I'm doing bidirectional science popularization in American comics

Depp turned the screen toward Jonathan and said, "This is Quentin Baker, a researcher at Stark Industries, who is skilled in creating illusions using virtual reality technology, as well as some chemical research."

"However, he seems to be facing some difficulties now and wants to talk to you to see if he can come up with any new ideas."

Although he had never heard of Stark Industries, Jonathan took a sip of his champagne and nodded, saying, "I'd be happy to help."

Chapter 27 Top Henchman

Depp continued by introducing Jonathan, saying, "This is Professor Jonathan from Gotham University, specializing in psychology and also possessing profound knowledge in chemistry. You can talk to him over the phone."

“Hello Professor Jonathan, thank you for your help,” Quentin said. “My main research area is virtual reality technology, which can truly create lifelike images, unlike the flat technology seen in movies. While its effects are currently impressive, it fails to genuinely evoke emotions in people… I don’t know what it’s lacking.”

Jonathan stroked his chin and thought for a moment, then said, "I think you could start with people's most primal emotions and see if you can perfectly evoke a single emotion first."

"Human's most primal emotions?" Quentin asked, somewhat puzzled.

“Yes, the four emotions: joy, anger, sorrow, and fear,” Jonathan said. “My personal suggestion is that you start with fear and see if you can evoke people’s deepest fears through your own imagined fantasies.”

The more Depp listened, the more something seemed off. How could these two be veerting off-topic in their conversation?

Depp immediately stopped him, saying, "My phone is almost out of battery, let's talk another day, goodbye Quentin."

"Um... okay. Goodbye Mr. Depp, goodbye Professor Jonathan."

Quentin Baker, having turned off the video, stood there and said softly, "Fear? Perhaps that's an interesting area of ​​research."

"Two-way popular science communication successful. Obtained one fragment of the Mirror of Introduction and randomly selected two special abilities."

"Gain Jonathan Klein's first version of the method for making Fear Gas, and gain knowledge of Quentin Baker's holographic imaging system."

"Receive one bottle of Life Concentrate Essence".

With the rewards flooding his brain, Depp felt refreshed and declared that knowledge is power!

As for the concentrated essence of life, it is a highly concentrated essence of life that can be used to quickly restore vitality and mental strength.

However, it is impossible to recast severed limbs or bring the dead back to life.

After that, Selena took Depp to meet many guests, including those future supervillains and many dignitaries who would be spending a fortune that day.

Depp was already incredibly handsome, and the simple mirror frame added to his wisdom. Combined with the wit and humor he brought from his previous life, he left a good impression on these guys.

Although he was reluctant to have too much contact with these supervillains, Depp felt that having some connection wouldn't hurt.

After all, he might still need the help of these "tools" to activate the system and gain abilities.

Selena's behavior also sparked much discussion among those present, who speculated that Depp might be Selena's lover.

After a while, Selena began hosting the charity gala in the center of the venue.

Between dance, acrobatics, and magic shows, precious collectibles are auctioned off, with all proceeds donated to the Gotham Charitable Foundation and the Gotham Animal Rescue.

Bruce was the most extravagant of them all, as he was with a woman in fishnet stockings named Dana Lance and bid on almost half of the items in the auction.

Depp showed little interest in the performance or the auction, and after sitting for a while, he got up and left to wander around the villa.

The reason he didn't leave was because Selena had just told him that she had something to say after the party.

While walking aimlessly, Depp heard a strange rustling sound coming from a house.

He pressed his ear to the door and heard a boy talking to himself, in addition to the rustling sound.

"Damn it, the scales are growing faster and faster!"

"I need to scrape these scales off quickly, but it hurts so much..."

"But there's no other way. I can't let people find out that I'm an oddball. I don't want to be made a fool of like a monkey in the circus."

Depp gripped the doorknob and found that it turned easily; the silly boy had even forgotten to close the door.

With a click, a boy dressed as a waiter turned around in fright.

Although the boy looked and sounded very young, he was not weak at all. Depp estimated that the boy was at least 190 centimeters tall.

His neck and exposed wrists were covered in green scales...like a crocodile.

Looking at the name above the boy's head... [Wayne Jones], Depp immediately knew that this was the supervillain known as Killer Croc in the future.

Wellen Jones has suffered from an atavistic disease since childhood, which causes scales to grow continuously on his body, and the condition has become more and more serious as he gets older.

Wellen eventually transformed into a half-human, half-crocodile monster with a body covered in green scales, sharp teeth, a height of over two meters, and a weight of over three hundred kilograms.

However... it's still the youth version now.

Unsurprisingly, he will eventually give up scraping off the scales from his body every day, because it's too painful.

He would bite off the arm of the circus owner who insulted him and withheld his wages, thus truly embarking on a path of crime.

To be honest, Depp is a bit overwhelmed right now.

Perhaps only Gotham could allow someone to encounter eight or nine superheroes and supervillains sitting together laughing and chatting in one night, and they were all teenagers.

Wellen exclaimed in alarm, "Sir, don't be afraid. I... I was just scaling a fish, and some scales got on my hands."

As he spoke, Wellen pinched the scales on his arm and forcefully pulled them off.

“Look, sir… these are just fish scales, not from my body…” As he spoke, Wellen plucked off another scale, the tip even still bearing a trace of blood.

This scene made Depp gasp, and the temperature in the room seemed to rise a few degrees.

“Kid, don’t pull it out...it hurts just watching it,” Depp stopped him.

Upon hearing this, Wellen knew that Depp didn't believe his clumsy lie at all, and tears welled up in his eyes.

He thought sadly that he would better sneak away soon to avoid being treated like a monster.

Looking at the poor guy, Depp said, "Since you're so afraid of being discovered for being different, why don't you come work for me?"

"Your shop?" Wellen said. "Now that you know I'm an oddball, are you really willing to hire someone like me?"

Depp nodded and closed the door behind him: "Of course, as long as you work hard enough."

“I’ve always worked extremely, extremely, extremely hard!” Wellen said three times to express how hard he worked, and then asked, “May I ask why you would hire someone like me?”

Depp opened his palm, and blinding lightning danced wildly in his hand like silver snakes.

"Because...we are the same."

Seeing the crackling and surging lightning in Depp's hand, Wellen was so surprised that his mouth formed an "O".

He said enviously, "That's so cool."

Chapter 28 Undercurrents

After the banquet ended, Selena's room door remained closed.

Inside the room, Selena sat on the bed with captivating charm, while dozens of cats obediently squatted beside her.

She took off her high heels and tossed them aside, then said to Depp, who was sitting in a chair, "I think we're in trouble."

"Trouble?" Depp asked, puzzled.

Selena explained, "There have been more and more psychopathic killers in this city in recent months."

Depp grabbed a pastry from the table and popped it into his mouth, saying nonchalantly, "While I don't want this to happen either, isn't this how the city has always been? This is Gotham, after all."

If it weren't for the system, I would have left this godforsaken place long ago.

Selena shook her head, unabashedly removed her evening gown, and got up to change her clothes in front of Depp.

“This time is different. In the past, those guys were just ordinary criminals.” Selena said with a worried look as she changed into a pair of cat slippers. “But ever since Bruce started fighting crime at night, there have been more and more strange criminals in this city.”

She changed into a black lace slip dress and sat down next to Depp.

Depp pushed the snacks on the table toward Selena and said, "Like that guy who likes to leave riddles at crime scenes, or the cryogenically frozen man and the electrocution man, or something like that?"

Selena picked and chose from the dessert plate, moving the strawberry-flavored one aside and taking a mango-flavored one to her mouth.

While chewing, he mumbled, "That's right, and there's that guy who only committed one crime three months ago, yet caused dozens of people to die with terrifying smiles. Maybe we can give him a nickname... like the 'Grimace Man' or something."

The "smiling man" is quite apt in a way.

Depp thought that perhaps because Joseph hadn't committed any more crimes since that night and hadn't been arrested, no one knew about his clown appearance except himself.

To be honest, he thought Joseph might have already left the city, though he would eventually come back.

Depp said, "And that guy who can make plants grow out of people's bodies, maybe we should call him Poison Ivy? But... what does that have to do with our troubles?"

These were all people who were bound to appear in Depp's life sooner or later, and they didn't cause him much of a stir.

Of course, if Darkseid were to descend upon Gotham now, Depp would probably just lie there and wait to die.

Selena sighed, her voice filled with worry. "The trouble doesn't come from these perverts, it comes from Carmine Falcone, that damned King of Gotham's underworld!"

The wind outside the window is getting stronger; it looks like it's going to rain again.

"Recently, more and more bizarre killers have emerged who are out of their control. Falcone and Chief of the Gotham Police Department, Robert, both feel that these people are a threat, so they have now joined forces in a high-profile manner to start arresting the weirdos in the city."

"Unfortunately, if they're going to capture the weirdos in this city, then you, me, and the innocent little bat will probably all be among them."

Although Depp expressed his disdain for the open collaboration between Gotham City officials and the mob, ...

“Me?” Depp exclaimed in shock, “I’m just an ordinary Gotham City resident from the bottom rungs of society. What do I care if the gangs and the police arrest supervillains like you!”

Selena smirked and said, "Come on, don't think I don't know you can use magic! Besides, what kind of decent person would a shady antique dealer who runs an antique shop on Naihe Island be?"

Did Bruce tell Selena that I can use magic?

Depp shook his head. Absolutely not! Bruce may be a bit paranoid, but he's definitely not a blabbermouth.

Furthermore, he was unaware of Selena's true identity, and when Batman and Catwoman met, they would only chase each other.

"You were spying on me?!" Depp roared.

Selena stuffed a strawberry cupcake into Depp's mouth and said with a seductive look in her eyes, "I was just passing by when I saw someone inside who could shoot lightning from their palms. It's your fault for cleaning the windows so clean."

Depp pursed his lips upon hearing this and said, "But I didn't do anything illegal, unlike you guys."

“Do you think they’d care if you did something wrong? Or do you think there are any good people in the Gotham Police Department?” Selena said.

Depp was taken aback when he heard this, then suddenly realized what he meant.

James Gordon is currently just a minor deputy captain in the police force, and the Gotham Police Department is still under Rob's control, and this guy doesn't care about any police honors.

He's the kind of guy who'd blow up a criminal hiding in an unfinished building, killing the criminal and a dozen or so homeless people sleeping inside with a bomb.