Chapter 206: Blood and Patacas

[Jake’s POV]

The smell of the Inner Harbour docks was a pungent mix of diesel fuel, rotting fish, and salt water. The morning fog was still burning off the Pearl River delta, obscuring the massive cargo ships anchored in the distance.

I walked down the cracked concrete pier, flanked by two Golden Koi soldiers. They were young, nervous, and kept their hands resting on the grips of the pistols tucked into their waistbands. I carried the heavy canvas duffel bag slung over my shoulder.

Ahead of us, gathered around a rusted shipping container, was a group of about twenty men. They wore the cheap leather jackets and heavy boots typical of the Black Lotus dockworkers. They were arguing loudly in rapid-fire Cantonese, their voices carrying over the sound of the lapping water.

As we approached, the arguing stopped. Twenty pairs of eyes locked onto us.

A man stepped out from the center of the group. He was built like a heavyweight boxer, his face heavily scarred, a faded black lotus tattoo visible on his thick neck. He held a heavy steel crowbar loosely in his right hand.

"You’re lost, Gwailo," the scarred man spat, tapping the crowbar against his leg. "This is Black Lotus territory. The Golden Koi doesn’t walk on these docks."

"There is no Black Lotus in the Outer Harbour anymore," I said, stopping ten feet away. I kept my voice calm, projecting the steady authority of a man who was entirely in control of the situation. "Wei is gone. Your warehouses are ash. You aren’t getting paid today."

The men behind him shifted uncomfortably, exchanging nervous glances. They knew it was true. The smoke from the warehouses was still visible in the sky above the city.

"Wei will rebuild," the scarred man growled, taking a step forward. "And until he does, we hold the docks. We don’t take orders from a white ghost and a widow."

I didn’t argue. I unzipped the canvas duffel bag and pulled out three thick, rubber-banded stacks of Macau Patacas. I tossed them onto the hood of a nearby forklift. The heavy thud of the cash hitting the metal echoed loudly on the pier.

"That’s double your weekly rate," I said, looking past the scarred man to the workers behind him. "For every man who walks away from the Black Lotus right now and pledges to the Golden Koi. You get paid today, and you keep your jobs on the docks. Madam Bai guarantees it."

The dockworkers stared at the cash. I could see the hesitation in their eyes, the desperate calculus of men who had families to feed and rent to pay. Loyalty to a dead syndicate didn’t put food on the table.

One of the younger men in the back took a tentative step forward.

"Nobody moves!" the scarred man roared, turning and pointing the crowbar at the young worker. He spun back to me, his face twisted in rage. "You think you can buy us with pocket change? I’m the dock boss. I say who works and who bleeds."

He lunged at me, swinging the heavy steel crowbar in a brutal, sweeping arc aimed directly at my skull.

The two Golden Koi soldiers behind me shouted, reaching for their guns, but they were too slow.

I didn’t reach for my weapon. I stepped inside the arc of his swing, letting the crowbar whistle inches past my ear. I grabbed his wrist with my left hand, twisting it sharply to lock his arm in place, and drove the heel of my right palm directly into his sternum.

The impact forced the air from his lungs in a violent rush. Before he could recover, I swept his leg, sending his massive frame crashing down onto the hard concrete of the pier. The crowbar clattered away.

I dropped my knee onto his chest, pinning him to the ground, and leaned in close.

"You aren’t the dock boss anymore," I whispered, my voice a low, vibrating threat meant only for him.

I stood up, smoothing the lapels of my jacket, and looked at the remaining nineteen men. They were staring at me in stunned silence. The man who had just been put on his back was their toughest fighter, and I had dismantled him in less than three seconds without breaking a sweat.

"The offer stands," I said, gesturing to the cash on the forklift. "Double pay. Today. Who wants to work?"

The young man who had hesitated earlier stepped forward, keeping his eyes averted from the groaning man on the ground. He picked up one of the stacks of cash, nodded to me, and walked over to stand beside the Golden Koi soldiers.

The dam broke. One by one, the rest of the dockworkers stepped forward, taking the money and switching sides. Within five minutes, the entire crew had pledged to Madam Bai.

I tapped my earpiece. "Overwatch, the docks are secured. Tell Ethan to push forward on the northern routes."

"Copy that, Noah," Claire replied. "Ethan just reported success at the electronics market. The Black Lotus resistance is crumbling faster than we anticipated."

"They’re mercenaries," I murmured, watching the newly acquired dockworkers begin to clear the cargo from the pier. "They follow the money."

I looked down at the scarred man, who was finally pushing himself up into a sitting position, clutching his chest.

"Take your crowbar and walk," I told him. "If I see you in the Outer Harbour again, I won’t be as polite. Do no test me or else you won’t live to regret it and that is a promise, understand?"

He didn’t say a word. He grabbed his weapon, limped away down the pier, and disappeared into the morning fog.

[Ding! Local Influence Increased: +500]

[Current Local Influence: 3,000 / 10,000 (D Rank)]

[Notice: The Outer Harbour docks are now under Golden Koi control.]

I picked up the duffel bag and turned to my soldiers. "Let’s move. We have three more blocks to clear before noon."