Oswald

It was around three in the afternoon, and there were not many customers in the Iceberg Lounge. Only a group of Italian mob enforcers had gathered in the venue, flirting with the prostitutes.

Unlike the enforcers of smaller gangs, the Italians were Gotham's most dominant criminal faction. Even their lowly thugs tended to spend lavishly, making them popular with the prostitutes.

Playing with anyone was still playing, after all. Before night came and they had to serve customers, most prostitutes did not mind earning a little extra from the enforcers.

Even if some pretentious enforcers only wanted it for free, being fucked by them still gave the prostitutes an added sense of security. Why not?

Amid this cheerful atmosphere, members of the Sabatino Family, who had gone to war with the Russian mob that day, arrived.

At once, the Iceberg Lounge became sharply divided.

Although every enforcer present was Italian and could all be considered subordinates of Falcone, the pharaoh,

there were, in fact, different factions among them.

Sal Maroni, Johnny Sabatino, and Fish Mooney.

The three of them were the three biggest bosses in the Italian mob, second only to Falcone.

Usually, the three stood closely united at Falcone's side, using their shared Italian identity to suppress and lead both Gotham's underworld and legitimate circles.

But in private, they were far from united, especially as Falcone grew older and the struggle among the three Italian bosses gradually intensified.

As for Oswald Cobblepot, who now managed the Iceberg Lounge, he was not even Italian.

Two years ago, he had merely been a lackey who held Fish Mooney's umbrella. Taking advantage of the open and covert struggles among Fish, Maroni, and the others, he had successfully risen to become Falcone's fourth boss-level figure.

Oswald's sudden rise also gave rise to more voices within the Italian families, once firmly held in Falcone's grip, that yearned for chaos and advancement.

But no matter what, up to this point, Oswald was the only one who had successfully risen to the top.

After successfully securing the job of managing the Iceberg Lounge for Falcone, Oswald had long since replaced everyone in the club with his own people.

Therefore, before the Iceberg Lounge officially opened during the day, most of the enforcers hanging around inside followed Oswald.

But now that the Sabatino Family had arrived, having just come through a war and desperately needing an outlet, the atmosphere naturally became somewhat tense.

Upon learning that the Sabatini Family had arrived, Oswald hurried over with a smile.

From a long way off, he spread his arms toward Johnny Sabatino, who led the group.

"Johnny, I heard your good news long ago.

"You beat the Dimitrov Family into dog shit. For at least three months, they will not dare meddle with our port again."

"Of course. Those Russian bastards were no match for me. Falcone's decisions have always been so wise—I am their natural enemy!"

Sabatino and Oswald appeared about to embrace, but in the middle of it, Sabatino suddenly stopped and sneered at the Oswald frozen before him.

"Fuck, I forgot to crouch!

"Oswald, hugging you always means bending over. It makes me feel like I am about to hug a dwarf.

"Falcone should have sent you after the Dimitrov Family. Your short, limping ass would have made them laugh themselves to death!"

At that, Sabatini turned and waved his men over, gesturing for them to look at Oswald.

"Come take a look. The way this guy waddles, does he not look like a penguin?

"Other than being a little skinnier, just looking at him means I do not need to watch a nature documentary about the Arctic!

"What? You say penguins live in Antarctica, not the Arctic?

"No, no, no. Penguins live in the fucking Iceberg Lounge! Hahahahaha!!!"

As Sabatino laughed arrogantly, Oswald's smile did not change in the slightest.

Behind him, his men could not help raising their pistols, but Oswald lifted a hand to stop them.

Facing Sabatino's arrogant smile, Oswald bared his teeth and nodded with the elegance of an aristocrat.

"Is there anything more fitting than having a penguin manage an iceberg?"

"Sabatino, just as you said, Mr. Falcone has always been so wise.

"Precisely because his decisions have never been wrong, I manage this place—not you!"

As the words fell, Oswald raised both hands, separating the index and middle fingers of his right hand.

Taking the cigar and cigar cutter handed over by his men, Oswald elegantly clipped the cigar as he continued speaking to Sabatino.

"You mock me, provoke me—so what are you trying to prove? That Mr. Falcone made a mistake?

"You should have believed in Mr. Falcone as firmly as I do. I pity you, Sabatino!"

"Tch. You sharp-tongued piece of trash, everyone knows you got where you are today by betraying both sides.

"No matter how nicely you talk, do you think Falcone really considers you one of his trusted men?

"Especially after you betrayed both Maroni and Fish?

"You are just a target. Only you think you are somebody, Penguin!

"The greatest luck of my life is that you have not betrayed me yet, so stay the fuck away from me!

"Otherwise, your corpse will not end up in the bay outside the port. I will have someone send you back to your Antarctica, where you can guard real icebergs and become the fucking king of penguins!"

Sabatino stepped forward without ceremony, jabbing a finger into Oswald's chest as he shouted.

Hearing Sabatino's words, Oswald casually clenched the cigar between his teeth and let the lighter and flame offered by his subordinate ignite it.

Inhale... exhale~

After blowing out a puff of smoke, Oswald lightly shook his head.

"Sabatino, I do not believe you were born the leader of your family. So before you succeeded, who knows what you did?

"You should understand this: neither you nor I can be defeated by mere words. If you are truly dissatisfied with Mr. Falcone's decision and with me, why not draw your gun and kill me?"

At that, Oswald snapped his fingers lightly. Every one of his men cocked their pistols and aimed them in unison at Sabatino.

At the same time, Oswald freed a hand and patted Sabatino's arm.

"Want to make a bet? Bet on whether I dare trade shots with you here—or... whether your courage is not even equal to a penguin's.

"Look, I have already put my chips on the table. So what is your answer, Sabatino?

"Do you call, or do you let me go all in?"

As the words fell, Oswald drew a pistol from behind his back and shoved the barrel into Sabatino's chest.

At the same time, Sabatino's men also raised their guns and aimed them at Oswald's faction.

The situation looked ready to explode, but Sabatino merely waved a hand disdainfully.

"Put your guns away. You do not really believe this penguin would dare kill me here, do you?

"He may have the nerve to kill me, but not here, and definitely not today. Hahaha!"

Still laughing, Sabatino ordered his lackeys to put away their guns. Once his men complied, he puffed out his chest and stepped forward, pressing himself against Oswald's gun barrel.

"Come on, Penguin. Let me see what your all-in looks like. This is the Iceberg Lounge, and it is also the Falcone Family's—"

"But I am Oswald Cobblepot!"

Bang bang bang bang!!!

The gunshots rang out in rapid succession. Everyone present, including Oswald's own men, was startled by the way Oswald suddenly opened fire like a madman.

A moment later, just as both sides' lackeys raised their guns again to prepare for a shootout, Oswald suddenly laughed.

Still laughing, he slammed the gun barrel hard against Sabatino's chest.

"You are afraid, Sabatino. I would bet you have already started seeing your life flash before your eyes!

"This is the first lesson I am teaching you. Even if the road beneath your feet always stretches in the direction you expect, you cannot control every thornbush beside it.

"Perhaps one of them will grow into the middle of the road and trip you!

"When you mocked the way I walk, do you know what I was thinking?

"I was laughing at your bluster and your habit of bullying the weak while fearing the strong!

"You and I both know what is fantasy and what is fact. The fact is that I am not a penguin. The fact is that I am not in Antarctica. The fact is that I am doing better than you, sitting in a club and raking in money every day without having to fight and kill.

"And there are facts you are even more afraid to consider. Do you know what they are?

"The fact is that the nobody you used to order around has become someone you do not dare touch lightly!

"The fact is that I am still very young, while you have already begun to grow old!

"The fact is that I will eventually receive news of your death!"

At that, Oswald looked disdainfully at Sabatino, who seemed about to say something.

He waited for quite a while, until Sabatino finally figured out how to respond, then continued before Sabatino could speak.

"Since you know I have a sharp tongue, you should keep quiet in front of me, Sabatino!

"As for now, let the boring jokes end. You did not come all this way for no reason. It is time to talk business.

"I hope you, who are about to piss yourself, still remember what business is!"

Competition is fierce during the new-book period. If the results are even slightly poor, it can all go downhill fast, and the book can easily flop.

If you have even a little interest in this book, then even if you plan to stockpile chapters, please quickly flip to the final page and help give it one more follow-up read.

Half-Dead has previously completed acclaimed works of two million and three million words. As long as this book performs reasonably well, he will write several million words to entertain everyone.

I hope everyone can lend a hand. Half-Dead is immensely grateful.