Cracks in the Foundation
Leroy's gaze swept forward the moment he stepped out of the car. An old, stately mansion. It was the kind of residence that suited the man he served perfectly.
Leroy began walking. Several black hunting dogs must have caught his scent; they came running with tails wagging in greeting. These were the hounds Tezman kept loose in the garden. They were not gentle creatures. True to their nature, they bared sharp fangs at anything that moved—man or beast.
Yet they only wagged their tails for their master, Tezman, and the three who followed him: Cact, Leroy, and Duhan. As if they, too, were beasts who knew their place at their owner's side.
Leroy gave the dogs a quick once-over, almost like a silent greeting, then entered the mansion.
“Leroy.”
The first to welcome him was Cact.
“Is Master Tezman in his study?”
“Yes. Go on up.”
Leroy nodded, his eyes subtly scanning the surroundings. Cact let out a soft chuckle at the sight.
“Duhan’s gone to train the capos.”
To outsiders it might seem as though only Duhan was obsessed with Leroy, but even if Leroy pretended otherwise, he cared about Duhan more than he let on. The man himself remained oblivious, which made it look like Duhan was the only one pushing. Whenever the two opposites bickered, Cact found it endlessly entertaining—especially when the usually expressionless Leroy showed even the faintest trace of embarrassment.
“He’ll be back soon, so… yeah. Once you’re done talking with Master Tezman, the timing should line up nicely.”
“Then I’d better head over before he arrives.”
Despite his words, Leroy strolled toward the study at a leisurely pace. Cact watched him go, quietly swallowing another laugh.
Knock, knock. The clear yet heavy sound of knuckles against wood echoed.
“It’s me, Leroy.”
At Tezman’s voice granting entry from within, Leroy slowly pushed open the massive door. Even though he saw it every day, the sight never failed to feel new. Simply watching the man lean against the windowsill, staring out at the garden, filled him with awe.
The golden eyes that had been fixed on the garden turned slowly toward Leroy.
“How are things on the Chenpu side?”
“It appears there’s internal fracturing.”
Chenpu. A black society operating out of mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. They produced and processed methamphetamine, distributing it worldwide and amassing enormous wealth. They needed a way to launder their staggering profits, and the construction industry had proven ideal.
Ye Gahang, the boss of Chenpu, had transformed it into a glossy legitimate construction conglomerate. Now he was dragging their underground operations into the light, even infiltrating the financial sector. As his reach extended beyond Asia into Europe and America, he had begun clashing with the Pavard Family.
Since Tezman already controlled much of the financial underworld in Europe and Asia, tensions were inevitable. Chenpu had been keeping a close eye on him as well. The recent surge in betrayals within Tezman’s territories was undoubtedly their doing.
Internal cracks at a time like this? It was welcome news.
“What kind of cracks?”
“Ye Wumen is expanding his faction. They say he’s aiming for the boss’s seat.”
Chenpu’s boss was Ye Gahang. Ye Wumen was his only son.
“Blinded by power,” Tezman clicked his tongue.
“You mentioned they have a factory in Thailand.”
“Yes.”
The Golden Triangle. The region situated at the intersection of Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos. It was where Chenpu had long maintained operations, producing and manufacturing drugs.
“Blow up one of the factories.”
“Understood.”
They had been kind enough to destroy a factory and send a warning. The message had better get through. Otherwise, Chenpu itself might not survive.
“Then I’ll take my leave.”
As Leroy bowed respectfully, Tezman watched him for a moment before speaking.
“Leroy.”
“Yes.”
Tezman’s gaze had grown ice-cold.
“I did everything our little nun wanted.”
He had sought forgiveness because she told him to repent. He had suppressed the urge to lock Sua inside this mansion immediately. He had even sent donations to the cathedral, wondering how he could win her favor.
And yet—
“What could possibly be the problem?”
For several days now, Sua had not appeared at the cathedral. The early-morning prayers she used to lead had stopped. Someone else was opening and closing the cathedral doors. When he could no longer stand it and showed up at Mass unannounced, Sua had taken one look at him and fled.
“You said you’d been to the cathedral before, didn’t you?”
“Yes, I have.”
It was more than just visiting. He had been baptized and had believed fervently. Leroy’s parents had been obsessed with God like madmen and had forced him into the cathedral. Those days had been hell, but they were in the past now—memories he had erased.
“Leroy.”
“Yes.”
Tezman spoke in a low voice.
“Find out why our little nun is acting this way.”
Leroy remembered the nun Tezman spoke of. The moment he had stepped into the cathedral—a place he had sworn never to return to—he had seen blood-soaked floors, a corpse, and Tezman cradling a single nun in his arms.
The Asian nun Cact had mentioned was probably her. No wonder Duhan had lost his mind. An Asian nun, of all things. But that was the extent of it. Leroy kept his thoughts to himself. To follow Tezman blindly, it was better not to think at all.
He would simply do as ordered.
“Understood.”
With a reply so dry it was almost brittle, Leroy left the study—only to be stopped by a voice.
“Leroy.”
Duhan approached, his shirt still crusted with dried blood. Leroy let out a short sigh.
“You come to the mansion and you’re just going to leave without seeing me? Really?”
“I’m busy. Move.”
Ignoring Leroy’s words completely, Duhan ran a hand through his hair and asked,
“So what did Master Tezman say?”
There was no point in refusing; the man would only pester him until he answered.
“He told me to go see the nun.”
“The nun?”
At the word “nun,” Duhan’s eyes narrowed. The fact that Tezman was sending even Leroy to meet her meant he was in deep—dangerously deep. That worried him. If Tezman was truly serious…
Just thinking about it made him nauseous. Tezman’s other half could never be a woman like that.
Leroy saw the chill settle in Duhan’s eyes and spoke.
“Duhan.”
“What?”
“Blindly following whatever Master Tezman chooses. That’s our only job.”
Noticing the faint twitch at the corner of Duhan’s eye—clearly from rising irritation—Leroy delivered his final words.
“So stop entertaining foolish thoughts.”