London, Britain.
In the bustling port, passenger liners and cargo vessels crisscrossed the water.
Stepping down from an ocean-going ship, Luca had a matchstick dangling from his lips, his eyes cold and murderous.
Looking at Luca beside him, Han Hu asked with an easy, calm expression, "Any thoughts on being back in your old hometown?"
"None at all. Right now, all I want is to butcher those Shelby brats!"
Luca's voice was frigid, his expression deadly serious.
Shrugging, Han Hu said nothing more on the matter, turning around to call out, "Bring all the gear! Don't mess up when the time comes!"
"Yes, Brother Hu!"
Hearing Han Hu's command, the men behind them carried heavy cases down the gangway.
Yet as they disembarked, Luca asked with some suspicion, "Aren't we going through customs?"
"Are we here on vacation? What kind of decent person goes through customs!"
Han Hu stared at Luca in utter bewilderment.
What had they come here to do? Work. They weren't tourists. Clearing customs would be completely insane!
Besides, what was inside those cases? Heavy Gatling guns and Thompson submachine guns. Bringing that through customs would practically be handing the authorities an arrest on a silver platter!
Hearing Han Hu put it that way, Luca asked skeptically, "Then how do we cross?"
A smirk touched Han Hu's lips. He swaggered forward boldly and gave a nod to someone in the distance.
Catching Han Hu's eye, the man tipped his head in acknowledgment.
A worker came forward and guided them through the bustling crowd, leading them out through a separate exit.
Luca stared at Han Hu, his eyes wide with astonishment.
He had never heard Corleone mention that Silver Rock Group had its own "connections" in London!
As if sensing Luca's shock, Han Hu clapped him on the shoulder. "Back during the World War, our group already had solid 'connections' here. After all, we were the ones who supplied the Garand rifles used on the battlefield back then!"
Finishing with a broad grin, Han Hu strolled over to the curb, where several black sedans were already waiting.
Seeing Han Hu appear, Silver Rock's London representative immediately smiled and greeted him. "Brother Hu, here for business again?"
"The boss is very unhappy with the business here. Sent me over to take care of a little problem," Han Hu replied, offering no further explanation.
Seeing that Han Hu wasn't elaborating, the representative tactfully dropped the subject. After all, group headquarters and branch operations weren't on the same track.
Asking too much did no one any good.
Two days later, Birmingham.
Tom Shelby rushed in through the door, terrified, and slapped a piece of paper onto the table. "They're here!"
Looking down at the drawing of a black hand, everyone in the room froze.
No one had imagined Luca Shanggelaite would arrive so quickly—and deliver a death notice right away!
"If we go to war with him now, the casualties will be more than we can bear!"
Looking at Tommy Shelby beside him, Arthur's usually frayed, manic nerves steadied into cold focus.
He knew all too well what Luca had returned from New York to get.
The lives of everyone in the Shelby family!
"Call Reginald Kray. Tell him Luca is back, and if he doesn't want to face that madman from New York alone, he'd better lend us a hand!"
Tommy gave the order to Tom at his side, fighting to keep his emotions steady.
He knew that taking on Luca with the Shelby family alone was far too dangerous; the loss of even one family member would be an unbearable disaster!
At Tommy's word, Tom turned and dialed the phone.
Once the call went through, a low voice came through the receiver: "Who is this?"
"It's Tommy. Luca Shanggelaite is back. Haven't you gotten any wind of it?"
Tommy questioned him coldly over the line.
After all, for a London local, Reginald's intelligence was shockingly abysmal.
Hearing this, Reginald was immediately bewildered. "Impossible. I haven't heard a word from customs about him returning!"
"Fuck, do you think customs is the only way into the country?"
Tommy was practically laughing out of anger. For members of the Mafia, was slipping into a country supposed to be difficult?
Hearing Tommy's hostile tone, Reginald frowned. "Are you telling me how to run my business, Tommy?"
"I'm just telling you that now that Luca is back, we share this problem. Otherwise, once the Shelby family is gone, I won't need to tell you who's next!"
Even without making an overt threat, Tommy made his warning crystal clear: Luca would never spare the Kray twins after they had lent a hand!
"I'll send men over, but you'd better hold out until they get there!"
Slamming the phone down onto the desk, the receiver shattered to pieces. Reginald roared, "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!"
Back when he partnered with Tommy, each had simply taken what they needed—it was only a bootlegging route, after all.
Yet nobody could have foreseen that Tommy would wait until the job was done to mention Luca Shanggelaite.
Though Reginald had found out through his own contacts that Luca was merely affiliated with some syndicate, no one had dreamed he was an underling of the Corleone Family!
Through their London liquor trade, the Corleone Family was thriving more with every passing day.
And what truly unnerved Reginald wasn't Corleone himself, but whoever stood behind him!
Reginald still didn't know who the "big shot" capable of backing the Corleone Family so swiftly could be, only that it might be Gatsby in Brooklyn.
In Reginald's eyes, however, that seemed unlikely. After all, they weren't even in the same territory; it was far more likely another heavyweight altogether was propping Corleone up!
Gradually cooling down, Reginald walked out and spoke to his mild-mannered-looking brother, Ronald. "I need you to go to Birmingham and handle some business for our partners. Remember, this is dangerous. Keep your wits about you."
Turning his head toward Reginald, Ronald said nothing, merely nodding calmly to show he understood.
Yet anyone who took Ronald for a mild-mannered gentleman would be gravely mistaken.
He was violently defiant and deranged by nature—and in the grip of his madness, he turned downright bloodthirsty!
Inside a high-end hotel, Han Hu sat on the sofa, looking at Luca in puzzlement. "Why bother sending a Black Hand letter? Isn't that just creating extra hassle?"
Hearing Han Hu's question, Luca said flatly, "I need them to know I'm back. I've come to take everything from them!"
Han Hu raised an eyebrow at Luca. "Fine. I don't get it, but I respect it. Still, wrap this up fast, Luca."
"I understand. I'll make sure they have a pleasant journey out of this life!"
Luca gave a sinister grin, his face dripping with malice.
Ever since he left New York, he had never intended to let a single soul in the Shelby family survive!
Twirling a fluted dagger in his hand, Han Hu adjusted his short jacket, then drove the blade with a reverse grip right through a black-and-white family portrait.
Chapter 49