章節 3497: Chapter 2629: Descending Quietly (78)
After Clark and his group arrived, there was a peak in the arrival of guests, and cars parked one after another next to the woods. Each person stepping out of the vehicles felt a surge of surprise that Professor Shearer was actually there to welcome them.
And Shearer realized where Victor's stereotype about him came from. Everyone expected they would be greeted by an open field or the venue of an academic seminar, including the graduate and PhD students who had just taken part in work-study programs with him days before.
The looks they gave Shearer even held a hint of fear.
It was as if they were saying, "Our professor might not be the easiest person to get along with, but you'd better return him quickly, or we won't be dining with some unknown monster."
Each person brought an abundance of gifts. To call them gifts, though, was an understatement. They were more like outstanding patches. Now Shearer confirmed that the anxiety Victor had mentioned about "Shearer probably can't do anything" was real since someone had even brought along a pool table.
It seemed like everyone was worried that if they didn't find something to do for themselves, Shearer would give them something to do, so they came fully prepared to entertain themselves.
Lex even brought along six computers and a server, as well as the brand new, not yet market-released Luther-brand gaming console and over 50 family-friendly electronic games. As soon as they were unveiled, they captured the attention of all the youth present.
This was good, thought Shearer. Many of his colleagues had brought their children, ranging from as young as five or six to almost college age. It would be difficult to find a common interest for these people.
Clearly, it would be unlikely for the kids to enjoy fishing or playing poker. The younger ones might run wild in the woods, but for the older kids, apart from helping with the barbecue, there was not much else to do.
The gaming console could alleviate this awkwardness well, especially those games which required multiple players for family fun. Regardless of age or gender, everyone could find joy in it. As soon as the machine was set up, a crowd gathered around it.
Moreover, most of the guests Shearer invited were either high-level academics like PhDs and professors or wealthy individuals who could afford homes in the rich district. In this era when electronic devices were still rather expensive, these folks were obviously the future customer base for such gaming consoles. Lex could also conveniently carry out machine testing and customer satisfaction surveys.
Shearer was beginning to believe that Lex Luther might just be the smartest man in the world.
The number of arrivals greatly exceeded expectations since many brought their families, even bringing all four children and two dogs from home. Fortunately, Victor and his team had prepared extra tents, or Shearer's preparations might not have been enough.
When nearly everyone had arrived, a gray car arrived late. The door opened, and a figure appeared on the grass—someone who shouldn't be there but wasn't outside of Shearer's expectations.
It was Amanda Waller.
She didn't look very happy, followed by a bodyguard and a middle-aged man who seemed like a researcher. Others had come to share good news, but they looked like they were attending a funeral.
To be more precise, she was attending a funeral because the first thing Amanda said was, "Long time no see, Professor Shearer. May I inquire where you've taken my subordinates?"
Shearer was in a very good mood now, so he couldn't be bothered to quarrel with her. Instead, he said, "I don't recall sending you an invitation, but if you wish to join us, I won't turn you away."
After speaking, he turned and walked down the gentle slope. Amanda hurried after him, saying, "They are going to be an important part of A.R.G.U.S. You can't just take them away from us…"
"Take them away? How?"
"They've disappeared, and they've completely lost contact with the headquarters."
"What does that have to do with me?"
"They disappeared around you."
"Why would they come around me?"
Amanda was choked up. Shearer stopped, turned back to look at Amanda, and said, "Having a legitimate reason doesn't justify surrounding me with such a host of troubles. You know the consequences of your actions yet you proceed stubbornly. It's not me who made them disappear, but you."
"But you could've..."
"Could've what? Done nothing? Do you think that's even remotely possible?"
"I mean, you don't seem surprised at all."
"What should I be surprised about? Surprised that you did this? I'm sorry, ma'am, but I'm afraid you won't find many people on Earth foolish enough to think that."
Amanda was no longer angry about Shearer calling her foolish; she just wanted to resolve the issue. She said, "Alright, I sent them as a test of strength. It's okay that you've destroyed them, but why did you sever their connection to headquarters? We need their black boxes."
"To be used as evidence to convict me?"
"There would be no video records in them. I just need the data on their physical strength and operational logic!"
"Why should I believe you?"
Amanda sighed and said, "A.R.G.U.S. was founded with the help of your bright student. Do you think the FBI has the technology to create such clones on their own?"
"So, this is Bruce's work?"
"Not entirely. Clearly, some people do not trust clones, so they were significantly weakened. We're working on our own to innovate the technology, hence the need for that data."
"Whose idea was it to send them here?"
"Mine, but Bruce didn't object."
"Because he knew you'd do it even if he objected. You never listen to advice, so why should he waste his breath on you?"
"Alright, it was my mistake," Amanda said, "but I know if I asked you to participate in the test in the usual way, you wouldn't agree either."
"This isn't about the test," Shearer said as he looked at Amanda, "you are still taking personal revenge, finding any way to harass what you think is a serial killer to vent your anger."
"And why shouldn't I do that?"
"Of course, you can do that, you are righteous. Then don't trouble yourself with the serial killer you hate most, please go back."
Shearer turned and walked into the woods; Amanda clenched her teeth but followed him. She said, "We could make a deal, I just want the black box."
Shearer didn't say a word until they had passed between two large trees, and it was then that Amanda saw how many people there were.
Her gaze and intuition immediately locked onto several people in the crowd, including Jonathan, Valentine, Jack, Victor, and others. Great, she had actually stumbled into a serial killer's gathering.
But soon after, a noise irritated her to the point of headache. She looked in that direction and realized that a machine and several computers were set up in a clearing, with a group of kids and teenagers shouting around the computers.
What was this? A reserve army of serial killers?
"Ms. Waller, what brings you here?" Gordon approached, shook hands with Amanda, and said, "How have you been lately?"
"So, what are you doing here?" Amanda asked.
"Just a regular housewarming party. Professor Shearer got a new place and threw a camping party. Not bad, right?"
Just as Amanda was about to speak, Gordon said, "Actually, I have something to ask you about Mexico. Could we step aside and talk?"
Amanda, catching the keyword, gave Gordon a wary once-over and said, "Mexico? I have nothing to do with that mess, you've got the wrong person."
"What about the Black movement then?" Gordon raised an eyebrow and said.
Amanda's expression soured as she replied, "Whoever told you that, I won't pay a heavier price for it."
"I just need some information, please come here."
Gordon and Amanda walked to a quieter spot to talk. Amanda was somewhat distracted, wondering how Gordon came to know of her connection with the Black Panther Party.
Amanda knew she didn't look like someone who would be associated with these people; anyone who saw her, who knew what she did, would think she was just a government lackey with no connection to the Left-wing.
But if a Gotham police chief knew about it, it meant either he had extraordinary reach, or there was a problem within the Black Panther Party.
While Amanda was preoccupied with worry, she saw Shearer speaking with another figure by the riverbank. If she wasn't mistaken, the person had exaggerated clown makeup on their face.
But that didn't look like the Joker. Amanda knew Joker Jack was a truck driver and didn't look like this. Could it be a Joker from another cosmos?
What were they talking about? Could the Joker Gang be helping Shearer deal with those Clones? Or were they sharing data from the black box?
Amanda was tempted to eavesdrop, but Gordon clearly wouldn't give her the chance, stepping forward to block her view.
Moving discreetly to the side to try and read Shearer's lips, Amanda was taken aback the next second as Shearer kicked the Clown into the river.
Amanda and Gordon both stunned.
Wait, why did things suddenly turn violent? Shearer didn't seem like someone who would lash out in a fit of rage.
With no mood for conversation, they returned to the campsite, each preoccupied with their own thoughts. Soon after, Shearer came back, followed by the drenched Clown.
It was not Joker Jack from this cosmos, but the Beihan's Joker. The last invitation Shearer had sent was to him.
Now he was ranting like a madman to the others, "The bottom of the lake!! There's a monster at the bottom of the lake!! I saw it!!!"
The rest stared at him blankly. Not just Jonathan and Victor, even Amanda didn't believe his story— the Joker was synonymous with freak.
"Calm down, sir," Gordon, the ever-dutiful police chief, still tried to soothe the shouting Joker and said, "What are you talking about? What's at the bottom of the lake? Fossils?"
"There's a monster, with countless arms, legs, and bones—I saw it when I fell in. It's climbing up!!"
"No, sir, that's not funny. If you're trying to make a dark joke, maybe wait until the meat's cooked; it'll warm us all up," Gordon shook his head and said, "There's no monster. It's just a camping party."
"But I saw it!! With my own eyes!! It's that lunatic's doing…"
"Excuse me, step aside, Chief," Victor moved forward, weighing the Freeze Gun in his hand and said, "As I said, this is a perfect camping party. If someone wants to ruin it with their not-so-funny dark jokes, they'd better think if they can outrun a bullet."
The others looked at him with unfriendly eyes. They knew he was a madman, but did he really have to pick this moment to show it? Everyone was having a good time, and he just had to be a buzzkill.
The Joker was furious.
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