The Dawn Trail in the World of American Comics

With the experience of using unicorn umbilical cord blood to make an antidote, Mason became much more skilled in making restorative potions using the essence of the Lazarus Pit.

These legendary materials were highly adaptable and could be directly added to the process of making restorative potions without the need for additional processing, effectively improving the quality of the finished product.

Of course, this was a very low-end usage method, but Mason didn't have a high-end way to utilize them at the moment.

The most complex potion he had on hand didn't require such advanced materials.

However, the significant increase in the quality of the finished product due to the successful handling of the legendary materials brought about a highly rewarding proficiency level. In addition, the new trait "Luxurious Alchemist" obtained when Alchemy reached level 4 also enhanced the quality of the creations. As a result, Mason successfully made his second epic item tonight.

Abyssal Restorative Potion

Quality: Epic Alchemical Creation - Excellent Craftsmanship

Item Effect: The essence of the Lazarus Pit added to the potion greatly enhances its healing effect, capable of curing all injuries below "critical condition." However, the dark power of the pit's essence also affects the user's mentality.

Creator: Mason Cooper

Item Description: If the Three Palaces Demon knew that you were wasting its precious diluted blood like this, it would definitely send its delicate daughter to crush you to death.

Successfully completing the production of an epic item with excellent craftsmanship, successfully completing the fusion of legendary materials, Alchemy skill proficiency increased by 300.

"Ding"

Mason flicked his finger and tapped the small bottle of dark green restorative potion in front of him. He handed it to Charles beside him, indicating for him to give it to Jason Todd.

"Don't forget to tie him up in advance. That guy won't be easily persuaded."

While the young man was tidying up the crucible and distillation tube, preparing for the production of the next dose of magic potion, he instructed his subordinate:

"To deal with this stubborn donkey, we have to use tough measures! Bring him over tomorrow night and let him see the existence of other worlds with his own eyes. Then, find Scarecrow to make a blood pact with him."

"I don't think that's safe."

The Kite Man tossed the vial in his hand and said with a sinister tone:

"Why not let John put a curse on him? He's always boasting about how his curses can completely control the mind."

"That's going a bit too far, isn't it?"

Mason said playfully:

"Wouldn't he think we're the bad guys?"

"We're planning to plunder an apocalyptic world and have killed so many prisoners with the zombie virus, boss!"

The Kite Man sneered:

"Do you still think we're the good guys? Once these crimes are exposed, Batboy will definitely personally throw you and us into Arkham's VIP cell."

"Well, you have a point."

Mason nodded in agreement and waved his hand for Charles to get to work.

He continued to focus on handling the materials in front of him. He still had five hours until dawn, so he had plenty of time.

However, this was the first time Mason had made the Bone Spirit Potion, which was considered quite advanced even at Hogwarts, so he had Grayson buy some extra materials for backup.

"I've tried this stuff before."

As Mason finished processing more than a dozen materials using enchanting techniques and began brewing the potion according to the Alchemical Encyclopedia, the Kite Man strolled over...

He glanced at the book and immediately shrank his head, suggesting to Mason:

"When you performed surgery on me to remove the bomb in the ruins of Hogwarts, I tried this stuff. Oh my god, the feeling of having your esophagus and stomach burned is unbearable.

If you plan to give this stuff to Miss Barbara to drink, I think you should find a way to reduce its side effects.

That kind of pain is truly unforgettable."

"Isn't that perfect?"

Mason used a dropper to extract three drops of purple liquid into the crucible.

Amidst the black sparks and smoke, he calmly stirred the already thick liquid in the crucible, saying softly:

"Barbara has done something wrong. At this moment, she needs this unforgettable pain as self-punishment.

I don't understand psychology, but I know that sensory pain is not a bad thing for her right now.

Charles, do you think the K Squad still needs a logistics member specializing in electronic countermeasures, information reconnaissance and collection, and hacking techniques?

Don't you think Barbara Gordon is a perfect fit?"

The young man squinted and said:

"Moreover, she was trained personally by Batman as Batgirl. Once her paralysis is cured, she won't need our protection at all.

When necessary, she can even charge into battle with Jason. This perfect all-rounder is exactly what we need right now.

Actually, I've thought about it. The K Squad is already large enough at its current scale.

We don't need to recruit more main members.

Leave those outstanding talents selected from the Caribbean world to John and you, treat them as followers rather than combatants.

The resources we can obtain are ultimately limited.

We don't have the energy to train more people at the same time, don't you think?"

"Well, your ideas are always great, and I have nothing to add."

The Kite Man agreed wholeheartedly:

"But it's been a few days since we returned from the Caribbean world, and the Starry Sky Society's trade fair is coming up. Didn't Mr. Hunter instruct us to participate?

Shouldn't we organize the things we currently don't need and try to exchange them for something useful?"

"These past few days have been too exciting, I almost forgot about that."

Mason stroked his chin and glanced around, saying:

"It's a good opportunity to tidy up here. Look at this mess! In a few days, I'll take some things and go to the trade fair, see if I can fool some fools."

"Is it really okay for you to be so straightforward, boss?"

The Kite Man reminded:

"I understand the reasoning, but shouldn't this kind of thing be more subtle?"

"Go sweep your floor!"

Mason stuffed a magic broom he brought back from Hogwarts into the hands of Kite Man, drove him away from his own cauldron, and continued to indulge in alchemy.

It wasn't until dawn the next day that Mason yawned and crawled out of his suitcase.

He held the penguin umbrella, which had been completely transformed for the second time. The umbrella surface was still made of black double-layer bulletproof material and looked very textured.

Under the large umbrella surface was a matte-colored lightning wand, which was two sizes thicker than a regular umbrella handle. However, the umbrella as a whole was large, so it did not appear bulky or abrupt.

The original curved umbrella handle had been replaced with a black demon sword handle.

By simply pressing the spring, Mason could draw out the magic straight blade sword named "Demon's Head" from the umbrella body. The delicate mechanism box at the top had also been almost completely modified by Mason, removing all unnecessary functions.

Only the spray nozzle and gas canister for fear gas, the EMP emission function of the cranial disruptor, and the venomous combat spearhead made of eight-eyed giant spider legs that could be ejected by twisting the umbrella handle were retained.

In front of the already greatly changed penguin umbrella handle, there was a hidden switch, which was the last small modification that Mason had just completed an hour ago.

That would be the "surprise" hidden by Mason for a friend he didn't know yet but would definitely have a connection with in the future.

In Mason's eyes, there was still room for improvement in the penguin umbrella, but there was not much possibility for improvement in the design concept.

The next thing to do was to find better materials to make the main body of the umbrella and improve the quality of his weapon in its "normal form".

Mason really hoped that he could eventually have a legendary quality penguin umbrella.

But that would definitely be a distant time in the future.

He stood by the suitcase, stretching his body while taking out a bottle of refreshing potion and drinking it, quickly restoring his energetic and divine appearance.

But Mason frowned.

He could clearly feel that after the vitality potion, the effect of the refreshing potion was also starting to decrease.

It seemed that he needed to prioritize the production and search for more advanced energy supplements.

Thinking like this, he habitually turned his head to look.

Wow, what a surprise!

On his bed, which he had never slept on since he bought it, there were two beautiful girls, Harley Quinn and Ivy, sleeping soundly while hugging each other. Their relationship was really good, just like inseparable best friends.

Mason sighed with emotion and took his gaze back from the white and green bed. He picked up his suitcase and left the shop. It was still dawn, and there were two hours left before work.

He released Kite Man to gather his friends and prepare for tonight's world crossing.

As for Mason himself, he sat on his beloved flying motorcycle and rushed towards the Gordon house in the dim dawn of Gotham.

However, as soon as he landed the blue motorcycle in the yard in front of the Gordon house, he looked up and saw Commissioner Gordon, who looked exhausted, coming out of the house carrying two large garbage bags.

This old man seemed to have not slept for several days, and the dark circles under his eyes made him look much older in an instant.

Mason took off his motorcycle helmet and hung it on the handlebar, then took out the key and helped Gordon share one of the garbage bags. He said to the silent commissioner:

"Is she still not coming out?"

"Yeah."

The old man sighed and said:

"It's just like the time when she was shot by the Joker. She locked herself in the house and didn't talk to anyone. I thought the dark times were over.

But in the end, only I felt that the dark times were over, and everyone else was still stuck in the past..."

"I'll take care of it, Gordon. I brought her a gift."

Mason patted his suitcase and said:

"If you trust me to leave your daughter with me here, why don't you go to work? Gotham is in chaos right now, and as the police commissioner, if you're not on duty, there will be a lot of trouble.

If possible, please ask Dr. Leslie for two days off for me, okay?

I'm afraid if I ask for leave again, she will really fire me."

"What do I have to worry about? It's you who saved Barbara and this city."

Gordon forced a smile, took a cigarette, shrugged, and walked towards his car. He turned back very seriously, almost with a hint of pleading, and said to Mason:

"I'm counting on you, Mason."

"Yeah, leave it to me."

Watching Gordon, his nominal guardian, get in the car and leave, Mason stretched his neck and turned to enter the house. He walked to Barbara's door and politely knocked, saying:

"Barbara, it's me. I've come to see you. Can I come in?"

No one answered him.

The room was as silent as if there was no one inside.

The young man shrugged and took out a strange-looking "Dwarf Army Knife" from his pocket.

This thing was one of the tools of engineering.

Similar to wrenches and pliers, its appearance was not much different from a regular Swiss Army Knife, but it was an item that engineers used to symbolize their profession.

This thing could hold up to seventeen tools, and the more it could hold, the more professional the engineer who made it was.

Mason flicked it casually.

A delicate lock pick popped out of the army knife. He didn't spend much time opening the door.

In front of him was Barbara sitting in a wheelchair, her whole body disheveled, sitting in the dim room, looking blank and numb, as if she no longer cared about everything outside.

"A lot of people asked me to come and see you. Well, I don't need to say who those people are, you already know."

Mason placed the suitcase next to him and opened it, taking out the black liquid bone spirit and shaking it in his hand, causing a layer of gray foam to appear before he opened the cork.

He poured one-third of it into a glass and added some lemon juice to cover up the uncomfortable bitterness.

The young man walked to Barbara with the glass in his hand.

Looking down at the girl who used to be gentle and sunny while sitting in a wheelchair, he said:"They prepared a lot of heartwarming words for me, trying to awaken the true goodness and beauty in your heart, but I didn't even bother to look at those clichéd phrases and used them as fuel for the alchemical crucible.

I'm not here to persuade you to forget the past, Barbara.

My purpose here is very pure.

I'm just here to give you something you shouldn't lose... Be good, this thing will taste a bit bitter and painful when you drink it, according to the personal descriptions of those who have tried it, the taste is terrible.

Just like life itself."

He reached out and held Barbara's chin, lifting her thin and gray face, looking into her lifeless and evasive eyes...

Mason smiled as he brought the cup of water to Barbara's mouth, his supposed foster sister.

"I know your birthday is coming up soon, so, happy birthday, Barbara."

The first sip of the lemon-flavored and extremely bitter liquid was sent into her mouth, and the burning sensation rose in her throat like swallowing a piece of charcoal.

Barbara immediately instinctively began to struggle, but Mason's actions remained firm.

He held Barbara's mouth, his fingers strengthened by the unicorn blood, like iron pliers, preventing the weak girl who hadn't eaten for days from breaking free.

More liquid was injected into Barbara's mouth and her teeth were forcibly closed, forcing her to swallow the burning substance instead of spitting it out. The excruciating pain spread from her throat to her stomach and then to her spine and lower limbs, making the girl in the wheelchair unable to bear it.

She choked as if she had swallowed poison.

In her desperate struggle, Mason let go and took a step back, and she fell to the ground, curling up like a suffering caterpillar.

Mason squatted down and observed Barbara's condition.

He said:

"This is something that will benefit you, even though its taste is not friendly. Just like the nightmare-like days you just experienced. Everything has two sides, there is no such thing in this world that only has disadvantages.

The pain and resentment hidden in your heart have been released.

Perhaps you don't believe it, but no one really blames you.

Only you are still punishing yourself for your mistakes.

This is your choice, others have no right to interfere, not even Dick Grayson and Bruce Wayne can stop you from remaining silent like this.

I am just a doctor, Barbara.

I only provide medicine that can make you better, I am not responsible for giving any life advice."

The young man took out a handkerchief and wiped the cold sweat that burst out of Barbara's forehead due to the pain. Even in this situation, the former Batgirl clenched her teeth and remained silent.

Mason remained silent for more than ten seconds and said:

"But I can give you a choice.

This novel is available on bit.ly/3iBfjkV.

If you want to temporarily escape from this overwhelming life and experience the world that belongs to me and my friends, if you want to embark on a journey that no one can find until you figure out how to live the second half of your life...

Tonight, at ten o'clock, Iceberg Bar.

I will only wait for you for fifteen minutes."

After saying that, Mason stood up, picked up his suitcase, and turned to leave, but as soon as he took a step, his pants were pulled.

The young man turned around and glanced.

Barbara on the ground grabbed his pants leg and said in a hoarse voice:

"No need to wait until tonight, take me away now, Mason, this place... this city... is driving me crazy."

"Alright."

Mason shrugged and said to Barbara on the ground:

"Then stand up."

"I can't, I..."

"I said! Stand up!"

Mason emphasized coldly:

"That medicine can cure you, but only if you are willing to get better yourself! If you can't walk there on your own, then I can only say goodbye to you in advance, Barbara Gordon, this is your 'entrance test'.

Remember!

Before ten o'clock tonight, walk to Iceberg Bar on your own.

Rehabilitation patients must exercise more.

It's good for your body."

Handsome dog Frank