chapter 170 part 2
As soon as he landed, Jack was startled by the sight before him.
The interior of the chemical plant was vast, desolate, and gloomy. Intersecting pipes snaked and coiled across the ceiling and walls like a gigantic spiderweb, isolating this place from the outside world.
"Keep up, don't wander off," one of the Red Hood Gang members said to Jack in a low, menacing voice.
Jack hurriedly nodded, following closely behind them.
They carefully bypassed one obstacle after another, approaching their target.
Soon, a thick, sturdy iron door, as imposing as a fortress gate, appeared before them. Its rivets were large and prominent, reflecting a cold, hard metallic sheen in the dim light.
There was no doubt that the priceless precision machinery was behind this door.
"See that? Cross over through that palm-wide pipe on the factory ceiling, and you can get to the adjacent room. Then you can open the door from the inside," the other Red Hood Gang member pointed upwards, explaining in a low voice.
Jack looked up and saw the pipe hanging high below the ceiling. It was frighteningly narrow, barely allowing one person to squeeze through. Moreover, the pipe surface was smooth; a slight misstep would cause one to lose their footing and fall.
And below was a pool emitting a strong, foul odor, filled with a green liquid.
His throat felt dry, and he swallowed with difficulty.
"Hurry up!" the leading Red Hood Gang member pushed Jack.
Jack was extremely reluctant, but considering his perilous situation, he knew if he didn't obey, these two guys probably wouldn't let him off easy.
And he really did need the money.
He never wanted to relive the days of being treated with contempt in the circus troupe again!
He gritted his teeth, walked to the wall, and began to climb up along the pipe's support frame.
With every step upward, his anxiety grew. His hands were covered in sweat from the tension, making his grip on the support somewhat slippery.
He finally managed to get onto the pipe. Lying flat, he inched forward, his eyes fixed ahead, not daring to let his focus waver for a moment.
Just as Jack was struggling forward, a faint noise suddenly came from within the chemical plant, as if someone was quietly approaching in the dark.
The sound was infinitely amplified in the silent space, startling the three of them into a sudden freeze. They didn't even dare to breathe...
After a while, the sound disappeared, and the three of them collectively sighed in relief.
"Climb faster! It was probably a patrolling security guard. Hurry up and open the door to that room over there! We'll give you the money once we sell the machine! One hundred thousand! Quick!"
Jack gave it his all, his hands desperately clinging to the icy edges of the narrow pipe. His legs flailed in the air, trying to find a foothold to propel himself just another centimeter upward.
His breathing was rapid and heavy, each gasp echoing in the silent space. Large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, landing in the chemical pool below with a "plop" before being swallowed by the green foam.
Just as Jack was halfway across, disaster struck!
A tall, pitch-black figure seemed to materialize from the depths of the darkness, appearing silently and ghost-like behind the two Red Hood Gang members!
Before the two could react, the dark figure moved with the speed of lightning. A powerful, heavy straight punch, whistling through the air, ruthlessly smashed into the back of one man's head!
The man's body toppled forward like a kite with a snapped string, instantly losing consciousness!
Immediately after, the dark figure showed no mercy, delivering a flying kick to the other man's abdomen. The man let out a miserable cry as his entire body flew through the air, crashing heavily into a nearby machine with a dull thud. He then slid to the ground, motionless!
Jack heard the commotion below, his heart tightened, and he instinctively looked down.
That one glance, however, instantly froze his blood, making him feel as if he had been plunged into an ice cave!
The iconic bat-like silhouette loomed, half-hidden in the gloom. Its cold, sharp eyes exuded a terrifying pressure that chilled him to the bone!
Jack felt his scalp tingle, and a deep fear surged from the bottom of his heart, instantly consuming him.
He was just an honest man committing a crime for the first time! A person like him would tremble all over at the sight of a police officer, let alone the ghost-like nemesis of all criminals!
Under this extreme terror, his hands began to shake violently and uncontrollably. The sweat on his palms was like oil, making the pipe slick.
In an instant, his fingers could no longer grip the slippery pipe, and his entire body plunged directly toward the green chemical pool below, which glowed with an eerie light!
Batman had just dealt with the two Red Hood Gang members. When he turned around, he happened to witness Jack's fall.
A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. He instantly sprang forward, rushing toward Jack's falling trajectory.
However, he was a fraction of a second too late. His fingertips grazed the corner of Jack's clothes, but he couldn't save him.
Batman sprinted to the edge of the chemical pool, watching wide-eyed as Jack struggled desperately in the liquid. His hands flailed helplessly as he constantly gulped down the pungent fluid, his cries for help drowned out by the gurgling of the pool.
Without hesitation, Batman quickly took out the grapple gun from his belt, raised it, and aimed at Jack, about to pull the trigger to hook him out of the chemical pool.
Just at this critical moment, a sudden burst of chaotic gunshots echoed from behind him, their sound piercingly loud in the empty chemical plant!
Batman's gaze sharpened. He knew danger was approaching again. Without a second thought, he flicked his wrist. A Batarang, like black lightning, shot from his hand, flying toward the source of the sound.
Almost simultaneously, the chemical plant's alarm blared, its piercing sound threatening to rupture eardrums, instantly shattering the deathly silence.
Immediately after, the sluice gate of the pipe connected to the chemical pool rumbled open, and a surge of liquid emitting a strange odor gushed out, rapidly flowing down the pipeline.
At the main entrance of the factory, a bald man was puffing on a cigarette, his face contorted in rage. The cigarette butt in his hand flickered brightly in the darkness, illuminating his ferocious features.
He cursed non-stop, "If that damned bat sees what's being produced here, he'll definitely burn it all down! Has the stuff been dealt with?"
A subordinate beside him quickly nodded and reported subserviently, "The raw material has all been discharged into the river! There should be no evidence left!"
Inside the factory, Batman grabbed the neck of a gunman and slammed the back of his head hard against the ground twice.
After seeing the man's eyes roll back as he passed out completely, Batman jumped to the edge of the chemical pool.
The dark green bottom of the pool was now exposed. The automatic flushing system had already activated. Batman looked at the sewage outlet, his eyes blinking thoughtfully.
The camera's perspective dove into the sewage pipe, passing through the dark and twisted passage, finally spotting a glimmer of light ahead.
A man with a full head of green hair and unnaturally pale skin stared at his own distorted reflection in the polluted river. He clutched his hair and began to weep bitterly.
Then, through his tears, he started to laugh.
The laughter was utterly chilling.
(end of chapter)