How was the trouble dealt with? Zhao Lun was quite curious, and at the same time, somewhat worried about whether anyone from their side had been injured.
He asked, "Were any of our people hurt?"
Hodar thought for a moment, then replied, "Except for one who accidentally fell into a sewer, no one was injured."
"No one was injured, except for the fall into a sewer?! Hodar, are you joking?" Zhao Lun was skeptical, wondering if he had misheard.
Who were their opponents? They weren't just a bunch of thugs—they were members of an organized crime syndicate, known for their lethal power. It was hard to believe that no one had been injured. Zhao Lun knew that Hodar's recruits were not strong enough to pull off such a feat. They hadn't grown that powerful yet.
As for the sewer, it was an outdated relic—how could such a thing still be present here?
The idea of falling into a sewer was absurd!
"I'm not joking, boss! Here's how it happened..." Hodar explained everything he knew.
"This... this... can't be a joke, right?" Even after hearing it all, Zhao Lun still felt it was somewhat far-fetched. But more than that, it felt like bizarre things were closing in on him.
They had prepared for injuries, but to their surprise, their luck was extraordinary. They hadn't even fought yet, and their enemies had mysteriously fallen without any explanation. The Black Gang, who had intended to drive over and engage in a fight, had their plans thwarted when the driver, overcome by his alcohol craving, drank a bottle of self-provided vodka for courage. He became overly intoxicated and ended up driving the entire car and its passengers—along with himself—straight into hell.
The others in the other cars heard the news and rushed out to investigate. They slipped and fell, drowning in the puddles. Those who didn't drown were hit by following vehicles, and the passengers from both cars were wiped out.
Hodar's group waited until dawn, but the other side never showed up. When they received the news, everyone was incredulous. Then, his subordinates began celebrating, but one of them got too carried away and fell into an old, sealed-up well.
The reason he was late was to handle the aftermath, taking control of the Black Gang's territory.
With this gang gone, someone had to take over this area. Hodar, ever the opportunist, seized the chance to claim the space, ensuring no one else could take it later.
He understood the kind of life his boss desired. He had taken a bit more time to handle things, and that's why he was only returning now.
"Well, we were lucky this time. They had done so many evil deeds that heaven finally noticed and punished these devils. But still, I hope our people become stronger to avoid any more accidents."
Zhao Lun had an inkling of something, but couldn't quite pinpoint it, so he decided to leave it for now.
"Yes, boss. But I don't think it's that simple." Hodar's expression was serious, showing no signs of victory.
"What? Is there more?" Zhao Lun felt a bad premonition rising within him.
"The people in the car are in hell, but their leader... has disappeared."
"Their leader?"
"The Boxing King! He came from elsewhere and is the true ruler of this area. His background is mysterious; he calls himself the Boxing King and claims he used to be a boxer..." Hodar slowly recounted the details about the Boxing King.
This Boxing King had arrived from another place, and after conquering the local thugs with his fists, he took control of the area. He then ruthlessly suppressed those who opposed him, developing the thugs into an organized crime syndicate, which spread outwards. Unfortunately, his luck was poor, and he encountered setbacks everywhere. Now, even this last piece of territory had slipped away from his grasp. Sensing the situation was deteriorating, he fled immediately.
"Here are the detailed records about him." Hodar handed over the information for Zhao Lun to look at.
"Hmm?" Zhao Lun paused after looking at the attached photo. In the image, the Boxing King was a medium-built Caucasian man, looking quite slim with little muscle mass. This was far from the burly figure Zhao Lun had imagined. "Are you sure this is the Boxing King?" he questioned, doubting if they had made a mistake.
"It's been confirmed multiple times—it's him." Hodar understood his disbelief, as he too had trouble accepting this was the Boxing King. "However, I suspect he might be one of those legendary mutants."
Zhao Lun looked at the documents, becoming increasingly uneasy. Mutants had been revealed to the world after the Cuban missile crisis, with some governments even using devices to locate them. Yet, many mutants remained unknown to the public, hiding their identities. Was this Boxing King one of them?
"This time, the salaries of those who participated will be doubled, and their bonuses will be doubled as well. From now on, their wages will rise by one hundred pounds." Zhao Lun didn't dwell on it too long. One hundred pounds had significant purchasing power and was enough to excite and motivate his men.
"I think the boys will be thrilled."
Hodar chuckled. His boss was generous and never cheated his people out of their pay. He wasn't harsh with his employees either; their work was usually light, and when there were special tasks, they would receive extra pay. This made all the employees very satisfied, which naturally inspired their loyalty.
Hodar decided that once they signed the contract this time, he would extend the duration. If nothing unexpected happened, he planned to continue working here for the long term.
"By the way, after we refurbish the place, you can move your family here."
Some people had already left the village, leaving the place vacant. Zhao Lun had Monica take charge and purchase the space. The area was then reorganized and allocated to his close employees, allowing them to live nearby with their families and enjoy more time with them.
"No problem." Hodar was a traditional family man. His wife, though not particularly beautiful, was equally traditional. While he worked outside, she took care of the home, and their lives were steady. Though they didn't spend much time together, this arrangement seemed perfect to him. It meant he wouldn't have to run back and forth anymore.
"Right, make sure to monitor everything closely. Don't let this Boxing King affect us."
"Already arranged."
Finally, Zhao Lun told the exhausted Hodar to rest and went to check on the two doctors.
Both doctors were tired and spent the afternoon resting.
Zhao Lun, for the time being, set aside other matters and focused on fulfilling his promise to Maria, with Monica driving to the town's shops for supplies.
Some townspeople, seeing them, greeted them warmly.
"Hey, Alan, Maria, how are you?"
"Great!"
"Hello, beautiful Monica."
"Leopard? Lion? Oh no! Are you opening a zoo at your place?"
"Oh! My God, is that Ivy and Grey Shadow? Amazing!"
Tracy was a small town, and frequent visits had helped them become familiar with the locals. Moreover, Zhao Lun and his group were generous, which made them well-known. People hoped to attract their business by chatting with them, and over time, they became familiar with one another.
Some marveled at Zhao Lun's transformation, while others envied his fierce pets. A few even inquired about purchasing these animals, but Zhao Lun paid them no mind. Eventually, some asked if they could buy the puppies instead.
Zhao Lun simply shrugged it off. Who are you? Are we really that familiar? Where were you when I was struggling? Now you come to take advantage of me?
Maria ignored the townspeople's chatter and continued to drag Zhao Lun from shop to shop, purchasing whatever caught her fancy. However, there wasn't much that appealed to the young girl.
Monica, much like her, only browsed without buying, and when they did want something, the two would debate back and forth for ages, yet rarely ended up making a purchase.
They didn't buy much, but both were content. As for Zhao Lun, it didn't matter much as long as Maria was happy, which lifted his spirits.
"Should we find her some friends? Or maybe send her to the local school?"
Children Maria's age were already attending school, and while she had good manners, Zhao Lun was concerned that such training might hinder her integration into society. Being isolated would not be beneficial for her growth.
Zhao Lun was so absorbed in thinking about Maria's future that he forgot his own. At his age, he had already been in school, yet he hadn't thought much about it.
He had no interest in going back to school with younger children. The thought of sitting in a classroom with a bunch of sniffling kids was unbearable to him.
He was strongly opposed to it, unless the school was truly exceptional, in which case he could reluctantly accept. But so far, he hadn't come across such a school.
On their return from the town, it was still early. They decided to head to the beach for some fishing. Without any unfamiliar faces around, Maria was able to relax, picking up beautiful shells to show Zhao Lun or happily chasing the tails of the dogs, teasing them. The joy was endless, and their laughter echoed throughout the afternoon.
With the wide, open sea in view, Zhao Lun felt his mood lift. The tall beauty, the extraordinary children, and the ferocious pets all seemed to enhance the peaceful moment.
Before it got dark, they returned.
Nicole had already rested, and Angela was preparing dinner in the kitchen. Before they even entered, the savory aroma of food reached their noses.
"Time for dinner!"
"Maria's hungry! Maria wants to eat."
Maria was a foodie, and seeing something delicious, she couldn't resist. However, she was picky—if the food didn't meet her standards, she wouldn't eat much. After playing all afternoon without eating anything, she was now famished and immediately ran toward the kitchen at the scent of food.
"You, go wash your hands before eating," Zhao Lun said, pulling her aside to clean up.
"Maria wants brother to wash them." Maria pouted and playfully asked Zhao Lun to help her.
"You're that big now and still want your brother to wash your hands? Aren't you embarrassed?" Zhao Lun teased, but of course, he helped her wash up. It was rare for the little girl to act coy, and Zhao Lun couldn't say no.
"You're the best, brother!" Maria cheered and jumped up to give him a kiss.
The dinner was sumptuous. After two days without Angela's cooking, everyone was starving and finished their meal in no time.
The next day, after breakfast, Master Liu arrived again and conducted another examination, concluding the same as yesterday—though today, Maria's condition had improved.
In the afternoon, the psychologist Monica had invited also came, rested, and gave Maria another diagnosis.