Chapter 808: Red Hood (Part 2) (Patreon)

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Jason struggled with all his might, but his assailant did not take further action. Instead, they made a gesture, pointing to their own chest and then waving their hand, indicating that they meant no harm. However, Jason remained entirely unconvinced.

In a place like Gotham, where malevolence lurked, it was essential to be vigilant. Someone who sneaked into a room in the dead of night wearing a mask like this was cause for heightened caution.

As Jason was the leader of a gang, he had a separate room on the outermost edge of the base, not sleeping with the other children. His frantic struggle was an attempt to make the other person release him, to prevent them from covering his mouth. He believed that if he could make some noise, one of the other children would surely come running to call for help.

"Jason Todd, I mean you no harm; I've come to ask for your help!" the person across from him finally spoke. Jason found the tone somewhat familiar, but he was certain he had never heard that voice before.

If he had to describe it, it sounded like someone with advanced laryngeal cancer whose vocal cords had been torn apart. Yet, it was not entirely unintelligible; the person spoke with hardly any accent, enunciating with remarkable clarity. Jason had recently attended a few grammar classes, but he still struggled to make out what the person was saying.

"Ugh, ugh!" Jason called out twice, signaling, "Let go of me first."

"I can release you now, but you mustn't make a sound, believe me, I'll subdue you before you can make a noise," the person across from him said in a long series of sentences, of which Jason could only understand half.

The person's voice was incredibly hoarse, with many parts sounding breathy and disjointed. Jason's comprehension relied on his sharp wit.

Jason sighed inwardly; he was certain this person was not a gang member. Real gang members wouldn't speak like this. He nodded and made a reassuring gesture, and the person indeed released him.

Jason twisted his neck a bit without making a sound and then lowered his voice. "Who are you, and why are you dressed like this? Didn't you see that I was sleeping?"

Saying that, Jason walked to the wall and turned on the room's light, filling the space with light. He turned his head to get a better look at the person wearing the Red Hood.

The person had on a red hood that appeared to be made of leather, allowing Jason to discern some of their facial features. However, it was still not enough for Jason to identify them. He regarded this peculiar individual with a perplexed expression and asked, "Who are you, and why dress like this?"

"That's not important," the strange person replied with the same gravelly voice. "I need your help, Jason Todd."

"You'll have to answer my question first before I can answer yours. That's how things work in Gotham," Jason said, walking up to the person with the Red Hood and looking up at them. "What's that thing on your head? Why wear it? You're not one of those lunatics who blow things up every day, are you?"

Upon hearing this question, the person extended their hand, lifting the lower part of the hood to reveal their skin underneath. Jason was taken aback because there was no skin at all, only muscles that seemed charred on the outside. With a low, raspy voice, the person explained, "I suffered severe burns, which disfigured me. So, I have to wear this mask to get through the day. Jason, can you help me?"

Jason furrowed his brow and asked, "What can I help you with?"

The person in the Red Hood crouched down, placing their hands on Jason's shoulders. "You're the king of these children here, right? I want you to teach me how to become a gang member."

Jason widened his eyes, utterly surprised by the unusual request. He found it absurd and said, "A gang? You want to learn how to become part of a gang? Are you out of your mind?"

"No, I'm not crazy," the person replied very seriously. "I'm not a gang member, but I want to be one. Can you teach me how?"

"This..." Jason was momentarily taken aback. "You're not a gang member, yet you want to join one? What's the point? You can survive without being a gang member. Why do you want to join?"

The person seemed prepared for this question. "Yes, I can survive, but I'm not living well. Otherwise, how do you think I got these injuries?"

Jason paused for a moment, realizing that there was some validity to what the person said. However, he also noticed something. "Three streets nearby are all gang territories. If you were really a frail ordinary person, you wouldn't have been able to sneak in here."

"In other words, you have the ability to infiltrate this place, so why do you want to join a gang? They wouldn't even notice you."

The person on the other side seemed surprised by Jason's perceptiveness. They paused for a moment and then said, "Well, it's not out of necessity that I want to join a gang. But I can't tell you the specific reasons because if I do, you might not want to teach me."

"What kind of reason is that? Why wouldn't you want to tell me? Does telling me mean I won't teach you?" Jason asked curiously. He found this person's actions incredibly strange. Coming to him in the dead of night to learn about gang knowledge?

"Because..." the person on the other side hesitated again. "In any case, I really hope you can help me, Jason. I've heard you're the most formidable king of the children in this generation."

"Don't use that trick on me," Jason stared up and down at the strange person and said, "I can't be swayed by sweet words. Who wants to teach you, this weirdo? Get lost! I need to sleep!"

With that, he turned and walked toward his bed, ready to sleep.

Seemingly out of options, the person with the Red Hood had no choice but to approach the bed, bend down, and then say, "Jason, you're a very clever child. Have you ever thought about what has caused the current situation in Gotham?"

"Here is different from other cities, but it has its unique order. Breaking the existing order will only bring more chaos. But if we do nothing, it's like slow suicide," the person's voice lowered, and although speaking was a struggle due to their hoarse voice, it carried an inexplicable allure that held Jason's attention.

"Somebody has to deal with this problem, don't they? Someone has to find the answers. But if we don't study and learn, how can we find those answers?"

Jason's mouth slightly agape, he remarked, "Professor Schiller was actually right; there are people willing to learn about these things?"

Jason didn't notice that the moment the word "Schiller" was mentioned, the person with the Red Hood's fingertips trembled slightly. Jason thought for a moment and then continued, "You say you want to deal with this problem, but can you do it?"

"You won't know until you try, right?" the other person said firmly. "If we don't investigate on the ground, we'll never make progress."

Leaning against the bed, with his arms crossed, Jason nodded and said, "You're right. Even though it's difficult, if we don't make any effort, there won't be any progress."

Then, he glanced again at the person with the Red Hood on their head and said, "You're quite a peculiar person, daring to appear in Gotham like this. Are you afraid the gangs won't find any targets?"

He stepped down from the bed and, as he walked towards his cabinet, he continued, "That thing on your head is like a message to all the gang members, inviting them to come and take a shot at you..."

He opened a drawer and took out a handgun, aiming it at the person with the Red Hood. "Well, Gotham Gangs' first lesson is this: with a gun in hand, keep a calm heart."

"Jason, I've come to you sincerely because I know you're not a ruthless criminal. You're more reasonable than most people here, and I really need your help..." the person said earnestly.

Jason didn't lower the gun but kept his eyes on the person as he said, "Even if I were to pull the trigger right now and blow your head off, are you planning to stay here and do nothing?"

The person with the Red Hood turned their face, though the mask made their expression unreadable. However, Jason could tell their gaze was very focused.

The two of them locked eyes for a few seconds, and then Jason slowly lowered the handgun and said, "While your vigilance isn't great, you seem to have a good judgment of people. That could be a good start. If you can distinguish who to mess with and who not to, at least you can keep yourself alive..."

"You say you want to learn how to be a gang member, so what exactly do you want to learn?" Jason asked.

"How to be a gang member, how to survive, how to live, how to live better in a society composed of gangs," the person with the Red Hood replied.

Jason stood still, crossed his arms, and sighed, "Don't you think you're looking for the wrong person? Do I look like someone who's living well?"

"But I can't just go and find the Godfather," Red Hood said calmly. "Even if I could meet him, what he teaches isn't what I want to learn. I don't want to establish the same order as the Gang Society, but rather to eradicate this problem."

Jason shook his head and said, "You're probably dreaming."

But he quickly added, "However, if you're willing to offer a reward, I might be able to help you. But I have to tell you, it's tough for outsiders to survive here, and if you want to join a gang, you have to follow their rules. If you don't know anything, you'll be in danger."

"That's exactly why I came to you. I know Gangs don't just accept anyone, so I want you to introduce me. Even though I don't know much, I won't cause trouble, and I learn quickly. All I need is a week, and I can start working," the person said.

Jason snorted and said, "You want me to introduce you? Who do you think I am? One of the heirs of the Twelve Families? I'm just a street kid; if I had that much influence, I wouldn't be here."

"But I know that only you will help me," the person with the Red Hood shook their head. "Others won't accept this reason; they'll think I'm crazy."

Jason fell silent for a moment and then said, "You are a bit crazy. I just learned a word from Professor Schiller, 'paraphilia.' I think you might be a patient with this condition."

"But you're right; in all of Gotham, except for me, no one will help you for this reason. It's precisely because you know nothing that I can tell you. I don't like gangs at all, but I also know I can't change everything. If someone wants to try, I don't mind helping."

Jason took out the handgun from the drawer again and said, "Now, my words may not carry much weight, and it'll still be challenging to introduce you even to the smallest gang here. But if I can make a big achievement, get to know some top figures, and show up with the leaders of the gangs here, it might be different."

He walked towards the door, holding the handgun, and when he reached the doorway, he looked at Red Hood and said, "If you're afraid of danger, you can stay here, but I need to go out now. The early bird catches the worm."

"What are you going to do?" Red Hood asked.

"I'm going to find an opportunity to help you," Jason replied.

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Next Chapter>>Chapter 809: Red Hood (Part Three)