Chapter 838: Ongoing Gotham Transformation (Part 1) (Patreon)

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The first phase of the construction project proceeded smoothly. Almost all of the suspicious individuals had been identified by the children. When these kids were alert, no one could escape their watchful eyes.

After all, even those who were prepared to take action, including professional killers, had to scout the area beforehand. These children could spot every stranger who appeared here, and as soon as they noticed someone unfamiliar, they would sound the alarm. Whether it was under the walls, inside shop windows, or even beneath manhole covers, their eyes were fixed on any outsiders.

Although the children were not physically strong, their numbers were substantial, and if they worked together, they could trip up even the most careless gang members.

Although the plan was to remodel the three major streets into a single building, it didn't involve laying foundations all at once and building upward. Instead, they first constructed one building, then the one next to it, and finally connected them.

By sheer coincidence, with no shady dealings involved, the first completed building included the majority of the children.

The construction proceeded at an astonishing speed, even faster than what Jason had heard the Elizabeth Street mob boss predict. In just over a month, the building was already finished.

While many details remained unfinished, such as exterior decoration and landscaping, it was at least inhabitable.

Every day, the children would squat near the construction site, looking up at the building as it took shape. From the gleam in their eyes during their gaze, one could sense that many of them might embark on this path in the future, for they saw their dreams of a stable and prosperous life in the construction industry.

Watching an immensely tall building being erected, becoming a home for countless people, was incredibly heartwarming. However, beyond this, there were many things that the children couldn't comprehend.

These children had seen houses being built before, but the materials used for the building, the components utilized in the final touches, and the gadgets involved were mostly unfamiliar to them, almost alien.

After the interior furnishings of the building were completed, Wayne Enterprises set up a housing allocation office on the ground floor. All those on the resettlement list could come and claim their houses.

At first, the children were hesitant, but Jason took the lead and walked into the spacious hall, where the staff at the allocation office greeted him with smiles.

Sitting in front of a desk, one of the staff members said to Jason, "Hello, sir. To ensure that the resettlement list matches the allocation list, please state your name and extend your arm through the window."

Jason looked down and saw a round hole under the glass window. He had never done anything like this before, so he wasn't sure what the hole was for, but he followed the instructions and extended his arm.

The staff member brought over a peculiar machine and scanned his hand. The machine emitted a buzzing sound, and then it said, "Fingerprint recognition complete. Identity: Jason Todd, sequence..."

The staff member moved the machine away, then asked Jason to stand straight and focus his gaze on a black dot behind the desk. After a moment, the machine emitted a series of statements, confirming Jason's identity.

Then, the staff member brought another machine and wrapped Jason's arm with it. Jason didn't feel any pain, but soon, the staff member looked at the information on the screen and said, "Genetic sample collected. The next step is chip implantation. Let me see... Alright, Mr. Jason, you can retract your arm now."

"What was that genetic sample collection? What chip?" Jason was puzzled. He looked at the staff member and asked, "What did you do to me?"

"Nothing to worry about. We've left a mark on you. This will be the key to open your door in the future. You don't need to do anything special, but only you can unlock your own door. Others won't be able to open it unless you bring them here for authorization," the staff member explained.

Jason understood, but the other children were still puzzled. They gathered around Jason and asked, "What did those machines do to you? Did it hurt? Did they give you a key?"

"No, it didn't hurt. You just need to do as the staff member says. The key will be hidden inside your body, so no one else can open your door," Jason replied.

"Really? That's so amazing!"

"But what if someone forces me to open the door for them? Or if they grab me and use me as a key?" a child asked.

At that moment, an older staff member stepped forward, clapped his hands to get everyone's attention, and said, "I'm sure you're all curious about this novel way of handing over the keys. I'll answer all your questions. Let's start with yours..."

"Will this have any risks? Will it hurt us?"

"No, it won't. We're only collecting personal information and uploading it to the system. This way, the building will recognize you, and only those known to the building can enter. Otherwise, the intelligent security system outside the door will apprehend anyone not recognized."

All the children turned their heads to where the staff member was pointing. Outside the door of the building, there was an unfinished courtyard, but on the completed courtyard walls, there were many weapons that they had never seen before. They looked somewhat like floating cannons but smaller and more discreet.

"So, we won't have to worry about thieves?" one child asked.

"That's correct. Thieves, robbers, and unidentified individuals won't be able to enter. You won't need to do anything extra; everything is recognized by the intelligent system."

"Wait! Wait!" another child raised his hand and asked, "What if someone forces me to open the door for them, or if they grab me and use me as a key..."

"Members with keys can grant each other permissions, and those without keys cannot enter under any circumstances. The intelligent defense system will accurately target intruders without harming you. They won't even be able to enter the building, so how could they force you to open the door?"

"What if I want to rent out my house?" a older child asked, "I want to live with others and rent out my own place. Is that possible?"

"Of course, it's possible. However, anyone who wants to rent your house must also go through identity verification and be granted a key. You can then assign them the necessary permissions, and they can rent your house."

After some discussion among the children, a young girl finally stepped forward and said, "I'll go next! You guys are a bunch of softies, it's just extending your arm, right? I got this!"

She walked over and, despite her tough talk, her arm was trembling a bit as she extended it. The staff member smiled and followed the same procedure as with Jason to complete the allocation.

The young girl examined her arm afterward and said, "It really doesn't hurt, and there are no visible marks. You can try it; I wouldn't lie."

After a moment's hesitation, the other children began queuing up one by one. Some were eager to move forward, and Jason had to help maintain order.

At that moment, two gang members rushed into the courtyard, demanding, "What's going on here? Why are you on our turf? Don't you know our boss has taken over this place?"

Jason nudged Six-Fingered Sister with his elbow and asked, "Is he wearing a blue jacket, a member of the Blue Jacket Gang?"

"Looks like it. I've seen them before, and that's their attire. Look at their boots; those are motorcycle boots. They have over twenty motorcycles in their gang..."

All the children started to retreat in fear, but the employees remained calm. The elderly employee walked to the door and said loudly, "Hello, sirs. This is the Wayne Enterprises remodeling project's sales office. If you have resettlement allocations, you can queue up in the back..."

"What sales office?! Did our boss approve this? How dare you open a sales office here without greeting our boss on this street?!"

Suddenly, the sound of motorcycles approached as many motorcycles arrived, and the gang members carried guns, ready to enter. The elderly employee picked up a walkie-talkie and said, "Sales office under invasion, request activation of the defense system, cancel security protocol... 3... 2... 1..."

The floating cannons instantly rose into the air, and several laser beams emitted dazzling light. Jason shielded his eyes, and when he opened them again, a heavy smell of blood filled the air. The gang members lay scattered on the ground, and all the children let out shocked cries.

"Don't worry, as long as you stay here, no one can break in," the elderly employee said with a smile. "The defense system covers all areas of this building, and once the entire renovation plan is complete, the defense range will be even larger."

"Alright, line up to get your keys, and then let's go see the rooms."

Hearing this, even though they were a bit scared, the children pushed and shoved to get their keys. After all, there was nothing more tempting than having their own place.

Once all the children extended their arms through the window, received their keys, they followed the elderly employee through a corridor to the elevators.

Inside the elevator, they could see that the protective film had not been removed, but the sleek metal and intricate patterns still opened the children's eyes to new possibilities.

Jason noticed that it resembled the elevator in the Sockworth Grand Hotel - luxurious and beautiful, but it seemed like it might be challenging to clean. So, he asked, "Sir, who will be responsible for cleaning here? Do we have to clean it ourselves?"

"No need, we will hire a batch of professional cleaning staff, and there will also be cleaning machines. Machines will handle cleaning the intricate patterns like the ones you see above."

"By the way, if you have acquaintances or parents, they can apply for jobs as cleaning staff here. The pay is high, and the work is not tiring, but they will need certification."

In an instant, the children became excited again. Most of them didn't have parents, but they did have acquaintances or lived with relatives. They could suggest them for these jobs.

"Ding!" The elevator doors opened, revealing a very spacious corridor that was not crowded at all, much wider than Living Hell.

All the children stood in awe, then an intense discussion broke out.

"Oh my God! Why is this place so huge?! I've never seen such a wide corridor before. What's the flooring? Is it tiles? It's so shiny!"

"I've been to Living Hell, and their corridors aren't as nice. Did they build this place even better than Living Hell? Rent here is definitely going to skyrocket!"

"Why does this place feel more like a hotel? When I used to deliver things, I entered a hotel once, and this place looks a lot like Wayne Hotel..."

"Where are our rooms? Where are they? I'm getting impatient!"

[Read at www.patreon.com/shanefreak, and thanks for the invaluable support!]

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Next Chapter>>Chapter 839: Gotham Renovation in Progress (Part 1)