Chapter 55: SHIELD's Satellites Are Batman's Satellites
"Jarvis, how long has it been?"
Tony Stark stood at the bar in his private area atop Stark Tower, mixing drinks while asking casually.
Ever since Peter provided that semi-finished but technically mature, conceptually clear AI model, Tony used it as reference to transform "Jarvis" into true artificial intelligence.
With Pepper handling daily life and Jarvis providing strategic counsel for work, Tony had never felt so comfortable.
"Three hours and fourteen minutes, sir," Jarvis said. "Sir, your blood alcohol concentration has risen to 0.08%. Please be aware—"
Tony interrupted Jarvis's concern. "Drinking makes me happy, Jarvis."
So the AI stopped speaking, quietly adjusting the penthouse's ambient lighting to soothing blue tones that calmed emotions.
Tony refilled his glass, eyes filled with anticipation as he looked toward the elevator.
Peter had accepted his request to design a complete security protection system for SHIELD, borrowing an office here.
Actually, Tony could easily complete SHIELD's tasks himself, but he'd still chosen to hand them to Peter.
He wanted to see just how capable this guy really was.
Based on this "expert-to-expert" anticipation, Tony glanced toward the elevator every few moments.
Finally, after his freshly filled glass was drained again, the electronic display above the elevator suddenly flickered. Floor numbers climbed toward the penthouse level by level.
"Done."
Batman tossed the one-time access token to Tony, who casually threw it backward into a trash can.
"Congratulations, Mr. Parker." Tony set down his glass and moved to his private workstation. "You don't mind if I try hacking the security program you just wrote, do you?"
While speaking, Tony had already entered SHIELD's URL, looking eager to try.
Batman gestured. "Be my guest."
As always, Batman displayed confidence before Tony.
This wasn't just confidence in his technical abilities—he was also playing the role of Peter.
His Parker Industries, the future Parker Corporation, would unavoidably grow larger, eventually forming his business empire.
Constantly hiding abilities would invite speculation. Appropriately displaying Peter's genius would make everything seem natural instead.
Moreover, based on Batman's research into Peter Parker's past, Peter himself was a genius—his web-shooters and web fluid formula were proof enough.
The former even allowed Batman to upgrade his habitually used grappling gun, becoming today's more convenient, faster bat-claw.
Batman's confidence further ignited Tony's desire to challenge him. Without hiding anything from Batman, he openly attempted to infiltrate SHIELD.
But as time passed, Tony's expression grew uglier. After over ten minutes, he raised both hands.
"I surrender."
He looked at Batman, shaking his head repeatedly in admiration.
"Peter, you're simply a genius. Your firewall—how do I put it—it's like a master chess player, having already predicted every opponent's thought and method."
"I now completely believe you personally wrote that AI model."
Batman nodded slightly. He knew Tony's description wasn't wrong.
Coming from Gotham, Batman—a world-class hacker—naturally mastered almost every method to infiltrate various systems.
A firewall written by such a top hacker could naturally block everyone except himself.
Relying on concepts ahead of this world, even a genius like Tony Stark couldn't hack in quickly. And even if he did infiltrate, the system would detect and alert faster.
Batman didn't even need to specially program a backdoor for himself. SHIELD's entire system had become his freely accessible backyard.
Writing the system hadn't even taken three full hours. Batman spent half that time reading various doubly or triply encrypted files in SHIELD's data.
He'd even attempted to covertly deploy SHIELD satellites, locating the missing Norman Osborn.
This businessman wearing the Green Goblin suit currently hid on Queens streets, a cloak covering his armor, looking somewhat disheveled, even pitiable.
But Batman wouldn't be deceived by his current appearance. The brutal deaths of seven or eight scientists on sublevel three and the Smythe family's deaths were all orchestrated by Norman Osborn.
Even the fifty homeless people's deaths on sublevel two partially fell on his shoulders—the other portion belonged to General Ross, that Air Force lieutenant general.
Having personally witnessed Batman design from scratch a complete system even he found challenging to hack, Tony now placed Peter Parker completely on equal footing:
"Peter, this morning Jarvis analyzed the market and discovered a 'Parker Industries' developing a new material..."
Batman's current identity was Peter Parker. He wouldn't maintain an expressionless face constantly, instead smiling.
"I just acquired a factory and renamed it Parker Industries."
"Stark Industries happens to be very interested in this new material. We could collaborate—I could even introduce you to several raw material suppliers." Tony said.
Genius AI model, impeccable network technology, new material with extremely high market demand—combining these three, Tony saw another young entrepreneur's rise.
Earlier was equal status. Now Tony proactively recommending suppliers to Batman became goodwill.
Not servile flattery, but recommendations as a friend.
But Batman refused Tony's kindness.
"Thanks, but I've already found suitable suppliers."
He didn't want anyone interfering with his enterprise. His business empire's purpose was crafting a "Mother Box" or even higher-level tools to return to Gotham.
Not making it big and strong in this world to become some top billionaire.
However, while doing all this, Batman hadn't forgotten to continuously fight criminals—like the street-wandering Green Goblin Norman Osborn.
Norman currently moved through Queens crowds. Batman didn't plan to confront him violently on bustling streets. Instead, he'd execute his Plan B for the Green Goblin.
The plan he'd prepared to activate in Osborn Manor when the Goblin swung his blade, but which was interrupted by micro-missiles, pumpkin bombs, and the glider.