Chapter 676: “Iron Rule”

In the afternoon, Ryan Aubern and his two younger brothers observed outside for almost a day before discreetly and cautiously walking along an alley away from the street, heading towards their community.

According to the gang's original plan, after each team had successfully completed their tasks, they were supposed to return to the community promptly.

Unfortunately, they were discovered by the City Hall people at that time. A flare shot straight into the sky, and some of their companions were quickly arrested on the spot. The remaining people, seizing that fleeting opportunity, had no choice but to scatter and flee.

Ryan Aubern was quite experienced in this regard. He eventually took his two younger brothers and hid under a relatively secluded bridge. After washing off the bloodstains, they rested there, waiting for the situation to temporarily calm down.

He hadn't intended to hide outside the community for so long, but flares were continuously rising over the Dock Area throughout the night, clearly indicating official intervention. So, it wasn't until now, feeling that the Dock Area had returned to its usual calm, that they cautiously began their return.

Familiarity with the basic operating procedures of local authorities is a mandatory course for every qualified gang member.

Richmond officials don't care much about the public safety in the Dock Area. As long as you don't touch targets you shouldn't, and aren't caught red-handed by the City Police, the Police Station usually won't pursue matters too much. They mostly just go through the motions of an investigation for a while, and then it fizzles out.

The struggles between gangs are actually quite similar.

Although some gangs will retaliate based on suspicion, as long as they don't have witnesses, some things can be denied. While it doesn't mean much, it at least allows them to pin the responsibility for starting trouble on the other party, since they don't really dare to fight inside the community.

Flares had also risen over the community last night. Ryan Aubern guessed that some gangs likely took advantage of Mr. O'Sullivan's absence to sneak into the community and cause trouble.

So, when he saw neighbors watching people entering and exiting at the edge of the community, he wasn't too surprised—outsiders would find it difficult to remember the appearances of all gang members, but everyone in the community had lived together for so many years that they could often recognize a familiar face at a glance.

After greeting the neighbors, Ryan Aubern and his two younger brothers continued home as if nothing had happened.

He felt a little relieved now. As long as they could return to the community, it meant they were basically safe for gang members.

Then, Ryan Aubern and his brothers hadn't encountered any questioning along the way, but were instead stopped inside the community.

“Wait, please cooperate with the inspection.”

After turning a corner, they ran into several people wearing Red Armbands. These people were originally said to be screening for plague, and recently they were said to be assisting City Hall with tax collection.

But no matter what, they were not police. Mr. O'Sullivan had previously indicated not to conflict with them again, and to cooperate appropriately within reasonable bounds. So Ryan Aubern stopped—he figured an “inspection,” according to their previous custom in the community, would just be asking a few questions.

Then, to his surprise, these people actually wanted to frisk them.

“What do you think you're doing?!” His younger brother, Rowan, reached out to block the person, but his wrist was grabbed and twisted behind his back. Then, with a push, he was forced to step aside.

“Please cooperate with the inspection.”

The young man leading the group was quite agile, and at first glance, he had a wild demeanor. But his expression quickly became flippant, “I saw you last night. You were one of those who ran away after attacking the Claw Gang's second-in-command, weren't you?”

Damn it!

Ryan Aubern gave a look, and his two younger brothers immediately followed him in launching the first attack. Soon, all three of them were pressed against the wall.

What made him even more despairing was that, as the gang's small leader in charge of the mission, Ryan Aubern was still carrying an old model handgun that could only load one bullet at a time. It was originally their last means of counterattack.

Firearms are controlled items in Richmond. Handguns are a bit better than lever-action rifles and such, not especially prohibited, but require relevant procedures. However, the law often doesn't apply to extraordinary immigrants. A problem that could be solved with just a fine for Americans might mean at least detention and interrogation for him.

It's over. Mr. O'Sullivan himself is currently cooperating with the investigation at the Police Station, and the gang has been so busy lately.

If he and his brothers were detained, who knows how long it would be until they were released.

Not to mention, this guy wearing the Red Armbands just said he saw him last night.

With an eyewitness on the scene, and now being arrested, it wasn't impossible for him to be directly sent to the gallows.

However, after frisking him, the person quickly returned the handgun.

???

Ryan Aubern, now released, instinctively held the handgun the other person handed back. His thoughts had twisted and turned multiple times in a short period. He was now stunned, his head full of question marks.

The other person was seriously explaining the Precautions: “We don't care about gang fights, but if you harm innocent people, we will intervene. The reverse is also true: ordinary residents will be protected by us as long as they don't participate in gang fights—of course, if they're unlucky enough to run into one, they might still be arrested in a gang fight.”

Ryan Aubern, upon hearing this, was a little dismissive, even though he hadn't fully recovered.

The police officers patrolling from the city center always said the same thing, but in all these years in the Dock Area, with so many cases accumulating, how many times had they truly intervened?

Everyone still needed to protect themselves.

The other person continued speaking: “However, our boss added a new rule today: even during gang fights, firearms are not allowed during this period. Otherwise, we will use hot weapons of equal force to suppress it. Please also tell the others when you go back. Daggers and such are actually sufficient; firearms are too easy to injure innocent people, and it's very troublesome to classify the incident afterward.”

No, wait,

You don't care about gang fights, you don't care about homicides, you don't even care about carrying firearms,

You just simply forbid shooting?

Ryan Aubern always considered himself a lawless outlaw who at least followed rules and had bottom lines, but he couldn't help but wonder—is this reasonable?

Has the division of labor in City Hall's departmental management become so detailed?

The other person seemed not to be seeing this reaction for the first time. He shrugged, “Our boss only suddenly decided this at noon today, and also told us to hurry up and spread the word as widely as possible. But you'd best treat this as an iron rule to follow. This is a very well-intentioned reminder.”

After speaking, the other person leaned in a little closer: “And another well-intentioned reminder for you. If you are about to act, and you see a beautiful lady with white hair near the scene, please immediately abort your plan, otherwise it might bring trouble to everyone present—including us.”

“Oh, and also, killing innocent family members of gang members is not allowed; it also counts as harming innocent people. Please remember not to violate this.”

Ryan Aubern's thoughts went from surprise to shock, then to confusion, and finally to disdain.

Hmph, when gangs act, things often get chaotic and messy. Who would care about so much? Those who dare to resist will, of course, also be attacked. Who would care whether the other party is actually a gang member or not?

Besides, how many of those gang members' families could truly be called “innocent”?

These guys working for City Hall are still too naive and idealistic; they simply don't understand the situation in the Dock Area.

Then, when Ryan Aubern returned home with his two younger brothers, he learned that his youngest brother, Owen, had almost died in the community last night.

The people who had timely saved Owen at the scene were actually those wearing Red Armbands.

Ryan Aubern was silent for a long while after hearing this.