Chapter 85: The Overtime Duo on Valentine's Day

"No, no! No!!!"

Maroni stared at the devastation inside the restaurant, his eyes nearly bursting from their sockets, and let out an involuntary scream of rage.

Vernon followed right behind Maroni; seeing the scene of the explosion, he was so frightened that he instinctively stepped back several paces, tightly clutching the stacks of bills in his arms while his body trembled uncontrollably, and at this moment, he had already begun wanting to leave Maroni's restaurant immediately.

It was too dangerous; staying by the side of such a black-market big shot as Maroni was simply too perilous, and for Vernon, a civil official, this dual assault of explosion and gunfire was slightly too stimulating.

Hiding behind the other kitchen staff, Ma Ma Zhaodi listened to Maroni's furious roar and instinctively curled his lips; today was his first day working at the restaurant, yet the place had been bombed—this loss was far more severe than anything that had happened before at the Red Dragon, whether it was the crystal chandelier, the kitchen fire, or the Batman incident, as this time both the people and the restaurant were finished, meaning Ma Ma Zhaodi would likely have to idle at home for the remaining half-month.

While Ma Ma Zhaodi was lost in these random thoughts, Maroni had already rushed out the door in a few strides, where the blazing light from the burning cars illuminated the snowy night and revealed several items placed beside the vehicles.

"What is this?"

Borrowing the firelight, Maroni bent down to inspect the items at his feet: a. 22 caliber pistol with its serial number filed off, a damaged baby pacifier, scattered metal shell casings, and a box of Valentine's chocolate wrapped in bright red, heart-shaped packaging.

Who was the perpetrator of this incident? The answer was already obvious.

"The Holiday Killer!"

Gritting his teeth, Maroni spat out this name that inspired hatred, fear, and panic throughout the entire city of Gotham, then picked up the red chocolate from the ground and clenched his fist tightly within the firelight.

A gigantic human shadow was cast upon the wall by the raging flames; raising one fist and waving it forcefully, he shouted in a tone filled with provoked anger, "Fine! If you want war, I'll give you war!"

Although Maroni had uttered such bold words, tonight's business indeed had to cease, leaving only some personnel to guard the restaurant while senior members contacted parties for repairs and medical matters, allowing minor figures like Ma Ma Zhaodi to simply take time off and go home.

Just as he was walking along the road, Ma Ma Zhaodi's system notification sounded once again.

【Ding】

【You have a new odd job available; please check it】

【The Workaholic of Valentine's Day】

Mission Introduction: Valentine's Day is a romantic occasion; some people are sad on this day, while others are happy—but you would never guess that someone would be working overtime on this day.

Note: A verbal message to Harvey could save two families' Valentine's Day, and perhaps, save something else as well.

Status: Pending (0/1)

Reward: Special Language 80% Off Card—Intermediate Natural Language Mastery】

Ma Ma Zhaodi entered the Shangcheng to take a look; the price of Intermediate Natural Language Mastery in the Shangcheng was 300,000 USD Asset Points, and the 80% off card could reduce its price to 60,000.

To be honest, the original price was reasonable, given that it was a supernatural type of ability; the discount was also quite steep, and with an -80% green tag like that on a certain steam platform, Ma Ma Zhaodi would have bought it just to taste the saltiness even for a work with the completion level of Starfield.

However, for the time being, Ma Ma Zhaodi still felt it was better to save his Asset Points for unforeseen needs, since this ability did not seem particularly urgent to use.

Let's keep it; at the very least, this discount card will not expire.

Thinking thus, Ma Ma Zhaodi casually dialed Harvey Dent's phone number; during this period, he had also been invited to visit Harvey and his wife's home as a guest, so the two parties had become much more familiar with each other, and with the pre-existing shared secret, their friendship had grown quite good.

Of course, the downside of having dealings with Harvey Dent was attracting the vigilance of the Falcone Family, but fortunately, Ma Ma Zhaodi was not considered a member of the Falcone Family, so he was merely viewed with suspicion rather than being seen as a traitor outright; his 'exile' back to the Red Dragon might very well have been due to this reason.

With a ring, the call connected.

"Hello? Harvey, where are you right now? Is it convenient to talk? I have something I want to say."

"Me?" Harvey looked up, glancing at Commissioner Gordon beside him, and then at that elegant old butler dressed in formal wear.

"The two gentlemen might be a bit hungry; I shall fetch some refreshments," the old butler said with a smile as he took his leave, being extremely considerate.

"No need, Butler Alfred," Harvey waved his hand: "I'll step outside to take this call; I'll be back shortly."

Let us rewind time slightly, back to earlier when Bruce and Selina were dancing gracefully in the square.

"Ding-dong"

The doorbell of Wayne Manor was rung.

The great door opened, revealing an old butler with a Mediterranean hairstyle; his expensive, high-class formal suit was exquisite and dashing, complementing his elegant and composed demeanor perfectly, and looking at the two visitors before the door, he asked, "How may I assist you, gentlemen?"

"It's very cold outside; may we come in to discuss this?" Harvey, standing at the doorway, gently exhaled a puff of smoke.

Gordon added from the side, "Ah, the District Attorney and I would like to know—is Mr. Wayne at home, Alfred?"

"Unfortunately, the young master is not in," Alfred shook his head, but he still made a welcoming gesture: "Please, do come inside and wait, although..."

"Okay."

"Sure."

Before he could even finish his sentence, Harvey and Gordon agreed immediately in unison, clearly indicating that their determination to speak with Bruce was firm.

The two followed Butler Alfred into Wayne Manor, a magnificent and grand estate that was basically managed entirely by this old gentleman alone; cleaning, cooking, gardening, seasonal maintenance, various facilities within the manor, including routine inspections and maintenance of chimneys, fireplaces, security devices, and so on—all these tasks were supervised by him personally, with some work even requiring his own hands, a state of affairs that had continued for decades.

Walking through the manor, Harvey and Gordon couldn't help but marvel in their hearts: this Butler Alfred was simply a superhuman.

Arriving beside the warm fireplace, Alfred brewed black tea for the two; Harvey's mood calmed down at this point, and his reflections on the manor condensed into a single sentence: "Nice place."

"Have you never been to Wayne Manor before?" Commissioner Gordon asked instinctively.

"I was invited once to attend his Halloween party, but—as I told Gilda, I'm not the type of person who enjoys dressing up in costumes."

"Even for a billionaire, Bruce Wayne."

Alfred chuckled lightly and replied, "What a pity, Mr. Dent."

"Young Master Bruce's masquerade balls are always... quite interesting."

(End of Chapter)