Chapter 367: Delk's Ambition!
The Path to Power
Though the mysterious figure had vanished from the room, Cohen Delk's heart burned with fervor.
He craved power and authority. Otherwise, he wouldn't have humbled himself to run errands for the Court of Owls. He desperately hoped that one day he could sit in the Court's highest seat and become the underground king of Gotham City.
Unfortunately, this desire was something he could only savor alone in the dead of night.
The Delk family was not a true dynasty; their total assets amounted to no more than two hundred million dollars, a huge gap compared to the genuine great houses like the Wayne, Elliot, and Kane families.
To attain a high position in the Court of Owls, there were typically three prerequisites: one, a unique background; two, powerful family influence; or three, extraordinary personal ability.
Delk met none of the three conditions. He considered himself uniquely capable and fit for a leadership role, but others didn't see it that way; his family background barely ranked mid-tier among the Court's numerous members.
A person like him had no chance of getting near the Grandmaster's throne—unless...
Considering all the stakes and the potential consequences, Delk tossed and turned, occasionally glancing at the hard drive on his desk.
He had heard about last night's battle. It was a complete failure. Not a single high-ranking Gotham official died, while the Court of Owls suffered heavy losses, with many thugs falling into police hands. Fortunately, those captured were outer members unaware of the internal structure, or the situation would have spun completely out of control.
The root cause of it all was the power armor. It was rumored that Luke Shaw could directly control the armor. One reason the attack on Wayne Manor failed was that Luke had intervened, seizing control of three suits.
This incident caused quite a stir within the Court, leading to a split opinion on using the armor. Some believed they should abandon the suits and use traditional methods, while others argued the opposite, proposing to crack the armor's core programming and completely take control of them.
However, the power armor's defense system was extremely sophisticated and deemed impenetrable.
Now, the tool to crack it was in his hands.
The flame of ambition burned intensely, causing Delk's face to flicker between light and shadow.
The path of betrayal had no return, and the consequences were likely gruesome.
Then there was his mysterious "Master." The fear radiating from him was soul-penetrating, seemingly capable of freezing the spirit. Standing before him, Delk felt like a bug caught in a spiderweb, ready to be torn apart at any moment.
That person was terrifying enough to extinguish any thought of resistance. What made him even more difficult was his background: the conversations made it clear he didn't care about the Court of Owls itself; his sole objective was Dionesium.
"Dionesium!" Delk silently repeated the word, his eyes growing deeper and more calculating.
If it really is just Dionesium, then a partnership is possible. If he could secure the Grandmaster's seat, using his new authority to give Luke a portion of the Dionesium wouldn't be a major issue.
The only fear is that he might turn on me once he has what he wants.
After much deliberation, Delk finally made up his mind. Since he had already betrayed the Court, there was no other choice but to see this through to the end.
He had to take this gamble. A chance like this wouldn't come again.
The Court of Owls Meeting
At 8:00 PM, a black sedan drove out of Delk Manor, circled the streets twice, and stopped in front of a well-furnished pawn shop.
Delk got out of the car and limped into the pawn shop.
The owner was an elderly man with white hair, a monocle hooked over his ear, meticulously examining a jadeite gemstone in his hand.
Delk walked up to the counter, said nothing, and placed his badge on the desk.
The old man glanced at it and nodded slightly.
A secret door nearby automatically opened. Delk collected his badge and stepped inside.
Beyond the door was a downward-sloping passage. Following the passage, he reached a room filled with candles. The walls were engraved with reliefs of Monkey-faced Owls, and an old man, seemingly dozing, was leaning against one of the carvings.
Delk cleared his throat and whispered, "I need to see the Grandmaster."
The old man raised his eyelids, glanced at him, and lowered them again.
"I have not received any information summoning you."
Delk took a step forward, saying with extreme seriousness, "I have vital information to report. I must speak with the Grandmaster in person."
"How vital?"
"It concerns the victory of this war."
The old man looked up again, his cloudy eyes gleaming, seemingly judging whether Delk was lying.
Delk's heart hammered in his chest, and he struggled to remain composed.
After a moment, the old man withdrew his gaze and produced a black cloth.
"Put this on!"
Delk breathed a sigh of relief, took the cloth, and blindfolded himself, just as he had done countless times before. What followed was the familiar journey: walking, riding in a car, walking again... It wasn't until the cloth was removed that Delk regained his sight.
He had arrived at the Court of Owls' headquarters. Standing before him was one of the two Grandmasters: Sir Black Hawk. Of course, Black Hawk was only a codename; no one knew his real name.
"Greetings, Your Grace." Delk quickly bowed.
Sir Black Hawk raised his head. His face was hidden behind his mask, but his eyes held a cold, assessing look. One of the Court of Owls' strongholds had been attacked last night, and Cohen Delk was the one in charge of it.
According to Delk's report, William Cobb's resurfaced memory had caused all the subsequent problems. Sir Black Hawk was deeply suspicious of this account. Had William Cobb not reappeared and attacked the other Talons, Delk would have already been arrested.
"You wanted to see me. What is it?"
"It is this, Your Grace: after returning last night, I thought a great deal. The key reason the plan failed was the power armor. The armor's performance is undeniable—a soldier wearing it is invincible. However, the key to controlling the armor is in Luke Shaw's hands. If he hands the control method over to the police, we will be entirely passive. We cannot allow this."
"I am aware of what you are saying," Sir Black Hawk looked deeply at Delk. "But what can be done?"
"There is a way, of course, there is!" Delk raised his head, his eyes shining with the lust for power. "If we crack the core programming and modify it, the power armor will become our weapon."
"You have the ability to crack it?"
"I didn't before, but now..." Delk held up his fingers. "I have a sixty percent chance."
"Oh?" Sir Black Hawk raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised. "Do you also possess hacking skills?"
"Not me, but other friends." Delk smiled slightly. Despite his internal panic, his face showed a hint of pride.
"The Delk family has been in business for a hundred years and possesses some little-known connections. I am willing to offer up a portion of these resources, in exchange for... in exchange for..." He paused, then said meaningfully,
"In exchange for your support, Your Grace."
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