The Motorcycle Gang and that Mexican Irish crowd had some notoriety in Hell's Kitchen, so the fact that someone had found leverage against them and taken them to court drew a great deal of attention.
But the outcome was obvious. The people who had been sued spent a little money, exploited legal loopholes, and were released.
And now...
Matt faced Frank, who had a weapons case strapped to his back, and clearly understood something.
He opened his mouth, yet he did not know how to comfort him. As a lawyer himself, he understood the feelings of those involved in this case even better.
"If there's nothing else, I'll be going." Frank had no intention of asking anyone for help. He intended to personally kill every one of his enemies.
Matt did not stop him. As Frank passed by, he suddenly said, "Maybe you could wait. I can refer you to a law firm and file an appeal."
"Thanks, but there's no need." Frank paused, then left the modification shop without hesitation.
Only after Frank left did Matt look at Merlin in front of him.
"What did he buy just now?"
"Customer privacy. No comment." Merlin shrugged, then turned toward the workshop.
"Is there something you need? I'm about to close."
Hearing that, Matt did not press further and got to the point.
"I heard you've developed some new products. I came to see if there was anything I could afford."
After the Vigilante had been made, he had wanted to buy one, but unfortunately, he was short on cash. He could barely keep his law firm open.
So he often came to the modification shop, though he rarely bought anything.
Merlin rolled his eyes helplessly. This guy came by the shop all the time and preached like a monk, saying Merlin should get on the right path, become a superhero's partner, and protect the city's peace together.
In short, he wanted free stuff.
Still, considering that Matt had helped him deal with plenty of troublemakers, Merlin did not care too much about it.
"...I've developed a new gun. It costs three thousand dollars."
"A gun? I don't use those." Matt waved the cane in his hand.
"If you could lower the price of that Batmobile in your garage, I'd be willing to buy one." To be honest, ever since he had touched that Vigilante, he had not been able to forget it. But the price tag of tens of millions of dollars was simply too daunting.
"Don't even think about it. You couldn't afford it even at half price," Merlin said bluntly, but quickly changed his tone.
"But if you really want one, I can give you a way."
"What way?"
"Wait until I get the invitation ticket on Saturday, then we'll talk. Are you sure you don't need my newly developed gun?" Merlin figured he could not explain it clearly for the moment, so he changed the subject.
"It's not nice to leave people hanging like that."
"It's an Electromagnetic Pulse Emitter. It can destroy almost any electronic device."
Matt: "..."
"I really need that!"
An Electromagnetic Pulse Emitter was perfect for infiltrating and taking down criminals.
"I plan to display this at the Tech Expo after school starts. If a tech company partners with me, things like Pulse Bullets should become much cheaper by then." Merlin took out a compact pulse emitter and casually handed it to him.
"If we wait for them to manufacture and sell it, it might be the end of the year already." Matt took the Electromagnetic Pulse Emitter, which looked like a flare gun, and carefully ran his fingers over it.
"These are the bullets. There are six in total, enough to last you a week."
In the end, Matt's mouth twitched slightly as he took out three thousand dollars and handed them to Merlin.
He might have opened a law firm, but none of the cases he took paid much. Three thousand dollars was no small sum to him.
"Come again!" Ignoring Matt's reluctant expression, Merlin snatched the cash from his hand and waved with a smile.
"You're really a little profiteer. Make sure you save that Batmobile for me." Matt did not linger over it. He still needed to fight criminals tonight, and he also planned to follow Frank to see if he could help.
After Matt left, Merlin finally closed the modification shop and rode his Ducati home.
The next day, Queens, Midtown High School.
It was already September. The scorching weather had gradually turned stifling, and walking down the street made people feel irritable.
But that had no effect on the students of Midtown High School. Tonight, they cared about only one thing: the long-prepared Academy Science Exhibition.
Before the vacation, the school had assigned some homework to the newly promoted graduating class: the science exhibition after the start of the school year. Participation was entirely voluntary.
Even so, many students formed teams and signed up.
Unlike prom, this opening science exhibition concerned whether they could get into better universities. If their technological exhibits stood out, even students with less-than-ideal grades might receive recommendations and be specially admitted by certain universities.
As a result, the Academy Science Exhibition area was particularly lively tonight. Many teams had arrived with their inventions and research to display them.
Besides teachers, the exhibition area was filled with representatives from tech companies. With a little luck, they might discover some interesting inventions.
The boundless imagination of students was always something these adults lacked.
Gwen, with her short blonde hair, kept standing on tiptoe amid the crowd, looking around as though searching for someone.
Soon, her eyes lit up and fixed on a boy by a nearby booth, speaking with a bespectacled girl.
"Merlin!" Gwen waved and called out happily, then quickly pushed through the crowd to reach the booth.
Merlin seemed very different today from how he was at the modification shop. His eyes were lively, as though he was curious about everything, giving off an utterly harmless air.
"Gwen! I thought you were going to band practice today." Merlin was somewhat surprised to see her.
"I was just curious what strange thing you'd made this time that you actually dared bring to the Academy Science Exhibition." Gwen tilted her head, then curiously leaned toward the display behind Merlin and looked through the glass at the exhibit inside.
"A gun?... Hmm... It looks more like a flare gun." Looking at its somewhat bulky exterior, she guessed.
"It's an Electromagnetic Pulse Emitter, meant for electronic devices." Merlin pointed to the description posted on the glass beside him. "It's all written there, so don't make random guesses."
Gwen's gaze shifted upward to the description, and she awkwardly bared her teeth.
"Okay..."
She lifted her head and looked at the girl who had just been speaking with Merlin.
"Who is she?"
"Hannah Musk. We just met too." Merlin introduced her.
"Hello, Gwen." Hannah greeted her softly.
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