Chapter 285: Batman Urgently Needs Upgrading
Merely one instant—Batman had already exchanged two rounds with that Reed-named individual across networks.
First round: The instant Dr. Helen Cho stepped into that hall, that location's instruments immediately detected listening devices and miniature positioners on Dr. Cho's body—issuing alarms. Speed so fast that Batman didn't collect any useful conversation contents.
Batman's listening devices and positioners had undergone camouflage processing—not just appearance camouflage. Ordinary electronic detection instruments also couldn't identify them.
But even so, they were still identified and discovered the instant Helen Cho stepped into the hall.
However this round's winner was Batman. He already knew opponents' positions and identities. Opponents knew nothing about him.
According to miniature positioner displays, Dr. Helen Cho's current position was 42nd Street and Madison Avenue intersection in Manhattan district.
There stood one thirty-five-floor building named Baxter Building. In Manhattan's densely-packed tall buildings, not the tallest—but design relatively unique. The world's first "K-bracing" structure-adopting building.
As for that Reed-named individual, Batman previously hadn't paid attention to him.
After Batman's first meeting with Dr. Helen Cho, he'd nearly completely mastered her first-half-life experiences—knowing she had one Columbia University classmate named Reed Richards.
Like Dr. Banner, Reed Richards similarly possessed multiple doctoral degrees—degrees in various completely different scientific fields.
But unlike Dr. Banner possessing Hulk identity requiring hiding everywhere—this Reed Richards's resume was quite clean.
Due to demonstrating far-beyond-ordinary-people wisdom since childhood, Reed Richards's childhood-to-adulthood experiences—nearly every time period, even every month—could collect related contents through newspapers, books, news.
Beyond necessary privacy, Reed Richards appeared entirely transparent—unable finding any flaws from him.
Batman focused on Dr. Helen Cho because he highly suspected this female doctor had contacted supernatural forces.
Though Reed Richards was intelligent, from currently-collected information he existed at identical levels as Dr. Banner. Knowing him helped Batman—but not excessively.
But from tonight onward, this Reed Richards-named individual had formally entered Batman's vision.
Second round: After Reed discovered Batman's listening devices and positioners, he immediately attempted hacking into the Batcave.
Nearly simultaneously, Batman was also attempting hacking into Baxter Building.
This round showed no victor. Both Batman and Reed Richards failed succeeding.
Batcave equipment computational power couldn't parse Baxter Building firewall's fundamental algorithms based on non-Euclidean geometry and imaginary time.
Reed Richards's equipment computational power was sufficient. But Batcave's defensive systems weren't complex technology or network technology defenses—rather resembling several nested, continuously self-transforming mazes.
"Batcave equipment urgently requires upgrading..." Batman secretly frowned.
Alfred AI remained incomplete. Bat Island construction still required time.
Moreover both required massive funding. Batman's Parker Group lacked such abundant cash flow.
To conceal Dr. Octavius's existence, Batman hadn't unlimitedly developing artificial sun energy sources.
Plus helping Harry Osborn retrieving his father Norman Osborn—Batman's New Mexico battle consumed over one hundred million dollars cash flow.
For under-two-months-established emerging enterprises, merely producing one hundred million cash flow could already kill them. Parker Group had already tried its best.
If not considering Dr. Octavius's safety, not rescuing Norman Osborn—Batman wholeheartedly investing into commerce in New York—two months' time would suffice expanding Parker Group into Oscorp Group-level multinational enterprises.
But Batman could never accomplish this.
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Simultaneously.
Inside Baxter Building, Reed Richards also couldn't restrain frowning:
"How could anyone in this world establish defensive cores within one completely heterogeneous system fusing classical cryptography, psychological game theory, even mysticism elements' chaotic systems?"
"Even his location information continuously changes."
"Interesting person. Hope meeting him once."
Dr. Helen Cho remained bewildered. She only knew herself riding elevators upward. Just stepping into her classmate and good friend Reed Richards's laboratory—greetings only half-spoken—laboratory alarms sounded.
Then Reed "shushed" her once, then diving headfirst before one calculator desperately calculating something.
"Can I speak now?" Dr. Helen Cho gestured while mouthing words.
"You can now, Dr. Chi." Reed Richards straightened his waist, somewhat regretfully sighing, then addressing Helen Cho.
"What just happened?" Helen Cho remained completely bewildered.
Reed Richards smiled slightly, walking to coffee machines while pouring one cup, addressing Helen Cho:
"Touch your pockets or handbag. Touch around. Someone placed listening devices and positioners on your body."
"Listening devices?"
Dr. Helen Cho startled, rapidly searching her body with both hands. Ultimately discovering one listening device within her coat lining, finding another listening device at pant cuffs, finding one positioner on her hair clip, plus beneath collar...
Reed smiled while handing poured coffee to Dr. Helen Cho, accepting those small devices from her hands:
"Don't worry. My laboratory has detection and shielding instruments. They've already failed."
"When did you change your body's clothing?"
Helen Cho accepted coffee, casually placing it on nearby tables while carefully recalling:
"Noon. After meals."
"According to these listening devices and positioners' positions..." Reed Richards's eyes showed peculiarity. "Forgive my bluntness—unless opponents made intimate contact with you, otherwise impossibly avoiding your discovery."
Dr. Helen Cho's face flashed slight anger:
"Reed, we're friends. You shouldn't slander me like that."
"Not slander. Only suspicion." Reed said, casually tossing several listening devices and positioners upward while catching them. "Borrowing these things for my research?"
"Whatever." Helen Cho observed face-full-of-fervor Reed pouncing before experimental platforms, pursuing questions. "Where's Susan?"
Reed no longer acknowledged Helen Cho—thus leaving visiting guests and friends aside.
Dr. Helen Cho sighed. Lowering her head, she discovered little girl Lunella still standing beside her.
"I'm returning to my own room redesigning my device." Lunella looked upward toward Helen Cho, turning while bouncing away.
Just as Helen Cho felt awkward—neither leaving nor remaining appropriate timing—one gentle female voice sounded not far away:
"Forgive them. Inventors are all like this." The speaker was golden-haired, physique slightly better than Dr. Helen Cho. "Since you last delivered Lunella, you haven't visited again. Tell me what happened?"
"Susan!" Dr. Helen Cho's eyes brightened, rapidly walking toward the speaking blonde woman.
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