The situation in New York gradually stabilized.
Jason returned to Hopewell Sanctuary, where David greeted him with slow, sarcastic applause.
"Congratulations! You've officially become New York's most wanted criminal—Mr. Hell's Butcher! The bounty is... ten million dollars!" He grinned wickedly. "I'm tempted to turn you in myself."
Only then did Jason learn that the nearly unhinged Police Commissioner George Stacy had worked through the night with the courts and District Attorney, successfully issuing what would become the most notorious wanted bulletin in New York history.
"The New York Poisoner, Hell's Butcher!"
The bounty started at ten million dollars and was open for public contributions, guaranteed to increase substantially over time.
Jason spread his hands helplessly. "Maybe I should consider a wardrobe change?"
"If you don't," David chuckled, "I suspect your life expectancy can be measured in days rather than years."
Jason sighed deeply. This sinful world truly had no place for righteous vigilantes.
In the church's backyard, he dug a hole and solemnly buried the Hell's Butcher mask.
Farewell, my brief but brilliant alter ego!
The following day, smoke still lingered over Hell's Kitchen as residents moved through their routines in somber silence.
Every television channel featured hosts passionately condemning the gangs, the police department, Commissioner George Stacy, and various other parties.
While David diligently monitored various screens and online information streams, Jason lounged at the table with an assortment of colored pencils and sketch paper.
He propped his chin on his arm thoughtfully. "David, what would you think about me creating a costume identical to Daredevil's? He's my hero—handsome, smart, articulate. A true role model..."
David turned away, rolling his eyes dramatically. What a role model! He just wants to frame the guy!
"If I recall correctly, he assisted you just last night."
"But I saved his life first," Jason countered. "In my culture, saving someone's life means they owe you a profound debt of gratitude."
David frowned. "Is that still a custom in China? I genuinely pity those men rescued by other men."
Jason paused momentarily before slapping the table with sudden inspiration. "Wait—I've got it! I'll design a bat-themed costume and call myself Batman from now on!"
David considered this briefly. "That name sounds... generic, inexplicable, and completely lacks authority. You might as well call yourself 'Hawkman' or something equally pedestrian."
Evidently, without an established reputation, the name "Batman" did sound somewhat ridiculous.
It couldn't compare to names like Golden Eagle or Black Hawk.
Though the bat costume concept remained appealing, it would be prohibitively expensive. What a headache.
At that moment, David suddenly slapped his desk while staring at his computer screen. "I found someone who appears to be a pure-blooded vampire elder named Marcus. Want to investigate?"
Jason raised an eyebrow. "Absolutely. Where is he?"
David retrieved a device resembling a sophisticated smartphone. "As it happens, he's attending a gala tonight. If we can confirm he's a vampire, we can use this to hack his phone—just need to stand next to him for a few seconds."
Jason's eyes brightened. "So, we could potentially find leads to other vampires through his device! Excellent work, David!"
His current rate of progression through simply hunting Iron-tier targets had proven frustratingly slow.
Just yesterday, despite eliminating dozens of Hell's Kitchen thugs, he'd only acquired three Iron-tier gift packages.
After opening them, he'd received a total of six free attribute points.
Beyond the four points he'd already allocated to Constitution during combat, he'd subsequently added two points to Speed.
[Name: Jason
Age: 22
Bloodline: Human
Status: Normal
Power: 26
Speed: 28
Defense: 20
Constitution: 24
Will: 30 (Human bloodline limit)
Skills: Combat Master, Pistol Master, Trap Proficiency, Swimming Proficiency, Basketball Proficiency, Assault Rifle Proficiency, Diving Proficiency, Sniper Proficiency, Singing and Dancing Proficiency
Abilities: Night Vision, Compound Eyes, Dragon Chi: Burst, Infrared Vision
Items: None
Instance: Locked
Alternate Universe: Locked
Main task: Those who are guilty must be punished
Iron-tier target: 6/25
Bronze-tier Target: 7/25
Newest mission: Silver-tier: 0/1
Creed: Kill to gain redemption]
If he intended to increase all attributes to the human bloodline's maximum threshold of 30 points, he'd likely need to eliminate every criminal in Hell's Kitchen.
The efficiency was unacceptably low.
His only viable option was to focus on Bronze-level targets in substantial numbers.
Vampires represented ideal target: they appeared in groups, tended to congregate, possessed predictable weaknesses, and conveniently disintegrated to ash upon death.
Most importantly, while ordinary vampires registered at Bronze level, their leadership would surely qualify as Silver-level targets!
"Umm... Jason, there's another piece of information you might find interesting," David added. "Tony Stark—New York's premier playboy—will also be attending tonight's gala."
Jason froze momentarily, glancing down at his sketch paper as an intriguing concept took shape in his mind.
That evening, Jason and David arrived at the luxury hotel in a dilapidated pickup truck.
Despite the doorman's bemused expression, they provided their names and successfully passed the security checkpoint.
Taking the elevator to the sixth-floor ballroom, Jason whispered to David as they entered, "For future reference, we'll need more appropriate car when attending such events."
"For a gathering of this caliber, you'd probably need to drive a Lamborghini Veneno or Bugatti Veyron 16.4 just to avoid drawing the wrong kind of attention," David replied. "Plus, you'd need a beautiful woman on your arm."
"I'll need to buy a nice car once my investments mature. As for the female companion, you're welcome to volunteer!"
"Speaking of investments, I'm still puzzled by your instruction to leverage our portfolio on Stark Industries' short position. It seems illogical—their stock is exceptionally stable with the Defense Department as their primary client. With Tony Stark's genius, it's considered an absolutely secure investment."
"That's precisely where you're mistaken," Jason countered. "It's specifically because Tony Stark is the smartest person on the planet that I want to short his company. Someone that arrogant will eventually make a catastrophic mistake. I have a feeling that day is approaching rapidly."
"Strange reasoning," David muttered before brightening. "Perhaps you should share this theory with the man himself—he just arrived."
Jason turned to observe a crowd gathering around the elevator entrance.
Even at an event teeming with influential figures, Tony Stark effortlessly commanded everyone's attention.
The power of being born into billions is truly remarkable.
The gala officially commenced.
The guest list featured numerous luminaries, including New York's mayor, senior government officials, business magnates, and media executives.
Among them was an elderly man with distinctive yellow hair who gestured expressively while proclaiming, "You know, nobody understands real estate better than me. Nobody knows New York property like I do!"
Nearby stood a black man smoking a thin cigar, sporting ostentatious rings on both hands, loudly announcing, "My judgment is infallible. He's the most promising rookie this year. I plan to draft him..."
Looking past these personalities, Jason noticed David signaling him discreetly.
He had located their target—the vampire Marcus—but couldn't maintain close proximity for extended surveillance.
The moment Jason spotted Marcus, his system immediately identified him as a Silver-level target.
This could be the significant breakthrough I've been waiting for.
After sufficient observation, Jason had developed a reasonably accurate method for determining target classification. Two primary factors influenced the ranking: the target's inherent power and their hierarchical status.
Marcus most likely held an elder position within the vampire community.
Observing David's increasingly anxious signals, Jason surveyed the room and noticed Stark drinking alone at the bar.
With a subtle smile, he walked purposefully in that direction.