Chapter 132: Fight, Fight

This was the first time the exhausted Roman began to consider the possibility of peace between the two sides.

He discovered that after the great magical battle with the Maroni family, the losses on both sides were simply too great, absurdly so.

This was no longer the petty squabbles of the past where you raided my warehouse and I smashed your casino; the cost of magical combat often involved core family members and the temporary halt of a major illegal revenue stream for the family. The Maroni enterprise was slightly smaller than Falcone's, so in this exchange, although the Maroni's remaining strength rapidly weakened, Falcone's losses were far greater than the Maroni's.

Business, business for both sides, had come to a halt; if it weren't for Wayne Enterprises and Harvey and Gordon constantly helping both sides clear out the tendrils of other gangs probing into Gotham, perhaps Gotham City would now be welcoming a general melee.

But this was not a good thing, because the territory and manpower controlled by the gangs had been seized by the judicial system, and Wayne Enterprises was a super-giant with both the ability and the willingness to take over, so its current actions looked more like guarding its food than offering help.

Taking advantage of the present moment, when the two gangs still held firm control over Gotham and retained most of their strength, while both sides still had the possibility of recovering after a ceasefire, Falcone wanted to negotiate, for standing in opposition was at least better than mutual destruction.

However, someone did not want both sides to stop there.

In Wayne Manor, the fire in the fireplace shone brightly, and beside the fireplace, a conversation was taking place.

"The informant's news: Luigi and Falcone seem to be arranging a meeting for peace talks."

"Peace talks? Should we let them make peace?"

Harvey, with great interest, flipped the coin in his hand and looked at Bruce beside him.

"Now?" Bruce shook his head: "Not suitable. We must let them become weaker before we can firmly suppress them, then move those powerful figures deeply bound to them out and have others take their place, letting Gotham change its blood from head to toe."

"No problem."

Gordon, holding a cup of black tea, watched the two conversing and could not help but speak up.

"I don't know why you are willing to spend so much effort helping us clean up Gotham's environment—so much of your Gotham City reconstruction plan consists of long-term investments; in the short term, Wayne Enterprises will pay out a huge sum of money."

"Long-term investments all have long-term benefits." Bruce replied: "You might not know, but I heard that recently the gangs in Gotham are all busy studying the law—even they have such vision."

"I certainly know—it is truly rare. I have been in Gotham for so many years, and this is the first time I have seen such a scene. Harvey, what you have achieved recently has exceeded my imagination."

"Dogs biting dogs is because they originally wanted to bite each other." Harvey tossed the coin in his hand high into the air: "If it weren't for Alberto as our trump card, our plan would probably have ended here."

"Even if it ended here, it would already be astonishing enough." Gordon shook his head: "By the way, when did your relationship become so good?"

"Since last time, after I heard about Dr. Thomas Wayne—I had some views on Mr. Bruce before, but since Christmas, I have started learning to set aside prejudice and view this 'playboy' who attempts to make Gotham better objectively."

Wayne raised an eyebrow: "Harvey, I can hear your words."

"Ha, sorry—by the way, isn't it still not suitable to reveal the Alberto card now?"

"Indeed not suitable."

"Then, which card do we play?"

The three turned their gaze to the person beside them who was eating cookies and drinking tea.

"Why are you looking at me?" Ma Ma Zhaodi washed the tea snack in his mouth down with black tea: "I just came to mooch some snacks; does this involve me?"

"The surveillance was done by you for me." Harvey smiled: "This card counts as your achievement."

Ma Ma Zhaodi took another small cookie and stuffed it into his mouth: "I don't quite understand you riddle people. Do you want to play cards? I'll take the bamboo pole, thief Liu."

"Sofia"

In the office, Falcone pushed a court summons in front of his daughter.

"They are now going to start dealing with you, my Sofia."

"Dad, I am not afraid of them." Regarding her father's words, the tall Sofia showed no fear on her face: "I have already been to prison once; going in again is nothing."

"Sofia, you are very brave." Falcone's face showed a look of gratification: "In that case, do one more thing for me that was not finished before, how about that?"

Sofia bent down and answered the Roman: "Father, whatever it is, as long as you order it, I will do it for you."

"Very good, very good." The Godfather gently patted Sofia's shoulder: "In that case, go kill someone for me."

"Who?"

"Maroni—Sal Maroni."

Sofia's body froze.

"Yes, Father..." she said: "However, Sal Maroni helped us deal with Harvey Dent; perhaps he can still become our ally."

"Betraying one's own father, betraying one's own family, to form an alliance with an ancestral enemy?" The Roman smiled without smiling: "I never knew Sal Maroni was such a character."

Sofia immediately fell silent.

At this moment, the Godfather reached into the drawer and took out a small audio player, pressed the play button on it, and the voices of a man and a woman immediately came out from inside.

—

"I went to prison for you, Sal."

"I didn't quack like a duck and complain, nor did I ask for any return, and when the police found me, I didn't say your name."

"I missed you, Sal—every night while locked up in prison, I thought of you."

"Sofia, you must know, I don't trust Falcone, and I don't trust Harvey Dent either; I agreed to this matter entirely because of you."

—

The conversation between the two ended there.

"I have been wondering what method my reliable and trustworthy daughter used to persuade Sal Maroni and make him attack Harvey Dent publicly in court; in my impression, her gun was fast, but her tongue was not very good—at that time, I had already prepared to receive news of Maroni's death."

"Father..."

"I didn't expect that the Falcone and Maroni families could produce a pair of Romeo and Juliet—Sofia, do you really want Sal Maroni to live just because he can be our ally?"

Facing the Roman's questioning, Sofia was speechless and only lowered her head even further.

"I originally thought this war should not continue, but it seems I was wrong."

Falcone waved his hand with a cold and hard expression: "Go, Sofia, you also go to prison to reflect for a while; when the two families decide the winner, then you come out."

"I will make Maroni know that he cannot steal the Falcone family away with such shameless means!"

(End of this chapter)