Chapter 115

Accompanied by the crackle of static!

The Joker hung up the call!

After a few seconds of silence.

Both ship cabins instantly descended into chaos and noise!

Everyone was terrified by the Joker's life-threatening act!

And what the Joker said.

Was even simpler and easier to understand!

Both ships... held the life and death of the other in their hands!

As long as they blew up the other ship, they and the people on their own ship would survive!

Otherwise!

When twelve o'clock struck! Both ships would be finished!

The Joker would detonate both ferries simultaneously! Everyone would die together!

This...

Isn't this just seducing them into blowing up the other ship?!

As long as the other side explodes, everyone on their own ship will survive!

Such a choice... is it not too cruel?!

But... they had no choice!

The Joker had completely blocked off all paths!

They were all now ticking time bombs floating on the sea!

When twelve o'clock struck! Everyone would die!

Only by blowing up the ship across from them before twelve o'clock would they have a chance to live!!

And all the viewers in the live stream were in an uproar!

The Joker's fangs... were finally revealed at this moment!

No fierce tone! No vicious cursing!

He calmly, even elegantly, let everyone participate in his social experiment!

But the words he spoke made everyone's hair stand on end! A chill rose from the bottom of their hearts!

[This... what is the Joker trying to do?!]

[Making the people on two ships decide each other's life and death...]

[Too terrifying... too insane!!]

[Is this the Joker's goal?!]

[There's no choice at all!! If you don't blow up the other ship, you'll be the one blown up!!]

[When twelve o'clock strikes, everyone dies!!]

[This... there is no optimal solution here!]

[This is the most evil and terrifying part of the Joker! He is testing the humanity of everyone on these two ships!]

[No... he wants to make everyone commit crimes just like him! Just like he made Harvey fall!]

[This is the craziest Joker... completely devoid of any humanity!]

All the viewers were plunged into deep shock!

Even through the screen, they were completely terrified by the Joker's insane behavior!

From the very beginning, this was likely the situation the Joker wanted!

He wanted to play a game with the thousands of lives on the two ships!

A game that tests humanity!

To have the people on one ship all blown to death!

To have the people on the other ship all become murderers!

Or for the people on both ships to ascend to heaven at twelve o'clock together! To remain kind in heaven together!

There is simply no optimal solution!

No one can be spared!

At the judges' table.

Zhang Laomou's expression was also filled with shock!

He hadn't expected the Joker to be this insane!

His behavior of testing humanity, of treating thousands of lives as a game.

Is far more malicious than directly killing thousands of people!

He has not a shred of humanity!

In the Joker's eyes, all life is nothing but a toy!

And now.

He wants to drag thousands of people down to hell with him! To become murderers together!

For a moment.

Zhang Laomou's voice also carried a hint of trembling.

"I think the current situation is the Joker's ultimate goal."

"He wants to play a game that tests humanity, an unprecedentedly malicious humanity game that will truly affect thousands of lives!"

"Undoubtedly, the Joker is a madman who is extremely evil and completely devoid of any humanity..."

"And as for the current situation, I'm afraid there is no optimal solution at all!"

"I don't know if you have heard of the Prisoner's Dilemma."

"Although the situation is not exactly the same, the Prisoner's Dilemma does have an optimal solution!"

As Zhang Laomou spoke.

All the viewers were also stunned for a moment.

Prisoner's Dilemma?

What is that??

"Two suspects are caught by the police after committing a crime and are interrogated in separate rooms!"

"The police know both are guilty but lack sufficient evidence."

"The police tell each one: if both deny it, each gets one year in prison; if both confess, each gets eight years; if one confesses and the other denies it, the one who confesses goes free, and the one who denies it gets ten years."

"The Prisoner's Dilemma is formed!"

"Thus, each prisoner faces two choices: confess or deny."

"The ideal situation is naturally for both prisoners to choose to deny! That way they would only be sentenced to one year!"

"But... the brilliant part lies right there!"

"They cannot be sure what the other will choose, so the ideal situation is actually not the optimal solution!"

"This tests the humanity and psychology of the two prisoners!"

"Whether to take a gamble and deny it to the end! Or to confess directly, gambling on the other's choice!"

"But..."

"The current situation is not the same as the Prisoner's Dilemma."

"The Joker has only left everyone with one optimal solution, which is to blow up the other side!"

"Blowing up one ferry is the situation with the least casualties!"

*Sob*, I had something to take care of yesterday and went out, so I'm making up for what I didn't post yesterday!! Fourth update!!

Zhang Laomou's words instantly refreshed the understanding of countless viewers.

The Prisoner's Dilemma.

How similar is it to the current situation?!

The only thing is...

The Prisoner's Dilemma has an ideal situation!

As long as the two prisoners tacitly agree to deny it, everyone can get out of prison in just one year!

Even if they choose the optimal solution and both confess, the worst case is just an eight-year sentence for both!

The most serious thing involved is betraying the other...

But now...

The dilemma given by the Joker has no optimal solution!

The best case is to blow up the other ship! To let the people on your own ship survive!

But you have to bear the lives of the people on the other ship!

Bear the psychological burden for a lifetime!

It is also falling into the Joker's trap and scheme!

Or rather... the Joker's goal is right here! He wants to push a whole ship of people into hell together!

So... what choice will these two ships make...

The most fatal thing is!

The two ships have completely lost contact with each other!

Both sides' actions are happening without the other's knowledge!

In the cabins on both sides.

Countless people looked at each other... amidst the noise, they seemed not to have realized the Joker's ultimate goal yet!

Although everyone wants to live.

But blowing up the other ship is murder!

At this moment, no one could make up their mind so quickly!

And amidst the panic and hesitation of countless people.

The Joker seemed to sense everyone's hesitation.

His voice sounded on the broadcast again.

Without hesitation, he gave everyone a push from behind.

"So..."

"Which ferry gets to live?"

"Is it the scum prisoners captured by Harvey Dent..."

"Or the lovely, innocent citizens?"

"You choose for yourselves~ but hurry up!!"

"Because the people on the other ferry might not necessarily have such noble sentiments!"

Instantly!

The Joker's words made countless people's hearts tighten!

The passengers on both ships were even more stunned!

The meaning in the Joker's words was very clear...

He was inciting them to strike first!

To avoid having the other side press the detonator first!

He even... viciously described the identities of the passengers on both ships!

One side is criminals with a long list of crimes, many of whom might not be worth saving!

In public perception, such a group seems more deserving of being abandoned and sacrificed!

And the other side.

Is entirely composed of innocent citizens living normal lives!

These words from the Joker...

Were incredibly insidious and vicious!

Between the lines, he was hinting that they should sacrifice the ship with the criminals.

But the criminals would naturally think of this possibility too!

To survive, the criminals might very well choose to strike first!

And if the civilians were afraid the other side would do something extreme, they would have no other choice! Naturally, they would detonate before the criminals!

The Joker's behavior at this moment...

Was undoubtedly giving everyone another heavy push from behind!

Pushing everyone into the abyss!

But... what the Joker said was indeed incredibly realistic!

One side is gang prisoners, the other is innocent citizens!

Whether judging by contribution to society or from a moral level!

Sacrificing the prisoner side is undoubtedly the more correct choice!

[This... the Joker is too ruthless...]

[Originally, if they couldn't make up their minds, this sentence from the Joker definitely pushed people forward!]

[This is playing with human nature...]

[The Joker is too good at inciting people... such a criminal is truly terrifying!]

[Yeah... you never know how many people this madman will incite to fall!]

[But how are they supposed to choose??]

[If it were me, I would sacrifice the prisoners! And to prevent the prisoners from striking first, I would press the detonator right now!]

[Everyone would think that, but how many would actually dare to do it?]

[Such an act is not just selfish, you have to be determined!]

[How is protecting your own life selfish?! The other side is a group of real criminals! Who knows, there might even be murderers among them!]

[The best choice now is for neither side to press the detonator! Wait for the police or Batman to rescue them!]

And after the live stream descended into chaos.

All the viewers also thought of the ideal situation!

That is, before twelve o'clock, neither side presses the button! Both sides remain at peace!

Perhaps Batman and the police can resolve this crisis before twelve o'clock!

But this... is ultimately an ideal situation!

The reality facing everyone is! Will the other side tacitly follow the rules!

The current state of disconnection! Perhaps that is the final straw that breaks all the passengers!

What's more!

In countless crises before this.

The police and Batman have never been able to defeat the Joker!

Why should they trust the police this time?!

Facing everyone.

Is an incredibly cruel and realistic question!

Is it to put your life in the hands of the other side!

Or to hold it in your own hands!

After a brief silence!

The cabins of both ships suddenly became chaotic!

The cabin with the prisoners was clearly more chaotic and agitated!

— Author's Notes —

I beg for the support of all you dear readers!! Flowers, rating tickets, monthly tickets, anything is fine!! Love you all!!