The doctor could only muster an awkward smile.

It seemed the delivery boy sensed something odd from that smile. After pocketing his tip, he backed out of the room cautiously, as if convinced that anyone living in a town surrounded by public restrooms couldn’t be normal. He left so quickly that it was almost comical.

Vivi, hands tucked behind her back, leisurely followed the boy. He wandered onto the deserted highway, stretching his limbs as though gearing up for something. Vivi’s voice drifted from behind him, soft and eerie: “Did someone steal your delivery bike?”

The young delivery boy nearly jumped out of his skin. Whipping around, he relaxed slightly upon seeing Vivi but scratched his head awkwardly. “Maybe?”

Peter Parker wasn’t sure how to explain… On realizing how desolate the area was, he had ditched his bike and web-slung his way over using the streetlights.

“What are you doing here… oh,” Peter said, piecing it together. “The layout of this town…”

No wonder the map displayed such a bizarre setup. Something about this girl’s logic didn’t align with ordinary people. If this town was her doing, it all made sense.

“Hmm…” Vivi rested her chin in one hand, deep in thought. “Are you always working odd jobs, Peter?”

From construction worker, eyewitness, and church volunteer to delivery boy, Peter’s resume seemed extensive. And these were just the roles Vivi had observed—who knew what else he’d done? She recalled his work as a construction worker: strong, fast, kind-hearted, and reliable. The only drawback? He was still a student, limited to part-time jobs.

Noticing Vivi’s growing interest in his work history, Peter didn’t find it embarrassing. They perched on the roadside guardrail and chatted about wages and work. Peter eventually shrugged and said, “Like the Gotham Academy banner says: ‘Exploring careers during your school years helps you choose your future.’ Fun fact, I helped paint that banner myself… Uh, why are you looking at me like that?”

“Nothing,” Vivi patted his shoulder sympathetically. “Hey, South Hinckley is going to have a lot of job opportunities soon. Interested in spreading the word to your classmates?”

“I’ll try,” Peter said, though he chose not to dwell on what kind of work a town like this could offer. After a moment, he added, “I’m in a few job-sharing groups. But Gotham Academy’s students mostly come from wealthy families, or they’re scholarship kids, or foreign exchange students. Right now, they’re all obsessed with the Children’s Day festivities—hardly anyone’s looking for work.”

“If South Hinckley really needs workers,” Peter suggested, “you might try public schools with lower graduation rates, like Gotham High Number Five.”

…

After Professor Daisy Diamond’s group left the top-floor suite, it became vacant again. Stark, however, had no intention of taking over someone else’s leftover space. Instead, after yet another trip through the maze and watching Cat-Bat’s “performance,” he gleefully abandoned the game, content to leave it for others to enjoy.

Looking at the crowd outside—kindergarteners, chatty high schoolers, office workers glued to their phones, even grannies with canes—Tony thought, They’re here to experience joy.

Joy—that was the essence of gaming.

As a superhero, Tony’s broader knowledge made it hard to approach the game as a simple player. He also needed to resolve the bizarre issue of Jarvis being “bound” to Gotham.

While Jarvis insisted on staying, an AI restricted to a single location was absurd. So, while others immersed themselves in the festival, Tony analyzed various gadgets and scoured Jarvis’s code for anomalies. Magic existed, sure, but who said it couldn’t be scientifically explained?

Meanwhile, Natasha wanted to gift the composite bow to Clint, thinking it perfect for harmless pranks. But after transferring ownership, Clint found he couldn’t even draw the string—an apparent binding effect. Disappointed, he returned it with a suggestion: “Nat, this isn’t just for pranks. You could use it in combat to mark enemies.”

Tony’s research grew more ambitious, now including soul-binding versus body-binding properties. To answer his questions, he repeatedly pestered Doctor Strange, eventually getting blocked after three calls in one afternoon. Undeterred, Tony hacked Strange’s phone.

Finally, he confirmed:

“Not only is Jarvis bound to Gotham, but he also can’t receive messages from other cities?” Tony groaned. “So, to contact him, I’d need someone to act as a go-between?”

The revelation felt odd, as though the Jarvis left in other cities had become a distinct entity—a true individual, grappling with all-too-human limitations.

In the lab, Tony furrowed his brows in thought. “You know what, Jarvis? I’ll build you a body.”

Not just another machine, but something human-like. Something real.

…

After thanking Peter for his helpful information, Vivi stood on the road, waiting. Before long, a convoy of vehicles led by Violin arrived.

Unlike Gotham’s glittering cityscape, South Hinckley’s night was lit by only a few scattered lights from the sparse buildings on the island.

The small town was shrouded in darkness, contrasting sharply with the vibrant, sleepless city nearby. In the bustling downtown of the neighboring metropolis, colorful lights from ornamental trees sparkled in people’s eyes, and the breeze carried a faint scent of roses, making South Hinckley’s quiet emptiness all the more poignant.

But Vivi didn’t see it that way. Gazing at the distant city, she thought of it as her pearl.

And South Hinckley would one day shine just as brightly.

When Violin saw Vivi perched casually on a roadside railing, he immediately stopped his car and sent the rest of his convoy into the town before walking up to her.

The red-haired man had recently trimmed his curls, and the wild, manic air he once carried had given way to a more subdued, burdened demeanor. Thankfully, he hadn’t taken Penguin’s route of wealth-induced corpulence, but there was a distinct weariness in his expression—the kind that screamed overworked employee.

“Couldn’t this conversation have been handled over the phone?” Vivi asked.

The two spoke alone, Vivi taking a quick scan to confirm that Violin wasn’t carrying any listening devices.

The man took a deep breath and cut straight to the point. “Miss Vivi, I submitted this month’s company report to you earlier. Once the company’s operations stabilized, I approved a wage increase for our employees. Currently, full-time staff are earning about two-thirds of Gotham’s average wage, and even temporary workers are making roughly a third.”

Given Gotham’s status as a prosperous metropolis, especially in the East End, these wages were already leagues above what most people could expect.

Vivi nodded but remained puzzled. While she was known for being “forever young, forever frugal,” she had approved the wage increase without hesitation. Managing staff wasn’t her forte—especially NPCs with such high intelligence. Professional work was best left to professionals, in her opinion.

“But,” Violin continued, “just last week, two employees nearly jumped off the office rooftop… because they didn’t have enough money.”

Vivi frowned. “Gambling? Or…?”

“Loans.” Violin handed her a handwritten report. “Many of our employees are burdened by debt. Before they had stable jobs, they had to rely on loans to survive. And in Gotham…”

He paused, then said grimly, “Loans with monthly interest rates exceeding 20% are perfectly legal.”

Legalized loan sharking.

“20%?” Vivi froze.

At that rate, why bother with loans when you could just rob people directly?

Violin looked down, his face twisting in disgust. “Many of them were tricked by predatory practices, unaware of the long-term consequences. Most of our workers had little education and lived hand-to-mouth. They borrowed from one place to pay off another. But now, with steady jobs and access to education, they’ve realized just how devastating compound interest from these loans can be.”

That dawning awareness brought unbearable despair. Just as they glimpsed a brighter future, the shadows of their past caught up with them. For those with fragile mental fortitudes, the weight was too much to bear. Some chose the final escape: a jump from the roof.

Vivi furrowed her brow. “We need to find a way to deal with these loans.”

Violin nodded, raising his hand like a knife and gesturing across his throat. “Should I assemble a team to take out the top brass at the lending companies? I have people willing to do it—completely off the books. It’ll never trace back to us.”

“… That won’t be necessary,” Vivi said dryly.

With her hands in her pockets, she gazed toward the distant city skyline. “Sure, the law protects their lending practices. But the law also stipulates clear guidelines. Loans obtained through deception or coercion can be invalidated, and using violence to collect debts? That’s a one-way ticket to VIP accommodations in Blackgate Prison.”

Violin nodded thoughtfully. He then pulled out a tablet. “Here’s the evidence I’ve gathered recently. It includes documentation of how Aurick Lending fabricates charges to squeeze higher interest rates out of borrowers who don’t understand the fine print. We’ve also got recordings and videos of them using violent collection tactics. All of it’s currently stored on the company servers.”

Vivi glanced at him, raising an eyebrow.

[You have received a side quest: Gotham’s Loan Sharks]
[Quest Description: In Gotham, high-interest loans are a legal industry and significant taxpayers. Of course, none of those taxes benefit you. With a detailed investigation in hand, it’s time to figure out how to handle this mess.]
[Note: Beware of retaliation from the lending companies…]
[Quest Rewards: 0–200 Diamonds, 10 Million Coins]

Violin had clearly been tracking this issue for a while. His investigation into Aurick Lending was thorough. On the surface, the company appeared to be a standard credit provider. But in Gotham, a city renowned for its “robust” civil practices, their violent debt collection methods hinted at deeper connections.

Aurick had its own security subsidiary, some of whose employees were rounded up during Gotham’s recent cleanup operation. The company also received funding from other enterprises, several of which Vivi recognized at a glance.

For instance, Judge Meg Scott’s surname—Scott. Or Rothschild.

Vivi sighed inwardly.

Once again, her game reminded her that, like it or not, her position aligned with the villains.