Chapter 32: Raging Speed

Roland steered the heavy-duty truck as it roared down the main road, the engine’s thunder echoing far into the woods lining the route. Several people attempted to intercept him along the way, but all failed.

No one dared to collide with such a high-speed behemoth. A group of thugs tried throwing objects to stop the truck, but at such high velocity, it was impossible.

"Damn it, we took the wrong turn! This is heading out of Gotham City!" Jason gripped the door handle for dear life. The passenger-side seatbelt was broken, and the window glass had shattered when he first commandeered the vehicle; he was terrified of being flung out.

"Exactly! This is my escape route!" Roland jerked the steering wheel, taking a sharp turn.

Jason felt the side of the truck lift off the ground and, realizing the vehicle was on the verge of tipping over, his face turned deathly pale. "Take it easy!"

"Trust my skills!" Roland slammed on the accelerator. "Look, we’ve already left them in the dust!"

"Someone’s catching up!" Jason checked the rearview mirror. A brightly painted, gaudy convertible was speeding toward them, driven by a young man with green hair.

The driver kept one hand on the wheel while grabbing a rifle from the passenger seat, firing a shot directly at the truck’s tires.

With a loud *bang*, the truck jolted, startling both passengers.

"Shit!" Roland cursed, fighting to keep control of the steering wheel to prevent the truck from swerving off the road.

Once the vehicle stabilized, Roland grabbed a beer bottle from beside the driver's seat and hurled it backward. It struck the convertible driver square in the head, knocking him unconscious.

Don't ask why there was a beer bottle in the driver's seat; Roland would argue that as long as there wasn't a syringe, the driver was at least practicing safety.

"One tire popped. Can we still drive?"

"It’s fine. The rear is equipped with dual tires; only one blew out, the other is intact. We can keep going for now," Roland said. "But we won't get far. We need to find a place to stop."

"Blüdhaven is twenty miles ahead. We can go there."

"How far is that? Damn imperial units!" Roland spat.

"Less than forty kilometers. Can we make it?"

"Should be enough." Roland pondered for a moment. "Blüdhaven... that name sounds familiar."

"It's a small city. I’ve heard it’s much safer than Gotham, though there are fewer opportunities to make money," Jason said. "Sometimes you see people from Blüdhaven coming to Gotham to make a living."

"I see." Roland nodded. "Sounds like a slower-paced city?"

"Exactly."

No sooner had Jason finished speaking than a hulking, bald man roared, "Stick 'em up!" and lunged in front of the truck.

"Fxxk!" Roland yelped, instinctively slamming on the brakes.

But the truck was heavy and had massive momentum. The thug had appeared too suddenly, and there wasn't enough distance to stop.

The brake pads screeched with a metallic grind, but the truck’s speed barely dropped before it plowed directly into the bald man, sending him flying.

"Did he say 'stick 'em up'? That looked more like a staged accident... what a ruthless guy." Roland didn't dare keep braking; with one tire already blown, he feared a sudden stop would flip the truck.

The truck rolled over the fallen man, traveling another hundred meters before coming to a halt.

"He’s probably dead, right?" Roland got out and walked back.

"Forget the person—even an elephant wouldn't survive a hit like that," Jason said, climbing out as well. "Though, since he was trying to rob us, this should count as self-defense..."

"Who would believe that? I’d be better off telling them he just died on the road," Roland said. "I’ve got a whole script ready: 'Blind spot,' 'He was just taking a walk on the highway,' 'I thought he was a speed bump,' 'Tell that to the insurance company,' 'We’re all just struggling to survive'..."

"Were you a truck driver before?" Jason asked curiously.

"Nope."

"Then how are you so experienced?"

"I’ve seen a lot," Roland replied. "Isn't everything on the internet?"

"What kind of stuff are you looking at online... Wait." Jason suddenly looked alarmed. "That guy... he’s still moving?"

"No way," Roland shook his head. "Who could survive that impact?"

"No, really, he’s moving!" Jason’s jaw dropped. "What kind of creature is that?"

Then, something even more preposterous happened: the bald man on the ground stood up, swaying as he walked toward them.

As he walked, he swung an arm where the bone had pierced through the muscle, the ghastly white bone exposed in a terrifying display.

"...Stick... stick 'em up..."

"What kind of monster is this?" Jason felt his sanity fraying.

"Forget him. It looks like this monster can't be killed, and he’s not exactly a genius. Let’s just go," Roland said after a moment’s thought. "Otherwise, if the police show up, we’ll have a hard time explaining this."

The two scrambled back into the truck and sped away.

The bald man’s vitality was tenacious, but his speed was slow; he couldn't keep up with the truck, and his figure quickly vanished in the rearview mirror.

"Well, it seems the rumors aren't true. Blüdhaven isn't as safe as they say."

"It’s right next to Gotham. How safe could it really be?" Roland noted. "And I just remembered why I recognize this place—there’s a superhero here."

"A superhero? Who?"

"The original Robin, Dick Grayson. His current codename is Nightwing."

"Sounds like a brand of feminine hygiene products." Jason curled his lip. For some reason, he felt an instinctive irritation whenever Roland mentioned Dick Grayson.

"Your knowledge in some very strange areas is truly profound," Roland’s mouth twitched. "You even know about pads and can link them to Nightwing."

"Learned it from you."

"I wouldn't suggest saying that to his face, though. You might get beaten up."

"Huh? Am I that weak?" Jason had learned quite a few Baji Quan techniques from Roland lately. His aptitude was high, and he could already take on three or four unarmed thugs.

"He’s Batman’s protégé. He’s mastered all kinds of combat techniques, and his stamina, endurance, speed, intelligence, reaction time, and agility are all said to be at the peak of human potential," Roland shrugged. "I don't have much trouble fighting him, but you? Forget it."

"Stop using so many hand gestures while you're driving!" Jason watched Roland shrug, his heart jumping into his throat.