"Morning news: Last night, a major injury incident occurred in District 24. One side of the conflict remains unidentified, while the other is the recently notorious biker gang from East Gotham. The death toll is 23. Residents of District 24 are advised to take safety precautions.
The police have conducted a preliminary investigation and confirmed it was not the work of the Dark Knight."
At this moment, everyone in the bar was staring at the news report in stunned silence.
"Great! Finally, someone dealt with those bastards!"
Someone shouted, and cheers echoed around the bar.
The biker gang had been causing chaos in Warril Street, disturbing the previously peaceful area. As regulars at Emily's bar, everyone had grown to despise the gang.
They had longed for help, but Gotham's police were unreliable. They had been praying for the Dark Knight to notice their small corner of Gotham.
Thankfully, someone finally took action against the biker gang.
Dan, excited, found Emily, who was busy organizing shelves.
"Emily? Where's John?"
"Dan, you're not asking him to fight for you again, are you?"
Emily frowned, trying to look angry, but her innocent face failed to be intimidating.
"No! Emily, ever since John helped me with those thugs, they haven't dared bother me!"
Dan scratched his head, embarrassed that Emily knew about John's help.
"John is my employee, which means he's under my protection. You can't ask him to do dangerous things anymore!"
Emily's stern expression looked like porcelain in the sunlight, but it didn't convince Dan.
"Ha?"
Dan scratched his messy hair, awkwardly stepping away from the bar.
"He's out buying supplies! He'll be back around noon!"
Emily's words echoed behind him, making Dan grin and nod in thanks.
Not far from Warril Street, in District 29, John, dressed in overalls and a beret, smiled at the burly man scrutinizing him.
"Uncle Jordan, hello, I'm John."
"I know you, the 'John Black' who's gained some fame in Warril Street for helping people and defending the weak!"
Jordan squinted, studying the young man before him. With his handsome face and bright demeanor, John exuded confidence and warmth, rare qualities in crime-ridden Gotham.
"I hope you take good care of Emily!" Jordan's gaze bore into John's eyes. John met his stare calmly, nodding firmly.
John's composure impressed Jordan, who patted his shoulder, noting John's unyielding stance. Jordan led John into his brewery.
As a close friend of Emily's father, Jordan ran a brewery with a 20-year history, supplying Emily's bar with beer. Sunlight streamed through the glass roof, illuminating the burly workers bustling around the brewing machines.
At the prepared packaging area, Jordan signaled, and two men in jackets began loading beer crates onto John's rented truck.
"I heard about the biker gang incident. Warril Street should be peaceful for a while. I hope you avoid trouble because you're not alone anymore."
Jordan leaned against a pillar, looking at John's calm face. He had a good impression of John's character, confident that John would be a good protector for Emily.
"Don't worry!"
With the beer loaded, John bid farewell to Jordan and followed the truck back.
"Boss, can we trust this guy?" A burly young man grumbled, discontented. He had wanted to help Emily but was sternly warned by Jordan. Now, seeing an man gain Jordan's approval, he felt slighted.
"Quit your whining and unload the goods. Get rid of any thoughts about Emily; she's out of your league!"
"Yes!"
Seeing Jordan's stern face, the young man quickly adjusted his attitude.
The truck sped through the busy streets, with John occasionally reminding the driver to avoid mishaps. They returned safely to Emily's bar.
During the journey, John witnessed two robberies, a stark reminder of Gotham's dangers even in daylight.
Thinking of the cheerful bar, an idea sparked in John's mind.
"Hey, John, you're back!"
Dan waddled over, munching on fried chicken, excitedly approaching John. John deftly avoided Dan's greasy hand.
"Heh!"
Dan wiped his hands on his apron.
"John, did you cause trouble for those guys last night?"
"No!"
"Phew, that's good! Those guys were all killed by a mysterious figure last night. My friend at the police station said their necks were all broken. That hero must be superhuman!"
"Oh?"
Surprised by Dan's connections, John looked at the chubby man with interest.
"And they gave that mysterious hero a nickname: The Judge!"
"The Judge... That's a good name!"
"Yeah, I think so too! Gotham has the Dark Knight, but he can't handle all the criminals. With a new hero, our city's reputation will surpass that of Star City's green guy!"
"Green Arrow?"
"Uh, right, Green Arrow!"
(End of Chapter)