Downton had no idea what Bartel was thinking. Watching Victor Zsasz, who looked furious yet remained deft with his hands, he smiled approvingly.
Unlike himself just now, Victor had seemingly charged in brazenly as well, even taking the lead.
But Downton could see clearly that while Zsasz looked reckless, he was actually incredibly meticulous.
He never stayed in a straight line with enemy gunmen. Instead, he kept close to walls, corners, battered doors, or rows of washing machines.
Though his stride looked carefree, he always stayed near those things. If anything went wrong, he could find cover immediately.
Of course, most of the time, Victor Zsasz had no need for cover, because his eyes were too sharp and his gun was too fast.
His browless eyes were as sharp as a hawk's. Whenever someone entered his line of fire, Zsasz's bullets reached their forehead or chest before they could make a move.
Just like that, the laundry room break room that Downton had failed to take even after dying once was easily cleared by Zsasz alone.
After killing everyone in the break room, he waved forward. The hundreds of gunmen behind him immediately split into six or seven groups and headed in different directions.
As for Zsasz, his target was the underground passage. According to his intelligence, Yuri Dimitrov was currently down there.
If it had been any other gang, Zsasz would have worried about whether they might run.
But a Russian gang?
When these Russians had their headquarters bombed, they would never retreat. That was their tradition!
Before heading into the underground passage, though, Zsasz had another problem to deal with.
Fuck, the cops were here!
Zsasz and the others had only arrived a little over a minute ago when Gordon pulled up with three or four police cars.
With one glance, Gordon locked onto Downton, and his heart sank hard.
"Damn it, you again. Is there ever a moment when you aren't causing trouble?
Or is causing trouble the price you paid for coming back from the dead, asshole?"
While keeping Downton in his sights, Gordon moved through the crowd and paid particular attention to Falcone's men.
As Gordon observed the scene, Downton amusedly raised the muzzle of his submachine gun.
"I should be saying that, Captain Gordon!
Oh, sorry, I forgot you're a deputy captain. A deputy, hah!
Does the Gotham Police Department not have anyone else? Why is it always you coming to arrest me, Gordon?
If your captain and commissioner are bullying you, you can say so. Otherwise, why do they always send you to do all the dirty work?"
As he spoke, Downton grinned and walked up to Gordon.
Watching Downton draw closer, Gordon couldn't help taking a step back. But after just one step, he steadied himself and stood his ground.
Downton walked straight into Gordon's gun barrel until it pressed against his chest.
After leisurely blowing on Gordon's pistol, Downton turned to the officers behind him and said with a smile.
"Guys, do you really like having a boss like Gordon?
Following Gordon must be exhausting, right? You circle Gotham a dozen times a day without catching a single criminal, only to pile up countless autopsy reports, hah.
If you ask me, the Gotham Police Department should just be shut down and renamed the Gotham Chief Medical Examiner's Office. Wouldn't that be more fitting?
Smurfs like you can only catch rookie independents like me. Look around—Falcone's men are the ones shooting. I'd like to see whether you dare arrest them, hah!"
With that, Downton spread his hands in amusement, took two steps to the left, and made an inviting gesture toward Gordon.
At the same time, Victor Zsasz, having noticed the police, happened to walk over as well.
From a distance, Zsasz gave Gordon and the officers a disgusted look.
He flicked his pistol at Gordon, then said disdainfully.
"Get the hell out of here. The Falcone Family is handling business!
What the hell is going on? Why did you get here so fast today? Don't you usually take more than ten minutes?"
As he spoke, Zsasz suddenly remembered something and looked at Downton with pursed lips.
"Damn it, you brought these cops here, didn't you? They were following up on your earlier attack!
I knew it. These useless bastards shouldn't have gotten here this quickly, or they'd make things awkward!"
As he spoke, Zsasz raised both guns into the air.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
After firing several shots into the sky, Zsasz leveled both guns at the officers, then shouted at them with a cold sneer.
"I said it already. The Falcone Family is handling business here. Everyone unrelated can get the hell out!
If I were you, I'd go buy some fried chicken and coffee across the street, then eat and watch the Dimitrov Family's show!
Are you deaf? Get out!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Another volley rang out, and someone among the police finally lowered his head.
"Ahem, Captain Gordon, Mr. Falcone... the boss, he's clearing out a criminal organization for Gotham too."
"Yeah, Captain. The Dimitrov Family are all bastards who deserve to die anyway."
"Captain, my wife gave birth. I need to take leave!"
"My mortgage and car payments depend on the bonuses Boss Falcone donates to the department every month. I'm going across the street."
"Who wants fried chicken? My treat today!"
The officers looked at each other, then vanished without waiting for Gordon's order.
In the blink of an eye, Gordon was left alone, able only to grit his teeth helplessly.
Across from him, Victor Zsasz took a step forward and patted Gordon's shoulder with his gunstock.
"Captain Gordon, Boss Falcone has always thought highly of you. You and our Family have had a very pleasant working relationship.
So how about cooperating? Your daughter will be going to college soon, after all. She needs tuition too, doesn't she?"
"Shut up! I've never taken a cent from Falcone. That won't work on me!"
Gordon roared furiously and clenched his pistol tight.
Seeing Gordon consumed by rage, Victor Zsasz grinned and pointed his gun toward the officers across the street.
"You didn't take any, but what about them? At least think of your subordinates and colleagues.
You..."
"Enough!"
Suddenly, Downton flew forward with a fierce kick and slammed it into Victor's ass!
Victor was kicked flying and turned back toward Downton with a baffled expression.
"What the hell are you doing? We're on the same side. Why did you kick me?"
"I'll fucking kick whoever I want. Kill me if you've got the balls!"
Downton gave Zsasz the finger, then pointed his gun toward the distant laundry room.
"Do what you're supposed to do. Block in those Dimitrov Family bastards, especially Yuri Dimitrov. Go!"
"You...!!!"
Looking at Downton's increasingly cold expression, Zsasz spat in displeasure and returned the middle finger.
"I'm going to kill you someday!"
"Three times, five times, even a hundred times—whatever you want, buddy!"
Downton kicked Zsasz again irritably, making the veins all over Zsasz's body bulge with rage.
But after thinking it over, he still chose to head toward the laundry room and vent his anger on the Dimitrov Family.
Watching Victor Zsasz's retreating back, Downton grinned at the frowning, contemplative Gordon.
"Gordon, do you think good people like you deserve to have bastards like Zsasz point guns at them?
Want to know why I kicked him? Because until yesterday, I was a lousy good person just like you, hah!"
As he spoke, Downton smiled and moved close to Gordon, casually slinging an arm around his shoulders.
"See? This lousy good person died in Gotham, and after crawling back out of hell, I finally understood something.
Only by being worse than them can you manage them more effectively. As long as they think I'm too radical, they'll naturally become conservatives. Two negatives make a positive, damn it!
So, Gordon, try to understand me. And get closer to me.
They say I'm a lunatic.
But I think...
I'm the one who sees things most clearly!"
I don't know whether I'll get a recommendation this week. If I don't, then I'm totally screwed... damn it, sigh...
Please keep reading, everyone. Our results are right on the edge of making it through the trial period. We could get picked at any time, or fail at any time.
I'll keep my mindset steady and update reliably. Let's keep it up together. Love you all!
Before you continue