章 15: Chapter 14: Mr. Cobblepot, Someone Wants to Kill Your Whole Family!
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Chapter 14: Mr. Cobblepot, Someone Wants to Kill Your Whole Family!
At noon, Quinn openly drove a police car to the Iceberg Lounge.
The Black Mask Club officially opened at ten o'clock in the evening, while the Iceberg Lounge operated normally during the day. So, Quinn and Damian decided to go there first.
The Iceberg Lounge, owned by the Penguin, offered diverse services, including bars, casinos, and clubs, which were popular among Gotham's people. However, it was also the main venue for the Penguin's illegal activities, such as underground arms deals and money laundering.
"Mr. Cobblepot, he has arrived at the restaurant's entrance."
Before Quinn got out of the car, his whereabouts were reported to the Penguin by the doorman.
In the deepest level of the Iceberg Lounge's underground, the Penguin sat on a leather sofa surrounded by ice cubes, observing Quinn's young face on the screen.
"Call Bobby and ask if there's any major operation at the Gotham Police Department recently. If he's not available, tell him if I can promote him to the position of captain ; I can also get him into Arkham. Let him know I don't want to see Gordon suddenly showing up at my restaurant!"
Bobby was the Penguin's undercover agent in the police department. The failed arms deal in the past had left a deep impression on the Penguin. He almost experienced Batman's interrogation services, and according to Joker's memory, Batman had about 270 interrogation techniques. When asked how Joker knew, he replied that it was because he himself had been subjected to all of them.
The Penguin strongly suspected that Joker's madness was partly Batman's doing.
"I heard this guy from Central City is quite capable. Among the people released on bail from the police department today, almost half of them were subdued by him?"
The Penguin had not met Quinn but had pieced together a rough image from the collected information.
His subordinate reported, "Yes, he also single-handedly cleaned out the Black Mask's base."
The Penguin's expression turned serious; the Black Mask was a rising star in the criminal world in recent years. Though not as powerful as him, their growth was rapid, and they now had a say in Gotham.
Knowing that Quinn could force the Black Mask to abandon territory, the Penguin immediately took notice.
"Go, send a few people to keep an eye on him. Suspend other activities for now, and arrange for contact to see if we can recruit him."
The Penguin was a savvy businessman; in his eyes, anyone could be a potential trading partner, including Batman and Gordon. He had betrayed intelligence to both of his old rivals more than once, and he hadn't taken a penny, but he did throw a few punches.
If spending money could save him from trouble, why not?
Quinn arrived at the entrance of the Iceberg Lounge, and he could hear Damian's annoyed voice in his earpiece.
"Why am I stationed outside as support? Isn't this the same as when I'm with Batman?"
Quinn replied with just one sentence, "Minors are not allowed to enter bars and similar places. Look at your height, do you think you can get in?"
Damian protested loudly on the channel, "I'm 137 centimeters tall, and I'm still growing!"
"Enough. When I go inside, I'll take off my earpiece. You keep an eye on the signal. Remember, you're not my assistant, you're my backup."
Two tall African-American bodyguards stopped Quinn, asking for a search warrant.
Quinn raised both hands and said, "I'm not here on official business; I'm here to relax. Does the Iceberg Lounge discriminate against professions?"
The bodyguards looked at Quinn's new blue police uniform and hesitated for a moment. Then they received a message from their superior.
"The boss says let him in."
Since it was the boss's order, the employees had no objections. They let Quinn pass without even asking for his gun.
One of them bowed to Quinn, "Sorry for the inconvenience, please come in."
Seeing the sudden change in attitude of the doorman, Quinn knew that the Penguin must have spoken. And since the Penguin dared to let Quinn in, it meant he was confident that Quinn wouldn't find any traces.
The Penguin had once run for the title of Gotham's smartest supervillain. Even in Batman's eyes, he was quite a formidable opponent because he always managed to find legal loopholes to absolve himself. As long as Batman didn't cross the line, the Penguin could continue his career as the kingpin of crime.
Inside the Iceberg Lounge, Quinn was still amazed despite being mentally prepared for the luxurious decor. The fully enclosed architectural design allowed the bar to maintain its atmosphere even during the daytime. There were ice-themed decorations everywhere, and Quinn even saw a few penguins, which were the Penguin's pets.
But this was just the "tip of the iceberg." The most extravagant part was underground, which Quinn would probably never get to experience unless he took off his police uniform.
"Killing and arson, the perfect description for Gotham," Quinn sighed.
While many superheroes were struggling with financial issues, the villains had already built their empires using their talents.
The Iceberg Lounge's covert operation was well-concealed. It had probably been subjected to surprise checks by Gordon many times, but Quinn didn't see any illegal activities, not even smoking outside designated areas.
If Quinn had really come to stir up trouble, he would have returned empty-handed. But that wasn't his intention.
The Penguin sent two scantily clad bunny girls to serve Quinn—one petite and innocent-looking, the other with a curvy figure and a sultry vibe. They kept dropping hints at Quinn, but he didn't even spare them a glance and kept his eyes fixed on his PokéNav Pro.
Stupid women, don't get in the way of my dream of becoming a Pokémon Master.
However, after circling around, the Poké Radar still didn't respond, indicating that Black Mask wasn't in the Iceberg Lounge.
But that was normal; there could only be one king on the mountain, and the Penguin and Black Mask weren't exactly on friendly terms. In fact, they were competitors, so why would the Penguin help hide his rival?
However, Batman had listed the Iceberg Lounge and the Black Mask Club together, which meant there must be some connection between the Penguin and Black Mask.
A connection... could it be related to the arms smuggling that happened early in the morning? Quinn thought of the only person who could link the two events together—Captain Edward.
He asked Manaphy, who was hidden on his shoulder: "The day we met, there was a man who could control water currents. Do you remember him?"
Manaphy held her chin and quickly found the memory in her limited recollection, transmitting the image directly to Quinn's mind.
Green liquid filled his vision, and suddenly, sounds of rushing water came from outside. A man appeared in his vision, pressing its face against the glass, with two eyes fixed on Manaphy.
"What a marvelous life; I can hear the call of the sea from you."
(Wait, Manaphy, you got it wrong. This person is not Edward; Edward has white hair.)
Manaphy covered her cheeks with two tentacles and then opened them again.
(He is Edward; did you learn the ability to conceal yourself in water from him?)
Edward distorted his appearance using water manipulation magic. His true appearance was completely different. No, he probably wasn't Edward. Someone had impersonated Edward, attempting to take Manaphy away from Black Mask, but Quinn intervened midway.
If this imposter had attempted to abduct Manaphy of his own accord, then the Penguin would have nothing to do with this. He had to start with the early morning arms smuggling. Based on a cost-benefit analysis, what significance did this operation have for Black Mask...
A decoy.
These two words flashed through Quinn's mind.
He had misunderstood Mr. Cobblepot. Throughout the entire incident, the Penguin was not the perpetrator but a victim. No wonder Quinn couldn't make sense of it.
And that very night, the most skilled detective had seen through the tricks of the mastermind behind the scenes.
"Someone leaked the news of the Penguin smuggling arms to Gordon, baiting him to attract firepower."
Quinn turned and walked toward the two bunny girls who had been ignored the whole time. Their spirits rose, thinking that Quinn, this seemingly righteous gentleman, was finally going to reveal his true intentions.
Quinn leaned close to one of the bunny girls' ears, blowing warm breath on her earlobe, making her blush. She was about to take advantage of this opportunity when Quinn said something that made both of them freeze.
"Tell Mr. Cobblepot that someone wants to kill his whole family."
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