THREE DAYS LATER
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It's been three days since Felix killed the leader of the Smoke Gang, and it's been over a week since he arrived in this world.
The situation in the slums of Brigdemoor City hasn't been great since the two rival gangs had a bloody battle, resulting in the deaths of over a hundred people.
The next morning, the people in the slums woke up to a gruesome sight of bodies scattered everywhere, including the leaders of the Smoke Gang and the Fire Gang. They were scared, but also relieved.
These gangs had been terrorizing and exploiting them for years, so seeing them gone brought a sense of happiness.
For the ten years the people in the slums had been caught in the crossfire of the Smoke Gang and the Fire Gang's feud, losing family members and living in fear. They were angry and resentful, but felt powerless to do anything about it.
This is the harsh reality for the weak in this world.
Over the past three days, some city guards finally showed up to investigate the gang violence that had claimed so many lives.
But Felix knew they weren't really there to help - they were just putting on a show.
The city officials didn't care about the struggles of ordinary people like them.
It was a reminder of how little their lives were valued by those in power.
Felix made sure to cover his tracks and leave no evidence behind that could point to him and the others. With the Smoke Gang and Fire Gang out of the picture, they could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
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" Now that both gangs are now gone, we won't be afraid anymore " .
Inside the house Felix and the others were sitting around a table, all six of them chatted amongst themselves.
"It's a good thing we can go out without fear now," Felix said with a smile, his silver pupils gleaming.
He didn't have to do much to get the two gangs to turn against each other. He had Zephyr and Brixton tail a member of the Smoke Gang, who was known to be a heavy drinker and lived in the slums. Felix planned to kidnap and kill him, framing the Fire Gang for the murder.
But can an ordinary gang member incite two powerful gangs in the slums to engage in conflict? No, both gangs were simply angered by the perceived loss of respect. Felix understood that eliminating these ordinary members from both gangs would not provoke them to fight each other, let alone engage in a full-blown battle. Therefore, Felix strategically targeted individuals closest to the leaders of both gangs, individuals who were cherished by both leaders: their family members.
By strategically targeting the family members of both gang leaders, Felix was able to escalate the tension between the two groups.
With his high IQ and modern knowledge, he manipulated the situation to his advantage.
Taking advantage of the leaders' love for their families, Felix orchestrated a deadly feud between the two gangs, which eventually led to the destruction of both gangs.
They didn't even know that they died by the schemes and conspiracy of someone.
The intricate web of deception and manipulation crafted by Felix showcased his cunning and strategic prowess.
It's not like both gang leaders didn't want to investigate. Maybe they could have found out that someone else was behind it all. But instead, they just used the opportunity of their family members dying to accuse each other and try to take over the slums for themselves.
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"Now that Smoke Gang is gone, we can finally relax," Trinity said, patting her chest.
"Yeah, it's a relief," Gwendolyn nodded. "But I don't understand."
"What don't you get?" Trinity asked, looking confused.
"Think about it. What would make these two gangs suddenly start fighting each other? They've been enemies for years, but they've never had such a big fight like the one a few days ago," Gwendolyn said suspiciously.
"Didn't you hear? Both of their sons and nephews were killed. Both gang leaders think the other had something to do with it," Brixton said casually.
"Yeah, I know that," Gwendolyn said. "But if you look closely, you'll see that all their members were killed and left in front of their doors with threatening messages. It seems like a...."
"A provocation," Trinity suddenly realized.
"Yeah, a provocation, I think someone was trying to provoke these two gangs to fight each other " Gwendolyn said.
"And from what I've heard, all the members were killed in remote locations that are rarely visited by people, and they were all killed in the middle of the night. And by the number and frequency of the members being killed, it seems like they were being targeted by someone. But the gangs were too dumb to see it," Gwendolyn explained.
"The deaths of the sons and nephews pushed the gangs to fight each other. But I know those boys, they fought but they wouldn't go to the extent of killing each other. It doesn't make sense for the gangs to turn on each other like this," Gwendolyn said.
Felix's face shifted slightly, but quickly returned to its calm state. Deep down, he was surprised and shocked. He couldn't believe Gwendolyn had figured out that someone was behind everything with just a few clues.
"Damn, I shouldn't underestimate this girl," Felix thought to himself, narrowing his eyes.
He glanced at Zephyr and Brixton, who were both looking at him with grim faces.
"Well, we don't have to worry as long as we're safe. We don't need to meddle in other people's business," Felix waved his hand dismissively.
"Yeah, don't dwell on it. Look at the bright side - the Smoke Gang being destroyed is a good thing for us," Trinity chimed in, looking at Gwendolyn.
Gwendolyn and Nixie nodded in agreement. Felix felt relieved that Gwendolyn wasn't pressing the issue further. He had made sure to cover his tracks, but who knew if she could still suspect them.
Looking around at the happy faces of his new family Felix felt grateful. It had only been a week since he arrived in this world, but he already felt like he had a family who cared about him. The loneliness he had felt in his previous life was fading away.
Watching the children playing nearby filled his heart with joy.
Felix suddenly stood up from his chair.
Trinity and the others looked surprised as Felix stood up suddenly.
"Ahem.. Una!" Felix called out to Una, who was playing with the children.
"Yes, big brother!" Una responded.
"You and the others should come here. I have something for you guys," Felix said with a smile.
A few moments later, all the children ran up to the table, grabbed chairs, and sat down. Trinity, Zephyr, Brixton, Gwendolyn, Nixie, and the children looked curiously at Felix, who was standing in front of them.
Looking at everyone in front of him, Felix opened his mouth slightly and said with a faint smile, "Everyone, I've decided that it is time we have a surname!"
Trinity, Zephyr, Brixton, Gwendolyn, and Nixie's faces turned blank as their eyes widened in shock. Gwendolyn, Brixton, and Nixie looked the most shocked, with their jaws almost hitting the ground as they stared at Felix in silence and disbelief. Zephyr and Trinity remained calmer, but surprise was evident in their eyes.
"Big brother, is it really true? Can we really have a surname?" Brixton asked in a trembling voice.
Felix smiled and nodded. "Yes, we can now have a surname."
"Really? We can have a surname?" Nixie jumped in excitement and grabbed Gwendolyn's shoulders. "Big sister Gwendolyn, we can have a surname!"
Gwendolyn nodded blankly, lost in thought. The children looked confused as they observed everyone's reactions. They didn't understand why Nixie was so excited; all they knew was that their big brother Felix was going to give them a surname, and suddenly everyone was thrilled.
"Hmm, big brother," Una, who was sitting beside Nixie, called out to Felix.
"Yes, Una?" Felix glanced at Una and responded.
"What is a surname?" Una asked with a pout and puffy cheeks.
Felix smiled and explained, "Well, Una, a surname is the name you share with other members of your family." Una and the children still looked confused, not fully grasping what Felix had said.
Felix smiled and shook his head, knowing that the children couldn't fully understand.
In the Kingdom of Avalonia, it is against the law for slaves and orphans to have surnames unless they are taken in by someone with a surname, have the means to care for them, or are under the guardianship of someone over the age of twenty and are more than ten people living together.
Only under these circumstances are individuals permitted to have a surname.
When Felix first learned of this, he was initially speechless. However, he understood that this realm operated under different laws and rules compared to Earth.
"Then Big brother Felix, what is our surname?" Nixie asked, her eyes filled with anticipation.
It wasn't just Nixie who looked at Felix with hopeful eyes; everyone present did the same.
Taking in the expectant gazes of those around him, Felix smiled and spoke slowly.
"From now on, our surname shall be Morningstar. It signifies one who resides under the morning star, a name that shines brightly and eternally in the sky. Our family name will be a beacon of light that never fades, standing out among the sea of stars as the brightest and most enduring."
Felix's powerful voice echoed across the yard, leaving Trinity and the others with puzzled expressions on their faces.
" Morningstar ".
As if by some strange coincidence, they all muttered the name "Morningstar" at the same time.
" Morningstar, Morningstar, Morningstar" Nixie couldn't help but repeat the name under her breath, her face glowing with excitement.
"Haha! Finally, I have a surname. From now on, I am Nixie Morningstar!" Nixie exclaimed, dancing around with joy in her eyes, her laughter filling the yard.
"Haha! Big sister Gwendolyn, you're now Gwendolyn Morningstar. Trinity, you're Trinity Morningstar. Zephyr, you're Zephyr Morningstar. Brixton, you're Brixton Morningstar. Haha! We all have a surname now!" Nixie continued to dance and jump around, waving her hands in the air with excitement.
"Morningstar, huh? Not a bad name," Trinity said with a smile. Zephyr and the others also smiled, liking the new name.
Felix watched Nixie's antics with amusement, but then felt a tug on his trousers. He looked down to see Una looking up at him with confusion.
"Big brother Felix, does that mean I'm Una Morningstar now?" Una asked, tilting her head.
"Yes, Una. From now on, you're Una Morningstar," Felix confirmed with a smile.
"It's not just you," Felix announced to everyone.
"From now on, we are the Morningstar Family!"