After a moment of silence, Falcone suddenly burst into laughter. He laughed heartily, full of youthful exuberance and grandeur.
"It's incredible that someone like her has emerged in the world. If she had been around in our days, I'm sure Maroni would have paid her to kill me."
Sofia, while teasing a white cat's ears into the shape of a rabbit, corrected him disinterestedly:
"Uncle Maroni couldn't afford that much money. Deathstroke is a mercenary with a clear price list for her targets, typically 30% of the target's total assets. I checked her quotation for Briss Vane, excluding her Bat Heroine identity, just Briss on paper. Guess how much it is?"
"How much?"
Falcone was intrigued too. He took a sip of his drink and curiously asked his daughter.
In their era, they often dealt with assassins; the cheapest solution was to randomly hire a thug off the street for a few hundred US dollars.
He couldn't remember how many times in his youth he hired people to solve problems, probably until the family grew and they had their own enforcers, they no longer needed outsiders.
He wanted to know the recent price trends because he hadn't dealt with such 'petty matters' for a long time.
"Briss holds 80% of Vayne Corporation's shares, counting all real estate and investments, and considering inflation over the years, her net worth is about 80 billion US dollars. So, for her, Deathstroke's quote is 24 billion US dollars. If someone offered that amount, she would kill Briss."
Sofia calculated on her fingers, resulting in an astronomical figure.
"Pfft, cough, cough...." Falcone was choked by this method of calculating fees, coughed a few times, and wiped his mouth, saying, "She... really dares to ask for that..."
It seemed that Deathstroke truly had the power and was capricious, as if everyone's life was a clearly priced product displayed in Deathstroke's supermarket, waiting for the wealthy to buy. No money? Why hire the world's top mercenary? Go find a petty thug on the street!
"So, according to this calculation, even if Deathstroke existed back then, you'd be safe. Although our family didn't have a tangible business, the yearly protection fee income could be the calculation standard, your price would be over 100 million, whereas Uncle Maroni's could only be 40 million. He's the one who should always worry."
Sofia concluded, leaving Falcone unsure how to react, as if feeling fairly poor, and questioned how Briss could earn so much?
"How did Briss manage it? The combined wealth of the Vayne clan and the Kane clan couldn't be that much." Falcone asked, noting that all his years in Asia's underworld didn't earn him that much, let alone Vayne Corporation, which was a legitimate enterprise.
Sofia shrugged: "She caught the tide of the information age, Father."
"But with these prices, can Deathstroke really do business?" Falcone wondered, setting down his glass, finding the current value of money hard to digest...
"Yes, business is good because celebrities like Briss aren't everywhere, but ordinary people's vengeance is most abundant, just like she said on TV earlier, 'basic service, 2 million US dollars.'"
Sofia sat up straight, glanced at Gordon who was absorbed in his reminiscing world, and continued explaining to her father:
"Imagine you're a small boss, but your competitor keeps troubling you. Right then, you just have to contact Deathstroke, pay 2 million, and your adversary would vanish into thin air by the evening. The next day, when you wake up, you'd have gained a larger market, even swallowing up their business, and you'd find the money exceedingly well-spent, with absolutely no trace linking back to you."
"Just like that? Her highest pricing mode is astronomical, but the lowest allows ordinary people to afford her?" Falcone felt the pricing standards were vague.
"Yes, Deathstroke doesn't care about who you want to kill or why; she only does business. Of course, the wealthier or more famous the target, the higher the price." Sofia explained.
Falcone pondered for a moment and raised his glass again: "But Barbara isn't an exception, Deathstroke's target is Gordon, so why involve Barbara? No one's paid for that."
Sofia didn't know the answer, only speculating.
"I heard Deathstroke is very temperamental, sometimes killing for free when in a good mood, but killing anyone in sight when she's not. Maybe Barbara was just unlucky."
"Lunatic, another lunatic," Falcone shook his head, increasingly impatient with this city, eager to see a new Gotham emerge: "In that case, let Deathstroke be buried with the old Gotham, she couldn't possibly survive the venom downpour, this will also comfort Gordon."
"Yes, Father, but our other guests haven't arrived yet; they might be delayed by the storm." Sofia began to focus, putting the cat down and letting it wander off.
"The Assassin Alliance delayed by rain? Is that supposed to be a joke from you youngsters? They are never late, especially not for vengeance."
Falcone instantly dismissed her notion, clearly well-acquainted with them:
"Get our surveillance running at full capacity, keep an eye on every shadow entering or leaving the city. When they step into Gotham, we'll release the venom into the clouds, ensuring they can never leave."
Sofia nodded, her black hair undulating in a small wave, adorned with a touch of red from the firelight, then quickly asked: "But will Leixiao Gu and Talia come?"
Falcone returned to his calm demeanor, placing his hands on his knees, sitting upright:
"They will. Once they know their opponent is me, they'll come, knowing their assassins can't deal with me... you're sure Gordon left clues for them, right?"
Sofia smiled and nodded, pouring herself tea from the table teapot with practiced elegance:
"Yes, Director Gordon thought he had secretly etched words on his glasses without me noticing, but at my level of Martial Artist, I could see his little motions clearly. I double-checked the license plate he left was correct before I was comfortable bringing him back."
"Good, when the Shadow Dancer Alliance finds out I killed their people and receive Gordon's clues, they'll quickly prepare to enter the city. By then, just ensure Leixiao Gu and Talia survive."
Falcone commended her, feeling his daughter was far superior to his sons. As for Albert, he should focus on studying.
"Why keep those father and daughter alive? Father, are you softening?" Sofia asked him.
"No, besides the fact that both Leixiao Gu and Talia, having soaked in Lazarus' Spring, are exceptionally hard to kill, the new Gotham will also need enemies."
"Otherwise, you, Gordon, Briss would be scattered like sand. A mad Ninja Master serves as the perfect adversary for a new Gotham."
Falcone answered with a smile, understanding the necessity for the new Gotham to unite, and only external forces can bring the trio together.
When the ragged Ninja Master, Leixiao Gu, lost all his followers and roams outside Gotham in madness, Gordon and the Bat will lean more on the forces in the shadows, on Sofia.
Sofia glanced at Gordon, he seemed more awake now, appearing alive, and she lowered her voice: "But Father, are you really sure Director Gordon will cooperate with me?"
"Earlier, I had doubts, but now…"
Falcone lifted his glass, took a gentle sip, his gaze lingering on the dazed Gordon.