My Second Life as a Mafia Tyrant

Chapter 16: Recruiting Dealers

　Alois followed Heinrich’s instructions and recruited dealers from among the exchange students of the “National Union.” He had them deal in White Glass on campus. After observing their performance, if they didn’t screw up, he would have them smuggle Snow Pearl in exchange for a “bonus.”

　As mentioned earlier, the dealers were also addicts of the very drugs they were dealing.

The dealers agreed to smuggle Snow Pearl because it meant more money and easier access to drugs. Once a month, they would cross the border, hand over the Snow Pearl to a dealer from the “National Union” in a town near the border, and return home. Then they would receive their bonus.

　Once Snow Pearl crosses the “National Union” border and enters the “National Union,” it is bought and sold through various channels. However, for now, it is mostly handled by gangs that have migrated from the “Federation” to the “National Union,” and they are unable to process large quantities.

As a result, the money flowing into Alois’s pockets was less than he had anticipated.

Nevertheless, wealth is steadily accumulating.

　Once a month, three kilograms of Snow Pearl cross the border. These are handed over to cartel members on the other side, and funds are generated as they make their way down to the street-level dealers.

There haven’t been any large-scale deals yet, but Snow Pearl was steadily eroding the “National Union.”

The problem was that they needed a larger-scale retailer.

　We needed partners who could put up substantial capital and handle large-scale transactions.

The gangs weren’t enough. They weren’t cut out for large-scale deals.

Gangs are, after all, just gangs. They’re street thugs who band together, use violence, collect protection money, steal from ordinary citizens, and use that money to deal drugs. So, the scale of their transactions isn’t that big.

　For now, at least.

If the gangs start dealing drugs in earnest, the profits will be guaranteed. After all, they buy goods for 100 ducats and sell them for 300, or even 400 ducats in some cases. The gangs’ cut is substantial.

However, the problem is that there are many different gangs, and they’re divided into separate factions. If you’re doing business with one gang, another might step in to interfere. Alois knows just how quick-tempered these guys are. The slightest thing can lead to a fistfight or a shootout.

The ideal business partner would have few rivals, ample funds, a willingness to use violence, connections with the police, and still be trustworthy. Of course, this is too idealistic; the reality is that it’s asking for too much.

　The police. We factor in drug seizures by the police and the Drug Enforcement Administration as necessary expenses.

To be honest, the current state of enforcement by the “National Union” police and the Drug Enforcement Administration is rather lax. They proudly publish articles in the newspapers claiming to have seized 50 kilograms of drugs, but while they’re busy seizing those 50 kilograms, Alois and his crew are smuggling in 500 kilograms.

　It’s a loss, sure, but not a significant one.

　If you trace it back to the source, producing Snow White costs less than 100 ducats. Poor farmers, desperate for food, sell their crops to drug cartel bosses for about 15 ducats per bundle. That turns into 100 ducats, then 300 ducats.

　Both the drug cartels and the gangs make a profit. The only ones getting the short end of the stick are the farmers. But since those farmers are barely scraping by by growing Snow White—the most valuable crop they have—Alois thought this must be what they call a win-win situation.

In any case, he wanted to deal in drugs on a much larger scale. He wanted to export Snow Pearl on a massive scale. He had the means. The problem was finding a buyer.

“Maverick. Do you happen to know anything about gangs?”

“Gangs? Do you have some business with those idiots?”

“It’s business.”

Maverick nodded as if convinced by Alois’s single word.

“Which gang are you selling drugs to?”

“The West, for starters. Then the South. But I’m sorry to say, the South isn’t a very promising market. Racists are still active there, aren’t they?”

“Pureblood supremacists. The South definitely isn’t a promising market, and it’s best not to get involved. The current administration’s support base is the elves of the South—those crazy religious fundamentalists. The reason the current administration is taking such a hard line against communism is to keep its support base happy.”

　So if we get involved in the South, the “National Union” won’t stay quiet.

Besides, there are a lot of poor people in the South. In a way, the poor are promising customers for drugs. But Alois has no intention of dealing with small-time retailers. He wants to make big deals. In that regard, instead of gangs, Pureblood Supremacists run the show in the South, and while they talk a big game, they don’t have any money.

　That leaves the West.

“Who’s the most powerful gang in the West?”

“Broken Skull. It’s the biggest gang. No other gang can compare. If we’re going to make a deal, it’ll be with them. The other gangs are just a bunch of small-time groups, but Broken Skull is led by Viktor Bazalov, a former Foreign Legionnaire—a tough guy.”

“You know your stuff.”

“Anyone in the ‘National Union’ who’s ever lived in the West knows that.”

Maverick said this as he took a swig of whiskey.

“But be careful if you negotiate with them. Victor is a cautious yet ferocious man. If he doesn’t like you, he’ll shoot you dead, even if you’re the boss of a drug cartel. On the flip side, they say if he takes a liking to you, he treats you like family.”

“Negotiations, huh? Do you still think I should go?”

“Sending a lackey to see Victor would just rub him the wrong way. He won’t deal with anyone unless they show they’re serious about the deal. No matter how profitable the drug business is. Besides, you’re not the only one trying to make a deal with Victor, are you?”

　That’s true. The Schwarz Cartel and the Greif Cartel wouldn’t overlook someone with that much influence in the West’s underworld. Even if the Kuste Cartel’s operations are concentrated in the East and they don’t venture out here, I can’t say the same for the other two cartels.

“I’ll go meet with Victor. Do I need a bodyguard?”

“You’d better go alone. Victor likes manly men. Honestly, I wonder if he’s gay.”

Maverick’s information was surprisingly detailed. I wondered if it was really possible to get that much intel just by living in the West.

If even ordinary citizens could get that kind of information, it wouldn’t be surprising if a man like Victor was on the radar of law enforcement. Minor losses might be tolerable, but when it comes to large-scale deals, that’s a different story. I don’t want to suffer major losses. I’d lose Heinrich’s trust, too.

“I’m sure you can handle it. You’ve got guts.”

“I don’t know about that. I’m just a small-town guy who wants a peaceful life.”

Come to think of it, in my search for peace, I’m heading further and further away from it.

Is peace really waiting for me down this road?