novelhk Chapter 7 Calling for Support
Chapter 7 Calling for Support
As he stepped out of the room, Levi paused, looking at the beautifully bound greeting card in Gordon's hand.
"This is?"
"Look, this is from the clown."
Gordon handed the greeting card to Levi, then, as if remembering something, added, "It's been checked; there's no danger."
Levi shrugged and took the greeting card from Gordon.
This is a red greeting card with luxurious gold trim around the edges. It's clear that the clown put a lot of thought into choosing this card.
Looking at the beautifully presented greeting card, Li Wei felt a mix of emotions, unsure whether to laugh or cry at being so highly regarded by the clown.
The greeting card cover was emblazoned with the words "To the Prophet" in bold, flowing calligraphy.
Opening the greeting card, the contents were shockingly simple—history.
Just those two simple words, nothing more.
"That's it?"
Turning to look at Gordon, Levi wanted to confirm whether he was hallucinating.
"You weren't hallucinating; that bitch gave you that hint."
Gordon gritted his teeth and slammed his fist on the table again, knocking over Levi's coffee.
"Hey buddy, calm down."
After calming Gordon down, Levi gestured for him to calm down.
"Anger solves nothing; the most important thing now is for us to stay calm."
His reminder immediately calmed Gordon down.
He wasn't a reckless man; he was just venting his anger.
"Alright, buddy, tell me, what are your thoughts?"
"As you can see, it says 'History' on it."
Li Wei waved the greeting card in his hand at Gordon. "Dude, first of all, I need to know what Gotham's history is all about."
Li Wei believed that the Joker's hints must be useful, so the best way to break through was to look at what historical events Gotham had in mind.
Soon, stacks of documents were placed in front of Li Wei. Although there was some trouble at the police station last night, the archives were not affected.
"Dude, all the major case files in Gotham are here. Hope you can give me a surprise."
After Gordon finished speaking, he left with two officers, leaving Li Wei alone.
He couldn't place all his hopes on Li Wei; as a sheriff, he had his own way of doing things.
...
At noon, Li Wei rubbed his slightly dizzy head.
Looking at the pile of documents, Li Wei smiled.
His efforts paid off, and the free attribute points added to his intelligence brought him an unexpected surprise.
"Gordon, I've got some news!"
...
"Li Wei, what did you discover?"
As soon as Gordon entered, he hurriedly began asking Levi questions.
He and his officers split into five groups, but even after circling Gotham again and again, they still had no clue whatsoever.
Gordon even felt like a headless fly, spinning around aimlessly, which was simply ridiculous.
Just when he was feeling desperate, he received a call from Li Wei, which made him extremely excited.
"I need a map," Levi said. "A detailed map of Gotham."
Upon hearing Levi's request, Gordon immediately gave the order.
A few minutes later, a huge city map was laid out on the table.
Li Wei's finger traced across the map surface, pausing briefly at a few specific locations.
"Here." He pointed to the first spot, "Criminal Alley, where Thomas and Martha Wayne were murdered."
The Joker loves sarcasm, so the first bomb will be near the memorial plaque.
After Li Wei finished speaking, he pointed to the second spot.
"The site of the fire in the narrow alleyway area—a fire that killed 37 people 15 years ago. The city government promised to rebuild it, but it remains in ruins to this day."
"The third location, Ace Chemical Plant—the place where the Joker was 'born,' the chemical pool."
"The fourth location is the outer wall of Blackgate Prison—where three guards died during last year's prison break."
"The fifth place..." Levi's finger stopped on the Gotham Bridge. "The groundbreaking ceremony for the Gotham Bridge is a symbol of Gotham's 'new era,' and the Joker has the idea of blowing it up."
Li Wei pointed out five locations one by one.
The alley where the Waynes were murdered, the site of the Great Fire in Narrow Alley, the Ace Chemical Plant, Blackgate Prison, and the Gotham Bridge.
Gordon scanned the areas Levi pointed out one by one, finally fixing his gaze into Levi's eyes: "Your basis?"
It wasn't that I didn't believe Li Wei's judgment, it's just that I had come back empty-handed after a whole morning.
He really didn't know how Li Wei had managed to pinpoint these locations using just some information.
The key point is that it is of great importance, and he cannot afford to take it lightly.
"The Joker's entire philosophy is built on 'trauma,'" Levi said. "Personal trauma, urban trauma. He wants to prove that trauma never heals, it only festers and spreads."
So he'll put the bomb in Gotham's wound—literally.
Gordon thought for a moment, then nodded slightly; the logic Levi had put it together was valid.
Gordon grabbed the walkie-talkie and began assigning tasks: "Bomb disposal team, split into five groups immediately and proceed to these locations—"
"Wait," Li Wei interrupted him, "We can't go straight there."
"Why?" Gordon looked at Levi with a puzzled expression. Since he had guessed the Joker's plan, why didn't he just solve the problem directly?
"Because this is a test," Levi said, "a test of whether I can really 'predict' things."
"If we find all the bombs directly, the Joker will think I have special abilities, and then he'll adjust his strategy, becoming more unpredictable."
Li Wei was telling the truth. Given the Joker's style, if this problem is resolved too easily, he will definitely be more cautious in the future.
Putting everything else aside, if it weren't for the clown's hint today, even with his increased intelligence, he would still be helpless.
Moreover, this act of showing weakness is the least impactful way he can think of for the plot.
After explaining to Gordon, Levi walked to the whiteboard and quickly wrote down the plan.
"We need to put on a show," Levi said. "Send officers to the first four locations, but they have to 'coincidentally' find the bombs—for example, by receiving an anonymous tip, or by noticing something unusual during patrol. As for the bridge..."
He paused.
"The bomb on the bridge is the biggest and the most dangerous. The Joker will want us to arrive at the last minute, scrambling to react, or... making a sacrifice."
Hearing what Li Wei said, Gordon understood what he meant: "So we need to find a way to clear the bridge ahead of time, but disguise it as a routine inspection?"
"A better approach is to create a more appealing target for the Joker." A cold glint flashed in Levi's eyes. "If the Joker enjoys games, we'll design a more interesting one for him."
The plan was finalized within twenty minutes. Gordon mobilized all available police resources, while Levi remained in the command center, monitoring five surveillance screens.
At 1 p.m., a team of police officers unexpectedly arrived at Crime Alley.
They received a tip from a passerby that suspicious people were seen loitering in Crime Alley that morning.
The officers appeared nonchalant, but in reality, they even managed to distinguish the male and female rats at the scene.
After a thorough search of Crime Alley, the group soon discovered something unusual in the trash can.
Seeing the bomb with its red light flashing in the trash can, the group felt a surge of tension, even though they were mentally prepared.
"Calling headquarters, we need backup!"