basement, if you steal the underpants in the maze, you'll summon a purple underpants god that hurts people (the kind that can't be attacked and has health locked). This article is an enhanced version of the underpants god.
Let's praise: Pants Gate
(It’s great that no one spoiled the plot ww)
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