There are two principles the people of Gotham follow during a fight. First, once the battle starts, there are no allies. Second, if you dare to approach the battlefield, even dogs get kicked twice before they can leave.
After two attempts to break through by force, Savage realized it wasn't working. The people here were the most barbaric and most insane he had ever seen. They didn't care if their fellow gang members would be injured, they only cared about killing their enemies. Each gunshot would set the whole city mad.
As the hard approach did not work, he had to go soft. He went to negotiate with the biggest mob boss in the Hell's South Section.
Coincidentally, Cobblepot had previously lived in the South Section and held a good relationship with the mob boss. When Savage broke in, Cobblepot saw him and warned the mob boss.
The mob boss of the South Section politely received Savage, then mercilessly denied his request for lodging.
Getting to this point, Savage realized that violence wasn't a wise choice while living in Hell. He decided to try somewhere else.
There are four sections in Hell; east, south, west, and north. Since south didn't work, he switched to the North District. However, the outcome was the same. The bosses in all directions kindly welcomed him in, just to ruthlessly turn him away.
The refusal was simple. Without any gang to vouch for you, why should we rent you our rooms? He had attempted brute force several times. Who knows what he'd do inside? If he blew up the building, who would compensate?
Savage now experienced the previous hardships Bruce faced. In Gotham, surviving comfortably without connections to the mob are near impossible.
There are many migrant workers in Gotham. No matter what, the wages here are much higher than most places. One year of work here is equivalent to three years out there, so many took the risk and tried their luck.
But considering everyone knows the situation in Gotham, people who come here are adventurous and have a lower moral standard. Therefore, after working with the lower class for a while, they usually become buddies with some gang members. Through them, they can rent apartments.
Most of these people are ordinary and won't exactly cross swords with the mob once they arrive. Hence, they easily mix with the mob members.
Savage, on the other hand, was different. Relying on his martial strength and arrogance, he offended all the mobs in Hell as soon as he came. None of the mobs around here would dare to accept him, which meant finding a middleman would be impossible.
Savage was unlike Bruce who came later and learned the essence of deceit and sneak attacks, successfully blending in. Savage was still dreaming of being the Great King and refused to bow down and degrade himself.
Having roamed Hell for over a week, Savage still wasn't able to find a place of residence. Every building meant assault and crowd fights. No one was willing to talk to him.
In the end, a mid-sized mob boss from the South Section sought him out. This mob boss said he had long been sick of the current boss and could help him find a backdoor as long as he paid up to rent a space.
At this point, it didn't matter how the room was, the main goal was just to win.
The boss instructed his men to lead Savage to the room. The mobster opened the door, smiling as he said, "Mr. Savage, this is the best room we have here. You can have a look, the conditions are very fair..."
Upon opening the door, Savage peeped in and realized the mob member hadn't lied. The room wasn't bad. A two-bedroom apartment, spacious and bright with a south-facing living room and a bay window.
The quality of furniture was good, decorated with green plants. It was a very modern apartment. Though it couldn't be compared to luxurious hotel suites, it didn't belittle his status either.
The mobster led Savage inside, like a practiced real estate agent, introducing the benefits of the apartment. Finally, he rubbed his hands together and said, "Sir, this the only suitable apartment for you. But, there's a reason why it's still vacant..."
"As you know, most people here are poor. Only wealthy people like you can afford to rent such an apartment. After all, it requires a weekly rent of 300 dollars. You have to pay the utilities separately. Considering that, it might cost over 400 dollars weekly, a price not everyone can afford..."
"But no worries!" The gangster raised his voice and said, "A man of your caliber wouldn't care about spending a few hundred dollars!"
"Besides, rest assured. You've only shown your face in those few areas of the North District. This place is very far from there. You haven't been seen by people here. Plus, this area is far from the Big Boss's activities, he won't find out."
Savage snorted coldly and glanced at him. Sensing his mood, the mobster defended himself saying, "Of course, I don't mean you're afraid of him. Our boss thinks the same. It would be more convenient for you to live here if we develop some cooperation in the future..."
"To show our sincerity, we can help you cover the utility bills. Honestly, that's our limit. Our boss has just been here for over a year and still hasn't gain complete control, resulting in high recruitment costs..."
Savage didn't care about his complaints and motioned for him to leave. A few hundred dollars was nothing to him. As long as he could establish some inside connections with Hell, his work would get easier.
However, in some ways, he didn't have the advantage that Bruce, in his early days, had. A person who adheres to certain principles will achieve some results, either success or failure. The most frightening thing is self-contradiction and logic conflict.
Bruce was good from the start to the finish. He didn't want to break his principles, so although he suffered in slums, he eventually gained more than he lost.
But Savage, he wanted to gain the benefits of unlawful methods without losing his self-esteem. He still dreams of being the Great King. He wants everyone to flatter him, like his previous subjects, but he doesn't want to admit that his status is not what it used to be.
He looked down on these poor people yet needed them. He despised the modern society, living in the old days, yet craved the convenience and pleasures modern society offers.
A man with an inconsistent inner heart will stumble in indecision. Savage didn't realize that he had already stepped into a trap.
The cup of water Batman asked him to pour, he did so unknowingly. What comes next was the crowd's favorite part.
On the day Savage moved in and paid his rent, the newspaper boys in Hell were gossiping and whispering incessantly.
They were all passing on a message - Room No. 1613 from Hell's South Section. The tenant is a fool with a lot of money. Come quickly!