I'm doing bidirectional science popularization in American comics

"It's a monster created by Hugo Strange," Depp thought. "Those two families really have teamed up!"

These three-meter-tall monsters are almost all mental patients that Maroni bought from Arkham. They suffered inhuman torture in Hugo's underground laboratory and eventually lost themselves, turning into the terrifying creatures they are today.

After the first monster died, a large group of these monsters immediately gathered around Depp.

Upon receiving Maroni's message, Hugo immediately mobilized all the monsters he had created to provide support.

These monsters are incredibly strong, and ordinary firearms cannot stop their attacks. Fear gas is also ineffective against them because these walking corpses have no concept of fear.

Furthermore, they do not rely on sight, but on hearing and perception to act, which renders Depp's illusions ineffective.

However, the beam cannon requires Depp to generate a large amount of lightning to power it, which left Depp somewhat helpless.

With the energy he can control, he can recharge the robotic arm twice more, plus the remaining two micro-missiles. Depp estimates that he can take down a maximum of four more monsters.

Although there was still more than half a bottle of concentrated life essence in his system space, he didn't have time to drink it right now.

"Looks like I'll have to install a water bottle and straw on my helmet next time."

Depp dodged the monster's attack and fired a miniature missile, shattering its head.

Depp's hand was covered in a foul-smelling slime.

"How disgusting!"

Depp punched the monster away, then quickly rolled backward.

The number of monsters around them was increasing, even without Maroni's men joining the battle.

Depp knew he had miscalculated. Although he had guessed that Maroni and Hugo were working together, he hadn't expected Hugo's experiments to progress so quickly, and that he had already created so many monsters through his inhumane genetic experiments.

Hugo, standing to the side, watched Depp fighting the monster, his eyes gleaming.

He muttered to himself, "I thought Batman was the only one with perfect genes, but I never expected to run into another one here."

Hugo was filled with fervor. He thought that if he could capture this guy named Iron Fist and use him as experimental material, his genetic experiments would definitely reach another level.

To be honest, he also felt extremely disgusted by the disgusting monsters he was creating.

This is not what he envisioned as the perfect gene.

Depp leaped into the air, flames erupting from the mechanical arm of his right hand. With the immense kinetic energy, he punched the monster's head to pieces.

Although this method is more laborious than heavy bombardment, it is the only option left.

Fortunately, Depp possessed the fighting skills he learned from Bruce and Selena's natural flexibility.

This allowed him to nimbly maneuver among the many monsters, without being attacked even once.

After all, these guys, who have no intelligence and only destructive instincts, are far inferior to Depp in every aspect except for strength.

Seeing this, Maroni said with dissatisfaction, "Alright, Hugo, have your babies move aside. I think my men are more useful."

He is now very dissatisfied with Hugo, having spent a lot of money to fund the guy's research.

Maroni was furious that what he made turned out to be a useless piece of junk. He hadn't been able to touch a hair on that kid's head for so long.

But he never expected that if it were him and his men, it would probably only take three or four monsters to wipe them all out.

Hugo looked at Maroni with a cold gaze. Although he was not entirely satisfied with his research results, it was not up to a vulgar gangster to point fingers.

You bunch of simple-minded guys, all you need to do is obediently provide me with funds.

Hugo wanted to kill Maroni outright, but he didn't know how to run a gang.

If Maroni is eliminated, it means he will lose his steady source of funding; he understands the principle of living off one's savings.

Beneath Hugo's white lab coat lay powerful muscles and a paranoid, wicked heart.

He shouted to the group of monsters, "Make way for Lord Maroni."

Upon hearing Maroni's command, the monsters all showed bewildered expressions. After a period of painful contemplation, they moved their massive bodies and opened an opening in Maroni's direction.

As soon as the opening was made, Depp, who was surrounded, saw two of Maroney's henchmen pick up the rocket launcher they had just used, and target him.

"They're trying to trap us like a turtle in a jar!"

Although his words sounded like he was insulting himself, Depp said he didn't have time to nitpick and just hoped he could find a chance to hide behind the monsters before the rockets arrived, letting them act as his human shields.

At this moment, Depp really wished he was wearing the full version of the armor so he could fly directly into the air.

Depp has finally truly understood the importance of air superiority.

Just as Maroni's men were about to open fire, a black leather whip knocked the rocket launchers from their hands.

At the same time, two miniature missiles slammed in from the side, blasting the two monsters into pieces.

Seeing this, Maroni kicked his men aside and picked up the rocket launcher himself.

The whip struck again from the side, wrapping around Maroni's neck.

Selena pulled Maroni to her feet, stomped her high heel on his face, and said, "Who gave you permission to touch him?"

Seeing their boss subdued in an instant, Maroni's men dared not make any rash moves.

Maroni gripped the whip wrapped tightly around his neck with both hands, gritting his teeth as he said, "If you strangle me, he'll be smashed into a pulp by those monsters! He's only human after all; his strength will eventually run out."

Upon hearing this, Selena dared not rashly kill the Gotham East mob boss, after all, in her eyes Depp's life was much more important than this guy's.

She looked in Depp's direction, thought for a moment, then kicked Maroney unconscious, and then jumped up and climbed onto the shoulders of a monster.

With sharp claws extending from her fingertips, Selena relentlessly clawed and spiked at the monster's head.

Seeing this, Depp said, "You shouldn't have come! This is too dangerous!"

“Whether I come or not is my own business.” Selena jumped onto another monster, pointing to her head with one hand and saying, “You should have equipped your headset with more of those missiles; two are not enough!”

"Unless you want to grow seven or eight ears!"

Depp exerted his strength again, smashing the head of another monster, and said, panting heavily.

Selena's arrival relieved a lot of his stress, and he was finally able to drink a sip of the concentrated essence of life.

One bite and your energy is restored!

Getting excited!

The lightning was channeled to power the glove, and another beam cannon shot took down a monster.

However, although Depp has regained his physical strength and spirit, the prosthetic arm in his hand is almost overloaded.

Even through the protective layer, Depp could clearly feel the heat emanating from the robotic arm.

Furthermore, wisps of steam were slowly escaping from the metal gaps in the gloves.

Fortunately, most of the monsters here had been eliminated. Seeing that things were not going well, Hugo Strange immediately called on the remaining monsters to escape together.

All that was left was Maroni, who lay unconscious on the ground, and his bewildered underlings.

Having witnessed Depp's power, these guys no longer had any intention of fighting him.

Depp walked step by step toward Maroney, and Maroney's henchmen retreated back into the restaurant step by step until their boss was completely exposed to Depp.

Depp used a robotic arm to grab Maroney by the neck and lift him up. When the outermost metal of the robotic arm came into contact with Maroney's skin, it made a sizzling sound and smelled like burning skin.

Maronny, who had been in a coma, was also awakened by the pain.

"Who exactly are you? We shouldn't have any grudges against each other."

Depp looked down at Maronny without answering his question, just as Maronny had treated him before.

Depp's grip on Maronny's neck tightened slowly; this time, he was truly intent on killing him.

Maroney was truly terrified at this point. Before Depp could completely tighten his grip on his throat, he mustered all his strength and said, "Please, let me go."

Upon hearing this, Depp slightly loosened his grip, and just when Maroni thought that the other party was going to let him go, Depp tightened his grip again.

This made Maroni feel like a mouse caught in a cat's trap, being manipulated and played with by the other party, yet powerless to do anything about it.

Seeing the fascinating expression on Maroney's face, Depp's face behind the mask was full of mockery.

This was a powerful mob boss who wielded immense influence in Gotham, a lawless outlaw who considered himself superior and held the lives of many in his hands.

When his own life was threatened, he begged for mercy just like everyone else.

Perhaps this is why Falcone has always been able to consistently outmaneuver Maroni; the gap between the two is indeed significant.

Just as Depp was about to end the cat-and-mouse game and crush Maroney's throat, a familiar voice appeared.

"Let him go, Iron Fist."

It was Bruce Wayne who, after rescuing Gordon, immediately went to Maroney's headquarters.

Chapter 43 There is no Two-Face in Gotham! (4000 words)

"Let him go?" Depp looked up at Bruce on the rooftop. "Why should I take your orders?"

When Depp takes on the role of Iron Fist, he wears clothes that are completely different from his daytime attire.

To prevent Bruce from recognizing him through fingerprints and voice, he would also wear a glove on his other hand and activate the voice-changing function on his helmet.

Bruce looked at the guy Falcone mistook for his boss and tried to use his verbal skills: "Whatever he did, it should be left to the law to decide whether he deserves to live, not you and me."

"law?"

Hearing the word from Bruce's mouth, Depp found it somewhat amusing. A guy who roams the shadows and uses vigilante justice to uphold justice was talking to him about the law.

To be honest, this really overturned the image of Bruce in Depp's mind.

Depp said, "I never expected that Batman, the vigilante who roams Gotham, would actually believe in the law, or do you think that what you've done isn't illegal?"

Bruce replied in a deep voice, "I did not say that what I did was legal."

"Then what gives you the right to lecture me? Just because of your ridiculous no-kill policy?" Depp said sarcastically. "Or do you still believe in the laws of this city?"

Bruce fell silent upon hearing this, his eyes filled with sorrow, and his expression beneath the mask was one of pain.

Depp's words were like needles piercing Bruce's heart.

He naturally didn't trust Gotham's laws; ever since the day his parents were shot, he had been utterly disillusioned with the city's legal system.

This is also why Bruce became Batman.

Depp knew this, which is why he provoked Bruce so much.

Because he realized that Bruce was too immature now, and too attached to the rules that were deeply ingrained in his mind.