Upon hearing Juliette’s words, Ava hesitated for a moment before she accepted the money. After collecting the funds, Ava looked at Chris Shelby with gratitude and said, “Mr. Shelby, thank you!” Ava was no fool; she knew that without Chris Shelby, she would never have received such a substantial compensation.
Chris Shelby smiled and replied, “You’re welcome! May is our nanny, and it’s only right that I take care of this.”
An hour later, May woke up. Upon learning that Chris Shelby had secured ten million dollars in compensation for her, she was immensely thankful to him. Seeing that May was alright, Chris Shelby suggested, “Why don’t we head back and let Ava stay here to take care of May?” Everyone nodded in agreement.
The next day, Chris Shelby made a call to James Mester, instructing him and Bull to come over. James Mester greeted him respectfully, “Mr. Shelby, what can I do for you?”
Chris Shelby, with a stern face, asked, “Do you know that a gang called Crazy Steer has recently risen on the East Coast?”
James Mester paused, glancing towards Bull, who was about to respond when Chris Shelby interrupted irritably, “Don’t look at him; I’m asking you.”
James Mester, gathering his courage, responded, “Mr. Shelby, I really didn’t know about it.” Since taking the role of head of the East Coast security company, James Mester had become somewhat arrogant and dismissive of the entire East Coast underworld, leaving all responsibilities to Bull. Thus, he remained oblivious to groups like Crazy Steer, especially since he was originally from the upper echelons of society and not from the underworld.
James Mester never paid much attention to the underworld, viewing its inhabitants as nothing more than thugs who only knew how to fight and kill. As long as they didn’t bother him, he preferred to ignore them. However, the emergence of Crazy Steer had caused significant trouble, infuriating Chris Shelby.
Chris Shelby scoffed coldly, “You don’t know? Do you realize that Crazy Steer has become a cancer on the East Coast? Is this how you manage things when I entrust you with the East Coast? You have disappointed me greatly!”
James Mester, head bowed, did not dare to utter a word. Chris Shelby was utterly disappointed in him. Giving him a disdainful glance, Chris Shelby considered his options. Since James Mester was proving ineffectual, it was time to find someone else.
Turning to Bull, Chris Shelby said, “Though the East Coast security company now has three hundred thousand people, it is disorganized and the members’ abilities are uneven, making it difficult to effectively manage the East Coast underworld. Therefore, I plan to select one hundred thousand individuals to train as the East Coast Guards. Bull, I am entrusting this task to you, hoping you will not disappoint me.”
Bull’s face lit up with joy as he responded, “Yes, Mr. Shelby, I will not let you down!” He was thrilled, sensing his opportunity had arrived. Although Bull had always been a loyal follower of James Mester, the chance to rise to the top was not something he would pass up.
Meanwhile, James Mester listened to this with a bitter expression, realizing that Chris Shelby was expressing his dissatisfaction with him by dividing his authority and promoting Bull to establish the East Coast Guards. This was a clear move to redistribute his power.
If a hundred thousand people were reassigned, James Mester would only be left managing two hundred thousand people. This was a significant blow for James Mester! Chris Shelby continued speaking to James Mester, “James Mester, I know you’ve always been resentful since I stripped you of your title as the richest man on the East Coast and tasked you with managing its underworld. So, from now on, you don’t have to worry about the East Coast underworld anymore. I’m handing it all over to Bull. Do you have any objections?”
“Yes, I will follow Mr. Shelby’s orders,” replied James Mester, not daring to object. After all, the situation was his fault. Under his management, a cancer known as Crazy Steer had emerged in the East Coast underworld. If Chris Shelby hadn’t noticed in time, allowing Crazy Steer to grow could have potentially destroyed the entire East Coast security firm. As the dominant figure in the East Coast underworld, James Mester bore an undeniable responsibility.
Though Chris Shelby had revoked James Mester’s authority over the East Coast underworld, this perhaps was a blessing in disguise. James Mester was a businessman, not a gangster. Managing the underworld was indeed like forcing a square peg into a round hole.
Chris Shelby told James Mester, “Although I’ve taken away your power over the East Coast underworld, you’ve been with me for a long time, and I won’t be too harsh. You are a businessman after all. Starting today, you will help my wife manage the East Coast business community and serve as the chairman of the East Coast Chamber of Commerce. No problems with that, right?”
Seeing that Chris Shelby didn’t blame him, James Mester expressed his gratitude, “Thank you, Mr. Shelby. Rest assured, I will manage the East Coast business community well.”
“Hmm,” acknowledged Chris Shelby, and without further ado, he moved on. Chris Shelby trusted that James Mester was intelligent and knew what to do. This was merely a warning for James Mester. If he made a similar mistake again, he shouldn’t be surprised by Shelby’s ruthlessness.
After dealing with James Mester, Chris Shelby turned to Bull and said, “Bull, this is both an opportunity and a lesson for you. I hope you take it to heart. From now on, the East Coast underworld is your responsibility. I hope you won’t disappoint me.”
“The most important task now is to establish the East Coast Guards, creating an efficient, powerful team capable of handling all emergencies and protecting the lives of the East Coast citizens. If you need any resources or personnel, feel free to ask.”
“Yes!” Bull nodded vigorously, his expression extremely serious. He knew this was both an opportunity and a challenge. If he failed, he would lose this chance forever and remain just a lackey.
Chris Shelby waved his hand and said, “Alright, you two can leave now.” After James Mester and Bull had left, Chris Shelby sat on the sofa and lit a cigarette. He had always considered establishing the East Coast Guards, modeled after the Death Guards. Of course, the East Coast Guards couldn’t compare to the Death Guards, whose members were the best of the best selected from millions of soldiers in Amerosia. In contrast, the East Coast Guards were selected from three hundred thousand members of the East Coast security firm. However, the creation of the East Coast Guards would significantly enhance their combat effectiveness and play a crucial role in protecting the East Coast.
A few days later, Bull called Chris Shelby to report that a hundred thousand members of the East Coast Guards had been selected and the training venue secured, requesting Shelby to visit.