Apocalypse: becoming the hidden Ruler

"He made it clear that he stands with Declan. Didn't hesitate, didn't flinch, even knowing it might piss you off. That kind of move sticks in people's minds."

"Strength isn't the issue here. The problem is perception. Everyone in the gang now sees him as one of Declan's men. If you kill him—even if you do it clean—everyone will know it was us. And that? That's a direct slap in the boss's face."

Silence filled the room. The other two enforcers glanced at each other, realizing that Caden had a point. Declan might act easygoing most of the time, but when he got pissed, he had no problem cutting people loose—permanently. As much as Blackstone hated to admit it, he wasn't in a position to challenge him yet.

Declan was already a mid-tier third-level combat awakener. Blackstone was still stuck at the peak of the second level. If it came down to a real fight, he knew damn well who'd come out on top.

He exhaled sharply. "Alright, Caden. Enough with the suspense. You've got something in mind—I can see it in your eyes. Spill it."

Caden's lips curled into a grin. His fingers worked at his beard with increasing speed, nearly twisting it into a knot.

"Oh, I've got a plan," he said. "I call it… the alienation strategy."

Blackstone's men had no more objections. Now, all three of them listened intently as Caden laid out his plan.

"What kind of alienation strategy?" Blackstone asked, frowning.

"That shit's an outsider—no one knows where he really came from. And that gives us an opportunity."

Caden narrowed his eyes, clearly relishing the role of mastermind. "Sure, he made his allegiance clear. But what about his past? Doesn't it seem a little too convenient how he just showed up when he did?"

The others stopped talking. They were finally starting to see where he was going.

"Now, picture this possibility—" Caden stood up, casually spinning a pistol in his hand as he spoke, his tone slow and deliberate. "There's someone out there who knows exactly how our gang operates. Knows that you, Blackstone, control the Exotic Beast Pill trade. Knows that Declan isn't happy about that."

His voice carried an eerie rhythm, forcing the three to focus.

"So, this person decides the best way to shake things up is to plant someone on the inside. But the infiltrator can't be too strong, because Declan doesn't trust powerful newcomers. At the same time, he can't be too weak, or he'd never qualify to take over the trade."

"So, they dress Axel up as some lone outsider—strong, full of potential, but with no real backing—forcing him into the life-or-death arena."

"And then?" Caden smirked. "They stage a spectacular fight to make sure the right people take notice."

The two other men looked at each other, still struggling to piece it together. But Blackstone got it. He shook his head repeatedly. "That's a stretch. And even if it were true, how could they guarantee Axel would beat Harrison?"

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They all knew Harrison's strength. Axel's victory had been a fluke at best.

Caden had expected this doubt. He leaned in slightly and spoke casually. "What if that person was Zachary?"

The room went dead silent. The only person who could pull off something like that was Zachary.

"No way," one of the men muttered. "Harrison's been following Zachary for years. Why the hell would Zachary have him killed just to plant an infiltrator?"

Caden was ready for this, too. "Think about it. The Exotic Beast Pill trade has nothing to do with Zachary."

"The major gangs are all fighting over it, but Zachary never gave a shit in the begining. Now He's the only one of the three big bosses on Baird Street without a hand in it. But now...."

"Planting someone on the inside would give him a direct line to the Crowe Society, meaning he'd get access to first-hand Exotic Beast Pill shipments. Now tell me—doesn't that sound like motivation?"

The three of them sat in heavy silence.

The burly man who had questioned Caden earlier scratched his cheek. "Shit… now that you put it that way, it makes sense. Is Axel Zachary's mole?"

Caden sighed, shaking his head. "Whether he is or isn't doesn't matter. What matters is making Declan believe he is."

"Sure, some of what I just said doesn't hold up to scrutiny. Like, how exactly did Zachary convince Harrison to die for this plan?"

"But with Declan's personality? Details don't matter. You all know how he operates."

That last line sealed it. Blackstone immediately understood what Caden was getting at—better than anyone else in the room.

Declan was naturally suspicious. He never trusted anyone completely. No matter how much Blackstone had done for the gang, Declan always found ways to keep him in check, to stop him from rising too high.

Blackstone had swallowed that resentment for years. Drowned it in booze. But over time, the anger only grew, and gradually developed other ideas.

"This plan is solid," Blackstone decided. "How do we execute it?"

One of the biggest reasons Caden worked for Blackstone was that the man didn't hesitate. He wasn't the type to second-guess or get cold feet. When a plan was set, he followed through.

"It's simple," Caden said, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Axel's got a sharp mind, sure, but at the end of the day, he's just a level-one. We need someone strong enough to fabricate proof of him secretly communicating with Zachary."

"Then, we make sure the boss stumbles upon that evidence 'accidentally.' That's all it takes."

"With Declan's paranoia, once he sees even the smallest trace, he'll start filling in the blanks on his own. And once doubt creeps in, it'll fester. Even if he doesn't kill Axel right away, he'll never fully trust him again."

The others exchanged glances, already convinced.

"Mr. Blackstone, you're the best one for the job," Caden added, his tone smooth. "The timing just has to be right."

Blackstone tapped his fingers against the table, thinking it through. Then, a wicked grin split his face. He let out a short laugh and slammed his palm against the wood.

"This is nothing!" he said. "Caden, you've outdone yourself again!"

Sure, there were a few gaps in the plan, but creating fake evidence was child's play. Some letters from Axel to Zachary, a few staged photos of him talking with Zachary's men—it wasn't rocket science.

"Of course, don't act too fast," Caden warned. "You should shadow him for a while, find the perfect moment to set things in motion."

Blackstone nodded. That made sense. No need to rush.

Meanwhile, Caden leaned back, smirking to himself. He loved setting up these self-righteous types. He couldn't wait to see the look on Axel's face when everything fell apart—it was one hell of a show.

"It's good to have connections." That was something Axel had learned quickly.

The Steel Serpents had set him and Gabriel up with a small shared room, split by a thin partition. It wasn't fancy, but at least they didn't have to pay for it. If it weren't for Gabriel covering their expenses the past few days, Axel would've been feeling the financial sting by now.

Right now, Gabriel was sprawled on his bed, snacking and watching TV, while Axel focused on his training.

Their place was located on the outskirts of Sin City, near the farmlands beyond Baird Street. It was quiet, the kind of area where you could see fields stretching out into the distance.

Axel had spent some time absorbing Blood Refining Stones and was in a great mood.

Lachlan had given them to him as compensation, and up until now, he hadn't gotten around to using them. While they weren't as potent as Life Crystals, they were leagues better than regular raw stones.