Bruce's pitch-black armor looked especially solemn in the ruins on the outskirts of Gotham City.
He looked at Tel-Rol, his voice cold and hard as it squeezed out from behind his iron mask.
"I told you, I'll take him back to Arkham."
Tel-Rol laughed out loud when he heard that.
He took a step forward, leaning in close to Bruce.
"Big brother, is your signal bad? Did you not hear what I said?"
"Or is your metal suit too soundproof to understand human speech?"
He poked the Bat symbol on Bruce's chest with his finger.
"My cousin, he almost killed his own wife and child with his own hands."
"And now you're telling me you want to send this culprit back to that asylum, which is freer than a five-star hotel?"
"And then what? Wait for him to come out next time and do something even more exciting? Like blowing up Metropolis for fun?"
Tel-Rol's tone was full of mockery.
"This process of yours, why does it look so familiar to me?"
"Oh, I remember now, isn't this the legendary 'sustainable overfishing'?"
"Batman, are you treating catching Joker as your KPI? Do you need to build up your reputation at the end of the year?"
No one could see the expression under Bruce's mask, but his clenched fists said it all.
Aquaman Arthur walked over casually, carrying his trident, and slapped Tel-Rol on the shoulder.
"Hahaha! Brother, you've spoken my mind!"
"For this kind of trash, he should be thrown directly into the trench to feed the fish, sending him back? Keeping him for New Year's?"
Barry Allen mumbled softly to the side.
"Um... killing is wrong, isn't it? We are good people..."
Cyborg's red electronic eye flickered, providing data.
"According to Arkham Asylum's historical records, the target (Joker) has successfully escaped seventeen times in the past five years, with an average escape period of three and a half months. The direct economic losses and casualties caused by each of his escapes have increased exponentially."
Victor's voice was emotionless, but the facts he stated were more powerful than any accusation.
Diana looked at the angry figure not far away, her brows tightly furrowed.
She understood Clark's pain, but the Amazon's creed prevented her from condoning violence for violence.
Just as they were arguing incessantly.
A terrifying pressure spread from the center of the battlefield.
Clark, he moved.
Ignoring everyone's arguments, he walked step by step towards the humanoid mud on the ground that was watching the show.
The ground developed subtle cracks with his footsteps.
The blue uniform he wore deepened in color under the energy of his rage.
Those blue eyes, once gentle as a spring breeze, now held only burning crimson.
That was a rage that wanted to destroy everything.
"Clark! Stop!"
Bruce let out a low roar, taking a few strides to block between Clark and Joker.
"You can't do this!"
"We can't cross that line! Once we cross it, we'll be no different from him!"
Bruce spread his arms, like a black wall, trying to block the world-destroying rage.
Clark stopped.
He raised his head, his crimson eyes fixed on Bruce.
He didn't speak.
But the oppressive feeling in that gaze plunged the atmosphere into a freezing point.
"Oh, oh, oh, Batman's little class is starting!"
Tel-Rol's voice, not minding making things worse, rang out.
He swayed over, standing between the two, looking like he was going to break up a fight.
"I say, Teacher Brucey, I'm tired of hearing this theory of yours, can't you come up with something new?"
He winked at Clark.
"Cousin, don't listen to him. He's talking without feeling the pain."
"He doesn't have a wife and kids at home, of course he can preach to you."
"If his wife and kids were almost made into fireworks by someone, you'd see if he could still be so calm."
"Pfft."
Aquaman Arthur couldn't hold back and laughed out loud.
Bruce felt his temples throbbing.
This Tel-Rol, he was simply a troublemaker!
"Clark, listen to me!"
Bruce's voice became urgent.
"Think of Lois! Think of what you represent! You are a symbol of hope!"
"Hope?"
Clark finally spoke.
His low, hoarse voice conveyed his anger and self-mockery.
"My hope was almost shattered by my own hands just now."
"And all of this is because of him!"
He pointed at Joker behind Bruce.
That suppressed rage erupted again!
Clark's figure instantly vanished from the spot!
Bruce reacted extremely quickly, immediately turning around and simultaneously pulling out a small lead box from his utility belt.
It seemed reasoning was no longer effective.
However, his hand had just touched the switch of the lead box.
Another hand rested on his wrist.
It was Tel-Rol.
He had a lazy smile on his face, but the strength in his hand was astonishing.
"Hey, hey, hey, gentlemen use their mouths, not their hands."
"Pulling out your weapon when you can't talk your way out, that's not cool, Batman."
"This is our family business, you're an outsider, so don't get involved."
Bruce tried to break free, but found the other's hand like an iron clamp, unmoving.
It was this one second of delay.
Clark had already grabbed Joker by the collar, lifting him off the ground.
"Uh... cough cough..."
Joker, stimulated by the violent movement, slowly regained consciousness.
He saw Clark's face twisted with rage, saw those eyes burning with flames.
Instead of fear, he grinned, letting out a weak, hoarse laugh.
"See... see?"
"All it takes... is one bad day..."
"To turn the most rational person... into a lunatic..."
"You... and I... we are the same..."
"Hahaha... cough cough... hahaha..."
Clark's grip tightened.
Joker's laughter turned into painful gasps.
The red glow in Clark's eyes grew brighter and brighter, and intense energy began to gather.
He was going to completely vaporize this demon from this world!
Bruce was burning with anxiety, roaring at Tel-Rol.
"Let go! He'll kill him!"
Tel-Rol tilted his head, looking innocent.
"So what if he kills him? Eliminating a scoundrel, what's the big deal?"
"Later I'll have my cousin go to the Gotham Police Department to collect a banner for being a good citizen."
"You..."
Bruce was so angry he couldn't speak.
Diana and Barry both wanted to step forward to stop him, but they were pressed down by the aura emanating from Tel-Rol, unable to move.
They could only watch, wide-eyed, as the destructive light was about to erupt from Clark's eyes.
All the evil of Gotham seemed destined to end at this moment.
Just at this critical juncture.
A weak but incredibly firm voice came from not far away.
"Clark!"
Lois stood with difficulty, supported by Kara.
Her face was pale, but her eyes were unusually bright.
"Don't do it."
Only three words.
They extinguished Clark's burning rage.
He froze.
The red light in his eyes, capable of melting steel, flickered violently a few times, then slowly receded, returning to that deep blue.
He slowly turned his head, looking at Lois.
Looking at what he had almost lost, the entirety of his world.
The strength in his hand unknowingly loosened.
"Thud."
Joker fell back to the ground like a bag of trash, coughing violently, gasping for fresh air.
From time to time, laughter accompanied his coughs, mockery, extreme mockery, brazen mockery.
He just knew that these people wouldn't kill him.
Seeing this, Tel-Rol pouted and released Bruce's wrist.
He shrugged, a little disappointed.
"Tsk, how boring."
"The hero saving the beauty act, in the end, still has to listen to the beauty."
He turned, putting his hands back in his pockets, looking as if it had nothing to do with him.
On the battlefield, only dead silence remained.
And Clark's heavy breathing, suppressing endless pain and lingering fear.
He had defeated Joker, but he had almost lost to himself.
"Thank you, thank you! Hahaha, Bruce... Thank you! My frie..."
Joker's laughter abruptly stopped.