Chapter 15: First Victory

After some cultivation back in his room, it was already ten at night! Thinking nothing bad would happen, feeling a bit tired from a day of cultivation and discussions, he lay down on the bed and closed his eyes to rest.

Just as Rod lay down ready to sleep, in the southeast part of Fire City, Jerome and his men braved the cold wind and took action under the cover of darkness.

Fire City was small. Although they set off only when night fell, it took them just a little over an hour to reach the southeast part of the city. There, after finding a place to settle down, Jerome, still worried, gave careful instructions to Kambi and Sambik before launching their first operation without much rest.

The southeast part of Fire City was arguably the poorest area in the city, home to the poorest people there. Low, dilapidated houses dominated the landscape.

Because of this, the area was vastly different from the city’s most prosperous areas like Saintly Avenue and Richel Avenue. Those places were bustling with bright lights and lively music even in the dead of night, while here, it was completely silent. The narrow streets were desolate, with no signs of people.

Well, perhaps one could occasionally hear a few noises—mostly from drunkards wandering the streets. Occasionally, one could also see a stray or two living in some hidden spot, using whatever they had to shelter from the elements.

The narrow streets, low, broken houses, and the pervasive unpleasant smell made people frown. This was a common sight in the southeast part of Fire City. The entire area was home to many poor people and refugees, turning it into a true slum—calling it a slum district might not be an exaggeration.

That’s why this area didn’t draw anyone’s attention. No one liked this place.

Stinking ditches were everywhere, filled with thick, black sewage that emitted a strong foul odor. A few objects floating in the sewage and occasional trash added to the stench, causing the men to frown.

“They’re over there! Our goal for today is to capture them!”

Suddenly, Jerome’s expression turned serious as he stared coldly at a house in the distance that still had lights on. He spoke in a low voice. Before coming here, Jerome had spent countless efforts making preparations, and after further verification upon arrival, they decided to start from this most unremarkable place!
This small street was the territory of these few hooligans—there were only three of them! It was perfect for them right now.
“Jerome, are you sure it’s here? Why not choose another place?” Kambi asked with a worried expression.
“It’s here. Starting from here won’t draw attention and makes it easier for us to hide!” Jerome said, pulling out an iron rod from the bundle carried by Sambik, his gaze icy.
“Remember what I told you before—if anything goes wrong, you’ll have to explain it to the boss yourself!” Jerome snapped coldly, his eyes narrowing slightly as he remained in a state of high tension.
“Go!” A deep roar seemed to tear through the silence of the night as the three figures rushed toward the small house under the cover of darkness.
“Boom…” A loud noise erupted like a thunderclap. Sambik kicked open the door to the house!
“Damn it, that bastard…” An angry shout came from inside, along with a woman’s scream.
“You bastards! Do you want to die?” The middle-aged man inside yelled angrily after recognizing them!
He was in the middle of having fun with a woman when these brats barged in, almost scaring him to death!
As for the woman, she was panicked, throwing on a piece of clothing and hiding under the bed, worriedly watching the intruders. Soon, two more men rushed out from another room—three men and one woman, a total of four.
Ignoring the man’s shouts, Sambik couldn’t hold back any longer. With a roar, he charged at the middle-aged man, swinging the iron rod at his head without hesitation.
The middle-aged man rolled around desperately to avoid Sambik’s attack, cursing inwardly. Encountering these brats in the dead of night, unprepared as he was, he knew the odds were heavily against him.
Kambi, who was following Sambik, wasn’t willing to stay behind either. He also shouted and rushed forward.

Seeing the two’s actions, Jerome gave a wry smile before reluctantly following them. Three against three, taking one down at a time—such a fight wasn’t difficult for them. Soon, the small room was filled with shouts, screams, the clashing of objects, and dull thuds. Had the opponents expected these rash intruders to be so direct? Caught off guard, they were knocked to the ground almost instantly, struggling to get up while groaning in pain. The battle was like a storm—coming fast and ending just as quickly.

“So fast? It’s not even interesting!” Sambik complained, looking annoyed at the people writhing and groaning on the ground. This might have been the easiest fight they’d faced in a while, allowing him to vent the frustration caused by Vidok lately.

“You… who are you guys, and why…?” The middle-aged man, enduring the pain, asked indignantly as he rolled on the ground.

“It doesn’t matter who we are. All you need to know is that from now on, this area is under our control!”

With a cold snort, Jerome found a spot to sit, patted his knee, tossed his injured iron rod to Sambik, and spoke calmly. Hearing Jerome’s words, the middle-aged man’s expression changed drastically. He had worked so hard to establish this territory, sacrificed so much—how could he just give it up? Especially to a bunch of kids like them. Years of effort made him unwilling to surrender.

“What? Any problems? You have two choices now. First, submit to me, and we’ll fight together—on the condition that you prove your loyalty. Otherwise, I assure you I’ll make your life unbearable. I believe I have the ability! As for the second option… I’m not the kind to go to extremes. Get out of this area as quickly as possible, and don’t let me see you again. Otherwise… hmm, I’m sure the great God of Darkness would be happy to gain another follower, don’t you think?”

“Of course, don’t even think about revenge. I won’t give you a chance. If you dare cause trouble, you can imagine the consequences!” Ignoring the opponent’s anger, Jerome calmly stroked his fingers and brushed off the dust on his clothes. Yet there was a hint of bloodthirst in his aura.

A silence followed Jerome’s words. Everyone lowered their heads, lost in thought, clearly considering what he had said.

“I’ll stay!” After waiting for a long time, just as Jerome was about to lose patience, a voice suddenly came through. Though soft, it was clear to everyone in the quiet surroundings. It was the voice of that boy, about sixteen or seventeen years old!
“What about you two? It’s best not to test my patience—I have very poor patience!”
With a calm smile, Jerome looked at the other two and asked cautiously.
“Let’s go. This place will be yours from now on!” After hesitating for a while, the middle-aged man sighed and spoke. When under someone else’s roof, one has no choice but to bow one’s head; in this situation, what other choice did they have?
“Fine. Since you’ve made your choice, I won’t say anything more. Just remember what I said!”
Seeing that they had decided to leave, Jerome didn’t want to say more. Forced cooperation brings no sweetness. Though he needed help now, he wasn’t foolish enough to want everyone.
Watching the two middle-aged men walk away, he took a deep breath. His first move hadn’t been in vain—he hadn’t disappointed his boss. With this base, they would start developing quickly, expanding from here.
“Jerome, are you really letting them go?” Cambi asked anxiously, looking at the departing figures.
“Let them go. We don’t need people like them. Don’t worry; they can’t cause any trouble. If they could, we wouldn’t have defeated them!” With a cold laugh, Jerome spoke indifferently, not worried at all. Indeed, those two weren’t worth his concern.
“M-may I go too?”
Her voice was still slightly trembling as she asked hesitantly.
“Get lost! Don’t let me see you again. If I find out you’ve said too much, I won’t hesitate to turn you into a mute!”
Glaring fiercely at the woman, he then remembered there was also a naked girl in the room. None of them had any interest in such a thing. Frowning in disgust, Cambi said sternly,
“Thank you, sir! Thank you! I definitely won’t go spreading word. I’m leaving now!”
As if relieved, the woman didn’t bother dressing and scurried away from that hellish place.

“Alright, everyone, get organized and rest well. Tomorrow’s goal is the two streets next door. We need to take control of this area as quickly as possible to strengthen our forces, while also expanding outward. Within three months, we must secure the southeastern region—only then can we establish a solid foothold!”
After the woman left, Jerome lowered his head in thought for a moment before speaking to the group. The reason they chose this area was because it was the weakest point, making it ideal for them to make an entry. Starting with the easiest part was the best approach for them at the moment.