Rachel gasped, her hard-won composure evaporating instantly.
On her lap sat a bomb…
A bomb!
Bai Ye took out wires from the cake box, looped them around Rachel’s neck, and then pulled out two more that wrapped around her wrists, carefully connecting them.
“Miss Rachel, I truly mean no harm,” Bai Ye said with a smile. “I merely wish to help you test how much your boyfriend loves you.”
Rachel’s face turned pale. “What do you mean?”
Bai Ye smiled, took Rachel’s bag, opened it, and pulled out her phone. He quickly found the desired number in her contacts and dialed.
“Hello? Rachel, what’s the matter calling me at this hour?”
A deep voice boomed, entirely different from the raspy tone heard last night. So, that voice had indeed been processed by the machine inside the Batcave’s cowl.
“Mr. Bruce Wayne?” Bai Ye smiled. “I am Bai Ye, you should know who I am, right?”
On the other end of the line, Batman was instantly shocked. He almost blurted out a question about how Bai Ye had Rachel’s phone, but his reason held him back.
“Bai Ye?” Batman said. “Apologies, but I’m afraid we are indeed strangers. I don’t believe I know you?”
“You don’t? That’s fine too,” Bai Ye said. “Because I didn’t sleep well last night, I’m very angry. When I’m angry, I like to give gifts, for example, to our beautiful Miss Rachel. By the way, do you know it’s her birthday today?”
Rachel looked up. “I celebrated my birthday two months ago with him.”
“It’s alright, you can celebrate again,” Bai Ye shrugged at Rachel, then continued. “Mr. Bruce, can you guess what my gift is? Here’s a hint, it’s the same model as the one I gave Commissioner Gordon.”
Batman clenched his fist, knowing Bai Ye was deliberately trying to provoke him. He took a deep breath. “Sir, this is not a funny joke.”
Bai Ye chuckled. “Of course, you can consider it a joke.”
As he spoke, Bai Ye connected the final wire. Immediately, the bomb’s electronic timer began to tick.
Bai Ye continued, “Do you hear that? It has started timing. The bomb will detonate in an hour and a half.”
Batman sounded extremely agitated. He stood up. “Sir, do you realize you are committing a crime?”
Bai Ye nodded. “I do.”
His admission left Batman speechless. He had encountered many criminals, but never one so brazen. Even the Joker embellished his crimes with mad ramblings.
Bai Ye said, “I’ve installed a leveling device on the bomb, so normally Miss Rachel cannot move away from it. To disarm it, she would have to hold the bomb while it’s being defused. If it fails, can you guess the outcome? Of course, there is a safer, a hundred percent guaranteed method to disarm it.”
Batman asked, “What do you want? For me to stop pursuing you?”
“So, you admit you’re the guy who wore tights and showed off his muscles last night?”
Bai Ye laughed heartily. “I saw the Joker declare war on you, and I found it very interesting. If you are willing to unmask yourself and announce to the world that you are Batman, I guarantee that bomb will not detonate. Of course, the Dark Knight is called the Dark Knight because he can only operate at night. If you appear in broad daylight, you are challenging the order. What will happen then? You should know. So, take your time and consider. You have an hour and a half.”
Bai Ye hung up the phone without waiting for Batman’s reply.
“Miss Rachel,” Bai Ye leaned down. “If you don’t want the bomb to explode, remember not to stand up, and don’t move around carelessly. See the transparent tubes on both sides? The ones with the small balls inside, try to keep the balls in the center as much as possible. Because if they touch the sides, it will…"
But in that instant…
The woman suddenly opened her mouth, her tongue flicking out a blade that she had been holding. With a sudden jerk of her head, she sent it flying forward.
Bai Ye instinctively dodged to the side. With a clanging sound, the blade grazed his cheek and flew out, hitting the elevator door with a crisp sound.
Bai Ye grinned. “Quite a few tricks up your sleeve.”
Bai Ye grabbed the woman’s arm, lifted her up, and smashed her to the side.
…