Axel didn't concern himself with what Bartel was thinking. He eyed Victor Zsasz—furious yet methodical—and offered an approving smile. Unlike Axel's chaotic bursts earlier, Victor moved with precision, always first into the fray.
On the surface, Zas appeared reckless, but Axel could clearly see the method beneath the madness. He never walked in a straight line toward enemy fire, staying close to walls, corners, broken doors, or stacked washing machines. Elegant in posture, yet always near cover. Not that he usually needed it—Zas's eyes were razor-sharp, his trigger faster than thought. Any target in his line of sight was already dead before reaction could set in.
The laundry room lounge that had nearly killed Axel before was effortlessly cleared by Zas alone. After wiping out everyone, Zas waved, and hundreds of gunmen split into small groups, fanning out. His target was the underground passage—Yuri Dimitrov was there.
If it were any other gang, Zas would worry about escapees. Not Russians. Retreating while their lair burned was unthinkable—they were creatures of stubborn tradition.
But another problem emerged—police.
Just over a minute after Zas and his men arrived, Chief Gordon appeared with several patrol cars. His eyes locked on Axel, sinking with frustration.
"Damn it, it's you again. Is there ever a moment when you're not causing trouble? Or is the price of your resurrection constant chaos, you bastard?" Gordon muttered, advancing with his gun raised, eyes scanning for Falcone's men.
Axel grinned, leveling his submachine gun at the Deputy Chief.
"I should be saying that, Chief Gordon! Oh, right—I forgot, you're the 'deputy' Chief, haha. Does the Gotham Police Department even have anyone else? Or is it always you doing all the dirty, tiring jobs? If your bosses are bullying you, just admit it. Otherwise, why does it always fall to you?"
As Axel closed the distance, Gordon took a step back, then steadied himself. Axel pressed forward until his gun was against Gordon's chest.
Casually blowing on the muzzle, Axel glanced at the surrounding officers.
"Buddies, do you really enjoy following a boss like Chief Gordon? Walking dozens of laps around Gotham every day, failing to catch a single criminal, but racking up autopsy reports—haha. The Gotham Police Department should just be renamed the Gotham Chief Medical Examiner's Office. Sounds more fitting, right? You Blue Smurfs only catch lone stragglers like me. Look around—the Falcone men are doing the real shooting. Dare to arrest them?" Axel laughed, spreading his hands and taking a step to the left, mockingly gesturing to Gordon.
Zas, noticing the police, moved toward them. From a distance, he sneered at the officers.
"Get lost. The Falcone Family is at work here! What's with the rush today? Shouldn't you usually wait ten, fifteen minutes?"
Then Zas glanced at Axel, realization hitting.
"Damn it, you led these cops here! They're following your previous attack. Useless fools shouldn't have come so fast, now things are awkward!"
Raising both guns to the sky, Zas fired several warning shots, then leveled his weapons at the police, sneering.
"I said the Falcone Family is conducting business here! Everyone else, get lost! If I were you, I'd cross the street, grab fried chicken and coffee, and watch the Dimitrov Family show. Deaf? Move!"
Shots rang out again. One by one, officers lowered their heads.
"Ahem… Chief Gordon, Boss Falcone is just… clearing out criminals for Gotham, you know?"
"Yeah, Chief, the Dimitrovs are all damn bastards anyway."
"My wife just gave birth, I need leave!"
"My mortgage depends on Falcone's monthly bonuses. I'm crossing the street."
"Fried chicken? My treat today!"
Before Gordon could command, the police scattered. Left alone, he ground his teeth.
Zas stepped forward, tapping Gordon's shoulder with his gun.
"Chief Gordon, Falcone has always respected you. Cooperation benefits you—your daughter's college tuition, right?"
"I've never taken a penny from Falcone! That won't work on me!" Gordon roared, gripping his pistol.
Zas smirked, pointing at the officers across the street.
"You haven't, but think about them. Subordinates, colleagues…"
"Enough!"
Axel leapt, kicking Zas squarely in the butt. Zas flew forward, bewildered.
"What are you doing? We're on the same side!"
"I'll kick whoever I want! Try to stop me if you dare!" Axel shot him the middle finger, then aimed at the distant laundry room.
"Do your job. Block the Dimitrov Family, especially Yuri Dimitrov. Go!"
Zas, seeing Axel's cold expression, spat and returned the gesture.
"I'll kill you someday!"
"Three times, five times, a hundred—whatever you want, Buddy!" Axel kicked Zas again, making his veins bulge with fury.
Despite his annoyance, Zas marched toward the laundry room, taking out his rage on the Dimitrov Family.
Axel turned to the frowning Chief Gordon, grinning.
"Gordon, do you think a good man like you deserves a gun pointed at him by a bastard like Zas? Guess why I kicked him? Because yesterday, I was a bleeding heart like you, haha!" Axel chuckled, casually slinging his arm around Gordon's shoulder.
"See? In Gotham, being a bleeding heart is dead. Crawling out of hell taught me this: only by being worse than them can you control them. They think I'm radical, so they become conservative. Two wrongs make a right! Gordon, try to understand me and get closer. They call me a madman. But really… I see most clearly."