Preparing for a Showdown

On the way back.

"Why insist on fighting him over Red Three Street?"

Little White Tiger looked at Mr. Li, who was driving, in confusion.

Mr. Li gave a mysterious smile and pushed up his glasses.

"A hundred years have passed since the apocalypse. The human race now basically has the ability to hold off the Transformed. What comes next?" The corners of Mr. Li's mouth lifted as he explained to Little White Tiger. "Rebuilding our homes, rebuilding order. Everything needs rebuilding now. Anyone with half a brain will start positioning themselves ahead of time."

"What does that have to do with Red Three Street?"

Red Three Street was just a crappy freight market, and it had already burned down. Even if it would be valuable in the future, Mr. Li had yet to establish himself. There was no need to clash with the other side now.

"Red Three Street doesn't matter. What matters is having a wedge."

"We're outsiders moving in. Sooner or later, we'll cut into the local bosses' profits. What would you do?" Mr. Li turned to him with a smile.

"Kill them all." Little White Tiger shrugged. "Back at the dump, people died fighting over a moldy steamed bun. Only the ones left alive got to enjoy the resources."

A sharp gleam flashed through Mr. Li's eyes, and his expression turned approving.

As expected of a child raised in the apocalypse. Mr. Li liked that wild streak.

"Right, but also wrong. You've got enough ruthlessness, but you haven't thought it through."

Mr. Li smiled. "Our goal is to get a seat at the table and a slice of the pie, not to kill them."

"To get a slice, you have to let everyone else know you can flip the table. First, snatch a bite out of their mouths and make the local powers fight back. Once they realize attacking us costs too much, they'll naturally let us sit down. Then we'll find some profits elsewhere to make it up to them. They get to save face, we get the real benefits, and we'll have secured our foothold in Ice Prefecture."

"Dividing the pie takes skill. You have to account for everyone's interests. Never think being strong means you can keep everything for yourself."

Mr. Li pulled over and suddenly looked at Little White Tiger with a serious expression.

"Little brother, what comes next is a street-level clash. The people behind Old Ding and I will pit our influence against each other, but you boys will be the ones risking your lives. Are you scared?"

Put simply, the big players behind both sides would lay out their cards, and the result would be decided on the streets.

At street level, it came down to money, connections with officials, and the strength of their men.

Little White Tiger frowned.

Old Ding was one of the biggest street bosses in the entire West Garden District, far more powerful than Little White Tiger.

Even Old Xie was only a lackey of one of Old Ding's lackeys, let alone Little White Tiger, who currently had only a dozen or so brothers.

One shout from Old Ding would bring out half the underworld in West Garden District to back him up.

How could killing Old Ding possibly be easy?

Little White Tiger gazed thoughtfully at the snow outside the window, his eyes growing brighter.

The corners of Mr. Li's mouth rose in satisfaction.

"Thought of something?" Mr. Li asked with a smile.

"Leverage."

Little White Tiger grinned, putting what he had just learned into practice.

"Oh? Let's hear it."

"Old Ding's powerful, but he has one built-in weakness: too much dirt in his past. With someone protecting him, he's naturally safe, but that dirt won't stand up to an investigation." Little White Tiger rubbed his scraggly stubble. "We use the Police Bureau."

After saying that, Little White Tiger's expression darkened again.

This was the apocalypse. The Police Bureau's discipline was nothing like it would be in peaceful, prosperous times.

For all he knew, Old Ding's backers might include people from the Police Bureau.

At that thought, Little White Tiger suddenly felt powerless.

"You're a quick learner." Mr. Li took out a cigarette and handed it to Little White Tiger. "That's why you plan before you act. When your enemy takes one step, you need to think three steps ahead."

"Before I came to Ice Prefecture, I spent a million getting the Chief Detective in the neighboring prefecture knocked off his perch. The man hates evil with a passion." Mr. Li smiled smugly. "Unless something unexpected happened, he should have been demoted and transferred to Ice Prefecture by now."

"Whew."

Little White Tiger sucked in a sharp breath.

While in prison, he had heard that Mr. Li had already been locked up for over a year.

That meant Mr. Li had started laying plans for Ice Prefecture a year ago, perhaps even earlier.

Thoroughly impressed, Little White Tiger cupped his fist in salute to Mr. Li. "Fucking awesome."

"You and Old Ninth both have potential. I want to train you into my right- and left-hand men. Don't disappoint me."

Mr. Li patted Little White Tiger. "The rest is up to you. I'll buy you half a month. Old Ding won't touch Red Three Street during that time. You and Old Ninth have to establish yourselves within those two weeks."

Little White Tiger wasted no words and held out his hand. "Give me some money."

He was working for Mr. Li, after all. It was only fair for Mr. Li to foot the bill.

Mr. Li beamed and readily took out a check for one million.

"This is my private stash. I can't expense it, so don't let it go down the drain," Mr. Li said, half joking.

"I've been working the streets since I was eight. Forget Old Ding. Every last bastard in Ice Prefecture can come at me, and I won't bow to any of them."

Back at the Black Clinic.

Mr. Li had to go to the company to handle some business, while Little White Tiger carried a large bag of money into the room.

The other brothers were sitting together, bored out of their minds, playing cards. The doctor sighed as he watched his money dwindle.

"Bro."

"Brother Tiger."

Little White Tiger tossed the canvas bag onto the table.

Hi Dog opened it, and his eyes nearly popped out.

When had these poor bastards ever seen so much money?

"Th-this... Brother Tiger, did you rob a bank?"

Hi Dog pulled out a bundle and planted a hard kiss on it.

"Mr. Li gave it to us. We're getting ready to go to war with Old Ding."

Little White Tiger explained it as casually as could be.

The other brothers barely reacted.

"Then we fight. If Old Ding can be the boss of West Garden, so can we. We've all got one head and two balls. Why can he do it but we can't?"

"Exactly. The next generation replaces the last. Old Ding and his lot should retire."

"Bro, when do we make our move? I'll go get ready now."

These teenage boys didn't know the meaning of fear. At the mention of fighting Old Ding, every one of them looked as if he had taken illegal stimulants.

The Black Clinic's doctor said with a miserable expression, "Gentlemen, that's Old Ding. When he sneezes, all of West Garden shakes."

Smack!

Little White Tiger took two bundles of cash from the bag and tossed them to the doctor.

"That clears our debt, yeah? You don't need to worry about our business. Old Ding ain't shit. The boss of West Garden is exactly who I'm going after."

Little White Tiger took out several more bundles and distributed them among his brothers.

"Go have fun. You're getting a nice long break. Hi Dog, come out of the city with me."

The Black Clinic wasn't in West Garden, so Little White Tiger wasn't worried about Old Ding daring to cross the boundary to trouble them.

The streets had plenty of rules. If Old Ding's men came to East Garden District after them, Little White Tiger's people wouldn't even have to act. East Garden District's boss would take Old Ding on himself.

With money in hand, every brother broke into a delighted grin.

"I'm going to lose my virginity tonight after all these years. Anyone coming?"

"Count me in."

"I'm going too."

After the brothers horsed around for a while, Little White Tiger went to check on Old Ninth.

Old Ninth was still unconscious. Although no one knew why he had been out for so long, his wounds had already healed.

The doctor also said Old Ninth's life wasn't in danger, and only then did Little White Tiger relax.

"Hi Dog, come with me. The rest of you can do whatever you want. When I get back, we'll take Red Three Street and square off against Old Ding."

"Yes!"

Old Ding's office.

Red Hair paced impatiently back and forth.

"Boss, I just don't get it. Why don't we wipe out Little White Tiger and those punks right now?"

Old Ding stared out at the nighttime view, his face dark.

"That Li bastard's playing dirty. Today, he got the West Garden District Council to back him and held a high-profile press conference announcing that he'd establish the Ice Prefecture Winter Charity Foundation on Red Three Street and hand out food for half a month."

With this move, Mr. Li had taken the moral high ground.

Anyone who dared cause trouble on Red Three Street would be setting themselves against the hungry. And with the District Council backing it, who would dare get on their bad side?

If Old Ding sent people into Red Three Street, he would offend both the District Council above and the hungry people below.

On top of that, Old Ding already had a bad reputation. Going there to smash things up now would only bring trouble on himself.

"Fuck, does that Li bastard have money to burn? Handing out supplies for half a month ought to bankrupt him."

Red Hair cursed resentfully.

Old Ding snipped the end off his cigar and scolded him in exasperation. "I told you to use your brain more. Who's backing that Li bastard? Do they lack money? His company hasn't even opened yet. How much will this publicity save him in advertising costs?"

Red Hair received a blistering scolding, but he still wasn't convinced.

Little White Tiger had hit him with an ashtray, and he couldn't let it go.

After his eyes darted about for a moment.

Red Hair offered Old Ding a nasty idea. "Boss, Little White Tiger and his people aren't on Red Three Street, though. I sent people to check. Little White Tiger's left the city, and Old Ninth is hiding in Dongpu. We can do this..."