"You're going to run for mayor?" Harley asked curiously.
Watching the TV news two days ago, she thought Penguin was joking.
But today, he officially signed up.
"I..." On the other end of the phone, Cobot's voice was tired and he hesitated to speak.
“There is no way forward on the road, I want to widen the track.”
In the end, he still didn’t tell the truth.
He wasn't sure how she would react.
However, he is very clear about his relationship with her.
No matter how many flowers you send that represent "everlasting friendship", they will never truly regard each other as a friend.
Cobot once regarded her as a friend and even a savior.
But in the United Hospital incident, he listened to the court's arrangements and essentially murdered her.
Since then, he has completely given up the illusion of being her friend.
Because, if it were him, he would never consider someone who repays kindness with enmity as a friend.
Since he is not a friend, the most he can hope for is that she will sympathize with him.
But does he need sympathy from others?
It is almost impossible for her to help her with all her strength.
Can't get much help, and if she learns Galavan's true identity, she will most likely take action against him... Without Mom's problem, he is willing to work with her to kill Galavan.
It's a pity that she will not care about his mother as much as he does.
No one cares about his mother except himself!
If she attacks Galavan, Galavan will definitely become furious and then attack his mother.
This complex but reasonable thought, just for a short moment, turned around in Cobot's belly several times.
Then he lied.
At least for the next few days, he will cooperate with Galavan honestly and buy time to search for his mother's location.
Once he rescues his mother, he will make that bastard regret being born in this world!
…
Harley doesn’t know about Cobblet’s complex thoughts.
Hearing his hesitant words about expanding his business, she reluctantly believed him.
Because in her heart, Cobot has always been ambitious but smart.
Be smart so that he will not challenge her rashly on the street.
Ambition makes him unwilling to accept the status quo.
So, having no way to go and wanting to walk very much, he had no choice but to set foot on the white road, which was very reasonable...until a few days later, he killed his first competitor.
“No, the matter is so big, and almost everyone in the world knows that he killed the person, how can he be the mayor?”
Harry opened several pages of newspapers in succession, all of which either implicitly hinted or pointed out directly that Penguin was using illegal means to cut out his opponents.
The comments on this matter on the Internet are even more naked and naked, directly lamenting that "Gotham is over, the black state is too unscrupulous."
A few days later, when only Cobot and another female environmentalist were left among the six candidates, Lowry's call came.
“What is Cobot doing and why is it breaking the previous ‘stable pattern’?” she asked.
“This doesn’t suit his style, it’s too stupid.” Harry said.
Lowry said: “Times have changed, and the news media is now too developed.
Especially the bad thing about you and the Crusaders, which occupied headlines around the world for several months. People around the world have become accustomed to it, and news media from various countries have subconsciously paid special attention to Gotham.
Focus on the dark side of Gotham.
To put it bluntly, it’s just a joke for us in the United States.
Use our pain to decorate their happiness.
Just yesterday, the Russian news agency actually compared Gotham’s election with Mexico.
Farke!
If you look at the comments from foreign netizens, they are all like "Fortunately I was born in Great Russia", "I have no regrets about entering Russia in this life", "The United States is so rich and scary"...
How much damage will this do to the image of the United States?!
Furthermore, without wealthy foreigners entering the United States with huge assets, and without top college students from top foreign universities serving the United States with the wisdom cultivated in their motherland, how can we still be great?”
“It’s so serious...”
Harley is a little bit ready to make a move, should she work harder and indirectly contribute to the great dynasty of this universe?
Scare away the rich and elite scientific intellectuals?
Lowry said solemnly: "It's very serious! The White House and the Pentagon were alarmed. They even began to consider whether they should follow the example of the countries in the east and send out federal troops to carry out a major campaign against gangs and evil in Gotham."
Harley frowned. As long as the Court of Owls is still there, they will try to use their connections to prevent the federal army from entering Gotham.
Because the army will break the old order.
That is, their most comfortable ruling environment.
But once she destroys the court and loses the influence of Gotham's ruling class in Washington...
Harley recalled Nolan's "Dark Knight Trilogy". In the last part, Bane single-handedly made Gotham a completely lawless place - the U.S. government gave up its rule over Gotham and
Management, sent troops to block the city's main entrances and exits.
In fact, what she didn’t know was that in the American TV series “Gotham”, in the “Batman” comics, and even in the animation, Gotham had been abandoned by the White House – there were too many criminals, military suppression failed, and the city could only be closed down and secluded.
Even if she doesn’t know the plot of the comics, Harley can deduce and simulate it in her mind... When the evil in Gotham expands to a certain level, the U.S. government will definitely take action against it.
The reason is very simple.
Gotham is an important city in the United States.
Gotham's legal and governance system is the same as that of other places in the United States.
If Gotham's laws and systems completely collapse, it will surely serve as an example for evil forces in other cities.
The power of role models is powerful. By then, the overall situation of the United States will be corrupted, and the American dream will become the biggest joke in the world.
Therefore, in order to prevent cancer cells from spreading throughout the body, once Gotham gets out of control, Washington must remove "Gotham" like a tumor no matter what.
“Sister Laurie called me, did you want me to get rid of Copot, or something else?” Hallie asked.
“Is Cobblet the mastermind?” Lowry asked.
“Eighty percent not.”
"If the Black Hand gets what he wants and becomes mayor, will he keep his peace and restore peace to Gotham?" Laurie asked again.
Harley smiled and understood the bottom line of the American government: as long as they maintain the appearance of glory and continue to weave the false American dream, they don't care who sits on the mayor's throne.
“No, the unrest will continue,” she said.
“Why?” asked Laurie.
“My best fighting arena in the world has a set of boxer strength evaluation levels, did you know?” Harley said with a smile.
“What’s the point?”
“Hmm, have you seen China’s Dream of Red Mansions?” Harley asked again.
"Hey, don't beat around the bush, I'm very busy, and you will be very busy too." Laurie said impatiently.
“There are eight levels of boxer evaluation. The lowest level is the GCPD patrol card. Street patrol officers have the power to collect protection fees from shops in the neighborhood.
Level 2, senior agent card, they are eligible to submit certificates and receive multiple salaries.
Level 3, Sheriff Card, you can sit in the office and collect dirty money comfortably.
Level 4, police card.
Level 5, police chief card.
The hierarchy also includes prosecutors and judges.
The sixth level, mayor card, also includes councilors and government officials at the same level.
Level 7, Harika.
The eighth level, Wayne Card, is not limited to Wayne, but also includes wealthy families in politics and business."
“There are protective charms in “A Dream of Red Mansions”, and the above-level cards are actually a set of life-saving charms for life in Gotham.” Harley said with a smile.
Lowry thoughtfully said, "So, even if you become the mayor, you cannot rule Gotham. The black hands may continue to climb up and destroy the original order until..."
“As the boss of Level 7 Harika, what are your countermeasures?”
Her voice became serious.
Hallie said honestly: “The current situation is actually good for me.
Chaos comes from above and is not a direct threat to my rule.
In other words, the harm it does to Gotham's top leadership far outweighs the threat to me.
Other times, the top level of the power pyramid is impregnable, unreachable, and unbreakable.
Now, the top is threatened and in chaos.
Chaos is like a ladder, some people go down and some people come up.
As a second-level ‘seven-level boss’, I also have the opportunity to imagine the position of an eighth-level king.
It’s not that I’m ambitious or uneasy with the status quo, it’s just that when the opportunity comes, it would be foolish not to seize it.”
Laurie said nothing for a long time.
She was shocked.
I opened my mouth several times, but still no words of advice came out.
Who can be the younger brother when he can be the boss?
At least Harley was willing to be honest with her and didn't hide anything.
“What are you going to do?” Laurie said quietly.
“Before you made this call, I planned to continue to sit on the Diaoyutai. Now...”
Harley looked hesitant, "Do you think I should pick the melon of the mastermind first and run for mayor?
Or, wait for him to jump out, and then start a fire and kill him physically as you did in the past?
In short, you are calling me to ask me to fulfill my dual responsibilities as Gotham's godfather and FBI agent and maintain Gotham's stability, right?
It can be done both ways.
The former represents a new era; the latter represents a return to the old order of the past.”
Laurie was shocked for a while, and said in a complicated tone: "I have to discuss it with the White House."
“OK, I’ll wait for your order.” Harley smiled.
"Order..." Laurie smiled bitterly, "I'm afraid the president can't even order you now."
"How could it be? I have never forgotten my original intention and kept in mind my identity as a federal police officer. Long live America!" Harley shouted.
Laurie hung up the phone directly.
Harry leaned on the boss's chair and tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest.
After a long time, she asked Old Gibbs, "Go and find out if Mother Cobot is still here."
“Did she die, or what?” The old man didn’t quite understand what she meant.
“I suspect that someone kidnapped his mother and threatened her to be cannon fodder.” Harley said.
“Is there someone behind the mayoral campaign?” The old man became more and more puzzled. “Is it worth it to be the mayor of a district?”
It is indeed a bit unbelievable to offend the seventh-level godfather Cobot to death for the position of sixth-level mayor.
“If you are asked to go, just go. What a lot of nonsense!” Harley glared at him sharply.
The old man shrunk his neck and ran away dejectedly.
Only an hour passed before he ran back and looked at Harley with awe, "BOSS, you are so amazing. Penguin's mother has been out of contact for more than a week.
But he kept it secret and secretly sent his confidants to search everywhere.”
Harry sneered: "Let's see which smart person catches the penguin's little tail."
Three days later, the last candidate, the "powerful" female African-American vegetarian environmentalist, was rushed into the office by Cobot and killed.
That night, Theo Galavan faced an interview with a news reporter. He spoke impassionedly, denounced the arrogance of the black state, and called on the people of Gotham to unite to defend law and democracy.
During the period, several reporters heard their blood boil and shouted loudly, "Theo comes out and saves the people of Gotham."
Galvin looked struggling and said he needed to think carefully.
“It turns out it’s you bastard again!” Harley sneered.