studiobondurri Chapter 112, Section 09: Deception and Suspicion
Chapter 112, Section 09: Deception and Suspicion
Chapter 112, Section 09: Deception and Suspicion
"Hurry up, we don't have much time!"
Curling up and wriggling to Johnny's feet, Qin Wei helped him gnaw open the wire around his ankle.
He wasn't exactly a silver tongue; Royce had tied it so tightly that by the time he finally managed to untie it, his lips were already bleeding profusely from the barbs.
Reus, you bastard, you're obviously sabotaging your teammates, aren't you!
Qin Wei cursed under his breath, thinking he'd need to go to the hospital for a tetanus shot once this was over.
Johnny stood up and slammed his back against the wall, smashing the wooden chair apart with a crash. He untied the wire binding his arms, loosened his wrists, and then helped Qin Wei untie himself.
"Are you alright? I'm so sorry I dragged you into this!"
Johnny lowered his head as he looked at Qin Wei, who was covered in wounds.
Feelings of guilt grew and spread in his heart.
This was exactly the effect Qin Wei wanted. Johnny was on his side, and he used his wits to get information out of Johnny. True feelings are hard to retain, but tricks win people's hearts. After a series of maneuvers, he felt that he was at least 50% confident that he could get the Joker's whereabouts out of Johnny.
But a 50% chance is far from enough; if it fails, the other party will be on high alert.
The opportunity only comes once; the emotional groundwork needs to be laid.
"Now is not the time to feel guilty, we have to get out of here first!"
Qin Wei pressed his ear against the door.
"Did you hear that? Footsteps! That bastard's back!!"
Johnny picked up a stool leg and hid behind Qin Wei.
The wooden door was pushed open with a heartbreaking creak, and before Royce's head could fully peek out, the stick had already fallen.
Seeing this, Qin Wei acted decisively, pushing the door open and shoving Royce out.
Originally, Royce was supposed to go inside and pretend to be defeated by Qin Wei, but things didn't go as planned. Johnny's unpredictability made the plan risky, and Qin Wei had no choice but to improvise and defeat Royce first. Otherwise, he would have had a headache deciding which side to help when the two were locked in combat.
But that would be a pity for Reus.
Uncle Ben was still proceeding according to the original plan when suddenly a tremendous force came from behind the door. In that instant, he felt like an unlucky pedestrian on a zebra crossing being hit head-on by a dump truck with its accelerator floored, his entire body being launched uncontrollably forward.
His head hit the wall, and he almost instantly lost consciousness.
This duo's main strategy is to hurt each other.
Johnny rushed forward, swinging a chair leg to finish off the attacker, but Qin Wei, who appeared from the side, stopped him in time.
To be precise, Qin Wei didn't really stop him; he simply crouched down at the right moment, rummaging through Royce's pockets and using his body as cover for Royce. If Johnny tried to make a move, he would get beaten up along with "Matchstick Malone."
Right now, Matchstick Marlon is Johnny's savior, and the latter simply cannot bring himself to do this.
"Throw away that little stick of yours!"
Qin Wei threw the pistol loaded with blanks that he had taken from Royce to Johnny.
Using a fake weapon to neutralize the opponent's firepower is a clever move. But again, extras are just too expensive.
The two walked up the dimly lit basement corridor and used the key that Royce had "dropped" to open the basement gate.
The two extras standing guard with their backs to each other in the courtyard were the experience package that Qin Wei gave to Johnny.
boom!boom!
Johnny fired two shots in quick succession. The first man, clutching a bulging blood sac on his lower back, collapsed unconscious in obvious pain. The other man's performance was far too exaggerated.
It lunged forward a distance and then did a forward roll before reluctantly taking its final bow.
The way he was shot, typical of a tough-guy action movie from the 1980s in America, left Johnny completely baffled.
He stared at the gun in his hand; its immense power made him momentarily doubt whether he was holding a pistol or a shotgun.
Fuck, another extra who likes to add scenes—wait, why did I say "another"?
Qin Wei cursed under his breath and gave the middle finger to the hidden camera nearby.
The production assistant, understanding immediately, used the walkie-talkie to notify the logistics department: "Our patron is not satisfied with the acting of extra number 2. Yes!"
That guy who's always spouting nonsense about actor's self-cultivation and likes to lecture people on acting! Get him fired! And don't give him a hamburger! Not even a dog!
Running out of the courtyard, Johnny naturally set his sights on the 1980 Rolls-Royce "Silver Spur" that the props team had prepared for him.
It was first refreshed in Dodge's garage, then acquired by Oswald, who became a big shot and whose tastes increasingly leaned towards mature men, and finally borrowed by Qin Wei for "filming".
As for its final destination, whether it gets towed to a repair shop or a junkyard, that depends on Johnny's driving skills.
But it makes sense, someone who gets noticed and recruited by the Joker must be a pretty good driver.
Qin Wei "pried" the car lock, "connected" it to the ignition, and started the engine. Johnny skillfully climbed into the driver's seat.
The Romans, brandishing their guns, pursued them menacingly. Johnny executed a beautiful drift, his wheels kicking up black mud as the two began their counterattack.
Qin Wei, holding two guns, crawled out of the car window and began unleashing a hail of bullets.
The enemy fell in droves under the hail of gunfire. It was supposed to be an exciting and heroic moment, but the thought that the enemy was just a bunch of extras hired for a hundred days a week made our director and financier, Mr. Wei, unable to get excited.
The Rolls-Royce drove away from the East District and sped along the elevated highway toward the Upper East Side.
There were no pursuers behind him, but Johnny drove very aggressively, honking the horn incessantly.
Pushed by a chorus of curses, the two twisted and weaved through the traffic.
"Why did those guys target you?" Qin Wei quietly asked while the other person was distracted.
"I'm not the kind of person who can achieve great things, I know that all too well!" Johnny shouted.
He stood straight, the veins bulging on his hands gripping the steering wheel. The streetlights, just coming on, swept across his gloomy eyes. It was hard to tell what Johnny was thinking about right now—his ex-wife, his daughter, or the pathetic life he had spent fifty percent of his time in prison.
"I watched the opportunity slip through my fingers. My reason told me I shouldn't get involved with him, but I knew it was my last and only chance!"
Qin Wei felt he was very close to his destination:
"who is he?"
"Do you want to do this with me?"
"Why not? I'm in the same boat as you, we have nowhere else to go!"
Johnny changed the subject, his gaze drifting to the fork in the road near the overpass, where traffic cones blocked the way and a "No Entry" sign stood. Upon hearing Qin Wei's reply, he suddenly swerved and drove off in that direction.
The signboard flew off, and as the "silver spikes" rolled over the rough cobblestone road, the two men were like food being tossed and turned in a wok.
The car stopped in front of the broken bridge. Qin Wei slammed the door shut and peered out. Lurking in the darkness was the turbulent waters of the Gotham River.
He heard the click of a metal bolt being pulled back behind him, guessing that Johnny was pointing his gun at him. But don't worry, the plan might not have been exposed yet; at least the other party didn't know that the gun was loaded with blanks.
Qin Wei raised his hand, turned around, and faced the gun barrel directly. He was ready to continue his act.
Do you know what you're doing?
"Matchstick Marlon! It's all such a coincidence. So many things have happened today. Ever since I met you, everything has become bizarre and crazy."
"I can't help but have my doubts!" The cold night wind ruffled Johnny's messy blond hair, and the collar of his trench coat patted his dry, chapped face.
He never dared to meet Qin Wei's gaze. In the end, this was just a guess, and if he guessed wrong, it would undoubtedly deeply hurt the relationship between the two.
But the Joker's mission is more important, and Johnny cannot tolerate any instability within the team.
"You're Arnold's man! He sent you!"
"What else can I say, my friend!" Qin Wei sighed and shook his head, turning his arms toward the gun. "I swear on my mother's grave that things are not what you think, but what's the point?"
"Your suspicions have damaged our friendship, and your words are so vicious that I can hardly believe my ears!"
"I hereby declare the partnership over. Consider me one of Arnold's people! For everything we've been through, let me go!"
After saying this, Qin Wei walked towards the gun barrel. Dried blood had congealed at the corner of his mouth, and the bruises on his face and the wounds all over his body forced Johnny to retreat step by step.
What the hell am I saying?! What exactly did I say?!
Qin Wei's psychological tactics worked. Johnny, gun in one hand and clutching his head with the other, was lost in a quagmire of confusion. Taking advantage of the moment of distraction, he stepped forward, grabbed the pistol, and threw it into the Gotham River. This gun, loaded with blanks, was more dangerous than a real gun; Qin Wei had to destroy the evidence quickly.
But Johnny interpreted it differently.
"I've already shown him my suspicion, distrust, and betrayal—the things we gangsters hate most. Even so, he hasn't turned his guns on Matchstick Marlon. You bastard!"
Qin Wei placed his hand on the car door handle, feeling extremely anxious, just waiting for Johnny to ask him to stay.
Not only because it was a crucial part of the plan, but more importantly because he couldn't drive.
"Please wait a moment!"
Johnny finally spoke.