Outside the Gotham Police Department, flashlights flickered like a sudden downpour, and cameras of varying lengths, like an array of long and short cannons, were all aimed at the center of the temporarily erected stage.
The surrounding area was packed with citizens and reporters, three layers deep, and whispers occasionally erupted from the crowd; an uninformed person might genuinely think that Terrorists were preparing to bomb the Gotham Police Department, and the atmosphere on site was incredibly excited.
Just as the ambitious youths of Gotham were rejoicing, they received news that the Gotham Police Department had received a sponsorship.
"Why the hell?"
This news was as unbearable as a group of delinquents receiving a school scholarship.
As the time arrived, the host, seconded from Gotham TV, walked onto the stage in a crisp black suit.
He raised a hand to straighten his tie, which had been ruffled by the night wind, and with a joyful smile, announced in a loud voice, "Distinguished citizens of Gotham, tonight, we will hold this ceremony in front of the city's strongest shield—the Gotham Police Department!"
One reporter in the audience, who had been quite serious, couldn't help but laugh out loud after hearing "the strongest shield."
It was only when his companion nudged him that he managed to stifle his laughter.
Although the laughter was not loud, it still reached the host's ears.
However, as an experienced host, he wouldn't break composure just because someone laughed at a insincere remark.
Meanwhile, Director Rob, sitting in a front-row seat, did not look particularly pleased.
He had originally thought the handover would be a private affair at most, but he hadn't expected... he hadn't expected Miss Wayne to create such a sensation.
Those in the know understood it was a sponsorship for the Police, but those who didn't might think she was about to announce an increase in tariffs.
Here, the reporter, invited by the Wayne Family, completely disregarded the thoughts of others, scanning the crowd below and introducing with fervent enthusiasm, "The Wayne Family has generously contributed 100 million U.S. dollars to purchase the most advanced cameras and surveillance equipment for the Gotham Police Department, establishing a top-tier 'Skynet' intelligent surveillance and crime early warning system!"
"Developed over several years, each high-definition intelligent camera possesses 24-hour, dead-angle-free monitoring capabilities. They will act as the 'eyes' of the city, deployed throughout Gotham City's streets and alleys, and key areas."
Upon hearing these words, Falcone's expression in the front-row VIP section became somewhat rigid.
As Thomas Wayne's "good friend" during his lifetime, he had naturally been invited by Gwendolyn to this event, but he hadn't expected it to be a sponsorship for the Police.
And of all things to sponsor, why cameras?
Falcone felt a bit awkward just imagining his subordinates being caught conducting illegal transactions by cameras sponsored by his goddaughter, leading to all of them being arrested.
Meanwhile, the host, ignoring what the audience was thinking, continued, "Next, let us give our warmest applause to welcome the representative of the generous Wayne Family, Miss Gwendolyn Wayne, to the stage!"
Below the stage, an eight-year-old girl sitting next to Falcone slowly stood up.
She wore a finely tailored neutral small suit; the navy-blue fabric was impeccably pressed, and a small silver tie pin adorned the collar of her white shirt.
With steady steps, she slowly walked onto the stage, and under the slightly surprised gaze of the reporters, she calmly accepted the microphone handed to her by the host.
The reporters below, despite their professional ethics, began to whisper among themselves the moment they saw the girl.
"This child is so young to be attending an event?"
"There's no other way, the Wayne Couple passed away."
"That's true... but the little princess of the Wayne Family is truly beautiful. Her demeanor clearly shows she's not from an ordinary family."
Listening to the discussions below, Gwendolyn's face at this moment carried a hint of sadness, a sadness that everyone present could feel: "Citizens of Gotham, and all Police officers, perhaps you don't understand why an 8-year-old child would want to encourage her family to invest in the Police Department to install cameras throughout the city."
"You all should know that my parents, Thomas Wayne and Martha Wayne, died in an alleyway." Under everyone's gaze, the girl shed sorrowful tears, "I will never forget that night... the night I lost my parents."
"There was only one street lamp there, no cameras. If Officer Gordon and Officer Brock hadn't found the culprits with astonishing speed, my sister and I might not even know who to hate to this day."
Meanwhile, Gordon and Harvey, sitting below the stage, had big question marks above their heads upon hearing this.
???
"Didn't your sister draw the suspect's likeness as if taking a photo, and didn't you also provide a locator to find the suspect, which allowed us to find the killer so quickly?"
At this point, Gwen took a deep breath, quickly wiped away her tears with the back of her hand, and revealed a resolute smile once more.
Her gaze swept across every face in the audience, and her tender yet firm voice resonated throughout the venue: "I don't want others to experience such pain; I don't want to see anyone else, like me, crying in the dead of night, missing their mom and dad."
"Therefore, I hope that through the Wayne Family's sponsorship, every street and every corner of Gotham will be equipped with surveillance. This way, those who intend to commit crimes will know, before they act, that countless eyes are watching them, and those who commit crimes will not escape the law's retribution!"
Upon hearing these words, the expressions of the crowd below varied.
After all, in the U.S., personal privacy is highly valued. With so many cameras installed, wouldn't everyone on the street be watched no matter what they did? What kind of situation is this?
But the problem is, the 8-year-old girl on stage made this decision simply because she had once been caught in the rain and wanted to hold an umbrella for others, not wishing for them to experience the pain of losing their parents. She shouldn't be so harshly criticized.
Ultimately, she's just a child. What bad intentions could she possibly have?
Or rather, no one was willing to stand up and question her, only to be later accused of lacking sympathy.
At this moment, Gwen put down the microphone, and the host returned to the stage, taking the microphone with steady steps. He nodded to the audience, a graceful smile on his face: "Thank you, Miss Gwendolyn Wayne, for your speech! We also express our condolences for the unfortunate fate of the Wayne Couple. However, I am also very glad that Miss Gwen's kindness and determination show us the hope for Gotham's future."
After saying these words, he paused briefly, his gaze turning towards the Police personnel in the audience, and he said with fervent enthusiasm, "Now, let us give our warmest applause to welcome the Police liaisons for this sponsorship, the heroes of the Gotham Police Department—Officer James Gordon and Chief Harvey Bullock!"
Amidst applause, the two walked onto the stage.
Gordon's face was as serious as ever, and he strode with the dignified bearing of a dragon and a tiger.
Harvey, on the other hand, exuded a more relaxed aura; he followed behind, hands in his pockets, with his characteristic devil-may-care smile.
Even after stepping onto the stage, Harvey gave a slight wave to both the stage and the audience.
The two walked up to Gwendolyn, knelt down, and gently held the little girl's hand. Gordon said warmly, "Thank you, Miss Gwen, this will help us better protect Gotham."
"I trust you, Chief Gordon."
Just then, Alfred, the Wayne Family's butler, calmly walked onto the stage, holding a stack of neatly organized documents.
He bowed slightly, handed the documents to Gordon, and then received the materials prepared by the Police Department from Gordon's hand.
Both parties took their seats, signed and stamped the documents, and after exchanging the files again, stood up.
Flashlights continuously flickered; Gwendolyn stood in the middle, with Gordon and Harvey on either side, while Alfred had already walked off the stage with the documents.
The three smiled, and the reporters and photographers below captured this moment with their shutters.