Days as a Spiritual Mentor in American Comics

The things listed on the paper were quite strange. For example, there should be 20 types of blocking traps, 20 types of damaging traps as well, and they should involve different types of injury, such as cutting, crushing, burning, and the like. Each one should have a cool name, a brief introduction written for it, and it would be better to produce a 3D animation. If a model could be made, it would be even better.

Rose felt overwhelmed. She couldn't figure out what all this stuff was for.

Of course, she had also heard about the betting game, but to her, it seemed like something concocted by people who had too much time and money on their hands, concocting abstract things.

"Why isn't it enough to just spend the money and wait for the results at home? What is this all about?"

Despite her confusion, Rose didn't plan to ask. Before she left, she found Shiller's expression to be so disappointed; it was as though he couldn't wait to share the plan with her.

Realizing this made Rose leave even faster.

Indeed, Rose did not disappoint Shiller. Having been a manager for so many years, she still had some connections. She quickly brought back a list and a set of designs that contained what Shiller wanted.

This essentially met Shiller's requirements, but he still felt that something was missing after looking at them repeatedly.

Seeing Shiller's heavy expression, Rose tentatively asked, "What's wrong? Any problems?"

Shiller shook his head and said, "Nothing much, actually it's quite good, but it just doesn't feel thrilling enough."

"This isn't thrilling enough?" Rose hesitated, but she said, "This list includes all the traps that can be realized in reality from horror movies."

"You modeled these after horror movies?"

"The person I found is a horror movie enthusiast," Rose thought and said, "He has an artistic background and is a craftsman; that's why he could draw up the designs so quickly."

"Has he ever put them into practice?"

"Well, if I say not at all, you won't believe me. But in reality, these things aren't something you can just test on one or two ordinary people; it's too much trouble to deal with."

Shiller glanced at the traps on the design sheets and believed that Rose wasn't deceiving him. If these traps were used to kill people, they would be inefficient, lack aesthetic appeal, and be very difficult to clean up, which could exhaust a killer devil to death.

"Indeed, they are inadequate," Shiller sighed softly and then searched through his phone for a number, which he sent to Rose, saying, "Contact this person and ask him to come see me."

After Rose left, Shiller sent a message to Bruce and also contacted Mr. Freeze and Two-Face.

All the recipients were somewhat puzzled. What did it mean, "design the most cruel and creative traps you can think of and write a compelling introduction for them"?

But regardless, Shiller paid the money, and they all complied. Bruce, on the other hand, got the super villains he controlled to brainstorm. The super villains obviously enjoyed this task, discussing various cruel traps was much more interesting than playing cards.

Not long after, a figure wrapped tight in clothing appeared in Shiller's office. He took off his hat, revealing a face severely eroded by acid. It was none other than the New Clown Maria.

Shiller shared the requirements with him too. Maria obviously showed more interest in this kind of thing. Before long, he had drawn up several pages of design sheets, each trap cruel and full of creativity.

In addition to the assignments submitted by the criminals from Arkham, Shiller was finally somewhat satisfied. He had Rose find the previous artist to render these things properly and compile them into a booklet, creating a kind of setting collection.

Rose looked at the booklet with an odd expression.

Seeing that Shiller had written astronomical figures under each trap, her expression was beyond odd.

And when Shiller asked her to print this booklet and send it to the mailbox of each bettor as per the betting list, Rose's expression was somewhat contorted.

But she did so anyway.

Soon, those who placed their bets received this very bizarre booklet. The traps inside not only encapsulated the achievements of the human race's torture history but also showed full innovation, active improvement, and a soaring to new heights.

Many people vomited at their first glimpse of the thing.

However, the first page of the booklet made clear the purpose of this object—it was an official cheating device.

Simply put, our betting game is very fair and just. It's impossible for you to cheat. If you try to reach out, I'll chop off your hand. If you don't believe it, give it a shot.

But this does not mean that you can only wait for the results at home. To add fun to the game, the organizer has specially added a microtransaction option for everyone. If you are willing to pay, you can set traps within Arkham Asylum.

Then you can sit in the casino, relaxing and watching these cruel traps kill the prison breakers chosen by your arch-enemy, watching them lose a lot of money, admiring their faces darker than the bottom of a pot.

Never mind whether the game allows for microtransactions, just tell me if the game is fun or not.

Generally speaking, people are not psychotic to such a degree. But these bettors are exactly that kind of psychopaths. They wouldn't have placed their bets if they weren't the type of people who seek thrills without limits.

"The thrill of breaking through thresholds never has an upper limit, and it's like drug addiction. At first, it might just be smoking marijuana, then it turns to chemical drugs, and later, even at the risk of frying the brain, one would overdose just to seek a stronger high.

Such is the case with gambling with lives as entertainment.

Initially, it might be about controlling the life and death of others with applause, then it becomes about the method of manipulation, soon followed by an interest in bizarre ways of dying, and swiftly proceeding to demands on the quality and quantity.

It's difficult to lead people to goodness, as being good always involves giving. But leading people to evil is easy, as the human race begins taking from birth.

Humans don't need to gaze into the Abyss; with just a little guidance, humanity itself is the Abyss.

In the end, Shiller collected all the booklets, and every booklet had at least one trap chosen. As a result, Shiller made a fortune.

The last page of the booklet featured a fold-out map, pinpointing the locations of the criminals' cells and their bettors.

There weren't many criminals, but there were a lot more bettors. The map was cluttered with names squeezed into the confines of tiny cells.

Most people set traps at the doorways of the criminals bet on by their rivals, but some, more focused on self-interest, aimed to first eliminate those posing a significant threat to their chosen one, setting traps in their inevitable paths.

Then there were the pure 'fun people', who just placed traps at the main entrance door that everyone had to pass, even requesting more ways to play on the penultimate page's message board.

Shiller, naturally, went with the flow. In his next letter, he informed all bettors about the emergency restriction measures button and told them that with a little more money, they could have a chance to draw for the button.

'Small money' is not an exaggeration. Although these amounts may seem large to someone like Rose, in actuality, they're just a few million US Dollars. Gotham has too many people who are only rich in money.

Even if not all wealthy Gothamites are placing bets, the cash resources controlled by the hundreds of Upper Class rich are beyond anyone's imagination.

They are almost the wealthiest people in the wealthiest city of the wealthiest nation in the world. A few million dollars is mere pocket change to them, perhaps only the petty cash for hosting a ball.

Many chose to draw for the button. The reason for drawing is that there were many buttons, and to get the desired one, one couldn't simply buy it; one had to keep drawing in tens. Thankfully, the odds are decent, and within twenty million, one could generally draw the desired one.

The appetizer course is nearly complete, and now, naturally, the main event is approaching.

Of course, this doesn't mean the game is about to start. The main event here refers to the major expense of characters—microtransactions.

Interfering with opponents is a tactical choice, but to be successful, one must be strong themselves. Strengthening one's character increases the winning odds, and even a three-year-old knows this.

Take Bane, for example. Under normal circumstances, he has to carry the chemical tank on his back because the gas inside is the fundamental reason for his immense strength.

But sorry, the most experienced attending Doctor in Arkham Asylum has just discovered that the chemical gas is detrimental to his recovery, so they've taken it away.

The Mad Hatter's brainwave controlling devices are what many choose him for, but these gadgets have been classified as controlled weapons and confiscated.

The Riddler has unfortunately lost his voice to the flu, Scarecrow has a sudden emergency and can't leave his bed, Killer Croc has gone into hibernation due to the low temperature, Deadshot has his fingers broken for cheating in a gambling game.

The game is about to start, but due to the new warden's inability to adapt to the management rules, blunders are frequent in Arkham Asylum, and the criminals' abilities suddenly scatter into character fragments. If you don't draw, you can't go into battle fully prepared.

Some may find this too childish. Don't those rich people know that it's the warden's doing?

But as the saying goes, it's not about expecting generosity from the rich, but leaving them with no other choice.

While some hesitated, Shiller suddenly announced that in addition to their bets, the money from these extra pay-to-play features they've bought would also enter the winner's pot, and he wouldn't take a cent of it.

Furthermore, he disclosed the current total amount wagered.

The amount was beyond everyone's expectations.

Including the rich. Now this sum was not 'small money' to them either.

More importantly, this money was cash, the so-called liquid funds. Those with some business knowledge understand just how vital liquid funds are.

If this money is scattered among them, everyone can maintain a balanced situation. But if this money ends up concentrated in one person's hands, they would become the cash king of Gotham.

So much liquid funds could alter the current business landscape of Gotham. While it might not cause significant turbulence in every industry, the uncertainty of which industry would be impacted keeps people on edge.

In business, there isn't a person who doesn't wish for a monopoly. But in Gotham, no industry can be completely monopolized; at most, there are nearly monopolies with still a few competitors.

Consider this: you're in a certain industry, and suddenly your competitor gets a large sum of cash, overly fluid with funds, beating you in every project bid. It's a perfect positive cycle: the more money, the more meat one can acquire; the more meat, the more money to be made.

And those who are eaten up naturally fall into a vicious cycle, with fewer and fewer avenues for making money, dwindling cash in hand, and with this give and take, there would be no standing ground for you."