Blackstone Code

Chapter 170:

"Wood..." While dining with friends, Wood heard someone call his name. Surprised, he turned his head and discovered it was his former classmate.

After enrolling in the police academy, Wood was transferred to the Federal Bureau of Investigation as an undercover agent, a fact known by very few, even excluding his parents.

To many, Wood seemed no different from an ordinary person. In the current context of the Baylor Federation, a police academy was even considered less prestigious than some specialized technical schools for training workers.

Being a police officer was a dangerous job with low pay. To ordinary people, a police officer seemed less promising than a plumber, a sentiment only police officers themselves might disagree with.

Wood wasn't recruited by the Sabin City Police Department, a fact that prompted his parents to celebrate with a bottle of wine. Compared to the dangers of being a police officer, a security guard seemed a better choice.

So, no one knew that Wood had actually become an agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, not even his closest family members.

The salary from the bureau of investigation was transferred to his superior via a special fund, and then deposited into a secret account. This money wouldn't be activated unless Wood's undercover mission was either successful or failed completely. Tracing spending records wasn't just a capability of the police; some criminal organizations could do it too.

A single account could reveal too much information, so Wood had to rely on money earned during his undercover period to live.

To most people, Wood's life seemed similar to theirs: after wasting his youth, he stepped into society without learning much. However, he was lucky and became a successful businessman, at least that's how he explained it to his family. When he showed a bankbook with tens of thousands of bucks, they were stunned.

Their first thought wasn't how capable Wood was, but whether they should turn him in and seek leniency from a judge through a lawyer. This kind of situation was common in lower-class families: a child suddenly returned home with a bag of money, then took a different path and eventually faded away in the darkest nights of their prime.

Fortunately, Wood explained it clearly and even introduced his "followers" to his family, which made them proud of him.

Due to Richard's departure, Wood, who had always been lucky, won first place at the auction that had just ended two days ago.

However, it might be that the local second-hand goods market's desire for consumption was dwindling under the social consumerism enthusiasm (specifically, public opinion), the auction's revenue dropped to just over 370,000 bucks.

As a result, even though Wood was the first-place winner, he still only earned about 3,000; nevertheless, that amount still seemed hopelessly out of reach for many people. Additionally, perhaps Lynch forgot about the celebration or had other plans, Wood and the others didn't have the same party as before.

So with Monday available, Wood gathered the boys and found a barbecue restaurant to "splurge" a bit.

Unlike Lynch, Wood wasn't wealthy enough to ensure everyone's happiness, but he could fill their bellies, which they greatly appreciated. Many of them had been on the brink of starvation before joining Wood.

As Wood's genuine smile grew, a somewhat unfamiliar, almost forgotten voice reached him.

He glanced back and saw Terry, a high school classmate who had been doing quite well back then.

There were always students like Terry in schools who seemed to have no connection with book knowledge but thrive in society.

Most normal students looked down on such individuals, believing they'd only end up in the lowest jobs because that's what society and teachers always preached as the universal truth.

However, once everyone stepped into society, they realized that some things were entirely different from what they had learned in school.

This of course did not include those who went to university. Only those talented people were recognised as "students" by teachers and society, destined to be social elites upon graduation; those below university level did not count.

Those who looked down on Terry mostly ended up serving him, as evidenced by his summer outfit worth over a hundred bucks.

As Wood stood up, two young men noticed something unusual and wanted to join him, but Wood stopped them.

To many, Wood was just an ordinary salesperson or Lynch's partner. Young, unremarkable, but only he knew the training he had undergone and his current identity.

He had no fear of Terry, who was in a gang, but felt a special, strong emotion inside.

"Terry." As Wood looked at Terry, dressed in an expensive summer outfit with two gold rings on his fingers, he noticed one of the rings had a seven-pointed star on its face. Additionally, there was also a seven-pointed star tattooed on Terry's left neck.

This symbol represented the local gang known as the Seven Stars, involved in operating a prostitution ring with numerous members under their command.

Rumours had it that both the police department and the bureau of investigation had looked into this gang, but they didn't find sufficient evidence. Combined with certain unique social factors, they ultimately didn't take action against them.

Many girls working for them came from very poor families and needed money; they weren't procured by the Seven Stars through illegal or unethical means.

The Seven Stars only provided a platform, and in the eyes of some, they even protected these girls engaged in personal charitable assistance businesses, helping them avoid harm from certain individuals.

The authorities temporarily tolerated the existence of this gang. After all, with them around, some vulnerable, innocent girls were less likely to face harm.

This ironic reality was contrary to common sense and full of satire.

Terry nodded, sizing up Wood, and playfully punched his shoulder. Though the punch was light, Wood's followers all stood up immediately, surprising Terry.

He looked at Wood, who gestured for his followers to sit back down.

"Who are you with now?" Terry asked, thinking Wood had also gone down this path. This made him sigh inwardly with mixed emotions.

In fact, people like Terry had deeper memories of school and classmates than most, so much so that he was able to recognize Wood at first sight even after years apart.

"I'm in sales now. What about you? How's it going?" Wood took out a pack of cigarettes, offering one to Terry, and they stepped outside to talk.

Terry had done fairly well, becoming a captain in the Seven Stars, a mid-to-high-level position with real power.

Terry, however, was dismissive of his achievements. "Times are tough now. We don't make much money, but there's plenty of trouble..." He sighed with emotion.

He initially didn't want to go into detail, but thinking about Wood, his former classmate, and the school and class that had left him with unforgettable memories despite their limited interactions, he decided to give him a heads-up.

"You know, it's the same for everyone, and some people are on the verge of losing it. It's best not to go to secluded places after dark..." He took a drag of his cigarette. "No, don't go out after dark."

This puzzled Wood, but he nodded in agreement.

Soon, a car pulled up. Terry flicked away his cigarette, said goodbye to Wood, and quickly drove off.

Watching the car disappear, Wood returned to the barbecue restaurant, deep in thought.

Later, Wood called his superior to discuss his conversation with Terry.

As an undercover agent, he had to report any intelligence promptly unless he had defected or was temporarily unable to. Normally, he had to contact his superior or liaison every few days.

His superior, after hearing the news, was not surprised and explained. "With the poor economy, gangs are struggling too. They can't collect money but have many members to support."

"This situation actually happens every few years. Soon, the gangs will start large-scale conflicts. But don't worry, someone will clean up the mess."

In a way, Fox and his son should thank the bureau of investigation and the Federal Tax Bureau for handling many of their competitors, sparing them from similar conflicts. Otherwise, they'd be in a similar situation now.

Furthermore, aside from the reduced number of competitors this year, the implementation of the "Lynch method," which guided the remaining financial companies in Sabin City on how to legitimize their previously illicit operations, also contributed significantly to the industry's stability this year.

However, other gangs involved in different operations weren't doing so well. The larger their previous territories, the more challenging their circumstances became. Besides fighting to seize more profitable territories and businesses to exploit, they didn't have many good options.Please vote for this novel at /series/blackstone-code/There are advance chapters available nowAccess will be granted 24 hours after the donationTier 1: 7 Advance chapters Link

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