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BANG BANG BANG CHAPTER 148: BLOOD IN THE SHADOWS
The first sign that something was wrong came with the silence.The war room was usually a hive ... phones ringing, men shouting, maps shifting. But tonight, there was nothing. Just an eerie, unnatural stillness.Marco paced the edge of the table, feeling the weight of it press down on his chest."Where’s Jax?" he snapped, glancing at Victor.Victor, frowning, checked his watch. "He should’ve reported in an hour ago."Silas lit a cigarette with trembling fingers. "Maybe he ran into heat. Cops, Carrick’s leftovers..."Marco shook his head. "Jax doesn’t miss check-ins. Not unless he’s dead."The word hung heavy in the air.A phone rang ... sharp and shrill.Everyone jolted.Victor grabbed it."Yeah?" His face paled almost instantly. "Boss... you need to hear this."Marco snatched the phone from him."Marco," a voice rasped. Jax’s voice ... barely recognizable, slurred and broken."It’s... a trap... he knew... he knew we were coming..."Gunshots crackled in the background. Screaming. Then
BANG BANG BANG CHAPTER 1 : THE OUTCAST
Carrick Gale felt like an outsider at the party. He looked around the fancy room and saw people laughing and having fun. But he didn't feel like he belonged.His mom, Janice, was smiling and talking to others. She was beautiful, and everyone seemed to like her. But Carrick knew the truth. She was treated poorly by the Gale family, even though she was kind and loving.Carrick's mom called him over, but he didn't want to go. He felt awkward, and the other kids were staring at him. They whispered to each other, making fun of him.Carrick's mom wanted him to join her, but he felt like he didn't fit in. The other kids were mean, and he felt like he was walking through mud as he approached them.Their dirty looks and snickers hurt Carrick. He clenched his jaw and tightened his fists. He was used to being left out, but it still hurt."Hey, bastard, what are you doing here?" one of them sneered, a tall, muscular boy with a cruel grin, his voice like a rusty gate scraping against Carrick's ner
BANG BANG BANG CHAPTER 2: A STAB IN THE BACK
Carrick walked to the garage, wondering what his father's mysterious business deal was about. He felt uneasy, but he couldn't quite put his finger on why. If this business deal was as important as his father made it out to be, then why didn't he send Domino? Domino had always been his favorite. Carrick decided to see this through.. as this was the only way to redeem himself and earn the family's respect.Edgar, the driver, greeted him and asked if he was ready. Carrick nodded and got into the car. As they drove, Carrick's mind kept going back to his father's words: "Clear away the shame." But something didn't feel right.The car stopped at a deserted warehouse. Edgar told Carrick to wait while he checked if everything was ready. Carrick watched as Edgar entered the warehouse, feeling his heart pound in his chest.Suddenly, footsteps echoed from the shadows. A voice called out, "Carrick Gale, welcome." Carrick turned to see a figure emerging from the darkness."Who are you?" Carrick as
BANG BANG BANG CHAPTER 3: EREBUS SYSTEM
Carrick floated in darkness, his mind filled with painful memories. He thought about what had happened, and his emotions swirled with regret, anger, and sadness.He couldn't believe his father was behind it all. But deep down, he knew it might be true. Edgar, the driver, didn't deny it. He said he was just following orders.Carrick's mind was filled with questions. Why did his father want him dead? Was it because his mother was a mistress? Because he was powerless in the family? Or because his mother used to be a maid?Carrick felt angry and hurt. He had never fought back against the family's abuse. He had always stayed quiet. So why did they want to kill him?He screamed into the darkness, "Why!?" His anger grew with every thought.If only he had been given a chance to live, maybe he could have become a powerful Mafia Lord one day. But now, he was left with only anger and sadness.«Ding!Data collection complete!Fusion successful!Host's health is currently in a critical state. Inje
BANG BANG BANG CHAPTER 4: ESCAPE
Carrick, now called V5, pretended to be brainwashed. He stared blankly at Doctor Ambrose. The doctor smiled, happy with Carrick's condition."You're doing well, V5," Doctor Ambrose said. "You'll be a great asset for Rambosia." He nodded to the guards.One guard, a tall man with a scar, stepped forward. "Sir, may I talk to you?" he asked quietly.Doctor Ambrose frowned. "What is it, Victor?"Victor looked at Carrick before speaking. "I think we should be careful. He's not as brainwashed as we think."Doctor Ambrose laughed. "That's impossible. The treatment always works. V5 will do what we say."Carrick's mind raced, remembering the system's warning to level up quickly. He knew he had to play along, but he also needed to find a way to escape and start his journey to become a Mafia Lord. He knew if he remained here, he would be nothing but an experimental subject, a guinea pig for this mysterious organization.As the guards closed in, Carrick noticed a small, almost unnoticeable nod fro
BANG BANG BANG CHAPTER 5: LEVEL UP
More guards came and surrounded Carrick. He stood strong, holding his disruptor tightly.One guard sneered at him. "You're trapped. Give up now and we might go easy on you." The guards had seen the previous experiments of previous subjects, they were always so weak. This guard couldn't see the reason the doctors wasted so much money and time experimenting on such useless people. Now facing against Carrick, he believed Carrick will be the same as the previous subjects.Carrick on the hand, remembered all the times he had given in to the Gale family. He had always stepped down and tried to stay quiet just to stay alive.But what did he get for being quiet? His brother hated him. His own father had tried to kill him.Carrick's eyes narrowed. He made a promise to himself: he would never give in again."I'd rather die," Carrick said, his voice firm and his smile cold.«Ding!New skills acquired!Undying Resolve (non upgradable)Description: In desperate times, Host's resolve to persevere w
BANG BANG BANG CHAPTER 6: THE ALISTAIR FAMILY
Carrick and Victor escaped from the Rambosia facility and ran until they reached a busy road. They hailed a taxi and Victor told the driver, "Take us to Ancroft city."The driver smiled slyly and said, "That'll be $200 each."Victor hesitated, but Carrick simply got into the taxi. Victor followed, looking worried. "I only have $500 on me, and we need to buy food too," he said.Carrick smiled and reassured Victor, "Don't worry about it."Then, Carrick silently asked the Erebus system, "Can I use the gold coins as real money?" «Ding! Yes. Host just needs to will a few coins to materialize in his hand and it will be so. Note, one gold coin is equivalent to ten dollars.» Carrick smiled at the system's response. * Ancroft city was in front of a mountain. Victor's family mansion was hidden in the mountain. "Welcome to our humble abode," Victor said, one could sense pride in his voice. As they walked on the stone steps towards the mansion, Victor thought it will be best to play the role
BANG BANG BANG CHAPTER 7: FACE OFF
Carrick sat in the armory, getting ready for the ambush operation. Victor had chosen a small team of 20 people, including Carrick.Carrick knew that revealing his identity could jeopardize the mission. So, he decided to wear a mask to conceal his face.Before heading out, Carrick checked in with the Erebus system. "System, show me my stats," he requested. «Ding! STAT (System for Transfer and Analysis of Tactical data): Host: Carrick Gale Age: 18 Status: Healthy Attributes: Strength (STR); 35 Intelligence (INT); 40 Agility (AGI); 35 Vitality (VIT); 40 Endurance (END); 40 Charisma (CHA); 25 Combat stats: Attack power (ATK); 45 Defense (DEF); 40 Health points (HP); 100% Mana points (MP); 300 Accuracy (ACC); 60% Evasion (EVA); 55% Performance metrics: Experience points (XP); 1,400 Level; 3 (1,400/20,000) Skills: Revitalization (passive, upgradable) lvl 3 Ever-Calm (passive, non upgradable) Undying Resolve (active, non upgradable) Weapon master (passive, upgradab
Latest Chapter
CHAPTER 148: BLOOD IN THE SHADOWS
The first sign that something was wrong came with the silence.The war room was usually a hive ... phones ringing, men shouting, maps shifting. But tonight, there was nothing. Just an eerie, unnatural stillness.Marco paced the edge of the table, feeling the weight of it press down on his chest."Where’s Jax?" he snapped, glancing at Victor.Victor, frowning, checked his watch. "He should’ve reported in an hour ago."Silas lit a cigarette with trembling fingers. "Maybe he ran into heat. Cops, Carrick’s leftovers..."Marco shook his head. "Jax doesn’t miss check-ins. Not unless he’s dead."The word hung heavy in the air.A phone rang ... sharp and shrill.Everyone jolted.Victor grabbed it."Yeah?" His face paled almost instantly. "Boss... you need to hear this."Marco snatched the phone from him."Marco," a voice rasped. Jax’s voice ... barely recognizable, slurred and broken."It’s... a trap... he knew... he knew we were coming..."Gunshots crackled in the background. Screaming. Then
CHAPTER 147: FIRST STRIKE
Marco didn’t sleep that night.He sat in the war room ... a makeshift headquarters carved out of an abandoned speakeasy beneath the old theatre ... staring at the maps spread across the table. Each red pin marked a loyalty, each black pin a threat. And there were more black pins now than ever before.Victor entered, a mug of coffee in one hand, a pistol tucked into the back of his belt."You should rest," Victor said, setting the coffee down. "You look like hell."Marco didn’t move. "Carrick didn’t threaten me," he said, voice low. "He challenged me."Victor pulled a chair around and dropped into it, studying Marco."There's a difference?""Yeah," Marco said grimly. "One's a warning. The other’s a death sentence."Victor nodded slowly. "So what’s the play?"Marco leaned back, eyes burning. "We strike first."Victor's eyebrows lifted. "Now you’re speaking my language."But Marco wasn’t smiling."No messy fireworks. No grandstanding," he said. "We cut out Carrick’s heart while it’s stil
CHAPTER 146: SMOKE BEFORE THE FIRE
The night air was thick with mist and the sour stench of gasoline.Carrick Gale stood atop the rooftop of an abandoned textile mill, his coat whipping in the wind, a cigarette burning low between his fingers.Below him, the city lights flickered like dying embers."You were right," muttered Donovan, stepping up beside him. His breath steamed in the cold. "Marco’s moving against you."Carrick didn’t flinch. He didn’t even look at him."I know."Donovan hesitated. "It’s not just Marco. Salvatore met with him tonight. They're rallying others. Quiet-like, but... it's happening."Carrick took a slow drag from his cigarette, the tip flaring."So the rats finally show their teeth," he said softly.Donovan shifted uneasily. "What do you want to do?"Carrick turned, finally facing him. His eyes were pale blue and cold as glacial ice."Set a meet," Carrick said. "Invite Marco. Make it seem like I want to talk peace."Donovan frowned. "You think he’ll buy it?"Carrick smiled ... a thin, dead thi
CHAPTER 145: A KINGDOM OF ASH
The warehouse stank of oil, dust, and desperation.A single bare bulb swung from the ceiling, casting long, jittering shadows over the gathered men. Marco stood near the center, his fists shoved deep into the pockets of his coat, while Silas leaned casually against a rusted support beam, arms folded, eyes glittering like a serpent waiting for its moment to strike."So what’s the play?" Marco asked, his voice low.Silas smiled ... that same unsettling, knowing smile. "Simple. We bleed Carrick dry from the inside. Cut his supply lines. Peel away his allies one by one."Marco’s jaw tightened. "You make it sound easy."Silas shrugged lazily. "It's not easy. It's inevitable. Carrick's empire is rotting. All we have to do is give it a little... push.""Push too hard," Marco muttered, "and he'll lash out."Silas stepped closer, voice dropping. "That's the idea. Let him lash out. Let him make mistakes. Then we move in for the kill."Marco stared at him, heart pounding in his chest. The though
CHAPTER 144: A SERPENT AMONG WOLVES
The city was breaking apart at its seams, a rotting corpse wearing a golden crown.Marco walked through the crumbling alleys of the south side, the rain soaking through his jacket. He didn’t care. The world could drown for all it mattered.Carrick was slipping. And Marco ... once Carrick's sword arm, once his shield ... felt it deep in his bones: the time to choose sides had come.He wasn’t sure if he could betray the man who had once saved him.But as the blood pooled deeper around Carrick's throne, loyalty began to feel more like a noose.A sharp whistle echoed down the alley.Marco turned instantly, hand going to the gun beneath his jacket.Out of the shadows stepped a man ... tall, wiry, with an unsettling stillness to him. His long black coat clung to him like a second skin. A faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, but his eyes were dead."You must be Marco," the stranger said smoothly, voice like silk pulled across a blade."Depends who's asking," Marco replied, voice t
CHAPTER 143: KNIVES BENEATH SMILES
The storm rolled in over the city as dusk fell, shrouding the skyline in grim clouds. Thunder grumbled low in the distance, a warning growl before the lightning’s inevitable strike.Inside the upper floors of the old Salvi manor, Arturo stood at the head of a long table. Around him were faces ... some familiar, some recently turned ... all carrying the same grim set to their jaws. They were the last of the De Luca loyalists, the bitter remnants of broken families, and the wolves who had long waited for Carrick Gale to falter.Alessia De Luca sat to Arturo’s right, her hands neatly folded, a mask of calm that barely concealed the rage boiling underneath."Carrick’s bleeding," Arturo said, voice low but carrying. "The shipment hit hurt him worse than he’s letting on. His allies are whispering. Some are jumping ship."A younger man, Gaetano, leaned forward, his knuckles white against the table. "Then we press now. While he's weak. Burn the rest of his operations to the ground!"Arturo sh
CHAPTER 142: SERPENTS IN SILK
The scent of danger was like perfume in the air...sweet, alluring, and sharp enough to slit a man’s throat.Carrick Gale stood in the center of an abandoned cathedral on the South Side, his coat dripping rain onto the cracked marble floor. The place had once echoed with hymns and confessions. Now it was silent but for the distant thunder and the click of heels.Alessia De Luca appeared from the shadows, flanked by Lucien and two of her trusted lieutenants. Her expression was unreadable, carved in ice."So this is where you want to die?" she asked coolly.Carrick tilted his head. "If I wanted to die, I wouldn’t have come armed."Victor stepped from the darkness behind Carrick, his gun already in hand. Marco wasn’t far behind, his face drawn, hollow-eyed, the weight of too many bodies pressing on his soul.Alessia stopped a few feet away. Lucien didn’t blink, but his fingers twitched slightly by his belt."I didn’t come to kill you today," she said. "Not yet."Carrick raised an eyebrow.
CHAPTER 141: THE HUNTER IN THE GARDEN
The sun was setting behind the skyline when Carrick Gale stepped into the conservatory of the old Cassaro estate...an overgrown garden trapped in glass and silence. The air was thick with the scent of jasmine and rot. Vines had climbed over stone statues and crumbling benches, but the path remained clear. It had once been a place of peace for the Cassaro family, before they were bled out by the De Lucas in a long-forgotten feud. Now it served Carrick as a meeting ground. Neutral. Isolated. Forgotten.Marco trailed behind him, eyes scanning the shifting shadows between the hedgerows."Why here?" he asked.Carrick didn’t stop walking. "Because it’s a graveyard with flowers. Suits the tone."They arrived at the broken fountain at the heart of the garden. The sound of trickling water had long ceased, but Carrick could still hear ghosts in the silence.Victor was already waiting. He stepped out from beneath the trellis, face unreadable."She sent a message," he said.Carrick raised an eyeb
CHAPTER 140: PRESSURE POINTS
Rain tapped against the windows of Arturo Salvi's West District estate, a relentless drizzle that mirrored the tension simmering within its walls. The storm outside was nothing compared to the one brewing behind closed doors."Where is she?" Arturo demanded, pacing back and forth like a caged wolf. His cigarette trembled in his fingers, ash falling unnoticed onto the ornate carpet.Lucien stood calmly near the fireplace, arms crossed. "Alessia will be here soon. You know she moves at her own pace."Arturo turned sharply. "There is no time for pacing. Carrick's latest move burned half our shipment. He knew exactly where to hit. Someone's talking."The door creaked open, and Alessia entered, trench coat soaked, eyes hard. "I heard.""Then you know we're bleeding," Arturo snapped.Alessia tossed her coat onto a chair, her movements sharp. "Carrick is desperate. That makes him dangerous, but it also makes him predictable. He strikes where it hurts, hoping we'll fold."Lucien interjected,
