Chapter 179

Lanse withdrew his attention from the homeless man. "I've talked to Bulu; we must force them to make the first move."

He paused. "The preparations for the war remain unchanged. Being prepared to fight the unprepared gives us a high win rate, but we must also be prepared for the possibility that they might suddenly strike first."

"Once they are pushed into a corner, they might just strike directly."

Lanse had Aierwen look for several locations for bars, none too far from the location of the Red Dog Gang's bar, just a street or two away.

Logically speaking, competing for customers with the Red Dog Gang's bar wasn't a simple matter.

Drunks were not only obsessed with alcohol but also obsessed with the atmosphere of drinking. Once they were accustomed to the environment of a certain bar, it was difficult to get them to change to another place to drink.

The Red Dog Gang's bars were all the kind that had been operating for a long time, with a steady and rising source of customers. Competing with them was slightly difficult.

And with the two bars so close, there would definitely be head-on competition, but Lanse believed they had a great advantage because they had cheaper alcohol.

Perhaps for the same glass of alcohol, Lanse and his men being five cents cheaper would only make those people waver, but if it were ten cents cheaper, they would definitely come over!

Compared to a familiar environment and atmosphere, clearly being able to drink two glasses for the price of one was more important. What did drunks care about most?

Of course, it was how much alcohol they could stuff into their blood vessels!

The car drove back. That night, Lanse and Aierwen went to meet a gunsmith.

Erbeituo had talked to Lanse about this before. If they wanted to develop on a larger scale and with more order, then it was best for them to have their own "talent."

Like gunsmiths, mechanics, auto repairmen, etc., these professions seemed to have nothing to do with gangs or families, but they were precisely the core talent for a gang's development.

The role of a gunsmith didn't need deep discussion, just like the bearded man on Erbeituo's side. He could maintain and tune firearms and could also re-rifle the barrels.

Although re-rifling the barrels too many times would lead to a decrease in accuracy, who the fuck cared about that?

A few guns, a dozen guns, even submachine guns firing together, firing at their faces, he didn't believe they could still miss!

But what a gunsmith brought was the eternal resolution of the threat of ballistics.

There were also mechanics and auto repairmen. They could help a gang modify vehicles, modify machinery, make traps, bombs, and even do some other things.

Especially some relatively sensitive things. Although they were sold outside, it was hard to say whether those who sold them were fishing.

And you didn't know if they would sell your information for more money. Don't imagine the people in these underground worlds as overly wonderful.

There were indeed figures like chivalrous thieves here, but there were more who would betray their integrity for a little bit of profit.

They could sell hazardous materials to you for money, and naturally, they could also sell you as a commodity to others for money.

The gunsmith they met was a refugee from the Imperial side. After arriving, he couldn't find a suitable job and now relied on helping people beat sheet metal for a living.

Beating sheet metal was actually a technical job, but just knocking and hitting made people feel that there was no technical content, but if they really let them try, they couldn't do anything well.

Many people knew that Lanse was looking for a gunsmith, at least someone who understood the principles of firearms and could independently modify firearms.

As for maintenance, that was actually not very important. For their kind of energetic social organization, the shelf life of firearms was only in the stage from getting them to using them in battle, unless someone did follow-up processing.

Otherwise, they could only buy a bearded man at a discount or put them in a bag and throw them into the bottom of Angel Lake.

Lanse didn't have any connections in the black gun market outside, unlike some large gangs, where firearms were used up and sold in the black market of another city in less than a day.

He didn't know such people, nor did he have such channels. Even if he sold them all to the bearded man at a discount, it was a big loss.

The gunsmith had no problems with his level. At least Lanse couldn't see any problems. He easily dismantled the Magley 1212 semi-automatic pistol Lanse gave him.

Every part was placed on the table, and he also pointed out that several parts were severely worn, and they were clearly not from the same gun as the other parts.

It was possible that it was dismantled and reassembled, or it was replaced after damage. He gave an overall barely passing evaluation.

Looking at his skilled movements, Lanse was full of expectations for him. Of course, whether it would work or not would have to wait for the bearded man to verify.

When they returned home, many people had already returned. They were sitting or standing in the living room. Lanse wouldn't rest if he didn't return. Only when they saw Lanse return did these people feel as if a stone in their hearts had landed.

Two girls helped Lanse take away his coat and hat, and someone handed over a hot cocoa. He walked to the sofa and sat down.

Others leaned over. "How much money do we have in our account now?" Lanse looked at Aierwen.

Aierwen reported a number. "Close to fifty thousand dollars."

"So little." When others hadn't, or had already revealed an expression of "so much money," Lanse gave them a completely different statement.

He looked at these people. "I never deny the existence of the federal dream, but I don't like it because it's not as wonderful as people promote."

"All federal dreams are left for those who are prepared, such as the salesperson who sold fishhooks and became the chairman of a listed company, or the wealthy gentleman who sold onions and became the founder of the largest chain restaurant in the eastern region."

"Such as the insurance agent who relied on selling insurance and became a major shareholder of an insurance company, or those people we can always know well."

"No one has ever introduced their background to us, no one has told us how they got loans from banks, or how they knew those senators and the president."

"They only told us that they once worked in the lowest level of society, then became big figures, and told us that this is the federal dream!"

Mo Lisi suddenly interrupted. "I've heard the story of that insurance seller. The insurance company he worked for was his father's, and he was just an intern in the family business."

Lanse pointed at him. "Don't tell people outside, they don't believe this!"

The young people couldn't help but laugh, and felt absurd and unbelievable.

Mo Lisi and Aiernio had a good relationship. Aiernio's father had always been dreaming of realizing his federal dream through the identity of a salesperson.

If anyone was the most direct victim of the federal dream, then Aiernio's father was one of them, but even now, he seemed to still be doing that job.

It was just that compared to his previous fanaticism, he seemed to have become more rational after being beaten up by Weier.

Lanse took a sip of hot cocoa, very fragrant and sweet, no less than a donut. "I don't deny that some people have succeeded, but that's only a very small number."

"If we want to get respect from others, we must possess something."

"Power, status, wealth, and our weapons."

"You think forty thousand dollars is a lot, but I think it's very little, because it's our income for the past half year, and with so many of us, plus the business we operate, it's only this little!"

"But it doesn't matter, it will double soon!"

He looked at Aierwen. "Leave five thousand dollars for emergencies, then go to the bank and get two more checkbooks. We'll use them soon."

"And cash, also make a budget. The second batch of alcohol will be delivered soon, don't be unable to take out so much cash then."

Luigi didn't care about cash or checks. Compared to checks, he wanted cash more. The people of Aierdeladra didn't care if the money was dirty, as long as it was real.

Subsequently, Lanse chatted for a while about how to distinguish "who is an agent," because the bar would open soon, and he had also heard that the Tobacco, Alcohol, and Firearms Bureau would start working soon, so he had to let everyone master this.

"... It's not that easy for these agents to catch us. The main thing is not to let them grasp solid evidence, so refusing them entry to our bar is particularly important."

Lanse lit a cigarette, crossed his legs, and everyone was listening to him. "Mo Lisi, you have seen the most diverse people among us. How do you distinguish whether a guest who is knocking on the door, but has never been here, is an undercover agent?"

Mo Lisi scratched his head. He really didn't know, and hesitated, saying, "He should be very nervous?"

Others also looked at Lanse, waiting for the answer, but Lanse shook his head. "Look, if you are the one guarding the door, you and your bar are finished."

Mo Lisi laughed. "I'm not good at this, but why?"

Lanse explained, "We sell alcohol to drunks. In other words, we are engaged in criminal activities, we are a criminal group."

"Do you think a drunk, even if he knows what he is going to do, and what we are doing, can easily face us members of a criminal organization he hasn't been in contact with?"

When Lanse said this, everyone suddenly had a very clear feeling!

Yes, they couldn't appear very relaxed. Nervousness was to be expected.

Even they themselves, before joining the Lanse family, would become a bit nervous when they met those who looked like they were not easy to mess with, and it was very difficult to face them calmly.

And those ordinary drunks, they were just drunks. They would also feel fear toward criminal organizations. It would be strange if they weren't nervous when going to an unfamiliar bar for the first time!

Watching them react, Lanse nodded and said, "It seems you all understand. This is what I want to teach you."

"On the contrary, those strangers who come for the first time, not only look like they are very relaxed, but also particularly want to pretend to be very familiar and self-familiar. Then he must have a problem!"

"When you encounter this situation, pay attention, remember their appearance, and then refuse them."

"We can earn one less glass of alcohol money, but we absolutely refuse to destroy one of our bars and our alcohol for the sake of earning a few more cents!"

Deruixi raised his hand in the corner. "If we feel they are not right, can't we act against them?"

Lanse shook his head. "No, they are law enforcement officers. Don't act against them until we are prepared."

"If they keep coming to harass us, then remember their appearance, and we will have a way to find them."

He also talked about some problems that needed to be faced after the bar was opened, such as the problem of drunks, or the problem of guests fighting in the bar, and some others.

The popularity of the Workers' Club these days made them mistakenly think that it was a super-large bar, but it wasn't.

The composition of guests in the bar was much more complex than in the Workers' Club. What was the Workers' Club?

Everyone was a worker at the docks. You knew me, I knew you. Even if there was a conflict, at most they would fight for a while, and then continue doing what they were doing.

But in a bar, someone might pull out a knife, or even take out a thermal weapon. These were the places with the greatest risks.

If someone died in a bar, it would be difficult to handle, and Lanse didn't want that.

Lanse taught them many useful little pieces of knowledge in one night, including how to handle some emergencies. As the number of bars and business venues increased, he couldn't personally sit in every venue.

In the end, these people were responsible. Even when the family's business became larger in the future, they couldn't be responsible for so many venues alone. They had to pass on these experiences, just like a real family!

The next morning, Lanse took time to go to Jonny's bakery. He was much thinner than when Lanse saw him in December.

His arm had healed, and now he wasn't in a wheelchair anymore. He had started working.

When he saw Lanse push the door and enter, his eyes flickered, and then became a bit... silent.

Hailamu stood by the door, flipped the "open" sign to "closed." There were two people standing outside the door. Anyone who saw this posture wouldn't rush in rashly.

"Lanse... can you..."

Before he finished speaking, Lanse shook his head. "No."

"You know, friendship is friendship, debt is debt. We have to distinguish this clearly."

"If you want to reminisce with an old friend, then give me the money, and I'll treat you to sit in the barbecue shop next door for a while."

"But if you think I can waive or charge you less, I'm sorry, that's impossible."

"Don't make it difficult for me, Jonny, I don't want to act, but don't force me either."

In the end, Jonny could only return to the small room, close the door, and didn't know where he took out an aluminum box filled with banknotes.

He gave most of it to Lanse. Lanse counted it and handed it to Hailamu.

"It seems you don't have the idea of eating, then see you next month, Jonny!" Lanse simply pinched his hat, indicating that the etiquette was in place.

Hailamu pulled the door open, and the two went out quickly, leaving Jonny alone here.

He looked at the small aluminum box in his hand, not knowing what to say. He only had less than six hundred dollars left.

In one month, he definitely couldn't earn four hundred dollars. Next month, he wouldn't be able to pay back the money.

This made him feel some unease, but... he had no other choice!

The fat daughter and her boyfriend hiding behind the door watched everything happen silently. They wanted to do something, but couldn't do anything.

Jonny returned to his room, hid the iron box, and sat on the edge of the bed in a daze.

After a while, the sound of an argument between his daughter and her boyfriend came from his original bedroom. Vaguely, Jonny knew what they were arguing about.

Because of debt.

Once Jonny couldn't pay back this money, he would have to sell his house, but selling the house would at most get him two thousand dollars, and he still owed Lanse four thousand dollars.

In other words, even if he sold the residence, there would still be a gap of seventeen or eighteen hundred dollars, which would likely affect their storefront.

If even the storefront was gone, he, their family, would be truly finished.

After struggling for thirty years, in the end, because of some small accidents, he lost everything.

His daughter's boyfriend planned to leave. During the two months when Jonny's arm was injured, he had learned all the craftsmanship and processes. He was now confident that even if he didn't do as well as Jonny, it wouldn't be much worse.

This was also what Jonny was most unwilling to see, and the reason why he was unwilling to teach apprentices!

The greater the price these people paid, once they learned, they would leave immediately.

This was like a vicious cycle.

Jonny couldn't let them learn his craft without paying anything, or paying a very small price.

And as long as the other party paid a lot, the less they would be of one mind with Jonny.

Maybe this was why many artisans would let their apprentices marry their daughters. Only in this way were they a combination of interests.

The sound of the argument outside the door couldn't cover the noise of the two. Soon the noise turned into cursing. After a while, the fat daughter's boyfriend took his things and slammed the door.

Jonny, who watched everything happen, sat in place, as if he had lost his soul.

It had been snowing during this time, and the gathering outside the Saint Nanye Cathedral on Saturday was temporarily shelved. Lanse asked Aierwen to find a new location suitable for gathering. This kind of gathering had a very general meaning and effect, and could not, and should not, be stopped because of the weather.

And he, taking some gifts, went to see Patricia.

The girl was originally very angry that Lanse hadn't come to find her during this time, but after hearing Weilian say that Lanse wasn't easy either, she forgave him.

Now the whole family knew who Lanse was, and also knew his business, but everyone's thoughts were a bit different.

Weilian felt that this was an opportunity. He had already talked to the Federal Party members during the State Party Congress, and he planned to run for the Imperial District Municipal Councilor, hoping to get the support of the Federal Party.

The Federal Party was very interested in his idea and indicated that as long as he didn't ask the Federal Party for money, the Federal Party was willing to send people to help him stand on the stage.

He really needed to talk to Lanse now.

Emily (Patricia's mother) also wanted to see Lanse. After all, this kind of "gang boss" had only been seen in the news, and she didn't think Lanse was that scary.

He was instead more humble, more polite, and more humorous than ordinary people!

As for Patricia, her mind was a bit messy...