156

Chapter 156: Character Development

Edward found himself pinned down, struggling for breath. In a desperate attempt to save himself, he blurted out a threat, "Kill me, and you won't survive. There are hundreds of gunmen on their way to this manor."

Diana paused, then calmly replied, "Them? You'll be disappointed."

"What?" Edward was bewildered, prompting Diana to clarify bluntly, "You're the only one left in this manor."

Edward trembled, disbelief washing over him. "How is that possible? Didn't you say you infiltrated..."

"What's the difference?"

Edward grappled with the realization that Diana might be telling the truth. He had sent out signals ages ago, yet no help had arrived. His hired guns were useless now.

Fear crept in, and he pleaded, "No, don't kill me! This is illegal!"

"Illegal?" Diana retorted with disdain, "You, a cowardly Elliot, lecturing me on legality?"

Amazons despised weakness, and Edward's bravado melted away. He squirmed under Diana's heel but was powerless.

Diana's tone softened slightly, "I won't kill you."

But before Edward could breathe a sigh of relief, her voice turned cold, "But you will pay for your actions. Until you're too scared to repeat them."

Before he could react, a dagger pierced his skin, pinning him to the ground.

"Ahh!" Edward screamed in agony as Diana continued, each movement calculated to inflict pain. She shattered the precision instruments nearby, reducing them to useless scrap.

Edward's cries echoed through the manor until finally, overwhelmed by pain, he lost consciousness.

...

Back at the newspaper office, Diana removed her armor, feeling strangely refreshed after the night's events. The confrontation with the Elliots had reconnected her with her true identity—not just a newspaper owner, but an Amazon princess and warrior.

Peter watched her change, then asked, "You didn't kill him?"

Diana shrugged. "Is that a problem?"

"It's not a good habit," Peter replied. "Dealing with enemies cleanly avoids future complications."

Diana countered, "I learned that from you. You torture people every day, leaving them half-dead yet breathing."

Peter shook his head. "That method doesn't suit you. It's unnecessary."

"...," Diana fell silent, contemplating Peter's words. Eventually, she admitted, "Killing him would've stirred up trouble. They are one of Gotham's major families, and our newspaper can't afford that stain."

Peter nodded in understanding. "That's true."

Diana felt a flicker of satisfaction at his agreement, but Peter's next words dampened her mood, "But sometimes overthinking dulls your blade."

Diana scowled but accepted the advice nonetheless.

In the days following Edward's punishment, the Elliots maintained an uneasy silence. Peter resumed operations, setting up new equipment to restore the newspaper's functionality. Diana, after much deliberation, decided to revisit Alan Wayne.

Initially overwhelmed by the complexities of Wayne's proposal—weighing gains, losses, risks, and opportunities—Diana found herself unable to make a decision. Feeling her mind overloaded, she abandoned careful deliberation in favor of her instinct as a warrior.

Surprisingly, it worked.

Peter didn't object. He understood that Diana would manage the benefits and consequences of their collaboration.

While Diana delved deeper into Wayne Manor, Peter busied himself beneath it in what would one day become the Batcave. Though not yet the iconic hideout, he laid the groundwork, leaving behind clues and items that would one day lead Bruce Wayne to discover his destiny.

He faked this place as the inheritance place of the first generation of Batman, yes, the first generation.

When Bruce discovers this place in the future, he will definitely go back to investigate. Even without investigating, he can hear about Batman who was active on the battlefield during World War I, or about Batman legends and stories from various places.

Of course he would be dubious at first, but with gradual exploration and discovery, he would eventually believe it, and then excitedly tell himself that he had found the "truth"!

Peter has already created a breeding ground for the birth of these legends, which he has done conveniently while earning points during this period

As for the inheritance content he left behind, apart from a few sets of bat suits and a few tools, it was just some technological information

These serums, while potentially lucrative or empowering, also posed risks in the wrong hands.

There are a variety of biochemical technologies on Marvel Earth. Although they are not yet mature, they already have a sufficient foundation.

On these basis, Peter finally developed a finished new serum after further research and choices.

He deliberately gave up all kinds of powerful abilities, retaining only the most basic function of repairing human body damage.

With Gotham's penchant for chaos, Peter speculated on how these substances might influence its future.

As Diana grew closer to Alan Wayne, negotiations progressed, with Peter occasionally applying pressure to secure favorable terms. His tactics pushed Alan's limits, both frustrating and compelling him to continue.

However, Peter felt a nagging unease about his lingering mission: the anchor point.

He sensed his influence over DC Earth was nearing its zenith, providing ample intrigue and development without stifling future possibilities. Yet, he couldn't shake the feeling that failing to establish a lasting mark here might foreclose future returns.

On this day, as usual, Diana was wearing a maid outfit and black stockings, making coffee with sugar and milk for Peter.

Then he asked: "Are new comics going to be released today?"

Peter nodded. He had already prepared the banknotes. With the blessing of his super brain and super speed, new comics would be released soon.

Diana picked up the new comic and looked at it. It showed a sturdy man holding a shield and dressed like a boy scout,

"Captain Gotham".

It tells the story of a super soldier who participated in World War I and was frozen in ice and woke up nearly a hundred years later in the future.

"Why is it always Gotham?" Diana asked, frowning.

Of course, she was just asking. As for the content of the comic, she quickly read it with interest and said,

"It feels like you have endless inspiration in your mind. The characters in these comics also seem to be real."

As she said, She had already seen the protagonist of the comic and couldn't help but ask:

"Why is he called Steve? Speaking of which, I haven't gone back to see him for so long, and I don't know how he is doing lately."

"You can always do it if you want. In the past, he should have been living a good life recently."

Diana blinked, covered half of her face below the bridge of her nose with a comic, and secretly glanced at Peter.

Peter could not guess Diana's thoughts at all times, so he just said:

"Next, I will work overtime to finish these comics as much as possible."

Upon hearing these words, Diana, who was originally a little distracted, trembled in her heart. , said:

"You... are leaving?"

Peter didn't hide much and nodded, "I have been away from home for a long time, and it's time to go back. There are people waiting for me there."

His thoughts were interrupted one day by a surprise visitor to the newspaper office—a tall, blue-skinned birdman with alien eyes.

"Diana! You must come with me!" he exclaimed, bursting into the room.

But alas, time constraints prevent further elaboration. This tale, a prequel in its own right, must conclude here, promising future excitement upon its return.