2025-02-02 18:54:56Carrick, 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 from Victor. It was a signal, but from whom? Carrick could not help but wonder. He had spent enough time with his family to know when a conspiracy was going on.
Suddenly, alarms blared, and the room shook. "What's happening?" Doctor Ambrose shouted in confusion. The Rambosia hideout was unknown to Major Mafia families, so who would dare attack them?
Victor reacted immediately and drew his gun. "We're under attack. Get V5 to safety!"
Carrick saw his chance. What just happened made him understand that this Victor wasn't loyal to Rambosia, perhaps Victor could be his way out of this sick place. He pretended to stumble, falling to the ground. As the guards rushed to help him, Carrick whispered to Victor, "Who are you working for?"
Victor's eyes locked onto Carrick's. "Meet me in the east wing tonight. Come alone."
With that, Victor dragged Carrick away, into the chaos. Carrick saw a new group of people dressed in a different uniform shooting at the guards.
*
Disguised as a Rambosia guard, Victor pulled Carrick through the winding corridors of Rambosia's secret facility. They dodged bullets and leaping flames, the sound of shattering glass and screams filling the air.
"What's happening?" Carrick shouted above the din.
"Rebellion," Victor replied, his gun firing at unseen targets. "We have to get out, now!"
They burst through a door, slamming it shut behind them. Carrick found himself in a cramped, dimly lit room filled with computer screens and wires. The room seemed like a tech storage room.
"Who are you?" Carrick demanded, his eyes locked on Victor. Before he could decide on anything, he needed to know who Victor was.. what if he was working for his father and was here to finish the job those men couldn't.
Victor ripped off his mask, revealing a scarred face and piercing blue eyes. "I'm Victor Alistair, former helmsman of the Alistair Family. My family was almost wiped out by the joint forces of the Gale family and Giovanni family. And you, V5, might just be the key to our survival."
"What do you mean I'm the key to your survival?" Carrick questioned, but suddenly a ding sounded in his head.
«Ding!
<<System suggests Host should make use of the individual 'Victor' and escape Rambosia.>>
"I will tell you all you want to know, but for now. I have infiltrated Rambosia's mainframe," Victor said as he lifted his face from the computer screen, his voice urgent. "We must escape now. The facility will self-destruct in five minutes."
Carrick's heart raced. "How do we get out?"
Victor handed Carrick a small device. "This is a neural disruptor. It will disrupt any brainwash action that may have been taken against you, and it will also disrupt the aim of those guards, in other words, they won't be able to land a single bullet on us as their aims will be way off. Press the red button to also neutralize their weapons as they are making use of electrical powered laser guns."
Carrick took the device, his mind racing. "What about you?"
Victor smiled grimly. "I'll draw off Rambosia's forces so as to lessen the attention on you. You don't have to worry, I'll be right behind you."
The countdown began, echoing through the room. Carrick and Victor shared a nod before bursting into action.
Carrick charged into the corridor, neural disruptor in hand. The Rambosia guards closed in, aiming their guns at him, they didn't hesitate to pull the trigger. Carrick dodged and weaved, the disruptor emitting a high-pitched whine as it neutralized the guards' mental sense as well as their weapons. The guards pulled the triggers but only the clicking sound was heard.
"You're a dead man, V5!" a guard snarled, charging at him with a knife. The guard was quick to realize something was wrong with his gun, but instead of panicking, he decided to first take out Carrick
Carrick sidestepped, using the guard's momentum against him. The guard crashed into the wall, unconscious.
<<Ding! Congratulations to host for neutralizing a level 3 hostile individual. 200 XP awarded to Host. System suggests the host to kill hostile forces in order to reap maximum XP and level up quickly>> the mechanical voice sounded in his head.
Carrick stared at the unconscious guard, he had never killed a fellow human before. He was about to refuse when he felt his emotion calming down, he realized it was the Ever-Calm passive skill taking effect. He slowly walked over to the guard, picked up the knife that was on the ground and calmly slit the guard's throat. The guard twitched a few moments before becoming still.
«Ding! Congratulations to Host for killing a level 3 hostile individual. 500 XP and 250 gold coins awarded to Host.»
Carrick stared at the small blood puddle in front of him. For someone who just killed a fellow human for the first time, he was awfully calm as if nothing happened.
"Well, it's either them or me, and besides, a weak hearted person can't become a Mafia Lord." He said to himself and smiled. At the moment, he was seeing the guards as XP points and a stepping stone. A smile played on his lips.
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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
BANG BANG BANG CHAPTER 8: FACE-OFF
Carrick entered the meeting room, where the morning sunlight shone brightly. The Alistair family elders and Victor were already seated, looking serious.Victor spoke firmly, "Carrick, thank you for coming. We have new information about the Gale Family."He explained, "They're moving a new shipment to their warehouse. We think it contains more of those special energy cells we found recently."Just two nights ago, they had attacked the Gale Family's convoy and raided their warehouse. What they found surprised them: most of the crates held blocks of energy cells, not just gold. Carrick's eyes narrowed. "What's so special about these energy cells?" Victor leaned forward. "They have the potential to produce new, highly advanced weapons. We can't let the Gale Family get their hands on that kind of power, once they make use of these energy cells, they will be unstoppable amongst the Mafia community. We need to get that power for ourselves." The elders nodded in agreement. "We need to take
BANG BANG BANG CHAPTER 9: TRAP
Carrick and his team were thrown into a dark cell in the basement. They heard water dripping and faint screams. Domino sneered at them, his eyes shining with victory."You're fools," Domino said. "You thought you could sneak into our mansion and steal from us?" He laughed. "We knew you were coming."Carrick's eyes narrowed. "How did you know?" he asked.Domino smiled. "Victor thought he was clever, but we caught his spy. We turned them against you."Carrick's anger grew. "Who was it?" he demanded.Domino leaned in, grinning. "Someone very close to Victor. They gave us information and led you into our trap."Carrick's mind was racing. Who could the traitor be? One of Victor's trusted friends?Carrick's anger flared, but he kept his cool. He knew he had to stall for time. Perhaps Victor will attempt a rescue operation.Domino leaned in, his voice dripping with malice. "After I kill you, I'll make sure your mother suffers too. One of our loyal servants will poison her, and she'll die a s
BANG BANG BANG CHAPTER 10: BUILDING A PRIVATE ARMY
Carrick sat in Victor's office, sipping his whiskey. He was angry and frustrated about the failed rescue mission. The quiet office couldn't calm him down.He couldn't believe Domino had tricked him again. Now Carrick worried about his mother's safety. He imagined her suffering at the hands of Domino and the Gale family.Victor looked serious, his eyes showing their failure. "Carrick, I'm sorry. We didn't expect Domino to be so prepared."Carrick stared out the window, his voice filled with frustration. "It's not your fault, Victor. I knew the risks. But I won't give up."Carrick had a secret reason for not giving up, but he kept it hidden from Victor. He had the system with him. And besides, he wanted to get his beloved mother out of the hands of the Hale Family.Victor leaned forward, his elbows on the desk. "We'll regroup, plan again. We won't let Domino win."Regroup and plan again? Not a chance. Carrick had already received a message from the System that he needed to build up his
BANG BANG BANG Chapter 12: THE STORY OF MAXIMUS PERCH
Carrick leaned forward, his sharp eyes studying Maximus. The leader of the Killer-Wolves Mercenary Guild wasn’t just some war-hardened soldier, there was something deeper behind those cold, calculating eyes. Something that felt eerily familiar. "You’ve piqued my interest, Maximus," Carrick said. "Go ahead, tell me your story." Maximus smirked and leaned back in his chair, swirling the whiskey in his glass. The dim lighting of the Helios Hotel suite cast long shadows across his face, making his expression unreadable. "You remind me of myself, Carrick," he began, his voice laced with amusement. "A young man with a vendetta, a thirst for power, and a willingness to do whatever it takes to get what he wants. That’s dangerous." Carrick smirked but said nothing. He was more than willing to let Maximus continue. "I wasn’t always the leader of KWE," Maximus said. "I was born into a military family in Moscow. My father was a Spetsnaz operative, a legend in his time. Cold. Calculated.
BANG BANG BANG CHAPTER 13: BLOOD IN THE SHADOWS
Carrick stepped out of the Helios Hotel, his mind buzzing with possibilities. Partnering with Maximus Perch and the KWE Mercenary Guild was a massive step toward building the Zenith Family into an unstoppable force. But the text message Maximus had received lingered in his thoughts."Aurum Zenith is dangerous. Take him out before it’s too late."Someone was watching. Someone powerful enough to try and strike before he could rise too far.Carrick lit a cigarette, inhaling deeply as he scanned the city streets. It was late, but the underworld never slept. He needed to move. If someone was coming for him, he’d strike first.«Ding! New Mission: Identify and eliminate the unknown threat.»«Reward: +5,000 EXP, Skill Upgrade – Shadow Steps.»Carrick smirked. So, the game had already begun.Thirty Minutes Later.Carrick waited in the shadows near an abandoned warehouse, his phone buzzing in his hand. He had sent out a few feelers, Jack Harris, Alex, and Lila were already digging for informati
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CHAPTER 129: SHADOW GARDEN
Rain beat down on the glass panes of the Gale estate like a warning drum. The storm outside had begun hours ago, but the real tempest brewed inside. Carrick Gale stood in the main hall, silent and alone, save for the towering shadow of Victor beside him."They’re not moving tonight," Victor said, his voice low. "Alessia’s kept her dogs on a tight leash. Even Lucien’s gone dark."Carrick didn’t reply at first. He stared out the arched window into the gray-black night, watching the blurred outlines of trees sway in the wind. "It’s the quiet that bothers me, Vic. It’s too calculated. She’s not just waiting. She’s preparing."Victor nodded. "So are we."Carrick finally turned, eyes sunken but sharp. "We lost territory in the North End. Salvi's people are muscling into the docks. And we still don't know who leaked the warehouse locations.""I have people narrowing it down. It wasn’t Enzo.""No," Carrick agreed. "But Marco..."Victor's jaw tensed. "You think he's turned?"Carrick didn't ans
ＣＨＡＰＴＥＲ 128: SMOKE AND STEEL
The rain fell in sheets over the East District, washing the alleys in a silver gleam that did little to cleanse the rot beneath. Streetlights flickered. Neon signs sputtered. And deep within the skeletal remains of an abandoned textile mill, war was being planned.Alessia De Luca stood at the head of a long, rust-streaked table, the old iron doors shut tight behind her. A map of the city was spread wide across the surface, marked with crimson pins and cigarette burns. Around her sat the core of her rebellion: Lucien, cool and expressionless; Nadya, the Russian smuggler who’d turned against Carrick after he torched her safehouse; and Salvi, his white beard stained with ash and betrayal."We hit the Verdant depot next," Alessia said, pointing to the warehouse near the riverfront. "Carrick’s moving weapons there under a new alias. He thinks I don’t know."Lucien leaned forward, his voice barely above a whisper. "You plan to strike openly?"Alessia nodded. "Hard and fast. We torch the wea
CHAPTER 127: FRACTURED LOYALTIES
The rain hadn’t stopped for hours. It drummed against the windows of Carrick's war room like a warning, steady and relentless.Victor stood by the fireplace, arms crossed, watching Carrick pace in front of the city map. The black lines of territory had begun to blur beneath smeared ink and scrawled updates. Names had been crossed out in red. More every day."We lost two more blocks in the East," Victor said flatly. "One of our trucks went up in flames near the Viaduct. Nobody survived."Carrick turned sharply. "Which crew?""Nico's."Carrick's jaw tightened. Nico had been loyal since the docks. Since before any of this had truly begun. Another ghost to add to the hall."Alessia," Carrick muttered."She’s not acting alone," Victor added. "The way she moves... it's coordinated. Timed. Someone's pulling strings beside her."Carrick pointed to a cluster of buildings in the West. "Then we find out who. Shake down her known allies. I want to see blood in the alleys. If they back her, they f
CHAPTER 127: COLD FLAMES
The storm had no mercy.Rain lashed against the windows of the Gale estate, like ghostly fingers tapping out a warning on the glass. Thunder rolled over the city in slow, growling waves, the sound echoing through the marble halls and empty corridors of Carrick's stronghold. Inside the war room, the tension was thick enough to choke on.Carrick stood alone before the table, the city map soaked in red ink and wine stains, cigarette smoke curling above his head. His fingers traced the perimeter of West District again and again, like he could feel the noose tightening around his empire.Victor entered without knocking, his coat dripping wet, his eyes grim."She hit the seventh shipment," he said.Carrick didn’t flinch. "Losses?""Six dead. Two drivers, four guards. And..." Victor hesitated. "She left a message. Burned it into the asphalt."Carrick turned slowly. "What did it say?"Victor’s voice was flat. "An eye for an eye. And your city will go blind."Silence hung like a blade between
CHAPTER 125: BENEATH THE SURFACE
The scent of blood still clung to the smoldering warehouse ruins when dawn broke. A sickly orange light seeped through the skeletal frame of the building, casting long, jagged shadows over the wreckage. The air was thick with ash and tension, every breath reminding the survivors that Carrick Gale's war had turned another violent corner.Victor stood amidst the ruin, his coat torn, his jaw bruised, but his eyes sharp as ever. He watched the cleanup in silence. Medics were dragging out the wounded, body bags were being zipped. Three dead. Two maimed. The price of underestimating Alessia De Luca.Carrick emerged from the alley, his clothes blackened with soot, but his presence no less commanding. Marco walked beside him, bandages wrapped around his cheek, a hollow set to his features. Neither of them spoke at first."Booby-trapped weapons," Victor said grimly. "Who does that?""Someone who wants us to fear pulling the trigger," Marco muttered.Carrick's voice was quiet, dangerous. "She’s
CHAPTER 124: NO SAINTS IN THE SMOKE
The storm rolled over the city like a judgment long overdue, thunder rumbling low in the belly of the clouds. Rain spat against the windows of the Gale estate, but inside, the air was dry and charged.Carrick stood at the far end of the war room, his back to the door, eyes fixed on a map of the city pocked with red pins. Each one was a wound. A betrayal. A ghost.Victor stepped in without knocking. “We lost another shipment.”Carrick didn’t turn. “Where?”“Dock 17. South bay. Alessia’s people torched it. Again.”A long silence. Carrick’s hand clenched the edge of the table. “How many?”“Five men dead. Two missing. One of them was Piero.”Carrick finally turned. His eyes were darker than the storm outside. “Piero was loyal.”Victor nodded grimly. “He went down fighting.”“Good,” Carrick said softly, then added after a pause, “He deserves to be remembered for that. Not for dying under my command.”Victor watched him carefully. “You can’t keep bleeding people for territory, Carrick. She’
CHAPTER 123: SMOKE AND STEEL
Rain fell over the city like ash, thick and slow, soaking into the concrete and steel. A storm had rolled in from the east, as if summoned by the violence still hanging in the air. The streets were quieter than usual. Tension had a sound, and tonight, it whispered from the shadows.Carrick Gale stood beneath the awning of the Gale estate, a glass of dark rum in his hand and a Glock tucked beneath his coat. The wind stirred the edges of his coat, as if nature itself was uneasy around him.Victor approached from the gates, soaked to the bone. He didn’t complain. He never did."Kovac's gone dark," he said without preamble. "No one’s heard from him since the warehouse incident. His men are pulling out of shared zones. It smells like retreat, but I think he’s coiling. Waiting."Carrick didn’t look at him. "And Salvi?""Still playing both sides. Meeting with Alessia’s people through back channels. Lucien's face has been spotted near the docks.""Then it’s started."Victor paused. "You could
CHAPTER 122: A WHISPER BEFORE THE STORM
Carrick Gale didn’t sleep anymore.He sat in the estate’s underground war room, the dim light of the overhead bulbs casting jagged shadows across his face. The map table before him was marked with fresh ink...blue for neutral territories, black for allies, and red for enemies. The red bled across the city like an open wound.Victor stood near the door, arms folded, watching him. “You haven’t said a word in hours.”Carrick’s fingers traced a circle around a warehouse in the South District. “She’s baiting us.”Victor stepped closer. “You think Alessia wants us to strike?”“She wants me to overreach. She’s picked at the edges...cut off our money, turned the Kovac crew against us. That was precise. Surgical.” He looked up, eyes bloodshot but burning. “She’s not lashing out. She’s hunting.”Victor let out a slow breath. “So what do we do?”Carrick pushed the map aside. “We stop reacting. Start moving like predators, not prey.”Footsteps echoed down the corridor, and Marco entered, face pal
CHAPTER 121: CRIMSON TIDES
The rain hadn’t let up all night. It came down in cold sheets, hammering the city and washing away the bloodstains left behind from the latest skirmish near the south docks. Carrick stood beneath the awning of a half-collapsed warehouse, trench coat soaked, hair plastered to his forehead. The men behind him were quiet, watching the streets through narrowed eyes.Victor approached from the alley, his shoulder bleeding and his expression tight with fury. "They hit our courier line. Two trucks down. One torched."Carrick’s jaw flexed. "How far in?""Right under our noses. Just a block from the safehouse on Granger. We lost ten crates of rifles. That was our shipment from Serbia."Carrick exhaled, a cloud of steam escaping his lips. "Alessia knows our routes. She’s bleeding us one vein at a time."Victor winced as he pulled off his soaked jacket. "We can hit back. Hard. We know where Salvi’s been hiding his muscle. You give the word, we burn it to the ground."Carrick didn’t respond immed
