Chapitre 39: It Was Never A Riddle

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Chapter 38: It Was Never A Riddle

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The officer next to them remained seated there with his eyes closed as one of the medics muttered, "The Riddler I believe?"

The patient was still a bit dazed, so he just muttered, "W-what?"

The medic lifted his hand and just slapped the patient without a second thought, basically baffling him and fully waking him up.

"You're the Riddler I believe?" The medic asked again.

The Riddler eyed the medic with confusion, barely holding himself from flinching due to the pain in his leg, "How... do you know?"

"Hmm, perhaps the pain is muddling your thought process? Allow me to help you." As he said that, the medic brought a different syringe and a vial, he filled the syringe with the solution in the vial and injected the Riddler.

"Just relax. this will get rid of the pain." Afterward, the medic waited for a while until the Riddler got his clarity back.

He kept eyeing that specific medic then his surroundings before his eyes shone with understanding, "You're the Roses' head? You planned all of this out?"

"Indeed, and you're the Riddler? The one who has been a headache for the Bat for the last few months, leaving dead bodies with some kind of riddle on them?" The medic specified.

An almost obsessive smile surfaced on the Riddle's face as he came to a conclusion, "I see... I understand now. You didn't need to ask the Penguin anything because you already concluded who I am... All due to the body.

It was all my mistake, I assumed you'd want to get more information about me other than the name I go by. However, the word 'Riddler' was enough for you."

The medic glanced at the Riddler's obsessive eyes in understanding as well, "And I see why your actions were a tad bit stupid. You allowed your obsession to control you. My nonsensical actions were a riddle you wished to solve."

The Riddler nodded with what looked like happiness, finally meeting someone who can understand him to this extent, "Not just that, I wanted to know who you are, so would you mind allowing me to know of your name?"

The medic had the usual medic mask on as well as a hat basically hiding most of his face, only showing his confused brown eyes, "Even you?? I swear it's not intentional. Everyone just assumes that I am not the leader despite my last name being the family name."

"Excuse me?" The Riddler muttered in bafflement, his mouth was agape as the medic took off his mask and hat showing his handsome face, silky dark hair, a facial expression of someone he observed for a long time.

"You're Ian Rose? But how?"

"I want to know why would you think otherwise, I mean, I may not be smart but I think a lot, something very few people do. I'd also like to think I have the charisma to lead and I am talented in acquiring what I desire."

Ian was genuinely confused. He could understand the crime lords thinking that due to how he behaved but...

The Riddler's mouth kept opening and closing for a while before a word could come out of his mouth, "I guess I expected more?"

Ian frowned and remained silent for a few seconds, however, it seemed that the roast didn't offend him as he just moved on, "Why did you target us? Couldn't you just keep your attention on Batman so we don't have a problem?"

"Oh I see, this is why you're really here. You're like me, you want to know." He mumbled like a maniac before answering, "I just saw your potential, someone who leads all of those that are oppressed, a horrible power to have, and I wanted that."

Ian narrowed his eyes and contemplated the answer for a minute or so, "I don't believe you at all... Why did you target us?"

The Riddler let out a small laugh, "You really do take your time to think things through. How about I answer your question if you answer mine, what's your goal."

Ian closed his eyes for a second before letting out a sigh, "I guess I really can't get the answers I want from you, but really, I find smart people to be incredibly predictable to a frightening degree,"

He then looked at the confused Riddler and added, "A riddle, that's your goal, you want to use Rose's power to construct a city-scaled riddle. Your actions have already told me that."

"Then why ask me in the first place? Is it..."

"Yes, I wanted to see whether you'll answer some of my questions, but I guess I have to use secondary means despite them not possibly giving me all the answers I want."

Ian turned his attention to the officer. The latter picked up the signal and handed him a plastic evidence bag.

"I know of some of your achievements... You're really good at what you do, so I gotta wonder, how wonderful is your stash? Your collection? Someone like you will certainly hide somewhere hidden, not your base, that's for sure."

"Hehe, and you think I'd leave any trace in my phone," From a laugh to a sinister look, The Riddler spoke, "You're looking down on me way too much."

Ian looked calm throughout the interaction, then, "Pffft hahaha, sorry I couldn't hold myself back... Yes, I am looking down on you, and it's deserved, don't you think? Moreover, I only need your identity."

Ian didn't have to take off the Riddler's mask to look at his face because it has already been done, he just took a picture of his face.

"Psychology, a wonderful thing isn't it? I studied it a bit and the rest of what I know about it came from simply thinking and observing... People don't do that much, do they? They tend to ignore things as do I... Until I start thinking and things tend to solve itself out in my mind."

"What are you getting into?" The riddler asked, his tone sounding a bit fearful. His body was tense, but he simply couldn't move it much. Whatever Ian had done to him, limited his freedom.

"Do you know why Batman doesn't kill? I do. I also don't think he minds that much of someone killing someone evil as long as he doesn't do that. It's almost as if he's afraid of crossing a line, and I have a very good idea of what crossing that line might do to him.

What am getting at is that I don't think that applies to me. I've never killed someone, but I am already insane, so can it get any worse?"

"Wait! Just wait, please! You don't have to do this, we can even work together! Imagine what we could accomplish." The Riddler begged for his life, his tone almost reeking of insanity.

Ian ignored him and just picked up another vial and a different syringe, "I do believe in reformation. I think people can change with time."

"Then why!!? I can't go down like this! I... I expected it something so much more splendid..."

Ian filled the syringe with the vial liquid and responded, "I just believe that more often than not, they'll change for the worst than the opposite."

"Wha.." Ian ignored the Riddler's response and just injected him with the syringe.

"It had to happen eventually. I had to do it, and what better time to do it than now?" Ian then just watched as the man's soul left his body, as life left behind a dead still warm body.

"Hmm..." Ian hummed to himself then closed his eyes after putting back the medic mask hat, not showing any reaction at all.

Time passed and the ambulance arrived at the hospital. Ian and his friendly medic carried the patient into the hospital, following along was the officer.

Many other ambulances soon followed and they started informing each other of who survived the way. Many died including the man known as Edward Nygma.

Ian then just left, he just walked into the hospital garage and got into a car that drove him and his fellow colleague out of there.

'Death isn't so bad after all... A hollow experience that just happens. I guess I never needed to hesitate. After all, how much more can an insane person get?'

Oh, they can get plenty more insane to horrifying degrees. The question is how much crazier did he get? Or perhaps...

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-------------- 1275 Stones for an extra chapter!!---------------

Btw, for the harem thing, I decided I will just go with the flow. If he ends up with just two then it's fine, if five then it's also fine as long as it's natural. I think this will be better and will make more sense.