Chapter 187 Good tactics
Melissa observed Elbert from beside him, unease settling in her stomach. It wasn't like the gentleman to put on such a display. He sat at the entrance of the banquet hall, acknowledging each arriving guest with a nod or a brief word, but his heart didn't seem to be in it.
The Elbert she knew preferred the shadows, his actions shrouded in secrecy. He cared little for such overt displays of power.
"Sir," she leaned in, barely whispering. "Why are we staying here? Shouldn't we be inside?"
"I'm waiting, Melissa," Elbert replied, his gaze fixed on the arriving guests. "I need to see who comes calling."
"But Sir," Melissa persisted. "Half of Wavehaven's underworld is already here. What more do you need to see?"
Elbert smiled knowingly. "And what about the other half, Melissa? The ones who haven't shown their faces?"
Melissa understood. "They're watching, Sir. Waiting to see which way the wind blows."
"Indeed," Elbert murmured. "They call themselves kingpins, but they're cowards at heart. Content to scrabble for scraps while others shape the city."
"They haven't grasped the significance of last night," she said, her voice slightly prideful. "Six hundred of Dragon Pride's men, neutralized. It was a display of power unlike anything Wavehaven has seen in years."
Elbert conceded, "Bold, but not enough to sway the truly cautious. They need more convincing and understand the price of hesitation."
"They call him Godlike," Elbert scoffed. "A glorified cyborg, nothing more. Today, their God falls."
At that moment, a voice rang out from the entrance. "Council Elders, Brother Four, Brother Five, Brother Seven, arriving!"
Respect bordering on fear passed through the assembled guests. Even the biggest gangsters held the Council Elders in high regard.
Elbert, however, remained seated.
Brother Seven, the eldest of the trio, approached first. Despite his age, his eyes still held a sharp intelligence.
"Paul Two," he greeted, bowing respectfully. "Your reputation precedes you. I am honored to make your acquaintance."
"The honor is all mine, Brother Seven," Elbert replied, finally standing up as respect for the elder's age and position.
"You are a man of action, Paul Two," Brother Seven chuckled, his eyes twinkling. "A trait I admire greatly."
"Tell me, Brother Seven," Elbert asked casually, "your fellow Elders... Do they share your enthusiasm for my recent endeavors?"
Brother Seven's smile faltered slightly. "To be frank, my brothers are... hesitant. They don't necessarily approve of your annexation of the Dragon Pride Syndicate."
He leaned closer, whispering. "You are aware, of course, that Dragon Pride still has... resources at its disposal. Two, in particular, have yet to make an appearance."
Elbert raised an eyebrow, feigning ignorance.
"Raven, for one," Brother Seven continued. "Has a master of close combat; a formidable opponent."
Elbert said nothing, but his lip corners twitched in amusement. The Black Fox members behind him exchanged knowing glances with Spring, who stood silently behind them. If only Brother Seven knew that the so-called "formidable opponent" Mad Soldier was standing right there, listening to their conversation.
"And then there's Vortex," Brother Seven finished, his voice grave. "The leader of the Dragon Pride Syndicate. The one they call Godlike."
A nervous silence descended upon the group. Even the most arrogant gangsters paled at the mention of Vortex's name.
"Don't believe everything you hear, Brother Seven," Elbert said calmly. "Legends have a way of exceeding reality."
Brother Seven conceded. "Perhaps. Regardless, I've made my choice. I am here, am I not? And should things go awry, you will find me by your side, Paul Two."
Elbert nodded in appreciation. Brother Seven, like the other bosses attending, had made his allegiance clear. They were drawing a line in the sand, choosing to stand with the Black Foxes against the tide of uncertainty that Vortex represented.
"Please, Brother Seven," Elbert gestured toward the banquet hall. "Join us. Let us discuss the future of Wavehaven."
Brother Seven smiled, relieved to steer the conversation toward safer waters. "An excellent suggestion, Paul Two. An excellent suggestion indeed."
He turned toward the banquet hall, but his steps faltered. His smile froze, replaced by a look of disbelief.
He wasn't the only one. The gangsters inside the hall turned silent, their eyes wide with shocked and morbidly fascinated.
Two figures occupied the center stage.
One was Midnight, his clothes torn and filthy with his hands tied behind his back. He knelt on the ground, his head bowed in defeat.
The other was a mangled mess, his limbs twisted at unnatural angles while his body contorted into a grotesque parody of a human being. He lay on the floor, whimpering softly in ragged gasps.
It was Raven.
Brother Seven's blood ran cold.
'When? How?' He swallowed hard, his gaze darting around the room for an explanation.
'Where's Mad Soldier? Had she been captured as well?' he felt more confused.
He noticed Elbert watching him, smirking.
Brother Seven broke out in a cold sweat. He realized he had underestimated Paul Two.
He stumbled toward the nearest empty table, his legs turning into jelly.
The other bosses at the table glanced at him nervously before quickly looking away with pale faces.
The message was clear; Paul Two was not to be trifled with.
By eleven o'clock, the banquet hall was packed. Over 150 of Wavehaven's most powerful criminals sat around the tables, forcing happiness on their nervous faces.
It was a scene that would have sent shivers down the spines of Wavehaven's law-abiding citizens.
Despite that, an eerie silence hung in the air.
The usual boisterous laughter, drunken boasts, and clinking of glasses – all were absent.
The only sounds were the soft whimpers emanating from the stage, where Raven lay broken and defeated; a stark reminder of Paul Two's ruthlessness.
All eyes were on Elbert as he finally stood up and made his way onto the stage.
Black Fox hurried to place a chair behind him.
Elbert sat down, his gaze sweeping over the assembled guests.
At his feet lay Midnight and Raven, their fates a silent testament to his power.
"I apologize for the delay," he said, his voice amplified by the sudden hush over the room. "I was waiting for someone."
The gangsters exchanged nervous glances.
'Who else could he be waiting for?' they were confused.
Ten minutes crawled by, each one stretching into an eternity.
Then, just as the tension in the room reached its peak, a voice rang out from the entrance.
"Vortex, leader of the Dragon Pride Syndicate, has arrived."
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