Chapter 343: King of Metropolis (2)
A Talk on Idealism and Wealth
Luke really enjoyed chatting with Barry Allen. Seeing him reminded Luke of his own first days in college in his past life. Back then, Luke was a true adolescent, his heart filled with beautiful yet untouchable things like ideals, love, life, and the future.
Now? Everything had long since faded away.
"Boss, I don't think you act like you're seventeen at all."
"Oh?" Luke became interested. "Then how old do you think I am?"
Barry held up four fingers. "Forty? Or older!"
"That old!" Luke laughed heartily. "Too bad. I haven't had my eighteenth birthday yet. By law, I'm still a minor."
Pfft! Barry nearly spit out his drink. "Boss, you're joking!"
You've slept with so many girls, and you have the nerve to call yourself a minor?
Luke shrugged. "Am I wrong? Isn't that what the law says?" He picked up the card. "Just like this card. If I hand it over to the police, along with the surveillance footage, the prosecution could charge the waitress with enticement of a minor. She'd face at least three years in prison."
Barry was stunned, his eyes wide. His boss's move was utterly ruthless.
"Of course, I won't do that," Luke put the card down and continued eating. "If I did, what girl would dare slip me her card in the future?"
Barry swallowed, curious. "Boss, do a lot of girls give you their numbers?"
Luke took a sip of rice wine. He said calmly, "Believe me, Barry, in a few years, the same thing will happen to you."
"Me?" Barry sounded doubtful. "Will... will it happen to me too?"
"Of course. That's the joy of being rich."
"But I don't have money."
"How many shares of Tesla do you own?"
"0.3%."
"What is the current valuation of Tesla?"
"One billion..."
Barry froze instantly. One billion multiplied by 0.3% is three million dollars. I'm a millionaire!
Luke glanced at him. "Tesla is worth one billion now. In a year, it will be ten billion. In a few years, it will be hundreds of billions. Barry, you will soon be a billionaire and experience the joys only the wealthy can know."
Barry was speechless.
When lunch ended, Barry felt dizzy. The words "billionaire" kept popping up in his bewildered mind. Could I really become a rich man?
Luke didn't bother him further. Barry Allen was a great employee—hardworking, diligent, and never complained—but he couldn't be a good subordinate.
The Hongmen Mobilizes in Metropolis
In the evening, Luke left work early and drove toward the North Dock area. This was the headquarters for the Hongmen (Red Gate) Chapter in Metropolis, located not far from Chinatown.
Metropolis's Chinatown looked a bit rundown, unable to compare to the prosperity of Coast City's.
Luke ignored his surroundings and walked straight into the Chapter headquarters.
The guards at the gate were one old and one young. The younger one didn't recognize Luke, but the older one kicked him.
"Stop staring! This is Young Master Shaw."
"Young Master, you've arrived."
Luke nodded, gesturing toward the young man. "New recruit?"
The young man nodded repeatedly.
"What's your name?"
"Reed Tang!"
"Can you drive?"
The young man nodded again. Luke tossed him his keys.
"Take my car down to the underground garage."
He then addressed the "old man" beside him.
"Where is Wang Hu?"
"The Boss is in the main hall. I'll take you."
Ten years ago, Luke and his grandfather had visited the Chapter. Back then, it looked like a triad headquarters from a 1990s Hong Kong movie. It was different now. After Wang Hu took over, he carried out extensive renovations, doubling its size and tearing down any unsightly structures. After a few months, it finally had a certain intimidating presence.
"Boss, you're finally here."
Wang Hu walked out, laughing heartily, followed by two rows of burly, fierce men. They all stood before Luke and bowed in unison.
"Young Master!"
Luke observed them carefully, nodding with a smile.
"Well done, Hu Zi. A gang boss needs this kind of presence."
"It's a given." Wang Hu beamed. He had long wanted Luke to visit the Chapter to show him that the Vietnamese monkeys were just monkeys, no comparison to a Northeast Tiger.
The group entered the main hall. Luke naturally took the head seat, and Wang Hu stood excitedly to the side.
"Can we start the operation now?"
Luke nodded. "How are your men prepared?"
"Everything is arranged. We're just waiting for your command to wipe out those bastards from the Genesis Society! Only..." Wang Hu hesitated, lowering his voice. "...The police."
"The police won't interfere this time. You have three hours. Within three hours, dismantle the Genesis Society headquarters, and capture their boss, Brad Watt. Remember, I want him alive."
"Don't worry, Boss. The brothers won't let you down."
Wang Hu patted his chest. As long as the cops stayed out of it, he was confident he could crush the Genesis Society. Luke took a sip of tea and said calmly, "My thoughts aren't important. The key is the Hongmen. The Hongmen in Metropolis is not a traditional gang. The brothers who join want a future, a career. The Hongmen is inextricably linked to everyone. The further the Hongmen goes, the higher the brothers can stand."
"Metropolis will only tolerate one gang: the Hongmen. Anyone who wants a piece of the pie must first contend with the blades in our hands."
"Brothers, whether you're a dragon or a worm will be decided tonight."
Roar!
The men shouted in unison, their eyes blazing with murderous intent.
The Takeover Begins
Metropolis felt unusually quiet tonight. Whether it was an illusion or not, there seemed to be far fewer police patrols than usual. Fewer police officers should mean more petty crime, yet strangely, there were also very few rats tonight.
In the busiest commercial street of the East District stood a very famous nightclub, Teapek. It was famous because, since opening, it had never been subjected to a police raid.
This was unimaginable for an entertainment venue, but reality was reality: Teapek was an asset of the Genesis Society, and no police officer would dare harass it.
At 8:00 PM, Teapek was at its liveliest. The cold outside didn't deter the enthusiasm of the young people. Lightly dressed men and women crowded together, freely unleashing their youthful energy.
Luke, Wu Yue, and Dior sat in the VIP section on the second floor of the nightclub. They drank and surveyed the surroundings. The three were disguised, looking like hipsters who enjoyed popular music.
At 8:20 PM, the boss of the Genesis Society, Brad Watt, arrived precisely on schedule. After greeting a few acquaintances, he headed toward the back office area.
"Notify Wang Hu. It's time to move."
Dior nodded, took out his phone, and called Wang Hu.
Luke pushed back his sleeve and lightly tapped his watch.
The lights in the main hall vanished, plunging the club into complete darkness.
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