09:00 PM
Commercial & Industrial District, Ironport
Rion stood inside the elevator of Ren's apartment building, wearing a tailored black suit that fit his frame perfectly—a gift from Ren. Although the bandages around his abdomen still felt restrictive, he stood tall. Ren stood beside him, looking sharp in a formal dress and a long coat.
"Welcome to the real Ironport, Rion," Ren said as the elevator doors opened to the underground parking lot. "This city isn't driven by laws, but by four pillars that absolutely loathe one another."
They climbed into a black sedan driven by Gin, while Shawn sat in the front seat, his hands never leaving a tablet that monitored police radio frequencies. The car glided out, cutting through the city's thick fog.
The First Pillar: Cosa Nostra (The Poison)
The car slowed as it passed through a high-rise area filled with luxury nightclubs. There, men in expensive suits stood before the entrances, guarding the gates to forbidden worldly pleasures.
"Look at those buildings," Ren pointed out. "Cosa Nostra. They hold a monopoly over everything that can make you hallucinate or forget pain. Narcotics, illicit drugs, even chemical labs. They don't use heavy weaponry; they use addiction to control people."
Rion watched a man step out of a luxury car with a pale face and hollow eyes. "They sell nightmares in gold packaging," Rion murmured.
The Second Pillar: Seifong (The Powder)
The car turned toward a bustling Chinatown. Red lanterns swayed in the wind in front of a massive restaurant called Seifong. The scent of roasted duck and spices was strong, but Rion noticed something strange—many of the men leaving the premises weren't carrying food containers, but small, heavy boxes.
"That's the best restaurant in the city," Ren said sarcastically. "But don't expect to order food without a very specific reservation. Behind that kitchen, Seifong produces gunpowder and bullets. If you need ammunition for a small war, they are the only destination."
The Third Pillar: SG - Steel Garrison (The Metal)
They moved to the heavy industrial district, crowded with steel factories that constantly billowed black smoke. In front of a giant warehouse with the SG logo bolted onto the steel gates, military trucks were seen loading large wooden crates.
"SG," Ren explained. "They are the ironmongers. From small pistols to automatic assault rifles. They don't care who wins the war, as long as the bullets come from the guns they sold."
The Fourth Pillar: Boston MC (The Armor)
Finally, they passed a sprawling motorcycle workshop with the deafening roar of Harley engines. Dozens of men in leather vests emblazoned with Boston MC were gathered there, smoking and laughing boisterously.
"Boston MC". Their front is a workshop and a biker community," Ren took a drag of a slim cigarette. "But in reality, they are the masters of physical protection. They manufacture and sell tactical vests and the strongest body armor on the black market. If you want your heart to keep beating after taking a shot, you go to them."
The car continued to drive, leaving the noise of those districts behind for the quieter outskirts. Rion leaned back in his seat, processing the information he had just received. Ironport wasn't just a city; it was a perfect criminal ecosystem.
"Cosa Nostra with their poison, Seifong with their powder, SG with their metal, and Boston MC with their armor," Rion concluded in a low voice. "Then where do we stand, Ren?"
Ren turned to Rion, a mysterious smile playing on her lips. "We aren't on that map yet, Rion. And that is our strength. We are the anomaly that will shatter their balance."
Rion stared out the window, seeing his own reflection against the rain-streaked glass. He was no longer an Osaka Yakuza bound by old traditions. In Ironport, he would be the architect who would unite these fragments of chaos into one unstoppable force.