“Shut up, you bastard!”
Luca glared at Nick. “I’m not dead yet, and the Apex is not yours to command!”
“Today, we’re here for a peaceful negotiation, not to fight. Why are you yelling at Ms. Sotheby? Woodsea could crush you with a few billion dollars.”
Nick turned his head slightly and fell silent, but his expression remained indifferent.
Luca’s harsh demeanor towards his son softened as he nodded politely at Noemi.
“Ms. Sotheby, my son is uneducated and lacks manners. Please don’t take offense.”
“We came here with sincerity.”
Nick fanned himself gently, maintaining a friendly demeanor. “It sounds like you’re giving us over a hundred million in dividends every year, but that’s nothing to you, right?”
“Isn’t it better to spend a little money for peace? We make some money, and you get peace. It’s a win-win.”
“Why treat this mutually beneficial cooperation as a disaster?”
He continued persuasively, “In a harmonious society, your well-being and ours are intertwined.”
“As long as you don’t disturb us, we remain at peace.”
Noemi scoffed coldly, “The root of Woodsea’s turmoil is you and your gang.”
She had seen too much of human nature to be fooled by the father-son duo’s good cop-bad cop routine.
“There’s some truth in that, but it’s not entirely correct.”
Luca laughed heartily, tapping the table with his jade-ringed hand. “I admit that the Apex has always wanted to get a footing in Woodsea, and I’ve tried various ways to get in.”
“But you should know that even if the Apex doesn’t come in, other gangs will.”
“Woodsea is such a lucrative piece of meat. How could it stay untouched? Someone will definitely take a bite.”
His eyes didn’t flash with coldness but rather held an earnestness that made one believe him.
“Instead of letting the Crow or the Axe tear Woodsea apart, why not share some benefits with the Apex? We can support each other against external threats.”
Luca’s words were persuasive. Many villagers’ hostility diminished slightly. With Woodsea generating astonishing profits yearly, staying out of trouble seemed unrealistic. Both legal and illegal forces would find ways to infiltrate, making conflict inevitable.
“Nice words, Luca. It’s a waste of your talent not to be in sales,” Noemi retorted.
“Woodsea became valuable because we built it up ourselves. What does it have to do with scum like you?”
“You’ve become societal parasites and now want to leech off us without any effort. Do you have any dignity?”
“You have hands and feet. Even working as security could support you. How can you face your family by joining the underworld?”
“Your mother gave birth to you for glory, not disgrace.”
“You think I don’t know your intentions? Northmoor is almost entirely your territory except for our tough spot.”
“If you don’t take us down, those who compromised with you in other villages will rebel against you.”
Noemi’s mind was sharp. “If they unite against you, the Apex will be overwhelmed. If things get out of control, the Crow and other gangs will seize the opportunity to snatch your territory.”
“Luca, can you deny that you’re eager to take Woodsea because you’re worried about this?”
“And I’ve heard that the Apex has been having bad luck lately.”
Noemi had evidently gathered much information about the Apex. “Not only was your son beaten and jailed, but several key members were also lost.”
“You think Woodsea can change your luck? Luca, your plan is clever but misplaced.”
Her words were sharp and hit right at the heart of the Apex’s intentions.
Luca forced a smile. “Ms. Sotheby, you’ve already seen through it quite clearly.”
“Fat woman, don’t think too highly of yourself! Show some respect to our boss.” Gisselle couldn’t hold back anymore.
“If it weren’t for the boss asking us to restrain ourselves and give you leeway, I would’ve smashed your head already.”
“Our beggar brothers lost thousands daily because of you driving them away.”
“When we were at Grandeur Plaza, you incited tenants to beat us up. The medical bills cost tens of thousands.”
“And now you dare challenge us? Believe me, I’ll tear Woodsea apart!”
Gisselle recalled the ambush that night and how Darnell set them up, her face filled with anger and hatred towards Woodsea.
Noemi slammed the table. “Shut up! This is not your place to speak. Tenants beat you because you caused trouble at midnight.”
“If you stayed home quietly, would anyone mistake you for cops and beat you up? Now you’re asking me for medical expenses when I haven’t charged you for damages yet?”
“That night I lost ten flower beds, six streetlights, and eight dogs because of you!”
Gisselle was furious. “You…”
Noemi pressed on relentlessly. “If I had been there that night, I’d have cut off your head myself!”
“Hiding behind Jade Crew’s name and using James as your brother-in-law’s shield, you’ve done many shady things in Woodsea.”
“I’ve let you off more than once. Don’t push your luck!”
Gisselle’s face darkened like storm clouds as she drew an extendable baton. “Noemi, are you looking for death by challenging me?”
“Jade Crew! Kill this old witch and tear her mouth apart!”
At Gisselle’s command, over ten followers roared and charged forward.
“Don’t act rashly,” Luca commanded firmly, stopping his men from attacking and making Gisselle step back. “Gisselle, patience is key in big matters.”
“This is a lawful society. Constant fighting won’t achieve anything significant.”
Gisselle looked aggrieved. “Boss, she insulted me!”
“Learn to endure,” Luca said dismissively before turning back to Noemi.
“Ms. Sotheby, let’s skip the trivialities and get back to business. I’m clear on my stance. I want Woodsea. We can negotiate terms but only down by twenty percent at most.”
Nick added loudly, “Dad! They must also hand over Darnell!”
Noemi shouted back immediately, “No need for negotiation! We absolutely refuse!”
Leroy and others echoed her sentiment firmly.
“I’ll make one more concession. Seventy million dollars annually. Agree today, and we’ll make a peaceful agreement,” Luca said sternly.
“If not agreed upon by tomorrow,” he continued menacingly, “I’ll send a thousand Apex members daily to disrupt Woodsea.”
“We’re civilized people. No smashing or looting, just blocking every shop or street.”
“If that doesn’t work,” he added with a sinister smile, “We’ll release dozens of rats and hundreds of cockroaches into shops and restaurants daily in Woodsea.”
“In three years tops,” he concluded darkly, “I’ll turn Woodsea into a ghost town.”
Noemi’s face turned cold. “You dare? We’ll have security beat them up on sight! We have money. Medical bills don’t matter!”
“Can your people withstand beatings?”
“Security? Do you still have security?” Luca’s remark struck a nerve.
“You had hundreds of men. Now only these few are left, right?” He motioned slightly.
Callum then stood up abruptly and walked towards a two-meter-tall decorative vase before smashing his head against it.
The vase shattered loudly into pieces on the ground, a shocking display that left villagers stunned and security guards trembling.
Callum pointed at them sternly. “Is your life worth only thirty-eight hundred dollars?”
The guards dropped their batons instantly before shouting at Noemi, “Ms. Sotheby! We have families to support. We can’t afford this fight!”
Without waiting for her response, they ran towards the exit with fearfulness, leaving Noemi visibly shaken.