Chapter 31: The Tide Has Arrived

"Prohibition agents" was a new term, naturally; it had not existed before. But everyone knew exactly what it meant.

"Does anyone know who these people are?"

George looked visibly anxious. He had fought hard to squeeze into this business and paid a heavy price to do so; he didn't want it to fall through now. Despite being the lowest-ranking member present, he spoke up anyway.

John Holt glanced at him but didn't offer a rebuke, stating directly, "According to my intelligence, the core members of the Prohibition agents were drawn directly from the Kingdom Security Bureau. Furthermore, a large number of personnel were transferred from the Special Operations Division of the Constabulary to fill the ranks. You could say they are the elite of the elite."

Silence fell over the room at these words. Everyone knew all too well what kind of existence the Kingdom Security Bureau was. It was arguably the most mysterious department in the kingdom, carrying out the most critical and clandestine missions—usually involving foreign, national, or intercontinental affairs.

They had many famous feats to their name, the most recent being the Ten-Year War of the Old Continent that ended just a few years ago. It was their constant stirring of trouble on the Old Continent that ultimately ignited the war, leaving the Old Continent with no time to look westward, which secured the kingdom's massive development and ushered in a "Golden Decade." They were the sharpest blades and the most astute conspirators; the people of the Old Continent called them the "Devil's Advocates."

As for the Special Operations Division of the Constabulary, they were a force that made the figures of the underworld tremble. A single individual like Lewis had already made things difficult for Ethan, and now, to have people like that sent to serve as Prohibition agents...

"Is it really necessary to be so serious? Everyone is just trying to make a little money. It’s just liquor, after all..."

Haska of the Murich family complained, sounding somewhat uncomprehending, not forgetting to gently smooth his hair to keep his style intact. The others did not respond to his remark; some cast looks of disdain, while others shared his bewilderment.

Ethan took all of this in. He understood quite clearly why the kingdom attached such importance to the Prohibition Act. On one hand, he had read background materials on similar legislation in his past life; on the other, his predecessor in the capital had witnessed how fervent the prohibition movement had become. It wasn't just the nobles, legislators, and wealthy merchants backing it; even the kingdom's princess had stepped down to lead women in protesting alcohol consumption, and there was even a Prohibition Party.

It was a massive political campaign; the kingdom had no choice but to take it seriously.

"In any case, everyone be careful. I will share the latest intelligence with you as soon as I receive it. In business, the most important things are stability and safety."

John Holt delivered what amounted to a concluding statement. Everyone nodded.

Meanwhile, at the port of Winster, the boilers of the massive *Sea God* had been restarted. Thick smoke billowed into the sky, and lines of cargo, like long dragons, were being loaded onto the ship. The giant vessel was about to set sail.

In an inconspicuous corner of the port, a group of men wearing black leather coats and fedoras watched the scene in silence. One of them spoke up: "Boss, why don't we move in now? We could definitely find bootleg liquor in that cargo."

"Shh." The man leading them let out a soft hiss. He was reading a newspaper. After a long moment, he folded it, revealing a resolute face and a conspicuously vibrant purple tie at his collar.

"No need to be so impatient. Even if we find the bootleg, do you think a pittance like that would trouble Captain Charlie? The captain of the *Sea God* is no small-time player. Besides, what if we scare off the snakes and vermin of Winster? I’ve told you many times: the most important thing in business isn't what you can get right in front of you, but what we aim to achieve in the end. Let’s pack it up."

He turned to leave, took two steps, then tossed the newspaper to the subordinate behind him. "Oh, and find this person from the paper. A stray dog—he might just be useful."

The wind ruffled the newspaper. The front-page headline featured a picture of Ethan giving a passionate speech, juxtaposed with an image of Lewis's violent enforcement.

***

Ethan did not know that the Prohibition agents they had been discussing had already quietly infiltrated Winster. After the meeting, he planned to have lunch and then inspect his two bootleg factories. The liquor business was currently the most important priority; that was beyond doubt.

"Young Master, there is something I need to report to you."

Just as he was considering where to eat, Anya spoke up.

"What is it?"

"I have finished investigating the matter regarding Bob Alder that you asked me to look into."

"What about him?" Ethan had not forgotten. Bob Alder had seemed restless from the moment they first met. Later, when he acquired the factory in the southern suburbs of George, Bob had been present at the signing of the contract, but his state of mind had still been poor.

"He is fighting for custody of his daughter."

"He's a lawyer, isn't he?" Ethan was puzzled. Bob Alder was a lawyer himself; would he really be troubled by such a thing?

"The problem is, his opponent is also a lawyer," Anya replied, adding, "It happened like this: after Al was attacked, the family was in a dire state. Later, under Sandro’s mediation, they prepared for a truce. At that time, everyone thought the Poleta family was finished. Bob’s law firm thought the same, so they proposed ending their partnership. Al agreed. Bob had worked for the family for a long time and had some attachment, so he offered to carve out the business separately for himself to help settle some of the aftermath. That’s where the problem began."

Ethan nodded, signaling her to continue.

"After the business was carved out to him personally, he was fired by the firm." Anya’s tone remained flat, making even this dramatic turn of events sound like a matter of course. "Then, his wife filed for divorce, demanding all of his assets and custody of their daughter."

"Did his wife go insane?"

"Quite the opposite; she is very clever. She has actually been having an affair with Bob’s boss, Murphy Dimel, for a long time. There is reason to suspect that the business separation, the divorce, and the demands for assets and custody were a conspiracy they plotted together."

"So, Bob is likely to end up unemployed, bankrupt, and stripped of everything—including his daughter—and the catalyst was our family?" Ethan rubbed his brow. It was no wonder Bob had looked so restless every time he saw him. Anyone facing such a situation would be unable to sit still.

"Where is he now?"

"According to the investigation, today should be their final out-of-court settlement negotiation. He should be at the Dimel Law Firm right now."

"Let's go. Let's take a look."