There is no Batman in Gotham City comics.

Chapter 38 Crystal Night

Upon entering the garage, Qin Wei was somewhat disappointed.

Perhaps because this timeline is set in the late 20th century, the dozen or so cars in the garage are all old models. The first Lamborghini 1987 looks boxy, like a Transformer that came out of an American cartoon from the same era.

The 1980 Rolls-Royce was quite nice, with its wide, long body and sharp angles, perfectly matching the image of a mob boss. Unfortunately, Gotham has no shortage of wealthy people, and this was probably the most common luxury car seen on the road.

The 93 Porsche might be the best-looking one here, but in Qin Wei's opinion, it's not even as good as Oswald's dark green Ford GT.

While the little penguin was still marveling at the sight, Qin Wei had already lost interest.

Until he saw another machine hidden in the corner by a tarpaulin.

Lifting the car cover, the blood-red 1963 Ferrari GT bared its fangs like a hungry shark.

The streamlined design exudes the smooth feel unique to sports cars, while the spoked wheel design also incorporates a retro aesthetic. More importantly, it's expensive! If Qin Wei remembers correctly, this car had already been hyped up to an astronomical price in his timeline.

Qin Wei already had the answer in his heart...

boom!

With the roar of the engine, the Ferrari sped out of the underground parking garage, and the two men rolled down their windows and laughed wildly.

This car is Dodge's most cherished collection. After driving it to the track at top speed a few times, it has never been on the ground again. The engine is suspended in the air for break-in, the paint is as clean as new, it needs to be waxed every week, and there isn't a single pebble stuck in the tires.

But just as the saying goes, "The treasure you hold in your palm, I stand up and step on the gas." Oswald pressed the accelerator without any mercy, wantonly blasting the exhaust on the country roads, occasionally drifting, and after only a few miles, the car was covered in mud.

If Dodge were alive, he would surely be driven to his death by Oswald, that scoundrel who has no sense of chivalry.

The two set off from the northern suburbs, speeding around the city and around the outskirts of Gotham City on the west bank of the river, before returning to the Lower District via the Brown Bridge.

Reuss wasn't exaggerating; the entire East End was truly in complete chaos.

The incident began at 7 p.m. At first, there was not a single citizen to be seen on the streets. Instead, a group of Roman thugs dressed in black, along with a large number of local thugs, were searching for people from house to house.

These guys are violent and impulsive. They barged into a house and ransacked it, smashing windows and kicking down doors. Before leaving, they didn't forget to steal some valuables. They're just like the hero players in RPG games who are fighting against the demon king.

The NPCs in the game don't fight back, but the residents of the Lower District do, and besides, the Lower District isn't solely controlled by the Mafia. There's also the eccentric Red Hood gang.

By 9 p.m., the citizens, gangsters, and Red Hoods were locked in a fierce battle.

Trash cans were kicked over, scattering empty bottles and old newspapers across the street. Some people carried iron shovels and smashed them at what appeared to be enemies, while others comically lifted bucket lids and ducked behind them, wary of possible sniper shots from around the corner.

Streetlights were smashed out, utility poles were knocked down, and exposed wires were soaked in puddles, spreading joy through the gaps in the steps and streets.

So everyone on the street got infected, their bodies stiffening and trembling with pleasure. When they got tired, they just lay down; it didn't matter who was friend or foe—everyone did it!

Anyone who could stand atop the church steeple overlooking the lower district would be amazed by the spectacular chaos and would applaud repeatedly.

The city was on fire, and gunshots rang out everywhere. The thick smoke they raised blended into the entire city, filling every street and alley. Only when the firelight shone could the smoke be distinguished from the buildings.

The situation was completely out of control. Qin Wei had not expected Maroni to pull off such a big stunt, and Maroni had not expected the Red Hood's counterattack to be so fierce.

The situation was like an out-of-control mining cart, speeding along an aging track, and then being thrown into an abyss at a turn.

The suspension bridge leading to the lower area was closed, so the two had to park their car on the other side of the bridge and walk across it.

What comes into view is a lower district bathed in firelight and thick smoke.

Things went completely beyond Qin Wei's expectations and were difficult to resolve.

He realized that it all seemed to stem from what he had said to Dick a dozen hours earlier.

This completely changed Dick's storyline.

Qin Wei could use his courage and strategy, along with the spoilers, to outmaneuver every character who appears, even managing to outmaneuver a mob boss like Maroni.

But if anyone tries to disrupt the original storyline, the world will retaliate with the fiercest counterattack.

This time was alright; Dick wasn't a main character, and changing his storyline didn't threaten his personal safety. But what about next time? Especially when he tries to stop Harvey Dent from becoming Two-Face, what terrible things will happen then?

A long line of police cars sped past, followed by fire trucks and ambulances.

"What do we do now?" Oswald asked the question as usual, but this time Qin Wei didn't know how to answer.

He stood at the bridgehead, feeling lost for the first time.

After a long while, he shook his head.

"I have to go home! I promised my dead brothers that one day the Senate would become the true Senate of the Roman Empire, and I cannot let it be destroyed in this riot!"

"Are you crazy!" Qin Wei grabbed Oswald's arm, but he broke free.

"I know it's dangerous, but I have to go. Just wait for me here."

Oswald took off his suit, loosened his tie, and charged into the chaotic lower district without hesitation.

Qin Wei clicked his tongue. He knew Oswald was loyal, but his impulsive and reckless behavior was so different from the cunning and ruthless penguin in the cartoon.

This unkempt appearance makes him seem like he could never become a gang leader.

But Qin Wei couldn't just leave the other party alone, so after a slight hesitation, he followed.

The two walked through the streets and alleys one after the other.

Oswald put on his brass knuckles, easily dispatched a few red-hooded thugs, and pulled Qin Wei into a side alley. The street was in chaos; taking the shortcut through the alley was the wisest choice.

Taking advantage of their familiarity with the Lower East Side, the two crouched low as they weaved through the crisscrossing alleyways.

Just as they were about to reach the Senate by walking out of the alley and crossing another street, a large group of people in red hoods blocked their way at the alley entrance.

The Red Hoods looked like they had been fighting for a long time; not a single piece of their clothing was intact. They leaned against the wall, panting, with several Roman corpses lying haphazardly at their feet.

Fortunately, the enemy is in the open, while Qin Wei and his men are in the shadows, so there's still time to avoid battle.

Oswald was slowly backing away when Qin Wei suddenly grabbed him.

"careful……"

Qin Wei lowered his voice and pointed to the other person's feet.

Oswald looked down and saw an empty bottle; he would have stepped on it if no one had warned him.

— Ugh! I knew there would be this cliché plot. Every time the protagonist sneaks away, he has to step on something and make a noise, and then a big battle is inevitable. Can we please stop using this overused trope?!

Qin Wei snorted coldly, a slight smirk appearing on his lips, a smile reminiscent of wrestler "The Pope" D'Angelo. He was quite pleased with himself for predicting the plot's development.

But soon the plot delivered a resounding slap to the mockers in another way—footsteps echoed from the other end of the alley, followed by another group of red-hooded figures peeking out from around the corner.

They were surrounded.

This time, there was nowhere for the two to hide. Red Hood looked up and spotted his prey.

Oswald drew his pistol:

"Don't come any closer!"

In response, the other side unanimously pulled out a barrage of guns:

"OK! OK! I admit I was a bit loud just now, it was my fault." Oswald awkwardly touched his nose.

He put down his gun and saw the red-hooded men on both sides eagerly surrounding him.

"Wow! I didn't expect it to be Mr. Oswald from the East District! What's wrong? I heard your underlings are all dead and you're all alone now?" The leader, Red Hood, recognized Little Penguin. He also lived in the East District and had been badly beaten by the latter half a month ago. Naturally, the two enemies were extremely hostile to each other.

Qin Wei quietly clenched his fists.

The Red Hoods and the Lower Romans had a long-standing feud. With the Lower Romans in turmoil, these thugs would not let their lone enemy go. If they surrendered, a brutal and inhumane massacre would surely await the two men.

They had to find a way to fight back, but the two were at the intersection of two alleys, with dark gun barrels in front and behind them. It seemed like a certain death situation.