The Key

The movie began.

The protagonist Bruce Wayne's upbringing struck a chord with Tony Stark.

The conflict between Tony and Howard only gradually surfaced as Tony grew older and his personality matured.

Before Howard and his wife died in a car accident, their conflict had erupted, and Tony had gone a long time without speaking to Howard.

After Howard and his wife died, by the time Tony truly felt regret, it was already too late.

From that perspective, Bruce Wayne had it even worse.

Before he had even grown up, both his parents were dead.

Still young, he watched others seize control of the family business. With only his butler by his side, he was even timid around Rachel, his childhood sweetheart and first love, too afraid to break through that final barrier.

The more Tony Stark watched, the more stifled he felt.

Just as he could no longer bear it and wanted to leave, Bruce Wayne in the movie made a choice.

He decided to leave Gotham City, conceal his identity, travel the world, and seek out the sharpest methods of fighting crime—methods that would make the most vicious villains tremble at the very mention of them.

He inherited his father's will and vowed to change this rotten Gotham City.

He trained relentlessly in the snowy mountains and gained power from the Assassin League.

After Bruce Wayne returned to Gotham and became Batman, the movie's dark tone shifted slightly toward a more satisfying, triumphant style.

Bruce Wayne reclaimed control of the family business.

He ordered Lucius Fox to create armor for him.

Taking his childhood fear as his creed and adhering to a no-killing rule, he became the bat of the night. Like a knight in the darkness, he used astonishing combat skills, exceptional intelligence, and high-tech weapons to transform the city.

Americans really did love this kind of individual heroism.

Quite a few people were thrilled.

At last, the main villain appeared. It was Bruce Wayne's master, the leader of the Assassin League, Henry Ducard.

The dramatic twist took everyone by surprise.

The plot was unexpected yet perfectly logical, making people feel the screenwriters' sincerity.

When Bruce Wayne defeated the main villain, the screen went dark. A post-credits scene then played as a clue for the second movie, followed by the end credits.

Everyone knew the movie had truly ended.

"Clap, clap, clap!"

People began applauding without thinking.

Tony's face darkened.

Though he was unwilling to admit it, he had to acknowledge that the movie was excellent.

It followed a classic three-act structure.

Simply put, a beginning, a climax, and an ending.

The creative ability Anton displayed in this movie made Tony unable to believe this was the "old friend" he had once known.

Many of the rich second-generation heirs who had come to watch Anton make a fool of himself all applauded in tribute.

They now saw Anton in a new light.

At the same time, many people present noticed the list of key crew members that appeared during the final minutes of the credits.

Director: Anton.

Screenwriters: Anton, Browning.

Editor: Anton.

Anton appeared in several important roles.

Even though the names of those dozen or so assistant directors were rather eye-searing, people who knew Anton nearly popped their eyes out.

Especially Betty, standing beside Anton.

Jameson was deeply gratified.

He felt that Anton had finally found a career of his own.

Combined with Anton's recent performance at the Daily Bugle, even after Jameson was gone, Anton would still be able to lead the Jameson family to greater heights.

"Thank you, everyone."

Anton went onstage to speak, composed and calm, chatting with effortless charm.

After the premiere ended, he deliberately sought out Tony, who had originally planned to leave but had suddenly taken an interest in the actress playing Rachel.

"Tony, thanks for the fifty million."

Anton beamed. Seeing the audience's reaction, he became even more confident in the movie's success.

Although Tony had foreseen his own defeat and was extremely displeased, he was not the sort to resort to underhanded methods to stop someone else's success.

Petty as he was, he had his own sense of dignity.

Otherwise, Stark Industries' weapons and military equipment had been plagiarized and slandered by the fellow arms dealer Hammer Group for years. He would have flown into a rage and died of anger long ago.

"You only beat me once."

Tony glowered and stressed, "And I beat you countless times at all those previous parties. Don't get carried away. I guarantee there won't be a second time."

"We'll see."

Anton wore an expression that said, What can you do about it?

As the defeated side today, Tony had no comeback. Furious and unwilling to speak to Anton any longer, he did not even bother with the actresses. He grabbed Pepper and left.

Tony had finally experienced how Anton used to feel when Tony angered him into leaving parties.

"Sorry I couldn't be a better host—I won't see you out!"

Anton shouted after him.

Tony quickened his pace.

"Darling, it looks like only the two of us are left now."

Anton turned around and shrugged at the leading lady who often discussed the script with him late into the night, flashing a helpless smile.

"Then you can't run away again tonight."

The glamorous actress gave him a seductive, enchanting smile.

"Of course."

The next day, Anton rose while supporting his lower back, his legs trembling slightly.

Beside him, the sleeping beauty's complexion was rosy. Curled up beneath the covers with a satisfied expression, she breathed evenly like a princess waiting for her prince to wake her with a kiss.

But Anton did not dare kiss her now.

He had nearly surrendered yesterday. What if it happened again today? That would be humiliating.

The ancients truly had not deceived him.

There were only exhausted oxen, never fields worn out by plowing.

Being a man was truly too hard!

Anton thought that once he redeemed the Batman armor, perhaps he could put it on and play a little roleplay to revive on the spot.

After getting dressed, he shut the door and left without a shred of reluctance.

When he arrived at the Daily Bugle, Betty had been waiting for a long time. She tossed a report in front of him.

"Congratulations. The movie was a huge success."

Betty was expressionless. "Fourteen million in midnight box office. For an original movie without an existing fan base, you've proven your ability. Of course, perhaps you should thank Tony Stark for his influence."

"I already thanked him in person."

Anton shrugged, then changed the subject. "Betty, you look like you're in a bad mood. Is it that time of the month?"

Betty said coldly, "If you wiped off that glaring lipstick mark on your neck, I'd be in a much better mood."

"Oh?"

Anton gave a wicked laugh, lowered his voice, and gazed at her affectionately. "Don't tell me you like me? I know I'm very charming. You don't need to say it. Tonight..."

"You're dreaming."

Betty showed no mercy. "I worked all night while you were off having fun with a movie star. If you weren't my boss, I would absolutely kick your ass."

"Fine, this month's bonus is doubled."

Anton was a little embarrassed and decided to let money do the talking.

"Now that's more like it."

Betty was immediately persuaded and returned to business. "I recommend increasing our promotional efforts. Only a small number of major film critics have spoken so far, and the rating will inevitably decline as the release goes on..."

"Got it. Go handle it."

Anton waved his hand.

All these work matters gave him a headache.

Especially after working so hard all night, he really could not stand listening to this stuff.

"As long as it boosts the box office, do whatever it takes."

Anton gave his answer.

After all, what he truly cared about was not the box office itself, but the high exposure that came with it.

Fan points were the key.