Chapter 1272
Meanwhile, Jasper's string of businesses across Harmony County had been systematically targeted. The attacks were swift, brutal, and left no trace. The losses were substantial.
Fuming with rage, Jasper, not caring about the details, rounded up his loyal crew and went on a rampage through the territories of a few small gangs in the South. This wild move quickly caught the eye of the local cops. Chief Detective Mark, recognizing the severity of the situation, mobilized his forces to apprehend Jasper, but he had vanished, along with his crew.
The following day, every entertainment venue in Harmony County—KTVs, pool halls, arcades, gambling dens—was shut down. The authorities conducted sweeps, scrutinizing transients, recently released convicts, and known troublemakers. For a brief period, Harmony County experienced a semblance of order. Citizens rejoiced, reporting suspicious activity with newfound enthusiasm, while the criminal element retreated into the shadows.
In a hotel lounge in Harmony County, a guy in his thirties, dressed in white, was carefully making coffee. Behind him stood a line of bodyguards, all lean, muscular, and sharp-eyed, clearly well-trained, but they were all holding their breath, not daring to make a sound.
After a moment, a hesitant knock came at the door.
"Quentin, come on in." The man in white stood up slowly and smiled, "It's been a while. Don't you recognize an old friend?"
"Levi Morgan, is it really you?" Quentin finally got the courage to walk into the lounge, the image of his old friend slowly merging with the man in front of him.
"The one and only." Levi warmly hugged Quentin and patted his shoulder. "I remember how we used to ditch school to watch movies, and you'd swipe money from home. Every time you went back, your dad would beat you black and blue."
"Ancient history," Quentin said, glancing nervously at the imposing figures behind Levi. "You've…done well for yourself, I see."
Levi pulled Quentin to sit down and replied with a smile, "Don't sweat it, just made some money down south. How about you?"
"I'm just scraping by," Quentin said awkwardly. Ever since he got kicked out of Sunset Valley High and his uncle Owen got investigated, he lost all his support. His girlfriend Jasmine dumped him, and his life hit rock bottom. He spent his days cooped up at home, too scared to go out and face the ridicule.
"Then you should stick with me. Most people I know in Harmony County are enemies, and you're my only friend. I won't treat you badly," Levi said coldly. "This time, I came back to Harmony County to reclaim everything my father lost. It's time for a change in leadership here. Quentin, I need your help."
"Alright, Levi, I'll follow you from now on." Quentin knew that Levi's father was involved in organized crime, but he didn't care. Seeing Levi's current power, if he could really take down Jasper and become the boss of Harmony County, Quentin would be a valuable ally, at least on par with Douglas, and could become a significant figure in Harmony County.
By then, Vanessa would have to beg him, and he could also get Audrey, the most attractive and seductive teacher at Sunset Valley High.
"Jasper has a right-hand man named Douglas. You familiar with him?" Levi asked as he poured Quentin a cup of coffee.
"Yeah, we get along well," Quentin quickly replied. "We often drink together."
"Good. I want him on our side, but he's playing coy, trying to stay neutral." Levi sneered. "I torched his place last night. He should be feeling the heat by now. Go talk to him. Tell him I'm giving him one last chance."
"Sure, I can do that." Quentin's pulse quickened. He'd heard rumors about the fire at the Imperial. He hadn't realized it was Levi's doing. After a moment, he said, "Levi, I understand you want revenge, but do you have to be so…dramatic? Captain Mark is a sharp detective. He's solved a lot of big cases. You don't want to make him your enemy."
Levi smiled, "Quentin, you misunderstand. The fire wasn't just for Douglas or Jasper. It was a message to my father. A way of saying I'm back. Don't worry about Mark. He's good at cleaning up messes. I'll use him to clean up Harmony County. Then this place will be ours. You were a teacher. You're educated. Once we're done with Jasper, I plan on starting a legitimate business. You can be my VP. Half a million a year. A company Audi A6. A pretty secretary. What do you say?"
"Thank you, Mr. Morgan. I won't let you down," Quentin said, instantly adopting a more formal tone, acutely aware of the shift in their dynamic. The prospect of turning his life around exhilarated him. He allowed himself to fantasize. Vanessa could be his assistant, and Audrey could be his personal secretary, working for him by day and pleasuring him by night. Even Jasmine, reduced to a housemaid, could be occasionally summoned for his amusement.
Ten minutes later, Quentin walked out of the hotel and instinctively reached into his pocket, finding a bank card inside given to him by Levi. Levi had handed it over, mentioning it contained a hundred thousand dollars as operating funds. Quentin was asked to establish connections with influential figures in the city to pave the way for future business endeavors.
Quentin drove away in his old beat-up Santana, thinking he should first find Douglas to talk to. As he reached an intersection, he saw a familiar figure—Vanessa, sitting on a bench by the roadside with a paper bag beside her, clearly just out of a shopping mall.
He couldn't help but hit the brakes and looked at Vanessa from a distance. She had become even more attractive over time. Her hair was curled and playful, she wore a pink T-shirt with a black vest over it, her prominent breasts partially hidden, and a pair of dark blue low-rise jeans that revealed her white waist and full, curvy hips, exuding a strong allure.
Quentin was no stranger to Vanessa's body. He had played with her firm breasts countless times, slapped her round buttocks, and made this seductive woman moan in ecstasy. He knew her body better than her husband did. He knew exactly how to make her scream.
Unfortunately, Vanessa's ambitions were too great, and he couldn't satisfy her desires. He didn't dare to confront her directly and could only watch as she fell into Oliver's arms. He even suspected that his expulsion was instigated by Vanessa behind the scenes.
Quentin's eyes flashed with anger as he gripped the steering wheel tightly, resisting the urge to get out and confront Vanessa. Approaching her now would only bring humiliation. What he needed to do was quickly gain Levi's trust. With Levi's support, he could do whatever he wanted in Harmony County, and no one would dare to look down on him. Vanessa would eventually come back to him.
He reluctantly took one last look at Vanessa and prepared to drive away when a sudden honking from behind startled him. Quentin instinctively turned the steering wheel, and a red BMW sped past. He glanced at the license plate—it was Natalie's car. After the reservoir incident, this woman had become even more successful.
However, Quentin believed that Natalie was still riding on the coattails of being Jasper's mistress. Once Jasper fell, she wouldn't be so arrogant. She might even become Levi's trophy, and perhaps he could enjoy her, too. The thought of Natalie's charm, which surpassed Vanessa's, made him excited again.
Natalie in the red BMW didn't pay any attention to the Santana that almost blocked its way and drove straight to the county government. Inside the car, Natalie held the steering wheel with one hand and adjusted her hair in the rearview mirror, feeling a bit anxious. After all, it was her first time meeting Armando at the county government.
Perhaps due to her own commercial alliance or the proposed revitalization plan for Harmony County's business district, Armando, who had always been aloof towards her, surprisingly requested a face-to-face report. This gesture symbolized an initial acknowledgment from the second most powerful figure in Harmony County and signified her true integration into Armando's circle.
Both sides of Oakwood Lane were bustling with construction. The administrative level upgrade project and city appearance improvement were the first steps and the easiest projects. However, this project had fallen into Lawrence's hands. Natalie had tried to compete for it, but she had no experience in urban construction and no reliable construction teams, so she couldn't compete with Lawrence.
However, the administrative level upgrade project was large, and Lawrence couldn't monopolize it. The county government bigwigs also wanted a share, and the one with the most say was naturally Armando, the leader of the project team. Natalie wanted to use the administrative level upgrade opportunity to grow her business alliance, and Armando's support was crucial.
Natalie was well aware of her situation. Without Jasper's protection, she couldn't fend off the wolves. Her hard-earned millions would be taken by others. Without Armando as a backer, even a random police officer could control her, as her background wasn't clean.
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