章節 29: C 29
Anton didn't promise Jameson to get the bat motorcycle out for the old man to play with. Instead, he agreed to give him the motorcycle props used in the filming, which looked similar.
Jameson was satisfied and stopped pestering Anton. After a brief exchange of a few words, Jameson headed to New York City Hall to deal with the aftermath of the Continental Hotel incident the night before.
Anton noticed that the driver serving Jameson was John Wick, who had failed to assassinate him the previous night. This surprised Anton, but he accepted it without much thought.
After all, Jameson had his own reasons for choosing Wick as a driver, and Anton figured it was a sensible decision. Besides, with New York City bound to become more dangerous in the future, having someone like Wick—a former king of assassins—serving his family wasn't a bad idea.
After all, John Wick was about to retire; finding a job as a caretaker would suit him well. Anton could only sigh, acknowledging that the old man had a knack for foresight.
Watching Jameson leave the villa area in a vintage car driven by Wick, Anton smiled slightly. He had confided in the old man about being Batman after careful consideration.
The identity of Batman was somewhat of an open secret; everyone knew about it but often chose to ignore the implications.
Jameson was Anton's closest ally, and Anton felt it was essential for him to understand that he had the means to protect himself and his family.
What needed to remain hidden was the more convoluted truth about Anton's existence.
It was a complicated matter, one that could easily confuse Jameson. Anton himself wasn't entirely sure whether he had taken over Anton's body or if he was the result of a personality awakened by some other means, aided by a mysterious system.
Regardless, Jameson was his closest connection in this life, and Anton felt a sense of responsibility to keep certain truths to himself.
After tidying up his space, Anton drove to the Daily Bugle.
"Anton, the incident at the Continental Hotel yesterday caused a sensation in New York and even nationwide," Betty said when he arrived at the office, looking surprised to see him.
"Currently, the New York Police Department has opened an investigation and is preparing to collaborate with the San Francisco Police Department on the Life Foundation."
She paused for a moment, gauging Anton's reaction. "And that mysterious figure who appeared at the Continental Hotel—the guy who played Batman—has taken the internet by storm."
"Is it?" Anton remained calm. "How much impact does this matter have?"
He had seen the morning news and the buzz circulating online. The most viewed and liked photos were of Batman leaping from the Continental Hotel. The photography was remarkable, with perfect lighting, shadow, and composition.
"It's a shame he isn't an employee of the Daily Bugle," Anton mused. "I wonder if we should recruit him."
Betty continued, "Because of this incident, 'Batman' movie tickets in New York City are selling out fast. Attendance rates in other locations have also increased to 70%. Today's box office results may double."
Betty had specifically called the theaters to confirm. "That's good," Anton replied with a smile. "Congratulations, you've earned the bonus I promised."
After a brief pause, he noticed Betty hadn't left yet and asked curiously, "Is there anything else?"
"That Batman…" As someone who worked at the newspaper, Betty had access to more detailed information from the reporters who had been on site at the Continental Hotel.
Curiosity was gnawing at her, making her feel like a cat scratching at a door. "Do you know who he is?"
"How would I know?" Anton waved his hand dismissively, feigning nonchalance. "I only know he is a good person."
"Okay." Betty huffed, unimpressed with Anton's evasiveness, and left in a huff.
Once alone in his office, Anton sank into the chair and began to assess the previous day's events. After the confrontation, the durability of his battle armor had decreased, but it wasn't damaged.
Upon further inquiry, he discovered that the fan value could also be used to replenish the durability of his armor and equipment. Even if they were damaged, they could be repaired using fan value.
But that wasn't the most critical aspect of what he had learned. [Frustrate the Continental Hotel; reward: 2 million justice points]
The message that popped up on the system panel, visible only to Anton, was what concerned him most.
He recalled that he had to focus on two indicators: fan value and justice value.
The fan value was for redeeming heroes from DC, while justice value was for redeeming the main template hero's versions, which included Batman's specialized armor and the ability to unlock more powerful forms of Batman.
Various armors were available in the system's store: Extreme environment armor, Insider suit, Thrasher armor, Rabbit armor, Bat enhancement/ powered armor, Anti-Superman armor, Fenrir/ Justice buster armor, and the legendary sixth-dimensional "ultimate armor."
Just looking at them sent a thrill through Anton; he often felt the urge to jump in and explore their details.
The extreme environment armor, insider suit, and thrasher armor were the cheapest options at 5 million justice points each. They were followed by others priced at 8 million, 10 million, 40 million, 50 million, and finally, 80 million for the highest tiers. The ultimate armor cost a staggering 100 million justice points.
If Anton could redeem all these armors, he would assemble Batman's strongest and most complete lineup. He imagined himself like Iron Man, using these armors to create dazzling displays to impress the ladies.
"Just how many times can I save the world?" he wondered, his mind racing with possibilities.
The actions taken the night before served dual purposes: one to warn the Continental Hotel and lay traps for the Life Foundation, and the other to hint at the justice value he could gain.
With the Continental Hotel defeated and the city environment purified, he expected to be rewarded with a hefty amount of justice value.
If he could defeat the Life Foundation next, he figured the rewards would be even greater. Perhaps he could finally redeem a special armor to exchange for the basic one. The thought of it made Anton giddy with anticipation.
He opened his computer, entered his email, and sent a message to Eddie, letting him know he had found a helper and would be heading to San Francisco soon to tackle the Life Foundation alongside him. After hitting send, he pondered for a moment before calling Betty again.
"Eddie will be back soon," Anton informed her, "and your temporary position as editor-in-chief will probably be replaced by him once he returns."
Betty's expression shifted as she processed this information. "You're not angry at all? This isn't like the Betty I know." Anton mused over her reaction.
"Is being angry useful?" She replied.
"No," he admitted.
"Then what's the point?"
"But if you're angry, I could recommend a new job for you," Anton teased.
"What for?" she asked, intrigued.
"My personal assistant," he said with a straight face.
"I would never be angry then."
"Uh!" Anton choked at her unexpected retort. "Seriously, Betty, your talents are wasted at the newspaper. It would be better for you to be my personal assistant. I have plenty of work for you here."
"What could you possibly have in mind besides picking up girls?" Betty questioned skeptically. "You don't want to hit on me, do you? Because I'm not interested!"
"Do you really think I can't find other women?" Anton replied, a bit annoyed. "Don't forget, I'm still a genius director! I have many creative ideas swirling in my head, waiting for the right moment to be unleashed."
"Let me think about it," Betty said, her teasing demeanor replaced with seriousness. After a moment of contemplation, she added, "No problem."
Anton nodded, relieved. "You can let me know your decision after Eddie returns. And by the way, book me a ticket to San Francisco—preferably for tonight."
"Are you going to San Francisco?" Betty exclaimed, her eyes wide. "That's the Life Foundation's territory! Anton, have you thought this through?"
"I want to cut this problem off at the root," Anton replied, waving her concerns away. "Just do as I say and book that ticket."
"Fine, fine, I'll see what I can do," Betty said, rolling her eyes, but a smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she turned to leave.
….
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