Empire of Shadows

Middlemen, mediators—these special roles frequently appear in the underworld and play a significant part.

In reality, they're like brokers on another level, just with a different title, but their work is the same.

Obtaining some benefits and helping people solve problems.

Often, middlemen and mediators are well-known figures 'with a certain social status and influence.' They don't necessarily have to be members of the mafia—

For example, Councilor Wade and Councilor Williams. As long as someone can get them to act, they can also be middlemen.

Bundy's decision to have Fegal mediate their conflict with Lance came after careful consideration.

Firstly, as the head of one of the five great families, Fegal has sufficient reputation and influence.

Secondly, once Lance angers him, coupled with Bundy's subsequent plans, there's a high probability he can win Fegal over to his side.

Only by rallying more people to stand against Lance does he have the confidence to agree to this war.

Yes, with fewer people, he really lacks confidence.

Fortunately, Fegal agreed without much persuasion.

After hanging up, Fegal sat down, lit a cigarette, thought for a while, sorted out his talking points, and then called Lance.

The phone rang for a while before being answered, and Lance's voice came through, "This is Lance."

"Lance?" Fegal took a deep breath, a slight smile appearing on his face, just a little, not much. "This is Fegal."

"Mr. Fegal, hello, so... what's the matter?"

There wasn't much respect in Lance's words. With the demise of the Cassia family, the war between the Coda family and Lance hadn't presented a one-sided situation. Lance had completely lost his awe of the so-called five great families.

You fear someone who can cause you pain, but you don't fear someone who can't hurt you.

People and animals alike learn rules through pain. Without pain, without punishment, there are no rules and no awe.

In fact, not only Lance, but also some other gangs lack sufficient awe for the current five great families.

Whether someone respects you or not, you can tell from their words, whether they are cautious or dismissive.

Lance used very ordinary language, without even honorifics, and with his seemingly casual tone, Fegal's brow furrowed slightly.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you..." Although he felt Lance wasn't very polite, as the head of one of the five great families, he needed to maintain his dignity.

This was actually just a polite greeting, like two people meeting on the street, and someone has to say, "Nice weather today."

A slight chuckle came from the receiver, just two or three brief sounds.

Actually, there was nothing wrong with it, but it made Fegal feel that Lance didn't respect him very much.

He felt very uncomfortable!

However, he adjusted quickly, "Bundy just called me..." He said, then paused, not continuing.

"Hmm?" Lance's reaction made him a little unsure.

He tentatively said, "He hopes I can act as a mediator to resolve the conflict between you."

"Lance, we're all making a living in King's Port. There are no irreconcilable differences."

"You sell your wine, he runs his casino, and your territories aren't even together. I think we can sit down and discuss the issues and conflicts openly."

"Blindly engaging in conflict will only weaken our respective strengths. This is not a friendly society, nor is it a suitable time for war."

"Internal and external conflicts, we should temporarily put aside our hostility towards each other. Perhaps soon you will become friends again."

"Giving others a chance is also giving yourself a chance."

"We don't need to fight to the death over some trivial matters!"

"How about this, I'll host. I know a restaurant with good flavored mutton. Let's sit down and talk, you, me, Bundy, just the three of us."

"What do you say?" He waited with slight anticipation for Lance's reply.

However, Lance was going to disappoint him.

"I refuse."

Fegal acted as if he hadn't heard clearly, "Sorry, what did you say?"

"I said, I refuse your proposal, Mr. Fegal."

"Why?" Fegal's tone was somewhat displeased. He felt that his good intentions had been let down and didn't understand why Lance would refuse this proposal.

Compared to his obviously emotional voice, Lance's voice was still so steady.

"Do you know why we're at war?"

Although Fegal had been following this matter, he wasn't actually very clear why they were at war, so he asked, "Why?"

The expected answer didn't come, only Lance's slightly mocking words, "You see, you don't even know why we're at war, and you're thinking of mediating."

"Just like that, you can't possibly truly stand on neutral ground to judge whose fault it is in the conflict between me and the Coda family!"

"You claim to be able to mediate, but in reality, you're just an accomplice hired by Bundy, so I'm sorry, I have no interest in your proposal."

"Don't waste my time and yours. If there's nothing else, I'm hanging up."

Fegal felt offended. Just as he was about to say something, Lance hung up directly.

This was one of the few times he had been hung up on. In King's Port, he was the only one who hung up on others; there weren't many people who could hang up on him.

A person in a high position certainly has some cultivation, but cultivation is not necessarily always good.

A mafia boss who has proven himself through fighting and killing is furious at being hung up on!

If the person who hung up on him was someone of the same level, then he might not be so angry.

Sometimes, when he and the heads of other families had disagreements, they would even curse at each other over the phone.

But this time, Lance on the other end of the phone was just a "small character." It had only been a little over two years since he started his career. Why wouldn't he give him face?

Why did he hang up on him?

It had been a long time since he had encountered this kind of thing since he inherited the position of family head.

Before, the Bear Gang indeed didn't give him face. The two sides fought for half a year, and in the end, the Bear Gang had to get out of King's Port.

Every step he took was stained with blood. He had the right to be respected!

And Lance's words were indeed somewhat "hurtful" to him. In his opinion, the so-called mediation was just helping Bundy speak and making Lance and his Lance family submit.

From the beginning, he had never considered really doing this fairly and impartially. After all, he and Bundy were the five great families, what was Lance to him?

At most, he was a competitor. Lance's business in the Imperial District attracted some of the downtown drunks, which, although not much, did have an impact.

Like all prostitutes, they have no psychological burden when doing it. The biggest psychological burden is the moment when someone points out their identity.

He can sit down crookedly, but you can't say it, even if you see it.

Lance's reaction made Fegal curse and rant. He picked up the phone and called Bundy again, "I can't convince him. He even lectured me. F*ck, are young people so arrogant these days?"

Bundy chuckled, "If he doesn't want to mediate, so be it. I'm not really afraid of him!"

He laughed twice more, looking very relaxed. "We haven't seen each other in a long time. Want to come out for dinner tonight?"

"I'll call the people from the Tita family, the three of us, and chat with that guy by the way."

Fegal hesitated for a moment. He understood Bundy's purpose in doing this, which was to get him to take a stand, to choose a side.

However, he wasn't very averse to this kind of siding. Lance indeed hadn't given him face just now, and since they hadn't seen each other for a long time, he agreed.

He thought that perhaps he could also learn a little about the situation at the dinner table, why they suddenly started fighting.

After Fegal agreed, Bundy contacted the new leader of the Tita family. The Tita family's losses were also quite heavy and hadn't fully recovered.

After the new family head took office, he was also willing to connect with the other two families of the five great families. Some recent changes in King's Port were becoming more and more incomprehensible.

If you don't understand, you will feel scared and have a sense of crisis.

Sitting down and chatting with everyone, getting closer, can actually create some sense of security.

Instead of choosing another time, they set the gathering for tonight.

As for why they didn't look for Francisco, they all knew in their hearts.

The Pasreito family had already declined.

In the evening, in a quiet restaurant in the Starlight District, only one table in the center of the restaurant was occupied. Bundy had arrived early and was chatting with the new head of the Tita family.

After waiting for about ten minutes, Fegal also arrived late.

"Sorry, something delayed me a bit on the way out," he took off his hat and coat, handed them to the person beside him, and strode to the table to sit down.

Just as he was about to leave, someone in the family said that people from the Lance family might have entered the city center.

He had just had an unpleasant phone call with Lance in the afternoon, and in the evening, he saw Lance's people in the city center. He didn't think this was a coincidence.

He had people watch him for a while, and after confirming that the other party was just driving around the city center twice before leaving, he stopped paying attention.

But even if he didn't want to think about it, some thoughts would inexplicably float into his mind, making him a little irritable.

When had he ever suffered such treatment?

Bandi had a slight, hidden smile in his eyes. It was very simple to impersonate someone from the Lance family: just add a red armband to the left sleeve.

This was the simplest way to distinguish their identity, without any difficulty.

He had sent people over there to continuously escalate the unpleasantness between them, eventually turning it into friction.

Please... You.... Bookmark 6... Books.... Okay....!

Bandi smiled, stood up, and hugged him, "It's okay, we're just early."

The Tita family member also hugged him, and after the three exchanged greetings, they sat down separately.

The chef in the restaurant had already prepared the ingredients, and after a simple cooking process after everyone arrived, the food was brought up.

Relaxing and soothing music was playing in the restaurant, and everyone had left, leaving only the three of them.

Bandi picked up his wine glass and clinked glasses with the other two, and then everyone took a sip of wine.

When he put down his wine glass, he sighed with some melancholy, and the other two looked at him.

Feigal asked, "Are you still troubled by the Lance matter?"

He thought Bandi sighed because he hadn't settled the mediation, and his dissatisfaction with Lance grew even more.

The head of the Tita family was the brother of the previous head, and he had attended similar gatherings with the previous head, so he was very familiar with the relationships between the five major families.

Through Feigal's simple words, he seemed to understand something.

He didn't speak, and put some vegetable salad into his bowl.

Bandi shook his head at this time. He swirled his wine glass, "I'm not sighing because of the Lance matter, but because of ourselves."

He leaned back, "The five major families, what a glorious title. We used to be incredibly prominent in this city."

"From the mayor, Councilor Wade, Councilor Williams, and those Bay Area dignitaries, they all had to give us face."

"Maybe we can't command them, but as long as we speak, they must respect us!"

In his simple description, the other two people at the table seemed to return to the most prosperous period of the five major families.

They and the Bay Area jointly ruled the world (Golden Port City)!

The daytime belonged to them, and the night belonged to the five major families.

Compared to the glorious past, there is now a decline.

Even the five major families have become four major families.

Bandi took another sip of wine, "Now even a young man can embarrass us. Sometimes I really wonder if we are old and our era has passed."

"Why has this city become so unfamiliar?"

His words resonated with Feigal and the head of the Tita family. It was indeed not like before, and people respected them.

Those small gangs would actively curry favor with them, and fear them. With just a phone call, the people they wanted to see would be sent to them.

They could decide the future of a gang in conversation and laughter, and they could also decide the life and death of some big shots in the eyes of ordinary people.

Now, it's different.

Those small gangs are not so in awe of them anymore, and sometimes they even resist them.

Their own business has also shrunk a lot, giving up some profits or space to those small gangs that they wouldn't even look at in the past.

Just like Bandi said, the times have changed.

It has become unfamiliar, and it has become less likable.

Feigal picked up his wine glass and drank the rest of the wine in the glass. The brandy with ice cubes was not so spicy, and it didn't give people the feeling that it had a high alcohol content after it entered the mouth.

He took the initiative to pick up the bottle and pour himself a little more, "These young people are becoming more and more unruly!"

Bandi appropriately showed a listening expression, and he couldn't help but start complaining.

The city center must be a very attractive territory. It has huge profits, and the environment is relatively stable, which will definitely attract the attention of some gangs.

"They are opening bars everywhere, destroying the price of alcohol, all learning from Lance!"

"Lance lowered the prices in the bars in the Imperial District to almost no profit. He has stolen a lot of my customers here."

"Those small gangs are also learning from him, forcing me to lower the price."

"Others can earn twenty or thirty yuan from a bottle of wine, but I can only earn ten yuan from a bottle of wine!"

"Damn it!"

He raised his glass again and took a sip, and then heavily exhaled a breath of turbid air, as if to exhale all the depression in his chest.

The head of the Tita family also quite agreed that behind the decline of the five major families, many small and medium-sized gangs began to grow barbarically.

It's just that there are fewer fights now, and most of them are competing for time to make money, opening bars, etc.

The fight has changed from a fight between people to a commercial fight.

You lower it by five cents, and I will lower it by ten cents. In the end, everyone can't make money, but they have to lower it.

Only the Starlight District and the Bay Area are better, the operating costs are too high, and small gangs can't squeeze in.

Bandi's beginning quickly allowed the two people's emotions to be controlled by him. He sighed softly, "It would be great if it was the past. If anyone didn't listen, we would destroy them."

"Now… …", he shook his head, "Everything is different from the past. Maybe we will withdraw from this big stage someday."

Feigal drank some more wine. He drank it very quickly and slapped the table. The dishes on the table jumped, "We can't fall down like this, brothers!"

"If we don't seek change, we will soon be drowned by those small gangs. People will forget the five major families and forget us."

"Today Lance can yell at me without giving me face, tomorrow he will be able to ride on my head!"

"We have to show them some color and let them know that in the underworld, it belongs to us!"

Bandi's eyes lit up, "But the Lance family's strength is very strong… …"

"I don't believe it, the three of us combined are not his opponents!"

Feigal interrupted him, "And I'm not saying to start a gang war. What I mean is, we let him realize that this is not his Golden Port City, and let him learn to respect us."

"Give him a little pressure or something, so that other small gangs will restrain themselves a little."

The head of the Tita family didn't really think this was a good plan, but now he was kidnapped.

If he doesn't join, he will be excluded by these two guys, and at the same time, he will not be able to join the new generation of gangs.

In case he really encounters any trouble, these two guys are unlikely to lend a helping hand.

So he could only bite the bullet and agree with their views, and emphasized, "We are just letting them understand who is in charge of this city!"

Bandi glanced at him, nodded with a smile, but thought to himself, once some things start, you can't stop them if you want to.