EBE Chapter 96 Suicide
Chapter 96 Suicide
Toby's eyes were bloodshot, and he stared madly at Li Wei, but suddenly stopped struggling, a strange smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
He stopped speaking, lowered his head again, and resumed his previous silence.
Gray chuckled softly, his voice low and hoarse: "It's no use, you won't get anything out of them."
The police put Toby back in the chair and re-locked his handcuffs.
The interrogation room fell silent again, with only Toby's heavy breathing remaining.
Li Wei walked out of the interrogation room with a furrowed brow.
"It seems they are indeed organized."
Gordon lit a cigarette. "But this organization is too strange. Its members come from all walks of life, have no connection with each other, and their objectives are unclear."
Li Wei remained silent.
He knew that this organization was not a gang in the traditional sense, but a temporary team composed of players from another world.
Their goal is not money, but to gain prestige and enhance their abilities by creating chaos and fear.
But he couldn't tell Gordon these things.
Even if he told Gordon, Gordon wouldn't believe him; he'd just think Gordon was crazy.
"There was little cash loss at the scene, but a lot of killing."
Gordon took a drag of his cigarette. "It doesn't seem like they're trying to rob someone; it's more like they're trying to kill someone intentionally."
"Yes." Li Wei nodded. "Their goal isn't money, it's panic."
"Panic?" Gordon paused, taken aback. "Why create panic?"
Li Wei didn't answer. He looked out the window, a map of Gotham City flashing through his mind.
Since these players can choose banks as their targets, they might choose more bustling places next time to create even greater chaos.
"We need to increase patrols, especially in densely populated areas," Li Wei said.
"It's already arranged," Gordon said. "But Gotham is so big, and our police force is limited, it's difficult to cover everything."
Li Wei knew Gordon was telling the truth. Gotham City's crime rate was high, and the police were already under immense pressure.
The emergence of this unpredictable group of killers only adds insult to injury.
"When will the identity verification for everyone be completed?" Li Wei asked.
"It should be soon, we should have news this afternoon," Gordon said.
Li Wei nodded, turned and walked towards the door: "I'll go back and check on Anna first. Let me know immediately if there's any news."
"it is good."
Gordon watched his retreating figure, wanting to say something, but ultimately swallowed his words.
He could sense that Li Wei seemed to know something, but was unwilling to say it.
Li Wei walked out of the police station, opened the car door, and got in.
The pickup truck's engine roared hoarsely as it drove toward "Hope House".
The sun was still shining brightly on the street, but his heart was heavy.
These players are like venomous snakes lurking in the darkness, ready to strike at any moment.
They have no bottom line, no scruples, and only care about achieving their goals and improving their attributes.
He is currently the only one who knows the truth, yet he can only face it alone.
Back at the "House of Hope," Levi went straight to Anna's room.
The door was ajar, and soft sobbing could be heard coming from inside.
He pushed open the door and saw Anna sitting on the bed, hugging the plush bear in her arms, tears streaming down her face.
The female staff member sat beside her and gently comforted her.
"I'll do it," Li Wei said to the female staff member.
The female staff member nodded, got up, and left the room.
Li Wei walked to the bedside and sat down. Looking at Anna's red eyes, he felt a pang of discomfort.
He didn't say anything, but just sat quietly beside her, keeping her company.
Anna looked up at Levi and whispered, "Will my mother... come back?"
Li Wei's heart sank suddenly, and his throat tightened.
He shook his head, his voice low and gentle: "No, but she will always be watching over you from heaven, protecting you."
Anna's tears fell even harder. She threw herself into Levi's arms and cried loudly, "I miss my mom... I want my mom..."
Li Wei held her tightly, feeling the sadness and fear emanating from her small body.
He didn't know how to comfort her, so he could only gently pat her back and let her vent.
Anna cried for a long time, then her sobs gradually subsided, and she fell asleep in Li Wei's arms.
Li Wei carefully placed her on the bed and covered her with the blanket.
Seeing the tear stains still wet on her face, I secretly vowed to protect these children and prevent them from being hurt again.
He walked out of the room, took out his phone, and dialed Bruce's number.
"Hey, Levi?" Bruce's voice came from the other end of the phone, tinged with a hint of languor.
"I need your help." Li Wei's voice was serious. "The perpetrator of today's bank robbery may not be an ordinary robber."
"Oh?" Bruce's voice held a hint of curiosity. "How so?"
"Their goal isn't money, it's killing," Li Wei said. "And these people come from all walks of life and have no connection whatsoever."
His behavior was strange, and he remained silent during interrogation.
I suspect they infiltrated with the goal of causing chaos in Gotham.
There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone, then Bruce's voice came through.
"I understand. Wayne Enterprises' intelligence department will assist with the investigation, and I will let you know if there is any news."
"Also, security at 'Hope Home' needs to be strengthened."
Li Wei said, "I'm worried they'll target the children."
"It's all arranged," Bruce said. "I've had the security company send their best people to patrol 24 hours a day. There won't be any problems."
Li Wei breathed a sigh of relief: "Thank you."
"You're welcome." Bruce paused for a moment. "Gotham needs more people like you."
After hanging up the phone, Li Wei walked to the window and looked at the children playing below the apartment building.
With smiles on their faces, they chased and played around, temporarily forgetting the hardships of the past.
But Li Wei knew that this peace was only temporary.
Those players lurking in the shadows are still watching with predatory eyes; the chaos in Gotham is far from over.
He must find clues about these players as soon as possible to stop them from continuing their killing spree.
In the afternoon, Gordon called to say that everyone's identity information had been verified and sent to his phone.
He got back into his car, took out his phone, and looked through Toby and Gray's information.
Toby is a high school student, Gray is a homeless man, a butcher, an insurance company employee...
These identities, seemingly unrelated, have been forcibly put together.
A thought suddenly flashed through Li Wei's mind.
These identities, though different, all have one thing in common: they are easily overlooked and easy to hide.
High school students, homeless people, butchers... these people are everywhere in Gotham City, and even if they exhibit unusual behavior, it's hard to attract attention.
This is exactly what the players want.
They need to conceal their true identities, secretly plan their actions, and create chaos.
Thinking about this, Li Wei laughed to himself.
Players can't choose their own identity, so it seems this is all just a coincidence.
As darkness fell, Li Wei drove back to "Hope House".
The apartment building was already lit up, and warm light shone through the windows, illuminating the surrounding darkness.
He went into Anna's room and saw that she was already awake and sitting on the bed reading a book.
Seeing Li Wei come in, she put down her book and gave a faint smile.
"Mr. Li Wei".
"How are you feeling?" Li Wei walked to the bedside and sat down.
"I feel much better," Anna said. "That lady bought me new clothes and introduced me to other children."
Li Wei nodded, feeling a sense of relief.
"Let me take you out for dinner," Li Wei said.
Anna nodded and followed Levi out of the room.
Inside the restaurant, children were eating around the table, their laughter filling the air.
Marcus stood to the side, watching the children with a smile on his face.
The children greeted Levi and Anna warmly as they entered.
Jamie stood up and waved to Anna: "Come sit here."
Anna hesitated for a moment, then sat down next to Jamie.
Jamie handed her a hamburger: "This is delicious, you should try it."
Anna took the hamburger and began to eat it in small bites.
Seeing the children taking care of each other and enjoying themselves, Li Wei's heart gradually warmed.
Perhaps, this is the meaning behind what he has always insisted on.
No matter how deep the darkness in Gotham, no matter how ruthless the players' methods.
As long as these children's smiles and these heartwarming moments remain, it's worth fighting for and protecting them.
After dinner, Li Wei received a call from Gordon.
Toby finally spoke, though he didn't reveal much information, but he did mention one word: "reputation".
"Reputation?" Li Wei's heart skipped a beat.
"Yes, he kept repeating 'not enough prestige' and 'needs more prestige'."
Gordon said, "We don't know what this reputation means; it might be a scoring system within some organization."
Li Wei knew that this wasn't some kind of internal scoring system, but rather a reputation system within the game.
These players gain reputation by creating killing and chaos; the higher the reputation, the more attribute rewards they can obtain.
"I see."
Li Wei's voice was deep, "Buddy, increase patrols in the city."
They might continue their activities, especially in densely populated areas.
"I've already made the arrangements."
Gordon said, "But I still don't understand, what exactly do they want?"
Instead of answering Gordon's question, Li Wei lit a cigarette.
He hung up the phone and walked to the window.
Looking at the pitch-black night sky outside, Gotham's nights are always full of danger and the unknown.
Now, a new group of players, eager to stir up trouble, has emerged, making the city's future even more unpredictable.
He knew that this game had only just begun.
He must find these players' weaknesses as soon as possible to stop them from continuing their killing spree.
Otherwise, Gotham City will fall into deeper darkness, and more innocent people will lose their lives.
The night was as thick as black ink, spilled over Gotham, and the lights of "House of Hope" looked especially warm in the darkness.
Li Wei stood at Anna's door, peering through the slightly ajar crack.
I saw the little girl curled up on the bed, hugging her plush bear, breathing evenly.
He gently closed the door and turned to walk into his room.
The room was simply furnished with a bed and a desk.
The moonlight outside the window shone through the glass and onto the floor, casting a long shadow.
Li Wei sat at his desk, took out his phone again, and the light from the screen shone on his face.
The identity information Gordon sent was still on the screen: butcher, high school student, homeless person, insurance company employee...
These unrelated identities, like jumbled puzzle pieces, swirled repeatedly in his mind.
He swiped his finger across the screen and tapped on Toby's profile picture.
The boy in the photo has youthful features and a shy smile.
He was a completely different person from the mad-eyed, taciturn prisoner in the interrogation room.
Li Wei raised his hand and pressed his temples, feeling a slight soreness.
What are these guys trying to do? They're willing to commit such a brutal massacre just for prestige.
However, there are other ways to gain reputation, such as infiltrating, completing missions, or even joining a gang.
Why choose the most flamboyant and easily exposed method?
He got up and walked to the window, pushed it open, and the night breeze, carrying a hint of coolness, rushed in and stirred the curtains.
On the lawn downstairs, security personnel patrolled under the lights, their footsteps steady and powerful.
Li Wei's gaze turned towards the city center, where neon lights flickered, yet endless darkness lurked beneath.
If these people's goal is truly fame, why would they do something so thankless and exhausting?
It's important to know that while this method of accumulating reputation is fast, it also carries a fatal hidden danger.
Once a player dies, all rewards will be reset to zero.
So why are they so eager to accumulate prestige, only to expose themselves in the process?
Li Wei's fingers tapped unconsciously on the windowsill, the coolness of the metal seeping through his fingertips.
He recalled the players' frenzied killing spree; these people had long since turned this world into a mere game.
In their eyes, human life is nothing more than a tool to enhance their prestige.
But the act of suicide didn't make sense, and Li Wei couldn't understand it no matter how hard he thought about it.
That guy named Amang was also quite arrogant.
But all of that guy's actions were based on one premise: ensuring his own safety.
Standing by the window for a while, Li Wei had no clue whatsoever.
...
As the sky outside the window gradually turned a pale white, Li Wei rubbed his dry eyes.
He was a little tired after not sleeping all night, and his brain was also a bit foggy from thinking so intensely.
He must have missed some important information, that's the conclusion Li Wei came to.
Just as he was about to go wash up, his phone suddenly rang, the shrill sound breaking the silence of the room.
Li Wei picked up his phone; Gordon's name was displayed on the screen.
"Hey, Gordon." His voice was a little hoarse.
"Leeway, something's happened." Gordon's voice was urgent, filled with barely concealed shock. "Those two Red Hood members... committed suicide."
Li Wei's body stiffened abruptly, and the pen in his hand fell to the ground with a "thud".
"What did you say?"
"The surveillance footage shows that around 2 a.m., they suddenly started waking up, and then..."
Gordon's voice trembled slightly, "One banged his head against the wall, and the other... gouged out his own eyeballs."
By the time we found it, it was too late.
Li Wei's heart felt as if it were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, and his breathing became rapid instantly.
He stood up, strode to the door, grabbed his coat, and rushed out.
"I'm coming right away."
The pickup truck's engine roared hoarsely through the early morning streets. Li Wei stepped on the gas, and the truck sped towards the police station like an arrow.
The buildings along the road rushed past, and Gordon's words echoed repeatedly in his mind.
Suicide...but why?
If their goal is truly to gain prestige, they should be focused on protecting their own lives.