82-84

Chapter 82: Rose with Thorns 

The man's strong hand opened, his fingers closing around a slender, snow-white palm. 

Holding that hand felt strange in his own. Soft, naturally, that was expected, but there was a subtle, almost familiar sensation to it, like... 

Seeing the slight look of confusion on Selina's face in front of him, Bruce gently shook his head, clearing the jumbled thoughts from his mind. 

"I got here as fast as I possibly could." 

Hearing that, Selina offered Bruce a sly smile in return: "Same here." 

Selina Kyle, Bruce Wayne. 

One, a socialite who graced Gotham's most exclusive parties and galas; the other, Gotham's notorious playboy, heir to a vast fortune. This pair, who to outsiders seemed unlikely to ever develop any real feelings, were once again on a date on this Valentine's night. 

Now, hand in hand, they were dancing gracefully near the fountain in the center of the square. 

The lady, with her air of composure and mystery, looked at Bruce's face, raising an eyebrow, and asked playfully, "Did you cut your lip shaving, Bruce?" 

"Hm?" 

Bruce instinctively responded, only belatedly remembering the small cut he'd gotten earlier. It was insignificant, so he hadn't bothered much to hide it. 

"Your lip—you really should get someone else to do that for you." 

Selina's suggestion was sound, but Bruce wasn't about to take it. He deflected habitually, "Alfred's helped me with worse, more than once." 

Bruce's distraction didn't seem to displease Selina. A fragrant breeze wafted by, and her face came close. Her deep, beautiful black eyes looked into his, and she said meaningfully, "I meant, get someone a little more... feminine to do it." 

An invitation? A hint? A proposal? In just a few seconds, thoughts flashed through Bruce's mind. Looking at Selina's beautiful black hair, he was momentarily at a loss for words. 

Don't misunderstand, the playboy Bruce was certainly no innocent naive kid. In fact, his playboy image was built upon the constant rotation of beautiful roses around him. However, Selina, this dark rose, was the most special one in the entire patch. Bruce was genuinely and seriously considering their relationship. 

Who would be the future mistress of Wayne Enterprises was a completely different matter from just adding one or several pretty girls to Bruce's side. What's more, Bruce had other considerations regarding his choice of a partner – hence, Master Wayne found himself uncharacteristically hesitant. 

Luckily for him, at that moment, a flower girl in a green hood walked over, carrying a basket of roses, interrupting their conversation. 

"Excuse me, gentleman, would you like to buy a rose for the lady?" 

Before Bruce could even open his mouth to reply, Selina had already produced a banknote. She smiled at Bruce, seemingly enjoying taking the lead in their dynamic. "My treat." 

"Selina..." Bruce unconsciously murmured her name as he took the bright red rose from the girl's hand. 

"Ah—" 

The moment he took the rose, Bruce's hand suddenly stung. The rose branch, covered in small green thorns, left a tiny scratch on his hand. He carefully gripped the flower but couldn't help but let out a quiet yelp of pain. 

"You certainly aren't popular with sharp objects tonight," Selina teased, unable to resist. 

The flower girl quickly apologized, looking flustered and humble. "I, I'm so sorry, those thorns—" 

"It's alright, I'm... I'm fine." 

Bruce took the rose, waving a hand at the girl. "Don't worry about it. Go on, kid." 

"Okay, sir..." 

The girl under the green hood did her best to stifle the smile playing on her lips. 

... 

Vernon had already left the back kitchen, leaving only Maroni leisurely flipping through a newspaper. Cody didn't have to wash dishes anymore; instead, he resumed his job as a waiter, constantly moving between the back kitchen and the front dining area. His efficient manner didn't look like someone who had just started today. 

But his mind was still full of questions. The system's assigned task time was Valentine's Day, and it was getting late, but there was still no movement on the mission prompt – neither success nor failure. Could the target already be here, and he just needed to figure out who it was? But that didn't really fit the system's usual prompt style. 

Could the target be Maroni? But that bird's spending Valentine's Day completely alone... 

Cody glanced, full of doubt, at the self-content Maroni. He didn't know what was up with the guy, liking to spend Valentine's alone, but he was pretty sure Maroni didn't seem to have anyone to give chocolates to. 

Maybe... give it a shot? 

Just as he was starting to think about how to pitch chocolates to Maroni, two people walked in, instantly drawing the attention of all the high-society diners in the restaurant. 

"Bruce, are you really in such a hurry to go home?" 

"No, Selina..." Bruce hesitated for a moment, appearing somewhat distracted, but quickly recovered. "It's not exactly about rushing home..." 

At that moment, he felt strange, like he was speaking, but also not like he was speaking, almost as if his soul had left his body, watching his physical self automatically respond to Selina's question. 

Green... the whole world seemed bathed in green... 

"Then how about you finish dinner here with me?" Selina purred, pulling him to a seat. Inwardly, though, she was slightly annoyed. Ever since they bought that rose, Bruce seemed to have been thinking about heading home, making her grit her teeth at this insensitive blockhead. 

Earlier, I should have scratched you a few more times, she thought, but looking at his handsome face, she felt a little reluctant. 

Fortunately, there was still a table available at this restaurant. If she hadn't quickly booked a spot, this log of a man really might have just run off home on Valentine's night. 

The moment the two of them stepped into the restaurant, the system prompt immediately appeared before Cody's eyes. 

【Task target has appeared】 

【Method not limited. Before the two leave the restaurant, make 'Bruce Wayne' eat Valentine's chocolate】 

Simple and direct. Clean and concise. 

Cody looked at the pair before him and couldn't help but sigh. He knew it – when the system gave him a high-level skill outright, things were usually pretty troublesome, or pretty important. But this task, directly tying into these two heavy hitters? That was definitely not good. 

Just then, Selina glanced around and saw Cody off to the side. Her eyes immediately lit up – to liven up a dull atmosphere, of course, you needed someone interesting. 

As luck would have it, she knew Cody was a very interesting person. 

"Waiter! We'd like to order." 

Chapter 83: Eating Without a Sound 

Taking orders is one thing, the mission is everything. 

Cody calmly handled Selina's order. Bruce, meanwhile, barely said a word. Cody wasn't sure if Bruce was always this quiet, but he definitely wasn't about to ask, terrified Bruce might figure out he knew his secret identity. 

As for whether Selina had figured out who he was, Cody wasn't sure, but even if she had, it didn't really matter. There was only one person in all of Gotham who loved digging for answers and crafting counter-plans against their teammates, and Selina usually just went with her gut. 

Thankfully, several things were in place – this was a restaurant, it was Valentine's Day, Bruce just happened to be with a beautiful young woman who was clearly quite interested in him. 

Holidays were always the best sales opportunities. 

"Your... ma'am, sir, your dishes have arrived. Please enjoy." 

Cody stayed nearby after serving the food. At this point, Catwoman looked at Bruce beside her with a smile and decided to stir the pot. 

"You... sir, haven't I seen you somewhere before?" 

"Ma'am, I'm new to this restaurant. Perhaps you're mistaken—" 

"No, no, I'm quite sure, I've seen you before at the Red..." 

"Cough cough, excuse me, ma'am," Cody quickly interrupted Selina. "Your next dish should be ready soon. I'll just head back to the kitchen." 

"Please excuse me." 

If she'd managed to mention his past working at the Red Dragon, his undercover career at Maroni's restaurant would surely be over. 

Good thing he'd covered it up with a louder voice. 

Even when she wasn't "on the clock," the playful Selina still had a cat-like personality. But Cody wasn't a ball of yarn; he really didn't want to be toyed with. Single guys had rights too; there was no reason he should be forced to stay and 'eat' the dog food at a couple's public display of affection. 

Besides, he wasn't hungry. 

... 

"What? Who's here?" 

In the kitchen, Maroni was stunned when he heard the news from the front. He tossed aside his newspaper and went out to personally greet young Master Wayne and Ms. Selina, only to be met with two cold faces that drove him right back into the kitchen. 

Clearly, the thriving Maroni wasn't held in high regard by these two. It seemed that, as the second-largest crime family in Gotham, he often had to stomach such indignities. He fumed for a moment in frustration, then picked up his newspaper and started flipping through it again. 

There was nothing he could do. He didn't dare, and didn't want, to offend the playboy son of the Wayne Enterprises mogul. Naturally, he couldn't target his companion either. So, he could only resort to his usual tactic when dealing with Falcone: silently stewing in anger by himself. 

Cody silently offered Maroni a moment of sympathy, then continued serving the two. But he knew that just outright pushing the chocolate wouldn't work. So, he had to find another way to get Bruce to eat it. 

Within five minutes, the atmosphere in the restaurant returned to normal. After Maroni was rebuffed, the surrounding guests who had hoped to climb the social ladder and connect with the Wayne family decided not to offer their warm greetings to a cold shoulder. Seeing that Bruce clearly didn't want to be bothered tonight, they decided it was better to just eat quietly and enjoy their Valentine's Day. 

This period of calm lasted until almost the end of the meal. 

"Bruce, why haven't you said anything tonight?" 

Seeing that Bruce hadn't reacted much even after she'd been chatting with Cody for a while, Selina's eyes narrowed slightly, showing a hint of that cat-like distance. 

"Selina, I..." 

Bruce felt like something was off, but he couldn't quite pinpoint what. His mind felt a bit hazy, yet his body was perfectly alert. He didn't want to say anything unnecessary, or think about anything extra. Apart from the comfortably mesmerizing green before his eyes, he'd lost his usual interest in most things. 

"I feel a bit tired." 

Seeing the dazed look on Bruce's face, the coldness in Selina's eyes dissipated. She sighed, gently stroking Bruce's large hand. Although he hadn't shown the usual possessiveness or jealousy she expected, this was the first time she'd seen him look so vulnerable. 

Maybe he really was just tired. 

Recalling their chasing and dancing in the snow at Gotham Public Cemetery earlier, Selina slightly pursed her lips. She'd just consider that dance his Valentine's Day gift to her. Though a little disappointed, she decided to let him go home and get some good rest. 

"Alright, Bruce... your loss. And remember, you owe me a perfect Valentine's Day." 

Bruce nodded a little stiffly, his face showing little emotion. 

"Cough cough, Mr. Bruce, Ms. Selina, perhaps a perfect Valentine's Day is just missing a delicious piece of chocolate?" 

Selina and Bruce turned to look. Before they could see the waiter, they saw the white chocolate dessert he was holding. 

"A special dessert prepared by the restaurant for our esteemed guests, 'Snowy Valentine.' Please enjoy." 

The rich scent of milk and melted chocolate wafted into their noses. Looking at the dessert, Selina instinctively touched her waist—ever since she started her 'night job,' she'd been much stricter about her figure. If it were up to her, chocolate definitely wouldn't have been on the menu tonight. 

But this dessert... it looked incredibly delicious. 

Cody stood beside them, watching Selina and Bruce's slightly wavering expressions, a smug smile playing on his face. Master-level cooking skills combined with the Square World's milk, enhanced by a chocolate recipe bought from the store... He didn't believe they wouldn't fall for it. 

[Exclusive Chocolate Recipe Price: $3000 Note: Candy doesn't need to make sense, that's why it's called candy—Willy Wonka] 

A chocolate recipe worth three thousand asset points purely based on quality undoubtedly had its unique properties. 

Bruce's feelings were more complex. When he smelled the chocolate, his calm, entranced state began to become a little chaotic. His brain started regaining some ability to think. 

My state seems off. 

This layer of green before my eyes... what exactly is it? 

Have I ever seen a world this green before? 

He couldn't find an answer, but his instincts as a genius and a fighter led him to the correct choice. 

With the sliver of reason he had just regained, he carefully picked up his knife and fork and quickly brought the milk chocolate on the plate to his mouth. With each bite, the dazed look in his eyes lessened a little. With each bite, the green barrier before him chipped away slightly. 

After finishing the entire plate of chocolate, the beautiful, vibrant rose he had kept immediately withered and crumbled, turning into a dry twig. 

Chapter 84: Don't Blame Me For the Losses 

Bruce polished off all the chocolate on the plate with surprising speed, which caught Selina slightly off guard. While he didn't lose his composure, the efficiency of his eating suggested this chocolate dessert had a surprisingly strong pull for Master Wayne. 

After finishing the chocolate, Bruce smoothly picked up his napkin to wipe his mouth. The dazed look from before completely vanished, and he was back to being the charming, witty playboy from the awkward, spaced-out guy. 

"Forgive my rudeness, Selina." He smiled and apologized to Selina, then turned to Cody. "Who made this chocolate? I'd very much like to meet them." 

"... " Cody watched Bruce, all serious and suited up, asking that question, and couldn't help but curse him inwardly – Looks like a man, acts like a bat. These two were exactly the same, loved playing games. First, he helps them out of a jam, and the next minute they're asking questions that put him on the spot. 

Where did the chocolate come from? Can't you figure it out yourself? Was all my flower tea, apple juice, and congee for nothing? 

Tch. 

But he maintained a calm expression and replied, "Mr. Wayne, if I may be so bold, on this romantic evening, perhaps your attention should be focused on something a bit more important." 

"Like the beautiful lady here, who's been quietly annoyed for quite a few minutes now—I'm guessing she had higher expectations for tonight's date." 

A normal waiter wouldn't usually say something like that, but Cody didn't care. Both people at this table more or less knew his situation, so he wasn't about to pretend to be some gentleman. 

Bruce instinctively looked at Selina, who was watching him with a playful look. "Bruce, you don't look quite as sleepy now, do you?" 

"I..." 

Fight! Fight! Fight! Cody quietly edged away from the table, cheering them on in his head. Don't worry about me being here, I've disappeared. Go ahead and fight. 

Unfortunately, the cat and the bat didn't get into a brawl. In just a few minutes, the two were back to laughing and chatting, clearly smitten again. Looking at them, if they weren't in a restaurant, they might have already been all over each other. 

Hah, Cody snorted from a distance, holding a tray. They looked like they were practically melting into each other; what was all that drawn-out back and forth for? Watching these two fall in love was less interesting than watching a street dance battle in the rain. 

At least a street dance battle had some suspense. 

... 

Bruce and Selina didn't linger in the restaurant for long. They turned and walked out hand-in-hand. Whether they went their separate ways or delved into the special late-night Valentine's activities wasn't something Cody cared much about. The task was complete, after all. 

【Valentine's Milk Chocolate Status: Complete (1/1) Reward: High-Level Climbing Mastery has been issued】 

With the high-level climbing skill, Cody could find paths through cities or the wilderness that weren't previously accessible. Strictly speaking, this should be an essential skill for any vigilante – useful for climbing up high, getting down low, chasing, and escaping. 

It's just that Cody wasn't exactly a vigilante right now, so maybe this skill would only reach its full potential in the future – or maybe in the future he'd be able to fly, and then climbing wouldn't be so necessary. 

Cody was lost in random thoughts when he was suddenly patted on the shoulder. He turned around to see Maroni standing there. 

He noticed me? Cody felt a little tense. 

"Good work today, kid. Keep it up." 

Cody had been overthinking it. Maroni just tossed him a casual compliment and sauntered off towards a private room to find Vernon. To him, whether the waiter in the restaurant had changed or not didn't matter. People dying in the mob business was common. He had no interest in remembering the names of insignificant new waiters one by one; a brief word of encouragement was the most he'd offer. 

Cody was relieved he'd dodged a bullet. He was genuinely afraid Maroni might recognize him from the luxury cruise ship on New Year's Eve. If that happened, his identity as a Falcone infiltrator would be instantly exposed. 

After all, Maroni's restaurant right now had a bunch of muscle inside, and the outside was set up just as well. Four Maroni family members standing guard and keeping watch – enough to notify everyone inside the restaurant before danger struck... right? 

... 

"If the boss finds us in the car, he's gonna kill us." 

Behind Maroni's restaurant, inside a car, four burly men in overcoats with tough faces were huddled, talking with their necks tucked in. They kept glancing outside. The snow on the roadside had been cleared, packed down, and piled to the side – but they could still feel the biting chill in the air through the car windows, which was why they didn't want to get out. 

"If you wanna stand outside and freeze your backside off, be my guest." 

A plume of smoke drifted from flickering red cigarette embers. The Maroni family member with the cigarette dangling from his mouth said to the one next to him, "Look, Mr. Maroni's got at least six gunmen inside already. Ever since that business with the Joker, nobody's getting near this place." 

That was pretty convincing. The originally uneasy thug heard this and couldn't help but nod. 

Then, the one with the cigarette spoke again. "All I know is, when I told my girlfriend I had to work tonight, she wasn't happy about it at all. Ah, Valentine's Day..." 

"So, genius," another thug casually chimed in, "who do you think the holiday killer is?" 

That question went unanswered. 

"Bang!" 

A muffled gunshot echoed. A bullet accurately pierced the car window, going through the temple of the Maroni family member with the cigarette. Immediately after, another bullet went through the head of the guy next to him. 

Then, the third and fourth shots followed quickly, blowing away the heads of the two men in the back seat. The whole process was fluid, happening so fast they didn't even have time to pull their guns from the cramped car interior. 

Even the warning shouts that came out just a second or two before were completely contained by the car windows, unable to reach anyone inside the restaurant in time. 

Shot after shot, shot after shot, the gunman riddled the entire car with bullets. Finally, a bullet hit the fuel tank, and a spark ignited the gasoline leaking outside. 

The line of fire instantly spread. With a thunderous boom, the whole car finally exploded. The shockwave and fireball burst directly into the nearby restaurant, knocking over tables, chairs, gunmen, and waiters alike, sending them sprawling on the floor, groaning in pain while covering their heads. 

Cody heard the noise and came out of the back kitchen just in time to see the scene in the front dining area. He froze for a second, then turned around and darted back in. 

Unbelievable, he thought. Maroni's restaurant actually got blown up on Valentine's night. I need to get out of here. 

Don't you dare blame me for the losses.