This shout startled everyone on the scene to their feet; although they had been clamoring just now, they didn't expect to have to go on stage themselves.

Now that the fight was coming to them, they had no choice but to take action.

"What are you afraid of? For everyone sitting here today, who hasn't taken a few lives?" The leader had no hesitation as he drew the sharp knife from his waist. Though he was the boss, he still preferred the feel of a butcher's knife.

But that was not the end of it. As the leader, he knew well how to motivate his underlings, and he added, "There will be rewards for everyone who holds their ground. When we counterattack, whoever wants the conquered territory can have it!" 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

The ferocious demeanor emboldened the sub-leaders, and the promise of riches made them howl with excitement.

"Yeah! Who's afraid of whom?"

"Take them out!"

"..."

At this point, there was no room for choice. They shouted, grabbed their gear, and rushed out.

The leader, who had been the first to draw his knife and shout the loudest, fell behind them, scoffing at the enthusiasm of the sub-leaders.

Just then, the underling who had burst in with news earlier suddenly drew a gun and aimed it at the leader.

"Bang!"

A gunshot rang out, hitting the leader squarely in the chest, killing him instantly. Meanwhile, a group of people with sailor headscarves and sailor's knives stormed in from outside, striking without hesitation.

The sub-leaders, caught unprepared, were slaughtered almost immediately after stepping outside, reduced to a few shreds, with only one raising his hands and shouting out, "I'm one of you!"

Clearly, this sub-leader had been bought off; he had leaked information about the Shark Gang's high-level gathering and led them in, capturing them all in one fell swoop.

Vick, wearing a sailor's headscarf, made the last kill with a single slash, then had the traitor identify the mortally wounded leader.

"Is it him?"

"Yes, he's the leader of the Shark Gang."

Upon hearing this, Vick didn't hesitate to chop off the head, carrying the sneering visage out.

"You're coming with me to negotiate the surrender."

It was essentially an order, and having seen the leader beheaded, the man dared not refuse, quickly following.

Without their middle and upper ranks, the Shark Gang couldn't organize a defense. Seeing the leader's head destroyed their last will to resist.

"Everyone down!"

"Surrender and you won't be killed!"

The group originally staging a feigned attack seized the opportunity, completely taking over the Shark Gang's territory.

After the battle, Vick casually tossed aside the grim head, then reassured the inside man following him.

"Don't worry, I keep my word. Your family is safe. Now go help calm them down, and when it's over, take your money and leave."

"Thank you!" That man didn't dare say more, hastily agreeing as he turned to leave this place of trouble.

If the Shark Gang, an old faction built up over years, were to fight hand-to-hand, the losses would be great. Thus, Vick used strategic cunning to crush the Shark Gang.

The Shark Gang was destroyed, but what to do next?

Gazing at the still chaotic situation, he lost himself in thought.

He had been expanding incessantly, organizing refugees. Having swallowed the Shark Gang, he was now the master of the entire dock.

Meanwhile, some bigwigs in the city were reaching out. However, their attitudes remained haughty, as if expecting him to be a dog.

Fortunately, it was a time of chaos; otherwise, he would have been suppressed long ago.

Someone approached, whispered a few words, and Vick found someone to arrange things before disappearing.

When he reappeared, he had changed into a different outfit, entering the suburban manor through a secret passage.

Emerging from the passage, he found himself in the study he had visited countless times before, where Walter seemingly awaited him.

"Why did you call me so urgently? What happened?"

"Gene is dead."

"Good riddance." Vick laughed as he sat down. "Did he really think the path was so easy?"

"But he died in Hamlet." Walter added, making Vick sober up slightly.

The two exchanged information about the issue, realizing they knew much less, particularly missing parts involving the Barbarian Tribes. They only knew Gene had been looting supplies and finally provoked Hamlet, leading to his demise.

"Dare to provoke Hamlet, this guy..." Vick was furious yet amused.

But he also realized the urgency of Walter's summons, as the event affected their original plan.

"What are our Lord's instructions?"

"Michelle's disappearance will certainly attract some attention. Now, our Lord wants us to proceed as usual. I'll absorb the Gene Commercial Group and expand into the city as you continue controlling the gangs at the port. Together, we'll take Ovando."

"Huh?" Vick was puzzled. Shouldn't they be more cautious now?

"It's unrelated to us. If blame is assigned, it falls on the Nobility in the city. They're too busy dealing with it to focus on us. Just don't take that final step."

"Let's discuss this in detail later. I'm out of supplies; send some over first."

"You always leave with something—either money or supplies." Walter sighed but agreed. "All set..."

Preoccupied with settling matters after taking over the Shark Gang, Vick departed hastily after obtaining his supplies, leaving Walter to ponder in the study.

The turn of events felt surreal to him.

Initially, Old Gene coveted his channels in Totnes, aiming to usurp the commercial group during his absence.

Yet now, everything had reversed.

With Gene "disappeared," it was Walter's turn to absorb the Gene Commercial Group, inheriting the valuable channels Gene had painstakingly developed.

Indeed, as a businessman, he prioritized channels and understood their value.

Hence, he proposed to Lance that they should take over the channels trading with the Empire's army along with the Gene Commercial Group.

It's not that he, unlike Lance, couldn't see the trap; it's just that the autumn harvest would soon lower grain prices, so it was better to profit from surplus stock first.

More crucially, products like dried fish could be sold to the army for higher prices than transporting them to Totnes since the city-based new nobility lacked them.

Moreover, this channel allowed Vick to touch the outside world, selecting and nurturing contacts, essentially planting surveillance within the Empire.

Walter demonstrated the wisdom of age, considering these matters more thoroughly than Lance, and now awaited the Lord's approval.

Gene's matter could be concealed for a few days, so he began preparing to manage the Gene Commercial Group posthaste.

He too became busy in no time.

......

The preparations for action were nearing completion. Supplies accumulated at the outpost, while personnel, given two days off, were gradually returning, resuming daily training.

Yet everyone sensed an impending operation, as troop movements became frequent, ostensibly for drills, amassing soldiers at the outpost.

At this moment, the outpost's operations hall was filled with people, including core members and mid-level leaders like battalion captains and vice-captains. Lance stood below the unfolded map.

It was clearly a map of the revealed areas surrounding the outpost, frequently harassed by heretics, prompting raids against bandits.

The gains were few, but the surrounding terrain and environment had been mostly mapped, with some roads cleared.

The second map, acquired from the heretic Saintess, marked several entrances leading to the Beast Lair.

The third was a composite map of the Beast Lair, drawn from previous expeditions led by Lance.

These three maps corresponded, revealing the land's secrets from three levels.

"The entire area has eight Beast Lair exits. We must seize control immediately..."