PFC Chapter 4125 When the Pumpkin Ripens (7)
Chapter 4125 When the Pumpkin Ripens (7)
Chapter 4125 When the Pumpkin Ripens (Part 7)
After renovations, Wayne Manor finally caught up with the times in the autumn of the new millennium, boasting many modern amenities for convenient living while retaining the mysterious charm of the old manor.
As autumn arrived, the entire manor exuded an exceptionally rustic and desolate atmosphere. The lawns turned a dull brownish-yellow, gray-green vines climbed up the brickwork, and warm light shone through the windows. The interior, however, presented a completely different scene.
The fireplace burned brightly, its light illuminating the entire living room. The newly renovated Wayne Manor, though slightly smaller than before, had a different feel. The excessively large space of the Gothic castle inevitably felt somber; now, the smaller size created a sense of warmth. The original gray-purple and dark blue decorations had been removed, the carpet replaced with brown wool, the curtains with deep red plaid velvet, the large Italian-style leather sofa a warm orange, and a white vase holding a single dried daisy. The ornate, antique crystal chandeliers had also been removed, replaced by modern metal chandeliers that retained the Gothic style.
Previously, when the living space per capita was improved, a portion of Wayne Manor was allocated. The main hall, garden, and living rooms connected by side corridors remain within the manor, while the two separate buildings were separated out.
Thanks to Bruce's tireless efforts, the Justice League finally obtained Brainiac's approval and gained legal status. The two buildings were then used as the Justice League's base—primarily Bruce's laboratory.
Previously, due to funding constraints, Bruce didn't have a proper Batcave, and sometimes even had to borrow Luther Corporation's labs for inventions. It wasn't that he didn't want to build one, but rather that his financial situation wouldn't allow it—most of his money was invested in Gotham's construction and renovation, and he simply didn't have the funds to acquire those exorbitantly expensive research equipment.
And that's why Brainiac is considered a benevolent magistrate. After his arrival, not only did Gotham see the dawn, but Wayne's good days also began. Brainiac transformed the two buildings that had been separated from Wayne Manor and the basement of Wayne Manor, which Bruce had never explored, into a comprehensive experimental facility for Bruce to carry out his inventions and creations, thus becoming their universe's Batcave.
Of course, such a large area couldn't be used by just Bruce. Besides him, other research groups also use it. For example, Pamela is a regular here, and Victor comes occasionally because a cryogenic laboratory has also been built underground. Then there's the Gotham Police Department's Forensic Science Unit, which sometimes borrows the blood analysis equipment here.
For Bruce, this is equivalent to working from home, since these two buildings were originally the location of his study, living room, and storage room, and doing research here is just like being at home.
This morning, Bruce received a strong wind warning, so he decided to cancel his plans to go out and spend the day in the lab to complete the upgrade and modification of the root and tuber harvester.
Just as he was looking at data in the lab, a tall figure wearing a raincoat and rain boots walked in. Oliver was carrying a bunch of large potatoes, took off the hood of his raincoat, grinned, and revealed two rows of white teeth.
“Look at this beautiful big guy,” Oliver said, placing the bunch of potatoes on the table. “I just dug it out, and this is the smallest bunch yet. They’re all perfectly shaped.”
Bruce went over to take a look and found that, just as Oliver had said, the bunch of potatoes was enormous, each one as big as an adult's forearm, and each one was perfectly shaped, like the kind of potatoes you'd see in an animated film.
Then Oliver pulled out an ear of corn from somewhere. This ear of corn was also incredibly big, almost as long as a baseball bat, and it looked exactly like a corn from head to toe. The cob was full of plump kernels, which looked golden and fragrant and tender.
"Is this feed corn?" Bruce said with some surprise. "The feed corn I've seen at Clark's house before was ridiculously hard."
“Yes, this is the variety of feed corn, but it has been optimized to be eaten raw.” Oliver then took a bite, and the corn visibly burst with juice. He excitedly shook the corn cob and said, “The first batch will be produced in Mexico soon, and the villagers will be very happy.”
"My God, what kind of weather is this!" Pamela folded her umbrella. Aquaman Arthur followed behind her, looking somewhat helpless. He said, "I told you we should have taken the park shuttle. You insisted on walking, and you even had to wear that huge raincoat. I was afraid you'd get blown away!"
"Don't worry, I'm holding onto the ground with vines." Pamela breathed a sigh of relief, went to the water dispenser to pour herself a cup of hot water, gulped it down, and then said, "The seaweed is growing very well; now all we need is a harvester. What did the magic academy say?"
Bruce picked up a stack of data from the side and said, "The performance of underwater harvesting is fine, but it certainly can't compare to the efficiency of land harvesting."
“They must have been lazy,” Pamela insisted. “Don’t tell me magic has to take water resistance into account. What were we doing going through all that trouble?”
“You have to give them the opportunity to experiment and iterate,” Bruce said with a hint of helplessness.
“Then let them go. It’s not like the plantation is closed to the public. I don’t think they’re brave enough to go into the water,” Pamela said irritably.
"Don't get so worked up." Arthur poured himself a glass of water and said, "Atlantis's production corps can hold out for a while. Although harvesting by hand is quite laborious, the output is indeed quite good. Mera and I discussed it, and we plan to cultivate this kind of seaweed in the deep sea as well. We'll harvest it by hand to earn some points and buy things on land."
“It’s not so much that our research and development is too slow, but rather that your cultivation is too fast.” Bruce poured Pamela another cup of hot coffee, placed it in front of her, and said with a smile, “If we completely solve the human famine, you will be credited with the greatest contribution, madam.”
"It's nothing really. I was researching enlarged plants before just to give them a bigger size, so they'd be more formidable in a fight. Brainiac was the one who suggested solving the famine, and of course, I did make some adjustments to the palatability..."
Pamela said rather modestly. Oliver also brought her some cookies and placed them in front of her, then said, "I must thank you sincerely on behalf of the Mexican people, and of course, also for Siberia and Ireland."
“I really don’t need any more people to thank me.” Pamela took off the scarf around her neck and said, “Brainiac is trying to make me a role model without my consent. If it weren’t for the strong wind today, I would have had to go to the TV station to give a speech tonight.”
"Isn't this perfect? The Green of All Things will thank you, after all, you've helped him gain so many followers."
“He did a lot in the war,” Arthur said. “I remember that fight you guys had was absolutely earth-shattering.”
Then they started talking about the war. The war was so intense, there was so much to discuss. Just then, Bruce's phone rang.
“I made an appointment with a friend, so I’m going there first,” Bruce said.
He then left the laboratory, took an elevator underground, and then another elevator underground to the main hall, so he wouldn't have to brave the strong winds to cross the garden.
Bruce opened the door, and a figure in a long trench coat stood outside. He let him in, and after a brief embrace, Bruce said, "Long time no see, Alberto. How have you been?"
“Actually, it’s not bad,” Alberto said, taking off his scarf and hanging up his coat. “And you? How are you?”
“The same as always.” Bruce turned and the two sat down together in front of the fireplace. Alberto looked around at the furnishings and then said, “This is really different from before. The old style was too gloomy. This is much better.”
"I think so too. Selena and I are getting married soon, and neither of us likes a too-serious home atmosphere. We prefer something warm and lighthearted. How is the old Godfather's health?"
"It was alright. After staying in Rome for a while, he went to Sicily. The climate there is warmer, there's plenty of sunshine, and the people are friendly and kind—much better than the big cities. I, on the other hand, have stayed in Rome."
"Yes, I heard from Brainiac that you started an investment company, which later turned into a shipping company. How's business?"
"Brainiac monopolized global shipping, and I was just his assistant. I managed to get by."
"So, are you here to revisit this place, or is there something else?"
"I can't really say for sure, just think of me as someone who's here for sightseeing. After all, Gotham has changed quite a bit since I left. How's the professor? Is he doing alright lately?"
"Not bad. Ever since Brainiac started the professional aptitude test for university admissions, a large number of people have been prevented from choosing majors they are not good at. He also doesn't have to teach those hopeless students anymore, so his mood has improved a lot."
"I suppose that includes you?"
Bruce laughed, then lowered his head and said, "I'm not rotten wood; if I had to say, I'd be a gymnosperm at best."
"I'm planning to visit him. When is he available?"
"It's windy this afternoon, so he probably won't go out. If you go now, you might be able to get a free dinner. But it's a bit far from here to his house. Do you have a car?"
Alberto shook his head and said, "I could have rented a car, but the rental shops are closed in this windy weather. Do you have time? Could you take me there?"
"It's not impossible, but I have a few data points that haven't finished running yet, so you might have to wait for me for half an hour."
"No problem, you go ahead and get busy. I have some reports to review."
Bruce quickly returned to the lab, finished the work, put on his trench coat, and drove off with Alberto.
As the car entered Schiller's neighborhood, Alberto said with some doubt, "The location here is quite good, not far from the university town and the industrial area, so why is it so sparsely populated? Is there something wrong with the houses?"
"No, it was Brainiac's doing. Very few of the vacant houses here are open for application."
"Why? Why does he want to create a nature reserve?"
"No, because this is a gathering place for people with mental illnesses. You can think of it as a large, beautifully landscaped mental hospital. Only dangerous individuals with mental problems can move in here."
"What's the point of this?"
“You know, some people are just not normal by nature. After being disciplined by society, although they may seem okay on the surface, they still pose a certain danger. Letting them live with ordinary people could cause harm to them. So Brainiac has designated several special protected areas with extremely low population density in the city to roam these large wild animals.”
"Is the professor one of them?"
"I guess so. It was because he insisted on not moving that Brainiac had no choice but to designate this place as a nature reserve. Otherwise, with its beautiful natural scenery, building a city park would have been the best option."
"Okay, so he doesn't have any objections?"
"Brainiac didn't tell him, but even if he did, he probably wouldn't move. He'd rather be alone."