69novels Chapter 20 Look Forward, Look Towards Money
Chapter 20 Look Forward, Look Towards Money
Yesterday afternoon, Arkham Asylum.
After the explosion, the entire mental hospital descended into chaos. Gangs attempted to search for their supposed enemies, the mental patients locked in their rooms went berserk, and the normal people who had been brought there took the opportunity to break down doors and escape.
The caregivers were unable to stop the sudden riot; in the chaos, no one cared about the guns in their hands.
The sound of gunfire only fueled the unease and agitation in the crowd.
The situation escalated, and rumors of an attack by the Maroni family spread through the crowd. The gangsters, dressed in almost identical clothes, couldn't distinguish friend from foe, nor could they ascertain the caregivers' stance. They had no choice but to converge in the direction of Falcone to ensure the safety of their leader.
The explosion occurred on the lawn between the two buildings. Falcone and his son had just stepped out when the bomb exploded behind them.
Mario, Falcone's devoted second son, immediately threw himself on Falcone and lay down to protect his father with his own body the instant the explosion occurred.
The heat scorched his back, but he was lucky not to be hit by flying shrapnel, and he was only covered in dust after the explosion.
"Father, are you alright?"
Falcone pushed him away. More than being shocked, the Godfather, who had controlled Gotham for many years, reacted with suspicion and anger.
Who was it? Who had the audacity to ambush him, and the ability to find out his whereabouts, bypass layers of protection, and strike him at just the right moment?
"I'm fine."
Falcone patted Mario on the shoulder; in that short time, a large number of gangsters had gathered around him.
Chaos reigned in the mental hospital, with sounds of smashing, looting, and screaming filling the air.
Someone stole a car and fled. The gangsters tried to stop them with gunfire, but there were too many people, and they were heading in different directions, making it difficult to stop them.
Falcone beckoned, and some sensible people came over to report.
He sneered at the rumors of the Maroni family's attack, "If they really were behind it, would you have found out so quickly?"
"Use your brains, you idiots!"
These were mostly people who worked for Mario, and because of this relationship, Falcone was even more disgusted by their stupidity.
Mario is his son, destined to inherit the family business. How can he control the gang with such an idiot by his side?
"Quiet everyone down and get to the source of this information." He issued orders methodically and calmly. "Send several teams to search for bombs, and send those lunatics back to their rooms. Don't be stingy with your bullets."
"As for you, Mario."
Falcone looked at his loyal son and let out a long sigh. "Go and fetch Klein for me. I want to see him."
"yes!"
When Mario found Klein, the latter was throwing a tantrum in the dean's office.
"What are you idiots good for?!"
He was so angry that his gold-rimmed glasses were tilted to one side.
The entire dean's office was ransacked, and a door was missing from the corridor floor, with obvious dents and dents in the middle from being kicked.
Mario walked in and found that the room had obviously been ransacked by many people. There were many scraps of paper scattered everywhere, and messy footprints were left behind. Some drawers had been pulled out and thrown on the ground, and cabinet doors were wide open, hanging halfway down.
"Who gave you permission to enter the dean's office!"
Most of the equipment on the table was overturned. Klein grabbed a test tube rack and smashed it over the head of the caregiver, yelling, "You idiots, you useless piece of trash!"
The caregiver's head was bleeding from the blow, but that wasn't enough for him. He grabbed the heavier microscope and tried to lift it up to smash it down on the caregiver.
Mario stopped him, "Control yourself! Father wants to see you!"
Klein had just lifted the microscope when he realized it was heavier than he'd expected, and when Mario said that, he put it down.
"Falcone? Perfect, I'd like to hear what he has to say!"
Klein was indignant. He heard the news from the caregivers and assumed that it was all caused by the Maroni family's attack. He knew without a doubt that they were after Falcone.
Even though Falcone denied the possibility of the Maroni family taking action, he firmly believed that they were targeting Falcone.
Whoever benefits the most from something is most likely to take action.
The Romans have been the uncrowned kings of Gotham for so many years, and many people want to bring them down. Even if it's not Maroney, it could be any other gang.
Falcone neither confirmed nor denied this point.
"I need your cooperation in investigating this matter."
Falcone always knew exactly what he wanted, and the men he had sent out to investigate the rumors returned with a report.
"The rumors originated from a caregiver. We found a doctor and two caregivers in a coma in the psychiatric ward, one of whom had been stripped naked."
The gangsters bowed their heads respectfully. "He said an Asian man attacked them; he was a patient who had just been admitted to the hospital in the last couple of days."
"How do you explain the bomb?" Klein asked with a grim face, but when Asians were mentioned, he did think of someone.
"The detective you introduced... he brought an Asian man in a few days ago."
Because the other party had specifically brought a new partner to introduce, Klein had some recollection of him. He told Falcone everything he knew.
"We must find them."
He gritted his teeth, the formula for the toxic gas filling his mind with fear. Although this wouldn't affect his research, he didn't want anything to bother him.
Klein was able to continue his research so smoothly thanks to his position as the director of Arkham Asylum. Without that position, he would have to find experimental equipment and facilities again, and funding and test subjects would also be a problem, not to mention the many troubles that would be added.
"Of course."
Having obtained the information he wanted, Falcone instructed his subordinate as he left, "Call my detective friend for me; I need to confirm the sincerity of our friendship."
Marshall couldn't help but tremble at the thought of the phone call from the Romans.
Falcone has always maintained the old ways of the Italian mafia, and even when questioning, he is never in a hurry.
But it is precisely this behavior that makes it impossible to discern his emotions. Foolish people would think this is leniency, but who knows when he might lose his head.
Marshall considered himself a smart man, and he became increasingly aware that a Damocles' sword was hanging over his head, ready to fall at any moment.
Even when answering the phone in a secluded place, he still bowed and scraped.
"...Yes, yes, don't worry, I will definitely find out the truth and give you an explanation."
"Of course, my friendship with you must not be tainted by anyone."
He finally got to live a good life, how could he possibly want to go back to being that poor police officer who had nothing but a heart full of passion?
The longer he struggled in this city, the more convinced he became of one principle: no matter what, one must always look forward and look towards money.