Chapter 48

Su Chen, who left the subway station without looking back.

He held a cigarette between his right fingers, puffing on it heavily.

And the detail of his right hand.

It subtly hints that Arthur and the Joker have already merged into one.

Arthur is no longer the Arthur who followed the rules before.

And the Joker is no longer the Joker filled only with madness and violence.

Backstage at the Murray talk show.

Su Chen is in the lounge, watching the news on TV about the outbreak in the subway.

He lights a cigarette with his right hand, smiling very happily.

But the lounge door is quickly opened.

The person who enters is the idol Su Chen has always worshipped, and the true star of the Murray Show, Murray!

Although he had previously seen Murray mocking his performance on TV.

At this moment, Su Chen's tone still cannot avoid a hint of excitement.

Because Murray is not only the idol he worshipped for many years, but also the one who provided the stage for his suicide.

And in order to successfully get on stage to commit suicide, Su Chen says with an excited tone:

"Murray!"

"You should call him Mr. Franklin!"

Murray's assistant immediately interrupts Su Chen's form of address, looking arrogant.

"Don't be like that, no need to worry about titles."

Murray kindly stops his assistant's words, appearing incredibly approachable.

He turns to look at Su Chen and asks with a smile:

"What's with the makeup on your face? Are you one of the protesters too?"

"No, I don't believe in that at all. I just think this makeup suits my performance."

Su Chen explains.

But the assistant on the side expresses concern.

With the Joker protest marches being so prevalent.

Letting Su Chen go on stage in Joker makeup will definitely irritate the sensitive nerves of the audience! It might even affect the whole show!

"It'll be fine! It's okay!"

Facing the assistant's questioning, Murray is very insistent, even supporting Su Chen to go on stage just like that.

"Just let him perform like this. Someone will come to call you to the stage, okay?"

"When you introduce me, can you call me Joker? That's what you called me on the show before."

Just as the two are about to leave the lounge, Su Chen suddenly makes a strange request.

But looking at Su Chen's persistent eyes, Murray doesn't argue and agrees.

And in the empty lounge.

Su Chen quietly takes out his pistol and presses it against his chin again.

Feeling the coldness of the muzzle.

Su Chen's heart, however, is burning.

Thinking that he will be able to commit suicide on the stage of his dreams under the spotlight of everyone.

Su Chen is extremely excited.

He feels that his entire life will be fulfilled because of this grand death!

And all the viewers, seeing Su Chen so excited for his impending death.

Feel incredibly conflicted.

[Don't do it... committing suicide like this... it's too rash!]

[No!! I just started to fall in love with the Joker's personality!!]

[He just danced a dance into my heart, and now he's leaving! Too heartless!!]

[I think it's better to let him find release... living in this world is too tiring...]

[But... the Joker's life has only just gained its first touch of legend! Ending it like this! I'm so unwilling!]

[Think it through carefully, Arthur!!]

[I just hope he takes out that two-faced Murray before he kills himself!]

A flurry of noisy comments streams by.

Some don't want Su Chen to die like this, don't want the story to end here.

Others sympathize with Su Chen's plight, not wanting him to continue suffering, hoping he finds release soon.

But the show quickly reaches the point where Su Chen is to go on stage.

"You have to meet our next guest!"

"I believe this guy needs to see a doctor!"

Murray's mocking words ring out on the TV.

Triggering a wave of laughter from the audience.

"He looks like he has more than one problem."

"Alright, let's watch that video one last time."

As Murray speaks.

Accompanied by the audience's laughter, the video of Su Chen's first performance plays again, the video that was mocked by countless people!

And right in the backstage preparation area.

Under the cold lights.

Su Chen, who was originally preparing to go on stage, quietly watches the TV on the side.

The cigarette lit in his left hand burns silently.

And Su Chen's face is full of coldness and anger.

Listening to Murray's ruthless humiliation and mockery again.

Listening to all the audience members in the studio laughing at him.

Su Chen quietly changes his mind in his heart.

A change that will make Murray regret it!

"Alright, then next, please welcome the Joker!"

As the upbeat jazz music starts.

Su Chen abandons the star-entrance style he learned on TV.

Instead, he improvises with the Joker's dance! Appearing relaxed and cheerful!

He spins his way onto the stage and sits on the sofa.

And at Su Chen's waist.

Under his clothes, is a cold revolver filled with bullets.

It will witness what choice Su Chen makes on this dream stage!

Under the gaze of everyone, what kind of performance will the Joker bring!

"Wow, that was quite an entrance."

The host, Murray, exclaims in praise, though it's hard to tell if it's sincere.

And Su Chen, sitting on the sofa to the side.

Seems stunned, staring blankly at the talk show stage and the audience, not responding for a long while.

Murray turns his head and asks:

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine... it's exactly as I imagined."

Amidst the laughter of the live audience, Su Chen comes back to his senses, sighing with the feeling of a dream fulfilled.

Just a few days ago, he had dreamed of being on this stage... but now it had actually come true?!

"That's not how I imagined it."

Murray jokes with Su Chen to liven up the atmosphere, and the studio erupts in laughter again.

Subsequently, Murray steers the topic to Su Chen's attire.

"Can you talk to us about your outfit?"

"When we talked before, you said your outfit wasn't expressing a political stance, right?"

Murray intentionally guides the topic, wanting Su Chen to personally rule out the potential risks of the Joker costume.

"That's right, Murray. I don't care about politics; I just want to make people laugh."

Before Su Chen can finish his sentence, Murray interrupts him.

"How do you think you're doing?"

The implication is very clear; he is obviously mocking the effect of Su Chen's first performance.

Using the mockery of Su Chen as fodder for the show's humor.

As soon as Murray's words are out, the whole studio bursts into laughter.

Su Chen's expression is calm, and then he abruptly joins in with a laugh that is fake to the bone.

"Hahahahahaaha!!"

The harsh, shrill Joker laugh makes the two guests next to him frown slightly.

Murray waits for Su Chen to calm down, getting straight to the point; he can't wait to see Su Chen's embarrassed look!

"It's okay, I know you're a comedian. Any new jokes lately? Do you want to tell everyone a joke?"

Suddenly, the whole studio erupts in thunderous applause.

This is the show effect everyone wanted to see!

No one is genuinely looking forward to Su Chen telling a joke; they just want to see Su Chen make a fool of himself in public again, just like Murray!

Everyone present just wants to humiliate Su Chen once more!

"Want to hear one?"

Su Chen seems not to have understood the mockery in the audience's and Murray's words.

He pulls a notebook out of his pants pocket.

"He even brought a notebook? A joke book?"

Murray's mocking voice is incessant.

Su Chen acts as if he doesn't hear it, flipping through the notebook.

When he sees the line, 'I just hope my death makes more cents than my life,' Su Chen is silent for a long time.

As if making a final decision, his gaze is calm as water.

However, Murray is still rudely interrupting Su Chen, urging him:

"No rush, we have the whole night!"

[Silence/Atmosphere]

Accompanied by the tidal wave of laughter from the audience, Su Chen turns his face, his expression unreadable.

Murray's rudeness is like the last straw; after this sentence, Su Chen finally makes his choice in his heart! And he has completely set the ending for Murray!

He smiles indifferently and flips a few more pages.

"Okay, I found one."

"Knock, knock..."

Su Chen looks at the notebook, simulating the sound of knocking on a door.

And in the originally rehearsed plan... after this knock, it was the segment where Su Chen would end his own life!

Hearing this opening.

Every viewer's heart tightens.

This joke is the signal for Su Chen's suicide!!

But no one expected... that it would come so quickly!

[What's going on... the show just started, and Arthur is already planning to...]

[Too fast!!]

[And that host, so disgusting! Always interrupting others!]

[Although I don't get the punchline of this joke... but shooting himself on a stage like this might really get a lot of attention!]

[But don't you find it sad... ending his life while being watched by a group of people who have always mocked him.]

[Yeah, I'm afraid they'll even mock him in public after he's gone!]

[I don't want this ending!!]

[I hope Arthur changes his mind... please... a stage like this isn't worth your attachment!]

The barrage of comments surges, reflecting the viewers' reluctance to see him go.

A story like this deserves a better ending! A proper conclusion!

Not ending hastily on a stage like this!

This stage, although it was the place Su Chen had always longed to reach.

Is absolutely worlds apart from what Su Chen imagined!

The host here, Murray, doesn't deserve to be Su Chen's idol at all!

He repeatedly plays Su Chen's performance video in public to mock him, disrespects others, and is unscrupulous for the sake of traffic and profit! He is simply scum!

And the audience on this stage is even worse; for their own amusement, they ignore others' sadness and suffering, wantonly mocking Su Chen!

This talk show stage is completely unworthy of being Su Chen's final resting place!

And as the viewers in the live stream said.

Murray's rudeness and contempt for the lower class are deeply ingrained in his bones.

Just after Su Chen says the three onomatopoeic words "knock, knock, knock"!

He rudely interrupts again.

"You need to flip through a notebook for this?"

Murray's face carries mockery, undoubtedly ridiculing Su Chen for needing to check a notebook for such a basic joke.

A wave of unstoppable laughter and thunderous applause erupts in the studio.

Humiliating Su Chen.

It has undoubtedly become the main theme of the show, bringing perfect show effects, which everyone clearly loves.

And although Su Chen's face darkens a bit, he still endures it and continues, repeating:

"Knock, knock!"

"Who's there?"

"It's the police, ma'am. Your son was hit by a drunk driver. He's dead!"

Saying this, Su Chen can't help but chuckle, clearly amused by his own punchline.

To him, this joke is very funny.

But the studio immediately erupts in boos. Murray also stops Su Chen from continuing with a serious face.

"You can't joke about that! That's not funny, Arthur!"

"Alright, I'm sorry."

Su Chen nods, a look of sadness appearing on his face, clearly feeling down because his joke was rejected by others.

At this moment, even his jokes are not allowed.

It seems all the reasons Su Chen came to this stage have been denied, so there is nothing left to be attached to.

Facing all the audience and cameras, Su Chen suddenly speaks up:

"It's just... I've had a bad few weeks... Murray."

"Ever since I... killed those Wall Street elites..."

Suddenly!

As Su Chen's words fall.

The entire studio falls into dead silence!

No one expected Su Chen to drop such a bombshell at this moment?!