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Chapter 64 - Chapter 64: Epic Inhalation

Wee-woo, wee-woo~~~!

Robin and Harvey both showed surprised expressions at the same time.

Logically speaking, no one should have known that Two-Face's base was hidden inside the ACE Chemical Plant. Even most of Gotham's underworld had no idea this place was still being used. So how did the GCPD find their way here?

For a moment, Robin felt a strange sense of unease.

Then, a thought flashed through his mind.

He raised his head and looked toward the ceiling.

The light bulbs above them were glowing steadily, their white light illuminating every corner of the courtroom that had once been shrouded in darkness.

"Right…"

Robin murmured.

It must be because the ACE Chemical Plant, abandoned for years, suddenly had its power restored. Oracle must have sensed something was wrong and notified the GCPD.

The moment he thought about it, the logic felt clear.

Oracle monitored Gotham's infrastructure systems. A long-abandoned industrial facility suddenly coming back online was too abnormal to ignore.

Soon enough, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from the corridor outside.

Heavy boots struck the floor in rapid succession.

Shouts, commands, and the metallic clatter of equipment followed.

A team of officers led by Gordon quickly secured the chemical plant and advanced toward the courtroom.

The door was pushed open with force.

"Two-Face! Put your hands up and step away from the boy! I'm only warning you once!"

Gordon pointed his gun at Harvey and shouted, his voice sharp and decisive.

The officers behind him raised their weapons at the same time, surrounding Harvey from multiple angles.

"Jim…"

Harvey froze for a moment.

He understood now.

The person Kaitou Kid had mentioned earlier was Jim Gordon.

Once one of the Gotham Trinity alongside him.

Gordon arrested the wrongdoers, while he fought his hardest inside the court to ensure those wrongdoers got the legal punishment they deserved. 

Harvey slowly raised his hands.

He stepped away from Robin and walked toward Gordon.

His movements were deliberately slow and cautious, as if he were afraid that even the slightest sudden motion would trigger a misunderstanding.

"Don't be nervous, Jim. Handcuff me. I won't resist."

Harvey stopped a few steps away from Gordon and waited quietly.

Hearing Harvey's words, Gordon did not immediately take out the handcuffs.

Instead, he stared at Harvey with a guarded gaze.

His finger remained on the trigger.

The officers around him tightened their formation.

For several seconds, no one spoke.

When Gordon's eyes met Harvey's, his expression suddenly froze.

Unlike Robin, who only knew Harvey Dent through case files and criminal records, Gordon had fought the corrupt hellhole that was Gotham alongside Harvey and shared a long history with him. Gotham's best district attorney, who made sure the innocent victims get justice, the man who, like him, never surrendered to corruption.

He had seen Harvey Dent at his best.

He had also seen Two-Face at his worst.

He knew the difference between the two.

And with just a single glance, Gordon realized something he did not want to believe.

The man standing before him was not the mad criminal he had hunted for years.

It was the Harvey Dent he once trusted.

"Harvey?"

Gordon called out his name in disbelief.

His voice was low, almost hoarse.

"You're back?"

The officers behind him exchanged confused looks.

They had never seen Gordon hesitate like this before.

"What on earth happened here?"

Gordon asked.

His tone was no longer as sharp as before.

"Jim, do what you need to do now. We can talk in the interrogation room."

Harvey replied calmly.

There was no defensiveness in his voice.

Only quiet acceptance.

Gordon fell silent.

He understood what Harvey meant.

Even if Two-Face had turned back into Harvey, so what?

The crimes he had committed were already facts.

People had died.

Cities had suffered.

Lives had been destroyed.

No amount of change could erase that.

No matter what, Harvey Dent was now a wanted criminal.

"It's too late, Harvey."

Gordon's voice was heavy.

"This day has come far too late."

With a complicated look in his eyes, Gordon finally took out the handcuffs.

Click.

The cold metal closed around Harvey's wrists.

Harvey did not resist.

He did not even flinch.

He simply lowered his head slightly, as if accepting the weight of everything that had happened.

...

Gotham.

An abandoned factory building in the Audisburg District Industrial Park.

Daren crouched on the roof, quietly watching the police car that had taken Harvey away from the ACE Chemical Plant disappear into the distance.

The red and blue lights faded into the night.

The sirens gradually grew faint.

Only when he could no longer see the police car's taillights did he stand up and stretch slightly.

He climbed down from the roof with light movements and left in another direction.

As he stepped out of the Audisburg District and blended into a group of passersby in disguise, the system announcement sounded in his ears at the right moment.

[Congratulations to the host for completing the objective: 'Steal Two-Face's Coin.']

Completion Difficulty: Medium

Treasure Quality: Common

Style Index: Explosive!!

Overall Evaluation: D

[Random reward drawing initiated...]

[Congratulations to the host for obtaining: Enhanced Lungs.]

[Enhanced Lungs: Allows normal breathing without being affected in environments filled with toxic gas or thin oxygen.]

[Comment: Epic Inhalation.]

"Ugh…"

After claiming the reward, Daren immediately felt a burning sensation in his chest.

The feeling surged suddenly, as if something inside his lungs were being reconstructed.

His breathing became slightly unstable.

For a brief moment, he felt as though his chest were being squeezed from the inside.

The sensation did not last long and gradually faded after a few seconds.

Daren exhaled slowly and lowered his head to check his chest.

Well, it was fine.

It looked no different from before.

When he first heard that he had drawn Enhanced Lungs, Daren had imagined something far more dramatic.

For a second, he had even thought his chest cavity might expand several times over.

"Toxic gas and oxygen-deprived environments aren't easy to test right now."

He muttered to himself.

"Let's start with a simple deep breath."

Daren stopped walking and took a deep breath.

The air flowed into his lungs smoothly.

Too smoothly.

With that single breath, he immediately felt a significant improvement in his lung capacity.

His chest expanded more fully than before.

Fuaaw~~

The air felt richer.

Clearer.

As if every breath carried more substance.

Although he did not have specialized instruments on hand to measure the values, purely from a sensory perspective, it was at least several times stronger than before.

"Damn.. It seems Enhanced Lungs don't just increase the ability to filter air in extreme environments."

He narrowed his eyes slightly.

"They also greatly enhance basic cardiopulmonary function."

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"Next, I'll go for a marathon."

He looked down the street ahead.

"I'll try running home from here."

He stepped forward and disappeared into the crowd.

"So, what exactly happened to you?"

Inside the police car, Gordon could not suppress the curiosity in his heart.

The silence had lasted too long.

He finally turned his head and looked at Harvey, who was sitting beside him.

Harvey's hands were cuffed, resting quietly on his lap.

His expression was calm.

"The detailed story is too long."

Harvey said softly.

"Simply put, Kaitou Kid helped me find myself again."

"What? Kaitou Kid 'cured' you?"

A look of astonishment appeared on Gordon's face.

____

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