A relentless downpour cast New York in a hazy blur.
Inside a villa in the dead of night, Cohen was conferring with his men about the threats made earlier that day.
In their eyes, the Chinese had always been meek and cowardly. So long as their core interests were not touched, they would simply curl up in Chinatown, barely daring to step outside. But now Liu Ren's actions had shown them that there were ruthless, savage men among the Chinese as well.
"That bastard wiped out the Japanese! And now he's coming after us? We have to hit back and make him realize that we Jews aren't like the Japanese! We have more than enough muscle to protect our own turf!"
Slamming a hand on the table, Cohen's second-in-command barked furiously.
Cohen turned his head toward him. "And what exactly do you plan to do? Lead your men into Manhattan and shoot him full of holes?"
The second-in-command fell silent for a moment before snapping back, "Then what are we supposed to do? Just sit here and watch him throw his weight around?"
"I recall that kid rescued people on the Titanic, didn't he? The papers even made a big deal out of it back then."
A cold light flickered in Cohen's eyes as he held his cigar and slowly exhaled a thick cloud of smoke.
Puzzled looks spread across the faces in the room. What did saving people back then have to do with anything now?
"Go contact the newspapers. Let them know how this Chinese man with malicious intent managed to lurk in New York all along, and how he's now threatening everyone's safety..."
A cruel smirk curved Cohen's lips. This was a move meant to cut Liu Ren down at the root.
Because of the Exclusion Act, most Chinese lived under the constant threat of arrest and deportation. Cohen's plan was to use the press to stoke that fire, dragging back into the light a matter everyone had nearly forgotten.
Cold sweat broke out on the men's foreheads as they listened.
It was a classic ploy to borrow another's blade. Without lifting a finger, they could use the newspapers to achieve the exact outcome they wanted.
Yet just as Cohen believed everything would proceed according to his design, he had no idea that when Liu Ren spoke of "saying hello," he meant it literally—he paid his respects by day, and paid his calls by night.
Emerald-green beans cracked open, and the Orc Lads materialized in the torrential rain, staring blankly at Liu Ren.
"'Umie, did ya find summat fun to do again?" one asked in surprise.
"The enemy is straight ahead."
Liu Ren pointed forward without any expression.
The instant the order left his mouth, the Orc Lads' vacant expressions vanished as if they had heard heavenly music, their excitement surging at once.
"Fightin' feels good!"
"Waaagh!"
Roaring with exhilaration, the five Orc Lads instantly shifted into their combat forms and charged toward the villa in massive strides.
Before the guards by the iron gate could even react, the Orc Lads slammed into them like rolling tanks, bursting right through.
Crash!
The shattered iron gates smashed into the ground with a howling thud. As a terrified guard found himself pinned underneath, an Orc Lad raised his foot and laughed boisterously. "Waaagh! Found ourselves a 'umie!"
Crunch!
A sickening crack echoed, and the guard's world went dark.
As the remaining Orc Lads tore inside, gunfire immediately erupted from the villa.
Holding an umbrella, Liu Ren strolled unhurriedly into the estate. Looking at the guards strewn across the ground, a flicker of mock pity touched his eyes. "How truly pitiful. But God will surely forgive you for crossing me."
Humming an unrecognizable tune, he kept walking forward.
Gunfire rattled through the villa.
A guard returning fire with a rifle managed to put a round clean through an Orc Lad's head. "Aha! I got the bastard!"
Before his triumph could last, the Orc Lad's blood sank into the floor, and a green sprout shot up, regenerating him on the spot.
Scrambling back to his feet, the Orc Lad scratched his head in bewilderment. "I reckon... did I just die?"
The moment the thought crossed his mind, he glared at the man who had blown his head open. "Waaagh! I ain't dead! I can come back! Ahahaha! Fight! Fight!"
Seeing this, the other Orc Lads grew even more ecstatic. "Waaagh! Is this the 'umie's power? Keep fightin', keep feelin' good!"
The Orc Lad charged up the stairs like a heavy tank. The guard frantically reloaded, but when he pulled the trigger again, the bullets could no longer pierce the creature's flesh.
As if merely bitten by a flea, the Orc Lad grabbed the barrel of the rifle. "'Umie, ya made me mad!"
With that, he drove a massive fist into the man's head, bursting it like a watermelon.
"What the hell? They can resurrect?"
Watching the rapid regeneration, Liu Ren stood stunned.
An instant later, he noticed a sudden, distinct drain on his stamina. A spark of realization hit him. "Does their evolution draw directly from my own power?"
At that thought, Liu Ren's grin turned savage. As long as he stayed alive, didn't that mean his Orc Beastmen would be infinite?
"Waaagh!"
Liu Ren could not help shouting the battle cry himself.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Under repeated heavy blows, the sturdy security door shattered.
Cohen sat stiffly in his chair, fingers trembling as he held his cigar, while his second-in-command and the others nervously leveled their guns at the entrance.
When the Orc Lads walked in looking like burly Slavic men, the terrified mobsters yelled, "Who the hell are you?"
"Kill 'em all, 'umie?" an Orc Lad bellowed excitedly, stepping forward with raw menace.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Revolvers barked repeatedly, but when the bullets struck the Orc Lad, he merely broke into a mocking grin.
Snap!
Reaching out, the Orc Lad grabbed the wrist holding the gun and snapped the bone with a brutal twist.
As the man collapsed to his knees, screaming in agony, terror seized everyone in the office. These creatures couldn't even be pierced by bullets—what kind of monsters were they?
Liu Ren stepped out from behind the Orc Lads, looked at Cohen sitting in his chair, and gave a casual salute off his temple. "Pleasure to see you, Mr. Cohen. I trust you haven't forgotten me?"
Staring in shock, Cohen stammered, "You?"
"Who else?"
Liu Ren regarded him calmly, stepped forward, and took a seat across from him.
Swallowing hard, Cohen stared at him. "I can give you the port! I'll even give you all the money in my safe to buy my life!"
"What nonsense are you babbling, Mr. Cohen? Once I beat you to death, the money in that safe belongs to me anyway."
Sneering, Liu Ren tapped the desk. "Between you and the port, which is more important?"
"The port? No, me? Wait, the port is what's important?"
Cohen eyed him warily, his brow furrowing as he scrambled to think.
"A port without you is what matters."
Liu Ren stood up, turning his back on him. "I'll send your wife and children along to keep you company. Consider it a tender courtesy unique to us Chinese. I hope you'll be grateful."
Cohen's eyes widened in horror, and he roared in fury, "Fuck—"
Bang!
Raising a revolver, an Orc Lad pulled the trigger with a broad grin, then stepped forward, firing repeatedly.
Once the first Orc Lad moved, the rest followed suit with unrestrained brutality.
When the office was thoroughly cleared, Liu Ren patted the hulking Orc Lad beside him. "I can't bear to see families torn apart. So wipe out the rest."
"'Umie, you're wicked cruel, but we like it! Waaagh!"
Grinning happily at Liu Ren, the Orc Lads set off to scour the villa.
With any other subordinates, Liu Ren might have personally supervised the cleanup, but with the Orc Beastmen, there was no need. In their worldview, mercy simply was not an option.
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Chapter 22