146

Chapter 146: Mafia

Peter took a moment to explain to Diana the purpose behind splitting chapters.

"Chapter breaks build anticipation, making readers eager to see what happens next, and that's when they willingly pull out their wallets..." Peter explained matter-of-factly.

"How can such a tactic be considered anything but deceitful?" Diana asked incredulously, her sense of justice offended.

"Deceitful? It's a standard technique for authors," Peter replied lightly, brushing off her concerns.

He divided the first issue of the Iron Man comic into two parts. In an era where comics were mostly published in newspapers, space constraints necessitated such divisions. Peter effortlessly expanded the content with additional material, ensuring it fit the newspaper format.

For other textual content, Peter relied on his super hearing to gather interesting gossip and political issues from Gotham City.

Soon, the master copy was ready. While the paint quality of the era wasn't as refined as in later years, it sufficed for their current needs.

Diana picked up the completed newspaper, finding it intriguing though unfamiliar. She vaguely recalled seeing people selling similar papers on the streets of London.

"Is this good? What's next? How do we sell these newspapers?" Diana asked with curiosity.

Peter simply replied, "Next, we wait for our guests to arrive."

"Wait for guests?" Diana tilted her head, puzzled.

As if on cue, there came a knock at the door.

Peter smiled knowingly. "See? They're here."

Diana was full of questions, but she opened the door for Peter without further delay.

At the entrance stood two young men in worker attire—shirts, suspenders, and top hats. They looked surprised to see Diana open the door.

"Who are you? Where's the owner?" they demanded.

Diana frowned, taken aback by their attitude despite them being the ones who knocked. "I'm the owner here. Who are you?"

After some initial confusion, the men learned that the newspaper had been bought, causing a stir. One of them nervously identified themselves.

Diana quickly understood the situation. These men belonged to a local mafia, the predecessors of the gangs in Gotham. Unlike gangs, they operated more like a close-knit family, with deep-seated ties.

They had their sights set on acquiring the newspaper. While poorly managed, its longstanding presence held significance in this era.

Using both overt and covert methods, they had pressured the former owner to sell. Faced with threats to their lives, the previous owner had nearly capitulated, ready to relinquish control.

However, Peter had swooped in just in time, thwarting their plans.

Not even the junior mafia members could hide their anger at being outmaneuvered. They issued a thinly veiled threat: "Who are you? You don't know the rules. You've stumbled into Grave family territory!"

But Diana was not one to be threatened. With Peter's silent approval, she firmly showed them the door, ensuring they left without further trouble.

Though she refrained from using excessive force, the men left hurling threats behind them: "Just wait! The Grave family won't forget this!"

Back at their headquarters, the mafia boss—a formidable figure known as the Godfather—sat smoking a cigar, listening to the men's report. They stood respectfully, awaiting his response.

The Godfather had risen from humble beginnings to establish the Grave family. He had unified dock workers into a powerful force, earning respect even from city officials and local consuls.

After hearing the report, the Godfather remained composed. He took a puff of his cigar before issuing a calm order: "Investigate those two."

Investigators returned promptly, but their findings were scant. The men had appeared suddenly, leaving no traces before today.

Even the Godfather found himself perplexed. Was this a powerful entity testing their resolve, or merely unfortunate newcomers caught in the crossfire?

The newspaper, though financially insignificant, held strategic importance. Recently, the Grave family had acquired a struggling printing factory, initially seen as a mere asset to be sold off.

However, the Godfather now saw an opportunity to expand his influence. Owning a newspaper could bolster their control over public opinion and pave the way into Gotham's upper echelons.

The unexpected intrusion by the two unknown men disrupted these plans. Worse yet, the Godfather couldn't discern if it was a trap or mere coincidence.

After pondering for a moment, a faint smile crept onto his face, betraying his inner confidence and control.

"Send them an invitation," he instructed calmly.

"Tell them the Godfather wishes to meet."