The Incident

At around nine the next morning, a shrill, terrified scream suddenly rang out from the bedroom of the Mike Family patriarch, as if it could tear through eardrums. It immediately caught the attention of the servants working outside.

"Someone! Someone, come quickly!"

Hearing the cries, several senior butlers among the servants, both men and women, rushed into the room. They saw Third Madam sitting on the bed in disheveled clothes, her face filled with terror!

Following her gaze, they were instantly horrified. Their patriarch's face was pale as snow, completely bloodless, and livor mortis had already appeared on his face. He had clearly been dead for quite some time.

The death of a clan leader immediately shook the entire Mike Family. Mike Moxie's two sons, one nephew, and other relatives hurried over. His eldest son, Mike Henry, represented Mike Moxie in handling matters, such as temporarily sealing off the news, examining the cause of death, and searching and investigating the entire mansion.

Half an hour later, the Mike Family had gathered in the enormous first-floor living room to hear the results of the various investigations.

Mike Moxie's cause of death was simple: his neck had been snapped while he slept.

Based on some faint traces in the room and marks left behind the villa, it could be confirmed that someone had infiltrated the villa and killed Patriarch Mike.

As for the reason behind the intrusion, the Mike Family's team believed there were two possibilities. The first was a grudge against the Mike Family, and the second was the unknown Devil Fruit. The second possibility carried slightly more weight than the first.

However, although there were some clues, finding the murderer in a short time would be extremely difficult. There were simply too few clues.

Naturally, the death of a clan leader could not simply be left unresolved. The investigation would definitely continue, but the most urgent matter was deciding the Mike Family's next patriarch and recovering the missing Devil Fruit.

A Devil Fruit was worth at least a hundred million Berries. Though the chances were slim, they still had to try. They could not just let it disappear without making any effort.

At Clover Tavern, everyone gradually woke up. This alone showed that the people of this world were clearly much stronger physically. They had been dead drunk the night before, yet by just after nine the next morning, they had mostly recovered.

The awakened Mafia Members were teasing one another and boasting when five burly men wearing sunglasses and black suits, with white flowers pinned to their chests, suddenly entered the tavern. Their waists bulged, and they radiated a fierce, hardened aura!

No Mafia on Iron Island failed to recognize these people. They belonged to the personal guard of their shared Boss, Patriarch Mike.

Seeing even their highest Boss's personal guards mobilized, no one was stupid. Something major had most likely happened, and the tavern immediately fell silent.

"Cani, come with us. We have some questions for you," the leading burly man said coldly.

Subordinate leader Cani looked completely bewildered. What had he done? Was it worth sending the Mike Family's most elite patriarch's personal guards to question him?

Damn, I'm panicking!

Seeing this, Carlos spoke up. "Cani, don't just stand there. Relax. The innocent have nothing to fear, and the guilty cannot hide. We stayed in the tavern all night. Other than drinking, we didn't do anything at all."

"Carlos, you really know how to talk. Now that you put it that way, I'm not panicking anymore. I didn't do anything shameful, so what am I afraid of?"

"I'll go with you. Let's drink together again another day, Carlos."

"We'll see. It seems something serious happened..."

"Alright, then."

After that, Cani was taken away. Carlos also left with some of his men, preparing to return to his small base.

Carlos guessed that Cani had been taken away because he knew about the Devil Fruit, and they suspected he had leaked the information.

Of course, he really had leaked it, though Cani himself did not know that. Besides, he was not the only subordinate leader who had discovered the wreckage at sea during patrols, so there should not be much of a problem.

Carlos's small base was located on a street called Osmanthus Street in East City. It was a three-story building with a small courtyard. The men who needed to be on duty usually lived there, while those off duty generally went home.

Within the Mike Family, subordinate leaders usually managed one to three streets. Since Carlos had risen only recently, he managed only Osmanthus Street. However, Osmanthus Street was a commercial street with plenty of profit in it, worth the equivalent of two ordinary streets.

On Osmanthus Street, Carlos was the top dog, the true Boss. Whenever he walked down the street with his men, greetings rang out endlessly from the shops on both sides. He looked exceptionally grand and imposing!

In this world, although the Mafia was a relatively dark force, with most of their business belonging to the underworld and few legitimate enterprises, and though they were hardly good people who had committed plenty of murder and arson—

That was only toward people outside their own territory. Within their own turf, they still followed rules. As long as people obediently followed the Mafia's rules, their protection fees were not paid for nothing. Generally, the Mafia would not harm people on their own turf.

Iron Island East City was where Patriarch Mike's influence was most deeply rooted. During the day, the Steel Self-Defense Force from the Lord's Mansion could barely interfere, but once night fell, the Mafia was completely in charge.

Other than East City and West City, the Lord's Mansion truly ruled everywhere else. A Naval Branch was stationed in West City, where both the Mafia and the Lord's Mansion had very little influence.

Not long after Carlos returned to his small base, someone came to deliver news that Mike Moxie, patriarch of the Mike Family, had suddenly fallen ill and died.

Carlos was not particularly surprised by this news. The Mike Family still needed to save face. Having someone killed right in their own stronghold was not only embarrassing on the surface, but damaging underneath as well. If they told the truth, would not those hostile to the Mike Family begin making moves?

Carlos was saddened by the news. He put on quite a performance in front of the messenger and promised that he would attend Mike's funeral on time the following morning!

The moment he returned to his room, he grinned. Was one death really enough? He still had to muddy the waters. The more people who died, the more positions would open up, and the easier it would be for him to rise!

He, Carlos, had become a subordinate leader in half a year. His rise had been extremely rapid, and he was no nobody within the Mafia. Didn't that make him worth cultivating properly?

A leader position was out of the question for now, but surely he was qualified for a leader's position, right?

Early the next morning, Carlos got up at dawn. In the courtyard, fifty men were already standing in neat formation. Each had a white flower pinned to his chest, standing motionless and straight as pines. They looked less like Mafia Members and more like marines!

The men under other subordinate leaders did not have such good discipline. Carlos had not spared them from punishment in the past.

"Boss!"

When they saw Carlos emerge, all fifty men, dressed in suits and ties, lowered their heads, bent at the waist, and spoke in unison.

"Mm..." Carlos nodded faintly. He was actually quite pleased inside, but he could not show it. He could be approachable and relaxed in ordinary times, but whenever something happened, big or small, he had to maintain a Boss's authority!

"Let's go. Follow me to Boss Mike's funeral. When we get there, look grief-stricken. Don't embarrass your boss, understand?"

"Understood!"

Boss Mike naturally referred to Mike Moxie. It was the exclusive title used for him by those below him. They rarely called him patriarch. Other members of the Mike Family could not be called Boss Mike; instead, they were addressed by their names followed by Boss.

Carlos swaggered through the streets with his fifty men. Pedestrians stepped aside wherever they passed, and quite a few people watched them with envious eyes...

From that perspective, being in the Mafia in the world of One Piece had a pretty promising future. The more chaotic the world was, the more promising the Mafia became. Back in that peaceful country in his previous life, though, it was better to honestly follow the proper path. There was no good end waiting down this road!