Thriller Paradise

"You sure know a lot of things…" Klibon gazed at Feng Bujue for quite a long time, "Mr. Joker."

Brother Jue tilted his head and replied with a shrug. "Don't waste any more time, prof, activate it…" He glanced at the circular control panel about 10 metre away, "…let us see… the real 'faith' that is buried deep inside Gotham."

"Hey, Brother Jue!" At that moment, Xiao Tan's shout came from behind them. They turned and saw Xiao Tan and Soulie were heading their way.

"Hue, your timing is impeccable." Feng Bujue praised. "Are you guys alright?"

"Aiz… It is hard to summarize in a few words…." Soulie sighed as she shot a sharp look at Xiao Tan, "But at least we manage to maintain Two Face's image."

"To prevent ourselves from being tailed, we needed to park the flying shuttle that we stole quick far away and then walk here so we came later than the time decided." Xiao Tan added. Since the cave would hide electric signal, the two of them could not communicate with their teammates who were already here already and thus Xiao Tan now briefly filled them in on the updates.

"Can I start now?" Klibon had already worked for a while on the control panel already and had successfully activated the back up generation.

"Go ahead, prof." Feng Bujue said and he turned around to tell Joe behind him. "Joe, what happen next is very important, you have to engrave everything that you see and hear in your heart."

"Ah? Okay…" Joe had no idea what the man meant but he still answered. Prof Klibon pressed a button on the control panel and at the same second, on the computer monitor before them a recording appeared. In the video, a face showed up. It was the face of a handsome middle-aged man. There was a presence of fearlessness and a worldliness about him.

"Whoever—whenever—you are, I am about to…" He used a low and magnetic voice to say, "…seal this cave's entrance forever." He paused. "There is already a stealth field which prevent electronic detection. Nevertheless, you have managed to find my home." His dark eyes were slightly shuddering, "Forgive me now if I make a speech…"

At this point, the man took several steps back to reveal his lower body completely inside the camera—he was wearing a batsuit.

"Bruce Wayne!" Both Joe and Marya gasped at the same time.

"Shush—" Feng Bujue said quickly, "He's not yet done."

Bruce Wayne in the video already picked up his cape and placed it before him for two seconds, and then he continued, "There comes a time when the oppressed and desperate must be defended. I have tried my best…" he said as he put on the cape. "…I pray whoever else dons this hood will continue that quest. Shun meaningless vengeance, useless violence, and the glamour of your own legend… fight for what's right." There was an emotion of a soldier heading to a last battle in his words, "My greatest battle approaches and these may be my final words. He's coming, I can hear him now. The Joker is at the door!"

Bruce Wayne's narration ended then. He flapped open the cape, turned away from the camera and the recording ended then. Other than Professor Klibon and Feng Bujue (both of them had seen this recording, one in real life and one inside the comic itself), the other five present showed a rather complicated look.

"Then… what happened after that?" Joe was the first to ask, "Did batman die?"

"Yes." Klibon answered. "He died with Joker." He pointed beside him. "See that Joker's sculpture over there? I have used the body of the real Joker to make that specimen." The people heard and turned their heads around. The director where the prof was pointing indeed had the wax figure of the Joker. It looked incredibly real, from the NPC's perspective, it looked just like Brother Jue (The Joker).

"I have made it look like he is moving forward and his body bent, holding the gun. Quite an interesting pose, wouldn't you agree?" Klibon laughed.

"Then what about Bruce Wayne?" Joe asked. "have you made him into a wax figurine as well?" As he said that, his eyes moved to the four batman figures beside them.

"Ha ha… unfortunately, I was unable to retain his body." Klibon said. "Bruce Wayne had a much horrible death than this Joker, based on my analysis of the scene… it was not a fair match at all, because Mr Wayne did not seem like he was planning to kill the Joker but the Joker was trying every way to kill him."

"The batman never kills." Feng Bujue announced. "This was one of the major principles of Bruce Wayne, if you cannot even follow this rule, then you are not considered the real inheritor of the cape." Brother Jue's words sounded like it was an explanation for the group but actually his words were meant for Joe.

"Then… what happened after that?" Joe turned to Klibon again.

"War." Klibon replied, "And chaos." He relit a new cigarette and continued, "Several Robins… I mean the real Robins and other superheroes stood forward to fight these supervillains and the result was half of Gotham was destroyed…" he shook his head. "The war lasted for many years until one person stood forward, he was the direct descendant of Bruce Wayne, or the Bruce we see today…" The prof puffed out the smoke. "You believe he is a tyrant, yes? Fine, I agree but he has done the thing the 'superheroes' have failed to do, he won the war…" Klibon coughed twice. "He killed all the supervillains in the city and their descendants…" he paused. "Well, except one. And that is you, Mr. Collins. Ha ha… I believe my master wanted to leave behind a potential challenge for himself… who really knows."

"What did you say?!" Joe was an orphan and to find out his real heritage this way was indeed shocking.

"he's not lying, you are the descendant of the Joker." Feng Bujue added beside him. "Ironic, isn't it? When the descendant of Batman becomes a tyrant, the freedom fighter that attempts to take him down will be the descendant of the Joker."

"I… am the descendant of the Joker." Joe mumbled to himself, feeling many different emotions in his heart. Marya patted him lightly on his shoulder to help him to calm down, it was the only thing she could do.

"But ultimately… the time of the tyrant shall pass." Klibon continued, "The rules of history are placed before us… when conflict accumulates to a certain level, an anarchy is inevitable." He chuckled emotionlessly. "At this moment, I believe… it is an opportune start to start to topple that aging tyrant."

"You also want to overthrow the Bruce's rule?" After Joe calmed down, he instantly asked.

"ha ha ha… Isn't that obvious?" Klibon chuckled. "Actually, I have already made my plan, if you guys didn't show up, I believe… I will wait for another year and make the attempt during next year's ritual." He smiled. "But since things have reached this stage, why not move the plan earlier?" At this point, Klibon pinched off the cigarette, moved to the control panel and started working on it. As his hands moved, the various hidden and forgotten devices inside the batcave had electricity recharging them. As the machinery rocked to life, the cave was then showered in light.

"These are…" Joe widened his eyes and looked forward. At a corner about 20 metres before them, there was a row of storage with clear doors. It was lined with various equipment donned by Batman through different ear. "The Batman's equipment?"

"The equipment used by the real 'batman'." Klibon corrected. "These should be Bruce Wayne's original design…" He paused for 2 seconds. "Even now they are not considered obsolete. Of course… it is still a bit distance away from the battle armor used by the Bruce."

"Pick one for yourself, Joe." Feng Bujue then opened his mouth to announce.

"What? Me?" Joe turned back to look at Brother Jue. "What do you mean… I am the Joker's descendant…"

"it does not matter." Feng Bujue interrupted. "You have already heard Bruce's words, no matter who it is… as long as one is willing to carry on his spirit, he can inherit his hood." He said seriously. "Joe Collins, now you already know who you are and what you should do… and who will help you." He glanced at Marya. "There is no reason for you to hesitate anymore… Shoulder the mission and take up the responsibility that is yours."