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Chapter 8: Wolves and Rats
Alexander sat in the quiet of the boarding room he'd rented, the dim lamp flickering. Outside, Birmingham's night carried on with its usual symphony: shouts, drunken songs, and the occasional distant gunshot.
He leaned back in his chair, cigar between his teeth, map of the city spread out before him.
That was when the system pinged.
[Ding! System Analysis Activated]
Warning: Detected "RAT" influence attempting to infiltrate Shelby Family Core.
Subject: Larson. Objective: Manipulation of Thomisia Shelby's emotional state.
Alexander arched a brow. "The rat, huh?"
[Simulation Unlocked. Would you like to watch Thomisia betray you in a totally heartbreaking and dramatic cutscene?]
"…You make it sound like a bloody movie trailer."
[Error: It is basically a movie. Now hush. Showing Simulation.]
The map blurred, and suddenly Alexander was watching a smoky vision. Thomisia, face pale, whispers to Campbell's man in some back alley. Larson's hand brushed hers, words soft as poison. Then, a gunshot rings out in the dark, and Alexander is the one bleeding on the cobblestones while Thomisia stands frozen.
The vision shattered.
[End Simulation. Likelihood of Event: 42% and rising.]
Alexander sat in silence for a long moment. Then he exhaled smoke. "…Not bad acting on her part. Almost believed it."
[Focus, host. This is serious. The rat knows which heartstring to pluck.]
"And?" Alexander muttered. "I've handled worse than rats. If he wants to play shadows, I'll drag him into the light and skin him like one."
[Strong words. But let's be real: if she bends, your empire bends. Better make sure you hold her loyalty tighter than the rat ever could.]
Alexander tapped ash onto the map, his eyes narrowing.
Loyalty, huh? That means I'll have to show her something no rat can offer.
A grin tugged at his lips. Not the cold grin of a warlord, but the dangerous, amused grin of a man already plotting.
The system chimed again.
[Side Quest Unlocked: "Cage the Rat." Objective: Secure Thomisia Shelby's loyalty before Larson poisons her heart. Reward: 2,000kg of prime white-gold cocaine stock.]
Alexander blinked. "You're bribing me with cocaine?"
[Correction: motivating.]
He chuckled darkly. "Fine then. If the rat wants to play, let's feed him some cheese."
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