Ch.308Night Approaches

People who absolutely hate spoilers.

They rush to the earliest showing at the fastest theater regardless of the time, enjoying the content before anyone else.

And there’s a moment when their dopamine peaks the most—when they experience an incredible plot twist without any spoilers.

The cause that makes people seek out unspoiled brains and eyes.

In “Murciélago,” that moment came completely unexpectedly.

A sound like “whoosh” so loud you could hear it.

Despite the strong wind, the Joker firmly gripping the building’s railing appears on screen.

‘Holy… Joker was Kim Donghu?’

‘Wait a minute… is this why they kept it so secret?’

‘This was definitely worth hiding.’

‘So what does this mean exactly?’

‘Did he play both roles? Batman and Joker?’

‘How is he still handsome even with clown makeup?’

The Joker smiled deeply and scattered poker cards from his pocket.

23 cards.

This matched exactly the number of criminals who attacked the orphanage.

Dropping details that viewers watching right now wouldn’t recognize—

things that would only be analyzed days after the movie ended.

The camera showed poker cards fluttering in the air,

then shifted back to the building where the Joker had been,

and there was no one there anymore.

Then the screen flashes back,

showing Batman summarizing the situation and leaving the orphanage.

-“Who’s going to appreciate that hero act?”

Catwoman suddenly appears behind the departing Batman.

She too was exhaling tired breaths, as if she had handled some business.

-“Who appreciates your thief act?”

-“Ah, I didn’t come as a thief today. I came because I had business.”

-“At the orphanage?”

-“No, with you.”

Click.

Saying that, she reached between her cleavage and pulled out a small drug packet.

-“Interested in this?”

-“I have that too.”

-“This is different from the regular ones… specifically, it’s what those guys just took.”

-“What do you want?”

-“Do you always get straight to the point when dealing with women? That’s not very charming.”

With the drug packet tucked back into her cleavage,

Catwoman slowly approached Batman and pressed her body against his.

Their stomachs touching.

Their breaths mingling at that precarious distance.

About 30cm between their lips.

-“You have to captivate a woman first to get what you want.”

-“I’m not interested in playing these games. This leisure you’ve developed from catching a few criminals…”

Batman, without pushing Catwoman away, reached directly into her cleavage.

With no trace of physical emotion,

he extracted the drug packet with a purely businesslike motion.

Thud.

-“You need money, right? I’ll give it to you next time.”

-“Wow, so cool about it? Is that the end of our conversation?”

Indicating that he wouldn’t waste any more time,

no further answer came.

-“Wait, next time? How do you know we’ll meet again?”

-“If you keep following me around like now, we will.”

The conversation ends there.

And simultaneously, the background music in the film changes to something darker and more serious.

The middle part of the movie.

As soon as it appears, the flow of the story changes dramatically.

If the first half

showed what life Batman had lived, why he was called Batman,

and the process of strengthening his suit, building Batman’s “setup”…

With the Joker’s appearance,

the second half began to build Batman’s “narrative”

by entangling him with the villain.

‘This is insane… absolutely insane.’

So in this episode, will we see Batman vs. Joker?

And one person playing both roles?

The audience stared at the screen with wide eyes and dopamine-flooded faces.

How much more interesting could this possibly get?

It was a moment when anticipation made their hands and feet tingle.

+++++

A different location from where the criminals who attacked the orphanage were.

Unlike the musty abandoned factory, an elegant-looking office comes into view.

The peculiar thing was the few beaten-to-death corpses around.

And they were wearing suits that strangely matched the office interior,

suggesting they might have been the original owners.

“Hmm… you did very well this time! Really! Thanks to you, Batman now knows about our drug formula!”

Unlike the corner of the office where corpses were gathered,

men with clown makeup sat at the center table.

“T-that was…”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, don’t say anything.”

The Joker stops a frightened man from speaking.

With an expression suggesting further words would ruin the fun,

he smacks his lips while his eyes continue to smile.

“Just… I know, you all have such great courage so it’s fine, it’s fine. Of course it’s fine!”

As if it really was fine,

the Joker burst into maniacal laughter for a while.

Madness.

Chaos.

The criminals at the table didn’t know how to react to someone who seemed made entirely of such words.

There was actually a hidden behind-the-scenes story here.

This was the first time these fake Jokers had seen the real Joker, Kim Donghu,

and their inability to hide their confusion was captured on screen.

It wasn’t acting as if they didn’t know what to do—

they were genuinely confused by the appearance of the real Joker they’d never met before,

and that emotion made the scene even richer.

“Yes, it’s more fun when both sides reveal some of their cards.”

Poker is more fun that way too, right?

Looking at the table cards and playing tricks.

“Texas Hold’em!”

With a joyful smile,

the Joker’s eyes caress the deck of cards, now about half depleted.

Despite giving them “special courage,”

Batman successfully rescued all the hostages.

And he himself had lost half of what he had.

The unbalanced scale continues to evoke laughter.

“More! More! More! I want it hotter!”

As those words end, the screen slowly moves away from the Joker,

focusing on Batman without his mask, Jean Wayne.

“The drug analysis results are in.”

“…They made it to hit the brain directly.”

“Yes, it acts as a kind of stimulant. Like a stim pack.”

Jean Wayne smiled faintly at Alfred’s gaming reference.

“…But I don’t understand what he wants after all this.”

“He, sir?”

“Yes.”

Saying that, Jean Wayne pulls out a card lying on the table.

“It was on them. I only took one, but they probably had the full set.”

“Clover… King.”

“The king of luck.”

Ending with that brief joke,

Jean Wayne decided to continue monitoring the situation for now.

He wanted to stir up the hornet’s nest immediately,

but unfortunately, he couldn’t figure out who they were connected to.

Even hacking into police data yielded no results,

and all the interrogation materials were completely worthless.

“I’ll proceed with today’s party.”

“Party, sir?”

“Yes, you know, the one for donations…”

“Ah, that stupid event.”

If you’ve donated, that should be the end of it.

Why hold a party too?

A party for receiving donations? The very phrase was ridiculous.

No matter how important networking might be,

was it really that meaningful?

“Many important figures will be there. The police commissioner, the mayor…”

“I thought only stupid third-generation chaebol heirs would attend.”

“Where bait is thrown, big fish gather.”

An event where key figures gather.

For the sake of protecting the Wayne family legacy,

and to prepare for any potential threats,

it was an event he absolutely had to attend.

“…When is it?”

“In an hour.”

Jean Wayne decided to attend the party,

and scenes show him in full makeup and an expensive suit,

selecting a sports car.

Expensive luxury cars flash by,

and the chosen sports car leaves the garage with a rough exhaust sound.

This leads directly to the donation event doubling as a networking party.

Located in the heart of downtown.

People gather in a place surrounded by glass, like an art exhibition.

Was it a place for those who needed donations?

Or a place for donors to elevate their own status?

From the dazzling chandeliers to the paintings on the walls,

one wonders if those things should be donated too.

Nevertheless, Jean Wayne didn’t show his thoughts,

and brightly responded to people approaching him.

“Jean Wayne! You came.”

“You invited me.”

“Haha, you’re different from the rumors. I heard you were quite free-spirited.”

“I’m still free. Who could constrain me?”

Key connections gathered,

and by the standard of “key,” Jean Wayne was at the top.

Unlike the mayor who could step down after his term,

or the commissioner whose life was in danger,

He was the thickest pillar supporting Gotham, inheriting the family business.

The only legitimate heir to Wayne.

“You’re more handsome than the rumors suggest.”

“Rumors are always like that.”

People naturally gravitated toward him.

As the party atmosphere reached its peak,

Someone caught Jean Wayne’s eye.

A female waiter carrying champagne glasses.

A face he hadn’t seen before, but only to his eyes.

Her lips, her gait, and the aura she exuded

reminded him of someone he often met at night.

‘Could it be?’

He wanted to grab her and ask,

but that could reveal his own identity,

so pretending not to know was the best option.

‘At least nothing’s happening, that’s good.’

With a somewhat relieved expression,

regretting his needless worry,

just as he was about to drink the champagne he’d been holding,

Crash!

Glass shatters.

“Alright, party’s over! No, second party begins! Let’s enjoy… showtime!”

About twenty clowns rush into the party venue.

The police stationed to protect the important figures?

They were slowly cooling on the floor as if they’d never existed.

And stepping over their bodies,

“When everyone’s gathered so nicely in one place, well, I have to change my original plan.”

Originally, he was going to blow up bridges and collapse subway tunnels

to geographically isolate Gotham,

but now he could isolate it in a different sense.

The Joker appears, mulling over his words.

Wearing a white suit, pointing gun barrels near people’s heads,

smiling as he enjoys their reactions.

Dark night.

A large-scale hostage situation in the middle of the street.

The key hostages: the mayor, the police commissioner, and the one supporting Gotham.

“Hmm?”

One person is missing.

Where did he go? Is he hiding?

The Joker’s eyes gleam.

He wanted to quickly stand before him,

show half his makeup, and make an interesting joke.

“Ah, sorry to interrupt while everyone’s trembling, but I’m looking for someone…”

If he can’t see him, he’ll have to search.

Just as he was thinking that,

Bang!

Crash!

A gunshot sounds and the chandelier falls to the floor.

Simultaneously,

Click.

All the lights inside the party venue go out.

Sudden darkness.

And appearing from that darkness,

“Looking for me?”

Batman.

He faces the Joker for the first time.