v2c29: “Old Friends” Reunited
“Well, well, if it isn’t my old friend, Titus,” Eugene said, spotting Titus approaching. Despite his unease, he wasn’t afraid. Titus didn’t have many men with him. Even if they fought now, the Black Hats wouldn’t stand a chance.
Titus smiled, spreading his arms wide, but he didn’t approach. The spoon in his mouth made his words slightly muffled. “Oh, Mr. Eugene, you remember me. How wonderful. I thought my ugly mug wouldn’t be worthy of your memory.”
“Let’s cut to the chase, Titus,” Eugene said, his fake smile disappearing. “We might not have captured Lannis today, but don’t get cocky. If we fight, your men are no match for mine.”
Titus chuckled. “You’re being too formal. The Black Hats have always treated the Goat Eyes Gang with respect. Even though your men attacked several of my strongholds, I only retaliated with a few minor inconveniences. I didn’t order their deaths, just a few broken bones, and some lingering headaches for the stubborn ones.”
Gang wars were brutal. Even Titus, with his principles, was ruthless when dealing with enemies. His decisiveness and ruthlessness belied his youthful appearance. He seemed more like a seasoned veteran of the underworld than a gang leader in his thirties. Eugene, watching this strong man speak so casually about violence, tightened his grip on his cane.
“Your Black Hats bombed my warehouses first. And then, you hired a mage to attack my factory and destroy my solvent machine,” Eugene said coldly. “Why are you still pursuing this? You’re young, Titus. I suggest you think carefully before acting, leaving room for reconciliation. We wouldn’t want things to escalate to a point of no return.”
Titus laughed, as if hearing a joke. He leaned forward, his expression mocking. “Oh, hey, Mr. Eugene, could you repeat that? Are you suggesting I let you go, so we can coexist peacefully?”
The veins on Eugene’s temples bulged. Titus’s nonchalant demeanor infuriated him. If he weren’t surrounded by his guards, he would have smashed his head in with his heavy alloy cane.
But the situation was dire. Eugene didn’t want to fight anymore. After the disastrous attack on Lannis’s house, his men were demoralized. Even a well-trained army would struggle against a prepared enemy in such a situation, let alone his gang of thugs with minimal combat training. If they fought now, he would suffer a humiliating defeat.
“Yes, let me go, and I promise not to harm the Black Hats for a year. We can coexist peacefully. We’ll split the Lavoisier City potion market,” Eugene said, his eyes narrowed, watching Titus warily.
Titus chewed on his spoon, considering Eugene’s offer, then shook his head, smiling.
“I want the entire potion market in Lavoisier City. Agree to that, and I’ll let you go.”
“Don’t push your luck!” Eugene roared, slamming his cane on the ground.
The moment the cane struck the pavement, the Goat Eyes gang members rolled up their sleeves, aiming their wrist-mounted crossbows at the Black Hats. Before the Black Hats could react, a volley of darts, equipped with miniature syringes, filled the air! This was their prearranged signal. If Eugene struck the ground with his cane, they would attack without hesitation!
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The darts pierced through the Black Hats’ clothes, embedding themselves in their flesh. The syringes injected small doses of a potent potion.
The Goat Eyes Gang was the most powerful gang in Lavoisier City. Despite their low morale and their reluctance to fight, their attack was swift and coordinated. Almost everyone in the Black Hats’ front line was hit, some unlucky ones receiving multiple darts.
“You’re still too green, boy!” Eugene shouted at Titus. “Who’s cornered now?”
“Huh? What are you talking about?” Titus asked, pulling a dart from his arm, his expression nonchalant. He looked at Eugene, grinning. “You are, of course.”
“What?!”
Eugene realized something was wrong. Their darts were laced with a powerful tranquilizer. Upon contact, the syringes injected the potion, rendering the target unconscious within seconds. Without the antidote, they would remain asleep for at least two or three days! But why weren’t the Black Hats collapsing?
“Have you heard of spies? We have the antidote for every poison you use,” Titus said, stretching casually. “You might change the potion in your darts frequently for security reasons, but your mistake is your obsession with uniformity. My informants told me what kind of darts you were carrying today. We all consumed the antidote before coming here. Now do you understand? I initially thought you had a mage with you, but he’s gone now. I can guess what happened. Such a shame, Mr. Eugene.”
Eugene stared at Titus, stunned. He hadn’t anticipated such meticulous planning from his young rival, as if Titus harbored a deep-seated grudge against him.
“Alright, enough talk. Boys, it’s our turn,” Titus said, yawning, waving his hand dismissively. “Take them alive.”
As the Goat Eyes gang members watched in despair, the Black Hats rolled up their sleeves, revealing their wrist-mounted crossbows…
Unlike before, the Goat Eyes Gang hadn’t consumed any antidotes…
…
While the two gangs clashed on the street, Abyss and his companions were enjoying a moment of peace.
The necromancer, Legnas, was long gone. Abyss’s plan had been successful. He could finally relax before moving on to the next stage.
Lannis’s house was on the verge of collapse, but Abyss had summoned several bone pillars to support the structure. It wouldn’t crumble until he removed his magic.
He patted Rebecca’s shoulder. “Let’s go downstairs. Your assistant is waiting for you.”
“Ah, Lannis,” Rebecca said, her eyes softening. “She must have been worried sick…”
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