Locke didn't know how to be a professional TV guest.
However...
Through his avatar, he could gauge the audience's reaction in real-time. For instance, Gwen couldn't help but let out a chuckle, and the school's group chat was a sea of "LOL" and laughing emojis.
There was a massive sense of irony here.
The Legendary Assassin was famous for his notification cards and for leaving no trail that law enforcement could follow. While he might not be the most "skilled" killer in the underground circuit, in the hearts of New Yorkers, such a high-profile assassin was undoubtedly ranked number one.
One would expect someone bold enough to forge the Assassin's cards to be, if not an equal, at least a formidable figure in their own right.
The result?
The video of Barry Weiss being forced to swallow pool balls on the internet saw a sudden, massive spike in views. Even the golden producer, Patty, thoughtfully aired a clip of it on the broadcast.
In an instant, the entire studioâand likely half of New Yorkâwas submerged in a sea of laughter.
The subject of this mockery, the junkie Barry Weiss currently pinned under Locke's foot, turned a shade of red that rivaled a monkey's bum. He couldn't understand what was happening.
Please! This guy is a killer! Catch him! Why aren't you catching him? If I hadn't impersonated him, he wouldn't even have dared to show up!
Damn it. The whole world is against me.
"You guys..."
"Agh!"
Locke increased the pressure with his right foot, grinding it against the junkie's mouth. He smiled at Patty and shook his head helplessly. "So, Patty, can you imagine how I felt when I realized this... thing... was the one impersonating me?"
Patty thought for a moment. "It must have felt incredibly absurd."
Locke nodded. "Yes, absurd. And after I caught this clown, the NYPD showed up. I actually gave him a chance."
"Oh?" Patty followed Locke's lead. "In what way?"
Locke chuckled. "After I caught him, the NYPD asked to take him in. Honestly, if he had confessed right then and there, I probably wouldn't have come here tonight."
Patty frowned. "He didn't confess?"
Locke looked down at the junkie under his boot and smiled. "Not only did he not confess, but he also called in a lawyer. He wanted to sue the NYPDâspecifically two detectives and a captain."
The moment Locke moved his shoe away, Barry Weiss roared, "Fuck you! You have no evidence I'm the killer! You damn pigs, you're all deadâ"
*Enough.*
Locke slammed his foot back down. His gaze, hidden behind sunglasses, fixed on Barry. "Yes, the NYPD lacks direct evidence. But... do you think I need evidence?"
Barry Weiss began to struggle frantically again. It was a futile effort; all he could do was stare at Locke with eyes full of poisonous resentment.
Locke remained indifferent and looked at Patty. "Patty, your inbox should have a video attachment. I've sent you the evidence."
Only Superman can kill with a look. This junkie-clown's glare didn't even have the qualifications to make Locke feel uneasy.
Patty signaled her assistant to open the email. Soon, a video appeared on the monitors. It was a recording of a homeless manâthe sole witness who had seen Barry Weiss at one of the crime scenes.
As the drifter's confession played, Locke's voice narrated: "The NYPD can indeed find the witness at the harbor. I've arranged for him to wait for them there. By the way, I promised him a thousand dollars if he spoke up. I hope the NYPD will cover that fee for me. Thanks."
...
New York Harbor.
Several officers pulled a homeless man from a shipping container. They compared his face to the man on the TV screen, confirmed it was him, and prepared to take him to the station.
"George."
"Let's go!" George watched the witness enter the police car with an unreadable expression. He looked at Kate Beckett. "To the TV station."
Kate shouted, "George, you know that even with this witness, whether the court accepts it is another matter entirely."
George stopped and looked at her. "Kate, we are law enforcement officers."
Furthermore... he had already done what he could.
George looked at the officers who usually jumped into their cars at his command, but who were now moving with agonizing slowness, stretching a one-minute walk into ten. He raised his voice. "Remember: we are law enforcement. Vigilante revenge is for others, not us. Get in the cars!"
He had given enough time.
...
In the studio, Locke felt the multiplier plateau at 90x. He smiled inwardly. It seemed he needed something "big" to break the 100x barrier.
'Fine. Let's do it.'
Under Patty's watchful gaze, Locke reached into his jacket. With a flick of his wrist, a card appeared in his hand. The millions watching at home saw it clearly.
Patty asked with surprise, "Is that the legendary notification card?"
Locke laughed. "Patty, if you want to see a notification card, you'll have to go to the police station. This isn't one."
"Then what is it...?"
"Do you believe in the existence of witches?"
"What?"
Locke looked at the card, which was intricately illustrated with various animals. He smiled at Patty. "If I told you this card was sold to me by a witch friend of mine, would you believe me?"
Patty blinked. "I believe in witches, but I've never seen one."
In a country where local folklore mostly consisted of stories about witches and demons, Patty's answer was honest. She smiled and said, "Mr. Peerless, why don't you explain it to the audience?"
"Of course," Locke laughed. "The owner of this card is known as the Fae Sorceress, Lulu."
"Fae Sorceress... Lulu. That's a lovely name."
"It is. And Lulu is the kindest of all the fae witches. Even if enemies offend her, she refuses to take their lives."
"A good witch."
"Indeed." Locke toyed with the card between his fingers, a nostalgic look on his face. He looked at Patty. "So, Lulu came up with a way to punish her enemies without killing them."
"And... what was that?"
"Lulu is the most whimsical of witches. She thought of a great solution: she turns her enemies into various small animals. That way, they can't hurt anyone ever again."
"..."
Patty's eyes widened as she looked at Locke, then at the junkie on the floor who seemed to realize something was very wrong. "Is that card...?"
Locke nodded, smiling gently. "Yes. Lulu gave this to me. I thought about it all day and decided this might be the perfect way to warn those who try to commit crimes in my name. You can impersonate me, but think carefully about the price you'll pay."
Locke looked down at the junkie struggling to crawl away. His voice was soft. "I was considering what animal to turn you into, but it seems you've already given me the answer. LookâI told you I wouldn't kill you. As for what happens next, that's not my concern."
Patty swallowed hard. "Mr. Peerless..."
Locke turned his head. "Do you think I'm being cruel, Patty?"
Patty nodded, then immediately shook her head. She couldn't find the words. Cruel? Perhaps. But what level of mercy do you expect from an assassin?
The viewers at home were tense with anticipation. Online chatrooms were exploding with "Do it!" and "Hurry up!"
Even Gwen was actively participating in her group chat. She asked Locke's avatar, "Locke, does sorcery really exist in this world?"
Locke shrugged. "Captain America's old team had a werewolf, didn't it? If there are werewolves, witches are perfectly normal."
In a world with Captain America, vampires, werewolves, and witches were a given. They were part of the Howling Commandos' history, even if they had faded from public memory after the Captain's disappearance.
"Alright," Locke said, snapping back to the present. He pointed at the floor. "Cameraman, give us a close-up. It's getting late."
The camera zoomed in on the junkie.
Locke took the [Lulu's Polymorph Card]âwhich had cost him 20,000 achievement pointsâand flicked it toward Barry Weiss's head.
The card sliced through the air and came to a stop, hovering directly above Barry's skull.
Suddenly, the card erupted with a brilliant, shimmering light. A hum vibrated through the studio as a magical projection bloomed.
It was Lulu, dressed in her Star Guardian outfit. Her appearance caused a collective gasp of awe. 'Such a cute witch... she must be a good one.'
Lulu twirled in the air, and her heart-shaped magic wand tapped Barry Weiss on the head.
"Naughty! Time to be an animal!"
*BOOM!*
***
Bonus for 200 stones goal.
Next goal is 300
Thanks for support đ
***
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