Tragic Background

Arthur stared at the file in his hand, then seized it when the person wasn't paying attention, turning around and sprinting away without a word.

He didn't dare take the elevator, running down the stairs through the emergency exit.

After realizing no one was chasing him, he stopped to catch his breath, taking the opportunity to carefully examine the file. After all, what he heard earlier was just hearsay; seeing is believing.

The file was formal, and the recorded details were thorough. Arthur only glanced at a couple of pages, but his expression turned ugly and gloomy.

Thomas Wayne had told him the truth. The file contained records of his mother adopting him, along with detailed diagnostic reports and interrogation records of his mother, Penny Fleck, being confined to Arkham Asylum.

His mother suffered from severe mental illness. Despite adopting a child, she insisted that the child was her biological son with Thomas Wayne.

If it were just a delusional disorder, it might be tolerable. What was worse was that during her cohabitation with a violent boyfriend, he subjected both her and the adopted child to inhumane domestic violence.

The mother and son were always beaten, but instead of resisting, Penny Fleck, as a mother, not only did not resist but also allowed her boyfriend to abuse her adopted son.

When the police found their apartment, the young Arthur was tied to a radiator, covered in bruises, and malnourished.

When questioned by the police, Penny Fleck calmly said, "I've never heard him cry. He's always been a happy little boy."

When Arthur reached this part, he couldn't help but have a breakdown, bursting into uncontrollable laughter, with snot and tears covering his face.

Both Arthur inside the video and the one outside almost simultaneously went into a fit of mad laughter, leaving Peter Parker and others looking at each other with serious expressions.

Peter Parker, worried about the laughing Arthur, whispered, "He needs help; this is too... tragic, Mr. Arthur has been enduring undeserved pain since childhood."

Bruce Wayne solemnly said, "He was forced into this situation. His tragic background and the indifferent society are the causes of his condition."

Commissioner Gordon looked at him, "If Thomas could have given him a hug back then, maybe it would have made him feel a little better."

The video ended here. Arthur was indeed not Thomas Wayne's illegitimate son, but the viewers sympathized more with his experiences, especially those who were also at a low point in society. Arthur's tragic background resonated with them.

"What a messed-up world. Now I completely understand Arthur's condition. If it were me going through all this, I might be crazier than him!"

"I also had a similarly bad childhood. My dad was an alcoholic, and after he got arrested, our life didn't get better; it got worse. I don't know what to do now."

"We always hope for a good person to change our lives, but all we get is disappointment. Can Thomas Wayne do it?"

"I don't believe in him! He and his butler and those high and mighty elites are no different. They only say nice things, and when it comes to actions, they don't even spare a glance at poor folks."

"If it were Batman's father or the pre-fall Harvey Dent from the previous videos, I would believe them, but the Thomas Wayne in this video... he's not worthy of trust!"

In the Eternal Space, Arthur slowly calmed his laughter, looking down with a smile. Occasionally, he would still chuckle.

Seeing this, Peter Parker tried to console him, "Mr. Arthur, life will gradually get better. As long as we still have hope, you see, this time you have the opportunity to change yourself and your life, right?"

"Really?" Arthur looked up at him. His gaze made Spider-Man's scalp tingle, his sensitive spider sense reacting, making his muscles tense.

Peter Parker looked at him with some surprise, "Mr. Arthur..."

Arthur shook his head, "Thank you for telling me these words, but now I feel very tired. It's like falling into the deep sea, the ubiquitous pressure and currents squeezing me. Do you understand my feelings? No, none of you will understand!"

Peter Parker could only sigh at his words. He was just a young man, not a psychologist. He sought help from Bruce Wayne and Commissioner Gordon, hoping these elders could provide guidance and assistance to Arthur.

Commissioner Gordon offered some advice, but it was more official and sounded correct, yet somewhat vague and unlikely to have a substantial effect.

As for Bruce Wayne, he shook his head, "I can't advise him, just like the future me couldn't persuade Harvey Dent to turn back."

Peter Parker and Commissioner Gordon were slightly surprised by his words.

Arthur smiled as he looked at him, "You already know who I am, right?"

"Joker, Arthur, you've realized this, right," Bruce Wayne squinted, having suspected it for a while and now being certain.

The person in front of them was another Joker in Gotham!

Peter Parker widened his eyes and instinctively shook his head, "This can't be possible. How can Mr. Arthur be Joker? The players selected for the Quiz game are all good people, vigilantes, and superheroes!"

"Is there a specific rule?" Bruce Wayne asked.

Peter Parker was puzzled again and shook his head, "No, but all the players I know... well, one of them is an exception, but he's not as crazy as Joker."

"Since there's no rule, it's just your self-imposed rules. And there can be multiple Batmans, so there can certainly be multiple Jokers," Bruce Wayne said, staring directly at Arthur.

Arthur smiled, "Yes, Bruce, or should I say Batman, you're really smart. Honestly, when I was watching Joker's videos, I did feel a peculiar familiarity. But I'm sure, as of now, I'm not him, not Joker. But do you believe it, Batman?"

Bruce Wayne remained silent. Peter Parker was about to say something when a new question appeared on the screen:

[Question: Among the following options, who is the mastermind behind Arthur becoming Joker?]

[A: Penny Fleck

B: Thomas Wayne

C: Murray

D: Gotham City]