The guards recognized Ethan, so they didn’t make a move to stop him. They only stared at him like he was some trash as he walked in.
Ethan didn’t mind. He walked into the building, and he was immediately met by a familiar sight.
A poker table stood in the center of the hall with several men playing the game and making bets.
At another corner, a group of men sat around a table, playing a game of cards while occasionally glancing at the strippers dancing on the stage.
Some people were dancing on the upper floor, lost in the music and environment. The sight was obscene and only censored by the fact that they had clothes on.
Ethan calmly looked away, focusing his gaze on the bartender serving drinks. He walked towards him and leaned on the table.
"Give me a glass of whiskey," He said.
The young man recognized him and smiled brightly. "Aye, aye, Ethy! It’s been a while."
Ethan returned his smile, feeling no ill intent towards him. Unlike the others here, the bartender was quite decent. He had just graduated from college and hadn’t gotten any stable job, which was why he was managing here for the time being.
’Not everyone is bad, I guess.’
Shrugging, he took the glass of whiskey and walked towards the inner corridor of the building. He spotted a couple devouring each other’s lips along the hallway and tactically chose to ignore them.
’Three, two, one...’
"What are you doing here? The restroom is that way."
A hefty bouncer blocked his path and pointed at another hallway, his eyes cold behind the eyeglasses.
Ethan swirled the whiskey in his hand. "I’m not here to pee. I’m here to see your boss."
The bouncer’s eyes narrowed, and he asked, "Your name?"
"Ethan."
Hearing this, the man raised an eyebrow and asked, "Aren’t you the debtor who caused trouble for our guys yesterday?"
"Oh, am I?" Ethan chuckled. "Well, if you’ll step aside, I have business with your boss."
The bouncer laughed lightly, then moved to the side. "I hope you have something to pay for your debt. Otherwise, you might not leave here with all your body parts."
Ethan was unfazed by the threat, and the bouncer watched him enter with a sneer on his lips.
"Looking overconfident as fuck."
Meanwhile, Ethan’s nose wrinkled as soon as he stepped inside.
He blew away the smoke with his hand and scowled. "Do you really want to die early, Joe? Smoking this much will kill you in about a year or two."
Hearing his voice, the person he was addressing turned to him.
Joe, seated behind the desk, opened his eyes and looked at Ethan.
"Oh? Ethan?" He looked surprised.
From underneath the table, a head with braided hair rose, but Joe pushed it back down and said, "Continue."
Then, he looked at Ethan and smiled. "Didn’t think you’d come to beg me after kicking Baldy’s groin."
Still irritated by the smoke, Ethan rolled his eyes and took a seat. "Who told you I’m here to beg? I simply have an interesting offer for you."
Joe blinked in surprise, then smiled.
"You’ve really changed. Whatever you have must have made you confident, right? Let’s hear it," He said, releasing a pleasured sigh at the end.
Ethan pretended not to notice and explained, "In exchange for 75% of your total income daily, your little paradise will escape an inevitable collapse."
Joe’s expression darkened before he burst into laughter.
"Have you finally gone crazy? You seem to have lost it. What the heck are you even proposing?"
He laughed so hard that he unconsciously released the accumulated tension in his groin, showing a lewd smile.
"You aren’t taking me seriously," Ethan said calmly. "I can understand why. You’re denying the possibility."
Joe’s laughter paused, and he looked at him with narrowed eyes. "What possibility?"
"No, that’s not right." Ethan immediately corrected himself. "Possibilities. Yes, possibilities."
With post-nut clarity working on him, Joe immediately became serious. "Start talking. I doubt whatever you know would change much, though. Reporting this place to the local police changes nothing."
"Of course, I’m aware of that. Don’t take me for a fool." Ethan sounded offended, but was actually smiling.
The contrast made Joe feel uneasy.
"So, where do I start? L,M,N,O," He said cryptically, then explained. "Lily, Maria, Nancy, and Olivia. Do those four names ring a bell?"
Joe’s eyes slowly widened, and he sat up straight. "How do you know them?"
Ethan shrugged and shook his phone. "Anyone with common sense and a phone would. Don’t look so surprised. You’re smart, right?"
"You killed the first two to silence the other two. Killing four birds with two stones and a single move, huh? Not bad, right?"
"Wait a moment." Joe hurriedly stopped him, then recoiled slightly.
Glancing under the table, he said coldly. "Get out."
A young lady with braided hair crawled out, wiping away something from the corner of her lips as she hurried out of the room.
Joe also pulled up his pants, his gaze returning to Ethan with seriousness.
"How do you know all this? You’ve been doing research on me?"
"Research you? Please," Ethan scoffed. "I’m not that free these days. I’m a family man now, if you understand."
He suddenly blinked, then said apologetically, "Oh, nope. You don’t. My bad."
Joe’s expression darkened, but he didn’t say anything.
Ethan’s expression also turned serious. "Do you regret killing them?"
"I didn’t kill anyone," Joe retorted immediately.
"Wow, that was fast," Ethan showed little surprise. "I know you didn’t kill them. Gary did."
"Then what the hell are you—"
"But you knew they were going to die. In fact, you instigated Gary to kill them." Ethan cut him off, his eyes cold. "Did I say wrong?"
He leaned back, shaking his head. "I wouldn’t entertain the idea of using a gun if I were you. Not like you can find it anyway."
Joe immediately opened his drawer and was shocked to find it empty.
"You took my gun?"
He couldn’t understand how.
"Nah, she did," Ethan replied apologetically.
Joe’s expression changed. "What?"
Ethan pointed casually toward the door. "The girl who just left. You were too busy to notice."