Moments later, a seasoned middle‑aged man was the first to speak up in agreement. “Captain Kane’s three rules are fair and sensible. With clear boundaries and bottom lines, we can all earn money and stay safe. That’s far better than the old days of constant bloodshed, never knowing if we’d live to see tomorrow. I’m the first to back this.”The rest nodded one after another, unanimous in their response.Kane filled a glass with strong liquor, looked straight at everyone, and spoke in a solemn tone. “These are not suggestions, nor drunken ramblings. They are the hard‑and‑fast rules for the Black District moving forward. Thank you all for cooperating with the precinct.”With that, he tossed back the entire drink in one smooth motion.Watching his decisive bearing, none of the men dared to crack casual jokes anymore.Kane set down his glass, wiped liquor from the corner of his mouth, and went on. “I lay down these rules, yet I also leave you a way to survive. I understand every one of you

Ash extended an invitation right away. “Are you free tonight? Let’s meet up and talk some serious business.”Recalling Ingram’s reminder, Kane thought it over briefly and agreed. “Sure, I’m free this evening.”“I’ll send a car to pick you up.”“No need.” Kane declined politely. “Just send me the address. I’ll get there on my own.”“Alright, see you tonight.”After hanging up, Cruz glanced over and asked, “Was that Ash?”“Yeah. We’re discussing the partnership tonight.” Kane looked at him. “Want to come along?”Cruz touched the scratches on his face and shook his head helplessly. “I’m in no shape to show my face like this. I might lose my temper and stir up gossip. Take Pierce and Hartley instead.”“Fair enough.” Kane nodded. “Tell Hartley to get the car ready.”......At six in the evening, daylight faded into dusk.Dressed in plain‑clothes, Hartley drove Kane toward Slag Street.Dask had recently been promoted and swamped with official duties, so he could not tag along. Nowadays, whe

Carlson nodded silently. “I understand.”The sharp sound of the stamp hitting paper echoed through the quiet office.Hagen sorted the stamped documents, slipped them into a clear file bag, and handed it over. “When you apply for jobs later, this registration certificate has to be included in your employment records. Got it?”“I get it.” Carlson took the file bag respectfully. “Thank you for your help, sir.”“No big deal.” Hagen waved his hand.Carlson paused briefly, then looked up and asked cautiously, “Sir, could I get your contact info? I need to report here every quarter. I’d like to coordinate ahead of time to save myself the trouble of repeated trips.”Though confused, Hagen grabbed a pen and paper, scribbled down his name and phone number, and passed it to him.“Thank you.”“Live a good life. Don’t cross the line again,” Hagen reminded him casually.Carlson nodded in acknowledgement and turned, walking quickly toward the door.As soon as he stepped out of the office area, he ra

At the same time, at the South Curtain District Council.Cole quickly wrapped up his official work and left after changing clothes. Forty minutes later, he arrived at an upscale private club in the city and walked straight into the on-site gym.A young man with a crew cut had just stepped off the treadmill. He raised a hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead, his aura cold and steady.The young man spoke. "Uncle Cole, do you still keep up with training?""I hardly have the time." Cole casually sat down on the sofa. "Moving around from place to place counts as my workout.""I'll talk to the club later and get you a lifetime membership." The young man bent down to sit on the floor, leaning his back against the sofa, his tone calm. "Come over to work out or get massages when you’re free. It’ll restore your energy. Uncle, rub my shoulders and neck for me. They’re so tight."Cole rolled up his sleeves and pressed his fingers into the muscles of the young man’s neck, taking the chance to a

"First off, on the surface, our product will flow into Kaiyuan for now, but we need to be clear: we don’t hold control over this market. Kennard can cut our cooperation at any second. Our people will never get to meddle in the day-to-day operations inside Kaiyuan District. So how can you say he’s handing the market over to us?" Kane laid out his reasoning sharply. "Second, this supply business didn’t get this far because of one man’s effort. A whole group of people built it risking their lives — Duke, Richie, Little Thailand, the officers on the team… and Brown and the rest. Think of the price we’ve paid, inside and out! We finally fought our way to a voice on the streets, and Kennard didn’t lift a finger through all of it. Now he wants to take over the supply line and pocket eighty percent of the profits. What will the rest of our people think? Putting distant concerns aside, take Pierce. He’s been running himself ragged all this time and only gets a little over ten percent of the ne