Chapter 21: Saving People

As soon as George turned into the alley, he heard gunfire erupt inside.

Thanks to his enhanced hearing, George could clearly make out the voice of one of the two people he'd seen earlier, both supporting each other. "Sir! Please leave! I'll cover your retreat. If you don't go now, you won't be able to!"

A younger, more immature voice shouted back, "I'm not leaving, Chen Ming! We'll fight our way out together!"

Recognizing the Chinese language, George didn't hesitate. He raised his gun and attacked from behind the ambushers.

Bang, bang, bang! In quick succession, eight men who had their backs turned to George collapsed, shot dead before they could react.

With Deadshot's elite marksmanship, this was a routine operation.

Once the eight attackers fell, the gunfire stopped abruptly. Only the defenders, unaware of what had just happened, continued to fire.

George called out in Chinese, "Fella on the other side, it's safe now. The attackers have been dealt with."

The two men stopped shooting.

"Chen Ming, the gunfire from the other side really stopped. Do you think they're backup?" the one referred to as Young Master asked.

"Sir, don't move just yet. Rescuers? In a place like this? It could be a trap. I'll go and check first," Chen Ming replied, then called out toward George, "Which side are you from?"

"Neither. I just saw a Chinese fella in trouble and decided to help, and you don't really see a Chinese here often," George replied, holstering his gun. He spread his arms to show he meant no harm.

Chen Ming saw a tall, handsome blonde man standing opposite him with his hands empty.

"You saved us?" Chen Ming asked incredulously.

George responded in fluent Chinese, "Yes. There's no one else here, is there?"

"Thank you... I didn't expect you to speak such good Chinese."

"No big deal, we can chat later. Let's get out of here first."

The young man emerged from behind his cover, and together, the three moved quickly through a series of twists and turns to a rented house.

Along the way, George learned the two were members of the Hong Brotherhood in California. The younger one was Fu Chuanxue, son of Fu Heng, leader of the Hong Brotherhood's California branch. The older man was Chen Ming, a loyal follower of Fu Heng.

They had come from Chinatown, California, to Nevada at the invitation of Fu Chuanxue's classmate to watch the annual Texas Hold'em tournament in Reno. But someone had caught wind of their arrival and laid an ambush. Thanks to Chen Ming's protection, both survived with injuries.

At the time, around 400,000 Chinese Americans lived in the U.S., mostly in coastal cities. They were united and rarely left Chinatown, which minimized conflicts with other crime syndicates.

Chen Ming believed the Jewish Gang had orchestrated the ambush. After being denied permission to sell cocaine in Chinatown by Fu Heng, they aimed to kidnap Fu Chuanxue and force the Hong Brotherhood to allow access.

George found it quite a coincidence to encounter the Jewish Gang again. His opinion of them worsened.

In his previous life, George had mixed views about the Jewish community during WWII—deeply sympathetic to their suffering, yet aware of moments in history that sparked controversy. Some Jewish financiers were criticized for their roles in wartime profiteering, while labor leaders like Samuel Gompers were accused of fueling anti-immigrant sentiment during U.S. labor reforms, leading to exclusionary policies aimed at protecting certain trade interests.

"It's the Jewish Gang again? When does that Texas Hold'em tournament start?" George asked.

He had planned to raid the Jewish Gang's headquarters, but now he saw an opportunity to win big money legally during the tournament. With his clone providing an alibi, the real George could act freely.

"Two days from now," Fu Chuanxue replied. "Why? Are you planning to join?"

"Maybe. What are your plans now?" George asked.

"We're heading back to California tonight to inform our branch head. He'll handle the Jewish Gang," Chen Ming replied.

"Safe travels then," George nodded.

"Mr. George, we owe you our lives. If you ever need anything, just contact Chinatown in California. The Hong Brotherhood will support you fully," Chen Ming said gratefully.

"That's nothing special. I just happen to appreciate your culture—it was a coincidence today, no big deal," George replied modestly.

They chatted a bit longer, and George inquired more about the Jewish Gang.

Contrary to popular belief, the Five Families didn't originally dominate U.S. organized crime. Before Prohibition, the main crime groups were Italian-American, Irish-American, and Jewish-American gangs. The Chinese Hong Brotherhood generally avoided major conflicts.

Eventually, after a bloody turf war, the Italian Corleone Family rose to power. They formed a committee with the other families, establishing the Five Families system. The Corleone Family had fewer than 500 direct gunmen, and the others had around 300 each.

With this intel, George gained a clearer picture of America's criminal landscape.

After seeing the pair off, George changed his appearance and checked into a private hotel. The next day, he dispatched over a dozen Shadow Clones to monitor Jewish Gang strongholds.

Finally, that evening, the Silver Casino's Texas Hold'em tournament began.

George restored his appearance in the shadows outside and walked confidently toward the entrance.

He knew the Jewish Gang was aware someone had killed their thugs, but they wouldn't dare make a scene during the event. A scandal like kidnapping winners and stealing their money would destroy their casino's reputation.

This was a nationwide event. Many wealthy individuals were attending. George knew he was safe as long as he stayed visible.

The rules were simple: entry required a \$1,000 buy-in for non-cashable chips. After 8 p.m., the top 200 chip holders would qualify for the official tournament.

Texas Hold'em would be played at 20 tables, each with 10 players. Starting chips were \$5,000 in real money. The top 10 players after an hour would move to the final table.

During the half-hour intermission before the finals, wealthy spectators could sponsor finalists to keep playing. There was no betting limit. Skill mattered, but capital was essential.

At 8 p.m., George sent 20 Shadow Clones into the game. Their goal was simple: qualify for the finals to secure seats in the spectator area.

By 9 p.m., George had accumulated \$250,000 in chips and secured a spot in the final.

Meanwhile, his 20 clones simultaneously converged on the Jewish Gang's stronghold.

Each wore a white mask and protective inner armor. With coordinated gunfire, they swiftly neutralized the guards and stormed the building.

The assault was swift and efficient. The Clones collected weapons and cash and exited before authorities could react. The entire operation took less than three minutes.

Back at the casino, George watched from afar, lips curling into a slight smirk.

— End of Chapter 21 —

Translator's Note:

Thank you for reading Chapter 21! I truly appreciate your continued support. If you enjoyed this chapter, please consider leaving a comment, pointing out any typos or mistakes, and sharing your thoughts. I read every bit of feedback and treasure your insights. If you caught any lore inconsistencies, I'd love to hear about them! And hey—don't forget to toss me a Honey Power Stone if you're feeling generous. Your encouragement keeps this story going. Until next time, stay awesome and see you in the comments!