The Unseen Strength
Hearing the clamor around them, George and Andrea exchanged confused glances and murmured, "Is this new boss really strong?"
"George, Andrea, are you afraid?" Charlie Lee stood in the field with his arms bare, his shoulders shifting with readiness.
"Boss, we won't disappoint you." Andrea dropped his shoulder bag, threw off his coat, and positioned himself beside George, ready for the challenge.
"That's the spirit," Charlie Lee grinned, showing confidence.
"It's too arrogant," George muttered under his breath, glaring at their new boss. "We need to teach him a lesson."
"Agreed. Let's show him that he's not dealing with amateurs but elite soldiers from M country," Andrea added, his tone low and serious.
Determined to give their new boss a lesson, even if it meant jeopardizing their high-paying jobs, the two soldiers set their plan in motion. Their intent was clear: humiliate Charlie Lee and assert their dominance.
They strategized, but the reality of the situation quickly proved far different from their expectations. What began as a supposed confrontation ended with an overwhelming defeat.
The battle began swiftly. George attempted a sweeping leg maneuver, but his body tilted dangerously to the left as Charlie Lee, like a cheetah, sprang forward. In a fluid motion, Charlie's shoulder collided with George's chest with a dull, resonating thud.
George's limbs went limp, and his upper body curled as he was thrown backward, a sharp groan escaping his mouth as he hit the ground.
Surprised by the sudden shift in the fight, Andrea instinctively raised his arms in defense, but Charlie Lee was already on him. A powerful blow from Charlie sent Andrea crashing backward, the sound of bones creaking and groaning as he hit the ground. For the next two days, Andrea had trouble even lifting a spoon, his body sore from the crushing impact.
"Not bad. Keep trying," Charlie Lee said with a grin as he patted George and Andrea, who were struggling to rise.
His gaze then swept over the remaining 16 soldiers, who had been watching in stunned silence. The brief altercation had turned their perception of Charlie Lee from one of uncertainty to one of awe. In a matter of moments, their perception of their new boss had shifted completely.
A phone call later, Charlie Lee spoke casually with Dwight, his voice smooth and relaxed.
"Li, I heard you offered them $100 a month, and I think they appreciate you for it," Dwight said, his tone lazy yet teasing.
"I'm just doing what I can. Besides, you introduced them to me, didn't you? Major?" Charlie Lee replied, keeping his tone light, not hiding his intentions of fostering a closer bond.
"Oh, do you want me to say thank you again?" Dwight chuckled.
"Of course not. We are friends, aren't we?" Charlie Lee said, his voice now carrying a hint of anticipation.
After a moment's pause, Dwight responded, "Yes, I think we can be friends."
"What can I do for you, my friend?" Charlie Lee asked, sensing the opportunity for a deeper connection.
"I still have 500 good players here. Would you be interested in taking them on?" Dwight's voice dropped lower, followed by a gasp over the phone.
Charlie Lee's heart raced. "Give me some time. I'll take all of them," he replied, his jaw tightening with determination.
He could feel the magnitude of the opportunity: if he could satisfy Dwight's 500 veterans, Charlie Lee was confident that he could win not only Dwight's friendship but the loyalty of the entire military network, potentially securing a position of immense influence.
Dwight continued, "I'll have them arrive by August. If I have time, I'll come to Chicago myself. Lee, you still owe me a cup of coffee."
Charlie Lee could hear Dwight's enthusiasm over the line, his suggestion to visit Chicago a sign of growing camaraderie.
"I'll prepare the best coffee beans and look forward to your visit," Charlie Lee responded, before ending the call. But despite the jovial tone, Charlie Lee was far from calm. Before August, there were only about 20 days left—a brief period to prepare for a monumental event.
"Old Huang, go find the best coffee beans available. Tell Paul that no matter where they are from, I want them on the table in half a month," Charlie Lee ordered, pacing the room. "Also, we need a shelter for 500 people near the training ground. Make sure it's a wooden structure with a cold-proof layer inside. It doesn't need to look fancy, but it has to be warm."
Old Huang quickly scribbled the details down, unfazed by Charlie Lee's demands. He was used to them by now.
"The problem is, boss," Old Huang hesitated, "we have no money."
Charlie Lee sighed in frustration. The surrounding neighborhood, the 22nd district, had become a bustling hub as more and more Chinese immigrants had gathered to help with construction. Each task, no matter how small, required funds. And Charlie Lee's financial situation was growing more precarious with each passing day.
He pulled out a brand-new check from his pocket. It was from Nuki, for $66,000—his only earnings over the past three months.
"That should be enough," Charlie Lee muttered, the weight of the check sinking in. It represented his personal income. Paul often hired the Aegis Bureau to handle small jobs, but most of the money earned from these contracts went to the bureau's operations.
In a way, Charlie Lee had grown accustomed to living paycheck to paycheck, despite the sizable figures. He hated the feeling of waiting, of time dragging on.
"Ben, about my money…" Charlie Lee called Ben, his voice tinged with urgency.
After a brief conversation, he was informed that his account had grown from $1.165 million to $1.27 million. With a satisfied smile, Charlie Lee hung up.
In just three months, a mere Chinese laborer—an immigrant who came to this country with nothing—had accumulated $1.27 million. Charlie Lee reveled in the thought of how quickly everything had changed.
"I love 1929," he said to himself as he gazed out the window, imagining his future empire. He envisioned luxury homes rising in the area, creating a paradise that would attract people from all walks of life. His dream was to fill the pockets of every Chinese worker, turning their hard-earned money into something far more significant.
At the same time, across town, Shlomo Ben Itzkic, just finishing work at the stock exchange, returned home. The exchange was bustling with activity, filled with phone calls and the rapid tapping of typewriters.
"Hey, Shlomo! How's the harvest today?" a colleague greeted him.
"Not bad, just rushed. What about you?" Ben replied with a smile, tipping his hat slightly.
"Yeah, I'm rushing too. By the way, have you picked a replacement ticket for yourself? Want me to share something?" Jeff, his younger colleague, asked with a playful smirk.
"No need," Ben answered, his expression remaining composed. He'd made his own choices in the stock market, but had learned to step back when the market seemed too erratic. Greed, he knew, was a dangerous force.
As the market fluctuated, Ben became more aware that things were changing behind the scenes. With his careful and methodical approach, he knew that something larger was brewing, and he needed to find out what it was.
Once home, his wife Joanna was already preparing dinner.
"How was work, honey?" she asked gently, giving him a warm hug.
"I need to make a call first," Ben replied, stepping into his study with his briefcase.
As he dialed the number, Joanna, whose ancestry traced back to Country F, closed the door behind him. She focused on her knitting, hoping to finish a scarf for her husband before the winter arrived. Unlike the mass-produced scarves in stores, she preferred to create something with her own hands—a simple but meaningful gesture of love.
In the meantime, Ben had another call to make. As he sat down at his desk, he was determined to uncover the mystery of the stock market's changing tides. It was clear that something big was happening, but Ben was no longer simply a passive observer. Now, he was on a mission to figure out the truth.