Chapter 127: The Birth of Two-Face

Something feels off.

That was the thought that sprang to Bruce's mind.

The entire city of Gotham was watching this smokeless, crucial war in the courtroom. As one of those who most wanted Gotham to improve, he certainly would not miss today's trial. In fact, he had arrived even earlier than Ma Ma Zhaodi, though he had not been recognized.

A black, tattered woolen cap, round, cheap sunglasses, a scruffy, thick beard, and a coat crumpled and wrinkled. As a master of disguise, Bruce showed not a trace of his original appearance at that moment. No one could link such an ordinary-looking passerby to the billionaire Gotham playboy—if one had to say anything, this person looked more like a scruffy homeless man on the street.

His expression grew serious. He glanced at Ma Ma Zhaodi beside him, then looked at Harvey Dent on the stand, feeling somewhat worried.

Since Harvey had turned his own basement upside down last month, the three listening devices he had planted inside had all been found and removed. Add to that Harvey changing his phone, and all surveillance had become useless. Harvey had even confronted him face-to-face, asking if he was the one who had planted the bugs.

His teammate's situation was beyond his control, which worried him slightly. And now, Maroni's abnormal behavior made him feel even more that something was amiss.

"Salvatore Maroni."

Harvey on the stand asked Maroni with some urgency: "I am asking you a second time—"

"Wait a moment—cough! Cough!"

Maroni coughed even more violently. He trembled as he took out the medicine bottle Vernon had given him, unscrewing the cap while speaking.

"I have some medicine, right here!"

At that very moment, Maroni suddenly flung the bottle in his hand. All the liquid inside flew and splashed onto Harvey's face.

Maroni burst into loud laughter. Seeing the expression of utter horror on Harvey Dent's face filled his heart with immense satisfaction. At that same time, everyone else in the courtroom also wore expressions of shock.

In the next instant, everything settled.

"Ugh ahhh—!"

Harvey covered his face with both hands, fell to the courtroom floor, and let out a sharp scream. In everyone's eyes, the white Knight of Light had fallen into the dust at this very moment.

"Ah! Ugh ah—!!"

"Quick, quick, get a Mao Jin!"

"Oh my god! Quick, call 911!"

"Hurry up! Hurry up!"

The crowd from all directions surged toward the fallen white figure. Ma Ma Zhaodi also rushed forward. Bruce did not advance; instead, he fixed his sharp gaze on Maroni beside him.

Several bailiffs rushed up, grabbing Maroni's hands to prevent him from committing further acts of violence in the courtroom. Meanwhile, the suited mob boss howled at the prosecutor Harvey lying on the ground.

"You're finished! Dent! This is strong acid! This stuff can even corrode and penetrate concrete!"

"Do you really think you've got me cornered? Huh? Do you think you've got me cornered? Is that it!"

Seeing his arrogance, a bailiff nearby immediately drew his pistol. This was no longer a matter of bribery or not; Maroni's actions were openly trampling the judicial system underfoot. The underworld was called the underworld precisely because it could never directly provoke the rules in the open. After all, Gotham was not independent of American jurisdiction.

Maroni had crossed the line. They had only thought the small medicine bottle that didn't follow procedure contained just medicine, never imagining that the thirty thousand dollars was meant to buy Harvey Dent's life. And now, if they hesitated any longer, the nature of the incident would become even more serious.

Maroni, standing above, drove his elbow into a bailiff who had stepped forward to stop him, knocking him over. Another bailiff immediately fired.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Three shots. Three bullets all struck Maroni's body. The gang boss fell dead right there in the courtroom. Blood began to gush out, and the intense pain made sweat bead on his forehead.

As Maroni fell, he heard the surrounding crowd gasp in shock. Immediately after, they all backed away.

"Ahhh—my high-end suit!"

Maroni, lying on the ground, had originally been smiling at the corners of his mouth. Hearing Harvey's shout, his eyes suddenly widened in disbelief. He looked at Harvey, who was climbing up from the floor, with utter shock. At this moment, half of his face and the upper part of his white suit had been stained dark by the liquid from the bottle.

He pushed through the crowd and came to Maroni's side. Looking at him with an expression of disbelief, he then sighed lightly: "My suit, Mr. Maroni. You've ruined my suit, and my face hurts so much too. Why did you splash such stinging medicine on me? My face feels so terrible."

Medicine?

Maroni stood there dumbfounded. Who the hell would use something like that, fit for children, to splash on you? I used strong acid!

I used an entire bottle of strong acid!

Harvey bent down, looking into Maroni's eyes. The left half of his clean face was full of confusion and pity, while the right half, stained dark, revealed a faint, barely noticeable cold smile. Only Maroni, facing him directly, could perceive that smile.

Looking at the two-faced man before him, Maroni felt a chilling dread climb up his spine. Originally, he thought he was the one controlling the entire situation, but now he realized he had underestimated this Prosecutor Harvey.

Lying in a pool of blood, he opened his mouth but could not speak a word. His consciousness gradually grew hazy. Harvey patted his shoulder and stood up.

"Truly terrifying, Mr. Maroni. I never expected you would dare to do this in court, attacking me with strong acid in broad daylight. If it weren't for you accidentally mixing up the strong acid and the medicine, I might have died right here in the courtroom. Everyone present is a witness, Mr. Maroni. I will draft a proper indictment. This time, your crimes are undeniable. If you can survive, rest well and prepare for the investigation."

Maroni spat out a mouthful of blood. Harvey's words dealt him another blow. He clearly knew that the nature of this crime was different from all previous ones and could truly cripple the Maroni family.

And in the next moment, his mindset shattered completely.

He saw Harvey ignore him and turn to walk toward Vernon, who stood stunned nearby. When Harvey first fell, Vernon had shouted loudly for help and was secretly trying to retreat toward the edge of the crowd. Yet now, he remained there, watching the farce unfolding in the courtroom.

"Vernon, thank you. Without your efforts, Maroni might not have been willing to appear in court even now. Alas, it's a pity. It seems both you and I were deceived by him. He did not truly want to indict Falcone."

"Pfft!"

Maroni spat out fresh blood again. He saw Vernon waving his hands frantically in panic, his mouth seemingly saying something. But no matter what he was saying, it no longer mattered.

Filled with rage and the resentment of betrayal, Maroni's eyelids grew increasingly heavy.

(End of this chapter)