I searched and fought in America.

At the entrance of Iron Claw Environmental Protection Co., Ltd.

Three black cars were parked on the side of the street, and the people inside had gotten out and were gathered together smoking.

The one standing in the very center had a cigar in his mouth, revealing his signature gold tooth.

Big gold teeth.

He squinted, staring at the brand-new factory building in front of him, his expression complex.

The factory's exterior walls had just been painted, shining bright white, and the sign at the entrance had been replaced with a new one: Iron Claw Environmental Protection Co., Ltd., with several large gold-plated characters gleaming in the sunlight.

Several trucks were parked at the entrance, and workers in gray uniforms were going in and out, busy but orderly.

"damn it."

Big Gold Tooth exhaled a puff of smoke, his tone filled with undisguised jealousy.

"Just over ten days ago, that kid was nothing more than a homeless vagrant burdened with loan sharks, living in a run-down house where the door couldn't even be closed properly, and the whole place was full of empty bottles. Now..."

He pointed to the factory building in front of him:

"He suddenly became a Houston hero, owns such a big company, and has so many people working for him."

A henchman next to him quickly chimed in:

"Exactly! Boss is right! What kind of incredible luck did this kid have?"

Another underling joined in:

"I heard he even appeared on TV, and the mayor personally endorsed him. Now his name is all over Houston."

Big Gold Tooth spat and threw his cigarette butt on the ground.

"What a stroke of luck. He'll be crying sooner or later."

Despite saying that, the jealousy in his eyes was impossible to hide.

Just then—

The factory door opened.

A group of people came out.

Leading the way was Rosen.

He was wearing a dark shirt and walked with a steady gait. Behind him were seven or eight people. Caesar, who was 2.3 meters tall, led the way, followed by Maurice half a step behind, and several men in work clothes, each with broad shoulders, thick waists, and sharp eyes.

Big Gold Tooth was stunned for a moment when he saw this scene.

A dozen days ago, when he led his men to Rosen's house to arrest him, the kid was squatting alone in the dilapidated house, without any help. He bowed and scraped when he saw him, as cowardly as a dog.

just now.

This was a grander affair than when their leader, Weiss, went out.

Looking at Rosen's ambiguous smile, Big Gold Tooth felt a surge of anger rising within him.

But he held back.

He recalled Weiss's instructions before he left: that kid was riding high right now, so don't make things too ugly.

So he took a deep breath and forced a smile onto his face.

That smile looked fake no matter how you looked at it, but he thought it was quite sincere.

"Congratulations, Mr. Rosen."

He gestured around:

"Such a big factory, so many people, and just over ten days ago you were hiding from your debts in that dilapidated house, and now you've transformed into a hero in Houston, tsk tsk, really..."

He paused, then his smile deepened:

"Life is truly unpredictable."

A few of his underlings chuckled along.

Rosen looked at him without saying a word.

Big Gold Tooth continued, this time turning to the Iron Claw gang member next to him:

"You don't know, do you? A dozen days ago, when I went to his house to invite him, the door to his house couldn't be closed properly, and there were empty bottles all over the floor. When he saw me, he bowed and scraped, calling me 'Big Brother' over and over again. He was so polite."

He smiled and shook his head:

"Who would have thought that in just a few days, I'd become your boss?"

After he finished speaking, he waited to see the reaction of the Iron Claw gang members.

In his opinion, these people would feel a little embarrassed and uncomfortable to hear that their boss had been so down on his luck before.

Even if they don't show it on the spot, you can tell something from their eyes.

but--

No.

Those people looked at him as if he were a fool.

Caesar stood at the very front, his height reaching 2.3 meters, looking down at him with undisguised mockery in his eyes.

The men next to him either grinned, shook their heads, or simply turned their faces away, too lazy to look at him.

Big Gold Tooth was stunned.

This reaction isn't right.

He looked at Rosen.

Rosen was looking at him, a slight smile playing on his lips, a smile that held something he couldn't quite put his finger on, like he was just watching a poorly executed performance.

Big Gold Tooth's face turned bright red.

A surge of embarrassment and anger rushed to my head.

He abruptly stopped smiling, and his face darkened.

"Mr. Rosen, the joke is over. Commander Weiss is looking for you. Come with me."

Rosen raised an eyebrow:

"Go with you?"

Big Gold Tooth nodded matter-of-factly:

"Yes, the car is outside, let's leave now."

Rosen smiled.

"You mean..." He paused, a playful glint in his eyes, "that I can get in your car?"

Big Gold Tooth frowned:

"Is there a problem?"

Rosen did not answer, but only asked:

"Can I bring my brothers along?"

Big Gold Tooth's face turned even uglier:

"Commander Weiss is looking for you, not them."

Rosen nodded, his smile widening:

"So, you mean I should get in your car and go with you alone?"

Big Gold Tooth finally realized something was wrong.

Looking into Rosen's ambiguous eyes, a sense of unease suddenly welled up inside him.

"What do you mean?"

Rosen looked at him and remained silent for two seconds.

Then he spoke.

"I don't know if you've got something wrong."

Big Gold Tooth was stunned.

"Who do you think you are? You think you're worthy of letting me get on your bus? With your kind of trash, the fact that I even bothered to come out and see you is already giving you face."

Rosen's tone was flat, but the contempt in that flatness was more piercing than any insult.

Big Gold Tooth's brain exploded with a buzz.

He'd been in the Latin Kingdom for so many years; while not a commander, he was still a figure of some importance. In this neighborhood, who would dare speak to him like that?

"You fucking..."

He instinctively reached for the gun at his waist.

My fingers just touched the gun handle.

"boom--"

A roar of engines came from all directions.

Big Gold Tooth suddenly raised his head and looked around.

Then his expression changed.

Several black SUVs were rushing in from different directions, kicking up a cloud of dust. They quickly approached and surrounded Big Gold Tooth's three cars.

The car doors opened almost simultaneously.

A dozen burly men in Iron Claw Gang uniforms jumped out of the car, each carrying a weapon—pistols, submachine guns, shotguns—the dark muzzles of which were all pointed at Big Gold Tooth and his henchmen.

Big Gold Tooth's hand froze on the gun handle.

He stared at the gun barrels and the expressionless men, cold sweat pouring down his forehead.

His henchmen were even worse off; some raised their hands, while others were trembling.

Big Gold Tooth swallowed hard and slowly withdrew his hand.

He looked at Rosen again.

The arrogance from before was gone from those eyes.

He finally realized a problem.

The person in front of me is no longer the destitute man who owed usurious loans and bowed and scraped before me just over ten days ago.

This is the leader of a gang.

He is a well-known figure throughout Houston.

He is a hero personally endorsed by the mayor.