Chapter 25: American Iaido

The footage was clear, 100% capturing the criminal acts of these thugs. Now, with both material evidence and eyewitnesses, plus the criminals caught red-handed, George felt a certain unease. He didn't usually approve of civilians taking the law into their own hands, but the reality was that this was legal. "40th Street, 441, Owners Association... the evidence is irrefutable. They certainly got what they deserved." Once everything was confirmed, George ordered his officers to bring in the thugs tied up back at the apartment. As they were brought into the police station and saw George, the thugs immediately sensed trouble. They were familiar with Captain Robinson—just a fat, cowardly, lazy waste of space. But George Stacy? Now, he was a well-known figure, someone who looked tough and not to be messed with. "I told you not to touch my hair! You *** pigs." Strangely enough, the dreadlocked thug was still swearing, even strutting around arrogantly. "I told you, my boss is going to get me out of here. You better watch your families; I bet you all have kids, right?" The dreadlocked thug grew more brazen as he spoke, while the officer next to him felt like he was escorting a pile of garbage—disgusting and foul-smelling. But it was still part of the job. Captain Stacy's eyebrows furrowed deeply—this was what he hated the most! "Buddman Williams, they were caught in a brawl over there. That's not your place." The dreadlocked thug's face lit up—his never-seen boss was here to bail him out! "I told you all, I—" George, expressionless, walked right up to him and said, "You're under arrest, Buddman Williams, for illegal possession of a firearm and home invasion. You have the right to remain silent, but anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, the court will provide a public defender." The dreadlocked thug froze. Was he really going to jail? Suddenly, he roared in anger, "My boss, my boss will get me a lawyer! I'll be found not guilty!" George casually picked up a pen and paper. "Who is your boss?" "My boss is... my boss is..." The thug stammered, unable to get the words out. "Never mind. Based on what you just said, you're also suspected of participating in organized crime. Don't worry, he'll be joining you in there." George signaled to two officers to take the troublesome thug away. The dreadlocked thug kept shouting, his voice becoming hoarse, repeatedly screaming that his boss would save him, would bail him out. But his hysterical demeanor suggested anything but confidence, as if he were trying to hide his own fear. Who knows why someone so tough would be afraid of jail? As he was about to be taken to another holding cell, he suddenly pushed aside the officers on either side, seemingly trying to escape— Bang! Bang! Bang! Several shots rang out, and the thug immediately collapsed, curling up on the ground, muttering things like "Boss, bail me out" and "Wait till I get out," though he no longer had the same bravado. The power of the police-issued pistol wasn't great, and George's aim was precise—he probably wouldn't die. Captain Stacy silently holstered his gun. "Annoying bastard." "Quick draw." Leo loudly praised, not hiding his satisfaction, "Nice shot!" This was American Iaido! Leo silently recorded the entire process with his Kiroshi optic—after all, this was part of law enforcement, and documenting it and editing it later was within his rights. He wanted to show the internet the disgraceful behavior of these criminals! George politely smiled and then said, "Leo, maintaining order in Hell's Kitchen has always been a big problem. I used to think it was just gang wars. But today, it seems the situation is more complicated—if we can ensure that the surveillance in Hell's Kitchen is operational, it would greatly assist the police in law enforcement. But... you know how it is, the situation is complicated. The precinct is about to start a new bidding process, looking for suitable suppliers to maintain security facilities in the area. You might want to give it a try—of course, you'll need a company first." Matt turned to Leo in surprise. "Oh, about that, I've already submitted all the application materials. If we get invited to participate in the bidding, I believe the whole process could be expedited." He had initially thought starting a company was premature, but now it seemed like it was coming in handy! Getting an invitation to bid from the NYPD was a mark of credibility, speeding up the approval of business accounts, licenses, and more! Leo was equally surprised by this unexpected good fortune. He had only wanted a legal cover for his activities, whether he made money or not wasn't a priority. Now he had a direct opportunity to gain a significant advantage with the NYPD! "Thank you, Captain—" George wagged his finger. "Don't thank me. I noticed that this footage is quite stable and automatically locks onto targets. Is this new technology? It looks promising. That's the only reason I'm suggesting you give it a shot—don't get it twisted." "It is new technology, and don't worry, Captain, I'll make sure the NYPD gets the best tech! And the best prices!" The first step is always the hardest. Once he secured the initial foothold, with the support of Cyberpunk technology, establishing himself wouldn't be an issue! With money, he'd have the means to solve problems—including his own life-threatening situation. Leaving the NYPD, Leo felt like everything was moving in the right direction. Once he sorted out these matters, he could focus on solving his own life-threatening problem. But as they walked, Matt suddenly said, "Leo, I bet you haven't forgotten, there's a very notorious killer roaming Hell's Kitchen." Leo nodded, "Of course." "You're too high-profile—they..." "They'll definitely come after me, and in the most brutal, brazen way possible." This final step required him to confront his enemies head-on—to crush their arrogance from the front— Yes, before true order and law could be restored, he had to face the threat in the most direct manner. The enemy was in the shadows, he was in the light—surviving this would be his victory. The more Matt interacted with Leo, the more he felt like Leo was a seasoned, calculating politician— But this step made him feel that danger loomed over Leo, unlike those old men who sit back and watch. "As your lawyer, I'll stand by your side." "Did the district attorney issue an arrest warrant? Did the NYPD actually catch him?" United Construction Company, a newly risen construction firm in Midtown. Amidst the wave of real estate companies and banks going under, they used illegal means to drive down land costs, violated labor laws to cut labor costs, thereby reducing overall expenses. This allowed them to secure contracts at rock-bottom prices while still maintaining profitability. Add to that the funds laundered from selling contraband, weapons, and human trafficking, which were then funneled into the company's revenue stream. This company had been going against the tide, maintaining profitability all the while, attracting a lot of attention from investors. The financial crisis triggered by the subprime mortgage crisis made everyone terrified, but as long as they could turn a profit, they were willing to adjust their moral compass. As long as Wilson Fisk covered things up well enough, they could pretend not to see, not investigate. More investments led to more profits; more profits led to more investments—the strong get stronger. Wilson Fisk had already taken his first step, and everything was proceeding according to his expectations. Except for last night's organized looting spree. It wasn't that he was worried about those people ratting him out—those thugs were just street scum, there was no real gang affiliation. Anyway, it couldn't be traced back to him, Kingpin. He just felt that in a world where everything was going so smoothly, having a little discord was a bad omen. Looking out through the glass at Hell's Kitchen in the distance—New York's infamous slum—Kingpin thought: This place is my territory. He had defeated all his competitors, ensuring that the trade of contraband, weapons, people, and other illegal activities flowed in an orderly fashion under his control, bringing in endless streams of cash. Once he had enough money, he founded United Construction Company, seizing municipal contracts under the guise of economic revitalization. Hell's Kitchen was already near Midtown Manhattan; it only needed a few renovations, the construction of a few skyscrapers and high-rise apartments, and the cheap land would skyrocket in value. The municipal funds were just an entry ticket—at a time when no one had the money to buy land, securing these plots that were sure to appreciate was the first step in his plan to become the local overlord. So—there could be no other voices. Kingpin thought for a moment and asked, "And then? The NYPD detained him? What about the residents?" His lieutenant, Wesley, replied, "A kid named Leo Lee produced surveillance footage. The ringleader was indicted by the district attorney and will probably go to jail. Bailing him out is difficult—he's got a record, a real scumbag who raped women while high." "What do you think?" "I think, the thug doesn't matter, but this kid named Leo... he formed an owners' association and registered a security company. I suspect he's tampered with the surveillance system, which makes it much harder for us to obscure the truth of these conflicts. And for some reason, it was George Stacy who handled the case that night. If people start trusting him, they'll join his association, then upgrade their surveillance. That would make it much more expensive for us to incite those hotheads. Higher costs, lower profit margins—messing with those pensions would be very risky." Yes, United Construction Company didn't just leverage financial assets for this job. They also embezzled pension funds and similar money—Kingpin's empire wasn't just limited to United Construction; he was also making initial moves in the financial sector. "That kid has a mother who works as a caregiver in Chinatown and does part-time work in a restaurant. If we approach it from that angle, I could make a deal with Martin Li. Controlling his mother could lead to controlling the kid. But the key is this Leo... he's physically weak, only recently woke up from a coma, and might die in a few months. But we can't wait for him to die. And since it was Kate Waste Disposal Company that put him in a coma... we could do them a favor and make things a little more straightforward." This suggestion fit perfectly with Kingpin's mindset. No words, no negotiations, no compromise. Simple, direct, effective. "Do it. Strike fast, strike hard," Kingpin decided. "Get Bullseye to handle it—make it big. Tell him I want an execution." "And make sure you don't just target the ringleader—anyone who was the first to join him can't be left untouched." Wesley nodded in agreement, "You're thinking ahead of me. I'll get it done."