It was approaching midnight in New Orvita, and the city hadn't slept. The streets were dark, the faint lights of the streetlamps casting a disquieting glow. Will stood alone in a dark corner, surveying the entire scene, watching as the mafia began to stake their claim in this complex city.
"We can't keep moving forward like this," whispered Kason, one of his close associates, who stood beside him. "It's getting more complicated each time, Will. There's definitely someone watching us."
Will knew Kason was right, but they had no choice but to continue. The Phoenix Mafia had finally begun expanding into the city, but larger, more powerful mafias were trying to thwart every move they made. "We'll fight this battle together, Kason. We have no other choice."
In that moment, Will felt a kind of mental pressure he had never felt before. His mafia was growing, but he wasn't sure they were ready to face the coming threats.
"Do you think we'll survive?" Will asked, staring into the darkness.
Kason answered in a low tone, "If we don't, we'll all sink in this."
A heavy silence filled the air after these words. At that moment, Will thought of his friends who had been by his side from the beginning, like Jack, who had become one of the most prominent members of The Phoenix. He was still at the beginning, but everything in this world required time and maturity. He had to make his decisions with great care and trust those around him.
As they stood in that corner, one of the guards quickly approached to give a new report. "There's activity in the beach area, Will. Looks like they're planning to attack us."
"Have you made defensive plans?" Will asked calmly, though his heart was racing.
The guard nodded. "Yes, but there are details that might be beyond our calculations."
This was just the beginning. Will knew that every step needed to be calculated, every move precise. But was The Phoenix ready for this? That was something Will would have to figure out in the coming days.
The next morning, Will gathered with the members in The Phoenix's meeting room. Everyone sat in silence, the atmosphere thick with tension. The risks they faced were not only threats from other mafias but also from within their own ranks.
"We need to be more careful now. We have enemies lurking around every corner. Other mafias are beginning to consolidate their power against us," Will said quietly, scanning the members one by one.
Jack took a deep breath, and it was clear he was beginning to feel the weight of responsibility. "But we're just starting, Will. How can we compete with them?"
Will looked at him and replied, "We need alliances, Jack. We'll have to expand into other areas, seek new influence. And we must be stronger than ever."
But at that moment, one of the guards entered and announced, "There's someone who wishes to meet with you, Sir."
Everyone looked at each other in surprise, but Will gestured for the person to be let in. A woman in her mid-thirties entered, with long brown hair and sharp eyes, appearing as though she had come from an entirely different world.
"Who are you?" Will asked, though he knew this meeting might bring something new.
"My name is Ruby, a criminal investigator. But I'm here for another reason," she said coolly, scanning each person in the room.
Will smiled faintly as he watched her, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about her. "What do you want?"
She gave him a slight smile. "I'm here because I'm investigating crime. But someone told me that there's a mafia worth investigating more than others. And I think I've found my target."
Ruby had been investigating in New Orvita for some time, but she didn't know that Will was the leader of the mafia she was pursuing. She thought he was just another person in the middle of this mafia conflict. But it seemed like she was hiding something.
"Do you think we're criminals?" Will asked calmly.
Ruby, who had dealt with laws and criminals her whole life, looked at him with sharp eyes and said, "No, I'm not sure yet. But I'll find out soon."
After the meeting with Ruby, Will returned to thinking about what he should do next. He knew that having someone like her in the city could be useful, but at the same time, he feared she might have uncovered more than she should.
"Do you think she'll be a problem?" Jack asked, looking at Will.
"Maybe, but we need to be careful. Investigators like her can be more dangerous than the mafia itself," Will replied, watching the door, as though Ruby might still be watching them closely.
As they were preparing their plans to face the threats from other mafias, something weighed heavily on Will's mind. How could someone like Ruby be part of this conflict without realizing she might be opposing him? How could he control the situation when he wasn't even sure who was really standing against him?
Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Kason, standing behind him, watching intently. "Do you feel something in the air, Will?"
"Yes," Will whispered, feeling the weight of the question that lingered in his mind. "I think what's coming will be harder than we expect."
The next day, members of The Phoenix Mafia gathered in their secret base, located in an old building hidden away from prying eyes. The lights were dim, and the air was filled with a sense of anxiety and anticipation. The mafia had begun expanding further into the city, growing stronger, but the threats were also increasing rapidly.
"We have a new mission," Will said, looking at the members gathered in front of him. His gaze was sharp, and his mouth was tight, as if he was carefully thinking about every word he said.
"We're facing a major threat, and time is not on our side. Another mafia has started moving in the streets around us," Will continued. He knew their movements were likely being watched by powerful enemies. The Blue Shadow Mafia was one of the largest in the city, known for using brutal and bloody methods.
Jack, who had grown stronger and more confident, said, "Do we need to move now?"
"Yes," Will replied, looking at the map laid out in front of him on the table. "We need to secure a strategic position in the beach area. If we do it now, we can fortify our defenses before things get more complicated."
However, there was something else bothering Will. He had noticed some changes among the members. Not everyone was as willing to take risks as they had been in the beginning. He was worried about the loyalty of some. At that moment, a guard entered quickly, looking concerned.
"Sir, there's a strange person wandering near the base, and he seems to have information that could be of interest to us."
"Who is it?" Will asked in a low voice, focusing on the guard.
"I believe he works for the Blue Shadow Mafia," the guard replied. "We need to be cautious."
"Send someone to check, but don't engage directly," Will instructed, noticing how this new threat could alter their plans.
As the members moved to investigate, Will remembered that moment just days ago when The Phoenix Mafia had been nothing more than an idea, a distant dream. Now, that dream had become a hard reality, full of challenges.
Later that same day, Will sat in his office on the upper floor of the base. It was well past midnight, and the city around him was covered in thick fog. These were the moments he preferred, when he could think through his plans with a calm mind.
While reflecting on mafia files and maps in front of him, Jack entered, looking as though he had important news.
"You were right," Jack said, placing a file on the table in front of Will. "We tracked the strange man. He really does work for the Blue Shadow."
"What about the information?" Will asked, quickly scanning the contents of the file.
"We've got some details. The Blue Shadow is planning to infiltrate several of the sites we currently control. They have a team of well-trained individuals, and more weapons," Jack replied.
"Do they have a direct attack plan?" Will asked.
"Yes," Jack said, smiling slightly. "But we'll beat them to the punch. We've got our own plan."
"What do you suggest?" Will asked seriously, starting to think through their available options.
"We need to strike first, at a weak point in their plans. We take a step forward and trap them before they make any moves," Jack answered confidently.
Will smiled as he placed his hand on the table, contemplating their upcoming strategies. This was the first time he truly felt confident in their plans. "If our plans work, we'll be in a very strong position against the Blue Shadow."
As they discussed more details, one of the guards entered quickly and said, "Sir, Investigator Ruby requests a meeting."
The faces of the members in the room turned to Will, who nodded slowly. This was the moment he had expected, but he wasn't sure what would happen next.
"Let her in," Will said, knowing that this investigator might become a problem in the future.