"Shit, it's getting late. I'm heading back to the asylum."
Alan raised his hand to look at the nonexistent watch on his wrist, then immediately jumped off the rooftop with his bicycle on his shoulders.
The members of the Bat Family fell into a stunned silence as they watched his figure echo among the tall buildings.
"Father, who is he?" Damian asked. The emergence of such a powerful person in Gotham was a destabilizing factor. They had to be prepared. If he ever fell into darkness, it would be a disaster for them all.
"His story is… a bit incredible," Bruce said, looking up at the full moon as he recalled the harrowing experience of Silent Hill.
"I'm back!"
Alan rode up to Arkham Asylum and shouted from the iron gate up to the watchtower. Not long after, the gate opened, and a team of guards came out, surrounding Dean Sharp.
"Alan, did you have fun? Don't sneak out next time," the Dean said calmly.
"Watch your words. I'm fighting crime." Alan did not forget to hand Dean Sharp a leftover sandwich. "This is for you. A midnight snack. I'm going to wash up and go to bed."
As soon as he entered the asylum, Alan walked to his single room with the ease of someone coming home, grabbed a clean hospital gown, and went to the shower room.
"Dean, shouldn't you put him in a closed room?" his deputy asked.
Dean Sharp glared at him. "Don't use your imagination. There's a secret hidden in Alan."
"He's just a psychopath," the deputy said reluctantly.
"Let him be," the Dean sighed. He had received the latest orders from Fury and Amanda. He could only observe Alan. If he made his own decisions, he might find himself in a very bad situation. Given the recent behavior of S.H.I.E.L.D. and A.R.G.U.S., it was best not to draw attention.
"Lock up the bike first," Dean Sharp said, already worried about Alan stealing his bicycle again. "Use the thickest chain."
In the morning, the first ray of sunlight shone through the window, ushering in a new day.
"MY BIKE!"
Dean Sharp's angry roar echoed throughout Arkham Asylum. He had planned to go home, take a shower, and change his clothes, but when he went to where he had parked his bike, he found that the thick lock only secured one tire. The rest of the bike was gone. He immediately checked Alan's room and found no trace of him.
At that moment, on the road to Gotham City, Alan was riding a unicycle. "Who said you need two wheels to ride a bicycle?" he said leisurely. "One wheel can't stop me! Ghost Rider, attack!"
In a warehouse at the Gotham docks, the Penguin and the Riddler, best partners reunited after regaining their freedom, held a meeting with their former men. The Penguin, once the King of Gotham, still had a certain charisma and had easily won over a group of enterprising vagrants. Unfortunately, the Joker Gang had been in the limelight recently, sweeping through the underground and leaving everyone else unable to raise their heads. Edward had proposed they lay low for the time being.
Little did they know, their entire plan was being overheard by Nightwing, who was lurking on the rooftop. Gotham City seemed calm on the surface, but an undercurrent of turmoil was brewing. Bruce was too busy, so he had asked Nightwing and the others to come back and help.
"The Joker Gang has several strongholds. As long as we launch a surprise attack and steal their traded goods, we'll cut off their source of funds. At the same time, we can secretly contact their buyers and replace them," the Riddler explained, writing several locations on a blackboard. In the Penguin Gang, Edward served as the strategist, the second-in-command. Penguin nodded frequently as he listened, the admiration in his eyes undisguised.
Bang!
A human-shaped silhouette appeared in the warehouse doorway. Amidst the rising dust, the figure did a sick wheelie on a unicycle.
"Hands up! Men on the left, women on the right, and neither in the middle!" Alan positioned the unicycle on his crotch, put his hands on his hips, and added, "You have been surrounded by me alone."
Before entering the city, Alan had made a special trip to Wayne Manor. Unfortunately, Bruce was out. Alfred had told him to go to the docks to assist Nightwing. After wandering around, Alan couldn't find him, so he had simply decided to take action himself.
"Alan!" As soon as Edward saw him, his fighting spirit ignited. He was still upset about his failure in their last riddle competition. Today, he finally had a chance for revenge.
"Edward, you can recognize my new look as Whip Woman. You are indeed the enemy who knows me best." Alan walked leisurely in front of the criminals.
Everyone on the other side reached for their weapons. As long as Penguin gave the order, they would open fire and turn him into a sieve. Nightwing, hiding on the roof, prepared to detonate micro-bombs to support his ally. After all, last night, Bruce had admitted he was a member of the Bat Family.
"Alan, before I kill you, I want to have another showdown of wits," Edward said solemnly. In Gotham, the Riddler saw two people with higher IQs than him: Batman, who had imprisoned him, and Alan, who had won their riddle contest. If he killed his opponent by force, Edward would feel deeply ashamed.
"Edward, I accept," Alan said, touching his chin. "But I'll be the one to ask the question."
"No problem." Edward's expression was more solemn than ever before.
Alan looked at the blackboard and said, a flash of inspiration in his eyes, "You are planning to take advantage of the situation. My question is: how to become the King of Gotham?"
What did being a gangster have to do with becoming the King of Gotham? Not only were the criminals confused, but even Nightwing, hiding on the roof, was filled with questions.
Edward grinned. This was a question he had been reviewing in his mind countless times.
"Old rule: the loser speaks first," Edward said, seizing the opportunity.
"You go ahead. I'm listening." Alan was like a serious primary school student, waiting quietly for the Riddler's plan. Everyone in the room pricked up their ears.
Ahem… Edward cleared his throat. "In the current situation, the main opponent is the Joker Gang. We attack their warehouses to cut off their capital, obtain their buyer channels to fund the restoration of the Penguin Gang's power, and then control Gotham's underground world through crackdowns and bribery. We'll build a behemoth that the rich are afraid of, coerce them to support us, and then Cobblepot will run for mayor, hiring killers to eliminate our competitors."
Everyone nodded. It was a very criminal-like plan. After hearing it, Nightwing couldn't wait to appear and arrest them all.
"Garbage," Alan mocked disdainfully. "What a stupid plan. No wonder Batman can put you in jail time and time again."
"Your turn," Edward said, angry but still wanting to hear his opponent's plan and win justly.
"You little minnow," Alan said, erasing the writing on the blackboard and scrawling a single phrase. "This crime master will teach you what it means to be the worst of the worst."
"Foot baths?" one of the gangsters read aloud. We're gangsters. If we open a foot bath shop without selling drugs, our colleagues will laugh their heads off.
"That's right. Open a foot bath to raise funds," Alan said, throwing the chalk aside and standing with his hands behind his back. "Everything starts with money."
What the hell is this? Everyone thought.
"You can't make enough money with an ordinary foot bath," Alan explained. "But if the customer base is locked into the elite, with membership cards starting at ten thousand dollars, we can screen out the working class…"
"There's a loophole," a big man interjected. "The elite aren't interested in footbaths."
Alan turned slightly. "Of course, I've considered that. The key is the themed service. You can choose the technician's clothing and the scene of the service." He paused, a wicked grin spreading across his face. "Imagine you're in a police station. Batman kneels to bring you a fruit plate, Batgirl rubs your shoulders, and Batwoman rubs your feet. Is it worth it?"
Many of the criminals' eyes lit up. This… this has potential.
"Of course, the hero theme is just one of them. Many elites are unhappy at work. They can customize plot scenes. A female boss kneeling to provide services. Find someone to pretend to be a male boss and let customers vent by insulting them. A technician in a secretary uniform. Massages in light rail, subway, or car themes. If customers want it, we can provide it."
A trace of panic appeared on Edward's face as he desperately tried to find a flaw in the plan. The criminals listened with great interest, as if a door to a new world had been opened. The Penguin was seriously considering whether to give it a try. Nightwing couldn't help but think about calling Red Hood and changing into plain clothes to experience the service, but then he gave up. The ten-thousand-dollar membership fee was a bit steep.
"I've thought of it!" Edward pointed out excitedly. "How do you respond to reports, complaints, and crackdowns by law enforcement?"
Alan's sarcasm intensified. "Does the theme require actors? Gotham certainly has plenty. We recruit from the homeless areas. Cut their hair, wash their faces, put them in a suit, and teach them to say in an authentic British accent, 'Sir, it is an honour to serve you.' Who doesn't dream of being treated like a British noble?" This trick was quite destructive. What the elite wanted was status. They would naturally be willing to pay for it.
"An actor earns twenty-five dollars an hour. It's a high-paying job. When the business becomes big, it will not only generate tax revenue but also solve the problem of homeless people in Gotham. If you dare to close our store, the next day, hundreds of homeless people will demonstrate in front of City Hall. We'll arrange for reporters to cover it, control public opinion, and see who dares to destroy our legitimate business."
"Under the momentum of public opinion, we announce that twenty percent of our revenue will be invested in charity, establishing a positive image. We'll open branches like crazy. When it reaches a certain scale, we register a company, list it on the stock market, and cut off a wave of leeks."
"Phase one is complete. I have more than a billion dollars on hand to invest in the Gotham Police Department. Armored vehicles, helicopters, and body armor, all arranged to the standards of the Marine Corps. The main goal is to clean up crime and give Gotham a clear sky."
"We'll establish the Gotham Fund to provide free medical assistance to citizens, winning over the people and laying the foundation for entering the political arena."
"We'll casually frame Batman for bloody law enforcement and turn ourselves into the victims. We'll run for mayor as victims, and the people will definitely support us with both hands."
Alan opened his fingers and slowly clenched them into a fist, a wicked smile on his face. "Many arrangements support the final step: becoming the King of Gotham."
Edward slumped in his chair, sweat dripping from his forehead. It was an impeccable plan. He couldn't find a single flaw. If it could be executed smoothly, without firing a single shot, it would lead to the unification of Gotham City.
The criminals looked from Alan to Penguin, wondering if they should change bosses.
Nightwing, eavesdropping, felt his heart pound. Brother, whose side are you on?
Clap, clap, clap… At this time, Penguin began to applaud, obviously appreciating the plan. But now, it had become their plan.
"Edward, your pet is very special. It can even clap," Alan said, looking at Penguin curiously.
"I'm not a pet! I'm Cobblepot, the former King of Gotham!" Penguin winked viciously at his men, but everyone turned a blind eye. It seemed they had a better future seeking refuge with someone else.
Bang!
Suddenly, a hole exploded in the roof. Nightwing dropped down, landing beside Alan. "Batman! Something big has happened!" he said anxiously.
Alan leaned back in surprise. "Brother, who are you?"
"I'm Nightwing. We met last night," he reminded him helplessly.
"Oh…" Alan said blankly. "I can't remember."
You can't remember? What the hell…
"It's not important. Batman is missing. There's been no contact since midnight last night. I need your help to find him," Nightwing said solemnly. Bruce's equipment had tracking and contact devices. To lose contact for so long was a serious matter.
"Batman's in trouble? Why didn't you say so earlier?" Alan got on his unicycle. "Go back to the base for a meeting first."
Bang!
With that, Alan rode his unicycle straight through the warehouse gate, leaving a human-shaped hole. Meanwhile, Nightwing escaped through the roof with his grapple gun. Everyone in the warehouse had lingering fears. Their lair had been targeted for a long time, and they had just been engaged in some very blind negotiations.
Bang!
Before they could calm down, Alan rode back. Now, three human-shaped holes were knocked out of the gate.
"Forgot to say something." Alan rode up next to Edward, patted his shoulder, and said, "Gotham is in your hands. You will become the uncrowned king. In the future, I'll teach you how to run for president."
Bang!
The unbearable door was resolutely shattered by Alan's impact one last time.
***********
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