Louis said, "What I have here is nothing compared to you; there's a world of difference between us."

Emmanuel sighed and replied, "Dragon is facing its own challenges right now, and things aren't as glamorous as they seem on the surface."

Louis looked at Emmanuel and said, "You're talking about Tiger, right? With Dragon's strength, I don't think you should fear them."

Emmanuel shook his head and said, "There are many problems inside. What about your Nightmare? Don't you have plans to expand?"

Louis thought to himself, here comes the main topic, and he chuckled, saying, "Yes, we do, but we're just a small gang. We don't have the power to expand further right now. The underworld is in chaos, and one wrong step could lead to our downfall."

Emmanuel looked at Louis and said slowly, "You're being too modest. I've heard about Nightmare's strength, with hundreds of members and a growing drug trade. With your current power, you're no longer a small gang."

Louis replied, "You're giving me too much credit."

Emmanuel then asked directly, "If I were to offer you the opportunity for Nightmare to join Dragon, would you be interested?"

Louis shook his head and said, "I haven't considered that yet. Besides, it's a significant decision, and I can't make it on my own."

Emmanuel understood Louis' meaning. He had heard that Devil had also tried to recruit Nightmare without success. Dragon and Devil had always been at odds, but both were equally matched in strength, unable to move against each other. Nightmare had risen suddenly and was a force to be reckoned with. Regardless of whether it was Dragon or Devil, having Nightmare on their side would significantly increase their power. Emmanuel understood this and didn't want to push too hard. He said, "If you don't want to join Dragon, I won't force you. I just hope that we can form an alliance and help each other. What do you think?"

Louis was slightly surprised by Emmanuel's proposal. If they truly allied with Dragon, it would undoubtedly be highly advantageous for him, at least in terms of reducing enemies during expansion and gaining a friend. Louis said, "We would be honored to form an alliance with Dragon, but I'm afraid we might slow you down."

Emmanuel, seeing Louis' inclination to agree, smiled and said, "Not at all. In just a few short months, you've already gained control of the South. In the future, Dragon might need your help even more."

Louis smiled and replied, "You're too kind."

Emmanuel stood up and said, "Very well, from today onwards, Dragon and Nightmare are officially allies. We'll cooperate with each other, and there's no turning back." He reached out his hand to shake Louis's. Louis stood up and shook Emmanuel's hand, sealing their alliance. While the alliance seemed simple, it held significant constraints. In the criminal world, trust was paramount, and those who went back on their word were looked down upon. Especially for the leaders of major gangs, a single word carried immense weight.

Emmanuel had made the alliance with Nightmare out of necessity. They faced pressure from the formidable Tiger externally and internal conflicts within Dragon. Despite being one of the three top leaders of Dragon, Emmanuel's position was far from secure. With powerful enemies outside and internal strife, the elders in the gang eyed his young leader, coveting his position as the leader. Emmanuel was eager to build his own power base to solidify his position, and he saw Louis, who had recently risen to prominence, as a key ally. Of course, there was also the matter of Emily.

After the two of them formed an alliance, their relationship also became closer. Emmanuel pulled Louis aside and said, "Do you really have no plans for expansion?" Louis candidly replied, "I plan to expand into Oxe!"

Emmanuel thought for a moment and said, "There are five factions there, and the relationships among them are quite complex. There are also external forces involved. Expanding there could easily ignite a conflict. Even with Dragon's strength, we shouldn't take it lightly!"

It seemed that the Oxe was not as straightforward as Louis had imagined. He needed to reconsider his plans: "Which factions are secretly supporting the Oxe?"

Emmanuel smiled and said, "White's faction is secretly supported by Dragon! Tiger and Devil also have forces involved." Louis was surprised to hear this, realizing that the information he had received was not accurate. He began to regret his hasty decisions. If he rushed in, Nightmare's demise would be imminent. Seeing Louis remain silent, Emmanuel continued, "The various factions in Oxe are in chaos right now. Even the major syndicates are hesitant to get involved. We should be cautious."

Louis nodded in gratitude. Although he felt uncertain, he decided to go back and discuss his options further.

As they continued their conversation, Emmanuel realized that despite Louis's young age, he had a good understanding of matters and had unique insights. Emmanuel admired Louis and silently resolved to keep him close. Otherwise, if he became an enemy, he would be a formidable adversary.

Just when the conversation was getting intense, Emily emerged from the kitchen and exclaimed, "Time to eat!"

Louis and Emmanuel exchanged smiles, got up, and went to the dining table. Emily asked Louis, "Louis, help me bring the dishes!" Louis headed to the kitchen. Once inside, Emily grabbed his arm and asked with concern, "How did it go? How was the conversation with my brother?"

Louis smiled and replied, "It went very well!"

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Emily was still worried and pressed, "What did you talk about? My brother didn't give you a hard time, did he?" Louis, seeing Emily's concerned expression, felt a sweet sensation and honestly said, "No, your brother invited me to form an alliance with Dragon!"

Emily was taken aback and asked urgently, "Did you agree?" Louis nodded, and only then did Emily relax, saying happily, "You're lucky! My brother doesn't agree to alliances with just anyone, even if they offer him money!"

Louis chuckled, "Yeah, I really lucked out this time!"

"Is that so?" Emily teased Louis and discreetly placed her hand on his arm.

Emily and Louis then returned from the kitchen, with Emily wearing a radiant smile. Louis had a somewhat grim expression, but he managed to hide his discomfort. Emmanuel immediately noticed that Emily had been teasing Louis, so he smiled and told her, "Louis is our guest; you should be more polite."

Emily put her arm around Emmanuel's and said, "Big brother, I'm very nice to Louis. Don't you believe me? Right, Louis?" Louis sighed, enduring the pain in his arm, and nodded with a smile, saying, "Yes, Emily has been very... very kind to me!"

Louis's words made Emmanuel burst into laughter. He thought that while Louis was a formidable boss outside, ruling over the entire southern region, in front of Emily, he seemed completely different. It was clear that he had a soft spot for his little sister.

The three of them then sat down happily to enjoy their meal, with the exception of Louis. Louis watched as Emmanuel devoured Emily's entirely blackened dish, praising it as delicious. Louis marveled at Emmanuel's unwavering composure; he truly lived up to his reputation as the leader of the Dragon.

When Louis was about to leave, it was almost 8:00 p.m. Emmanuel escorted him to the door, and finally handed Louis a business card, saying, "If you ever face any difficulties in the future, you can call me!" Louis nodded and also left his phone number with Emmanuel. As he turned to leave, Emmanuel called him back, "If you need guns, I can help you out. Dragon still has quite a stock of weapons!"

Louis was intrigued and replied with a smile, "Thanks. Nightmare does indeed need a batch of weapons now. I wonder how much Dragon can provide?"

Emmanuel thought for a moment and replied, "We can provide fifty AKs and plenty of handguns." Louis nodded and said, "Alright, I'll reach out to you when I need them."

After bidding farewell to Emmanuel and Emily once more, Louis left. On his way home, Louis contemplated his conversation with Emmanuel and felt that the man was generous and honest, making him feel confident about their alliance. However, Emmanuel's personality might not be suitable for leading a gang, as he lacked the necessary assertiveness.

The next day, Louis gathered his core members at Spring KTV, and they all sat in a neat row in the back room, waiting for Louis to speak.

Louis first looked at Steven and asked, "Steven, how are our earnings this month?"

Steven, feeling nervous, pulled out a small black leather briefcase from behind him and opened it, taking out a stack of documents. After scanning them, he said, "KTV revenue is 100,000, Crystal... is 3 million. Expenses included 200,000 for Dante, 500,000 distributed among everyone, and... oh, a few small gangs gave us 30,000..." Steven fumbled with the documents, speaking in a scattered manner.

Louis shook his head in disappointment, and by the time Steven finished, he was covered in sweat. Managing the gang's finances used to be straightforward when Nightmare was smaller, and Steven didn't feel pressured. But now, with the gang's income and expenses growing, Steven truly felt overwhelmed. He sighed and said, "Louis, please don't make me handle the finances anymore. I'm just not cut out for this! Let me fight, and I'm not afraid of anyone, but this..."

Jack chuckled, "What's this? The money-lover is giving up control of the finances? If you won't do it, I will!"

Eric playfully pushed Jack and said with a smirk, "If you handle the finances, we'll be bankrupt in a month!"

"Hey, am I really that stupid?" Jack protested.

Both Steven and Eric nodded simultaneously, looking at Jack with certainty and saying, "Didn't you realize that until today?" "You two..."

Louis interrupted the banter and said, "It looks like we need to find someone who understands financial management for the gang. Keep an eye out, and if you find someone suitable, let me know!" Everyone agreed.

Louis continued, "Yesterday, I met with Emmanuel, the leader of Dragon, and we formed an alliance. From now on, Nightmare and Dragon are allied gangs. Does anyone have any objections or thoughts?"

Everyone was delighted to hear the news of an alliance with Dragon, a major player. Steven said, "With Dragon backing us, who do we need to fear in the future? Now, we can easily deal with Oxe!"

Alan cautioned, "Everyone knows Dragon's strength is far greater than ours right now, and their alliance with us has a purpose. We should still be cautious."

Louis nodded in agreement, "Yes, Dragon's approach to recruiting us is similar to Devil's, both wanting to increase their power. However, they are more diplomatic than the Devil, not seeking to engulf Nightmare entirely but to form an alliance. This is the main reason I agreed to Emmanuel's proposal. But we can't rely on Dragon to help us with everything; taking over Oxe will still depend on us." After a pause, Louis sighed, "Oxe's influence is much more complex than we know. Dragon and the Tiger are also involved. It seems solving this will not be easy."

Steven thought for a moment and said, "If we can stir up conflicts among the five factions, we might find an opportunity."

Louis replied, "It sounds simple, but it's not easy to execute. Our main problem is the lack of information and a clear understanding of the relationships there." He then turned to Eric and said, "Eric, I'm entrusting you with the intelligence gathering. You must provide detailed information within three days." Emmanuel had promised to provide intelligence to Louis, but he was still concerned; this was a critical matter, and even a small error could put Nightmare in danger.

Eric stood up and said, "Louis, you can count on me. I'll dig deep and make everything about Oxe crystal clear." Louis nodded and added, "You can handle the female members of the guild for information gathering; they might find it easier."

Eric agreed with a nod. Louis continued, "Tomorrow, Finger's shipment is coming in. Alan and Henry, you two will be responsible for receiving it." Both of them nodded.

"Tomorrow, I plan to trade for weapons with Dragon. Steven and Jack will accompany me," Louis announced. Jack asked, puzzled, "What about the weapons we seized last time?" Louis replied, "No need to rush with those; we'll figure it out later. We'll use them sooner or later."

Afterward, Louis asked, "Does anyone have any other questions? If not, let's adjourn." Everyone listened to Louis and then got up, going about their business. Eric was the most eager, immediately heading out to gather intelligence.

The next day, Louis called Emmanuel to arrange the purchase of a batch of weapons. Emmanuel agreed without hesitation. During the transaction, Emmanuel managed to negotiate the firearms' prices down significantly. He wanted to use this opportunity to strengthen Louis's favorable impression of him and had plans to cultivate Nightmare.

Louis spent only two hundred thousand and purchased thirty AKs, fifty handguns, and a considerable amount of ammunition. Steven, holding one of the handguns, commented, "Louis, the quality is really poor compared to the weapons we seized last time."

Jack, holding an AK, added, "Yeah, look at this AK; it's not like the ones we got last time. Could this be made by Dragon?"

Hearing Jack's comment, Steven took an AK and examined it closely, saying, "Yeah, there are some differences."