2026-07-10 23:42:24In the ground-floor lobby, Holt glanced down at his wristwatch, his tone heavy. "I have to submit case files shortly and can’t stick around with you. Don’t pick fights anymore when you head back. Hawk has Captain Wade backing him, and crossing him will make your life miserable later on."
"I know what I’m doing," Kane said with a faint smile. "Got time for dinner together tonight?"
"Sure thing. I’ll find you once I wrap up my work."
They parted ways. Kane carried his gear back to the dorm. Hawk and his cronies were already gone, while two other officers shot him cold sideways glances before chattering among themselves on their bunks. Kane paid them no mind whatsoever and walked straight to his bed to neatly unpack his luggage.
Around seven in the evening
Having finished sorting his belongings, Kane waited a long time with no sign of Holt. He strapped his personal supplies into his waist pack and headed out, planning to explore the surrounding area and grab dinner on his own.
He had barely stepped out of the dorm doorway when he ran straight into Holt hurrying over.
"A last-minute emergency meeting ran overtime, so I’m late. Were you about to head out?"
"I figured you’d be tied up, so I was going to wander around and get something to eat alone," Kane smiled. "Wanna tag along?"
"I made plans with a friend. You’re welcome to join us if you don’t mind."
The two walked downstairs and met Holt’s friend Cruz at the dorm entrance.
Veteran officers in the unit all whispered that he was distantly related to Director Cole, yet the two rarely interacted, and no one knew the exact nature of their connection. Cruz was notoriously undisciplined. His most infamous incident occurred when he got drunk mid-shift and openly solicited illegal services, only to be caught red-handed by the internal affairs unit. In the end, he merely received a formal reprimand and a two-week suspension, while two coworkers who’d clashed with him took the fall and were fired instead.
Cruz had a roguish yet handsome look, a stark contrast to Kane’s tough, upright bearing.
Holt briefly introduced them to each other. “This is Cruz—he’s always looked out for me. This is Kane, the new recruit assigned to our unit.”
Cruz stuck one hand in his pocket and raised an eyebrow with a grin. “Heard you clashed with Hawk right after arriving. You’ve got quite a fiery temper.”
“Just a minor disagreement,” Kane said, unwilling to elaborate.
Cruz spoke his mind without reserve. “That crew’s rotten to the core. No point holding your tongue for them.”
Holt scratched his head helplessly. “He’s always blunt and never watches what he says.”
Cruz asked, “Where are we grabbing food?”
“I’m new to this area, so I don’t know any decent diners. You two lead the way.”
Cruz blinked. “Who’s footing the bill?”
“My treat,” Kane agreed without hesitation.
“Then we’re heading to Second Sister’s Diner.”
Holt tried to dissuade them. “The prices there are way too steep.”
Cruz shot him a sideways glance. “It’s not your credits getting spent.”
Kane smiled to smooth things over. “It’s fine. I’ve still got savings stashed away; one meal won’t break me.”
Supplies were extremely scarce across this district. Grain and vegetables were rare commodities, and ordinary residents could barely afford a single restaurant visit all year round. Though Kane winced at the cost, he knew he needed to build connections as a newcomer—this social expense was unavoidable.
They walked two kilometres on foot until they reached a small tavern. Kane stared at the storefront and instinctively patted his waist pack.
Just as they were about to step inside, a shrill roar of an engine suddenly cut through the air, and an ageing off-road vehicle pulled to a halt right in front of the tavern.
The group turned their heads, and Cruz looked utterly astonished. “They can still run gasoline vehicles these days? They must be loaded.”
Radiation wasteland had spread across vast swathes of land, oil fields were inaccessible for extraction, and gasoline had long become an ultra-scarce resource worth a fortune—no wonder he was so stunned.
Four men and a young girl climbed out of the vehicle and headed straight for the tavern.
Kane had seen all sorts of vehicles back in the unplanned zone, so he only gave them a fleeting glance and made to walk inside. Cruz, however, froze where he stood, his gaze fixed firmly on the girl. “That girl’s stunning.”
Kane tugged at his arm. “Don’t stare. She’s got guards with her.”
The girl blinked her bright eyes and glanced around, murmuring softly, “I need to use the restroom.”
A short middle-aged man beside her snapped at her in a harsh foreign accent, “Stay quiet and don’t stir up trouble.”
Just then, Holt’s phone vibrated twice in his pocket. He opened the text message and shot Kane a complicated look.
Inside the tavern’s private booth, the three men took their seats. Cruz casually ordered two meat dishes, one vegetable plate, and the tavern’s cheapest bulk liquor.
Kane politely offered to add two more dishes, but Cruz waved him off. “You haven’t gotten your first paycheck yet—no need to splurge.” He rubbed his cold hands together and turned to Kane. “Word is you came from the unplanned zone?”
“I’m used to hardship. I can survive anywhere,” Kane replied with a faint smile.
The three men were around the same age and hit it off well. Kane noticed Holt went out of his way to curry favour with Cruz the entire time, lowering himself to a subservient posture.
When the food and alcohol arrived, Kane raised his glass. “I’m new here. Let’s watch each other’s backs from now on.”
Cruz clinked glasses and drained his drink in one gulp. “Anyone bold enough to stand up to Hawk is one of us. In this world, you can only rely on yourself; favours from others mean nothing.”
After several rounds of drinks, Holt seized the chance to ask Cruz for a transfer to an administrative desk job.
Cruz picked up a slice of beef with his chopsticks and teased him. “Convenient of you to beg for favours over a free meal. All administrative posts are fully staffed already. If you want a transfer, you’ll need to grease some palms—and you’ve got no savings to spare. You’ll just have to wait.”
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Chapter 241 Uria Arrested
Black Street Precinct. Kane sat in the chair and spoke into the phone, issuing orders.“Alert our men in Southmoor District, and Peter in Kaiyuan. Tell them to work with Uria and make as much noise as possible.”Two hours after the incident, outside the hospital exam room.A graceful, striking middle-aged woman hurried over with four or five associates.Inside the room, Mercer lay in bed. When he saw her, he called out at once, “Mom!”“Son, how are you?” The woman rushed in, panic etched on her face, then stepped quickly toward the doctor. “Where are your injuries? How serious is it?”Mercer’s wounds were not life-threatening — only multiple contusions from blunt blows, a minor forearm fracture, and a beanbag round to the head. But he was skilled at playing the victim. He kept his composure in front of his mother, yet the moment he spotted the deputy chief of Kaiyuan Precinct behind her, he broke into loud wailing.“Mom, someone tried to kill me!”“Kill you?” The woman’s face paled. “
Revised Chapter 240 Retaliation Begins
Carlson thought nothing of it at first. As he turned to grab seasonings, he spotted a van parked deep in the alley. Its lights were off, yet the engine kept running—the two men had climbed out from that vehicle.Twelve years behind bars had sharpened Carlson’s eye for people. He had seen every kind of criminal and heard countless case stories. Though the pair moved casually, Carlson could tell at a glance they were there for something else.Still, he was no cop and wanted no trouble. He focused on stir-frying the rice noodles and said nothing more.……Lobby of Phoenix Entertainment City.Merceran draped an arm around a striking woman, reeking of alcohol.“I’m not heading home tonight. I’ll play cards with Theodore and the others. Come find me after your shift.”“I’m worn out. I don’t feel like moving.”“I’ll send someone to pick you up. Get a massage… unwind.” Merceran breathed the words against her ear.“You’re awful.”“Ha.” Merceran laughed and patted her shoulder. “Head back early.
Chapter 239 The Snack Stall
“I came here to talk about exactly that.” Uria got straight to the point, crossing one leg over the other. “Our cooperation has barely started, and trouble’s already knocking on the door.”Kane’s brows drew together. “What happened?”“A few days ago, Merceron sent Stanley to see me. He ordered me to stay out of the supply line business.” Uria recounted plainly. “I told him fine, I’ll back off, but they’d need to compensate for the lost profits. Stanley grew irritated during our talk and threw threats around.”“What exactly did he threaten you with?”“His exact words were that the cake Merceron’s circle has their eyes on is off-limits to me.” Uria sipped his tea and went on. “Last night the city warden’s director requested a meeting. I went to see him this morning, and he notified me they won’t renew the snow-clearing contract with my firm.”Kane froze.“You probably don’t understand how my business works.” Uria explained. “Snow-clearing projects go out for tender and get approved at y
Chapter 238 Pressures From All Sides
Mercerlen lifted his gaze. “I’m going after him. Uriel is the critical node. If I bring him to heel, the rest of the factions planning to partner with Kane will grow wary, and the profit defense Kane built will crumble on its own. Conversely, if I can’t even take down Uriel, others will decide we lack teeth. They’ll feel safe teaming up with Kane to line their pockets, convinced we won’t dare strike.”“Sound logic,” Theodore nodded in agreement.“I need to rattle him.”“How?” Theodore asked softly. “Got a plan?”“Strike at what he values most.” Mercerlen stood up. “I’ll open the connections and deliver the message.”“Then move,” Theodore readily agreed. “He’s nothing more than a small-time operator with a little cash. Reining him in won’t be hard.”“I’ve got a lunch meeting with a few contacts at noon. Come with me?” Mercerlen extended the invitation.“Gladly. Mercerlen, I can also hook you up with a few high-profile figures,” Theodore smiled and flattered him.Mercerlen’s mood bright
Chapter 237 Chaos in the Factions Part 2
“Merceron, Pierce has been acting strange lately.” The young man on the other end of the line spoke in a low voice. “He’s reaching out to local bosses across every district, openly recruiting new partners. Matsui from South Curtain is nearly locked in, and Uriah from Flatlands District plans to join in too.”Merceron’s brows snapped tight, and he cursed under his breath. “A bunch of blind fools! Do they even know who controls this territory?”“Should we notify the Third Young Master at once?”Just then, Theodore strolled slowly into the entertainment complex, glancing down nonstop at his messages, his expression calm and unruffled.……Theodore pushed open the private room door and saw Merceron slamming his phone down, his face clouded with murderous rage.Once he finished the call, Theodore raised an eyebrow. “Who got under your skin? You’re burning hot.”“Everything’s going south.” Merceron replied darkly. “The Third Young Master and his father left for a meeting in Vierra only a few
Chapter 236 Turbulent Situation
"I’ll handle Sila." Kane’s tone brooked no argument. "Your only job is to recruit forces aggressively. Target all the local kingpins in Pingdao District, South Curtain District, and Kaiyuan District who covet profits from this trade. We supply the goods and oversee transportation; they only need to distribute and convert the product for easy, low-risk gains.""This kind of cooperation deal will definitely draw in a flood of factions." Jolon nodded in agreement."Once interests are tied together, everyone will defend the operation on their own." Kane’s eyes sharpened, jaw tight. "Then we won’t need to lead the resistance. If the Third Young Master dares to touch this supply line, he’ll be cutting into everyone’s profits. Others will fight him to the death of their own accord.""Banding together purely through shared interests can ease our immediate crisis," Cruz reasoned clearly, then pointed out the hidden danger. "But this alliance is far too loose. Over time, loyalties will fray, an
