Six box trucks drove in through the main gate, and dozens of "black uncles" (likely referring to experienced men) got off the trucks to clean up the battlefield. They needed to finish the job before daybreak. Although the Carter gang had paid them off, they couldn't leave any evidence behind, making it difficult for the ones collecting the money.
Ronan got into a large commercial vehicle and headed back to Chulavista.
His companion in the car, Will, glanced at Ronan's left arm, wrapped in bandages, and asked, "Feeling better?"
Ronan nodded. "I'm fine."
"Man, you were awesome tonight!" Will exclaimed, shaking his nose ring. He gestured to Klee and the other African Americans in the car. "Didn't you see? Ronan faced off with the infamous demon Padi head-on. With just one punch and one knife, he almost took the demon's life!"
The other African Americans looked at Ronan with admiration, like younger brothers looking up to an admired elder.
Klee couldn't help but say, "We're lucky to have Ronan on our side."
Another guy agreed, "Absolutely!"
Ronan nodded but didn't say anything. Until this ambush was over, they were indeed a team, but it was uncertain what would happen afterwards.
Seeing that Ronan didn't seem willing to talk, Will reminded his companions, "Ronan's tired. Let him rest."
The Carter gang's support was something Ronan had obtained through legitimate channels, solving the urgent crisis and successfully rising as a predator, no longer having to worry about dying violently.
They only had ten days, and the first priority was to stay alive to have a chance at anything else.
Now that the old crisis had been resolved, new problems emerged.
With the acquisition of the legitimate channels, the Carter gang would inevitably engage in legal business!
It seemed like the Bloodhound had found a map and discovered an ancient passageway.
Suddenly, Ronan remembered something. The Bloodhound had a safety deposit box at the bank and had instructed him, the American Ronan, to open it in case of any accidents.
He had been too busy trying to stay alive and didn't have time to deal with it, but he could take a look in the next few days.
Thinking about all this, the group returned to the church. As soon as Ronan entered, Jim Carter, wearing a thick gold chain, approached him and gave him a hug!
Jim Carter had just talked to Booker on the phone and laughed, saying, "Ronan, well done! I knew I didn't pick the wrong person!"
The Carter gang would now have a fierce general!
Ronan showed a relaxed expression after avenging his father. "My father can rest in peace now."
Jim Carter looked at Ronan's left arm. "Is the injury serious?"
Ronan didn't care. "Just a mosquito bite!"
Jim took it seriously. "Doctor Hall is here. Go and get treated first. I have something to attend to, and then we'll talk in detail."
"Alright." Ronan thought of the Bloodhound and added, "Jim, my father's funeral..."
Jim nodded. "Don't worry, I've already arranged everything. Take your time to recover, wait a couple of days."
Running a gang also required talent, especially the kind that could fight.
Jim gathered his men and planned to take the initiative tonight!
The Morros gang was in chaos, even their leader, Padi, had been taken down. It was a rare and perfect opportunity.
The Carter gang would dominate the scene in the future!
And there were the legitimate channels and business opportunities.
Jim breathed a sigh of relief, as the pressure from above was immense.
In the rest room of the church, Dr. Hall, an African American doctor, cleaned and rebandaged Ronan's wounds. He advised, "You didn't injure the muscles; it's not a big problem. Come to my place tomorrow to change the dressing."
With half of his forearm wrapped in gauze and bandages, Ronan nodded and said, "Thank you."
Dr. Hall packed up his medical kit and went to another room. Will entered with several meal boxes, placing them on the table.
Ronan was also hungry, so he washed his hands and started eating.
Will was quite talkative. "The food from the Old York's place is top-notch, especially their pizzas! Ronan, Old York's daughter is drop-dead gorgeous. I've already set my sights on her, so you can't compete with me in that department."
Ronan picked up a slice of pizza. "I won't compete with you."
"Do you feel pressured?" Will was worried that killing so many people might cause Ronan psychological issues. "How about I call some girls over? They'll be under our control, and you can have some fun without worrying about any consequences."
Ronan, who had always maintained a cold and reticent demeanor, replied, "I'm fine."
Will looked at Ronan's handsome and tough face. "Buddy, you have great looks, don't waste them. You've avenged your father, so be a bit happier. Everyone needs some hobbies in life."
"I have one!" Ronan said.
Will asked curiously, "What's your hobby? Don't be shy; we're brothers from now on!"
Ronan succinctly replied, "Money!"
Will's mouth gaped, and he touched his nose ring. "I like that too!" He laughed cheerfully. "Buddy, you'll get rich! Really! You killed the big demon, and that's a reward of a hundred thousand dollars!"
Ronan nodded. "With money, you can get other things."
"You're absolutely right!" Will thought about it and realized it was true. "But well, when it comes to women, I prefer them for free."
Ronan understood what Will meant by "for free."
After finishing a slice of pizza, Ronan thought of Soul Cooking and asked Will, "Do you know where I can get some special kinds of meat?"
The fragments of souls ignited by the Soul Cooking could be obtained by harvesting evildoers, but where could he get meat imbued with magic or spiritual power?
Will's mouth was stuffed full. "With money, you can buy anything!"
This statement opened up Ronan's train of thought. In modern capitalist society, money could buy so many things.
Could Soul Cooking be a pay-to-win ability?
After the meal, Ronan stayed at the church temporarily since there were several restrooms available.
Will told Ronan that someone as important as him joining the Carter gang would require a special ceremony.
Lying on the bed in the rest room, with his Glock handgun beside him, Ronan summoned the Book of Dominion to check his gains for the night.
Successfully promoted to a Predator, the Predator's vigilance and steel claws were extremely useful in real combat, greatly enhancing individual combat power, even though the latter could only be used in close combat.
Thinking about grenades and firearms, Ronan touched his handgun. He didn't know what the future held, but at this stage, firearms were the way to go.
The Soul Flame and Soul Cooking seemed to be used to enhance physical qualities.
After the battle, he harvested the souls of all the dead, increasing the number of soul fragments to 25.
The abilities gained through absorbing souls were currently the precise shooting of a veteran, fluency in Japanese, and the Seventy-Two Styles.
Fluency in Japanese might come in handy in specific situations, as for the Seventy-Two Styles... well, it might prove useful in the future.
Then, there were the fragments of Padi's memories.
Looking at the nearly transparent parchment, returning it was impossible. The Garcia Group wouldn't give up so easily.
Ronan looked at the last prompt on the book page: "Five soul fragments charged to open the explanation of the next tier!"
Following the typical style of the Book of Dominion, he silently used it.
Five soul fragments were consumed.
Then, he turned to the next page.
Second Tier: Plunderer.
Promotion Ritual: Use Soul Cooking to make and consume the special parts of magic-imbued animals to plunder their abilities.
List: 1. Bear Paw of the Savage Bear; 2. Leg Meat of the Spirit Leopard; 3. Eyes of the White-Headed Eagle King; 4. Ears of the Wolf King; 5. Magic Blood of the Great Deer; 6. Heart of the Magic-Infused Wild Buffalo; 7. Skin of the Giant Color-Changing Dragon; 8. Skull of the Giant Crocodile; 9. Core of the Soul-Capturing Creature.
Note: To cook any one of these, fifty soul fragments and one fragment of an ancient one's soul are required to ignite the Soul Flame as a catalyst. Once the food absorbs the power of the soul, it can be consumed.
You can cook and consume them in any order. Once all are completed, you will be promoted to a Plunderer!
At the end of this page, there was the same note: To view the abilities after promotion, one needs to become a Plunderer.
Ronan tried to turn to the next page, but it wouldn't open. He checked the Soul Cooking list and felt a strange sense of familiarity.
With the Soul Flame and Soul Cooking, he could advance to the next level, the so-called Plunderer, which meant plundering certain abilities from magic-imbued animals?
Soul Absorption targeted intelligent beings like humans, while Soul Cooking corresponded to magic-imbued animals?
The list didn't provide a clear explanation, and Ronan made some guesses based on the animal characteristics. For example, plundering from the Savage Bear might grant strength, and the Spirit Leopard could be related to speed, while the Wolf King and the White-Headed Eagle King were self-explanatory...
If all these abilities were combined, his personal strength would undoubtedly skyrocket.
He didn't know where to find them.
Moreover, what exactly is the Soul-Capturing Creature?
Ronan felt that this world might be hiding another side.
Are there superheroes?
Coming from a backward area, he joined the military after high school and worked on the border for many years, engaged in special and secretive professions. He had limited exposure to Hollywood movies, but he had heard something about the Marvel series.
Superheroes in America saving the world?
Ronan shook his head and closed the Book of Dominion.
............
Tonight, Chulavista was exceptionally chaotic, especially in the areas where Latinos lived. With the loss of their elite forces and leaders, under the instigation of malicious individuals, anyone in the Morros gang with even a hint of ambition wanted to become the boss.
Many gangs replaced their leaders, and it often resulted in bloodshed. The Morros gang was no exception.
Places like the slums were rarely visited by the police during the day, and they were even more reluctant to take risks at night.
When the internal conflict of the Morros gang escalated to the point where the leaders were acting like dogs, the Carter gang forcefully intervened and even cooperated with the police to arrest the surviving leaders.
In just one day, the underground world of Chulavista changed dramatically, with the Carter gang becoming the sole dominant force.
In the community church, an exuberant Jim Carter, dressed in a white robe, followed Pastor Mason as they climbed the stairs to the top floor and entered the room.
Mason opened the door, and sitting by the window was a black woman with her head wrapped in a black cloth.
Jim bowed in greeting. "Master Marie, you're here."
The black woman had a broad forehead and sharp eyes, wearing a pair of serpent-shaped gold earrings. "You've handled things well. Start the trade as soon as possible; the church urgently needs money!"
As the Voodoo Church had developed, studying voodoo required a lot of money! Without money, they couldn't even afford the most basic materials.
"The underground passage is already in our hands. I've had my people look at it preliminarily, and it's even better than expected." Jim said, "I've already made contact with the Jose Group in Tijuana, and the first transaction will be completed soon."
The black woman nodded in satisfaction. "Good. I'll go to Haiti tonight. You handle things here."
Jim pondered for a moment and added, "Master Marie, we obtained the underground passage this time, and it was thanks to Ronan's significant contribution. He has formidable combat power, and I plan to introduce him to the church and have him serve as a bodyguard."
The black woman, having been introduced by Pastor Mason, replied, "Alright!"
Generous Jose had a good reputation, but Jim wasn't entirely at ease. The church's power couldn't act rashly, but with someone like Ronan as their powerful enforcer, they had an extra layer of protection.
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