Chapter 680: Matching
In the Dock Area, any gang leader qualified to speak publicly, regardless of the specific circumstances, at least on the surface, almost all had so-called “powerful friends” in the city.
Gang warfare knew no bounds, so they naturally wouldn’t mind using some legal means—such as reporting.
The Michelson Brotherhood in the Dock Area was probably a gang with “not low development potential.”
They couldn’t contend with the Ireland Violent Group, which had a large and stable territory, couldn’t afford to provoke the thriving Rabbit Gang, and were slightly inferior to gangs like the Tuto Gang or Sailor Gang, which clearly had extra support in the shadows.
However, they could at least secure a decent territory and weren't always at a disadvantage in daily skirmishes.
They could usually chase away the small-time thieves from the Mongoose Gang like wild cats and freely deliver heavy blows to street hooligans.
They were roughly the “middle class” among the Dock Area gangs.
Objectively speaking,
The reason they had reached their current scale was that, in addition to fighting, they were also quite strategic.
After hearing that the Red Armbands began to demand that gangs prohibit the use of firearms in conflicts, Michelson guessed that many gangs would not obey.
However, he still restrained his subordinates last night, telling them not to use firearms when retaliating against the Aierlan Gang.
As expected,
Gunshots echoed continuously in the Dock Area last night.
The Detective Agency, as they claimed, brought out stronger firepower to punish “violators.”
None of Michelson's men were harmed, while some gangs who had also spoken with Mr. Wayne at James Damody’s house suffered losses or had some key members arrested.
Michelson was a strategic person, so he didn't believe Mr. Wayne's claim of “not vying for territory.”
Any smart person acts with their own goals. The Detective Agency first helped investigate the plague, then helped the City Hall collect taxes, clearly aiming to expand its influence in the Dock Area.
Although it was unclear why the Rabbit Gang and Tuto Gang chose to side with him, Michelson estimated they were probably similar.
Both were eyeing the Dock Area's advantageous location or security features, hoping to profit accordingly.
The Dock Area was only so big. With more gangs, the direct victims were mid-sized gangs like theirs. And with more people “doing business,” gangs were easily subjected to various restrictions in their operations.
So, even though Michelson currently had no conflict with the Red Armbands, it didn't stop him from preemptively targeting them now.
It couldn't really be called “targeting”; he also wanted to test their mettle.
No matter what, the Detective Agency wasn't the police. What right did they have to prohibit other gangs from using firearms? Wouldn't the gentlemen of Richmond have an issue with them?
If they could openly carry lever-action rifles and arrest people in the Dock Area at night, then couldn't other gangs do the same?
Michelson waited at the manor until the sun began to set before the gentleman he was visiting returned home.
Then he received a series of surprising replies.
“Control your men and avoid any conflict with that Detective Agency during this period. As for the territory in the Dock Area… I only need you to do the things I’ve assigned you. If you want that territory, go seize it yourself; it’s not for my benefit anyway.”
“They illegally used firearms? Do you think only you know? Let me tell you, someone already discussed this during a council recess today and was immediately rebuffed. Based on what I currently know, people under the Cathedral and Senator Walter have already subtly conveyed an attitude of acquiescence in small circles today. This is not leverage.”
“Don’t talk about laws with me in the Dock Area! Collecting taxes and reducing the level of violence in the Dock Area has gained considerable support. Everyone can tolerate competition among you gangs; no one cares if you kill each other! But they don’t want this competition to affect too many unrelated people. Why do you think they are temporarily allowed to operate? Isn’t it because some of you have gone too far?”
“Don’t worry, more people are watching them than you imagine. No one wants the order of the Dock Area disrupted. They can be your vigilantes, and you can do your own things. If they truly dare to seize territory like gangs do, many of those acquiescences will eventually become the ropes that hang them.”
So, the Detective Agency was now representing the gentlemen of Richmond in punishing the gangs?
No wonder not only the Rabbit Gang and Tuto Gang, but even the targeted Aierlan Gang and Sailor Gang, were so cooperative when openly confronting them.
It turned out they were all actively paying “indulgences.”
After reaching his conclusion, Michelson returned home and quickly summoned his “strategist” and “right-hand men”:
“Tell our men to treat those ‘Red Armbands’ like the police during this period. Don’t trust them, and don’t confront them directly. If they catch you on the scene, run if you can. If you can’t run, don’t fight back directly; you can pretend to be from another gang.”
“Firearms are not completely unusable, but don’t let them see you using them. They should truly only protect people outside the gangs and not intervene in gang disputes. While the Aierlan Gang is currently being targeted, now is a good time to disrupt some of their businesses in their communities. As long as we can seize them and make their people afraid to do the same business again, it will be ours in the future.”
“I guess the Detective Agency will now also prohibit the Aierlan Gang from obstructing outsiders from entering their community. During this time, our people can try to probe into their community along the territory during the day, but don’t cause trouble, and try not to harm unrelated people for now. If those Ireland people can’t stand it, they will move further away themselves, and the vacated areas will be our territory. If the Aierlan Gang makes a move, then they are causing trouble, and we can find opportunities to target and eliminate them in secret.”
Similar situations occurred in more than one place in the Dock Area. Different people received different information, and their conclusions were not entirely the same.
Some people felt that they only needed to endure for a while and then pay “protection money,” and everything would return to normal. Others saw both opportunities and risks and intended to push things in a direction favorable to themselves.
…
Compared to the gangs, the Detective Agency became much more tense.
“There might be an Extraordinary Person more dangerous than Miss Inessa in the Dock Area now.” Once this news was reported, even Connal, who would probably try to fight a gorilla, was now discussing with the Agents in their group how to cover each other's retreat in case of danger.
Some Agents couldn't help but compare the combat power of the partners. Miss Lina should normally not be able to defeat Miss Inessa, but if she summoned “that one,” who would be more terrifying?
Wayne also took time to participate in the discussion. In the end, everyone still felt that such matters should be tested by others. To see power, one must shoot at targets, and the results of internal duels could not represent the power of firearms themselves.
After Inessa, who was secretly being discussed by everyone, returned, accompanied by Merlin and a larger investigation team than before, they arrived at the temporary stronghold.
The Exorcist Association didn't have Hunter bullets for hunters, but firearms, holy water, high explosives, and other items the Detective Agency was allowed to possess were moved off the carriage in boxes.
Mr. Paul of the Rabbit Gang was originally slacking off as usual at the stronghold, but after seeing this situation, his expression became much calmer.
Sheriff William, who seemed to be constantly informing people everywhere, initially wanted to inquire, but after Merlin, dressed in ordinary clothes, got off the carriage, he chose to pretend not to see anything.
Some things, when unnoticed, seemed perfectly normal. Then, as soon as their personnel arrived, a patrolling police officer quickly came to report a murder to Sheriff William.
Wayne and Inessa took a group of people and went directly with Merlin and his team to a relatively remote warehouse.
Then everyone was a bit surprised.
One person killed a bunch of people with their bare hands. From the scene, it looked like they had been shot several times but hadn't shed a single drop of blood. It certainly looked like the work of an Extraordinary Person.
Judging by the opponent's audacity to confront them in broad daylight (someone heard continuous gunshots when it happened), their unhurried attitude (one guy ran quite far with bloodstains before finally being cornered in a room), and the strength and defense displayed (who in their right mind would choose to break through wooden walls and take bullets?), their rank was probably not low.
But compared to what Inessa had discovered before,
the extraordinary abilities and modus operandi didn't seem to match.
