Volume 1: Welcoming Gotham Chapter 19: Dungeon Settlement Time... Don't be ridiculous, this book doesn't have this setting.
Mason had a terrible sleep.
The doomsday scenes described in the movies and comics he had seen kept replaying in his mind, like a botched "doomsday movie marathon."
It was already dawn when he opened his eyes , the sky was still a little dim but the darkness of the night had been dispelled. The kite flyer, who was cooking breakfast by the campfire, glanced at Mason who stood up and rubbed his eyes.
He joked:
"I guess you really like Superman and Wonder Woman."
"Hmm? Why do you say that?"
Mason gave him a puzzled look, and Kite Man shrugged and said:
"You had a restless night. You called Wonder Woman 67 times, Superman 138 times, and other names I had never heard of.
very messy……
So, I guess your nightmares must be terrible."
"You are so boring, Count-kun."
The young man curled his lips, raised his head and drank some water to rinse his mouth, then he heard the kite flyer say faintly:
"But I think you trust Batman more. You called him 487 times throughout the night, second only to the guy named 'Logan' who you called 449 times..."
"Just shut up!"
Mason, who had been acting very calm and rational, suddenly became angry and threw the water bottle in his hand at the kite flyer who was laughing and grunting.
He even wondered whether he should pull out Su Jie's Eagle and give this guy a sword!
Hey, you're taking your role as a younger brother too far. Why didn't the clown kill you?
Is it because you can fly?
"What a joke."
Mason calmed himself down, picked up the breakfast porridge that the kite man handed to him in a flattering manner, and while putting it into his mouth, he took out Mr. Potter's diary from his pocket and threw it to him, indicating that he should read it himself.
The kite flyer took it in his hand and took a look at it. Then his expression became more and more serious, and finally his face was full of panic.
He finally understood why Mason had such nightmares.
"Is this doomsday disaster planned? Olesheite! And what are the origins of those scary-sounding 'world destroyers'?"
The Kite Flyer returned the diary to Mason with shaking hands. Mason ate his breakfast with a tasteless look and said:
"You're worried about our world... No! We have Batman! We also have Superman! We are much more powerful than the wizards in this world!
They don’t dare come.”
"This world is not as weak as you think. It's just that the zombies can't use magic."
Mason whispered:
“You’ve seen the dragon with your own eyes. There should be other living dragons in this world, as well as other magical creatures that are no weaker than dragons.
But they were still zombified.
Charles, we have glimpsed the true face of the end of the world and we can't pretend we didn't see it, do you understand me?"
"You want to tell Batman what's going on here?"
The kite man had a pretty good brain and he reacted immediately.
Mason didn't answer.
But that's exactly what he's thinking now.
He really didn't want to have any connection with the World Destroyer or the Star Society where Old K came from. What's more, Old K had warned him not to trust anyone from the Star Society before he died.
Obviously, even in the eyes of a cold-blooded bastard like Lao K, the Star Club is not a good place.
"Well, your idea makes sense. This matter is not something we two can handle."
The Kite Man nodded quickly and said:
"When the sky falls, it takes a tall man to hold it up. Let's go back to Gotham and find Batman and leave this mess to him and his friends, then we can live our lives in peace.
Oh, here comes the train! I hear the whistle.
Come on, boss, pack up and let's go."
A few minutes later, Mason and the Kite Man packed up their things and drove their motorcycles onto the silent platform of Hodmod Village Station. They opened the carriage and put the flying motorcycle in.
After the train started, Mason walked into the front of the magic train alone.
Mason looked at the oddly shaped train engine in front of him.
That thing was like a silver-grey shell that encapsulated all the secrets. It had obviously been transformed by magic and not even a screw could be seen on it.
He soon found several barrels of a special liquid with a strange smell in a compartment at the front of the car. After checking the character card, Mason confirmed that this was a special oil specially supplied to the alchemical engine and could also be used in the engine of the flying motorcycle.
He put the fuel into his suitcase and sighed at how comfortable this magic backpack was to use. Then he reached out and touched the strange silver-gray hood in front of him.
The information tag pops up:
"Otelina" Type III Alchemical Power Engine Large Scale Machine
Quality: Epic Engineering/Alchemy Item, Excellent Craftsmanship
Item description: Since the implementation of the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy, the issue of admission of new students to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has been put on the agenda. In order to balance security, confidentiality and show that the wizarding world keeps pace with the times, the then Minister of Magic, Ms. Ottoline Gomb, put forward a bold suggestion.
This alchemical power engine is a culmination of ancient magical techniques and modern industry. It has been improved three times since its inception. All modern power devices in the wizarding world are basically derived from it, and its name is used to commemorate the admirable Minister of Magic.
The engine is powered by special oil made by alchemists and can run autonomously for months or even years after a single refueling in an environment containing magic.
To this day, the drawings of the Ottolina alchemical engine remain top secret information of the Ministry of Magic.
Tip: This blueprint is a comprehensive knowledge, and production requires Alchemy Lv4, Engineering Lv5, Enchanting Lv2, and Inscription Lv2. Blueprint analysis in progress.
"Fine."
Mason withdrew his hand regretfully.
It seems that I really need to spend some time to quickly upgrade my professional skills.
It is really frustrating to have these mysterious drawings right in front of us but not be able to analyze and view them. It is as frustrating as entering a treasure house but not being able to take away any treasure.
When he turned around and went back to the carriage, he saw the kite man holding something like a playing card in his hand, turning it over and over again.
After seeing Mason push the door open, Charles the Kite Man immediately threw the thing away and said:
"Look what I found in the old clothes that Old K left behind? A magic card with an exotic beauty printed on it. So cool!"
"Hmm? Let me see."
Mason reached out to take the card, put it in his hand and looked at it, then curled his lips.
I was complaining before that the demon hunter Old K only gave me a sword and a badge, but there was no trace of the Gwent cards. It turns out they are hidden here.
"Coconut milk... uh, no, Ms. Yennefer, hello."
The young man placed the card in front of his eyes and looked at the portrait of the beautiful lady in black clothes and black hair with an oriental style on the card. He smiled and said softly.
The next second, a knowledge prompt popped up in front of me:
"Inscription artifact detected, parsing in progress... This item is the 'Classic Gwent Neutral Faction Legend Card - Sorceress Yennefer'. The effect is that if you play this card in a recreational card game, you will receive the envy and jealous looks of your opponents and onlookers, as well as the temporary nickname 'Brother Fu'.
The drawings have been included.
Inscription skills are enabled, currently at Lv0."
"It's a very interesting toy. I can use it to relieve my loneliness when I'm alone."
Mason commented and was about to return the rare card to Kite Man, but when he handed over the card, he suddenly noticed an inconspicuous graffiti in the corner of the card.
This made the young man raise his eyebrows, and he looked at it carefully again, and found that the graffiti was a "K" in a special font.
"Old K?"
Mason narrowed his eyes.
He immediately guessed that this was the origin of the pseudonym "Old K", and then he thought that if there was Old K, then would there also be Old A, the Queen, the Clown and the King?
Well, after all this fuss, is this just another clue about a suspected secret organization?
Why do you guys like to form secret societies like this? We are already in a secret society, assholes, do we need to open an extra game?
Aren’t you tired at all?
"I'm sorry, Charles."
Mason played with the cards in his hand and said to the Kite Flyer:
"I want to take this thing away. I can't give it back to you."
"It's okay, you can use it."
Kite Man grinned, revealing an expression that said "all men know" and raised his eyebrows to Mason.
"As a young person, I can understand that you have a lot of rage. When I was 18, I would... ahem, I won't say more. Anyway, take care of yourself."
Mason rolled his eyes.
He was older than the Kite Man in spirit and of course he understood what this guy was talking about, but he was too lazy to respond. He sat in the corner of the sofa, took out Old K's alchemy notes and started studying.
Although there is a lot of inner drama, Mason is most of the time reluctant to show his emotional fluctuations.
He thinks this is a sign of maturity and hopes to be a quiet and handsome man.
The Kite Man also took out his tattered flying backpack and placed it on the table, sighing as he tried to repair it. However, seeing how broken it was, it would probably be difficult to repair it in a short time.
While the two were busy like this, the train arrived at the station four hours later.
Mason walked down the ladder carrying his suitcase. He looked back at the exit behind the magic platform that was always shrouded in mist. This moment really seemed like a lifetime ago.
The kite flyer behind him, who was wearing Old K's old clothes, also let out a long sigh.
The journey lasted only three days, but only the two people who survived could understand how it felt.
"Go and look at that door."
As they crossed the stone pillars of the magic platform, Mason picked up his blaster shotgun and said to Kite Man, who looked at him and said:
"What else are you going to do? Not going home?"
"Yes, but I'm not in a good mood."
The young man opened the safety with a click, stretched his neck, and said:
"Practice shooting first."
"Got it. I'll wait for you at the door. It's best not to take too long. I really can't wait to see my son now."
Charles looked down at his finger and said:
"Fuck the broken relationship! I've decided. I'm going to sue that woman to get my son back!"
"If you have an idea, I support you."
Mason said casually, and after crossing the stone pillar of Platform Nine and Three Quarters, he raised his pistol and locked onto a wandering zombie above. With a bang, a gunshot rang out, and a headless corpse fell from a height of more than ten meters.
"Successfully completed an excellent long-range precision kill, and the proficiency of the shooting branch skill increased by X5."
The suggestion in front of him made Mason smile. He still remembered that he vowed to break through his shooting skills to Lv3 before setting off.
An unforgettable journey always has to have a perfect ending.
——
Three hours later, Mason, rubbing his aching arm, carrying his gun and a briefcase, arrived at the door where they crossed the world.
The young man discovered a very tragic truth, that is, improving skills in each branch becomes increasingly difficult as one moves up the ladder.
Behind him, almost all the zombies in the station were wiped out by him, and the engineering bombs he brought with him were also used up completely. However, after so many times of precision killing with increased proficiency, his shooting had barely reached Lv3. It was really hard to say when he would be able to reach the maximum level.
In front of him, the Kite Man was already getting impatient.
He guarded the ordinary door but did not leave Mason alone, which made the young man feel satisfied. It seemed that Charles was indeed a good partner.
Of course, it would be better if he was more powerful and useful.
The black stone inlaid in the cat's eye of the door has become dull, which seems to represent that the magical power of this door is about to be closed. The outer ring of its brass handle has complex scale markings. Mason has seen Old K use this thing before, and he has to twist it to a specific position to open a precise world channel.
"Come on, you seem to be better at dealing with these weird things."
The kite man stepped aside and watched Mason move forward to operate.
The young man reached out and grasped the brass handle. The next moment, an information label popped up:
World Gate Replica
Quality: Excellent creation and excellent craftsmanship
Features : Projection of strange objects·Star positioning·Time travel·Identity locking·Soul connection
Status: Owner 'Old K' has died, the World Key is broken, and needs to be re-bound before use.
Effect:
Select different world coordinates and twist the handle to open the passage to different parallel worlds.
Using the World Key can change the location of the World Gate in different worlds.
This item requires a specific energy stone for power. It can be opened for five days at a time. The current remaining time is [37/120 hours]. After the energy stone is exhausted, the door to this ownerless world will be permanently closed.
Item Description: This World Gate is just a replica of the World Gate owned by the Star Society . All of its abilities come from the replica projection of the real legendary item.
This item can be destroyed, but this is not recommended.
This prompt made Mason frown, because under the prompt, there was an information interaction box that popped up: "The World Gate can be bound to a new user, yes/no to bind?"
"What's wrong?"
When the kite man saw Mason's grim expression, his heart skipped a beat and he asked in a low voice.
Mason glanced at him and whispered:
"Old K is dead. This door may not be usable unless... unless one of us is willing to become its new owner."
"I come!"
Charles' heart sank when he heard this, but when he heard Mason say that it needed to be bound before it could be used, he did not hesitate too much and reached out to grasp the brass handle.
But Mason grabbed his wrist.
He stared at the kite flyer and said seriously:
"You know, once you are bound to it, it is equivalent to joining the Star Club! Old K told me before he died that the Star Club is not a good thing!"
"What should we do then?"
The Kite Man asked back excitedly:
"We can't go back without it! My child is still waiting for me, and I don't want to live in this dead world forever! Mason, are you willing to spend the rest of your life surrounded by a group of zombies?"
Charles, who was covered in green, lowered his head. He was silent for a few seconds and said:
"I owe you my life, I owe you many favors. Without your help, I would have been used as cannon fodder. I am not kidding when I recognize you as my boss.
I know what I should do in this situation.
I also know you have concerns, so I came."
Mason looked at the kite man in front of him. He was silent for nearly ten seconds, shook his head, and said quietly:
"No, you're too weak. I don't think you can hold on."
"You look down on me?"
Charles shouted through gritted teeth.
But the next moment he saw a red light start from the door handle and quickly spread to Mason's wrist, leaving a strange ring mark on his forearm as the young man screamed in pain.
"Do you know the rules? Didn't Penguin teach you how to be a boss?"
The kite flyer was really anxious now.
He tried to push Mason away from the door handle, shouting:
"That's not how Gotham's gangs work! It's the boss who has problems and the younger brother who takes the blame, not the boss who takes the blame for the younger brother! You'll get killed in Gotham if you're so naive, you bastard!"
“Don’t be impatient!”
Mason, whose arm was covered in red light, gritted his teeth and pressed the Kite Flyer's shoulder. He said in a hoarse voice:
"You have a part too! That bastard Old K came here to rebuild the team, so now we must be a team to fulfill the contract he made with the Star Club.
Fortunately, I was kind enough to save you, a fool, otherwise I would really be alone in this world for the rest of my life."
"That is."
The Kite Man grinned.
Looking at the red light from Mason's hand "flowing" onto his shoulder, he laughed and said:
"Good things come to good people, Boss. To be honest, I knew you were a good person the moment we came here. But now, stop talking nonsense, open the door, and let's go back.
I've had enough of this place!"
"Um."
Mason glanced at the flashing reminder on the character card that said "External forces are suspected to be inflicting a 'soul curse'", shook his head, and unlocked the door.
As the dim light of the stars flickered, a light curtain leading to Gotham appeared before the eyes of the new boss and his younger brothers.
After being away for so long, it’s time to go home.
