In the spring of 1992, the ice and snow had just melted, and the wounds from the previous disaster were healing. The streets and alleys of Gotham finally regained some vitality, and pedestrians and cars began to come and go on the busiest commercial streets.
People who took to the streets again were surprised to find that a new store had opened at the end of the most lively and prosperous commercial street. What shocked them even more was that it was a bookstore.
Opening a bookstore in Gotham? This is like a not-so-funny joke, revealing absurdity at every turn.
But unfortunately, this bookstore was opened in such a prime location, and even though it was deserted, there were no publicity measures.
Stores that reopen often hold many welcome activities. At the door of a bakery on the left side of the bookstore, a fat lady carries a plate and gives out bread samples to passers-by. A hair salon on the right employs several children to hand out flyers.
But the door of this bookstore is deserted, and there is nothing there. People can't help but wonder, what kind of business wizard is there, who dares to have such confidence, and expects a bookstore to be able to afford such a high rent in the city center?
But soon, people on the street looking curiously at this bookstore discovered that it was not that this bookstore had no customers, but that the customers seemed very mysterious.
They often wear dark windbreakers, scarves covering half of their faces, and lowering the brim of their hats. They neither ride in cars nor ride bicycles, but walk out of an alley and head to the bookstore on foot.
However, from some details, it can still be judged that the guests coming and going are either rich or noble, because their clothes are very neatly dressed, some are holding umbrellas, and some are holding civilized sticks.
Guests rarely go alone, and are always followed by a tall, expressionless person. When the person in front walks in, the person following them will guard the door.
Many veterans who are familiar with it on the streets are telling their children not to have any idea of that bookstore. They can all see where the bookstore's customers come from.
"I really didn't expect that you would come so early." Schiller stepped forward, hugged Evans warmly, and then gently hugged Evans' wife. Evans has been married for several months.
, it seems that the two of them have a very good relationship and are a good match.
Evans showed a bright smile and said: "Professor, of course I have to come to support the store you opened as soon as possible. Isa and I got up early, we should be the first, right?"
"Of course, the only person who brought me breakfast earlier than you was the newsboy." Schiller pointed to the unfinished bread on his table. The current godfather's wife is the blond lady whom Evans calls Isa.
The girl smiled and said, "I'm sorry, Professor, for disturbing your breakfast. I asked Evans not to be so anxious, but he didn't listen."
"It doesn't matter." Schiller shook his head, looked at her gently and said, "I heard that you are from the Metropolis? Did you two meet when you were rehearsing a drama?"
Isa nodded shyly and said, "Yes, I am a small town girl. My family runs a dairy farm. I was admitted to the Metropolitan School of Art and just graduated this year."
Evans also spoke with some excitement: "The Gotham University cheerleading troupe wanted to perform a traditional drama repertoire during the school anniversary, so they invited teachers and students from the Metropolitan Academy of Art to take them
Rehearsal, that’s when Isa and I met.”
"That's a really special fate." Schiller commented: "Not many girls are brave enough to come to Gotham."
Isa showed a smile and said: "Actually, it's not bad. My classmates are all very curious about this city. The rap culture here is simply amazing. It is also the place with the strongest street culture on the East Coast. If it weren't for the high prices,
They all definitely want to come and travel.”
Schiller raised his eyebrows in surprise and asked, "Aren't they worried about being unsafe?"
"Don't you know? An intern reporter from Metropolis Daily published a travel guide to Gotham, specifically pointing out a safer travel route. Someone has already tried it. As long as you follow his guide, it will not only be safe, but also safe.
You can feel the characteristics of this city.”
As if he couldn't hold it in any longer, Evans burst out laughing, then coughed twice, looked at Schiller and said, "Professor, can you imagine? These special tourist attractions actually include those at night.
Not sleeping, standing in front of the hotel window, waiting for Batman to show up!"
Schiller was stunned for a moment, and then laughed together with Evans. He covered his mouth and said while laughing: "You mean, Batman has also become one of Gotham's unique tourist attractions?"
"Of course! He is very attractive!" Isha said with a higher tone: "You will never see a man with such a perfect figure in any city in the world, wearing equipment worth hundreds of millions of dollars, standing on the
Looking into the distance from the top of a building worth hundreds of millions!”
"My little sisters who were in the art college all asked me which hotel room to book in order to see him. They were fascinated by his chin!"
"But I heard that before, his reputation was a bit bad..." Schiller asked slightly confused. Isa was stunned for a moment and said, "The reputation is not good? What's wrong with his reputation?"
Moreover, the bad reputation has nothing to do with tourists, right? Those people want to see him just because he is handsome."
Schiller nodded and said, "That's true."
Isa raised her head and looked inside the bookstore, and said: "I think your bookstore should also be very popular with them. College students like pretentious European literature, especially hardcover books, even if they buy it back
If you don’t want to read it, you can also collect it.”
Schiller's eyes lit up, he looked at Isa and said: "I'm worried that my bookstore will have no business. After all, you know, people in Gotham don't like to read books, and few people like to buy hardcover books, let alone
Not to mention those collectible tomes, if we can expand some business channels, I would be happy to chat with those students..."
Evans gave Isa a hint, but Isa showed an embarrassed expression. She looked at Schiller and said: "Evans said you took good care of him a lot, and I am happy to promote it to you, but I just
I am a student from an art school, and my family has no background. I am quiet and talkative, and no one listens to my words..."
Isa thought for a while and asked Evans to tear up a note at the door. Then she picked up the pen on Schiller's desk, wrote a series of phone numbers, handed it to Schiller, and said:
"This is an editor of a metropolitan daily I know. You can call him and ask him who the intern reporter was who wrote the travel guide. As long as he can add your bookstore to the travel guide,
People who come here to travel will definitely be happy to come and take a look.”
Schiller took the note, read it carefully, and put it in the book next to him. After the Evanses left, Schiller walked to the phone at the door and dialed the number on the note.
At the same time, in Wayne Manor, Bruce sat on the sofa with a tired look on his face, and the crazy wine on the table in front of him only had half a bottle left.
Obviously, the journey to Dick's heart was not smooth. Bruce did find Dick in Dick's dream world, but that Dick ran away when he saw him, and he ran so fast that Bruce couldn't catch him at all.
More importantly, Dick was obviously abnormal. His face and body had not changed, but his ears had turned into pig ears. Bruce saw that the top of one of the pig ears had a capital letter carved on it.
The letter V.
This indicates that Dick was indeed influenced by someone, and it was this mysterious V.
If it were in other people's world, Bruce would have taken violent action long ago, but in Dick's heart, Bruce could not do this, because once the damage was caused, it might be irreversible mental trauma.
In the past few days, Bruce had tried many times, but he could not catch Dick without hurting him and relieve the influence of this mysterious V on him.
Just when Bruce was at a loss what to do, Alfred walked in and informed him: "Sir, Mr. Kent is here, do you want to see him?"
"Kent? Clark Kent?" Bruce reacted, he hesitated, and then said to Alfred: "Invite him in."
Clark walked in the same way, wearing a white shirt, carrying a one-shoulder briefcase, and wearing black-rimmed glasses. He shook hands with Bruce enthusiastically, and then said: "I heard that you have gone to graduate school? That's really amazing.
I originally wanted to go to graduate school, but because I wanted to make money early, I chose to work..."
Bruce exchanged a few words with him absentmindedly. Clark was keenly aware that something was not right about Bruce. He glanced at the half bottle of wine left on the table and slowly frowned.
"Bruce, I really have to advise you. No matter what kind of trouble you encounter, drinking is the most negative way to drown your sorrows! Being drunk will only make your genius brain unable to play its original role. You have to cheer up.
a little!"
"Are you stupid? Didn't you realize that it's not just ordinary wine?" Another slightly deeper voice sounded, and a small black head emerged from the gap in Clark's briefcase, Batcat's.
Blue eyes looked at Clark and said: "Obviously, this guy has encountered some trouble that he can't solve."
Clark unzipped the briefcase and took Batcat out. When Bruce saw Batcat again, he instinctively expressed his first impression: "...Why are you as fat as a ball?"
Batcat bared two small fangs at him. Clark hugged Batcat, looked down and said, "Is he fat? No? Isn't this just right for a cat?"
Bat Cat lowered his head and glanced at the flesh on his belly. He was not very fat, but he had changed from a lean and lean wild cat with smooth muscle lines to a naive pet cat.
Clark scratched Batcat's chin, making Batcat narrow his eyes, and then he said: "After I graduated, I took him back to my family's farm. My father and mother both liked him very much, so I probably fed him more."
A little bit...but it doesn't matter, as long as you exercise more, you will lose weight soon."
Looking at Batcat, Bruce's eyes slowly brightened, but he did not speak directly. Instead, he looked at Clark and asked, "What do you want to see me for?"
Clark didn't expect him to change the topic so quickly, but then he showed a somewhat embarrassed expression, changed his sitting posture, rubbed his hands, looked at Bruce and asked:
