Chapter 351: Cleaver: I Admit I Was a Little Loud That Day
He rubbed his hands together. "Whatever the case, with Cyprian dead, the Willy gang is completely finished."
"Indeed." Lynn didn't disagree. Without the Whoresons, father and son, the gang's officers wouldn't be able to hold it together.
That's how gangs were. They were greedy and disloyal, and no matter how much they preached honor and loyalty, they always did the dirtiest work. With the leadership position now vacant, the lower-level officers would tear each other to shreds fighting for it.
Thinking this, Lynn picked up Cyprian's head. The next moment, a flame erupted from his palm, completely enveloping the skull. In a moment, the fire died down, leaving only a fine, sand-like ash that poured through his fingers. He wasn't some kind of demon lord who'd use a skull as a drinking goblet.
Letho then thought of something else. "So, what was that dwarf sending us Cyprian Willy's head for? Was he threatening us?"
"No, you've misunderstood. He's apologizing to us."
When Lynn had gone to see Carlo, the dwarf had been a little... loud. Now, having witnessed firsthand what Lynn was capable of, Carlo was undoubtedly spooked. That's why he sent Cyprian Willy's head. It was a clear sign that he was involved in this, and that his interests were now tied to Lynn's, guaranteeing his loyalty.
"Let's go back. And call Shapelle. I have some plans for him." Lynn looked at the ink-black night sky. "The skies over Novigrad are about to change."
That same night, squads of city guards wielding halberds suddenly appeared on the streets of Novigrad's lower city. They drove any citizens who were still outside after dark back to their homes. At first, the citizens were bewildered. Some, who were living hard lives, even cursed at the city guards, thinking they were infringing upon their rights and personal freedom.
It wasn't until they saw members of the Willy gang—wearing masquerade masks and jesters' hats with bells, their faces painted in grotesque, comical smiles—suddenly begin to slaughter each other in the streets that they finally understood the city guards' intentions. The fighting lasted the entire night. It was destined to be a sleepless night for all.
The next day, as soon as dawn broke, the Temple Guards of the Eternal Fire were swiftly mobilized, launching a powerful assault on the Willy gang's territories. Just as Lynn had predicted, with Whoreson I gone and his son dead, the gang's officers would not respect each other. Everyone wanted to be the boss. They all wanted to get the jump on each other, afraid of being attacked first, and no one even considered talking it out.
The result of that night's struggle was a bloody massacre. And when they were exhausted and weakened from a night of fighting, the Temple Guards showed up. No one had ever expected the Eternal Fire to intervene in a gang war, especially an internal one. For one, the Eternal Fire had no conflicts of interest with the three major gangs. The Eternal Fire was the public power, and the gangs were the managers of the night. They stayed out of each other's way.
Second, if the Eternal Fire were to intervene, it would break the unwritten rule of non-aggression. At that point, even if the Eternal Fire represented the public force, they wouldn't necessarily have the advantage against the three united gangs. The final outcome would be a bloody stalemate. As a result, in the many gang wars throughout Novigrad's history, the Eternal Fire—and the official authorities before them—never got involved.
This time, however, the Eternal Fire made an exception. The Willy gang was caught completely off guard and quickly fell. Fortunately, even though the Temple Guards' assault was fierce, they weren't aiming for a total annihilation. If any Willy gang members surrendered and laid down their arms, the Eternal Fire not only guaranteed their safety but also allowed them to leave their territory with their personal possessions.
In the villa in the upper city, Lynn listened to Shapelle's report with a satisfied look on his face. The Eternal Fire had taken over most of the Willy gang's territory, except for a small portion that had been seized by moles from Cleaver's and the Razor's gangs during the chaos.
"Since I had no orders from you, my men didn't touch them. But if you give the word, the Eternal Fire will chase them out immediately."
Lynn shook his head. "No need. Let them have it. This time, the Eternal Fire intervened in a gang war, and Cleaver's and the Razor's gangs stood by and watched. That small piece of land can be their reward."
"After all, we eat the meat, but we must give others some soup. If we take everything, no one will be willing to cooperate with us next time."
A cold glint flashed in Lynn's eyes. "The more important thing now is to stabilize the situation for the common folk in the Willy gang's territory and crack down on crime. The more chaotic things are, the more lawlessness there will be."
"Don't be soft. Make an example of the criminals who try to take advantage of this, and show everyone what happens to those who break the law."
Shapelle bowed his head in compliance. "I understand."
After Shapelle left, Lynn began to envision the city's future. Now, by controlling the Willy gang's territory, they controlled nearly half the city. Once the situation was stable, the Eternal Fire could slowly expand their influence to Cleaver's and the Razor's gangs. One day, he would completely control this Jewel of the North.
This was why he didn't have the Syndicate or the Flagless Brotherhood act. Assassination would only bring chaos, not stability. The Syndicate and the Flagless Brotherhood were daggers in the shadows, not meant to be exposed to the public eye. The Eternal Fire was different.
After Lynn had purged the rotten parts of the organization, Shapelle's efforts had put it back on its original path. Just as the Eternal Fire's motto said: The flame that never goes out, lights the way for the people in the dark, guiding them toward a better tomorrow. The Eternal Fire is hope.
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