Crime License

"I'm heading out. Remember, don't open the door for anyone who knocks, and don't reveal your abilities."

"Go to bed early. It's good for your health."

As night fell, Li Ang reminded Kara, who would be staying home.

"I know."

Kara pouted. "But how long do I have to keep this up? Even if I see someone in trouble, am I supposed to just stand by and do nothing?"

It was a question worth discussing, but Li Ang was in a hurry to leave and had no time to think it through.

"Maybe."

He gave a casual reply, then shut the door.

Kara stared at the closed door and thought of the inspirational saying she'd seen in her textbook that day.

"If you don't lend a hand to others today, tomorrow they'll watch you suffer without lifting a finger."

Sometimes, she didn't know whether the Godfather was right or the book was.

Gotham was an island facing Metropolis from afar, filled with Gothic architecture.

Like Metropolis, Gotham had plenty of bridges and tunnels connecting its various districts.

The Diamond District lay in the south of Gotham. A little farther north were Miller Harbor and the river that cut across the city.

Below it were the territories of the Street Demon Gang and the Scum Society, and farther south lay the infamous Gotham Port.

Li Ang knew the city's layout so well because on his first day at work, he'd been told to avoid other gangs' territories unless absolutely necessary.

Gotham's nights were always overcast, as if thunderclouds were gathering and a torrential downpour could begin at any moment.

The wealth gap was especially stark in this city, and its many social problems had been festering for years.

Those who could no longer make ends meet were like ghosts haunting the city, appearing on the streets as soon as night fell.

Li Ang didn't dare go anywhere without streetlights or where few people were around.

Even though this was Penguin's territory, there were always some fools who didn't know better.

After all, even the Wayne Couple, who practically controlled the city, had been gunned down...

Li Ang walked beneath the streetlights. Though he drew plenty of stares, he was perfectly safe because people knew who he was.

But just as he was about to reach work, two muggers suddenly darted out of an alley.

They wore Joker masks and seemed to be obsessive fans of the Joker.

"Hey, Asian guy. Hand over anything valuable."

One held a switchblade, while the other kept a hand in his pocket, clearly gripping something.

At the sight of the Joker masks, Li Ang's heart skipped a beat, but he still asked, "Do you have a Crime License?"

"A Crime License? Since when did you need a license to commit a crime?"

The two muggers froze and exchanged a glance, finding the idea ridiculous.

Just then, Li Ang saw someone approaching from nearby, and he felt reassured.

Gotham's good-natured citizens never panicked over a mugging.

Chaos was simply part of everyday life in this city.

"So, you don't have one."

Li Ang remained calm.

"So what if we don't? You wanna die? Hand over anything valuable!"

The two men in Joker masks advanced on Li Ang, waving their knives to intimidate him. He stood his ground.

"This is the Diamond District, Boss Cobblepot's territory. No one's allowed to commit crimes without a Crime License issued by him."

A big guy in a black suit came up behind the two men, delivering a line so absurd it was hard to take seriously.

But it was true.

The Boss Cobblepot the big guy was talking about was the infamous Penguin.

If you wanted to engage in criminal activity on Penguin's turf, you needed a Crime License issued by him.

"Who's there?"

The two criminals in Joker masks immediately turned around.

But the moment they did, the big guy struck.

He drove a knee into the left man's abdomen, instantly taking him out of the fight, then snatched the knife from the other man's hand.

He reversed his grip and plunged the knife into the man's shoulder.

"Pfft!"

"Ah!"

The masked criminal immediately howled in pain.

"Frank, watch out!"

Li Ang hurriedly called a warning.

The criminal on the left, who had been knocked to the ground by the big guy's Knee Strike, pulled a handgun from his jacket.

The next moment, Frank stomped down on it with his huge boot.

"Crack!"

"Idiots."

Frank showed no mercy. He slammed the two men's heads together, knocking them both unconscious.

Seeing blood was perfectly normal for them.

Even Li Ang didn't bat an eye.

"Just leave them to fend for themselves."

Frank, so huge he had to catch his breath, said, "Li Ang, want a ride?"

"Sure."

Li Ang happily climbed into Frank's car.

After all, in a way, they were accomplices.

But Li Ang would never admit to that label. He stubbornly insisted they were just coworkers.

Frank's black sedan was much faster than Li Ang on foot.

Before long, they'd reached the place where Li Ang worked.

The Iceberg Lounge!

Li Ang looked up at the massive nightclub, completely unfazed.

The nightclub had been around for a long time. At first, Penguin had only wanted to shed his gangster image.

Now it had quickly become a bar and casino as well, turning into a breeding ground for criminals and a place for Penguin to launder money.

People shouldn't forget where they came from!

Two men in black suits, like Frank, stood at the entrance.

Boss Cobblepot had a rule: his men had to dress in suits, even if they were going to play video games at an internet café.

These men were "suit-clad thugs."

The two guards greeted Li Ang and Frank.

"The boss is already here. Hurry inside."

Stepping into the Iceberg Lounge felt like walking into a dance hall from the last century.

Penguin was a nostalgic man. The classical music and decor reminded him of the old days.

But farther inside, the place was buzzing.

A huge "iceberg" stood in the middle of the room, giving the lounge its name.

A beautiful woman was singing and dancing onstage. Countless gambling tables filled the floor, offering every kind of game imaginable. Slot machines lined the walls, alongside TVs showing horse races.

Countless high-rolling gamblers and socialites moved through the place, waving their cash and shouting wildly.

Women dressed like socialites wore expensive gowns and high heels, cheering on their dates with their arms linked through theirs.

Bodyguards in suits watched the crowd warily, while waitresses dressed as bunny girls weaved through the room, letting customers grope them and stoking their hormones.

Li Ang said goodbye to Frank and headed for the bar on the other side.

Frank was a big, honest, and violent man, fiercely loyal to Penguin.

And Li Ang?

He was a bartender at the Iceberg Lounge.

He'd worked as one in his previous life, and as an undocumented immigrant, he couldn't find any other way to make a living. So he'd ended up at the Iceberg Lounge.

Most jobs in Gotham City were connected to the famous Wayne Enterprises, which controlled every aspect of the city.

From public services to healthcare, from municipal projects to real estate, from pharmaceuticals to arms...

You could say that Wayne Enterprises in Gotham City was just like the Umbrella Corporation in Raccoon City!