Back in the hostage isolation area, Yang Xu ended the call and donned the clown costume once more.
"Let the adrenaline flow!" he announced to the hostages, their faces flushed with excitement. "This explosion was a collaborative masterpiece! Now, let's claim our rewards—wealth and victory!"
With that, he tore off the toilet paper wrapping, revealing a suitcase concealed beneath. The other hostages followed suit, discarding their makeshift restraints and revealing bulging pockets filled with US dollars. They meticulously gathered any potential evidence, then dispersed, blending into the panicked crowd as ordinary, distressed citizens. Even the two guards with injured legs managed to hobble away.
Disguised as the clown, Yang Xu navigated the less sophisticated surveillance systems and transformed back into "Binbin" in a deserted alley. He then used black tape to alter the suitcase's appearance.
Joining the chaotic exodus, he cautiously avoided opportunistic thieves. As he hurried away, suitcase in hand, he muttered, "This is so inconvenient. Other systems have inventory spaces, but I'm stuck carrying a box everywhere!"
Once clear of the explosion's epicenter, he hailed a taxi on a quieter street. Despite the driver's grumbling about the bank explosion, they arrived safely in Hell's Kitchen. Yang Xu, flush with cash, tipped generously.
After the driver's hasty thanks, he returned home, shaking his head.
Inside, Yang Xu happily counted his newfound wealth while the system notifications continued to scroll:
[Caused an explosion and chaos, gained 0.1 reputation from New York Citizen A]
[Caused an explosion and chaos, gained 0.1 reputation from New York Citizen B]
[Caused an explosion and chaos, gained 3 reputation points from George Stacy]
[Caused an explosion and chaos, gained 0.1 reputation from Joey Morritt]
...
Surveying the $357,300 spread across his bed, Yang Xu couldn't help but sigh, "I'd never earn this much in a lifetime of part-time work. Turns out, the fastest ways to riches are indeed in the criminal code. Those netizens weren't lying!"
"Though, it's a shame we couldn't take more. The bags and suitcases were too conspicuous."
After recounting his haul several times, the satisfied robber packed the cash back into the suitcase. "The only cure for worry is quick wealth!"
His gaze then shifted to the rapidly increasing reputation points on his system interface.
Without the distraction of the money, he noticed the system's slightly altered notifications compared to the bank robbery. A realization struck him:
One could gain multiple Legend points from the same individual in a day, but the events must differ. For instance, Joey experienced a robbery and then a bombing. This allowed the system to continuously accrue points from him.
With this understanding, Yang Xu turned on his well-traveled television to gather more information.
NBC New York was broadcasting footage of the bank's ruins, with Police Commissioner George Stacy facing a barrage of pointed questions:
"Commissioner Stacy, your thoughts on this criminal who stole millions, bombed a bank, and evaded your forces?"
Visibly strained, Stacy replied, "This self-proclaimed Joker is extremely dangerous, with strong antisocial tendencies. His dialogue suggests he's targeting the US government. We expect further, potentially larger-scale attacks. We're issuing a reward for any helpful leads."
...
The broadcast shifted to the anchor, who, after urging public cooperation, segued into gossip about Tony Stark.
"Three minutes! Such a massive explosion warranted only three minutes of media attention," Yang Xu noted, observing the slowing rate of reputation gain. "I guess bombings are commonplace in America. I'd hoped for a media-fueled reputation boost, but it seems I overestimated."
Still, the affected residents contributed a steady stream of points. Within hours, Yang Xu had amassed over 800 Legend points. Though the pace had slowed, he was close to the thousand required for ten consecutive "Black Iron Level" draws.
...
"Tap, tap, tap!"
Yang Xu opened the door, accepted the pizza, tipped generously, and closed it.
Between bites, he mused, "Good thing the cash wasn't too bulky; it was easy to distribute. It's embarrassing to rob someone and then have to buy groceries and cook!"
Having quit his restaurant job, he'd spent the past few days indoors. He glanced at his reputation points, now exceeding a thousand, and restrained his eager fingers.
He changed clothes and took a solemn bath, then invoked the protection of various deities.
Suddenly, he paused. "Wait, I'm in America. Shouldn't I be saying Jesus and Christ?"
Satisfied, he added their names to his invocation.
With his "preparations" complete, he opened the system panel.
[Host: Yang Xu]
[Descended identity: Binbin, clown]
[Reputation value: 1084]
Ignoring the basic panel, Yang Xu spent a thousand points on the Black Iron level ten-draw combo.
Eight dark lights flashed, forming eight screens before him. Ten black, metallic-looking fragments floated nearby.
"Yes! Two characters! I'm on a roll!"
Yang Xu disregarded the props and fragments, focusing on the two new characters:
[Character: John Wick]
[Rank: Black Iron]
[Source: John Wick]
[Skills: Ultimate Gun Skills, Combat Continuation]
(Represents the pinnacle of mortal gun mastery; possesses a remarkable recovery ability, barring headshots.)