Chapter 36
A waiter approached from the front, seemingly oblivious to Al Swan's madness. His face was calm and composed, his eyes warm as he looked at him, and with impeccable etiquette, he first offered a white towel.
Al Swan's frenzied behavior came to an abrupt halt. The last remnants of his outburst faded. He stared blankly at the waiter in front of him, feeling irritated and disgusted by the person behind the waiter.
With a sharp slap of the back of his hand, he knocked the white towel away. He snatched the phone directly, pressed it to his ear, and sneered coldly:
"So I still have some use, huh?"
Everyone knew his conduct in the police department had been improper. He had stolen credit, causing Multiple to escape. Then Multiple robbed gun stores, armed himself, and clashed with the police, resulting in the deaths of seven officers. Through deliberate guidance and without any defense, all the blame had been silently pinned on him.
When Al Swan said he had no future, he wasn't exaggerating.
He didn't know who was calling at this moment, but he knew that even now — fallen like a stray dog — he still held value that powerful people could exploit.
"Al, your temper is still as big as ever," a light, nostalgic, teasing voice came from the phone.
"It's you, Snake."
Al Swan's eyes narrowed, his tone turning even colder.
He hadn't expected that at this moment, the person calling him would not be an old friend, but someone he had always despised and refused to associate with.
"What do you want? I may be down and out, but I don't need a gang boss like you pretending to comfort me." Al Swan sneered. "What? Do you need me to help transport drugs? Don't forget — even after being demoted, I'm still a police officer."
"Al, you're not as glorious as you used to be." A sigh of lament came through, filled with genuine emotion. In the past, with Al Swan's arrogant and defiant personality, he would have simply said "get lost" and hung up. The fact that he was saying so much now showed he was just bluffing to save face.
"What do you want, Snake?" Al Swan's face darkened. He gripped the phone tightly but did not hang up.
"Cooperate with me, Al."
"Fine!"
Al Swan agreed cleanly and decisively, without the slightest hesitation. This actually caused Snake to fall silent for a moment.
"As long as you kill Alex, I'll cooperate with you," Al Swan said with a cold smile. Alex's open, public kick had left him feeling pain in his chest with every movement, along with deep humiliation.
"Don't try to trick me, Al. I can't bear the consequences of killing a member of the Central City First Brotherhood."
"If you don't have the guts, why did you contact me?" Al Swan laughed coldly, hatred for Alex flashing in his eyes. Every moment now, when he faced the people in the police department, he felt like everyone was turning their backs on him, silently mocking and ridiculing him.
He could no longer face any gaze in the headquarters. All of this was because of that one kick from Alex, which had completely shattered his dignity and pride.
"I won't kill a Brotherhood member and invite unnecessary trouble. Al, your grudge should be settled by you," Snake said meaningfully.
Al Swan's heart stirred. "Snake, you're still like a venomous snake. Fine, we'll cooperate. My enemy will naturally be killed by me."
"I need you in the Lower District precinct."
"Deal!"
......
Alex's underground base.
After finishing training various applications of his magnetic-field telekinesis and conducting all kinds of tests that pushed beyond normal human limits in coordination with his body…
Alex calmed down. He stood in front of the glass display cabinet, pondered for a moment, and then looked at his superhero suit.
Alex did not have the compassionate heart of a saintly mother. He did not want to protect his city and purge evil like Batman. He also did not possess the kind, righteous heart of the Justice League like Barry Allen, The Flash.
Everything he did was for himself. For his own enjoyment.
Having the identity of a superhero would make it much easier to interact with other superheroes.
Besides, in the DC world, if he didn't become a hero, would he become a supervillain instead? Even though Alex considered himself cold by nature, he had transmigrated here with the proud awareness that he was a dragon. How could he stoop so low as to become a supervillain whom everyone hated and hunted?
Thinking of this, Alex planned out his recent tasks. He needed to help Jack and his two undercover agents stabilize their positions in the Lower District. He intended to seize a portion of the interests in the Lower District to use as startup capital for his own ventures.
Because of all the modifications to his underground base, Alex's funds were nearly exhausted. Without making some money, he wouldn't have the capital to start a business.
It was the perfect time to use his superhero identity to help his undercover agents take control of part of the Lower District's interests.
He opened the computer and brought up a map of the Lower District.
With his rank as Inspector in the Central City Police Department, he could easily access the city planning and distribution maps for the Lower District. However, because the Lower District was so chaotic, the 1989 urban planning map was only partially accurate. He would need to calculate and verify the rest himself.
Fortunately, Alex only needed a general overview — to identify some of the more profitable gangs and help his undercover agents take them over.
In less than half an hour, Alex had a rough plan in mind and began to act.
He immediately called his most capable undercover agent, Number One.
"It's time. I will help you become…"
"No can do, boss. I'm currently on a speedboat heading to Thailand to escape. The bastards in the Lower District are too fucking ruthless. They almost killed me, and my street was taken over. I can't help you anymore! Luckily, I managed to grab all the money and run. Boss, how about I bring back a batch of powder from Thailand? You cover me and we'll make a fortune together!"
Alex's face remained expressionless. He silently hung up the phone.
Undercover Number One had been driven out of the Lower District, packed up and fled to Thailand, planning to make a living trafficking drugs. Failure!
Next, Alex called Undercover Number Two. Although Number Two was not as capable as Number One, he was steady and reliable — the type who could hold down the fort while Alex handled other matters.
"It's time. I'm preparing to make a move on the Lower District…"
"Fuck! My legs were blown off and already amputated, and only now you tell me the plan is starting…"
Alex silently comforted Number Two, promised to kill the person who shot him, and wired him a sum of money so he could find a place to retire comfortably. Only then did he manage to calm Number Two down.
Undercover Number Two had been caught in a gang shootout, hit by a shotgun in both legs, and was now disabled after amputation. Failure!
At this moment, Alex really wanted to silently light a cigarette and watch the smoke drift.
But since smoking was harmful to health and he had never developed the habit, he could only let out a soft sigh, calm himself, and wonder if he had misjudged people.
Clearly both Number One and Number Two were capable individuals. One had been forced to flee to Thailand to traffic drugs, the other had both legs broken.
Alex frowned deeply. It seemed the most useless one — Undercover Number Three, Jack — was probably finished.
Given Jack's usual habits of only playing hip-hop, being timid and afraid of trouble, and trying to maintain the image of a righteous and loyal man, Jack's grave was likely already overgrown with grass.
With a heavy heart, Alex dialed Jack's number. Fortunately, someone answered.
"Jack, how are you now?"
"Boss, I'm finished. This time I'm really finished!" Jack wailed on the phone, his voice trembling with fear. Alex could almost picture him curled up in a ball, crying in terror.
Alex's heart sank again. How had the Lower District become so chaotic?! All three of his undercover agents had been wiped out in succession!
"Don't worry, Jack. I'll avenge you. No one can touch my people casually."
Jack's wailing suddenly stopped. He said weakly, "No, boss… you misunderstood."
"I've already become the boss of the largest gang in the Lower District!"
Alex: "???"
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