Chapter 76 (edited)

"Such childish estrangement?" Kara sneered, unwilling to be fooled by Joker's antics.

Boom.

Kara grabbed Joker by the collar, showing no fear of his grotesque makeup, and pulled him close to her face.

Joker, who was the same height as Batman at 1.88 meters, was now looking up at Kara, who stood taller at 1.9 meters. Her imposing stature added to the pressure she exerted over him.

"Speak. How did you discover my identity? And the threat to blow up Jennifer—how did you do it? What exactly did you do?" Kara's voice was harsh and demanding, distorted further by her voice changer.

Joker, however, was completely unfazed. Instead, he grinned wickedly. "If you're trying to threaten me, I suggest you get creative with your methods."

"Like ripping out your heart?" Kara's gaze shifted to his chest, her voice chillingly low.

Joker's grin widened, a testament to his madness. "NONONO, that's far too simple," he replied mockingly. "I mean really breaking someone—torture their mind, destroy what they love most right in front of them. Or, if you're into the classics, a bit of physical persuasion works wonders too."

His lack of fear or concern was unnerving, as if he truly didn't mind whether Kara carried out her threats or not.

Frustration built up in Kara as she realized the extent of Joker's insanity. He wasn't someone she could intimidate easily. Her instincts told her to kill him outright, but she also knew it wasn't that simple. If she miscalculated, Jennifer's life—and the secret of her identity—would both be lost.

"You'd better stop provoking me. When I get angry, I even scare myself," Kara warned, her tone calm but menacing.

Joker seemed delighted by her reaction. He spread his arms wide, his manner taunting. "You don't have to worry so much," he said, grinning. "I'll tell you what you want to know."

Reluctantly, Kara released her grip on his collar, her patience wearing thin. She could feel herself walking into his trap, but she had no choice. For now, she had to play along.

Joker explained, his tone laced with amusement. "I figured it out, of course. Last night, I crashed a gala Bruce Wayne was hosting at his mansion—a fundraiser for Harvey Dent. Naturally, Batman showed up to intervene."

Kara's eyes narrowed as Joker continued. He revealed that during the chaos, he'd taken Rachel hostage. By observing Bruce's desperate efforts to save her, Joker had pieced it together: Bruce Wayne was Batman.

"And once I knew who Batman was," Joker said, "it wasn't hard to figure out who Oracle is. You, Kara. The signs were all there. You've traveled the world like Bruce. You're strong, brilliant, and resourceful. And let's not forget your connection to Bruce—he trusts you."

"Even if my guesses were wrong," Joker added, "your reaction just now confirmed everything. Isn't that right, Kara Kent?"

Kara's hands clenched into fists. Joker's deduction was unnervingly accurate, his mind sharp enough to exploit even the slightest mistake.

"But don't worry," Joker said, his tone feigning reassurance. "Your secret's safe with me... for now. Unless, of course, you'd like to play a little game. I won't reveal your identity—if you can survive my test. What do you say?"

"You expect me to trust you?" Kara scoffed, her anger bubbling to the surface.

Joker shrugged nonchalantly. "Why not? After all, you can kill me anytime, can't you?"

The threat hung in the air, but Joker didn't seem to care. His madness made him fearless, and that fearlessness made him dangerous.

"I've rigged Jennifer's hospital with enough explosives to blow it sky-high," Joker said, his voice dripping with malice. "And I can detonate them at any moment. You wouldn't want your best friend to die without seeing her child, would you?"

Kara's jaw tightened. Joker had pinpointed her weaknesses with terrifying precision. She was cornered.

"What do you want?" Kara asked, her voice cold as she loosened her grip on his collar. She hated giving in to his game, but she couldn't risk Jennifer's life—or the exposure of her identity.

Joker's grin widened. "I told you, just a game. Prove to me you can handle the chaos. If you pass, I'll keep your secret. If you fail..." He didn't need to finish the sentence.

Kara glared at him, calculating her options. She could kill Joker, but he claimed the hospital explosives would detonate automatically if he died. Her X-ray vision confirmed he wasn't carrying a detonator, which only complicated matters further.

"Don't do anything stupid," Kara warned, her voice icy. If Joker pushed her too far, she wouldn't hesitate to act.

But Joker merely laughed, his maniacal glee echoing in the room. Kara realized she had no choice but to play along for now. However, she vowed silently to find a way to outsmart him—and protect the people she cared about.

With a final glare, she turned and left, her mind already racing with plans. This wasn't over, not by a long shot.