Gotham Singularity (Part 6): Nighttime Investigation
Gotham was unusually quiet that night; you could hear a pin drop. The villains, who had been reveling noisily that night, seemed to be shocked by Black Mask's peaceful death, and they all hid, fearing they would be the next victim.
The entire street was eerily quiet, with only three people walking one after the other. Just in case, Xu Fu, as a trump card, followed behind Fujimaru Ritsuka and her group in spirit form.
Not long after, Holmes stopped, leaned against the alley entrance, and snapped his fingers. "We're here."
Jason instantly fixed his gaze on the crime scene. Fujimaru Ritsuka also looked ahead.
Three police cordons crisscrossed at the end of the dark alley. Behind a yellow strip marked "Keep out," foul-smelling blood clung brazenly to the ground.
They pieced together the location of the body, which even the heavy rain couldn't completely wash away.
The black-masked body had already been sent to the police station, and as Jason had expected, the officers responsible for guarding the scene had disappeared without a trace, shirking their duties.
But for some reason, Fujimaru Ritsuka suddenly felt uneasy. She took a step back. "Gentlemen, isn't it a little too quiet here?"
The street was so quiet that only the harsh wind and the breathing of a few people could be heard. But even after a heinous murder, Gotham's night could not be as still as a stagnant pool.
Holmes's sharp eyes swept around the room, then he suddenly turned to Jason and asked, "Is this not part of Batman's patrol route?"
Seeing that the Chaldeans had all stopped in their tracks, Jason paused, then drew his pistol just in case. "I had someone give him some information that was half true and half false. He should still be using a false identity to infiltrate the bar."
Holmes: "..."
"Go!!" Holmes exclaimed immediately, "It's a trap!"
Before he could finish speaking, Jason, anticipating something, almost instinctively raised his hand and threw two batarangs, knocking them down. A soft clang rang out as metal struck the air.
Damn it! It really is that damn Batman!!
The next second, he grabbed Fujimaru Ritsuka's wrist and ran away.
As Fujimaru Ritsuka ran, she looked up and saw three more dart-shaped projectiles coming at her at tricky angles, almost blocking her escape route.
There's no escaping it.
It's now clear that Mr. Batman intended to use the crime scene to lure out someone connected to the killer. However, he unexpectedly stumbled upon them, who were also investigating the case.
Therefore, in Batman's eyes, they are suspicious criminal suspects, and he will not hold back.
Fujimaru Ritsuka narrowed her eyes. She couldn't avoid it with ordinary methods, but at least she could use some magic. She grasped Jason's hand and pulled them closer.
She gestured for Xu Fu to continue transforming into spirit particles, then whispered, "Predict and avoid."
Mystic Code: Polar Chaldea Uniform grants the user an evasion status.
An irresistible external force swiftly pulled Fujimaru Ritsuka up from the ground by the waist. To Jason's astonishment, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, causing Jason to twist perfectly to the side and dodge three batarangs.
Batman, hiding in the corner: "...?"
He stared at the inhuman distortion before him and fell into a silent reverie. Tsk, another troublesome person has arrived in Gotham.
As she fell, a curse reached Ritsuka's ears. She saw Jason land first, then quickly regain his balance, his arms outstretched as if trying to catch her.
Fujimaru Ritsuka blinked, reached behind her with her left hand to grasp Jason's hand, adjusted her center of gravity, and used the momentum to flip backward, landing lightly on the ground. Under Jason's surprised gaze, she pulled him and continued running outside.
Braving the biting wind of midnight, the group, with Holmes bringing up the rear and Jason dodging attacks, led Fujimaru Ritsuka through Gotham's countless nameless alleyways without looking back.
Behind them, two dark figures exchanged a glance, and the thinner one nodded silently, turning the grappling hook in a different direction.
"We have to get rid of him."
Jason's bright red mask concealed his expression, and apart from the slight panting from running, his voice seemed unusually calm.
But Fujimaru Ritsuka knew that wasn't the case. She glanced at her wrist out of the corner of her eye and saw that Jason was gripping her wrist tighter and tighter, showing how unsettled Jason was inside.
Assessing the strength of their opponents, she turned to them and said seriously, "I sense you're a little nervous. Actually, we don't necessarily have to run; we can definitely fight..."
But before Ritsuka could finish speaking, Jason suddenly raised his voice, making even the whistling wind seem to pause for a moment, "Bullshit, how could I be nervous because of Batman?!"
Ritsuka fell silent. No, she didn't say it was because of Batman, did she?
Jason seemed to realize something was wrong and added, "Also, fighting Batman now would alert him, and it would affect my plans in Gotham. Stop talking nonsense and just come with me."
As she ran, Fujimaru Ritsuka smoothed her wind-blown hair and spoke against the biting cold wind: "But I want to say something."
Holmes suddenly glanced into the shadows. He compared his position to the street and slowed his pace.
“No, you don’t want to.” Jason turned and grabbed Ritsuka’s shoulders, stepping sideways with his left foot to dodge two batarangs. The clanging sound echoed in the empty street, and at the same time, a strange voice fell from the rooftops.
"Hi?"
Jason abruptly stopped, and Fujimaru Ritsuka, whom he was pulling, stumbled and also stopped in place. He ignored the young man's voice and turned to look behind Holmes.
A familiar sight appeared before Jason's eyes: Batman, clad in a jet-black bodysuit, blocked their escape route.
“So what I’m trying to say,” Fujimaru Ritsuka finally managed to finish her sentence, “we’ve been caught.” She glanced at Jason. “But, so masking is a local specialty here?”
...What the hell is this local specialty? Jason cursed under his breath. Is that even the point? Now look what's happened, his whole plan is ruined because of this crap.
But now was not the time to complain; who knew what details Batman might uncover about what he was trying to hide? He pointed his gun at Batman, and with his other hand protectively shoved Fujimaru Ritsuka between himself and Holmes.
Batman, as if he hadn't seen the gun, said in a low, husky voice, "Red Hood, his advisor, and... a minor?"
He paused, his gaze lingering on Fujimaru Ritsuka. Her radiant aura made it hard for him not to think of the red-cloaked figure from the neighboring metropolis.
But her bizarre actions just now made Batman suspect that her current expression was all an act. Red Hood actually brought such a strange combination to Black Mask's death scene?
“I’m assuming you’re not here to enjoy the night view,” he asked coldly, sending a chill down your spine. “What is your purpose in coming here?”
Most thugs would be begging for mercy by now, but the supervillains always manage to flirt with Batman in a unique way.
Only Jason, standing before Batman again after so long, stared intently at him. Then, as if remembering something, he gave a short laugh, his tone extremely unfriendly, "None of your business!"
As the two stood in silent confrontation, Robin, also known as Tim, approached the calm orange-haired girl and the detective. Unlike Batman, who was cold and imposing, he lowered his head slightly, appearing approachable as if showing weakness.
“I’m more concerned about this murder case than B,” Tim said slowly. “I think we can talk about it.”
His specialty is using retreat as a strategy for advancement.
Tim knew very well that anyone who dared to walk so openly in Gotham's nightlife and remain so calm in front of Batman was definitely not as harmless as he appeared. Besides, a boss who could fight Black Mask wouldn't bring along useless people.
She and the others must be closely connected to this inexplicable murder case. If we force them to reveal their identities, we may not get any clues at all.
Fujimaru Ritsuka stared at the masked boy before her. She recognized him; Holmes's notes detailed Batman and those around him, their loyalty to Gotham and justice was undeniable.
Despite spending only a day together, she knew Jason's personality very well. He would never cooperate with anyone easily, and the reason he accepted Chaldea was because of Holmes.
“I believe in you, but…” Ritsuka was interrupted by a furious growl before she could finish speaking.
"Don't talk to him!" Jason said indignantly, turning back amidst his busy schedule.
"Red Hood, answer my question!" Batman took another step closer. "Are you involved in Black Mask's death?"
As soon as he finished speaking, he saw the young man in front of him raise his gun, as if he couldn't bear to see him take another step closer.
When Jason awoke from his near-death experience, he felt guilty towards the elder who was like a father to him. It was this elder who had caused B to suffer undeserved pain.
But this guilt vanished when he learned that the Joker was still alive, and in that instant, he was plunged into an emotional abyss by disappointment and anger.
Why?
Jason didn't speak, only stared coldly at Batman, his eyes burning with an inextinguishable rage. That flame grew clearer as Batman drew closer, and the overwhelming emotion momentarily stunned him.
Why can the murderer who killed him still harm more innocent people? Why is Batman no different from the other victims killed by the Joker?
Why?
But Jason quickly looked away. He casually approached Fujimaru Ritsuka and stopped her from talking to Tim.
“Look,” Fujimaru Ritsuka shook her head helplessly. Having already chosen a companion, she should respect their opinion. Even though this might be a good opportunity to gather information, she refused without hesitation.
Just as she was about to add something, the feeling of being spied on returned. She quietly asked Chaldea if they had found the spy, but a thorough search yielded nothing. It was as if her feeling was entirely an illusion.
"I'm a little frustrated," Fujimaru Ritsuka thought to herself. She clearly felt...
Not far away, in the shadows where the moonlight couldn't reach, a shadow was swaying in the wind.
But suddenly a long, pale hand blocked the shadow's path. "My advice," the young man said gently with a smile, but with a sharp edge hidden within, "is not to make a move in front of that orange-haired girl."
The plan is at a critical juncture. If the girl is as the man predicted, her recklessness at this moment will ruin all the calculations.
He didn't want to disappoint his husband.
"..." After a long silence, the shadow cast by the moon relented, "So what are your thoughts?"
The young man stepped into the moonlight, the soft moonlight seeming to veil his smiling face with a sincere gauze. His fox-like eyes stared at his shadow. "Stop."
"I will provide you with another piece of intelligence free of charge."
The shadow fell silent, and finally made up its mind to turn around and leave in the opposite direction.
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