American comics: Only I know the plot

Chapter 4 Temporary Advisor

Gordon's office was more modest than Levi had imagined, with a wooden table piled high with documents and a rusty filing cabinet.

A Gotham map was pasted on the wall, marked with colored thumbtacks indicating crime hotspots—most of the thumbtacks were concentrated in narrow alleyways and the industrial docks.

Gordon himself was standing by the window, with his back to the door.

He wasn't wearing a coat; the cuffs of his white shirt were rolled up to his elbows, revealing his muscular forearms.

When Levi entered the office, Gordon turned around, his face showing obvious fatigue.

This exhaustion is not the result of a sleepless night, but rather the product of years of battling the darkness in the shadows of this city.

"Levy Chen." Gordon's voice was hoarse as he picked up a photocopy of his passport from the table. "Visiting scholar in sociology at Gotham University."

You entered the country at 3 PM yesterday. Your advisor is... Professor Paul Ellison.

Li Wei looked at Gordon and remained silent.

The identity background assigned by the system is very basic, but sufficient to pass the basic verification.

The best approach now is to remain unchanged in the face of all changes.

He believed that based on his performance just now, Gordon wouldn't really do anything to him.

"The problem is..." Gordon put down the copy and placed his hands on the table.

Professor Ellison said he did invite a visiting scholar, but the scholar is not expected to arrive until next week.

And the person he described... is at least twenty years older than you.

A trap, or rather, a test.

Li Wei's brain started working at lightning speed, and he made a judgment immediately.

Denial? Explanation? Or...?

"I am not a real visiting scholar."

Li Wei replied calmly.

Upon hearing his answer, Gordon raised his eyebrows slightly, signaling Levi to continue.

"I just used this identity to get into Gotham," Levi shrugged and began to explain.

"My real purpose is to investigate the Joker; I have studied his criminal patterns."

Knowing he would launch a large-scale attack soon, I needed to get close to the epicenter to obtain firsthand information.

This explanation is much easier to accept than "players." In Gotham, everyone has their own secrets.

Or rather, there are hardly any normal people in Gotham.

"Research?" Gordon walked to the map, running his finger along the thumbtacks. "Are you from law enforcement? FBI or CIA?"

"An independent researcher," Li Wei said. "My expertise is in criminal psychology and the prediction of terrorist behavior."

The Joker... he's special. He doesn't pursue wealth or power.

He sought philosophical proof—to prove that human nature is inherently evil, and that order is merely an illusion.

Gordon stared at Levi for a long time, then sat back down at his old desk and took a document out of the drawer.

"What you said in the interrogation room saved two lives," Gordon said. "Rachel is being examined at the hospital and only has minor abrasions."

Although we arrived in time, Harvey was still affected by the blast and is currently receiving emergency treatment.

According to the doctor's assessment, his face is very likely to be disfigured.

But regardless, his life was saved, and in the end, I owe you a favor.

Upon hearing Gordon's words, Li Wei was deeply shaken.

He never imagined that the plot would have such a strong inertia, and that Harvey would ultimately not be able to escape the fate of being disfigured.

But all of that is for later. Right now, the most urgent thing is how to get past Gordon.

"So?" Levi looked at Gordon, signaling him to finish what he had to say.

Meeting Levi's gaze, Gordon gave a wry smile: "In this city, people who are too smart usually only have two outcomes."

You'll either be bought off or buried. How do you know the Joker would deliberately mislead us by giving the wrong location?

This was the key question, but Levi already had the answer in his mind, and he didn't mind explaining it to Gordon.

"Behavioral analysis." Levi walked to the map and pointed to the locations where the Joker had committed crimes.

"Look here, every action of the Joker has a three-layer structure: surface crime, middle test, and deep philosophical proof."

The kidnapping of Rachel and Harvey is, on the surface, a hostage situation; on a deeper level, a test of who Batman will save; and at a profound level, a symbol of the destruction of Gotham's hope.

He turned to look at Gordon, and Levi continued to explain:

"So when he says 'You can only save one,' what he really means is 'You'll lose no matter who you save.'"

The only solution is to save both. But to save both, accurate location information is needed.

Given the Joker's penchant for reversals, the information he provides is most likely to be the opposite of reality.

In other words, at Batman's speed, he can only save one of them.

The logic is rigorous, and all reasoning is based entirely on existing intelligence.

Gordon tapped the table lightly with his right index finger, a habitual gesture he made when he was thinking.

"Detective Allen said you walked into the station looking lost, like someone who had gotten lost," Gordon said. "But at the interrogation room door... you were a completely different person."

"Focus under pressure," Levi said. "I've been studying the Joker for two years, and I know how dangerous he is."

When I'm actually facing him, all analysis becomes instinctive.

This explanation was barely acceptable. Gordon leaned back in his chair and let out a long sigh.

Regardless of the circumstances, Li Wei was a great help today, that's an indisputable fact.

"I will give you the status of a temporary consultant," Gordon said. "You can assist in the investigation of the Joker case and meet your research requirements."

But I have one condition: you must stay within the police station's protected area. The Joker is interested in you now, which isn't a good thing.

Li Wei was more than happy with Gordon's arrangement.

He has no power to protect himself now, and under police protection, he will at least have less trouble.

Nodding to indicate that he accepted Gordon's terms, Levi thought of another person.

"What about Batman?" Levi asked. "He still seems to have questions."

Gordon's expression began to become complicated: "He has his own plans. In this city, we all have our own roles to play."

My advice is... if he talks to you, tell the truth, as much truth as possible.

...

After the conversation, Gordon arranged for Levi to stay in a "safe house" near the police station.

It was actually a simple apartment with iron bars on the windows and three locks on the door.

The house was filled with a damp, musty smell, and it was unclear how long it had been uninhabited.

Li Wei lay on the hard bed, staring blankly at the water stains on the ceiling.

He closed his eyes, trying to clear his mind.

Rescuing Rachel and Harvey was just the first step; the butterfly effect had already begun to show its power.

How will the Joker adjust his plans? Will Two-Face reappear? And what about Bane, the Court of Owls...?

And then there's the Joker's line, "We'll meet again."

After thinking for a long time, I still couldn't find the answers to these questions because there was so little useful information.

Lying in bed, Li Wei drifted off to sleep, not even bothering to examine the attribute points he had gained that day.

He was really exhausted today.

At midnight, Li Wei felt a surge of air.

The windows were closed, but the air in the room was definitely moving—as if something had silently entered the small space.

Li Wei opened his eyes and quickly looked towards a corner of the room using the light from the window.

In the dark corner, a silhouette gradually emerged.

It doesn't emerge from the shadows, but rather seems as if the shadows themselves have coalesced into form.

Pointed ears, a cloak, and eyes that gleam with a dangerous light.

Li Wei's pupils contracted; Batman had indeed arrived.