271. A Dance of Madness!

"Citizens, this is the GCPD. We urge all Gotham residents to seek shelter immediately. Please ensure your safety."

"Repeating: All Gotham residents should seek shelter immediately and ensure their safety."

Amidst the chaos of war, the broadcast felt meaningless.

Commissioner Gordon, driving a police car, extended his handgun out the window, firing indiscriminately at the Parademons wreaking havoc in the sky. Sitting next to him, Two-Face was even more reckless. He opened the car's sunroof and leaned half his body out of the top.

"Come on, you monsters! If you want to destroy Gotham, you'll have to go through me first!"

The submachine gun in his hands spewed fire, and the continuous shooting had turned the barrel red-hot. But Two-Face didn't care—right now, all he wanted was to go wild.

The war had reached a point where there were no civilians left on the streets. At this moment, the only ones remaining were warriors who had put their lives on the line for a final stand against the Parademons.

"Gordon, the street ahead is blocked. We'll have to take a detour."

Two-Face kept firing at the Parademons, drawing their attention while scanning the surroundings. When he saw the road ahead blocked by a collapsed building, he quickly shouted back inside the car.

"I see it. Hold on!"

Commissioner Gordon sharply turned the steering wheel, and the next moment, the car swerved to avoid an incoming heat ray. The police car shot into a narrow alley, crashing through without slowing down.

("Commissioner, are you still alive?")

The voice of an elderly officer crackled over the car's radio. They had just rushed onto the street, but their unit had been scattered by the Parademon forces, leaving them unable to regroup.

"We're safe! What about you?" Gordon immediately responded.

Explosions roared across Gotham, drowning out much of the sound. Gordon felt his hearing was slightly impaired, and they could only communicate by shouting at this point.

("We lost two cars, but we don't have a way out, do we?")

The elder officer's voice came through the radio, mixed with the sounds of submachine gunfire.

("Where are you headed?")

"We're heading to support Gotham General Hospital. Half the force is fighting there, and Gotham Hospital is also the main shelter for most civilians right now. We can't let those monsters break through!" Gordon yelled.

("Got it!")

After a brief pause, the crackling sound returned.

("I'll stay behind to cover you.")

Commissioner Gordon's pupils contracted slightly. But he knew this wasn't the time for hesitation. Since the plan was already set, they had to see it through no matter what. That was the only way to honor everyone's sacrifice.

The car jolted and sped out of the alley, skidding onto the street. Gordon sharply turned the wheel again, and the police car raced toward Gotham General Hospital.

Having lived in Gotham for most of his life, every street and corner was etched into Gordon's memory. Even with the skyscrapers collapsing and the city in chaos, he never lost his way.

"Slow down! We're approaching the combat zone!"

Two-Face, seeing the intense battle ahead, recognized the area. If he remembered correctly, this was the edge of Black Mask's territory, a place always filled with complex and chaotic power struggles.

Even now, this zone remained the most chaotic.

Just from the gunfire, Two-Face could identify dozens of different types of firearms, coming from various factions. Charging in recklessly would certainly draw fire from all sides. But despite Harvey's warning, Gordon showed no intention of slowing down.

His gaze sharpened, and he turned on the police siren before flooring the accelerator. The police car shot forward like a wild stallion. The blaring siren pierced through the noise, and Two-Face's face froze in shock.

"Have you lost your mind, Gordon!?"

"I'm not crazy, Harvey. They know who the real enemy is."

Commissioner Gordon removed his hat, staring at the approaching war zone with determined eyes.

In the midst of the chaos that spanned three blocks, the police siren rang out distinctly. Many gang members heard the sound. While they continued firing at the Parademons diving from the sky, they glanced toward the source of the siren.

"Hold the line! Don't let those things break through!"

A giant of a man stood atop a car, with several fearsome tubes attached to his back, feeding him his incredible strength. With his bare hands, he tore a Parademon in half, roaring at the creatures in the sky. Suddenly, the police siren reached his ears, a sound he knew all too well. Bane would never forget that sound for as long as he lived, not even now.

As Bane shifted his gaze, he saw a police car recklessly breaking through their lines, barreling through without any intention of stopping, clearly planning to cut straight through.

"Lord Bane!"

One of his men pointed at the car, awaiting Bane's command. After hesitating for less than a second, Bane made his decision. He swiftly turned around and shouted to his men nearby.

"Raise your guns! Keep those monsters pinned in the sky! Don't let them dive down!"

Before he even finished speaking, everyone raised their guns in unison.

In an instant, the firepower on the ground more than doubled. The bullets, soaked in kryptonite powder, wouldn't cause devastating damage to the Doomsday Parademons, but they could still wound them.

A terrifying barrage of bullets erupted, pinning the Parademons in the sky. Many of the lesser Parademons were killed outright, and a few Parademons were unlucky enough to get shot through the head.

In this chaotic war zone, Bane and his men's sudden surge in firepower immediately drew attention from the other factions. Seeing Bane's crew suddenly going all out, the other groups looked on curiously.

Everyone had been holding back at first—so what had provoked Bane to go all in? Had something ticked him off?

It didn't take long for Gordon and Two-Face, speeding toward them, to come into view. Seeing this, the others quickly understood why Bane had made such a bold move. But they didn't hesitate either and reacted instantly.

"Lift your guns, you scum! Show those bugs what we're made of!"

Black Mask bellowed while dual-wielding automatic rifles, spraying bullets everywhere. Though they had no idea what Commissioner Gordon was up to, they didn't mind lending a hand in the current situation.

Many of the Parademons were forced back by the sudden explosion of firepower, and those with damaged wings plummeted to the ground, only to face even more vicious attacks from below. Led by Professor Pyg and Scarecrow, the gang members swarmed the fallen Parademons, hacking at them with kryptonite-laced cleavers and scythes.

Staring in awe at the scene, even Two-Face couldn't help but freeze for a moment. He could never have imagined that one day he'd witness all of Gotham's gangs uniting to fight a common enemy. It filled him with a fiery excitement.

However, amidst his astonishment, Two-Face was also confused. He couldn't figure out how these gangs had reacted so quickly, and in just ten minutes, they had armed themselves with a significant amount of kryptonite-infused weapons. That seemed impossible.

"Gordon, does the GCPD have kryptonite?"

"No way! That stuff is rare even on the black market, let alone something we'd have." Gordon shouted back immediately.

"Then could it be Batman's doing?"

Two-Face stared wide-eyed at the intense firepower, unable to imagine the sheer quantity of kryptonite required.

"How else can you explain it?"

"It's not that hard to explain."

Suddenly, Gordon spoke up.

With his brow furrowed and both hands gripping the steering wheel, Gordon and Harvey had already crossed most of the war zone. Ahead lay the final street before the end of the combat zone. Though it was still some distance away, Gordon could make out a crazed figure.

It was a person dancing atop a bus. Even from afar, Gordon immediately recognized who it was.

"Hahaha… Put a smile on that face!"

The figure laughed wildly, his feet tapping a mad rhythm. In the midst of the hellish battlefield, the bus was the perfect stage for his dance.

The Joker stood alone on his stage, under the singular spotlight. The sounds of gunfire and explosions served as the perfect symphony, and the entire chaotic battlefield was his audience. The police car sped by, zooming past the Joker.

Whether it was real or just a trick of the mind, Gordon felt the Joker's gaze meet his for a fleeting second. In that moment, Gordon sensed an indescribable sadness in his eyes. The wind howled, and Gordon had no time to dwell on that emotion.

He only caught a glimpse of the rearview mirror, where the Joker finished his final dance and took a bow in Gordon's direction.

The next moment—

Boom!!

Behind Gordon, the entire street erupted in a massive explosion, flames surging into the sky, consuming everything.

In the end, only the sound of mad laughter echoed through the heavens and earth.

.....

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272. Part of Gotham.

273. What Is Hope?

274. Defeated Soldiers.

275. Into the Dream with the Wind.

276. The Master of Dreams.