Chapter 23: When the Game Gets Dangerous

Marco was sitting in the Venosa Cafe, his eyes glued to the door, as if he expected a demon from hell to enter at any moment. Next to him were Franco and Salvo, while Colombo sat in the corner, busy with his laptop screen, as usual.

"So, should we believe what Diego said?" Franco asked as he took a cup of coffee.

"Diego isn't someone you can trust easily." Marco replied, lighting his cigarette. "But he wasn't lying about the danger."

Salvo let out a light laugh. "Great, we were just a bunch of idiots trying to control the game, and now we're about to enter a secret war against an organization we don't even know the name of."

Colombo didn't look up from his screen, but said in his cold voice, "I guess Diego was right. There's something moving in the dark, and this Valerio Rossi isn't just any ordinary person."

Franco let out a sigh. "So, what's our next move?"

Marco looked at them all, then said, "We have to meet Valerio again, but this time… on our terms."

Meeting in the Dark

After midnight, Marco, Franco, and Salvo stood in a dark alley away from human eyes. A cold wind was blowing through the narrow streets, while dim neon lights illuminated the old signs of closed shops.

Suddenly, a tall man in a black coat appeared, walking calmly towards them.

"Marco, nice to see you again." He said in a calm voice.

"Valerio Rossi." Marco said, crossing his arms. "You seem to like drama a lot."

Valerio smiled. "Drama makes things more exciting, don't you think?"

Franco intervened and said, "We're here to hear the offer, but on our terms."

Valerio raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you seem to be getting a little too confident."

"No, more cautious." Salvo said, carefully watching the man's movements.

Valerio nodded. "Well, listen then. The offer still stands. You join us, we help you take down the mafia bosses, and we guarantee you a place in the new world we will build after their fall."

Marco laughed sarcastically. "The new world? You look like a cartoon villain."

Valerio ignored his sarcasm, then said seriously, "You have the skills, the courage, and the intelligence. But you lack the information, and that's what I can provide you."

Franco exchanged glances with Marco and Salvo, then said, "Why us? There are stronger gangs, people with more influence. Why did you choose us?"

Valerio smiled, then said, "Because you're unpredictable… and that makes you the most dangerous opponent."

A Difficult Decision

After the meeting ended, Marco and his companions returned to the cafe. The atmosphere was tense, and everyone was lost in thought.

"So, should we accept the offer?" Salvo asked, putting his head on the table.

Franco looked at Marco and said, "You're the leader, what do you think?"

Marco sighed, then said in a low voice, "We don't trust them, but if we're going to play this game, we have to play it smart."

Colombo, who had been silently watching the whole time, suddenly said, "If you decide to enter this war, be prepared to become targets."

Marco looked at him and said with a sly smile, "We've been targets since the moment we decided to enter this game."