v2c20 : Mr. Eugene Is Not Happy
A middle-aged man with a grim expression strode down the deserted street of Lavoisier City, his heavy cane striking the pavement with a rhythmic thud. A large entourage of menacing men followed closely behind. The man wore an elegant fedora, his neatly trimmed mustache framing a thin, cruel mouth. His ornate golden jacket shimmered in the sunlight, and his polished leather boots gleamed with every step. A closer look revealed an unusual ring on his finger—shaped like a goat’s eye.
It was well past midday, a time when Lavoisier City’s shops should be bustling with activity. But every shop along the man’s path was shuttered, their doors and windows tightly closed. The streets were empty, save for his entourage. The usually vibrant city was eerily silent.
“Mr. Eugene! We caught a Black Hat!”
A voice called out from behind him. The man, known as Mr. Eugene, didn’t turn around, merely slowing his pace.
Several burly men, each wearing a goat-eye necklace, approached, dragging a bruised and bloodied young man. They forced him to kneel before Mr. Eugene.
Mr. Eugene stared coldly at the young man, who had clearly been beaten. He prodded his face with his cane.
“Boy, where is your cowardly leader, Titus, hiding? Tell me, and I might spare your life.”
“Heehee…”
The young man, his eyes swollen nearly shut, grinned at Eugene.
“Quickly, don’t test my patience,” Eugene said, his voice laced with boredom. He raised his hand, admiring the goat-eye ring glinting in the sunlight.
“In your mother’s bed,” the young man said, chuckling.
Eugene’s gaze snapped towards the young Black Hat. He raised his cane and brought it down on the young man’s head with a sickening thud. The heavy metal cane caved in his skull.
The young man’s body convulsed and went limp. Eugene, without a glance at the dying man, continued walking. His entourage followed, some even stepping on the young man’s body as they passed.
“I apologize, Mr. Eugene, but every Black Hat stronghold is heavily fortified. Our men can’t breach their defenses. They must have been preparing for this,” one of the burly men who had brought the young man said, hurrying to keep up with Eugene. “Titus’s whereabouts are unknown. Shall we initiate a city-wide search?”
“Bribe the officials first, then begin the search. I shouldn’t have to tell you this,” Eugene said, his voice cold and sharp. His long strides and towering height made him an intimidating figure. “Don’t attack the Black Hats’ strongholds directly. Tell our men to be patient. I want to kill that insane Lannis first.”
“Understood!” the burly man said, backing away. Despite Eugene’s slender frame compared to his own muscular build, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of fear, unable to meet his gaze.
Eugene and his entourage were heading towards Lannis’s house. He had already sent a group of men to deal with her, but they hadn’t returned. It was obvious what had happened to them. That madwoman had turned them into fireworks.
News of the impending war between the Goat Eyes Gang and the Black Hats had spread throughout Lavoisier City early that morning. No merchant or civilian dared venture outside, regardless of their errands.
Gangs usually avoided harming innocent bystanders, but anyone who got in their way risked losing their lives. Even though the citizens coexisted with the gangs, they never underestimated these ruthless criminals, never doubted their capacity for violence.
Eugene, who had been planning a luxurious facial treatment that morning, was enraged when he received the delayed report of his losses from the previous night. He had killed the prostitute who had shared his bed, smashing several expensive vases in a fit of rage.
The machine that produced unlimited alchemical solvents had been dismantled, rendered useless. His factory had been infiltrated, and all the child laborers had been stolen. And the foreman’s body had just been discovered—the unfortunate dwarf, covered in bruises, had been found dead in a patch of grass in the cemetery, his cause of death: suffocation. It seemed he had been so terrified that he had dug a hole and buried his own face in the dirt. Lannis, who had been imprisoned in the factory, was also missing. And that crafty bitch had even blown up several machines before leaving.
It was a personal attack, a direct assault on his pride and his profits. That solvent machine was the secret to the Goat Eyes Gang’s success! Although they had established themselves in Lavoisier City and didn’t strictly need it anymore, it allowed him to cut costs! Eugene hated spending money, hated paying for anything. That machine, with its free, high-quality alchemical solvents, had saved him a fortune!
He had immediately ordered his men to attack the only suspect: the Black Hats Gang. But their attacks had been ineffective. As the burly man had reported, those Black Hats bastards had been preparing for this. Their strongholds were heavily fortified. That cunning Titus was probably hiding somewhere, laughing at his misfortune.
The more Eugene thought about it, the angrier he became, his resolve to kill Lannis hardening.
That madwoman was incorrigible! She looked down on everyone, her loyalty unpurchasable! The only way to stop her was to kill her!
But even killing her wouldn’t be enough! Eugene envisioned soaking her wrinkled head in a vat of corrosive potion! He would make her regret ever being born!
Titus had anticipated many things, but he hadn’t grasped the full picture. A cruel smile twisted Eugene’s lips.
The Goat Eyes Gang had the power to crush the Black Hats within a day. First, he would kill Lannis, then he would find Titus and make him suffer!
…
The sound of the Goat Eyes gang members’ footsteps faded, leaving the young man Eugene had killed lying motionless on the ground.
But as the footsteps became inaudible, the young man, his skull caved in, slowly sat up.
“Ugh… This bone-softening potion still needs work… My head is killing me…” He grabbed his hair and pulled, his dented skull popping back into shape like a rubber ball. He stood up, muttering to himself. “Damn it, I need to report to the boss. What the hell… Where did the Goat Eyes Gang find those helpers…?”
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