It had been a week since the Crimson Vultures set foot in Wolf Marks' headquarters.
Two weeks had passed since the last mafia summit, and it was time for the next meeting.
The hotel reserved for the meeting wasn't just any luxurious spot downtown—it was another gem in The Cruz's vast, shadow-stitched empire. A penthouse-level conference floor, complete with bulletproof glass, sweeping views of the skyline, and a staff so silent they might as well have been ghosts. Every corner was swept. Every door was watched.
By noon, the representatives of all major gangs had arrived—some striding in with bluster, others with measured poise. The Wolf Marks took their place at one side of the U-shaped table, the Crimson Vultures at the other. Neither Kael Vescari nor Rin Asano acknowledged the other more than a single nod. They had agreed beforehand—no overt signs of alliance. Not yet.
The room buzzed with passive aggression, silent rivalries, and territorial glances.
And then came Daniell, the host of the meeting.
Dressed in a black blazer, he stepped into the room. "Let's begin," he said, calm and clear. "You all know why we're here."
No one objected.
"I'm putting forward the same question we ended with two weeks ago. A formal alliance." His voice was steady. "Do we all agree?"
A long pause followed.
Finally, the leader of the Serpent's Coil—Damon leaned forward, his hands clasped tightly in front of him. "It's not that we don't want to fight," he said, voice low and hard. "It's that we can't afford to fight Ash Fang—not without knowing we'll win. We've all seen what they've done to smaller crews, burned them out. Buried them. They're not just a threat—they're a monster."
Emma, the leader of the Silver Talon, nodded, arms crossed, her brows drawn tight. "We've lost territory. People. And you want us to throw ourselves into a war with the most ruthless syndicate we've ever seen."
Another voice joined in—Adam, the leader of the Black Thorns, leaned forward. "Let's say we do agree to this alliance. What's the guarantee?" He swept his hand across the room. "That you won't stab us in the back once Ash Fang falls? That this isn't a power play—using the rest of us as your frontline?"
This summit felt different from the first. Last time, they seemed open to considering it, but now it was as if they just wanted to refuse and leave. It was clear Ash Fang had already warned them.
"No offense," Adam added, glancing toward Kael and Rin, "but both of you can afford to stand against them, and both of you have grudges, but we can neither afford to offend them nor do we have any bloody grudges."
Daniell raised his brow. "So, your answer is no?"
"Not no," Damon said. "But not yet. Give us more than words. Show us Ash Fang can bleed. Then maybe we'll believe this alliance is more than just wishful thinking."
The room quieted.
Before anyone could speak, Adam, who was sitting next to Rin, pulled a gun from beneath the table and pressed the cold barrel directly against Rin's forehead.
The entire room froze.
Gasps rang out.
Lucas moved slightly, just enough to reach for his holster, but realised he didn't have his gun. When they enter the meeting room, everyone leaves their weapons outside. He looked at Rin, who held his gaze firm, unflinching. Like telling him not to be worried and to act rashly. Tonight, only Lucas came with Rin, leaving others at the HQ.
"What are you doing, Adam?" Damon asked, startled — not just at Adam's actions, but at the fact that Adam had a gun when he left his gun outside when they arrived.
Adam's lips curled into a slow, mocking smirk. "I was told to deliver a message," he drawled. "Listen well—if any of you dare move against Ash Fang, you'll be wiped out before you even see it coming. But…" he let his gaze sweep over the room, lingering just long enough to challenge each pair of eyes, "if you keep your heads down and stay out of their way… they won't lay a finger on you."
Rin's eyes glinted like a drawn blade.
In a flash, faster than most could process, Rin twisted his head slightly, one hand snapping up. With a brutal jerk, he grabbed the man's wrist, twisted it sideways with a sickening crack, and tore the gun from his hand.
Bang!
The gun fired into the ceiling as Rin yanked it away and slammed the butt into Adam's face, sending him crashing over the table.
"Boss!"
The next second, gunfire erupted.
"Take cover!" Daniell shouted, ducking behind a column as bullets tore through the air.
Rin dove under the table, wood splintering above his head as bullets tore through it. The sound of chairs toppling and glass shattering filled the room.
Rin leaned out just enough to fire—one clean shot—catching one of Adam's men in the shoulder. The man cried out and dropped his weapon.
Adam didn't waste a second. "Move!" he snapped to the remaining two men. They grabbed the injured one and bolted for the exit, disappearing through the side door before anyone could block them.
"Do we go after him?" Lucas asked, already moving.
"No," Rin said coldly. "Let him run back."
Everyone had one chilling thought—if Ash Fang could get their people inside the summit, then they could just as easily plant spies inside their groups.
And Adam's actions today had proven his loyalty to Ash Fang beyond any doubt.
It was enough to make every leader rethink their stance.
Before, some had been cautiously considering joining Kael and Rin's plan.
Now, they didn't even consider it.
"I'm not risking my crew against Ash Fang," Damon muttered, shaking his head.
Emma also said. "You two can fight that monster if you want. I'm out."
Within moments, the room was emptying, leaving only Kael, Rin, and their closest allies in the wreckage.
" Well, I wasn't expecting this for sure." Daniell broke the silence. Everyone looked at him, he was sitting on the chair, his styled hair now a mess."Guess this meeting's got no meaning now."
Rin didn't bother to argue. His eyes swept the room once, then he turned on his heel. "We're done here," he said flatly. "Let's go."
He headed toward the door, Lucas immediately falling into step behind him, his jaw tight and fists clenched.
Kael's gaze followed Rin's retreating figure. Without a word, he strode after them, Rowan trailing silently at his back. The four of them left without looking back, their footsteps fading into the hall, leaving the fractured room and its alliances behind like discarded ash.