"So, after graduation, I got a job, you know, as an intern reporter at the Metropolis Daily."
"It's good work, people in town are especially envious of me because, after all, Metropolis Daily is a renowned newspaper with excellent benefits, making it the best option for recent graduates."
As Clark said this, a hint of pride appeared on his face. His various emotions are always written on his face, allowing anyone to see his current mood at a glance.
But then Clark's expression quickly turned awkward, and he said to Bruce, "But as you probably know, trying to stand out in such a large newspaper is not easy."
"One day, my editor asked me to write a report on the broccoli disaster that had struck Gotham. The problem is, I wasn't even in the country when the disaster happened and I didn't really have much material, so I had to resort to writing about my previous experiences in Gotham."
"I didn't expect that the article would go viral. It was then that I realized how many people are interested in the city of Gotham."
Clark sighed and said, "I can see why. My parents are fascinated by this magical city. They're very curious about how you guys manage to survive, why despite the chaos the economy is good, and the mystery of the local rap culture, graffiti societies, the Ghostfire Boyband, and more…"
"However, for the common folk, the fear outweighs the curiosity. Hardly anyone dares to come see for themselves and even if they do muster the courage, they don't know where to start. I heard that booking a hotel here requires talking to the mob, and the majority of people don't have that kind of guts."
Clark shook his head, then continued, "But despite all that, I've been here several times and I think Gotham isn't as dangerous as they say. Even though most areas aren't very safe, there are still some secure places."
"For instance, the downtown shopping district, West Gotham University and the Manor Districts, North District's Lakeside Mountain Park and Beast Park, East Hell and Graffiti Street in the East District, among others. The scenery and culture in these places are pretty good."
"So, I wrote up a guide based on my observations, and serialized it in the newspaper. Initially, it was a mere side segment used to fill some empty space, but to my surprise, the published content became very popular and was moved to the main section. Now they're even saying they want to publish a special issue featuring my work."
At this point, Clark's face didn't reflect any joy, but rather, a sense of worry. He looked apologetically at Bruce and said,
"In the guide, I mentioned you, Batman, quite a bit. I praised you as the great Gotham Volunteer Police and emphasized your heroic deeds and your principles of fighting for the underprivileged."
"For authenticity, I included a photo of you standing at the top of Wayne Tower." Clark shrugged and said, "Remember? The one I nagged you to take."
Bruce recalled for a moment, and then remembered. At the time, Superman had circled around him hundreds of times just to try to catch him in a cool pose for a photo. Batman was incredibly annoyed, but ultimately, he cooperated and took the photo.
The photo showed Batman standing at the top of Wayne Tower on a rainy night in Gotham. The neon lights created a colorful halo behind him as his cape fluttered in the wind and he stared ahead determinedly.
Clark rubbed the area below his nose, then said, "Not many people read the content of the story, but the photo was a big hit."
"Your fans bought the newspaper, cut out your photo for collages, and due to the demand, we had to print two additional runs of that edition. A sizeable number of people even wrote letters to the Metropolis Daily asking for more photos."
"After that guide was published, many people attempted to explore Gotham. Among those, one particularly brave and lucky guy followed my guide and toured Gotham. Not only did he encounter no problems, but he also managed to get a photo with the hottest rapper on the East Coast. His trip was a resounding success and his classmates were incredibly envious."
"After that, the Gotham tour route became a hit among college students. If you had visited Gotham, it was proof that you were the coolest and trendiest. You'd be considered a legit hip-hop artist, a true street kid…"
Clark wore a troubled expression as he said, "You know how college students are, they're desperate to prove they're rebellious and punk enough…"
"Soon, numerous people were flocking to Gotham in groups. There weren't any issues with most spots, and some even dared enough to get photos with the local rappers. There was only one hiccup: you."
Bruce suddenly had a bad feeling about this. Immediately after, Clark looked at him with a hopeful gaze and said, "Many of your fans wrote to the newsroom expressing their dissatisfaction. They said they'd followed my guide and came to Gotham, booked hotels, but were extremely disappointed not to see you."
"So... I know you're busy, but it won't be too difficult to spend ten minutes a day to stand on a rooftop, right?"