476 Partners Meeting
Three months had passed, but even with all the changes in Millfall, the Mazzanti family was still dealing with old problems.
This early in the day in Millfall, all of Vicente's associates met with him at the family headquarters to discuss the latest issues relevant to the group's associates.
They were in a large meeting room with an oval table in the center and 12 chairs around it.
Vicente sat at one end of the table, with Rory in a chair to his right and Sarah to his left.
In addition to these two, Jasmine, Layla, and Shelby sat around them, while 3 of Vicente's business associates sat in the opposite corner.
None of them wore masks, for everyone there had already seen each other's identities and were too close to each other to care.
But because of that, they could all see the concern in each other's eyes.
After the Staples family attained the title of Viscount and a new Commandant took over the local army battalion, much had happened leading up to this moment when this group had to meet to resolve their problems.
Vicente began this meeting by speaking in a solemn tone. "Our plans for the future are ambitious. We have already expanded into neighboring towns, but our goal is the province. However, we won't succeed unless we have control over our own staff and headquarters city."
Jasmine closed her eyes and murmured. "You did too many things at once. That was your group's mistake. Trying to grow too fast."
Shelby knew that Jasmine was right and felt that this woman was blaming her for all of the group's current problems that were affecting everyone's lives.
She said. "We wouldn't have a position to worry about if we hadn't done everything we did, Miss Barber. I know it seems strange to take risks for someone like you who has a guaranteed future, but people like Vicente and I need it."
Everyone there already knew Vicente's real name, where he was from, etc.
Layla looked at the orange-haired woman, the only one besides Molly, who was still an Acolyte in the group. "That doesn't change the fact that you brought this on us. Now we all have to deal with the damn army and this madman who's been hunting us for months."
The strange attacks on the weaker members of the Mazzanti family, which had begun after Vicente's return from his escape from provincial prison, had continued ever since. The family had lost more than 60 members until now, and their expansion plans had been set back.
Sarah thought that if it hadn't been for those losses, the Mazzanti family would be operating in three cities besides the two they were currently in.
It hurt the group, but they also had to worry about the army and their own investigations.
In a way, the group was working exhaustively to solve their old problems!
Vicente sighed, aware that Jasmine and Layla didn't like Shelby and would naturally fight in this situation. Then he said. "Let's not cry over spilled milk. There's no point in whining and regretting what's already happened. We must work on what we can change!
The Woodslayer issue still needs to be resolved, but we'll be suffering from it for a while yet. The damned enemy only attacks the weakest in the family, and without clues, we can't go after him."
The Woodslayer was what Vice and his associates called the person behind the more than 60 deaths of the family's soldiers.
Hearing this, Jasmine lowered her head, not liking having such a problem and not being able to solve it. She was the one whose job it was to deal with such things, but because the enemy was stronger than her, her tracking skills didn't work very well against such a person.
"Are you going to keep losing our men?" Shelby asked, ignoring Jasmine's unhappy expression.
"No. We will start having our men travel with the robotic armor and the most advanced weapons in the family. That will eventually bring the damned to their own end." Vicente's eyes narrowed as he clenched his fists in anger.
In the months that had passed, he had worked hard on his family's weapons and armor, creating new versions of practically everything he had before and increasing the number of these items in his family.
However, the most advanced armor and weapons were still in short supply, considering how difficult they were to create and how expensive their components were.
But after weeks of repeated failures in his strategies to deal with the Woodslayer, Vicente was ready to use his best weapons.
Rory looked at his friend and sighed helplessly. "Unfortunately, there's no other choice. If we could find this enemy, everything would be easier. But he only attacks our weakest and leaves no trace..."
"This person wants to weaken us or hinder our growth," Sarah commented. "They are good at what they do. We must be careful. Enemies like this are more dangerous than powerful opponents."
One of the merchants there agreed, as he commented. "That's true. Sometimes, it is best to be cautious and go slow. Take Warmaster's case as an example. Until recently, he was one of the province's strongest and most respected men.
But all he had to do was try to deal with Snow Claw alone, and he lost everything he had, dying alongside The Ruby Devils' top men... This enemy of ours is different from Warmaster. They know that facing us head-on will lead to their own demise. So they act cunningly."
The province was in chaos, just as Shelby had planned. Even more than four months after the security breach at Long Bay Correctional Facility, two of the escaped High-level Mages were still on the loose. Not only that, but these two individuals had already caused a lot of trouble, and at least 40 Mages and 4 Sovereigns had died in Scott Province in the past three months.
Few people knew Snow Claw's current situation, but there were rumors that he had reached the 4th stage.
Whether it was true or not, no one in the room knew. But they didn't care because the current chaos in the province was very opportune.
Unfortunately, there were not only opportunities ahead of them. After Evan's fall at the hands of kingdom soldiers, the situation around Millfall had become much worse with the presence of soldiers searching for Vicente and Sarah.
As much as the Mazzanti family was growing, their leader had barely shown his face outside his headquarters in over two months!
The kingdom's soldiers knew that some of the invaders from that prison had come to Millfall, so they kept a close eye on the area.
Even Sovereign Adams was nearby, waiting for the opportunity to catch the rat who had tricked him!
If it weren't for Vicente's position, his special powers, and the caution of his allies in this room, Adams would have caught him by now!
He said. "That's the case... But let's not get carried away. My last strategy might work."
Jasmine agreed. "Well, let's see how it goes. If it doesn't, we'll either have to find Casey or wait for my promotion to Mid-level. We won't be able to do anything else until then."
