Looking at the current discussion sparked by Phantom Thief Kid, it shows the endless value of this exclusive news in the media world.
The reporters who didn't take the notice seriously at first probably regret it now.
And Vicki Vale, who created all this, has gained a higher position in the Gotham Gazette.
The boss even doubled her bonus for this month.
"Finally, put this photo in... Perfect!"
Vicki worked on her office computer a few times, and tonight's work was coming to an end.
'Hehe, this article is definitely going to be on the front page tomorrow.'
She thought confidently.
At that moment, a knocking sound suddenly came from the door.
Knock, knock, knock...
"Come in."
The office door was pushed open, and a thin man walked in. The man had a camera hanging around his neck, so he must be a photographer.
"What can I do for you, Norris?"
Vicki asked, looking at the man curiously.
"Uh, Miss Vale, you've been working for a long time without a break. I thought maybe you could... have a cup of coffee?"
Norris raised his right hand, and Vicki noticed that he was holding a pot of coffee.
"It was freshly ground by me, and I guarantee it tastes better than the coffee shop downstairs."
Norris was a young photographer who joined the Gotham Gazette three years ago, and Vicki was his mentor back then.
They often run news stories together.
However, they didn't have much talk in private, it was mostly work-related. It might be because Norris is a bit shy.
Vicci didn't expect that the shy young man she knew would take the initiative to make coffee for himself and send it over.
It was a little unusual.
Vicki's eyes flickered, wondering if Norris might have some kind of interest in her.
"Um...Norris, you should know that I already have a partner, right?"
She suddenly sat up, leaning her back against the chair and crossing her arms in front of her chest.
Upon hearing this, Norris froze on the spot but soon realized what she meant.
"No, no, no, Miss Vale, you've misunderstood. I just thought you must be tired after working for so long, so as a junior in the workplace, I brewed this pot of coffee for you, hoping you could take a break."
Norris shook his hands repeatedly, trying to show that it was not what she thought, his face turning red.
"You have been my mentor, guiding and taking care of me in my work, and I'm grateful for that. It's just like that, I don't have any inappropriate ideas about making a move!"
Vicci chuckled at Norris's flustered response. His behavior now seemed to match the impression she had of him.
"Norris, you're taking it too seriously. Even if you have any thoughts, it doesn't mean you've done anything wrong. What I mean is that I want you to know that Vicki Vale is not a woman who dates multiple people."
Norris nodded repeatedly, then carefully asked, "What about this coffee..."
"Please put it on the table. I will enjoy your coffee. Thank you for your effort."
Vicki smiled faintly.
Norris immediately walked in with the coffee pot and took an ordinary glass from the cupboard in the corner of the office.
After pouring a cup, he placed it on the desk along with the coffee pot.
When he leaned over to put down the coffee, Norris accidentally caught sight of the news draft on Vicki's computer screen.
The first thing that caught his eye was a very beautiful pebble-shaped pink diamond in the photo, about the size of a pigeon's egg.
Then there was the article's title, "The World's Most Precious Pink Diamond Will Be Auctioned in Gotham, with the Suspected Backer Being Penguin?"
As a media worker, Norris's curiosity was instantly ignited.
"Is this the article you've been working on for so long today? Can I take a look?"
Norris made a somewhat strange request.
"If it's you, no problem. And let me know your opinion after reading it. I need some 'reader feedback'."
Vicki had great confidence in Norris and turned the screen towards him openly.
The content of the news draft is similar to the title and is closely related to an upcoming auction in Gotham's upper class.
The highlight of this auction is a 70-carat pink diamond, which is its weight after it was carved.
The original size of the rough diamond was over 200 carats, making it the largest pink diamond ever discovered.
Pink diamonds are already a rare type of diamond, and one of this size is extremely rare, not seen in hundreds of years.
It is definitely a valuable item.
Although this pink diamond is worth a fortune, it is not enough to make a big news in Gotham.
You see, the general public is not interested in this level of rare treasures, only rich and wealthy people would care about these things.
However, there are rumors talking about this seemingly ordinary auction that the actual seller behind the pink diamond is Penguin.
According to the current registration records, the auction of the pink diamond is being conducted by a local international shipping company in Gotham.
The company's business operations are entirely legal, and its financial records are obvious.
It doesn't seem like they have any close relationship with criminals.
But precisely because everything seems fine with this company, there are rumors that the real owner of the company is Oswald Cobblepot, the Penguin.
The investigation results on the company's business, and accounts were all forged by the Penguin people bribing the relevant departments.
Even this so-called world's rarest super-sized pink diamond could be a modern technology fake.
It is impossible to determine who started these rumors, and there is absolutely no evidence to support them.
But well, this is Gotham, where many things don't need evidence, and it's impossible to find evidence as well.
Vicki collected all the rumors, combined them with her own ideas, and completed the current news draft.
Unlike some lower-level media, Vicki didn't treat these things as facts to be reported but rather highlighted the rumors.
"Amazing! Miss Vale truly lived up to her reputation; she easily wrote a report that other media professionals couldn't dream of writing."
After reading it, Norris couldn't help but exclaim, "If this article doesn't make the front page, then our boss must have gone crazy."
"Oh, it's not that good," Vicki chuckled.
"It's getting late now, and I still have some work left unfinished, so I'll leave first."
Afterward, Norris chatted a little more with Vicki and then said goodbye.
Watching Norris walk out of the door, Vicki suddenly felt a bit thirsty.
It was normal since she had been perfecting her draft and hadn't drunk much water.
Plus, she had talked a lot with Norris. It would be strange if she didn't feel thirsty.
Vicki picked up the cup of coffee that Norris had poured earlier. The temperature was just right to take a sip.
"Hmm?"
When Vicki picked up the cup, a small object suddenly emerged from the bottom of the cup, which looked like a white ball of paper.
Vicki put down the cup and opened up the piece of paper with a frown.
In an instant, the paper ball unfolded, and Vicki's pupils shrunk.
On it was written:
"Dear Miss Vale,
I have read your report about me, and the content is very well-written. I am truly grateful that you were willing to come watch my first performance yesterday and take that perfect close-up shot of me. To express my gratitude to you, I have decided to give you a little surprise, but you can only see it after you finish your coffee. Please remember to drink it all.
Yours sincerely, Phantom Thief Kid."
...
patreon.com/Sothisq
You can find up to 20 advance chapters at my patreon.