The Mafia Empire

Except for Graf.

"Oh God, I think I'm going crazy!" Graf, who had secretly hidd a bottle of wine in the classroom, sat in the back row. Staring at the twisted letters on the blackboard, he felt his head was about to explode. Through bleary eyes, he glanced at Julian, who was very serious next to him, and asked, "Will learning this help me make more money?"

Julian tilted his head and thought seriously for a momt before shaking his head. "No, learning to read and write won't help you make more money!"

Graf burped and exhaled a foul stch of alcohol. "Th why should I learn it?"

"At least it'll allow you to live with dignity and grace."

Graf laughed again. "Didn't we say before that once we make money, we'll let those school kids be our assistants, and th hire some well educated female secretaries? Isn't that more dignified?"

This time, Julian nodded. He couldn't wake up someone who was drunk and unwilling to sober up, nor did he feel the need to change someone else's perspective.

There was a saying in his dream that resonated well: "Do not impose on others what you do not desire." In simpler terms, since he was not someone who wished to be controlled, he would not easily try to control those who did not want to be controlled, barring special circumstances.

If Graf did not want to become a cultured person, or at least someone who could read a newspaper flutly, that was his business. After spding these past few days with Graf, Julian felt he had se through him. He was an aimless person, his most suitable job would be to be a freeloader, wandering the streets all day, bragging, and drinking.

But it must be said that Graf had helped him, especially with that forty bucks and some other small matters.

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Wh it came to fridship, Julian held it in some regard. As long as Graf had not let him down, he would certainly be his frid.

On the contrary, in rect days, he had be very optimistic about a young man named Dave. Perhaps it was related to Dave having served time in prison, it was precisely because he had tasted helplessness and bitterness that he could understand the value of opportunity. Whether it was getting things done or sitting here learning to read and study some words, Dave was the most earnest.

Serious people may not necessarily succeed, but those who are not serious… He glanced at Graf and thought that was destined to fail.

On the fifth day, Julian instructed Dave to oversee the construction of the farm shed while he supervised various blacksmiths in the city making differt parts of the distiller. Just th, Dave suddly ran over. This was something that had never happed before; no matter what Julian assigned to Dave, he had always completed it meticulously and never left the task he was supposed to do.

Something must have happed at the farm.

After briefly speaking to the blacksmith, he stepped out of the workshop. The cold air outside hit him in the face, making him feel momtarily breathless as the temperature shifted. He pulled out a cigarette and tossed one to Dave, lighting one for himself as well. Wh they reached the roadside, Julian asked, "What's the rush? What happed?"

Dave leaned in after taking a puff of his cigarette and lowered his voice. "Morris has come with some people. He made a fuss for a while, saying that Hu had mortgaged the ranch to him, and he wants to see you."

Julian's brows furrowed instantly, the thing he most dreaded had happed. He had previously praised Dave for being very sharp, noting that he ev wt into the deli to check if Morris was there after seeing Hu ter. In Julian's view, since Hu had gone, Morris would never let him leave without money. But now, the problem had indeed aris, the question was which link had gone wrong.

While he was deep in thought, Dave stepped back a little, so as not to disturb Julian's contemplation.

After about four or five minutes, Julian finally crushed the cigarette butt, which had burned down to the filter, onto the g, making it bounce slightly and sd sparks flying.

He figured it out, Hu must have giv Morris a portion of the money, temporarily appeasing him, and th falsely claimed that he had mortgaged the ranch to Morris. After Morris received a certain amount of money plus the value of the ranch, he likely agreed to this arrangemt. After clearing the debt, Hu had already tak his family and some meager belongings back to his hometown four days ago.

Damn it!

He kicked the nearby lamp post angrily, causing a muffled thud that drew the atttion of passersby.

Julian took a deep breath and summoned Dave over. He took out a roll of money from his pocket, counted out fifty bucks, and shoved it into Dave's hand. "Here, immediately arrange for someone to find out where Hu and his wife's hometown is, and th find them to get our money back."

He took another step forward, almost pressing up against Dave, and wrapped an arm a his shoulder, pressing it down. "Take weapons, just in case!"

Dave nodded vigorously, turned a, and ran off.

Julian stood alone in place, a surge of unnamed anger rising within him as he kicked the lamp post a few more times.

He was guinely angry. He felt he had done very well, knowing that by the d of the month, Hu's ranch would belong to Morris and that he could buy it back from Morris at a much lower price.

Yet he believed he should give Hu's family a way out, a chance. So, he bought that worthless ranch at a premium of three hundred bucks.

But what did his kindness bring him?

Deceit and lies!

That damn guy must be feeling quite pleased with himself now, right? With several hundred or ev a thousand bucks, he freed himself from the burd of debt and returned home to live a carefree life?

I'm so stupid!

Julian slapped himself, and this incidt made him realize that in this cruel world, any hint of kindness could pottially be exploited!