216-220

Chapter 216: Kite Man: This is a High-Stakes Game

Seeing the two guys duking it out on the ground frozen solid, Kite Man couldn't help but be surprised. 

"Whoa, is that your new weapon? Or is Freeze actually working with you? Or did you just swipe it from him?" 

"A... friend gave it to me." 

As Batman's voice rang out, the Batplane in the sky automatically dove down. A net deployed from beneath the fuselage, scooping up the ice block just as it skimmed the ground. Then the plane quickly pulled back up and flew over to where the two of them were. 

"Hang on to the wing. The guys on the ground are safe now." 

Batman said it briefly, then smoothly dropped into the cockpit through the automatically opening canopy. The canopy closed quickly, leaving Kite Man outside with his jaw dropped. 

"Seriously? You couldn't put in another seat?" 

Griping aside, Kite Man honestly just hung onto the plane's wing. He pressed the control button on his wrist, retracting the kite pack on his back to avoid being blown away by the strong wind pressure at high altitude. 

"Batman!" he yelled into the comms in his helmet. "Where are you taking them?" 

"No Man's Land." 

"How are we gonna beat them?" 

"I have a plan." 

Inside the Batplane, Batman had just set the flight path. He then looked at the surveillance feed that popped up on the screen, his expression serious. 

The screen showed someone in a black robe and a ghost-face mask, speeding down the street on a bicycle. In the blocks ahead of him was a sparse network of people forming a defense line. There were maybe a hundred of them, each carrying a gun and wearing a hat. A hundred people spread across three blocks might seem like a lot, but the defense line was actually pretty loose. 

But Batman had scouted the Mad Hatter's hat factory before. Based on the production speed and operating hours there, at least a thousand hats had already been made. Even counting the people spread out in Solomon's territory, there were still about five hundred people missing from the streets. 

"The Mad Hatter set a trap," he thought. "Just as we figured, this is the Riddler's gambit. He wants to know if there are any moles left in the crew – so tonight, I can't go help Cody." 

He closed the surveillance screen. Things on Cody's end were going smoothly. Now it was his turn to execute his part of the plan. 

Just then, Kite Man's voice came through the comms again. "Uh... Batman, you there?" 

"I'm here." 

"I don't think we're gonna make it to the destination." 

"That's within my expectations." 

"What?!" 

CRASH! 

The cockpit suddenly shook violently. A red danger alert lit up on the screen: "Warning! Left wing severely damaged, fuselage damaged..." 

"Batman! They're both thawed out! Clayface is wrecking the plane with a steel beam!" 

The moment Kite Man finished speaking, another loud crash came from outside the plane. A thick steel beam smashed down directly from above, shattering the cockpit glass. 

"Solomon broke free of the net too! He's climbing up!" 

"Kite Man, disengage now." 

Batman said it briefly, then climbed out of the Batplane through the broken glass. 

The rushing wind hit his back. He immediately leaped forward. A steel beam swung right over his head. The sheer kinetic energy was so terrifying it even created a small shockwave in the air. 

The Bat with his wings spread turned his head to look. Solomon and Clayface were currently standing on top of the nearly unbalanced plane, still duking it out. 

Kite Man flew above him, yelling into the comms, "The plane's gone! What do we do?!" 

"I knew it would crash. The mushrooms only work for four seconds, slowing them down for sixteen." 

And on these two big guys with non-human physiques, the effect would last even less time – this data was something he collected the last time he fought alongside Cody. 

As Batman answered, he was also confirming the plane's crash site location with his micro-computer – even though it had been calculated before takeoff, he needed to double-check now. 

"Then why the heck did you use the plane to carry them?! It's still a commercial district down there! If they fall, they could kill themselves or smash into people!" 

"The Batplane's crash site is a soccer field. Nobody's there right now," Batman replied. "Seeing my Batplane crash is the only way the others will believe I wasn't prepared for tonight's events." 

"I have no idea what you're talking about." 

"We need to get them to the destination – your kite pack has enough load capacity to support both their weights." 

Hearing Batman mention his kite pack, Kite Man's face immediately broke into a confident grin. It was his proud homemade gear, which he had upgraded several times over the past few days. 

"Most people wouldn't guess how high a kite's load capacity can be – Batman, you know your stuff." 

So the two of them flew towards Clayface and Solomon, who were plummeting rapidly from the sky. Even at that very moment, the two of them were still duking it out, seemingly completely unaware that they were high in the air. 

Batman raised his hand and fired his grapnel gun, pulling over the net that was nearby and tossing the other end to Kite Man. 

"Get ready." 

Kite Man gave a thumbs-up. "No problem." 

"It's – too – heavy!" 

Half a minute later, Kite Man, holding onto the net with both hands, was being pulled down rapidly by the terrifying weight. His kite pack was stretched to its limit, the tough alloy frame groaning under the strain. 

"Do they have to fight with those two steel beams?!" 

Batman was on the other side, also pulling hard on the net's ropes. But his gliding cape was originally designed for stealth, bulletproofing, explosion resistance, and flexibility as a specialized solo gear. It was completely different from Kite Man's rescue-oriented kite gear and simply couldn't handle that kind of weight. 

Actually, even if he just let go right then, it wouldn't really be a problem for him. 

"Do something! Batman, or we're gonna fall!" 

"Hold onto the net." 

After answering briefly, Batman reached into his utility belt again and pulled out a small, three-leaf clover. 

"I'm holding on! Now what do we do?" 

The moment he asked that question, Kite Man immediately shut up, because the strong wind at high altitude was getting bigger, distorting his face a bit. 

"Now control your flight direction." 

A strong pushing sensation came from behind. The strong wind was boosting Kite Man and Batman, and also lifting Solomon and Clayface in the net. The heavy pressure on the alloy frame was relieved, and that feeling of potentially falling apart at any second finally disappeared, along with the metal groaning. 

"What did you do?" 

"Doesn't matter." 

"Okay, where are we landing? You gotta tell me the destination." 

"The liquid nitrogen plant." 

"Good idea!" 

The kite pack sprayed thrusting air, and he slightly adjusted his position, flying towards the industrial district not far away. 

Chapter 217: A Cakewalk Infiltration 

Nighttime on the streets of the Upper West Side. 

"Doesn't look like there's many troops on this street..." 

Cody was crouched on the roof of a building, the dark night providing perfect cover. He carefully observed the patrol teams on the street. While they looked dangerous, honestly, if this was all the manpower they had, 

Then the Mad Hatter's defense grid was full of holes. 

Even if everyone on the street had a gun, even if the crowd had turned into obedient "robots" who weren't afraid of getting hurt, 

Even if it meant they couldn't be bought off or bribed, there just weren't enough of them. 

"Just like Batman said, way too few people. The Mad Hatter's setting a trap, he's got people hidden." 

Looking at the buildings around the theater now, peering into the windows, the rooms seemed empty. If you ignored the extra intel, infiltrating right now looked like the best bet. 

"Knowing it's a trap and still having to walk into it..." Cody sighed, rappelled down the side of the building to the ground, and took off his black robe. 

"Let's see, still got over half a bottle of Polyjuice Potion... Not bad, I've been pretty sparing with it usually. Guess I'll drink another half bottle. Six hours of disguise time should be enough." 

Thirty seconds later, a portly middle-aged man wearing a hat appeared on the street. His expression was stiff, his eyes distant. He held a gun in his hand too, blending seamlessly into the crowd on the street. 

The hat-wearing patrolmen on the street shuffled back and forth, completely oblivious. Occasionally, a few people would look up and glance at this unfamiliar "colleague." Seeing the hat on his head and the gun in his hand, they'd lose interest and continue wandering the streets like zombies. 

Under the Mad Hatter's mind control, they only retained the most basic thinking ability. They only relied on the most fundamental characteristics for identification. As long as you had a hat on and a gun in your hand, it didn't matter that Cody looked totally unremarkable. Even if the Joker himself showed up in a nurse's cap and dress, they wouldn't react at all. 

He slowly followed the other hat-wearing controlled citizens toward the theater, hidden within the group, making himself less noticeable. But he wasn't using his Master-level stealth abilities, because he wasn't sure if he was being specifically watched right now. Whether facing the Joker or the Riddler, the only skills he'd shown were his marksmanship and cycling – that would make them feel he was somewhat useful but not much of a threat. 

Stealth skills are for hiding yourself. The skill itself should be the one with the least presence. That was the insight Master-level stealth brought Cody. 

Step, step, step... 

Cody mingled with the crowd, gradually approaching the theater where the Mad Hatter was. People were moving back and forth around him. In the dark night, only the dense, dull sound of footsteps echoed on the street. Besides that, there was no extra human noise, which made Cody feel extremely oppressed. 

After being controlled, they wouldn't do anything outside of their instructions. So no idle chatter, no smoking. If Mad Hatter didn't give them orders, they would keep walking the streets until they died of thirst or the muscles in their legs dissolved, completely losing their ability to stand – whichever came first. 

Remember our 101 reading website 

"Hey, hey, that guy over there!" 

Suddenly, a voice called out from the crowd. Two gunmen in black suits carrying automatic rifles walked over. One big guy even pointed his gun directly at the crowd in front of him. 

However, the portly middle-aged man wearing the red hat seemed not to notice. His steps didn't falter at all. Along with the other unresponsive people, he walked right past the two big guys and continued towards the theater. 

The other gunman, who hadn't raised his gun, seemed a bit confused. He turned his head and asked, "What'd you see?" 

"I saw a fat guy in the crowd, looked kinda unfamiliar." 

"You outta your mind? There are hundreds of people on the street, with new ones showing up now and then. Not to mention... how the hell are you gonna remember that many faces?" 

"Heh heh, alright... I just saw a pretty hot woman in red in the crowd, really good figure, wanted to get a closer look." 

"Don't go stirring up trouble. The Mad Hatter already said those people only listen to his orders, like they're sleepwalking. They wouldn't react even if the sky fell." 

"So that means if I just dragged her into an alley, she wouldn't resist either?" 

"You dare interrupt her mission, she'll straight up empty a clip into you. Wanna test it out?" 

Hearing his partner, the big guy looked at the back of the woman in the red dress, and finally chuckled, withdrawing his gaze. 

"Nah, forget it. Not worth pissing off that freak..." 

"That's right. The people wearing hats are all the Mad Hatter's stuff. They're expendable to him, but not to you." 

Behind the two, Cody, who had narrowly avoided trouble, quietly let out a long breath. The natural reaction to being called out was to turn and look, or at least freeze up for a second. Luckily, he reacted fast and held it together. Otherwise, if he'd been spotted, it would've been a shootout. 

The people outside were civilians. Getting into a firefight right here would definitely be the worst option. 

He continued forward with the group until he reached the area around the theater. He found he couldn't go any further inside – not a single person wearing a hat was going through the main entrance into the theater. This meant the Mad Hatter had set boundaries for the mind-controlled citizens, and he couldn't just blend in with the other groups to get inside. 

Should he disguise himself as another gang member? But he definitely wouldn't hold up under close inspection. The guards at the entrance didn't look like they'd be slacking... 

BOOM! 

Just as he was thinking, a flash of explosion suddenly lit up the distance, followed by thick, rolling smoke. 

Clayface had started. He instantly understood. That explosion was probably his attack on Solomon. 

He wasn't surprised by this. Poison Ivy, in any universe, was an extremely fanatical plant rights activist. 

Fertilizer and extinction flower seeds were usually enough to get her help. She was a good ally candidate – at least when she wasn't causing trouble. 

Ivy had told him about the Riddler's arrangements, and after discussing it with Batman, they'd agreed on tonight's plan. 

"What's going on?" 

The other Falcone gunmen nearby weren't aware of the situation over there. Seeing the street where Solomon was located go up in flames, everyone instinctively looked shocked and stared in that direction. 

A few minutes later, a dark fighter jet with two massive monsters streaked across the city sky. 

The two guards at the entrance were stunned. They ran a few steps out, trying to get a clear look at what was in the sky. And right then, a figure circled around the back of them from the crowd and quietly slipped into the theater through the gap they'd left. 

Chapter 218: The Mad Hatter? Is That All? 

"Batman's assist came in clutch, didn't it..." 

Cody cautiously made his way into the theater. Batman's plane was making a huge racket. Right now, all the gangsters inside and outside the theater were distracted by the explosion from the factory area and the monster in the sky. Outside, it was total chaos. Only the crowds controlled by the Mad Hatter's hats remained unaffected, mechanically carrying out their patrol orders. 

"What's going on? What happened?" 

"What was that explosion about?" 

"Sounds like it came from the factory Solomon Grundy the monster was guarding. Maybe that big lug went nuts – he didn't look quite right anyway." 

"Rayson, Rayson! What's happening by the door!" 

"This is Rayson. At the door, I saw Batman flying off in a plane with Grundy and Clayface! Looked like Kite Man was clinging onto the side too." 

"What?!" 

"Yeah, that's the situation. The plane's flown off, and we can't see it anymore." 

"Where's the Mad Hatter? Isn't he gonna tell us to help?" 

"That's between the superheroes and the super-monsters. No point in us worrying about it. Let's just focus on guarding the theater." 

For a bit, everyone started chattering. The news about Batman grabbing two supervillains spread fast through the theater. But the Mad Hatter didn't give any orders to go help, and there was no new word from the Joker either. 

Just then, a man's voice suddenly blared over the theater's intercom. 

"Listen up, all you idiots in the theater! Don't you dare run around! Don't freak out and start whining! Anyone who messes up my rehearsal stage... they're gonna die!" 

The man's voice was almost hysterical, yelling. His jumbled words had a hint of madness and immaturity, like an underdeveloped kid. 

"That's the Mad Hatter..." Cody stayed hidden in the shadows, watching the theater staff run around in a panic, their steps hurried. He used their distraction to move further inside, pretty sure the voice on the intercom was the Mad Hatter. 

Just like the intel he'd gotten before, the Mad Hatter really hadn't fully developed – he was a natural-born dwarf with stunted growth. And yeah, he'd taken an experimental drug that wasn't fully ready. It didn't cure him; instead, it turned him into a total head case. Increased aggression, pathological obsession, paranoid thinking, psychopathy... That's why the voice on the intercom sounded like a kid but also so completely bonkers. 

"How come everyone who makes it in Gotham is a total nutjob...?" Cody muttered under his breath as he headed deeper into the theater. Even though the Mad Hatter's yelling on the intercom sent the guards back to their posts, it actually gave him a small opening. 

The whole theater was huge, so most of the place was still guarded by a ton of guys wearing those hats. Cody blended in, wearing a hat himself, and nobody spotted him. 

Cody cruised through most checkpoints without a hitch. But the further he got inside, the more Falcone family guys there were. Clearly, the Mad Hatter, or maybe the Joker, had put the mobsters in the core area. It was for security, and probably to keep everyone in check. 

As he got close to the core section, he realized this was another off-limits zone for the controlled people – only family members could go in. 

But when he saw that, Cody actually felt a sense of relief. 

"Okay, the plan's pretty much set from here..." 

Just then, a guy in a black suit pushed through the crowd, and Cody's eyes lit up. The guy was about his size, complete with a beer belly. 

"Perfect," he thought, as he squeezed in next to the guy and followed him into an empty corner. The guy still had no clue – they'd been around the hat-wearing crowds for so long, they'd totally dropped their guard around these "robots" who just followed orders. 

While the guy had his back to him, he quickly wrapped his right arm around the guy's neck, locking it with his left arm, pulling off a swift rear-naked choke. 

"Hah—!" 

As the muscles in his arm tightened, they clamped down hard on the guy's neck, cutting off blood flow to the brain and air to the lungs. The guy desperately opened his mouth, but even his voice was trapped in his throat, only managing faint gasping sounds. He struggled with everything he had, but they were about the same size and weight, and he couldn't break free from the choke, which was already locked in. 

His struggle didn't last long. After just a few seconds, the guy lost consciousness completely, his body going limp. Cody supported him, carried him into the theater's bathroom, and swapped clothes with him. 

As Cody walked in wearing the suit, he looked calm and acted naturally. His appearance made him look totally like a Falcone family guy. 

He walked right through the mobsters lining the hallway on both sides, but they didn't even glance at him. That attitude of only looking at the clothes and not the person, not even bothering to remember a buddy's face, was something else. 

This is the Mad Hatter? The Mad Hatter is this? This? This kind of defense might stop a huge number of goons attacking. It might even tie up a superhero, keeping them from fighting effectively. But if the other side sent in a supervillain who's a total psycho, someone who's lived on the edge and kills without a second thought, to pull off a decapitation strike... wouldn't the Mad Hatter just get taken out instantly? 

"Hey kid, hold up—" 

A voice cut off Cody's progress. A Falcone member by a big door stopped him. "How come you look so unfamiliar? You a family member from this block?" 

"Nope?" 

"Huh?" 

"Nope?" 

So the guy across from him raised his pistol. 

"Alright, alright." Cody sighed. "Actually, I'm new. That's why I seem a little unfamiliar to you." 

At that answer, the guy's eyes turned dangerous. His hand cocked the hammer. 

"That answer's not very convincing." 

Cody's muscles tensed. If things went south, he was ready to just force his way in from there. 

Just then, another gunman walked over. "Idiot, you forget? After the Ventriloquist got nabbed, a bunch of our guys ran over from those blocks." 

The guy across from him eyed Cody suspiciously, his gun still raised. 

"Alright, frisk him – Kid, you can't go in with weapons." 

"Alright..." 

Cody held up his hands. His two guns were stashed in the mall anyway; he didn't have any weapons on him right now. 

So the guy ran his hands over Cody's waist, pant legs, and shoes. He patted down his pockets too. 

"Looks like he's clean," he said. "But don't move yet. There's something I wanna confirm is yours." 

"What's that?" 

"A black robe and mask left in the bathroom." 

Chapter 219: Ah, To Be Young... Out Like a Light 

Cody didn't resist. 

To be precise, he no longer had the will to resist. 

The moment they mentioned the black robe and mask in the restroom, a wool hat was clapped onto his head from behind. 

Immediately, his eyes went blank, his tensed muscles relaxed instantly, and he just stood there, completely spaced out. 

"Mr. Saul, you don't seem very careful." 

The two Falcone gunmen put away their guns. Their voices sounded completely at ease, as if they'd been expecting Cody's move tonight all along. 

Just then, the Mad Hatter's voice came through their walkie-talkies. 

"Has the rabbit who jumped down the hole been caught?" 

"Caught him, boss." 

"Then bring him up to the stage." 

Hearing the Mad Hatter's voice, Cody's body moved like a puppet on strings. At this moment, his demeanor was no different from the hundreds of controlled civilians. 

The two guys opened the door and led the automatically following Cody inside. He didn't resist at all. Only when he saw the black robe and mask they were holding did a flicker of confusion surface deep in his mind. 

What are those things? Why do they feel so familiar? Are that black robe and mask mine? Who am I? 

However, the miniature chip in the hat's stitching started working again at that moment. A few seconds later, the emotions in his heart were suppressed once more. 

Just inside the door was the theater's stage area. Standing on it were actors in costumes with their makeup done. Most of them wore hats and were playing characters from "Alice in Wonderland" on the stage. 

The Dodo, the Cheshire Cat, the Rabbit, the Queen of Hearts, the Jack of Hearts, and a line of "Alices" – they were the only characters on stage without hats. 

And in the very center, the Mad Hatter. 

Or rather, a puppet in the very center. 

Clearly, the Mad Hatter wasn't on the stage, or maybe he wasn't even in the theater at all. 

"Boss, we're at the stage." 

"Excellent, I'll be right there – wait for me a little bit." 

The Mad Hatter hung up the communication, and so the few of them waited quietly. Meanwhile, the people on stage continued to repeat their lines and perform their scenes over and over, tireless and endless. 

In the night sky over Gotham, the moonlight illuminated a black bat and a green kite flying across the heavens. Boosted by the strong breeze, the two finally dragged Clayface and Solomon Grundy, along with two attached steel beams, to the airspace above the industrial park. 

"We're here. The liquid nitrogen factory is below." 

Kite Man looked down. Clayface's muddy tendrils were wrapped tightly around Solomon Grundy's neck, while Solomon's hands were still tearing at Clayface's body. 

"Looks good. These two are still going at it pretty hard. Guess they're kinda fired up." 

"Only temporarily." 

Clayface's mission was to tie up Batman. In his mind, the Bat's priority was always higher than Solomon's. He just needed a little time, and his thinking ability would reclaim the high ground in his intelligence. 

"What now? Drop them in the factory? Then fly down and use the liquid nitrogen facilities on them?" 

"No need for that." 

Batman looked down at the factory below. The Batcomputer immediately brought up its internal structure diagram and displayed it on his cowl. The factory's layout, pipelines, and the location of the liquid nitrogen storage were instantly laid bare in his eyes. 

"Kite Man, let go." 

"No problem – where exactly should I drop 'em?" 

"Just let go. I'll adjust the position." 

"Alright." 

Kite Man immediately released his hands. The weight in the net was terrifyingly heavy; his arms had been about to give out for ages. If it hadn't been for that gust of wind, Clayface and Solomon Grundy might have dropped halfway there. 

Batman felt the weight on his hands increase sharply. He spread his cape to its maximum extent, using all his strength to catch the air, like a bat fighting with all its might to maintain its flight path – although this posture could only last for a few seconds, it did slightly alter the trajectory of the two in the net. 

After flying for two more seconds, he saw several massive liquid nitrogen storage tanks lined up on the ground, shimmering with condensation under the moonlight. 

The moment he saw the storage tanks, Batman had already finished thinking. He didn't let go there. Instead, he held on for another three seconds. When the net's trajectory aligned with the trajectory the Batcomputer had given him, he finally let go. 

And so the net plummeted towards the factory. 

According to Batman's initial plan, he had originally intended to drop them directly into the liquid nitrogen storage tanks. Although calculations showed this would cause a massive explosion, there was no one in the factory at this hour, and Solomon and Clayface themselves couldn't be killed by that kind of damage; they would only lose their ability to keep fighting – their vitality was too strong. 

As for now, this plan could be slightly optimized. He had another, safer method. 

As he let go, he also took another ice-blue mushroom from his utility belt and threw it towards the two entangled in mid-air. 

When the net began to freefall from high altitude, the feeling of falling at full speed finally jolted Clayface awake from his rage. But the fall damage posed no threat to him, so he still maintained his viscous body, tightly wrapping Solomon Grundy's hands – this height was much higher than his own jump. By the time Solomon hit the ground, he'd likely lose most of his fighting ability. 

It wasn't until the moment Batman's mushroom left his hand that he realized something was wrong. 

So he instantly turned back into an extremely soft puddle of mud and slid out from Solomon Grundy's fingertips at full speed, drilling out through the holes in the net. 

But it was still a little late. 

Crack, crack, crack— 

Still the familiar sound, still the familiar freezing sensation. 

Clayface cursed Batman fiercely in his mind, but his body was already locked solid by the ice. He and Solomon Grundy plummeted downwards at high speed together. 

Even if he successfully broke free from the ice layer three seconds later, his body was still sluggish and slow. He strained with all his might, but the viscous mud mass had become quite stiff and solid, making movement incredibly difficult, and he couldn't even change shape. 

At this moment, Solomon Grundy, who had also broken free, reached out his hand towards the mud mass. A cruel grin appeared on his face, and he squeezed the mud mass that was Clayface tightly in his hand. 

"Solomon Grundy, born on a Monday!" 

BOOM! 

Carrying several tons of weight, the two finally landed on the upper levels of the factory building. The terrifying impact of the high-speed fall sent them crashing through multiple layers of wall panels, finally precisely breaking the liquid nitrogen transport pipelines and collapsing onto the ground. 

Liquid nitrogen gas at over minus 190 degrees Celsius jetted out from the pipelines, continuously covering the unconscious Solomon Grundy and the struggling Clayface. 

Ten seconds later, Batman flew in carrying a bucket of water and poured it over Clayface. The fight for the day was officially over – Clayface was frozen solid. 

If Cody had been there, he probably would've sighed, "Ah, to be young, indeed. Just crash out like that." 

Chapter 220: We All Have a Bright Future 

While Batman was taking down Clayface and Grundy, the Mad Hatter reached the theater stage. 

Normally, someone bouncing around with a baby face would be kinda cute, since they look like a kid. But the Mad Hatter was different; he was hideous. The growth drugs he took back then didn't just mess up his mind, they ruined his face too, making him incredibly twisted and ugly. So, when he walked in with that face sporting a grim and menacing expression, it really snapped Cody's attention. His emotions, which had finally calmed down, instantly surged back up. 

A thought popped into his head: Where'd this Squash Zombie come from? 

But right then, the microchip kicked in again, suppressing Cody's second emotional outburst. 

"This is the Abnormal Cyclist?" The Mad Hatter scurried over to Cody's side, sizing him up like merchandise on a shelf. He waved a hand, and someone brought over a small stool and lifted him onto it. 

Standing on the stool, the Mad Hatter was barely as tall as Cody. He reached out and pinched Cody's ear, pulled at his mouth, examined his teeth, pupils, face shape, and neck. After a moment, he shook his head regretfully. 

"No," he said, disappointed. "He can't act at all. There's no role for him on my stage." 

As he spoke, he seemed to get angry again. He suddenly kicked Cody hard in the chest, sending him staggering back a couple steps. The Mad Hatter himself tumbled backward. If two Falcone family gunmen hadn't grabbed him mid-air, he would have fallen straight to the floor. 

"This guy's useless! Kill him!" 

The Mad Hatter seemed pretty worked up and embarrassed. He pulled out his pistol and jammed it right against Cody's forehead. Meanwhile, a feeling of extreme danger shot through Cody. It made the hair on his arms stand up, and his mind instantly cleared. 

Oh, right. Not a Squash Zombie. The Mad Hatter. 

He didn't resist at all. He kept pretending to be in a daze, then, under the chip's influence, returned to the controlled state. 

The Mad Hatter didn't shoot either. He stared at Cody for a few seconds, saw that he really seemed to be controlled, and put his gun down, reassured. 

"Whatever," he mumbled. "My Ding Dong Brother got nabbed by Batman. And I happen to need a bodyguard who can fight. This guy's barely good enough – Hey you, bring over his black robe." 

"Boss, why put that robe back on him?" 

"Idiot, don't you hate useless guys who can't play any role on stage? Since he's good for nothing, just let him play his own role again – the Abnormal Cyclist. At least that's easier on the eyes than some middle-aged guy with a beer belly." 

So two guys in black put the black robe and mask back on Cody. 

The instant the hood went over his head, Cody's sharp mind took charge again. His eyes, which had looked vacant and controlled, returned to that same clear, vacant look. 

Just waiting for you to put that hood back on. 

Of course, it would've been fine if he hadn't. Either way, he couldn't possibly kick the bucket. Before coming in, Cody had already activated his "I Didn't Kill Anyone" skill once. Within a twenty-meter radius centered on him, no attack could kill anyone – that was one of his safety nets. 

As for the second safety net, that was the [Feigned Death] skill he'd already used once on Deadshot. 

[Feigned Death Notes: Literal meaning, can maintain a state of feigning death. If taking fatal damage within ten seconds of triggering the skill, survival can be maintained for ten seconds, but the body cannot move during this time. Notes 2: Guo Haihuang gave it a thumbs up.] 

When facing a fatal threat, Cody's beginner-level mental resistance kicks in, helping him break free from lower-level control. This means the Feigned Death skill also acts as a dispel effect at this moment. 

Of course, Cody had two more backup plans, but if possible, he'd rather not use them. If the Mad Hatter was cooperative and just put the black robe on him, things would be a lot simpler. Luckily, the guy was pretty cooperative. 

"Alright, guess that's that," the Mad Hatter shrugged. "Tell the Joker I've snagged a supervillain for his crew. Meh, this job's really not that hard." 

"What? The Mad Hatter got the Abnormal Cyclist?" 

The Joker listened to the report over the comms, and the corners of his mouth drooped even further. 

"That idiot... Why didn't he tell me before doing something like this? Without him, I'll have to find someone else to give me intel on the Riddler. The Abnormal Cyclist was way more valuable staying with the Riddler than coming over here to be muscle. Or rather, his value was from the Riddler." 

"A dog that might betray you is worth throwing a bone to. A dog that already betrayed you is worthless." 

"Ah, well, whatever. Since the Mad Hatter already got him, just let him be useful somehow – cannon fodder, a killer, a bodyguard, whatever... He's useless to me now anyway." 

The next day's Gotham Gazette gave a detailed rundown of the crazy stuff that went down last night, including the news that Solomon Grundy and Clayface got busted by Batman, and that the Abnormal Cyclist was controlled by the Mad Hatter and joined the Joker's crew. Basically, everyone figured Batman won big, the Joker won a little, and the Riddler was the only loser. 

In reality though, the three parties felt completely different from what the Gotham citizens thought. 

Batman, well, obviously. He'd once again hauled two key enemy heavy-hitters back to Arkham and planted an undercover guy in the Joker's crew. Sure, he lost a Batwing, but that kind of loss was practically nothing to him. 

Winner! 

As for the Joker, his mouth was still drooping. Even though nobody knew he'd lost a high-level mole, he had gained a valuable fighter at this crucial point. On paper, the supervillain count was now five to three – him with five, the Riddler with three. You could say he had the clear advantage. 

Winner! 

And finally, the Riddler. After getting the news that "Cody was captured by the Mad Hatter," he popped champagne last night and threw a celebration party. All the supervillains saw their usually serious boss hugging a champagne bottle and doing a flamenco dance. 

Oh wait, you can't call him 'Boss' anymore. After Cody's 'baptism,' the Riddler had developed PTSD for that word and insisted everyone call him Nygma or the Riddler. 

And everyone else was pretty understanding about both things. In fact, some guys even joined Nygma when he was dancing. No big reason, really. They just wanted to celebrate that Saul, the pro team-seller, was finally gone. It pretty much doubled their sense of security. 

Winner! 

Last were the Gotham citizens. For them, Batman and Kite Man winning meant the chance of Gotham returning to order had increased again. 

Winner! 

Undeniably a four-way win. That night, everyone in Gotham City had a bright future. 

(End of Chapter)