Chapter 71: Genius on the Left, Madman on the Right (Patreon)

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The changes at Arkham Asylum did not go unnoticed by the various gangs of Gotham. Among them, there were those who coveted this piece of meat, but all their plans against Schiller had been foiled due to the intricate web of relationships he had skillfully exploited among the different gangs.

Compared to Schiller, the gangs that had previously given Bruce so much trouble seemed somewhat lacking in intelligence. Their first instinct was to resort to assassination, a tactic they were well-versed in. Even the smallest of gangs could easily hire a hitman or two.

However, Schiller's dealings with Falcone had brought unexpected and substantial profits to the Godfather. With Falcone growing older, he was eager to leave more capital for his descendants. This windfall, therefore, held great significance for him. If this system could be maintained, Evans would secure a solid position in the industry he inherited from Falcone.

As a result, Arkham Mental Hospital became impenetrable under the watchful eye of the Godfather. Schiller, in particular, received the highest level of protection, with top-notch security personnel hired at a premium.

Schiller's irreplaceability lay in the potential Falcone saw for creating a new order. If this Professor truly could bring about more significant changes to Gotham, the Falcone Family could seize a crucial role in this new order.

Among the local power players, the biggest snake was determined to protect Schiller, and the smaller snakes had no means to oppose Falcone. Falcone had ruled Gotham's underworld for many years, and even though he was aging, his influence was still formidable. The gangs were already weakened, and they couldn't challenge the Godfather head-on.

Of course, killing Schiller was out of the question. Instead, they could find a way to remove him and replace him with one of their own. Not everyone possessed Falcone's foresight, but they all realized that sitting in Schiller's position could bring staggering profits. Besides the potential wealth from Schiller's rules, controlling such a place could exponentially expand their power overnight.

They dared not confront Falcone directly or attempt to snatch the position from him, but they could engage in some covert operations.

Gotham's gangs had their fair share of intelligent individuals, and among them were some who found Gotham University's chancellor, Seldon.

Seldon, an outsider in Gotham, lacked any significant influence in the city. However, in Gotham, the rule was simple: you needed at least one gang standing behind you to speak with confidence. Seldon had failed to grasp this, so when he rejected the gangs' offers on the second day, he found himself shot on his way home from work.

The gangs spared his life, knowing he might still be useful. When he encountered the mob bosses in the hospital, Seldon understood Gotham's most crucial survival rule: if you have a gun, you better have more bullets than the others; if you don't have a gun, then keep quiet and obey.

Seldon had a legitimate reason to summon Schiller back to the school. After all, he was the chancellor, and delegating some administrative work to the faculty was entirely normal. If Professor Schiller refused these routine assignments, he would be in the wrong.

Seldon came up with a flimsy excuse, feeling that Schiller's absence provided the perfect opportunity to make things difficult for him.

However, on the second day of Schiller's return, he responded with utmost professionalism and efficiency. When Seldon met him in the chancellor's office, he couldn't find a single fault.

Schiller's excuse for returning was related to handling paperwork and other miscellaneous tasks while remotely monitoring the conditions at Arkham Asylum.

Seldon had enjoyed playing the role of a cloud player, observing Schiller's classes. This time, with Schiller back, he kept a close watch on the administrative office.

What followed allowed Seldon to witness the true nature of Gotham's seemingly ordinary residents.

Over the next few days, Seldon overheard conversations between Schiller and various leaders of the twelve largest gang families in all of Gotham. Schiller exchanged pleasantries with them at least a hundred times in three days. What accompanied the mention of the mob bosses' names were terms related to various contraband items and coded references to smuggling locations.

Most alarming of all, one day, Schiller casually remarked, "...If this mayor isn't up to the task, we should replace him. Gotham's dreadful traffic is half his responsibility, and since he can't handle it, he might as well lose his life..."

Seldon immediately considered packing his bags and leaving this damned city.

As time passed, Schiller's conversations became increasingly outrageous, delving into the secrets of Falcone Family's rise to power. This included hidden smuggling routes and lucrative ventures related to the plantation industry.

Seldon's unease grew as he listened. Though not a native of Gotham, his years in politics in other cities had honed his political instincts.

At this moment, Seldon realized that Professor Rodriguez, who taught psychology, was far more than just a professor.

"When something exceeds the boundaries of human comprehension, people tend to use their imaginative faculties to fill in the gaps. The brain automatically searches through various matching details in memory to substantiate these inferences, and Seldon was no exception.

He thought, no wonder Schiller had the audacity to send Bruce a notification of expulsion so confidently. This psychology professor might just be the puppeteer orchestrating Gotham's twelve major gang families from behind the scenes, the root cause of the current chaos in the city.

The more Seldon contemplated this, the more it seemed plausible. After all, Schiller's astonishing background didn't seem like something an ordinary person could possess. Moreover, his ability to effortlessly evade involvement in numerous homicides suggested the presence of a larger web he might have spun elsewhere.

Seldon felt like he was inching closer to the truth, but was Schiller an individual, or part of an organization? Whom did he represent? What was he doing? What results did he seek?

These questions alarmed Seldon, his mind racing with associations.

In his logical assessment, it was somewhat normal for university professors to have some connection with the gangs, given the widespread influence of Gotham Gangs. Most teachers and professors at the school had some degree of affiliation with the gangs, whether through relatives or friends working for them, or by providing professional services in exchange for safety and extra income.

However, being a professor was not reason enough for someone to simultaneously interact with all of Gotham's major gang families and be involved in The Godfather's secret operations. The most compelling evidence reinforcing Seldon's theory was Schiller's tone in their conversations over the telephone. Unlike others, he didn't sound fearful or obsequious to the gangs.

His tone remained consistently calm, as if he held all the cards. Seldon could sense that Schiller was the one manipulating the gangs, not the other way around.

Seldon felt himself ensnared in a colossal predicament. Schiller had the power to influence Gotham's largest gangs, yet he chose to continue teaching at Gotham University. It appeared that this position held some hidden advantages or knowledge that Seldon was unaware of, attracting this mad professor.

Indeed, from Seldon's perspective, Schiller seemed like a genuine lunatic.

Gangs were not docile entities, especially not Gotham's largest ones. The city's sins were nearly overflowing, and those who had navigated these treacherous waters for years were often tainted by the evil around them. To stand at the pinnacle of this dark city and collaborate with any of them was akin to making a deal with the devil.

But Schiller went beyond collaboration; he attempted to control them all simultaneously. For someone like Seldon, who had witnessed the brutality of the gangs, Schiller's actions seemed utterly insane.

It was like cutting a single wire from a tangled mass of hundreds and thousands of wires. One wrong move, and the bloodthirsty wolves that dwelled within this chaos would descend upon the reckless individual and devour them entirely.

Seldon began to regret why he didn't just let Schiller remain in Arkham Asylum. After all, he had gone to great lengths to get him out, so why bring him back?

It was as if he had thrown a timed bomb out, only to inexplicably retrieve it himself.

At this point, Seldon fervently prayed in his mind that Schiller's risky maneuvers would not end in disaster. If they did, he hoped it wouldn't affect Gotham University, and above all, himself.

However, Seldon had reached his current position through shrewdness. He knew that continuing like this was unsustainable, and he needed to take action.

One morning, as Schiller went about his routine in the archive room, planning to work and remotely control his operations, he discovered that the previous day's backlog of at least two-thirds of the unfiled records had miraculously been sorted out. He examined the situation with a puzzled expression and confirmed that all the work had indeed been completed.

What was going on? Had the sea snail maiden intervened?

Nonetheless, with the work completed, there was no need to stay any longer. Schiller, still perplexed, descended the stairs and ran into the university's president, Seldon. Schiller raised his coffee cup in greeting, but Seldon, wearing a stern expression, didn't respond and walked right past him.

Well, Schiller thought, it seemed the university president still held a grudge. But he was used to it. Ever since he had sent that expulsion notice to Bruce, the president hadn't given him a friendly look.

What struck him as strange, though, was that the president, who usually exuded an aura of vitality and charisma, appeared weary today, with two prominent dark circles under his eyes."

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Next Chapter >>Chapter 72: Geniuses on the Left, Madmen on the Right (Part II)