Chapter 13
: A group of people are coming to perform crosstalk?
Chapter 13: A group of people are coming to perform crosstalk?
As everyone knows, before Batman appeared, Gotham was truly a chaotic place, literally a den of iniquity. Underground activities and black market dealings were rampant, with gangs of all sizes spreading like a virus throughout the streets and alleys.
David Patrick was a self-made man who rose from humble beginnings in such a chaotic era. He made his first fortune with marijuana during his student days and continued to focus on campus sales even after he became wealthy.
As their business grew, so did their number of henchmen. They called themselves the "Cross Gang" and gradually became a powerful force in the area. Gangs in the surrounding neighborhoods had to give them some respect.
But to build a business in Gotham—in any area—you can't just rely on brute force. David may not be particularly capable, but he's got some cleverness.
Although it wasn't within his gang's sphere of influence, he had heard about the newly opened HISHE Cafe in Kingston. While he didn't know the details, he guessed the owner might have connections. Otherwise, an ordinary person wouldn't be able to make a local gang obediently withdraw from the community.
This is why, despite it being nothing more than a trivial brawl among the lowest-ranking gang members, he made an exception and personally intervened.
When the young troublemakers who had been subdued saw that even the leader of an organization they would never normally come into contact with had appeared, they panicked.
I'm increasingly realizing that things might be getting serious.
"Hello, Mr. Shen." David greeted him politely, a cigar dangling from his mouth, but his eyes clearly gleamed with the light of a wild beast from the primeval jungle.
Shen You ignored him and went straight to the point: "Who is 'Crazy Eliot'?"
It quieted down for a moment.
David stepped aside, making way for his underlings. All eyes turned to a young man wearing a black leather jacket with a blue dragon tattoo on his body.
That was clearly Elliott, but Crazy couldn't tell; all he could see was that Elliott was pale and looked like he was in a terrible pain.
He was the direct superior of those young men, but to put it nicely, he was just a low-level errand boy. His new underlings were inexperienced, but he was a seasoned veteran, especially knowing that there were some people in Gotham who were not to be trifled with.
The seemingly amiable young man before them was it. On the surface, he looked like a frail, scholarly man, as if a gust of wind could blow him over compared to these gangsters. But anyone who had heard the rumors about the former local bullies in the neighborhood breaking their legs or getting into car accidents knew that this man was definitely not as simple as he seemed.
Who does Elliott think he is? Who gives him the right to speak in a situation like this?
Elliott's legs trembled slightly as he nervously stepped forward. One of his close friends kindly advised him in his ear, "Remember, the softer your voice, the stronger your presence. Real big shots speak softly."
Elliot nodded, indicating that he had remembered.
Then he walked up to Shen You, trying to look a bit arrogant, and his lips seemed to move slightly, but no sound came out.
Shen You raised an eyebrow: "Dude, did you leave your vocal cords at home?"
Elliott: "."
Eliot felt a chill run down his spine when he realized David was staring at him with a hostile expression. He quickly realized this might be a matter of life and death; if he performed poorly and embarrassed himself today, his boss might just shoot him when he got back—David was the kind of person who would do such a thing.
So he tried to stand tall and puff out his chest, attempting to look fierce and menacing.
"Sit down," Shen You said calmly.
"Okay."
Elliott sat down in the chair and obediently looked up at Shen You, like a well-trained lapdog.
After he sat down reflexively, he suddenly realized something was wrong: why did I listen to him?
He had never met anyone like this young boss before.
He appeared gentle and polite, yet there seemed to be something in his eyes that no one else possessed, making you afraid to meet his gaze. It was as if every movement he made, every word he uttered, naturally carried a certain authority, instinctively preventing anyone from disobeying him.
He tried to get up, but as soon as he moved his legs, he felt an overwhelming pressure that made him sit back down.
Unable to muster the courage to stand up, Elliott could only hang his head and mutter softly, "I just suddenly wanted to sit down."
Shen You smiled but remained silent.
Not to mention the huge gap in the level of life, if his mental strength can't even shake a drug addict, then all his more than a thousand years of mental training has been in vain.
The young troublemakers nearby were so frightened they were dumbfounded.
Holy crap, is this still their ruthless boss?
That crazy Elliott who would fight at the drop of a hat and was known for wielding a knife from Crime Alley to Arkham.
Why are you acting like a coward, like a dog?
"Tell me about your underlings," Shen You cut to the chase, beckoning to the leader of the thugs who had previously harassed the girl. "Hey, come here."
The thug had a dark expression, but dared not disobey at all, and walked forward with his head down.
"He said he's one of your underlings, right?" Shen You asked.
Elliott glared fiercely at the thug, then forced himself to admit, "Yes."
"He harassed other customers in my shop and even tried to hit them. What does Mr. Elliott think?"
Elliot glanced at David behind him and noticed that his boss's expression was growing increasingly fierce, which made him even more nervous. Knowing that he would be in big trouble if he didn't perform well, a sudden surge of malice arose within him.
He suddenly raised his head, chest puffed out: "We, the Cross Gang, have been around for years, never afraid of anything, and have never bowed our heads to anyone. As our boss always says, business is also a battlefield, and what we businessmen value most is fairness!"
He pointed to the thugs next to him as he spoke.
"So, which arm did this kid use first? I'll chop that arm off right here and now as an apology, Mr. Shen, what do you say?"
Shen You: "?"
Thug: "?"
Not to mention thugs, even Shen You was a bit stumped by his unconventional negotiation tactics.
The thug turned deathly pale and was on the verge of tears.
He said in a tearful voice, "Brother, didn't you always say that the most important thing in the underworld is to be ruthless and have a commanding presence?"
Unexpectedly, Elliott slapped him across the face.
"Fuck you, can't you just shut up for a second?!"
The thug didn't care about the slap, but his face turned even paler after hearing his words.
After hesitating for a while, he finally spoke timidly, "My mom? Well... Boss, this is indeed a bit sudden. I might need to go back and discuss it with my dad."
Elliott: "."
Shen You couldn't hold back and burst out laughing.
Good grief, you guys came to my shop as a group to perform stand-up comedy, huh?
Please read on! Please read on! Please read on!
(End of this chapter)