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Chapter 27: Gang Conspiracy

Maroni's Gang family also resided in Gotham's East District, where the gang activity was much more rampant compared to the West District where Gotham University was located.

In simple terms, because it was the most economically underdeveloped area of Gotham, the slums of the West District seemed like a haven of simplicity in comparison.

The internal strife within the gangs in the East District was severe. As mentioned earlier, even a small gang like the Waterway Gang, consisting of just a hundred or so members, aimed to control a nightclub, an almost impossible feat.

The Maroni Gang family owned a restaurant, two bars, a dance hall, and a strip club, making them one of the largest gangs in the area.

The feud between the Maroni family and the Red Raven Gang had deep roots. Their territories bordered each other, and frequent shootouts occurred at a bar in that shared territory. Both sides sought to control this vital crossroads, but neither had succeeded.

That particular bar had become a lawless zone in the entire East District and the fastest source of information.

For Sal to establish himself in Gotham, especially in the dangerous and chaotic East District, he had to possess considerable skills.

The Red Raven Gang's theft of production lines did not escape his notice. In the underground of a bar controlled by the Maroni family, Sal lit a cigar and told his subordinates, "I've learned from our old friend, Police Station Chief Victor, that the red-headed kid from across the street seems to be planning some mischief."

His subordinate replied, "Yes, it seems they've stolen a lot of large machinery from the south or southwest. I heard from a guy who lost in gambling that their boss seems to be interested in producing a certain chemical said to have mind-controlling effects."

Sal squinted his eyes and said, "A few days ago, I had dinner with Victor, and he mentioned a case involving a chemical professor, possibly from Gotham University, who's quite skilled. Could this be related?"

His subordinate said, "I have two informants close to that red-headed guy's mistress. He's been having a hot affair with her lately, and I might be able to extract some information from her."

Sal flicked his lighter in thought and said, "If they have an extra piece of meat, we'll have to settle for less. But now it seems they not only want a share but also want to swallow us whole. Let's see who's more capable."

Maroni's speculation was spot on, and he effortlessly obtained the entire action plan of the Red Raven Gang. Although the Red Raven Gang's leader was clever, he was relatively young, and Maroni had him figured out.

Meanwhile, Schiller played a crucial role in acquiring the formula for the fear gas from the Red Raven Gang. He discreetly had Maroni's informants find it.

The fact that Sal had connections with Police Station Chief Victor indicated his experience and extensive network compared to the Red Raven Gang's leader. Soon, he found a reliable chemist who could analyze the formula, concluding that it was a large-scale biochemical weapon with potent effects.

After this revelation, Maroni couldn't allow the Red Raven Gang's operation to succeed. If they got their hands on this important weapon, the Maroni family would be in jeopardy.

The first step was to ensure that the Red Raven Gang couldn't secure Jonathan's release through their informant within the police station.

On another dark evening, Gordon left work as usual. His immediate superior, Lantolos, had taken a dislike to him and didn't assign him any meaningful tasks. Gordon was almost becoming a secretary at the police station, with even his patrol duties given to others.

Thus, he left work early, and as he walked out, he saw his superior turning a corner. Moments later, a speeding car collided with him, sending Lantolos flying over ten meters from the police station entrance.

Gordon rushed back into the police station to call for help, but before the ambulance arrived, Lantolos had already stopped breathing.

Lantolos had been a cautious old cop, but lately, the Red Raven Gang had offered him too many incentives to release Jonathan, fueling his insatiable greed. He had even considered marrying the sister of the Red Raven Gang's leader, becoming overly eager and oblivious to the fact that their rivals were now targeting him.

It all happened so quickly, and Gordon found himself in his superior's position without even realizing it.

Of course, Maroni had orchestrated this masterfully. To hinder his opponents, he chose someone they disliked the most, and the conflict between Gordon and Lantolos had been evident to nearly all the police officers in the entire station. Maroni naturally selected Gordon.

However, obstructing his adversaries was just the first step for Maroni. He also intended to produce this crucial weapon.

He took a bolder approach than the Red Raven Gang, bribing Wayne Chemical Factory's managers and using a production line for nitric acid preparations to secretly manufacture the gas. He even considered leaving the production line in place and covertly producing the gas at Wayne Chemical Factory.

But there was still an issue. Producing fear gas on a large scale required large-scale separation equipment and other high-end devices. While Maroni had more money than the Red Raven Gang, he was unsure about making such a massive investment.

So, he turned to the chemist and had him manually replicate a small amount of fear gas. The person Maroni hired was much more skilled than anyone the Red Raven Gang had, and although he couldn't fully reproduce the fear gas, he could achieve up to 80% accuracy, even though it couldn't be concentrated. Nevertheless, the results were highly effective.

Maroni, upon seeing the effectiveness of this new venture, entertained the idea of investing heavily in it. After all, with a mere spray bottle, one could drive their opponents insane. Who in the entire East District would remain his rival once he secured it? Seizing control of the East District would render the tens of millions of dollars in revenue a trivial matter.

As a result, Maroni urgently procured the necessary equipment from other states, spending millions of dollars and calling in numerous favors. He also hired a team of chemists at high salaries to work for him.

Such a large-scale production operation couldn't be conducted at Wayne Chemical Factory. Since Maroni didn't own any chemical plants, he launched a shootout, resulting in the deaths of over thirty skilled individuals, to take control of a small chemical factory within the Red Crow Gang's territory.

Meanwhile, Bruce finally realized that his chemical factory had been stolen. He put two and two together, realizing that the gang had started manufacturing this poison gas.

Simultaneously, Gordon received an anonymous tip claiming that a vehicle with license plate number 676 was frequently circling near Wayne Chemical Factory.

Gordon and Bruce quickly joined forces once again as Batman and the detective, tracking down the vehicle and capturing members of the Red Crow Gang.

In one night, Batman dismantled the Red Crow Gang, even though they were more formidable than the Sewer Rats Gang with hundreds of members. However, they lacked formidable criminals and were merely ordinary gang members. With Batman leading the charge and Gordon making arrests, more than two hundred individuals were apprehended in a single night.

The leader of the Red Crow Gang was on the brink of despair. Although they had stolen the production line from Wayne Chemical Factory, they hadn't produced any fear gas. Both the production line and the chemical factory were taken by Maroni's gang.

Frustrated, the leader of the Red Crow Gang pointed fingers at Sal Maroni during the arrest, leading Batman to shift his focus toward Maroni.

However, Maroni was far more cunning and cautious than the leader of the Red Crow Gang. The entire chemical factory was heavily guarded, and all members were on edge. Batman couldn't find a suitable opportunity at the moment.

Maroni realized he was being watched and sought help from his protective umbrella, Police Station Chief Victor.

Victor first internally dismissed the case of the Wayne Chemical Factory theft, intending to sweep it under the rug. Then, under Maroni's instructions, he continued to interfere with Jonathan's trial, attempting to clear him of charges so he could work at Maroni's chemical factory.

Schiller added fuel to this already tense situation of multiple standoffs. He guided Police Station Chief Victor to obtain a concentrated fear gas solution that Jonathan had developed. Once Maroni had this concentrated solution, he understood Jonathan's importance even better, pressuring Victor relentlessly to expedite Jonathan's release.

Before Victor could make a move, someone approached him. As Batman had anticipated, it was the President of Gotham University.

Although Victor was the Police Station Chief, his ties to Gotham's political scene were not strong. On the contrary, the President of Gotham University had connections with numerous jury members and state legislators.

Previously, he had been bought by the Red Crow Gang, a fact known to all. Now that the Red Crow Gang had fallen, the President of Gotham University needed a new protector.

Without the shelter of a major gang in Gotham, one could hardly move a step.

Naturally, the President of Gotham University didn't mind switching allegiance to Maroni's gang. Upon learning that they were also interested in the fear gas, he confided in Victor:

"That girl isn't very cautious; she's been boasting everywhere that she will become Bruce Wayne's date. I took advantage of her visit to my office and kidnapped her. If we can exert influence on Wayne Family's heir, with his power, helping Jonathan escape conviction will be a breeze."

"Just with a woman?" Victor asked. "But young Wayne isn't naive. Though he indulges in the nightlife, having him willingly work for us just as a date? How can we make that happen?"

"We don't necessarily need his willing cooperation," the President said.

"You want to kidnap young Wayne? No, the risk is too great..." Victor protested. "We might not be able to control him."

The Wayne Family held a significant portion of Gotham's economy, and attempting anything against Bruce carried the potential for terrifying consequences if it failed.

The President said, "In fact, I've already devised a plan. We can kidnap young Wayne but don't necessarily have to control him. We can also find a replacement..."