Ascension (Part 2)

"Boss!"

Noah hurried over at a jog and pulled out a white handkerchief, handing it to him.

Carlos nodded, took the white handkerchief, and leisurely wiped his hands.

"Boss, what should we do about that hotel manager we bribed...?"

Noah lowered his voice and made a throat-slitting gesture.

"No need. Tearing down the bridge after crossing the river is too cruel!"

"And it doesn't suit my style. Just keep him under control for now. Release him once everything has settled."

After wiping his hands clean, Carlos casually tossed the white handkerchief onto the table, picked up his wine, and elegantly took a sip.

"What do we do next? Do we proceed according to the plan? Please give the order, Boss!"

"Of course we proceed according to the plan!"

"Take some men and arrange the scene. Make it look as much as possible like they slaughtered each other. We still need a little cover-up. Then gather all our brothers and get everything in place."

"Finally, issue an order in Mike Klin's name and summon every leader here. Use some important matter as an excuse, and don't allow them to bring too many men."

"In short, make a few adjustments, but it's still the same old routine. Lower their guard, then I'll suppress them and wipe them out in one sweep!"

"Those who submit will prosper; those who resist will perish!"

"Hehe, understood, Boss."

"Boss, you're so mighty and imposing!" Noah's expression changed as he grinned.

"Boss is mighty and imposing, invincible!"

"Boss is mighty and imposing, invincible!"

"Boss is mighty and imposing, invincible!"

The other underlings raised their rifles high and shouted excitedly.

Carlos laughed despite himself, then scolded them with a smile. "Enough kissing up. Get to it."

"Yes, yes, yes, Boss. We'll go right away!"

After a series of arrangements, the Mike Family's leaders successively received orders issued in Mike Klin's name and hurried over.

Leaders were mid-ranking Mafia officers. Their status was not low, but when facing the boss's boss, they still had to obey respectfully. Not everyone possessed Carlos's courage and strength.

With Mike Klin's endorsement, the leaders who came generally brought only two subordinates. Once every leader had arrived, Carlos did not take them to see the private room where they had supposedly "slaughtered each other." Instead, he led everyone into another luxurious private room.

Carlos intended to subdue them first, then take them to see the tragic scene of their "mutual slaughter." That way, the flaws would no longer be flaws, and there would be fewer chances for trouble.

Carlos was not a bloodthirsty man. Killing was merely a means, not an end. Besides, this would be his force in the future, so it was best not to suffer excessive losses.

Inside the private room, every Mafia leader of the Mike Family had gathered. The bosses, dressed in all sorts of styles, sat in their seats chatting noisily, making the place sound like a marketplace.

Carlos had yet to display his strength. Although he had gained some fame due to his rapid rise, he was still technically their equal in rank and could not intimidate them.

"Everyone, please be quiet at once. I have major news to tell you!" Carlos shouted solemnly.

The private room immediately fell silent. Carlos's men had summoned them all, so everyone assumed Carlos was passing along some order from the higher-ups.

"I have some extremely unfortunate and cruel news to tell you."

"Boss Mike, Boss Carlton, and two others apparently had some conflict in another private room. They fought viciously and slaughtered one another, and in the end... they perished together."

"Not one of them survived. The family has therefore reached its most dangerous moment."

"The bosses have died one after another, leaving us leaderless. We urgently need a new family head—or rather, a new boss."

"I propose that I take the position of the new boss!"

Carlos had no patience for beating around the bush. He continued directly, making no attempt to hide his ambition or purpose.

The moment Carlos finished speaking, the private room first fell so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. Everyone's breathing could faintly be heard. Then, after the stillness came motion, and the room instantly erupted. Many leaders slammed their hands on the table and rose to their feet, pointing at Carlos's nose and cursing him viciously. The three leaders from the Mike Family's Collateral Lineage were undoubtedly the most agitated, and they were already reaching for their guns.

Carlos took in everyone's reactions. His scarlet Three-Tomoe Sharingan appeared, yet he remained calm and composed. The door to the private room suddenly opened, and Carlos's underlings rushed in with identical rifles, surrounding every leader. Dozens of dark gun barrels were aimed at them all.

At a single command from Carlos, every leader would be riddled with bullets!

The naked threat made every leader shut their mouths. By now, no one could fail to realize that this was a trap!

"You ambitious bastard! You used schemes and tricks to kill Boss Mike and the others, didn't you?" The three leaders from the Mike Family had bloodshot eyes and roared in furious rage.

Although the Mike Family dominated the Mafia of Iron Island, not every Mike Family member could hold a high position within the Mafia. Without any ability, one might die in the dark-leaning Mafia without even knowing how.

Carlos said nothing. He took out a pack of cigarettes and unhurriedly pulled out one cigarette...

"Bastard, don't think you'll succeed. Even if everyone else submits to you, the John Family won't let you off—"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Gunfire suddenly rang out. More than a dozen rifles roared, and bullets mercilessly tore into the three leaders from the Mike Family. Vivid sprays of blood burst forth, while the pungent smells of blood and gunpowder spread through the room, making the legs of some more timid leaders tremble faintly...

Thud... The three corpses collapsed to the floor, blood flowing endlessly from them. Their wide-open eyes were filled with unwillingness, resentment, and venom!

"Take the leaders to get a good look at the scene of their mutual slaughter." Carlos exhaled a cloud of white smoke and spoke blandly, not sparing the three dead men another glance.

"Gentlemen, this way!" Noah held a pistol in his left hand, bent at the waist in a bow, and gestured with his right hand like a perfect gentleman.

With so many guns aimed at them, they weren't capable of ignoring bullets. Unless they wanted to die, they could only cooperate obediently!

Were they afraid of death?

Of course they were!

A few minutes later, the remaining leaders returned to Carlos's private room with pale faces. Mutual slaughter? Heh... What a joke. Everyone had clearly been murdered, and killed barehanded at that!

Of course, no one dared voice their true thoughts. Otherwise, they would definitely be riddled with bullets!

"Well? Gentlemen, they killed each other, didn't they?"

"Yes, yes, Boss Carlos is absolutely right."

"Definitely. Who knows what kind of deep grudge they had against each other..."

"My guess is that they couldn't agree on how to split the spoils."

"Very good. A wise man submits to the circumstances!"

"So then, I'll be the new boss. Who supports me? Who opposes me?"

"Boss Carlos, you must be joking. Who would oppose you? You have my full support!"

"Boss Green is right. Anyone who opposes him will be my sworn enemy!"

"Only if you, Carlos, become the boss will we be convinced!"

The leaders all voiced their positions. No one objected, and no one dared to.

From the utterly flawed scene of apparent mutual slaughter, the leaders reached the same conclusion: this was a ruthless, decisive, overwhelmingly powerful, and fiercely ambitious tyrant. Not someone they could afford to provoke. Absolutely not!

"Very good. Congratulations, you're safe for now."

"If you want to be completely safe, then please offer up your pledges of allegiance!"

Carlos said with a smile, but in the eyes of the leaders, he looked like a demon. Especially those eyes—they sent a chill rising from the depths of their hearts, filling them with fear!