Chapter 31: Waterfront District

Chapter 31: Waterfront District

Zhang Wei's next destination was the notorious Dive bar, nestled deep within the heart of the Waterfront district.

The district was teeming with the hustle and bustle of the marine industry, making it the perfect location for smuggling and other illicit activities.

It was no secret that the area was controlled by two powerful gangs - the Red Scorpions and the White Tigers.

The Red Scorpions held a tight grip on the majority of the district, controlling a staggering seventy percent of the area.

The White Tigers, on the other hand, only had a measly thirty percent of the territory under their control.

Despite this, they were still a force to be reckoned with, and their hold on the Dive bar was proof of their influence.

The Dive bar was not just any ordinary watering hole - it was the White Tigers' headquarters, a place where they conducted their business and held court.

It was a dangerous place for outsiders to venture into, especially those who were not affiliated with the gang.

While, the Turf of 'Red Scorpion' Gang extended to mainly northern part of waterfront district, with main places namely, port authority, board walk, sea food market, coastline casino and black pearl.

-Port Authority was the main hub for all maritime activities in the Waterfront district, including cargo and passenger ships. It's a bustling area with many people and vehicles moving in and out constantly.

-Board Walk is a popular tourist spot where people come to stroll along the wooden boardwalk, watch the boats sail by, and enjoy the fresh sea breeze. There are many food stalls and souvenir shops along the way.

-Seafood Market is the largest market in the district where fresh seafood is sold at wholesale prices. It's a busy and noisy place with vendors shouting their wares and customers haggling over prices.

-Coastline Casino is a luxurious casino and hotel that attracts wealthy tourists and locals alike. It's a place where people come to gamble, drink, and socialize in style.

[Coastline Casino] is also the head quarters of Red Scorpion gang.

-Black Pearl is a prestigious hotel with a prime location by the sea. It's a favorite of celebrities and business executives who value privacy and luxury. The hotel has top-notch amenities, including a spa, a rooftop pool, and a fine-dining restaurant.

The south was the turf of 'White Tigers' gang, ruled by a fierce women nicknamed as 'The Dragon Lady.'

The south turf includes of many places, mainly Marina, fisherman's Wharf, Pier 42, and the dive.

-Marina is a picturesque marina where private yachts and sailboats dock. It's a serene and peaceful area with stunning views of the sea and the city skyline.

-Fisherman's Wharf is a lively and colorful place where fishermen sell their catch of the day directly to the public. It's a great place to buy fresh seafood, take photos, and chat with the locals.

-Pier 42 is a historic pier that has been converted into an entertainment complex with shops, restaurants, and a movie theater. It's a family-friendly place with lots of activities for kids and adults alike.

-The Dive is a popular dive bar with a laid-back atmosphere and cheap drinks. It's a favorite of the locals who come here to unwind after a long day of work or to watch sports games on TV.

[The Dive] was used as headquarters by White Tigers gang.

Other then them, there were many minor gangs but they were all indirectly working as underlings of these two main underworld gangs.

Red Scorpions were involved in all kinds of crimes, many estimated that to be able to get away with such crime rate, they must have a heavy backer behind their back, till their the identity of their backer is unknown.

As for White tiger, there is no backer of this gang, and it mostly makes money by doing non-extreme criminal activities, their leader has a strict policy against any child trafficking or drug smuggling.

Many people in the white tiger gang were disconnect with this decision of the Dragon lady, as they were controlling the marine, which easy gives them access to water transportation, that can be used to earn large sum of money doing illegal works, like drug smuggling.

Many members of the white tiger gang even went behind, and started their own small gangs in secret, to make secret profit.

The old friend of Zhang Wei was also one of those members of the gang, who was secretly carrying out the illegal tasks in the gang.

It took Zhang Wei one hour to arrive from South District to Waterfront District by car, he parked his BMW outside the Dive bar, and glanced around.

Zhang Wei stepped out of his sleek BMW and looked around the Waterfront District. It had been a while since he had visited this part of the city, but the familiar sights and sounds of the bustling waterfront brought back memories of his past.

He walked towards the Dive bar, his eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of danger.

Zhang Wei was always cautious, especially in this part of town where the gangs ruled the streets.

He had to be careful, as he was not a member of either the Red Scorpion or the White Tiger gang, but that was the thing of past, now he can walk without any fear.

As he approached the bar, he noticed a group of men loitering outside. They eyed him suspiciously, and and as he passed by them, one of the men grabbed his arm.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?" the man sneered.

Zhang Wei remained calm, despite feeling a knot form in his stomach. He had dealt with these types of situations before. He looked the man in the eye and replied, "Just heading inside for a drink. Is that a problem?"

The man glared at him, but eventually let him go.

Zhang Wei sighed and walked past them and into the Dive bar.

[Why do you look disappointed, host?]

Zhang Wei chuckled wickedly to himself, his eyes gleaming with excitement as he recounted his failed attempt at violence. 'I was itching to test out my new powers,' he explained, 'so I thought I'd take on that Rhino and his pathetic posse. But they just let me pass without so much as a whimper.'

He shook his head in disgust, thinking that the gangsters of this city had grown soft and weak.

The dingy place was shrouded in a thick haze of smoke and the sickly-sweet scent of alcohol, making it difficult to see more than a few feet in front of him. His eyes roamed over the shadowy figures slumped at the bar, their faces obscured by the flickering neon lights.

In the far corner of the room, he spotted his old friend nursing a beer, looking as bored and jaded as ever.

But his attention was drawn to the black staircase that wound its way up to a single room on the top floor - the infamous living quarters of The Dragon Lady. Two hulking underlings stood guard outside the door, their muscles bulging beneath their tight shirts.

Zhang Wei could feel the thrill of excitement coursing through his veins as he contemplated the perilous climb up those stairs, wondering what kind of fun awaited him at the top.

He had been to the Dive bar many times before, but this was the first time Zhang Wei had ever considered venturing into the territory of the Dragon Lady.

It was a risky move, and one that could have dire consequences if he was caught by the wrong people, but that was the thing of the past, when he was not a cultivator.

Zhang Wei had a history with the Red Scorpion gang, having been a minor member during his school years.

His role in the gang was to check the drugs that were imported into the city, ensuring that they were properly distributed.

It was during this time that he had befriended Tang Bo, a member of the rival White Tiger gang.

Tang Bo was dissatisfied with the strict rules of the White Tigers and wanted to make some extra cash by secretly smuggling drugs.

Zhang Wei saw an opportunity to make a profit and struck a deal with him.

He would sneak Tang Bo the drugs, and in return, Tang Bo would export them to other cities using the yachts at the marina.

The drugs are one of the rare commodities, that can always give profit, as long as you have required transportation and can take advantage of arbitrage, different prices in different cities.

The scheme worked for a few years, and Zhang Wei made enough money to pay for his college tuition and living expenses. But eventually, he graduated and moved on from the gang life, focusing on his personal life with his wife, Yu Lei.

During his time in the underworld, Zhang Wei had deliberately maintained a low profile in the Red Scorpion gang, so that he couldn't be easily identified by either of the gang's members.

Working in the underworld had honed Zhang Wei's fighting skills to a superior level.

Today, the atmosphere was unusually chaotic, which caught Zhang Wei off guard.

It was just the 14th of March, with no special occasion, so he couldn't fathom the reason behind the turmoil.

Normally a clean and quiet place, today it was rowdy and boisterous, as if celebrating something.