Chapitre 16: Chapter 15: The Icebergs are Melting, Penguins Know It Too
POWER STONES ARE REQUESTED.
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Chapter 15: The Icebergs are Melting, Penguins Know It Too
Quinn was taken to a room where a plump penguin-like person lay on a luxurious seat, scrutinizing Quinn with a look of appraisal.
"Do you know that just because of the threat, I can ruin your life and your family's," said the confident Penguin, not even letting anyone take away the gun from Quinn.
Quinn remained composed and said, "That's not a threat, Mr. Cobblepot. I'm just reminding you out of goodwill that if you don't take action soon, you and your family will soon lose the right to breathe."
Bang!
Penguin slammed the table, and several members of the Penguin gang immediately pointed their guns at Quinn's head. Any move from him, and he would be riddled with bullets.
However, Quinn was not afraid of him firing the gun. Penguin was not only a villain but also a successful man who often appeared in public with a positive image. Quinn had come to the Iceberg Lounge in a police car. If he died here, it would undoubtedly put Penguin in a precarious position. It wasn't a smart move for an intelligent person like him.
Seeing Quinn unaffected by the gun pointing at him, Penguin realized that ordinary tricks wouldn't scare this young man. He straightened his attire, stood up, and walked to Quinn, his sharp nose twitching.
"It seems our guest has something to discuss privately. Since that's the case, everyone, leave."
Everyone filed out, and with the door closed, only Quinn and the Penguin remained in the spacious office.
Quinn frowned, "You know it's not appropriate to mention it out loud. Aren't you afraid our meeting will leak to others?"
Penguin chuckled, "You should be the one worrying. Coming here to meet the mob boss alone, I wonder what Gordon would think."
Ever since Quinn moved into Gordon's house, his information had been put on the desks of major gangs in Gotham. There were informants everywhere in the police station. Even Commissioner Gordon wouldn't discuss important plans at the precinct.
"And now you're worried about the information leak? It's a little too late for that," said the Penguin, looking at the young man with disdain.
Being an outsider, Quinn lacked experience. Ever since he entered the Iceberg Lounge, his every move had been under surveillance.
The Penguin had a tight grip on his gang, and he knew how many moles were present among them. But he was helpless because he had to elevate that mole to a higher position; otherwise, the mastermind would send people to deal with him.
Quinn was a bit surprised, "So, Mr. Cobblepot, you've noticed something, huh?"
Penguin casually waved his hand, "You mean the deal you ruined? I know I was betrayed, and I have a guess about who did it, but unfortunately, I can't do anything to him."
That day, Penguin lost five million dollars, not to mention the loss of prestige among his subordinates. That was the foundation for the mob's existence in Gotham. Criminals in Gotham all had a desire for power, and if a boss couldn't command respect from his subordinates, even a massive organization would crumble instantly.
Seeing Penguin appearing helpless and indifferent, Quinn knew he was attributing this failure to another "adjustment" by the mastermind.
That person stayed in the shadows, and not even Batman had seen his true face, but he held the entire dark side of Gotham in his hands. Maintaining the delicate balance between the major forces in Gotham was his doing, and he played an indispensable role.
But this time was different.
"He's tired."
"What?" The Penguin didn't understand Quinn's meaning.
"He's tired of manipulating things time and again. He's tired of the current state of Gotham, and he wants to overturn everything and create a new Gotham."
Quinn's face was serious, "He wants to create a new order."
Penguin's pupils contracted, and his casual posture turned rigid, "I still don't understand."
Quinn's eyes gleamed with insight, "Don't pretend not to understand, Mr. Cobblepot. You're an extremely clever person, or this conversation wouldn't be happening. I realize now that you probably noticed this conspiracy even before Batman did. You might have even warned him, but you can't show it too clearly; otherwise, you'd be dealt with prematurely."
Penguin raised the umbrella in his hand, "I have more than one umbrella, and each one hides deadly weapons and escape devices, helping me escape time and again in my criminal career. But what truly helped me get to where I am today is my intelligence."
"Do you understand what I mean?"
Quinn hesitated for a moment, "Is it more important to have brains than personal bravery?"
"Wrong!"
Penguin opened the umbrella and placed it on his shoulder.
"Strength and intelligence are equally important. Without strength, you can't hold on to wealth; without intelligence, you can't maintain power."
Through his monocle, Penguin looked at the pensive young man in front of him, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"I know you want to cooperate with me, but I need to make sure my partner isn't just a brute with a knife. Considering you're a policeman, that's actually a good thing."
Quinn once again realized that though his strength might now match Gotham's second-tier players, when it came to plotting schemes and tricks, he was still a novice compared to the local Gothamites.
After laying out their intentions, Penguin began to negotiate the terms of their cooperation.
The Penguin got straight to the point, "I should make it clear in advance that the Penguin gang cannot provide any armed support. Heh, economic support might be possible, but I doubt you'd accept it."
He fully revealed his cunning nature.
"I can only offer you intelligence."
The Penguin could easily control any bird to work for him, including penguins. These birds were all over Gotham and the entire country, making him the biggest information broker in Gotham. When I mentioned earlier that the old man was doing business with him, it meant that he was beaten up and interrogated for information.
This suited Quinn just fine. He had no intention of accepting material support from the Penguin; that would only cause him more trouble. However, police-criminal intelligence exchanges were in a gray area, or rather, a regular practice in Gotham.
Quinn could essentially turn Penguin into his informant, even though few people would believe it.
"The only thing I need from you is information about the mastermind's whereabouts."
Penguin took off his glasses and wiped them with a silk handkerchief.
"I assume Batman hasn't found him yet because he hides in the shadows of the bat. The deeper the fear Batman leaves in this city, the deeper the shadows, and the harder it becomes to see the darkness hidden within."
As a dedicated information broker, the birds had told Penguin about Batman's true identity, but he had no intention of using that information for anything. He knew killing the man behind the mask wouldn't change anything.
To become the king of Gotham, defeating Batman was a necessary step.
"In the Indian Hill, he's hiding there like a mole, but let me remind you, young officer, his influence spreads throughout Gotham. Be careful."
"I look forward to our future cooperation."
Quinn left, and he practically ran out of there. He didn't want to stay with the Penguin for another moment. The pace of the conversation had been entirely controlled by Penguin, and Quinn felt like he was already under his thumb. Just the thought of dealing with such people in the future gave Quinn a headache. He'd rather fight Superman than play mind games with these Gotham maniacs.
Compared to them, Batman was in his element in Gotham, and Quinn admired the old man even more.
After seeing Quinn off, the Penguin immediately gave instructions to his men not to disturb him for the next 24 hours. Then he went down to the lowest level of the Iceberg Lounge.
There, a specially designed refuge room could withstand even a nuclear winter and could only be unlocked with his biometric information. It had all kinds of entertainment facilities.
Lighting a cigar for himself, the Penguin lay on the couch, and a big screen displayed the portrait of a man - the man who changed his life.
"Falcone, you helped me back then, and I appreciated the help when I was in need. I admired your idealism and the actions you took to change Gotham, so I followed you.
But you've changed. You realize you can't control Batman anymore. You're no longer the "Roman" who controls everything from the shadows. So you plan to topple everything and reshape Gotham according to your ideals.
To hell with you! My legacy is still here!"
The Penguin kicked over a table, spilling red wine all over the floor.
"There's no place for me on the ship to the new world you envision. You've chosen the Black Mask, that heir of the Sionis family. He may be weaker and easier to control than Falcone."
Once a perfect gentleman, now he looked like a cornered penguin, emitting a harsh screech.
But the next moment, Penguin regained his composure as if nothing had happened. The spilled red wine flowed quietly.
"Keke, but I found a new partner, a promising young fellow. He's destined to succeed Gordon's position, but unlike Gordon, he's willing to talk with me, the mob boss.
Through him, I see the Gotham you described - your ideal Gotham. But unfortunately..."
I'm still the stubborn penguin surviving on the iceberg, but the Roman is no longer dreaming of ancient Rome.
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