"Haah, I finally had nothing to do today, and I still couldn't sleep in. This sucks."
At nine in the morning, Zuo Ci, who had slept for only three or four hours, yawned and stretched wearily.
After what had happened last night, he was in a terrible mood. Once he had dumped all the trouble on Batman, he had planned to spend today getting some proper rest.
The shop was closed today, and Jack had the day off. The construction crew hadn't come because of the sudden heavy snowfall, either. It was practically the perfect day to sleep in.
But Zuo Ci still hadn't slept well. He had only dozed for a short while before waking up. There was no other reason for it: whenever he closed his eyes, images of those poor people's suffering would rise unbidden before him.
Even though their misery had nothing to do with him, Zuo Ci still found it hard to bear. It left him feeling awful.
Since he really couldn't sleep, he simply gave up, got out of bed, and took a tub of instant noodles off the shelf.
"Whatever else happens, at least nobody should interrupt my instant noodles today. The shop's closed, and I've taken down the hiring notice."
Looking at the noodles, which were almost ready, Zuo Ci smiled in satisfaction. Sure enough, a steaming tub of instant noodles could still cheer him up when he was feeling down.
"Ding-dong~"
"..."
For an instant, Zuo Ci actually wanted to destroy this damned world. Fuck, why is there so much bullshit every single day? I just want to eat some instant noodles in peace! Am I being punished by heaven?!
Forget it. No more instant noodles from now on. I'll eat self-heating rice instead. If all else fails, I can learn to cook.
Zuo Ci carried the nearly ready noodles downstairs before turning to look at his rather inconsiderate visitor.
The man was extremely short. Though he wasn't quite a dwarf, he looked no taller than a meter and a half.
Not only that, his face was exceptionally ugly. With his pale skin, pointed nose, and bloodshot eyes, he could have gone out on Halloween without any makeup and fit right in.
His clothing, however, was completely at odds with his appearance.
One glance at his dark blue-black suit was enough to tell that it had cost a considerable sum.
At the very least, none of the rich people Zuo Ci had seen while rescuing people at the Red Dragon Restaurant had been better dressed than him.
As for the old-fashioned top hat on his head and the monocle on his face, framed in actual gold, they did more than highlight his wealth. They also gave him something of an old aristocratic air.
It wasn't just his clothes. Even the things he carried looked far from ordinary.
Thanks to the system's enhancements, Zuo Ci could tell at a glance that both the black umbrella and the specially made safe he held in either hand were quite heavy. The safe in particular definitely had plenty inside it.
In theory, that outfit would have made anyone look exceedingly distinguished. Unfortunately, paired with his misshapen body, it made him look exactly like a penguin in human form.
Zuo Ci sized him up so quickly that he had already looked him over several times before the man finally made a move.
"My apologies for this unannounced intrusion, esteemed Dad.
Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot, the current head of the Cobblepot Family.
Of course, I have another name you may be more familiar with: the Penguin."
Having finished speaking, Cobblepot slowly removed his hat and bowed. His movements were so exceptionally graceful that he actually looked less ridiculous.
Cobblepot? What's the Penguin doing here?
Although Zuo Ci found it strange, the man was already here and had been so polite. Besides, with the weather this cold, he couldn't very well send him away.
"Ah, Mr. Cobblepot. I've heard much about you. What can I do for you today?"
Zuo Ci had always considered himself a fairly gentle, kind person. Since Cobblepot had treated him with respect, it was only natural that he return that respect.
So, for once, he spoke formally.
Meanwhile, when the Penguin saw Zuo Ci's attitude, his smile remained unchanged, but inwardly he breathed a sigh of relief.
As someone working under Falcone and Maroni, he spent far more time operating on the front lines than those two "highly respected" godfathers, who always remained aloof and above it all.
As a result, he might well have been the person among all of Gotham's gangsters who knew those inhuman monsters best.
Whether it was the Riddler, Poison Ivy, Deathstroke, or Hush, he knew them all well. He was even familiar with Solomon Grundy in the sewers and the Joker.
And, of course, Batman.
That was precisely why he understood that, although most of these strange characters weren't quite right in the head-and each was unhinged in a different way-they all shared one striking personality trait.
They all had their own pride.
So, to communicate with them properly, the first step was to adopt a humble attitude and satisfy that little bit of pride and vanity. Of course, he couldn't lower himself too far, either. If he did, they would look down on him and kick him aside like a stray by the roadside.
As it happened, having grown up facing discrimination, Cobblepot was very good at both humbling himself and preserving his pride.
And now, it seemed that his technique worked on Zuo Ci as well.
"Mr. Cobblepot? What are you doing standing in the doorway?"
Watching Cobblepot stand motionless at the entrance with a strange smile on his face, Zuo Ci couldn't figure out what he was doing. Was this some kind of performance art?
"Oh, ahem. My sincerest apologies. I was thinking about something and lost focus."
Realizing he might have become a little too absorbed in his thoughts, Cobblepot hurriedly feigned a few coughs and forced the oddly awkward atmosphere back on track.
"So, Mr. Cobblepot, what exactly brings you here today?"
Resting his cheek on his hand, Zuo Ci looked at Cobblepot curiously. To be honest, since he wasn't much of an American comics fan, he didn't know much about the Penguin. All he knew was that the man was a very wealthy mob boss.
So what did he come here for? Surely he wasn't here to bring me a gift.
"Well, not long ago, several of my men were dining at the Red Dragon Restaurant when they had the misfortune of being attacked by the Joker.
You subsequently risked your own safety to save them, and they have been praising your greatness and selflessness ever since.
As their leader, I naturally could not remain indifferent to their benefactor. That is why I have come specifically to express my gratitude.
This is a token of thanks I prepared. I hope you will accept it."
Once he finished speaking, the Penguin extended the case with both hands in a particularly graceful gesture.
Of course, his purpose had nothing to do with any supposed gratitude. His real aim was to win Zuo Ci over and secure his help.
If the rumors were true, this opportunity might just allow him to rise straight to the top.
Naturally, since he wasn't familiar with Zuo Ci's personality, it wouldn't be appropriate to state his intentions outright. So he had gone to great lengths to come up with this excuse.
And in fact, he hadn't lied. Some of his men really had been eating at the Red Dragon Restaurant that day.
"I see. You really didn't have to go to all this trouble."
Zuo Ci knew perfectly well that Cobblepot hadn't come for that reason, but he still exchanged a few polite words before accepting the safe with both hands.
Hmm!
Before you continue