"It's quite reasonable. The Hand and the Mafia took the lion's share, leaving only scraps. On one hand, it keeps the small fries from harboring resentment, and on the other, it lets them consume each other in internal strife. Why wouldn't they do it?"
Frank nodded slightly. "As expected, you're best at schemes and plots."
Hong Fei's face twitched. "Hey, San Pao, how is Fisk Industries doing?"
Frank's expression darkened. "Nothing much. They issued an obituary and have been keeping a very low profile."
"Kingpin doesn't have any heirs, does he?"
"No. So I guess they must be fighting internally quite fiercely right now. Why? Do you want to get involved?"
Hong Fei shook his head. "Of course not. I can't wait to stay away. Lack of patience in small matters ruins great plans."
Frank continued, "The Mafia didn't get much out of this time. The Hand's appetite is too big. I estimate they will definitely have a conflict in the future. I want to bring that time forward."
Hearing this, Hong Fei raised an eyebrow. "You want to fake an identity and deliberately provoke them?"
"Exactly."
"Reckless fool!"
Looking at Frank's defiant expression, Hong Fei said, "Do you think they're stupid? Don't forget the current situation outside. Gangs only come out at night. With so many Police and National Guard members out during the day, why hasn't a direct conflict broken out between The Hand and the Mafia? Believe it or not, if it weren't for those armored vehicles rampaging through the streets, they would have beaten each other's brains out long ago! What you need to do now is not to provoke them, but to wait quietly for the right opportunity. Meanwhile, if you have time, collect some information on both sides—things like you slept with his wife, or he stole your girlfriend. Get some solid evidence. Once the storm outside settles, you can quietly tuck those things under their pillows. I don't believe those guys from the underworld could tolerate even that. Oh, and remember to find people with middle-tier status. Those too high up will inevitably have reservations, and those too low are useless. It's best to find someone with a bad temper and an impulsive personality."
Once the fire is lit, it will be World-shaking, and they won't be able to avoid fighting even if they want to."
Frank's eyelids jumped wildly as he listened. After a long pause, he squeezed out a sentence: "You really are insidious enough."
"Scram!"
The next day. In the early morning, Hong Fei got up first and went to the rooftop to practice a few sets of boxing. However, things were different now. Previously, he could work up a sweat in half an hour, but this morning it took over an hour. The comprehensive improvement of his physical fitness was evident.
After taking a shower and changing into a fresh set of casual clothes, Hong Fei went to the bookstore to wait for Mei's arrival.
At seven-fifty, Mei arrived, ten minutes early. Hong Fei stood up to greet her. "Welcome!"
Mei was wearing a black professional suit with a modest smile. "Boss, I hope we can have a pleasant collaboration."
"Of course. I believe in your ability," Hong Fei said, handing her a bunch of keys and a box of documents. "Here are the room keys for the entire building and the rental contracts, along with some miscellaneous documents."
"Running and managing the bookstore is your primary job. Except for the top floor, the other rooms upstairs are all for rent. I will be moving out in a while, so I'll leave this place to you. Oh, and if you have time, help me arrange for someone to clean the rooms."
Mei was a bit surprised. "You're moving out?"
"Yes, I'm planning to do some other business." Whether it was an illusion or not, Hong Fei felt as if Mei had let out a sigh of relief.
Next, after the two of them finished the handover, Hong Fei returned to the top floor, his mood also lightening.
The bookstore was not something to be easily closed; after all, it was the legacy left by his parents. No matter how difficult things had been for the previous Hong Fei, he hadn't changed the bookstore into another business, and there was no need for the current Master Hong to do so either.
Moreover, while the value of the building itself was limited, the things buried beneath it were hard to measure with money.
To be honest, Master Hong also wanted to live for thousands or even tens of thousands of years.
In the time that followed, besides eating and sleeping, Hong Fei spent the rest of his time practicing. The suddenly strengthened body needed to adapt gradually.
Strength needed to be controlled, speed needed to be mastered, and endurance limits needed to be understood.
Only a body that is truly and completely mastered truly belongs to oneself. A body that completely belonged to him would allow Hong Fei to better exert even more powerful combat effectiveness, while at the same time tapping into his deep-level potential and limits, and attempting to make breakthroughs on that basis.
Of course, it would be even better if there were powerful skill cards. How could a Master Hong, who didn't resist and even actively used firearms and artillery, give up on skill cards that only he could see and use? The search for the culprit who fired the cannon in the suburbs of New York City was still in full swing. As long as the politicians continued to spew their rhetoric, the joint Military and Police forces, who had already searched the hills thoroughly, would not be withdrawn.
The mortars had already been seized as evidence, and the intensity of searches and crackdowns on black market arms sales had suddenly increased.
However, Frank had done a clean job; even if they found the sellers, they wouldn't be able to trace it back to Hong Fei or Frank.
As time passed, people gradually put this matter out of their minds. Most of those still shouting were ambitious people who wanted to use this as an excuse to take down their enemies and climb to higher positions.
During this period, Hong Fei noticed that Tony had flown back and forth in the sky many times, even gradually disregarding the time of day and taking to the skies in broad daylight.
Militants in the Middle East were struck by an unknown enemy, and a Military exercise lost a fighter jet. None of this was major news, until this day.
While the Police were clearing the debris left by the shelling and explosion, a collapse accident unexpectedly occurred. After the injured personnel were found, a hidden underground factory was also exposed.
When a large quantity of raw materials, tools, and finished products were placed before them, all of New York was in an uproar. The famous Spice Merchant and great philanthropist was actually a drug dealer in secret?
A few days later, the Police, having grasped Kingpin's identity, made all his criminal evidence public.
Only then did the people of New York realize that the truth was far more complicated than they had expected. Fisk Industries was controlled by the Police, and the scene of hundreds of people lining up to enter the station was spectacular.
After Kingpin's identity was exposed, the rhetoric from certain people gradually lessened. Previously, they had demanded a thorough government investigation based on Kingpin's status as a good citizen.
Now, they certainly hadn't given up, but they needed time to find a better reason. However, the subsequent development of the situation gradually became strange.
"Is the person who shelled Fisk a criminal, or a hero?" Once this topic was raised, various discussions came flooding in like a tide.
"A criminal, of course.
No matter what his purpose was, since his actions have violated the provisions of the law, he must accept the judgment of the law."
"He must be a criminal, and I suspect it's a blood feud between him and Fisk. Maybe he wanted to steal Fisk's business?"
"I don't care if he's a hero or a criminal. I just want to know how on earth he thought of using a cannon to blast people. That's just too cool!"
"Exactly, super cool! Now I don't even want to look at my own gun; it's completely tasteless."
"I think he's a hero!
Before the Police announcement, who knew this great philanthropist was actually a major criminal?
In fact, if he hadn't died, the Police wouldn't have known his identity at all, and they wouldn't have discovered such a place full of evil.
"So I think he wanted to send Fisk and those damn drugs to hell together!"
"Undoubtedly a hero. When the order of this World is eroded by darkness, people can only temporarily leave the light and step into the darkness. Only then can they truly drive out those hidden vermin."
Before the Police announcement, who knew this great philanth...