CHAPTER 520: 305

「The next day.」

After a sleepless night, Dean dropped Niel, who was dressed professionally, off at the temporarily rented office building. He didn’t turn his car around until her figure disappeared from view, then headed to a dock.

「At the entrance of the dock.」

A middle-aged white man with slicked-back hair greeted Dean, "Mr. Dean?"

Though he posed it as a question, his tone was certain; he had clearly seen Dean’s photo beforehand.

Dean nodded. "Yes. Where’s the stuff I asked for?"

The man with slicked-back hair was from the Ross Family.

Dean had previously asked Ross to prepare some inconspicuous items for the survival game coming in September, and he hadn’t expected Ross to be so efficient. Less than two weeks had passed, and today someone had contacted him to pick up the goods at the dock.

The middle-aged man with slicked-back hair gestured towards a refrigerated truck parked outside. "Most of the stuff is in there. However, we can only provide some light weapons. As for heavy weapons, sorry, this is Los Angeles, United States, after all. With Young Master Ross’s authority, he can’t arbitrarily ask us to do highly dangerous things. Also, whatever you plan to do with those weapons, that’s your own business! If it involves our family, you wouldn’t want to know the consequences!"

Hearing the man’s final threat, Dean didn’t get angry. He simply nodded lightly and reached out his hand. "Give me the keys. As for the truck, I’ll return it to the dock."

Ross was only a peripheral figure in his family. Managing this much was already commendable.

Moreover, judging by the middle-aged man’s tone, today’s business wasn’t as straightforward as it appeared. It seemed the Ross Family had taken notice of him and wanted to warn him to stay away from Ross. After all, Ross’s status meant his actions would invariably involve his family. And Dean’s request for weapons was an unpredictable risk factor. The Ross Family’s reaction was quite understandable. So Dean wasn’t upset by the threat from the man with slicked-back hair.

The man with slicked-back hair was baffled by Dean’s reaction.

Come on, get angry and lose your temper! If you don’t, how can I seize the opportunity to take back that truckload of munitions, complete the family’s orders, and do so without damaging Young Master Ross’s reputation?

According to their investigation, the tall and handsome man before them didn’t have a good temper, was bloodthirsty, and particularly enjoyed headshotting murderers. He originally had a promising future due to his excellent criminal investigation and case-solving abilities, but he got suspended after offending a Japanese crime family during a case.

Could such a hot-blooded young man really tolerate this kind of threat?

Seeing the man with slicked-back hair dazed, Dean smiled. "Your acting is terrible. Don’t try to provoke me with such childish tricks. I’m a man of principle. I reciprocate kindness and repay grudges. So, I won’t let Ross get into a difficult situation because of my affairs. Give me the keys; I have other things to do later."

He extended his palm toward the man with slicked-back hair.

The man with slicked-back hair looked at Dean’s outstretched palm, a flash of humiliation in his eyes. He took a deep breath. "Wait!"

Then, he pulled out his cellphone, made a call, and right in front of Dean, rapidly relayed Dean’s earlier words in some Commonwealth dialect.

After a brief wait, the man with slicked-back hair put away his phone and, with a conflicted expression, tossed a set of keys into Dean’s hand. "I work for Young Master Ross’s elder brother. He has agreed to help you this time, but he doesn’t want his younger brother to get into trouble because of it."

Dean shrugged. "As long as your side can ensure the matter of the weapons isn’t leaked, no one will get into trouble because of it."

The man with slicked-back hair nodded. "Rest assured on that. These weapons are from a small workshop in Africa, and their transport was handled through official channels here, leaving no records."

Hearing this, Dean nodded in satisfaction.

These weapons and equipment would be one of his backups for the event, a contingency.

Actually, it wouldn’t be difficult for him to get his hands on some controlled weapons, whether through black market channels or with help from the New York Lucchese Family.

But the weapons weren’t the main point.

Dean sought Ross’s help primarily to draw the Ross Family’s attention to himself!

His forced participation in the survival game organized by the Lucifer Game Organization on September 9 was a public matter, difficult to conceal, and there was no need to hide it. The Ross Family had almost certainly heard of the Lucifer Game Organization.

Thus, when they focused on Dean because of the weapons, they would subsequently recognize his value and the threat he posed in the upcoming survival game.

Dean’s combat prowess, combined with the influence from Niel’s mother’s side, would serve as a bargaining chip to prevent the Ross Family from directly interfering with the pharmaceutical company.

Regardless of its effectiveness, the decision-makers in such prominent families were seldom foolish enough to act rashly and monopolize benefits without carefully weighing the pros and cons.

This was the worst-case scenario Dean had anticipated.

If only Anthony hadn’t disappeared.

Otherwise, if I could bring Anthony’s mentor into this, creating a tripartite balance of power, I would definitely profit immensely even if a major share of the pharmaceutical company was carved up.

Because that would mean not only am I freeloading off Niel’s family, but I’m also indirectly relying on the powerful backing of Ross’s and Anthony’s families.

By that time... what’s a mere Mayor of Los Angeles?