Chapter 111

"Boss, do you think Larry and his group are brave enough to accept our invitation?" asked a bald man, sitting before a bearded man in the mountain villa.

The bearded man was Monte, leader of the Cedar Gang. Next to them stood the one-eyed man from the previous night, along with several other members—all considered the Gang's elite.

Monte smiled coldly. "Haha! I sent invitations to many wealthy businessmen. If the Draco Hall people are afraid to come, the news will spread like wildfire. They'll be ridiculed! Of course, they'll be laughed at even if they bring a large group. Either way, their reputation will suffer if word gets out they fear a meal with us!"

He continued, "But if they come with only a few people… today marks the death of Larry Dune! Haha!"

One-Eye frowned. "Sir, Larry and Blade are skilled fighters. They've killed many men. If we attack and one escapes, it'll cause trouble!"

Monte sneered. "Do you think I'd fight a battle I'm not confident of winning? First, I prepared poisoned wine. Second, even if they don't drink, we have a backup plan. We've allied with a Riverson force—they're sending seven or eight men to help surround and kill Larry. Nothing can go wrong!"

"The Blood-Drinker Gang? They're powerful and quickly rising in Riverson. They won't work for nothing. Did you promise them something?" One-Eye asked worriedly.

"A third of Draco Hall's property and territory, as agreed," Monte said, smiling bitterly. "We had no choice. Draco Hall is strong; the Cedar Gang can't handle them alone. The Emerald Cloud Gang refused to cooperate, so the three-way balance is broken. They made their bed; they can't blame me for being ruthless. Once we destroy Draco Hall, we'll easily subdue the Emerald Cloud Gang!"

The bald man paused. "Boss, are they reliable? The Blood-Drinkers aren't good people. Giving them so much power could be bad for us in Brookbourn. I worry about their future influence here."

Monte clenched his fists, stood, and said sternly, "Ruthlessness brings stability. Once I defeat Draco Hall and the Emerald Cloud Gang, I control Brookbourn. I won't need to be courteous to those first-tier families! As for the Blood-Drinkers, we'll deal with them when we're stronger. A little something in return is a small price to pay."

"You've decided, then we'll support you. We always believe in you!" The bald man clenched his fists, a ruthless gleam in his eyes.

Monte smiled bitterly. "The only thing I worry about is Larry and Blade being cowards and not coming! Haha!"

Suddenly, a young Cedar Gang member ran in anxiously. "Sir! Sir! They're here! Several cars are approaching!"

Monte frowned. "They're here? Are you sure? Only a few cars? That's unexpected. Are they really so bold with so few men, given the tension? I've positioned two or three hundred of our men, and our strongest are here too!"

The bald man considered this. "Let's wait outside. Maybe Larry and Blade didn't come personally, but sent representatives with gifts. He's not an idiot; bringing so few men would be suicidal."

The extraneous sentence about searching a website has been removed as it is irrelevant to the story and disrupts the flow. The grammar and punctuation have been corrected throughout, resulting in a more coherent and readable passage.