The Mafia Empire

He was also the leader of Ternell's largest gang, with hundreds of men under his command—far more than Wood, who had already washed his hands of the gang life.

This was the biggest crisis Julian had ever faced. If he couldn't find a way through it, his only option would be to flee.

Yes, Gador was actively trying to go legitimate, but that didn't mean he wouldn't take action if necessary. What might be a minor incident for Gador could be a catastrophic blow for Julian.

Julian rubbed his face and slapped his cheeks, turning to Dave. "Is there any chance we can take him out?"

Dave's face was grim as he shook his head. "Gador's rise is practically a legend. He understands the rules very well, and a lot of powerful people like him because of that. Some of those big shots even rely on him to do things they can't do themselves.

"He's also incredibly cautious. Whether at home or out in public, he always has plenty of men around him. In the past nine years, there have been at least thirty attempts on his life, and none of them succeeded. In fact, they only made him more careful."

Julian nodded in agreement. That made sense. No matter how clean Gador's hands were now, he had risen to power by stepping over the blood and bones of others. The number of people who hated him was beyond counting, and he would have to be extremely vigilant to protect himself.

So, how could Julian get out of this mess? Killing Gador was out of the question, but perhaps he could at least convince him to stay neutral.

Julian fell into deep thought. Seeing this, Dave and Eirlys quietly left the office, closing the door behind them.

About twenty minutes later, the office door swung open again. Julian walked out, his expression calm but with a confident gleam in his eyes. Dave and Eirlys immediately stepped forward, looking at him expectantly.

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"I've got a plan," Julian said, nodding firmly.

Julian's plan was actually quite simple—satisfy Gador's "conditions."

If Gador was willing to help Wood without expecting anything in return, why hadn't he intervened earlier? Julian suspected that the relationship between Wood and Gador wasn't as solid as he had initially thought. Wood must have offered something to convince Gador to step in on his behalf.

So, in reverse, if Gador could be swayed by something Wood offered, couldn't he be swayed to change his stance by something else?

Julian believed it was possible. From what little he knew about Gador, the man was ambitious and disciplined. His goal was to become one of the tycoons of Ternell, a rule-maker… or at the very least, a rule-enforcer.

What could be more important to Gador than a quicker path to the upper class, allowing him to cross that threshold that so many others had failed to cross?

Nothing.

Satisfy his "conditions," watch him transform, and then wait for him to make a mistake at which point Julian would deliver the final blow.

But first, Julian needed to meet with a few key people those who could influence Gador's decisions.

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He instructed Eirlys to keep an eye on Gador and ordered all the boys from the association to return to their homes. Until this matter was resolved, none of them should show their faces in public. Julian didn't want Gador taking his frustration out on any of them while they were still vulnerable.

When Julian found Kevin, he was packing his bags.

Not long ago, the city court had sent notice that an additional hearing would be held in three days. Apparently, the state court of Canless had pressured the local court to expedite the case, which had drawn nationwide attention, in order to minimize any further negative impact.

As a result, the Ternell city court had moved the final trial from next weekend to Tuesday, just three days away.

Upon hearing the news, Kevin had started packing his bags. He had already booked a steam train ticket to the capital and was ready to leave as soon as the final verdict was delivered, bringing his victory with him.

The capital was where Kevin's true stage awaited where he could fully showcase his talents!

Julian stood outside the door, raised his hand, and knocked. The dull sound startled Kevin, who was packing his luggage. He straightened up, stretching his back and shaking his arms a few times before walking over to greet Julian into the room.

Julian carefully stepped over the piles of documents, glancing at the scattered papers and some luggage on the floor, then flashed a bright smile. "Congratulations, Kevin, you've accomplished what you set out to do. That's impressive!"

Kevin happily accepted the compliment, patting Julian on the arm. He turned to fetch a cup of coffee and placed it on the corner of the table. "I just brewed it, the temperature should be just right. You know I don't drink alcohol, so…" He shrugged. "What brings you here? If I'm not mistaken, those two big shots should be able to handle most of the issues in Ternell city, right?"

Julian picked up the saucer, delicately holding the tiny cup handle with one hand, and brought the coffee to his nose for a sniff before taking a small sip. He pretended to swallow the coffee nonchalantly but quickly set the cup back down, unable to enjoy the strange taste. "Their influence isn't enough.

I want to establish a connection with higher level figures, like the mayor or the council members."

Kevin curiously looked Julian up and down, blurting out, "What kind of trouble have you gotten into? Or have you inflated your ego so much that you think an unknown bootlegger like yourself can directly converse with someone at the mayor's level?"

"Sorry, I'm not mocking you, just stating the facts. They are unlikely to meet with you, and even if they do, they won't form any friendship with you!"