There is no Batman in Gotham City comics.

Chapter 29 Undercurrents

Oswald met Reuss, an old man with graying hair nicknamed "Uncle," outside Maronny's mansion.

He had one hand in his pocket, and cigarette butts littered the ground around his feet.

The night wind blew into his open suit jacket.

Oswald, along with the madman Baron and his uncle Royce, divided and managed the East District, and were jokingly referred to as the "Poor Three Giants" among the fifteen leaders.

Aside from Baron, the neurotic addict, Reuss was one of the people Oswald was more willing to associate with.

"What's wrong? You look like you have something on your mind." Oswald leaned closer, trying to get some information out of the other person.

"Harvey Dent came to see me a few days ago, but I didn't report it. I'm afraid Mr. Maroni's hasty call for a meeting today is related to this matter."

Royce had just stubbed out his cigarette when he impatiently lit another one, fearing he'd be shot the moment he stepped inside. This old chain smoker intended to enjoy all the cigarettes he could in his life right here.

The other party's words indirectly confirmed Oswald's conjecture.

"Don't worry, I'm in the same boat as you. If we're going to die, we'll die together."

Royce took a deep drag of his cigarette, tilting his head to look Oswald up and down. He had known the little penguin for years and knew his personality all too well.

If what Oswald said were true, he should be filled with despair, clutching his head and babbling incessantly, not as calm as he is now, even managing to distract himself with self-consolation.

But his sincere expression didn't seem like he was joking.

"You... have changed quite a bit."

"Really? I think so too." Oswald smiled, then quickly withdrew his hand as if to touch his nose. "I have a feeling that if anyone dies tonight, it won't be you or me."

"Who is that? It can't be Dodge Bourbon, can it?"

"Who knows!"

The two looked at each other for a moment, then laughed at the same time.

Just then, a stretched Lincoln pulled up on the side of the road.

Even through the soundproof glass, the jarring subwoofer still reached their ears.

With an oversized, pointed leather shoe kicking open the car door, Dodge, dressed in a suit, swaggered over to the two men after receiving a kiss from the woman in the car, who was dressed in tattered clothes.

"Isn't this the three poor giants? Oh! We're still missing a poison dog to complete the trio. Where are they?"

"Maybe they went in first," Royce said, rubbing his hands together and smiling in agreement with a slight bow.

In the past, Oswald would have always appeared compliant, but today he simply stared calmly at Dodge. If the plan failed, he would die; if it succeeded, Dodge would die. At this critical juncture, flattery was pointless.

The three entered Maroni's mansion one after the other.

The meeting took place not in a conference room, but in a study.

It was called a study, but it should really be written as an "execution room." The two heavy doors painted with dark brown wood lacquer evoked Oswald's memories.

Not long ago, he went in upright and came out lying down covered in blood.

He wouldn't be alive if it weren't for Qin Wei.

Dodge noticed the change in Oswald's expression, turned around, and reached out to straighten the latter's collar.

"You know what, little penguin? Harvey came to see each of us. And here's some shocking news: that Harvey was a fake..."

He paused deliberately, trying to dig deeper into Oswald's face to see the fear.

But he was destined to be disappointed. Oswald took a deep breath and quickly composed himself. Reus, on the other hand, reacted dramatically, his mouth agape, his face revealing utter terror.

"What? Harvey is an imposter? Could he have been sent by Mr. Maroney?"

"I called the boss after Harvey left, and this news is absolutely true." Dodge didn't bother with Royce; Oswald was clearly more interesting.

He patted the penguin's face.

"The boss said the fake Harvey stayed with you for a long time, and he's very interested in what you talked about. You're about to meet the boss, so hopefully you can stay as calm as you are now."

"But compared to your current pretentious act, I'd much rather see you lying on the ground howling and rolling around in agony."

Dodge grinned, showing off his large gold teeth, chuckled a few times, and forcefully pushed open the door with both hands.

The three of them were among the last to arrive.

Maroni stood in the center of the arena, leaning on his cane, while the other leaders stood on either side, all bowing their heads and remaining silent.

"Boss, you're getting more and more dashing!"

Dodge's laughter broke the silence. Unlike the other leaders, he had been working alongside Maroney for fifteen years, witnessing his boss's rise to power step by step.

Now a senator of the Roman Empire, the wealth his drug empire has created makes him a match for his boss, so he doesn't need to be subservient to Maroni like other leaders.

Maroni responded with a smile and casually drew the gun from his waist.

Bloodstains on a custom-made suit are hard to clean, so Dodge quickly moved to the side and gave Oswald the most sympathetic look.

Poor little penguin, you seem to have really upset the boss!

boom!

The gunshot rang out as expected, and even as his body lost its balance and fell to one side, the smile on Dodge's face had not completely disappeared.

He fell to the ground in a sorry state, and about half a second later, a burning pain shot through his calf, as if a red-hot iron was tearing through his flesh and bones and searing his marrow. The excruciating pain made him scream out loud.

The excruciating pain rendered him unable to think. He instinctively pulled a packet of pills from his pocket, and without even opening it, he stuffed it into his mouth and began to chew it.

With the pain subsiding, Dodge turned his head with a ferocious expression and roared at Maroney in frustration.

"Why!"

A cell phone covered in wet mud was tossed in front of him.

"Dodge Bourbon, Dodge Bourbon..."

Maroni mechanically muttered the name, put away his gun, raised his cane, and approached the other person step by step.

The leather shoes trod on the Persian carpet, the footsteps of death sounding unusually soft. The candlelight suddenly surged and flickered, making Maroni's face appear distorted and malevolent in the interplay of light and shadow.

The leaders buried their eyes between their legs, except for Oswald, who kept his head up and stared intently at Dodge.

Lying on the ground howling and rolling around? Dodge Bourbon, you've accurately predicted your own future!

"Boss...Mr. Maroni! I have money, I'm willing to give you all my money, please spare me, please let me go!"

Overwhelmed by fear, Dodge no longer cared about the reasons; he only wanted to bury his head and dignity in the sand, hoping for a slim chance of survival.

Did Maroni sense something was wrong?

Of course, he's a cunning old fox. Dodge Bourbon's mind is filled with drugs and women. Killing the fake Harvey and then having someone change clothes to deceive the security cameras at the door, followed by pretending to know nothing and calling himself to boast about clearing his name, is not his style.

Moreover, no trace of anything was left at Dodge's estate, except for this cell phone, which was enough to convict him.

This whole thing is eerie.

But Dodge's words confirmed his guilt.

Maroni raised his cane high.

Even now, Dodge doesn't understand what he did wrong, or what happened with that phone.

Until he met Oswald's gaze, the other's face was filled with a terrifying, savage grin of triumph.

"Little penguin, it's you! You're the one who plotted against me..."

Dodge eventually understood, but unfortunately, he understood too late.

ah--!!

With a piercing scream, the cane pierced through his eye socket, and Maroni's blow destroyed his brain.

There was a corpse in the house.

After the execution was completed, Maronny turned his gaze to Oswald.

He remembered the man named Will who was with Oswald.

Every single one of the leaders present was a fool, an idiot, a pig-headed idiot! If someone really did orchestrate all of this in the shadows, it could only be him.

A cane stained with blood and brains pressed against Oswald's chin, and Maroni squinted, scrutinizing him with a half-smile.

"If you're willing to tell me his methods, I swear on my mother's grave, I won't hold you responsible in any way. Even..."

He glanced at the corpse at his feet.

"From now on, you will be in charge of all of Dodge's businesses."