In Minus Forty-Four Degrees, inside the hidden lounge that once belonged to Falcone, Oswald paced back and forth in front of the television. His umbrella tapped endlessly against the floor, while gunfire and police sirens blared from the screen.
On the TV, Axel leapt from the speeding Aston Martin, landing effortlessly on a police car in a single bound. Oswald inhaled sharply.
"Boss Oswald!"
The door behind him swung open, and a bloodied doctor rushed in. "We tried our best, but Liv's injuries are beyond saving. The previous hemorrhage nearly filled her lungs—"
"Shut up!" Oswald cut him off, staring at the doctor's bloodied hands. Then, unexpectedly, a laugh escaped him.
"Heh heh…"
Oswald stepped forward, grabbed the doctor's chin, and forced him to watch the screen. Axel had torn open the police car door, yanked the officer from the seat, and flung him across the street. Bracing himself on the car with one hand, Axel stomped the ground with enough force to send shockwaves.
Boom!
The out-of-control police car skidded violently, while Axel soared dozens of meters, performing a graceful mid-air spin before landing back in the Aston Martin's passenger seat. Meanwhile, Zas gripped the steering wheel with one hand and fired an AR-15 with the other, downing a helicopter pilot hovering above.
Boom!
The helicopter crashed onto the South Cross intersection of Burnley District, the explosion soaking in the heavy rain.
Oswald patted the doctor lightly on the cheek. "That woman you're treating may not be virtuous, but she's been absolutely annihilated by that madman on the screen. Even if she dies, it has to be in front of him. Otherwise… well, pray he doesn't care for her ass more than ours. Keep trying, Doctor!"
The doctor, wide-eyed, bolted from the lounge, yelling, "Hurry, save her! No, hurry and save her, at least hold on a little longer!"
Oswald exhaled, his tension easing, and resumed pacing. After what felt like enough time, he reluctantly left the lounge, stepping into the rainy night. Outside, his subordinates surrounded Bartel, who barely contained his excitement.
"Boss Oswald, is Tang really our new big boss?"
"I saw the news—Zas driving for Tang!"
"Falcone ran away!"
"Gotham's changed, Boss. What do we do?"
"Fish and Maroni were attacked, Blackgate's in chaos—who should we help, Boss?"
Oswald raised a calming hand. Bartel stiffened, lowering his head to meet the height of Oswald's palm. Oswald patted his neck lightly, a sly smile on his lips.
"Bartel, you've brought a miracle to the family. If nothing goes wrong, your 'cousin' will probably be our next boss."
His words hid reluctance and regret, ambition glinting behind his eyes. "Fish and Maroni? What do they matter? Right now, our new boss is being chased by cops. Do you idiots really intend to watch like spectators? Idiots will always be idiots. I, a smart man, must teach you—get all the big guys hidden at the docks. Show our new boss we're worth it!"
He fired a shot into the ceiling. Bang!
Screams erupted as hundreds, then thousands, of thugs surged across the dance floor. Guests froze, momentarily stunned, before seventy percent howled and joined the charge. The crowd spilled into the streets of Miller's Harbor, a port city brimming with massive shipping containers. Over thirty percent of America's shipping passed through Gotham, making the harbor a sprawling maze of steel and potential destruction.
Thugs tore open containers with shotguns, unleashing eight tanks, over twenty armored vehicles, and dozens of helicopters into the rainy night. Pickup trucks bristled with Gatling guns; RPGs were handed out like candy. No further orders were needed—the chaos ran itself. Tanks smashed through containers, armored vehicles and pickups led the charge toward Burnley District, helicopters clashing with police in a furious aerial battle.
Inside the Aston Martin, Zas slapped Axel's thigh, eyes wide. "Tang, the family's getting serious! That bastard Oswald may act like a businessman, but he's a genius at hoarding. I bet this isn't all—he could probably get his hands on nuclear weapons if he wanted!"
Just then, the first tank rounded a corner into Axel's line of sight. Cannon fire and machine guns erupted, obliterating obstacles in their path. Zas executed a stylish drift, stopping the car next to the lead tank as bullets screamed past them.
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