Chapter 23: The Lawyer and the Policeman

Outside New York’s First Precinct.

Luca politely shook hands with Ms. Simpson and Foggy in turn, expressing his gratitude.

“This time, we owe it all to Ms. Simpson. Truly, she is the brilliant lawyer my mother always praised. It’s been an eye-opening experience for me.”

“Mr. Orange, you flatter me. It has been my honor to assist you.”

Having heard countless compliments and thanks before, Ms. Simpson simply nodded with restrained grace, her professional smile unwavering as she continued.

“I’ve heard about your father’s passing. I’m sorry I couldn’t attend the funeral. Gina and I are friends, and if you ever need legal assistance in the future, please don’t hesitate to reach out.”

Well, how should one put it?

Ms. Simpson’s words were sincere.

The thing was, although Luca’s inheritance case was straightforward and undisputed due to a clear will, the Orange family’s vast assets meant the legal fees involved were no small matter. Even for a major firm like Rand & Associates, this was a substantial engagement.

Moreover, a simple case meant easier work.

At a time like this, Ms. Simpson certainly wouldn’t mind extending a bit more goodwill to secure the business.

Understanding her intentions clearly, Luca did not respond directly but smiled politely and offered a compliment.

“Thank you, Ms. Simpson. With your help, I believe I can face all future legal matters with peace of mind.”

Afterwards, Luca turned his attention to Foggy, who had been quietly shadowing Ms. Simpson, keeping a low profile since her arrival.

At this moment, Luca recalled who he was.

Foggy Nelson—childhood friend, close companion, and law firm partner of Matt Murdock, the street-level hero known as Daredevil in the TV series.

He was also an exceptionally capable lawyer, combining sharp intellect with a strong sense of justice.

It was only that Foggy’s appearance differed somewhat from the show, which had initially prevented Luca from recognizing him.

It wasn’t until George Stacy—the renowned father of Spider-Woman Gwen Stacy—appeared that Luca’s mind connected the dots, recalling that Foggy was also a character from the same narrative.

Yes, Director George was also a ‘supporting character’ in the storyline, with a reputation even more prominent than Foggy’s.

One could only say today’s meeting was an extraordinary coincidence.

“Mr. Foggy is still just an intern at Rand & Associates, isn’t he? Would you be interested in becoming my personal attorney in the future?” Luca suddenly asked.

At this, the other three present were taken aback, unsure why Luca had such an idea.

Ms. Simpson was the first to react, teasing with a smile.

“My subordinate is still here, Luca. Are you planning to poach him right in front of me?”

Luca nodded gently, showing no embarrassment. Leaning on the boldness of youth, he continued.

“I just see great potential in Mr. Foggy’s future. If possible, I believe Ms. Simpson wouldn’t be too reluctant to part with an intern, right?”

In major firms like Rand & Associates, there was a significant difference between interns and junior associates.

Though both were entry-level staff, interns were usually law students from prestigious schools who hadn’t yet graduated, so their ties to the firm weren’t very strong.

For such interns, becoming a personal lawyer for a wealthy client would be a far better opportunity than struggling within the firm after graduation.

Besides, a personal lawyer could still be affiliated with a firm, so it wouldn’t affect the partnership between Orange Industries and Rand & Associates.

However, upon hearing such praise and an invitation from a 14-year-old—someone much younger than himself—Foggy couldn’t help but show a slight break in his composure.

“Um, thank you for your confidence, Mr. Orange, but I’m still in a learning phase. I’m afraid I might disappoint you.”

Luca simply nodded lightly in response, choosing not to push the matter.

Even Foggy himself found the exchange somewhat puzzling.

In fact, Luca’s proactive offer stemmed not only from his favorable impression of a fellow character but also from his understanding of Foggy’s abilities and character.

At the very least, in terms of integrity, Foggy was a ‘heroic partner’ one could fully trust.

That said, a strong sense of justice often meant such a person had little tolerance for compromises.

Luca knew well that, given his personality, having arrived in this ‘free’ society and started with a good foundation, he would certainly enjoy the advantages capital could bring.

He might not become a ruthless capitalist, but he was unlikely to be a pure-hearted hero overflowing with righteousness.

Thus, he wouldn’t be too disappointed by a rejection from such a principled individual.

After watching the two depart, Luca gazed thoughtfully at Foggy’s retreating figure.

“Foggy is still an intern about to graduate, so I suppose Lawyer Matt hasn’t officially debuted as Daredevil yet.”

“I wonder how many other street heroes remain dormant, and if they even exist in this parallel universe.”

If given the chance, Luca was quite inclined to recruit a few street heroes whose sense of justice wasn’t so overwhelming to work under him.

Unlike the Avengers, whose backgrounds were deep and complex.

At least in Luca’s mind, figures like Frank Castle, the Punisher, and Jessica Jones had not only formidable abilities but were not purely uncompromising paragons of virtue before becoming street heroes.

Original characters familiar to the canon, both in ability and trustworthiness, were much more advantageous to recruit than ordinary people.

“Looks like I’ll have to assign someone to investigate the current status of these individuals.”

As Luca pondered this, George Stacy stepped briskly out of the police station.

Seeing Luca and the others still there, he relaxed slightly, adjusted his collar, and approached.

“Mr. Orange, here is the attachment related to your report.”

With that, George handed a document to Luca.

Samira stepped forward to take the file on Luca’s behalf.

Luca himself looked at Director Stacy with a puzzled expression.

Such documents could easily have been mailed later, and if delivered in person, it seemed unusual for the director himself to come out in such a hurry.

“Is there something else you wanted to discuss, Director Stacy?”

George looked steadily at Luca before speaking again.

“May I have a word with you in private?”