American comics: Something is wrong with this superhero world

Chapter 170 The Clown is a Clown

"Good evening, citizens of Gotham. A shocking incident occurred this afternoon, and our city has once again become the focus of national attention. According to police, the famous criminal Penguin, whose real name is Oswald Cobblepot, has successfully escaped from Arkham Asylum."

The news anchor on TV reported with a serious expression.

The scene switched to the scene outside the prison, showing police cars and police officers busy setting up cordons and conducting searches.

"The Penguin is a well-known super criminal in Gotham City. He has been wanted by the police for many major crimes in the past. His escape has caused great concern among the police and citizens. Currently, the Gotham City Police Department has launched a city-wide manhunt to try to re-arrest him as soon as possible."

"Citizens of Gotham, the Penguin's escape undoubtedly poses a huge threat to the safety of our city. This incident is not just a simple case of a criminal escaping, it also exposes the problems in our law enforcement and regulatory systems."

"In this emergency, what we saw was that the response of the police department and the chief fell far short of the expectations of the citizens of Gotham. Although the police are also trying to hunt down the Penguin this time, they have never been successful in similar incidents, if you don't count the times when super villains deliberately got caught to plot against the Gotham police."

The host mocked Gotham's police force while praising Batman.
"Only Batman is the protector of Gotham. Today, when we face a crisis again, our hope seems to be placed on this mysterious guardian once again. Batman, the Dark Knight of Gotham, we need your salvation again to fight against those forces that try to destroy the peace of our city."

Xiao Xian stopped watching TV and turned to look at Sophia, saying with a hint of joking, "Does this TV station also have shares in Wayne Enterprises?"

Sophia shook her head, a smile appeared on her lips, and she replied, "No, although Wayne Enterprises is involved in many industries, it rarely directly controls news media. Otherwise, wouldn't it be very unfree to praise Bruce Wayne when a TV station owned by Wayne praised him? However, the building of this TV station is indeed located in a building owned by Wayne Real Estate. The professional manager who manages the TV station was also an employee of Wayne Enterprises."

"Is it true that Batman is basically the only one who has the final say in Gotham?" Xiao Xian complained when he heard this. Wayne Real Estate, Wayne Chemicals, Wayne Bank, Wayne Foods, Wayne Hospital, the Wayne Group is really everywhere in Gotham.

Even if a company or individual appears to have nothing to do with the Wayne Group, they actually have close ties with Wayne Enterprises.

"Not really. Although Bruce Wayne has been fighting against dissidents and challengers, this is Gotham. There is never a lack of betrayers and challengers." Sofia replied, "Take the Joker, who once worked well with Bruce and was hailed as the best villain. It seems that he is about to fall out with Bruce."

"The Joker and Batman work well together." Xiao Xian's mouth twitched. This feeling was too abstract. "Why did they fall out? Contract issues? Or uneven distribution of resources? Or route disputes?"

"I heard that Bruce Wayne cheated on the Joker, but that's just a rumor. I don't know if it's true or not. But the Joker has been very depressed lately, drinking every day to drown his sorrows, and Harley Quinn has indeed moved out and separated from him. I heard that she wants to sue for a share of the Joker's money."

Sophia's answer left Xiao Xian confused. This world is really abstract.

"They are not married, right? They can divide money before getting married? Isn't this a bit too abstract? This is not Dongda University." Xiao Xian asked doubtfully. Although America's laws regarding alimony and marriage are biased towards women, they are not that outrageous. At least they cannot divide money before getting married, nor can they arbitrarily divide up pre-marital property.

Although it was once an advanced version, the US server is now outdated. "In theory, it's difficult according to current laws, but who knows, this is Gotham. If Harley Quinn really gets together with Bruce Wayne, even if they are not married, she may be able to take away most of the Joker's property." Sofia pointed to her own luxurious mansion. "Look at the Falcone family's mansion. Not many of the money here was earned legally."

"Bruce the Joker is bullying him like this? The most powerful super villain under his command? Isn't he afraid that the Joker will turn against him?" Xiao Xian's mouth twitched. The clowns in this world are too shameless.

"The Joker is a drama maniac. His acting skills are really good and he is very infectious. He does have a lot of fans, but he is against Bruce? Is he not qualified?"

Sofia wondered. In her eyes, the Joker was just an actor playing a super villain. He could fight Batman in the film, but that was just acting. In terms of real strength, how could the Joker go against Bruce Wayne, the king of Gotham?

Not to mention the Joker, even her father Falcone is just a useful tool in front of Bruce Wayne.

"It only takes one bad day, and the Joker might turn into a real clown." Xiao Xian understood that in Sofia's eyes, the Joker was just an actor, but Xiao Xian knew that as the most popular super villain, the Joker's destiny might not be less than Batman's, but at least it was much more than her father Falcone.

In the eyes of ordinary people, the Joker is just an actor, a super villain without super powers. But Xiao Xian knows that once the Joker truly turns evil, he has the potential to shake Batman's rule.

Although Xiao Xian couldn't imagine how the Joker, an ordinary person with no power, could shake the status of Bruce Wayne, the King of Gotham who had signed contracts with Superman and other superheroes and turned evil himself, this was a matter for the world's will to consider, not Xiao Xian's.

What Xiao Xian needs to consider is how he can benefit from this matter.

The Joker's soul is much more valuable than the Penguin, but one has to be careful about being outwitted by the Joker. For the Joker and Batman, fraudulent demons, dimensional monsters, etc. are not impossible.

"You can ask your father about the clown." Xiao Xian said while hugging Sophia. It would be better to see what the current situation of the clown is before deciding on a plan.

"Let me ask." Sofia picked up her phone and sent a message to Falcone to find out about the Joker.

Soon Falcone replied.

"Bruce is asking me to bring some people to scare the Joker and tell him to stay away from Harley Quinn. Why do you suddenly care about this?"

"Bruce wouldn't really cheat on the Joker, right?" Xiao Xian said with a twitching mouth as he looked at the message on his phone. Besides, isn't this Joker too clownish?

One more chapter will be added in a few days. The manuscript is due soon. I am revising the paper like crazy
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(End of this chapter)