Chapter 72: Arkham Asylum Overcrowded
The moment he opened his eyes, Allen found himself being watched by multiple pairs of eyes.
"Don't look at me like that~ So embarrassing~ Hehehehehe…"
Allen pulled the blanket over his head and let out an eerie laugh.
Hiss…
The surrounding criminals felt their scalps tingle.
This guy had suddenly appeared in Arkham Asylum out of nowhere, instantly attracting everyone's attention.
That's right—he had materialized without any warning, which made the situation all the more bizarre. Naturally, they gathered around to observe if there was anything special about him.
"Wait a minute."
Allen suddenly threw off the blanket, scanned the people around him, and asked in confusion, "Why are all of you in Arkham?"
Two-Face, Scarecrow, Penguin, Riddler, Mad Hatter… The only one who made sense being here was Poison Ivy.
Before traveling across timelines, he had even greeted her.
"We came back voluntarily," Edward admitted.
"So you guys finally realized that you're mentally ill and decided to mend your ways by receiving treatment." Allen looked at them with an expression of relief, as if they were promising students who had finally shown some potential.
You're the crazy one! Your whole family is crazy!
"The outside is filled with vampires. They came here seeking refuge," Poison Ivy, Lillian, explained.
"Vampires…"
Allen dragged out his voice, his smile growing brighter. Then, he sighed in relief. "Thank goodness I'm a man. They have no way to suck me."
"…"
"They suck blood from the neck! And they can't be exposed to sunlight! What are you even talking about?" Lillian explained again, exasperated.
"Oh, that kind of vampire."
Allen suddenly looked disappointed.
The criminals' faces twisted in disdain—what are you disappointed about?!
Through conversation, he learned that Gotham's chaos had reached a level where even criminals didn't dare to wander the streets at night. One misstep, and a shadow might flash by, dragging them into an alley.
In fact, quite a few gang leaders had either pretended to be insane or turned themselves in, hiding in Arkham Asylum and Blackgate Prison.
At the very least, they had heavily armed security forces for protection, which kept the vampires from attacking easily.
"Shouldn't City Hall do something about this?"
Allen spoke as if it were common sense. "If something happens, call the police. Didn't your teachers teach you that in school?"
The crowd collectively rolled their eyes at him. Did he ever stop to think about why Gotham had become a paradise for criminals?
Would the police even bother to protect criminals who called them for help?
Besides, both the legal and illegal factions of Gotham had already noticed the vampires' presence. The bloodsuckers weren't rampaging openly, but they had caused a significant number of disappearances. Every available officer was already searching for the missing people.
Allen got out of bed and slipped into his slippers, sighing with emotion. "What would Gotham do without me?"
Honestly, Gotham seemed a lot more normal without him.
Changing into his signature suit, Allen grabbed his custom-designed glider.
"The Comedic Bat returns!"
Boo—
The entire room erupted in jeers. The criminals ignored him and went back to the lounge to pass the time.
No matter how chaotic Gotham became, in the end, it was Batman who bore the burden.
They just had to wait for things to settle before making their comeback.
Strapping his foldable electric bike onto his back, Allen scaled the electrified fence.
Under the cover of night, he pedaled toward Gotham's city center.
Meanwhile, in his office, Warden Quincy watched Allen leave through the window but made no move to stop him.
To be honest, he just wanted Gotham to return to normal as soon as possible.
The asylum was overcrowded with criminals, and he was constantly worried that they'd riot and take his life.
---
Gotham, once a bustling metropolis, now felt eerily desolate.
Traffic had significantly decreased, and patrol cars were far more frequent.
Even though the city's officials were trying to cover things up, the public had a keen sense of danger. As a result, most people avoided going out at night.
At this moment, Allen was pushing his electric bike along the street.
"Damn it, why does Bat-boy make such garbage? The battery ran out halfway through."
The bike had died before he even reached the city, forcing him to walk.
But to be fair, it wasn't really Bruce's fault.
Allen had never once charged the bike since getting it.
He had ridden it for at least a week straight—proof that the battery technology was actually quite advanced.
Wayne Enterprises hadn't mass-produced these bikes because the battery cost was too high. It was still cheaper to buy a gas-powered car.
"Hey, handsome. All alone?"
As he passed by an alley, a scantily clad young woman called out to him.
She had golden wavy hair, a tight crop top that barely contained her ample curves, and a neckline so tight it emphasized her unnatural bust size.
"Three people."
Allen raised both hands and introduced, "My ex-girlfriend, Lefty, and my current girlfriend, Righty."
"…"
The streetwalker froze for a moment, thinking she might have run into a lunatic.
Forcing a smile, she said, "You're funny. You a Batman fan?"
Allen pushed his bike aside, leaned against the wall with one hand, and struck a dramatic pose.
"Bat-boy is my junior. I'm Buttman! This is my latest 'Comedic Bat' skin. Cool, right?"
As he spoke, he adjusted the pointed ears on his gloves.
"…So cool," the woman said dryly.
Allen took a step closer, his expression suddenly turning serious.
"Don't be scared. I'm not a good person."
Uh…
The streetwalker hooked her arm around his and purred, "Wanna come inside and have some fun? I've got plenty of sisters~"
"For real!?"
Allen's expression shifted instantly, and he solemnly declared, "Ahem… Helping others is my duty as the Comedic Bat."
"You're so considerate."
The woman led Allen into the alley.
Through an iron door and down a flight of stairs, they entered a spacious underground venue.
Men and women swayed in the dance floor's flashing lights, lost in the deafening music.
"So you're not a streetwalker. You're in the alcohol business," Allen muttered in disappointment.
A short while later, he was led to a private room on the second floor.
Awkwardly, he said, "I didn't bring money. I'll come back another day."
"What's money got to do with it?"
The woman shoved him onto the couch and reassured him, "It's my treat. Let's just be friends."
"You should've said so earlier. I was so nervous."
Allen sprawled out on the couch, arms wide open, legs crossed, and boasted, "Bring me the most expensive liquor! And call in some ladies to liven things up."
"…"
"You're an interesting one. Wait here. I'll call my sisters over."
Stepping out of the room, the woman licked her lips. Her sharp fangs glinted as she muttered excitedly, "Who cares if he's normal? Let's feast first."
Soon, a waiter brought in a few bottles of whiskey.
Then, several dolled-up women entered the room, their eyes practically devouring Allen.
"Handsome, a toast to you."
All of them were vampires—low-tier hybrids with no special abilities beyond longevity.
They usually hunted by seducing their targets, waiting until they were relaxed or drunk before draining their blood.
Allen casually pushed his glass aside and calmly stated, "You're vampires, aren't you?"
The room fell into an eerie silence.
The five vampire women stared at him with murderous intent.
Allen removed his mask, pulled down his collar to reveal his neck, and began bouncing excitedly.
"Come on, bite me! Bite me! I'm so biteable!"
What kind of lunatic gets excited about being bitten?!
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