"Harvey Dent is a good man." Iselin's first impression of him was positive—elegant in speech and upright in character—but she could also hear the helplessness in his words. In Gotham, being a righteous man was no easy feat.
"He is a good man..." Liu A'dou said, "until he became Two-Face." He paused for a moment. "That's why I agreed to cooperate with him. We can do what we can to help him, and in turn, it's for the good of Gotham."
Iselin listened and felt that she hadn't misjudged him. Liu A'dou truly seemed to embody justice. He always did the right thing, and though his body was not strong, his heart was as fiery as a flame. She was growing more and more fond of this young man.
The car drove into Chinatown and parked on the street below. This was Liu A'dou's parking space, marked with a white spray-painted rectangle on the ground—a trick he learned from his landlord. People here did the same, marking out parking spaces on the street.
Iselin looked around at the surroundings; it wasn't bad. Having moved around a lot with her mother, she had learned to adapt to various environments. She was no pampered young lady. Although the area wasn't as stylish and quiet as her high-rise apartment, it was still quite decent.
"I live on the top floor, the best spot. Please, after you, my lady." Liu A'dou, holding all the luggage—two large suitcases—bowed in a gentlemanly manner.
Iselin smiled gracefully and led the way up the stairs. She didn't even notice that Liu A'dou, carrying the two heavy suitcases, showed no discomfort while climbing.
The room was surprisingly clean, and the decor, though simple, was warm, reminiscent of the place Iselin had lived in with her mother when she was younger.
"I'll show you to the guest room, it's in there." Liu A'dou led her through the living room and down a hallway to two guest rooms. "This one, is it okay for you?"
"Yes, much better than the street," Iselin replied, clearly satisfied. The guest room had a bed, a TV, a wardrobe, and a desk.
"If you need the internet, here's the connection." Liu A'dou placed the suitcases down and said, "Let me show you the kitchen and bathroom."
In truth, the place was really nice. Liu A'dou had decorated it like a home, making sure everything was comfortable.
"This is great, thank you," Iselin said, deeply moved. Liu A'dou had been there for her in ways she had never experienced before, providing both emotional support and a place to stay. She was so touched she felt like crying.
"This girl is too sentimental," Liu A'dou thought to himself. "Iselin, don't cry. You've already cried enough today. No more tears." He gently wiped the tears from her eyes.
Liu A'dou really liked Iselin. She was strong, but still feminine. She knew how to act cute without being clingy, and interacting with her allowed him to express his masculinity while also showing tenderness, which gave him a sense of accomplishment.
Of course, living together came with its inconveniences. They both needed to get used to each other's habits.
For example, the bathroom—before, Liu A'dou could go whenever he wanted, but now he had to wait his turn. Of course, that was just a minor thing. There were also times when they accidentally saw each other's bodies—awkward, but also a little embarrassing.
Though they were in a relationship now, they hadn't reached the point of being completely exposed to each other yet. However, over time, they adapted. By September, they were already living together comfortably, almost instinctively.
Liu A'dou and Iselin took turns cleaning, and sometimes they would go out to eat together. People who knew Liu A'dou praised him for having found such a good girlfriend.
On the other hand, work at the news station was finally underway. Liu A'dou continued working with Iselin, and no one at the station knew they were in a relationship. Liu A'dou was still a cameraman, and Iselin remained an on-site reporter. However, Howard, the station director, had already told them that if Iselin didn't produce another big news story, like the one about Kaitou Kid, within a month, she would be reassigned. The news station was staffed with the former team of the original news department of Channel 1, filled with talented individuals, so there was no shortage of newcomers like Iselin.
Iselin was under a lot of pressure, but big news didn't come as easily as ordering food at a restaurant. Big stories were unpredictable, and no matter how much she and Liu A'dou wandered the streets, they hadn't stumbled upon anything worthy of being called big news.
Liu A'dou thought to himself, should he go out and create some big news himself? Kaitou Kid was just another identity of his, and he could decide how the thief would act. If he planned a showdown between Kaitou Kid and Batman, it would definitely be a big story.
But before Liu A'dou could make a move, big news came crashing in. It was another gloomy day in the sky. Liu A'dou parked the broadcast van in the outdoor parking lot and went out to buy two cups of hot coffee.
"News, news, where are you?" Iselin leaned against the broadcast van and sighed to the sky.
"Pfft!" Liu A'dou couldn't help but laugh. "Maybe God heard your complaint and will send big news right to our doorstep." Liu A'dou knew big news was hard to find, but gathering other stories wasn't bad either. In the past few days, they had reported on several cases—jewelry store robberies, a series of attacks, and two car accidents. They were the first to arrive and got exclusive information. Liu A'dou could tell that Howard was quite satisfied with Iselin. Her reporting was fluent, her image beautiful, and she wasn't afraid of danger. It seemed like the station director just wanted to motivate the newcomers, hence the high expectations for Iselin.
"Stop joking. I'm serious. If there's no big news, I might end up in the office serving tea and running errands. That's not the job I want," Iselin said, determined to become the best reporter.
"Come on, big news, hurry up and come!" Iselin prayed once more.
Liu A'dou smiled without speaking, raising his head and finishing the rest of his coffee. "Cough, cough, cough..."
Suddenly, Liu A'dou coughed up the last of his coffee, and Iselin rushed over to pat him on the back. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"
"Look up." Liu A'dou pointed upward.
Iselin looked up, and through the heavy clouds, she saw a projection in the sky. A beam of light shot upwards. "The Bat-Signal?"
The Bat-Signal was a high-powered spotlight set up on the roof of the police station by Commissioner Gordon. The lampshade displayed the black silhouette of Batman's bat logo. Once the light was turned on, it cast a huge bat-shaped shadow in the sky, signaling Batman to come to Gotham's aid.
"Big news is here!" Iselin's eyes lit up. "Let's go, we're heading to the police station!"
Liu A'dou, who had been in Gotham for a year, was also seeing the Bat-Signal for the first time. It seemed like Gordon was in serious trouble again. First, it was Scarecrow, and now what was coming? Liu A'dou felt a surge of excitement.
At the police station, Gordon and Harvey were anxiously awaiting Batman's arrival. Gordon's informant had received an explosive piece of information: someone had set up an underground weapons factory in Gotham City, producing dangerous weapons to be sold outside the city.
But Gordon didn't know where the weapons factory was. All they knew was that the weapons were extremely dangerous, and if they were transported out of Gotham, they would cause massive destruction. For these criminals hiding in the corners of Gotham, Gordon knew the police had no chance of finding them. Their only hope was that Batman, with his vast resources and connections, could locate the underground factory in time.
Harvey was there to inform Batman that the prosecutor's office was taking the operation very seriously. The prosecutor's office, headed by the mayor, had a responsibility to maintain Gotham's public image. If large quantities of dangerous weapons were allowed to circulate, Gotham's reputation would be shattered, and that could never be allowed.
People wandering in the night looked up at the Bat-Signal in the sky and couldn't help but feel a sense of fear. Batman was the symbol of Gotham, and to criminals, he was the most terrifying symbol of justice.