Ryan sat down with Echo still behind him. She turned to Mr. Brown and said, “The Street family has already warned Michael to pressure you into cooperating. Can you really tolerate something like this, Mr. Brown?”
Hawk raised an eyebrow and replied, “Mr. Brown, our boss is here sincerely to discuss things with you. It seems you’re not giving us the respect we deserve. You know our Dark family has a longstanding feud with the Street family, and we’ve already openly severed ties. It appears the Street family isn’t too concerned about your Brown family anymore, considering they’ve even intimidated your son. You understand the implications of this, don’t you, Mr. Brown?”
He paused before continuing, “There are no permanent enemies or friends in this world. We all know what the Street family is capable of. The more pressure we apply in Europe and America, the more they’ll seek an opening here. If the Brown family is willing to stand alone against them, then the Dark family has nothing more to say. No matter how down we are, the Street family won’t have an easy time either.”
Echo initiated the conversation, and Hawk caught on, speaking half in agreement and half in threat, which made Mr. Brown furrow his brow slightly.
The Brown family had considerable power and could handle the Street family on their own, but if they offended the Dark family, things could get complicated. With three parties involved, no one could predict the outcome.
Mr. Brown realized that even if his family was strong, they were in a different political system. If the country supported them, they would be unbeatable, but if a new power took over, they could lose everything. It wasn’t like the arms dealers in America who, once established, had little to fear from the government.
Ryan shot Mr. Brown a cold glance and said, “My terms haven’t changed. You can make any offer as long as I can accept it.”
At that, Mr. Brown and Michael exchanged looks-this was classic Ryan.
Michael, tilting his head slightly, suddenly smiled elegantly. “Alright, since we’re laying all our cards on the table, let’s change my offer. The Brown family partners with the Dark family to divide the Street family’s influence.”
Ryan shot Michael a cold look, and Michael leaned back on the sofa, raising an eyebrow with a smirk. “I’m not someone you can easily push around.” The flash of sharpness in his eyes was intense.
Mr. Brown nodded in agreement. “That condition works for me too.”
Echo raised an eyebrow at this. What was the logic behind an alliance between the underworld and the legal world? It was known that the two sides were usually at odds, and major powers rarely collaborated.
Michael’s request to split the Street family’s influence raised questions-what was he planning? An arms business? A drug trade?
It seemed unlikely Ryan would agree.
“Alright.” Just as Echo thought Ryan wouldn’t go for it, he coldly replied with a single word.
Did Ryan just agree?
Michael, sitting directly across from Echo, noticed her incredulous expression and smiled slightly. “The rule against cooperation between the legal and illegal worlds is a Western norm, but not here. Plus, the Brown family isn’t purely legal; we operate in a gray area.”
The Brown family was involved in all kinds of business-legal and illegal-and their dealings varied by region, environment, and mindset.
That’s why Ryan seemed amenable.
Echo nodded slightly at Michael’s explanation, sensing the suppressed anger radiating from Ryan. While others might not notice, she could clearly feel it, and it seemed directed at her. She blinked, wondering what she had done to provoke him.
Michael continued, “Alright, if we’re partnering up, we’ll solve the issues on this path for you. But we need your help with something else.” He was direct, understanding that everyone in the room took their promises seriously-far more than any low-level person would.
Seeing Michael’s earnestness, Ryan nodded. “Go on.”
Michael fell silent for a moment, exchanging a look with Mr. Brown before he said, “You know we’re in the oil business. Recently, we got some news that our team discovered a type of algae in the Pacific that can be refined into oil, and its potential is even greater than oil itself. But the Pacific isn’t our territory, and the Street family is also involved, blocking our surveys and working against us. I need your influence to help verify if this is true.”
Ryan wasn’t in the oil business, and Michael knew that well, which is why he felt comfortable laying everything out. Everyone had their own territory, and it was best not to interfere with each other.
After thinking it over for a moment, Ryan nodded. The balance of power in the Pacific wasn’t something he wanted to confront with the Street family just yet, but since the Brown family brought it up and gave him such a big favor, it was bound to be resolved eventually. There wasn’t much more to consider.
“Alright,” Michael said. “Let’s take it easy tonight, and tomorrow we’ll head to the Pacific. I want to see it for myself. How does that sound, Mr. Ryan?”
This algae wasn’t particularly useful for Ryan, but it was crucial for the Brown family, which primarily dealt in oil. Michael wanting to verify it personally wasn’t overkill. However, since Michael was going, Ryan would have to go along too. With Michael being the future head of the Brown family, Ryan couldn’t refuse him.
Mr. Brown chimed in, “The Street family’s influence in Russia, China, and Asia-we’ll handle that ourselves. You don’t need to worry about it, Mr. Ryan.”
Seeing Mr. Brown’s statement, Ryan realized he had already made significant concessions. The expectation was that he would accompany or protect Michael on this trip. He nodded and said, “Alright, I’ll be there tomorrow.” He stood up, gave Mr. Brown a slight nod, and headed out.
Echo followed Ryan, and Michael smiled softly as he watched them leave. If the mountain wouldn’t come to him, he’d go to the mountain. He had a chance to spend more time with Echo, and he was confident he could win her over.
“Don’t forget your priorities,” Mr. Brown warned, noticing Michael’s gaze on Echo’s retreating figure.
Michael smirked and said, “I know what I’m doing. Business is business, and personal is personal. I can keep them separate.”
Mr. Brown nodded, heading out to see Ryan off. If his son couldn’t distinguish between public and private matters, he wouldn’t trust him with so many responsibilities.
Once in the Cadillac, Echo noticed Ryan’s grim expression. Although he didn’t show it on his face, the sharp intensity in his eyes and the simmering anger surrounding him made her nervous. She instinctively shrank back and glanced at Hawk and the others, seeking an explanation for Ryan’s fury.
Hawk and the others averted their eyes, ignoring Echo’s silent plea. They could tell Boss was on the verge of exploding, and they didn’t want to become collateral damage.
Echo frowned, cautiously sitting beside Ryan.
Was it really worth getting this upset over something so minor? She had just pretended to be injured to buy a little time. Did he really need to blow up like this? After all, she had helped him out.
Echo had no idea if they were in a villa, a hotel, or somewhere else entirely. Before she could even get her bearings, Ryan grabbed her by the collar and yanked her up.
Hawk and the others watched nervously, silently praying that Echo would still be alive the next day.
With a sudden force, Ryan tossed Echo onto the bed. Before she could prop herself up, he stepped on her legs, one hand tightening around her neck, his face a mask of anger and fury.