Chapter 929: Amidst the Misty Rain (Part Four) (Patreon)

In DC World With Marvel Chat Group : Table of Content/Chapter List

XXX-----XXX-----XXX-----XXX

As the thick mist billowed forth, the entire city seemed to be engulfed in an ocean of fog. Only the towering skyscrapers were able to peek above the sea of mist, and those standing on the rooftop of the hospital, like Schiller and his companions, felt as if they were sailors caught in the midst of this foggy sea.

When the mist swept past them, it was as though they were donning masks, with the obstructed mist swirling backward. The fog clothed them, and the rain armored them.

Schiller lowered his head and saw two doctors screaming as they rushed out of the hospital's doors, pursued by frenzied patients. An ambulance careened into view from a nearby intersection.

The driver leaped out of the vehicle, but the out-of-control ambulance crashed into a nearby lamppost. Blood seeped through the crack in the ambulance's door, and with a resounding crash, the door was thrust open. A frenzied doctor jumped out and, in a matter of seconds, caught up with the driver, clutching his neck tightly.

A dazzling streak of light shot down from the rooftop, and a fireball struck the frenzied doctor's back, sending him flying.

However, the attacked driver now had several blood streaks on his neck. In no time, his body temperature began to rise, and in the freezing rainy night, he was enveloped in rising white mist.

Surprisingly, the previously struck doctor didn't die. Ignoring the burns on his back, he staggered to his feet. Rooftop's Brand squinted his eyes and said, "…They have some abilities. This curse enhances their defensive capabilities and renders them impervious to pain, much like hyperactive patients with muscle restrictions removed."

"Immediately shut down the ventilation systems of Phase One and Phase Two of the renovation project in the building. Until I confirm whether it's the air or rain causing this, use the internal circulation system within the building. No one is allowed to go outside!" Bruce ordered into his communication device.

Then Schiller turned to him and said, "Someone has unleashed a large-scale curse attack on Gotham. We can't yet determine if this curse spreads through wounds or rain, or possibly both."

"I have a way to dispel this curse, but…" Schiller raised his own umbrella and said, "The Umbrella needs to come into contact with the curse's recipient to absorb the curse. However, it can only absorb the curse, not provide treatment. If the host of the curse is severely injured, they can only rely on the curse's power to survive, and if I remove the curse, they will die immediately."

Bruce narrowed his eyes and asked, "What's the principle behind this? How do you break such a curse?"

"A more potent curse," Schiller replied without elaborating. He gripped the umbrella's handle and swung it towards Bruce, who dodged it. Schiller only lightly tapped his shoulder with the umbrella's shaft.

In that moment of contact, Bruce felt a certain emotion. He realized that Schiller's umbrella seemed to be alive.

"But unfortunately, I can't use this umbrella to touch every person in Gotham. Even if I can remove the curses from them, without determining the source of the curse, they will still get infected."

"I will investigate the cause of the curse," Bruce said as he took out his communication device. He then looked at Schiller and added, "But Gotham needs someone to guard it. If we allow the curse to continue spreading, the city will descend into chaos."

"Do you remember what I told you?" Schiller gazed into Bruce's eyes and said, "A person who has been walking in the snow for a long time suddenly sees a distant campfire. They will use their last ounce of strength to run towards it."

"And if someone wants to extinguish that flicker of fire..." Schiller shook his head. Bruce wasn't sure if he detected hesitation and retreat in the Professor's expression, but he heard Schiller speak in a tone he had never heard before, saying, "...they will show you the true meaning of madness."

Schiller looked up at the dark clouds in the sky and said, "The people who do all of this will never understand. Those raised on this insane land fear no curse."

"Batman's task is not to save this place but to rescue those who want to meddle in Gotham, those who want to plunge off the cliff," Schiller looked at Brand, then withdrew his gaze and added, "Go, Savior. Those who have already reached the bottom of the abyss are destined to come here. Instead of worrying about us, you should worry about the clueless outsiders."

With that, Schiller opened his umbrella and walked into the fog, disappearing at the end of the street. A burst of fire flashed where Brand was standing, and he also vanished. Bruce watched the chaos on the street, his brows deeply furrowed.

The current Batman couldn't pursue the trail of the mastermind behind the scenes alone because he didn't have enough friends who could help him defend this city when crisis struck.

At least for now, Bruce thought this way. He realized that he couldn't find a reliable teammate. Among the people he knew, aside from individuals like Schiller, who had mental issues, Rotten individuals like Constantine, and madmen like the Joker, there were hardly any others left.

What surprised him even more was that his first reaction after such an event was to seek out teammates, rather than rushing to the Batcave and attempting to shoulder all the work as quickly as possible.

Soon, a helicopter landed on the hospital's rooftop. The airflow generated by the spinning rotor temporarily dispersed the thick fog. Bruce grabbed onto the helicopter's ladder, and as it ascended higher, he saw that the chaos was still spreading.

More and more people rushed out of their houses, and the already insane monsters relentlessly chased after them. The screams from the alleyways grew louder, and the world hidden beneath the fog was descending into chaos and madness.

Bruce knew he had to quickly find the mastermind behind this. Regardless of whoever had unleashed such a curse upon Gotham, they had to pay the price.

After Schiller left the hospital, he went straight back to the Manor. When Merkel greeted him, Schiller could smell the strong scent of blood on him. He turned his head to Merkel and asked, "What were you doing just now?"

"I was cleaning the garden, sir. The rain canopy and water pipes are all sorted," Merkel replied with a smile as he took Schiller's coat. Schiller glanced at the shotgun placed at the garden gate and said, "Also, did we find the right fertilizer for our garden renovation plan?"

"Yes, but it's a bit unconventional," Merkel replied, hanging the coat on a rack. Schiller furrowed his brow and said, "You buried it in the garden without even knowing if they're contaminated. Aren't you afraid the plants will revolt and attack you if they get food poisoning?"

As he spoke, Schiller walked towards the backyard, carrying his umbrella. Merkel seemed perplexed and said, "It's not the first time we've had daring thieves come into the Manor, sir, but this time they seemed particularly audacious, even coming at me..."

"Because they weren't thieves at all," Schiller stood under the eaves and looked at the garden. The scent of blood wafted through the damp air, and Merkel seemed to realize that something was amiss. He asked, "What happened, sir? Those people... Shouldn't I have buried them in the garden?"

"We don't know yet," Schiller shook his head. "But you made the decision, so you have to take responsibility for it. I'm going to Gotham University. If those plants do decide to attack you, you better hope that old shotgun is useful."

With that, he turned and walked out, leaving Merkel standing alone at the door, confused and bewildered. However, he soon heard some commotion coming from the backyard.

Merkel sighed, returned to the living room, and made his way through the corridor. He picked up the shotgun with the lingering warmth and approached the wall of the garden.

Climbing onto a scaffold, Merkel noticed several people attempting to climb over the wall and into the yard. One of them was about to succeed. So, Merkel blew his brains out with a single shot, and the intruder fell into the yard.

Setting the gun down, Merkel walked over to the corpse and grabbed the hem of his clothes, dragging the body to the back of an oak tree.

With one shovel, blood started oozing out, and when he dug further, he found some bones that seemed to have been there for a while. Merkel paid no mind, using a gardening spade to dig a shallow pit and tossing the corpse into it.

The garden at Rodriguez Manor had a relatively low wall on one side, with an alley in the Manor district on the other side. The wall didn't serve to protect the Manor; instead, it seemed more like bait, especially now that the Manor had a proficient gardener as a caretaker.

Merkel turned back, grabbed a bag of powder from the toolshed, and sprinkled it over the corpse. Then he struck a match and dropped it, causing an instant flare-up. In the damp air, the flames looked feeble.

Burning a corpse was a lengthy process. Merkel climbed back up the scaffold, holding the shotgun, and watched the chaotic scene outside the wall, furrowing his brow as he sensed that something was off.

Just then, he felt a slight movement beneath his feet on the scaffold. Merkel immediately bent down to stabilize himself. He descended two levels, gripping the top step with his hands. When he looked down, he saw no one.

The eaves of the adjacent toolshed showed no signs of movement either. It wasn't an earthquake either. Merkel thought he might be hallucinating, feeling puzzled as he got off the scaffold, ready to deal with the remnants of the burnt corpse.

But just as he took a couple of steps, there was a loud "thud," and he fell to the ground in the garden. Merkel stood up, cursed under his breath, and looked back but saw nothing.

Suddenly, he heard a faint rustling sound. Merkel immediately looked down at the ground near his feet and saw the vines twisting and spreading toward him.

The vines, creeping from the depths of the thick fog, snaked their way through the grass and soil, making a chilling sound as they scraped against the ground, as though ghostly claws were reaching out from hell.

However, the Butler responsible for managing Rodriguez Manor was the least afraid of supernatural entities.

[Read at www.patreon.com/shanefreak, and thanks for the invaluable support!]

XXX-----XXX-----XXX-----XXX

Next Chapter>>Chapter 930: Amidst the Misty Rain (Part Five)