【You Have Received a Side Quest: Drug Production Chain】

【Quest Description: To completely dismantle Black Mask’s operations and prevent him from ever regaining power, you must sever his drug production chain and secure evidence of his involvement in the drug trade. Find the locations where Black Mask produces his drugs】

【Quest Rewards: 50 diamonds, 1,000,000 gold coins】

Even if this side quest hadn’t appeared, Vivi would have pursued this task regardless.

“He’s from South Hinckley; I could tell from his accent!” The small-time gang leader racked his brain. “Also, the locations where we’ve made deals… thinking back, they all form a semicircle around the island!”

Millie, Tal, and Vivi waited outside the interrogation room. When the small-time leader finally revealed South Hinckley as a lead, he could not provide further information. Tal eventually said, “I’ll go to South Hinckley.”

East District Police was always short-staffed, so the chief taking on grunt work was nothing new.

“South Hinckley…” Millie murmured. “I’ve heard that place is very insular.”

“Wait,” Vivi interjected, “can I tag along?”

She happened to have a main quest tied to South Hinckley, and this was a perfect opportunity to hitch a ride.

However, based on Shelk and Penguin’s conversations, Vivi could tell neither had any solid leads. Both seemed more inclined to accuse the other of hiding something—if they had actionable information, they’d already have used it to undermine the other.

Vivi glanced at Penguin, whose gaunt frame reflected the strain of his time in prison. Suddenly, she asked, “Do you still have that green hood on you?”

The man visibly flinched, likely recalling some unpleasant memory.

Vivi chuckled softly. She had split her attention to make Penguin and Shelk handle Black Mask’s company cleanup. Penguin, however, could only act under the guise of a green-hooded environmentalist group leader.

For now, she kept both men in check by letting them counterbalance each other.

After concluding the day’s discussions, Vivi monitored Black Mask’s company, kept tabs on Poison Ivy and the logistics department, and tasked GCPD with investigating the drug trade. With enough people working for her, Vivi didn’t have to micromanage everything.

Still, after having her alternate persona attend numerous events alongside her main self, she noticed rumors about her identity circulating within City Hall.

A quick background check would reveal that “White” was a fabricated surname, prompting wild speculation about Vivi’s true identity. Many believed she was Mayor Alek’s younger half-sister, with rumors weaving elaborate tales of high-society intrigue. Few knew about “Mr. C.”

Two days passed. Vivi balanced her studies in the Batcave with the ongoing drug investigation, but progress was slow.

The mental strain of dual roles was taking its toll.

Since both the mayor and the warden roles came with strict behavioral limitations, Vivi decided it was time to let her alternate persona take a back seat. She’d venture out herself under a different guise.

After ensuring Penguin and Shelk were still keeping an eye on each other and leaving Poison Ivy under Robin’s watch, Vivi set off to personally inspect the main quest involving City Roads. Before that, she paid a visit to Millie in the East District—and stumbled upon a crucial lead.

Millie was troubled.

Life in the East District had visibly improved, but new issues were emerging. The area needed schools and educational programs, but not everyone saw the value of attending.

“Especially those older kids,” Millie grumbled, handing Vivi a handful of brightly colored candies. “Sixteen, seventeen years old—they’ve already figured out how to ‘make money their way,’ and they think school’s pointless. The moment I suggested enrolling, they started planning to skip town.”

“Huh?” Vivi pocketed a few candies. “What kind of work are they doing to make money?”

She was genuinely curious. Perhaps it was a method she could use herself.

Millie gave her a suspicious glance, her expression darkening. “What do you think kids that age are doing? They’re too old for the big gangs to recruit seriously, so they’re likely running errands for small-time outfits—smuggling and grunt work.”

Established gangs with “traditions” typically groomed their core members from a young age, while adult recruits were expendable. Teenagers in that awkward middle ground had limited options.

Riti, standing nearby, hesitated before speaking. “I… I think I know what they’re doing.”

Riti was the young woman whose sister’s tragic death had been linked to former Warden Joseph. She’d once been a child prostitute but now worked at the cathedral.

The cathedral took in orphans until they turned fifteen. Those who arrived late—already nearing the age limit—often felt immense pressure to secure their futures. Riti, being only slightly older, had befriended many of them.

She suspected the boys were dealing drugs. One of the cathedral’s tallest boys had once forged his age to infiltrate the trade. He later confided in her, vowing never to sell to anyone within their community.

Millie’s expression darkened completely.

The confrontation unfolded in the second-floor library, where Millie had been sorting through donated books. Vivi watched in awe as Millie, usually gentle, exploded with fury. Quietly, Vivi slipped behind the door to stay out of the line of fire.

Millie summoned the teens—especially those in the target age group—one by one. She started gently, coaxing them to speak honestly. Soon enough, one of them confessed. The boy explained that making money meant no longer being a burden on the cathedral or needing to take out student loans. To them, loans were dangerous—a gateway to the kind of crushing debt they’d seen destroy families.

“This is my fault,” Millie said wearily. “I should have paid more attention.”

Vivi placed a piece of candy in her palm.

The situation escalated quickly. Millie called the East District Police, and within hours, they had apprehended a local drug dealer. Conveniently, the precinct’s chief had also grown up in the cathedral’s shelter.

Under pressure, the small-time dealer revealed a lead:

“Our supplier… I don’t really know who they are. We’ve been dealing for years, but they always change the location and inform us when to meet. Wait—don’t hit me! I… I’ve noticed a pattern. Over the years, I realized…”

“He’s from South Hinckley. His accent gives it away, and the meeting spots always form a semicircle around that island.”

As Tal glanced over, Vivi instinctively pulled her scarf higher to cover her face—a signature look for the vigilante “Night Watch.” In reality, her identity as a vigilante was practically an open secret. Those who needed to know already knew, but even if they connected “Vivi White” to the vigilante, that name itself was a fabricated identity. Deep down, Vivi remained the same:

“Nameless One.”

The car carried only Tal and Vivi—two individuals who shared the surname White, yet both lacked a tangible past.

Outside, the vegetation grew sparse, and the towering buildings disappeared. Vivi leaned against the car window, catching the sound of ocean waves.

They drove along the highway leading to South Hinckley, a place Vivi had visited several times before. Once, she’d considered buying property there. Another time, she had investigated Penguin’s warehouse. Despite Penguin being able to rent storage in South Hinckley, Vivi’s plan to purchase a home there had inexplicably failed.

“I…” Tal spoke abruptly from the driver’s seat. “Have I seen you before?”

“Of course, you’ve seen me!” Vivi responded, puzzled. “I’m always in the East District.”

As “Nightwatch.”

Tal hesitated but said nothing more. He was a man of few words, even in professional settings. Yet, his combat instincts were razor-sharp. As an undead assassin—a Talon by nature—Tal’s identity was a metaphorical bomb. If this were reality and not a game, Vivi wouldn’t have allowed someone like him to become a police chief.

But this was a game—a world where time could be reversed, deaths undone, and the most absurd mechanics made possible. At the time, Tal White had been the perfect fit for the role. If even in a game she hesitated and overthought everything, what fun was there in playing?

South Hinckley was a mining town sustained by its rich iron deposits. Every household reportedly had a miner among its ranks.

A self-governed town within Gotham’s boundaries, South Hinckley operated independently of the city’s jurisdiction. Its mayor wielded near-absolute power—essentially a king in his domain. Vivi envied this deeply. Even as Gotham’s mayor, she didn’t hold such sweeping authority.

What puzzled her most was how the town’s mines never seemed to run out. After decades of extraction, they still relied on the same resources for their livelihood.

Opening her map, Vivi zoomed in on South Hinckley, confirming its layout and noting the presence of gargoyle statues. She could awaken them at any moment.

Next, she zoomed closer to study the town’s red-named NPCs—half the population, it seemed.

Among the red names were the town mayor, the South Hinckley police chief, and various criminals blatantly roaming the streets.

Having played the game for over a month, Vivi realized that red names didn’t necessarily signify evil. Instead, they indicated hostility or ill intent toward her. A random citizen who despised public officials might appear as a red name, even if they’d never committed a crime.

Had she assumed all red names were enemies and slaughtered them upon entering the game, she’d undoubtedly be a tyrant by now.

The criminals in South Hinckley mingled seamlessly with ordinary citizens, prompting Vivi to sigh.

Time to call Winston and roll in the SWAT team.

Alone, she and Tal were…

Wait. They were both undead. Not just two people, but an army of invincible combatants. In theory, they could fight from one end of the town to the other without breaking a sweat.

Reassured by this thought, Vivi reclined, letting the plain, unmarked car quietly roll into the town.

Tal, oblivious to the sea of red names around him, decided to visit the local police station—a logical first step in tracking a suspected fugitive drug dealer.

Vivi stayed in the car, observing the suspicious glances cast her way. The townsfolk’s scrutiny was anything but benign.

Opening her map, Vivi noted South Hinckley’s isolated geography: a single highway connecting it to the mainland, with dense forests encircling the island. Controlling the highway could easily trap civilians. Bodies could be hidden deep within the forest, making discovery unlikely for months.

Tracing the map with her finger, she recalled Penguin’s warehouse. His insight into Black Mask’s drug trade likely stemmed from his operations in South Hinckley. Most of those weapons still resided in Vivi’s system inventory.

Tapping on a warehouse icon, she focused on a green-named NPC.

“Mr. Freeze?”

Victor Fries, aka Mr. Freeze, was one of Gotham’s most infamous villains—though he kept a far lower profile than Scarecrow. Unlike the fear-obsessed doctor, Freeze rarely targeted ordinary people. Instead, he was a researcher, a high-intelligence criminal specializing in cryogenics and autonomous weaponry.

An ice gun capable of instantly freezing its target was their weapon of choice, particularly effective against… the Talons.

South Hinckley Police Station.

Tal White, former Talon and now chief of the East District Police, stepped inside, presenting his credentials and stating his business. Within moments, a gun was pressed to his forehead.

“Chief?” His rotund colleague waved dismissively, tossing Tal’s badge aside. “Forgery. Detain him immediately!”