Chapter 366: Ch.365 Detective Chimp

Chapter 366: Ch.365 Detective Chimp

Diana spotted Bobo and signaled for Albera and Deathstroke to wait aside while she approached the bar to speak with him.

Bobo was a very just-minded chimpanzee. He genuinely had no interest in money and had never been particularly fond of mercenaries.

Albera had no objections; as long as there was booze and cigarettes, she could feel at home anywhere.

"So? Not going to buy me a few drinks?"

She tilted her head towards a nearby booth, slipping into the seat. Just like Su Ming, she preferred dimly lit corners.

"Do they accept U.S. dollars here?"

"As long as mages need to live in human society, the dollar works." She raised her arm and snapped her fingers, but Tracy behind the bar just chewed her gum, pointing a finger at the shelf behind her.

Self-service magic—you just had to shout the type of drink you wanted.

This was a method of service Albera had always feared, as it often led to her drinking too much without realizing it, and spending money like water.

You couldn't expect the enchanted shelf to act like a real bartender, advising against excess or sending you home safely.

As a magical counter, its only obligation was to fulfill the earliest rules—to get everyone who came through the door as drunk as possible.

But today, someone else was footing the bill, so she didn't need to be polite.

"Two bottles of Ballantine's 21-year-old whiskey."

Two bottles floated off the shelf, landing on their small round table.

Albera motioned for Su Ming to pay, placing the money on the table—four hundred dollars, including the tip.

Yes, the bartender here was only responsible for collecting payment. Once Su Ming pulled out the cash, Tracy used magic to whisk the bills away.

Su Ming clicked his tongue. This woman sure knew how to drink, and she had quite a heavy preference. Ballantine's whiskey was notorious for its strong alcohol kick.

"Then why won't they tell me what's happening in the magical world?" Diana turned back, leaning her elbows on the bar and looking the chimp in the eyes. "After all we've faced together..."

The chimp pondered her words, and from not far away came the sound of Deathstroke and the mage sharing a Hell joke.

"Listen, Diana, I was there during that crisis too, remember? I piloted the Ultima Thule to bring in reinforcements from the multiverse." The chimp downed his drink, as if he could never get drunk. "But this time is different. They wouldn't let me know either. I'm just as shut out from the magical world as you are."

"Why?"

"Well, you live in an ivory tower that glows at night, in a world made up of good guys and bad guys. Magic, on the other hand, is just more chaotic and dark." The chimp put down his empty glass, letting out a burp. "As for why I'm excluded... it's probably because I'm just an immortal 'primate' that solves mysteries."

"The magical world rejects me because I'm not a caster."

Diana's gaze shifted to Deathstroke. He was leaning close to the mage, the two of them singing some demonic ditty together. She frowned, then turned her eyes back to the jukebox against the wall.

"But I was riding a griffin before I could even walk. My homeland is Themyscira, an Amazonian magical society, but recently I've seen the mages falling apart. I've never seen anything like it before."

"So I guess it's some sort of backlash," the chimp deduced, his detective mind using its unique logic to theorize.

The laughter of Deathstroke and the mage made Diana restless. She walked over to the wall and turned on the jukebox, letting the classic jazz drown out the noise.

"Magic was supposed to be a power for the benefit of the world, but since the Source Wall shattered and the Omega Titans descended on Earth, the world has grown a 'Tree of Wonder' in a kind of shock response. Not long ago, there was crustal movement, and the Moon was destroyed. Lately, there have been many things I don't understand."

Bobo tapped his finger on the table. "And that's exactly why. Back then, to solve the problem, the Justice League decided to blow up the Moon. But did you ever think to ask the mages for help? Even I know at least a dozen spells that could've solved that crisis without destroying the Moon."

Maybe Batman considered it, but he saw everything as the Justice League's responsibility. He wouldn't have asked the mages to get involved.

With Superman Clark around, who needed magic?

Diana could be reckless at times, but she wasn't stupid. She returned to her seat at the bar and, for the first time, ordered herself a stiff drink.

"A pint of draft beer."

Detective Chimp, sharing her woes, also extended his furry hand. "Two pints."