Founding a Company, Stepping Out of the Darkness and Into the Light!

Inside the underground brewery, the revelry reached its peak.

The air was thick with the pungent mix of alcohol, grilled meat, and cheap cigars.

Having just swallowed up Black Mask's forces, the thugs gave free rein to their joy.

They had tied a defiant Black Mask lieutenant to a target and were playing a game of knife-throwing. Every blade that grazed his flesh before sinking into the board drew a roar of cheers.

"Life with Boss Link is fucking great!"

Iron Spike raised a huge mug of beer, his face flushed as he shouted, "First Penguin, then Black Mask! Who's next? Falcone or Maroni? We might as well take over all of Gotham!"

"Take over Gotham!"

"Long live the new Wong!"

Everyone raised their drinks, greed and bloodlust gleaming in their eyes.

As far as they were concerned, what came next was an endless run of gang wars and turf grabs until their power reached every corner of Gotham.

But at the heart of the uproar, Link seemed out of place.

He took no part in the celebration. He sat alone in a corner, cleaning a silver Desert Eagle.

Harley Quinn nestled against him like a lazy cat.

She had little interest in such crude revelry. Her gaze stayed fixed on Link's calm profile.

At last, Link set down the pistol and stood.

The brewery fell silent in an instant.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to their Wong in awe.

They waited for Wong's next order, for Wong to point them toward the next target they would stain red with blood.

"Everyone, get out of those rags."

Link had spoken, but his words were the last thing anyone expected.

"Tomorrow morning at nine, meet at 11 Adler Street in Gotham's Financial District."

With that, he turned and left with Harley.

The thugs stared at one another.

"11 Adler Street? Isn't that downtown?"

"What are we going there for? Is the boss planning a big job downtown?"

"Holy shit, that's right under Wayne Enterprises' nose!"

Iron Spike scratched his head. He had no idea what the boss was thinking.

But he was the first to roar, "What the fuck are you standing around for? You heard the boss! Go get yourselves some decent clothes!"

The next morning.

Iron Spike and his men stood uneasily beneath the towering skyscraper at 11 Adler Street, dressed in cheap, ill-fitting suits they had found at a secondhand store. They were utterly baffled.

This was Gotham's most prosperous district. Gleaming glass towers surrounded them, and the people hurrying past were all sharply dressed professionals.

Standing there, they looked like a pack of hyenas that had wandered into a swan lake, completely out of place.

Just then, a black stretch Lincoln pulled up in front of them.

The door opened, and Link and Harley stepped out.

Link wore an impeccably tailored Armani suit. His hair was neatly combed, and a confident smile graced his face. He looked every inch a business tycoon.

Harley wore a crisp skirt suit, her blonde hair pulled up into a sleek high ponytail. Her makeup was light and flawless. There was still a glint of madness in her eyes, but standing there, she looked every bit a commanding CEO.

"Boss..." Iron Spike stammered. "What... what are we doing here?"

"Going to work."

Link smiled and pointed to the building behind him.

"Starting today, this is our new headquarters."

The words hit them like a thunderclap.

They followed Link inside, past gleaming marble floors and the scent of expensive fragrances. A quiet, swift elevator carried them up to an office space spanning the top three floors.

Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows stretched Gotham's bustling skyline. Wayne Tower stood clearly visible in the distance.

Inside were brand-new desks, computers, and ergonomic chairs. There was even a lounge with its own barista.

"I... I'm not fucking dreaming, am I?" One thug pinched his thigh hard and grimaced in pain.

They had never imagined they would set foot in a place like this, let alone have an office here.

"Welcome to Chaos Direction Security and Venture Capital."

Link stood before the windows and spread his arms as though embracing all of Gotham.

"Fighting and killing alone will never earn us a place at the table. It'll only get us crushed like bugs."

His voice reached every ear.

"What I want is an empire. An empire that can stand in the sunlight and make the rules."

"We earned our first fortune with our enemies' blood. Now we'll use that money to give our criminal businesses a legitimate face."

Link turned, his gaze sweeping over them all.

"Starting today, you're no longer street thugs. You're company security personnel, investment managers, and intelligence analysts."

Harley excitedly circled the enormous CEO's office, then threw herself onto the soft leather executive chair and rolled around in delight.

"Sweetie! I love this! How about I'm the CEO and you're my secretary?"

Link smiled and ignored her antics.

He walked over to a huge electronic planning board and switched it on.

The Wayne Enterprises logo appeared on the screen.

"Our empire's next step is to find a partner with enough clout to establish us in Gotham for good."

He pointed at the screen.

"Intelligence department, start gathering all publicly available information on Wayne Enterprises' projects. Investment department, analyze their share price and business moves."

"Our goal is to find an opening—a chance to sit down at the same table with Mr. Bruce Wayne."

He studied an urban security system upgrade project Wayne Enterprises had put out to tender. A knowing smile tugged at his lips.

"I think we'll find that chance very soon."

"After all, when it comes to 'urban security,' who in all of Gotham is more 'qualified' than us?"