Chapter 06: Harley Quinn, Wandering Gunman
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When Jiang Li returned to the blood-soaked first floor, the Gotham police were only just arriving, their red and blue lights enveloping the entire mall.
Although they were late, except for a very few people including Gordon who would mourn for the dead, the vast majority of Gotham police were thankful they were late.
Because they weren't iron-headed enough to go head-to-head with terrifying Gotham villains.
Jiang Li quickly saw Harleen's figure. She was sitting on the ground, hugging her legs, holding the wooden mallet Jiang Li had given her.
The perceptive Jiang Li noticed the bloodstains on the mallet and roughly guessed what had happened.
"Harleen..." Jiang Li walked in front of Harleen, knelt on one knee before her, not knowing how to comfort her.
When Harleen heard Jiang Li's voice, her originally dim expression brightened. She looked up and threw herself into Jiang Li's arms.
"Li!"
"I was so scared... Can you not leave me?" Harleen was like a frightened little girl, shrinking into Jiang Li's embrace, which she found full of security.
Jiang Li didn't understand Harleen's meaning at first. He only patted her back gently, comforting her, "It's okay now. I won't leave again."
"Mhm..." Jiang Li didn't know that the corners of Harleen's mouth were almost splitting into a grin at this moment, hidden in his embrace, secretly delighted.
"Little Li?"
Suddenly, a somewhat weary voice came from behind Jiang Li. Jiang Li knew who was calling his name.
It was the famous Gotham "One-on-One King," the father of Jiang Li's university classmate Barbara Gordon, Gotham Police Commissioner—James Gordon.
"You were here?"
"Uncle Gordon, my friend and I are both victims and survivors of this case. My friend is terrified."
Jiang Li helped the "frightened" Harleen stand up and explained the situation to Gordon.
Gordon nodded. He naturally believed Jiang Li's words. As one of his daughter's best friends, Jiang Li had been a guest at his home, and he was clear about his character.
Although his daughter seemed to have other feelings for him, these were matters for young people. Gordon wouldn't interfere; he would only offer some personal advice.
"This is truly a blessing in disguise."
"Little Li, take your friend and leave first. I have to process the scene here. I'll notify you and your friend to go to the police station to complete the formalities when the time comes."
"Okay, Uncle Gordon."
Gordon watched Jiang Li supporting Harleen as they walked out of the mall, feeling a little hesitant in his heart. But for his daughter's sake, he took out his phone and sent her a text message.
『If you don't make a move, your love will be gone.』
In truth, what Gordon didn't know was that at this point, Jiang Li had already been snatched up by someone else.
After walking out of the mall, Jiang Li was saying something to the "frightened" Harleen when his phone suddenly rang in his pocket.
"Ring ring ring~" Jiang Li took it out and saw it was a call from Zatanna. Jiang Li didn't dare not answer his girlfriend's call.
"Harleen, wait a moment, let me take this call."
After speaking, Jiang Li walked a little further away, answered the call, and started talking with Zatanna.
Harleen's expression couldn't help but change. The upturned corners of her mouth began to droop. She heard Jiang Li call the person on the phone "Little Za," a nickname that clearly belonged to a girl and sounded very intimate.
As expected of a woman in love, she could hear what Jiang Li was saying even from such a distance.
Harleen couldn't help but feel a flame called jealousy ignite in her heart. Her grip on the wooden mallet Jiang Li had given her gradually tightened. An absurd idea appeared in her mind.
*Why not knock him out right now, take him back, and keep him locked up? That way, he'll belong to me alone.*
But this idea quickly vanished from Harleen's mind. She cherished Jiang Li too much; how could she possibly hurt him?
"Mhm, okay, bye-bye." After finally breaking free from Zatanna's sweet talk, Jiang Li hung up the phone and turned around to see Harleen smiling brightly.
Jiang Li was stunned. Just now, Harleen was like a frightened little rabbit, and now she was smiling like a brilliant flower.
Was he on the phone for that long? So long that Harleen no longer needed comforting and had already recovered?
"Harleen, how are you feeling?"
"Mhm, I'm better now. Thank you, Li."
Jiang Li sighed in relief after hearing this. He truly regarded Harleen as a friend; otherwise, he wouldn't care so much about her.
"That's good. Do you need me to take you home?"
"No, thank you. I can go back myself."
Harleen didn't plan to be so clingy to Jiang Li. Although she was tempted, she also understood the principle of stopping at the right time. Going too far would only arouse his aversion.
"Alright, be careful then."
"Then... before I go, can you hug me?"
Hearing this, Jiang Li shook his head helplessly, "As long as you don't mind..."
"Pfft!"
Before Jiang Li could finish his sentence, Harleen actively hugged him, letting out a muffled sound.
"Really..." What could Jiang Li say? He could only pat Harleen's back as they embraced quietly.
[Sign in on Harley Quinn, Reward: Roving Shooter. Special Bonus: Ebony & Ivory.]
Instantly, a massive amount of knowledge and skills related to firearms flooded into Jiang Li's mind. The two guns, Ebony and Ivory, were automatically stored in his system inventory.
It actually... after such a short time, the sign-in reward triggered again. The sign-in target...
Harley Quinn?!
Jiang Li gently pushed Harleen away and studied her carefully. This was clearly the quiet girl from before. Could the system have made a mistake?
How could she have become Harley Quinn without meeting the Joker? It was completely impossible, right?
Could it be the butterfly effect?
Being scrutinized by Jiang Li's gaze, Harleen blushed shyly but didn't look away at all. She secretly puffed out her chest, presenting her beauty to Jiang Li.
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