The Mafia Empire
Chapter 51: Chapter 51 Wood & Colt Schemes

So when Ernst suggested tracing the supply chain back to the source through Colt's bar, Wood's face darkened. He had always looked down on Colt and now had to ask for his help. However, he knew this was a serious matter and couldn't let his personal feelings interfere.

As for why they couldn't approach other bars, it was because every bar in Ternell was either controlled by gangs or owned by the families of important people. None of them would agree to their request, not wanting to get involved in a brewing war.

Colt was their only choice. Their only option.

...

"Uncle Wood..." The moment the office door was suddenly pushed open, Colt's expression turned fierce as he glared at the person entering. He was just about to hurl some harsh words when one of the two individuals, the one trailing behind, removed his bowler hat, revealing his meticulously slicked-back hair. As soon as Colt saw that hair, he knew exactly who had come. That head was all too familiar.

Colt quickly stood up, putting on a respectful expression. He hurried over, taking Wood's hat and coat and hanging them on a rack nearby.

Although Wood didn't like his freeloading nephew, he had to admit that, no matter how much you showed him disdain or cursed him, Colt would still wag his tail and stick to you like glue, shamelessly trying to please. Colt had reached the highest level of brazen shamelessness. Wood's expression softened a bit as he surveyed Colt's office.

As someone who prided himself on being a refined gentleman since his rise to prominence, Wood had developed strict standards for both his own life and those around him.

There were two glass-fronted bookshelves in the office, filled with books, which pleased Wood. Books were the steps to human progress, and reading more was always beneficial. On the wall hung a taxidermy of a large antelope, its enormous horns twisted and menacing. Even in the wild, carnivorous predators would shy away from such a majestic animal.

However, its presence here signified that, in the natural world, it remained weak in comparison to humans.

The office was tastefully decorated, and Wood nodded in satisfaction. He walked behind the desk and sat down. Colt, while greeting Wood's assistant, busied himself grinding coffee beans for Wood. "It's rare for you to visit. Is there something you need me to do? Just say the word, and I'll do my best to get it done.

It will surely pay off."

Wood was accustomed to Colt's sly and opportunistic ways. If it weren't for his wife's fondness for this nephew, Colt would have been sent to the slaughterhouse long ago.

"Do you have any First Love or Snow Elf here?" Wood asked, leaning forward with his hands on the desk and looking directly at Colt.

Colt nodded without hesitation. "Yes, I recently bought a batch, and it almost wiped out all my savings!" He sighed, "It's expensive, but sales have been pretty good."

Wood had remarkable patience. If he were ten years younger, he would have picked up the 10 kilogram crystal ashtray on the desk and hurled it at Colt. He wasn't here to ask for repayment or borrow money, so why was Colt leading with how broke he was?

Taking a deep breath, Wood brushed it off as trivial and not worth getting angry over. He then asked, "Do you know a man named Graf, from the Guar people?"

At the mention of Graf, Colt instantly understood that Wood's visit wasn't really about him. His smile became more genuine as he placed the coffee pot on the stove and sat down in a chair. "Of course, I know him. Graf is somewhat well known among the Guars, a good hearted fellow. He's the one in charge of the First Love and Snow Elf business right now."

Wood looked at Colt. "Good. I want you to tell him that First Love and Snow Elf are sold out and to send another batch."

Colt was momentarily stunned and immediately grasped the situation. He was well aware of Wood's business, having heard about it from his aunt, and he had even dealt with Wood himself. Knowing what Wood was up to, Colt wasn't worried about getting dragged into this conflict. With Wood's connections and methods, he was sure to bring Graf's backers to their knees.

Feeling a surge of excitement, Colt scooted his chair forward, curiosity and eagerness in his voice. "Has he offended you? That damned Guar, a country bumpkin!" He spat out a few curses at Graf before continuing, "I have no objections if you want to deal with Graf... but once that's settled, could you let me take over the distribution of this new product?"

The idea had ignited a stronger desire in Colt. With Wood's support, he could use these two products to become a major player in Ternell, second only to the top three. The prospect was too tempting. However, when he saw Wood give him a disdainful glance and shake his head, Colt knew his ambitions were dashed.

Leaning back in his chair lazily, Colt spoke with a hint of bitterness, "Uncle Wood, it's not that I don't want to help you, but as I mentioned earlier, all my working capital is tied up in this batch, so I can't afford to pay for a new shipment right now."

If he couldn't get the big reward, he might as well drink from the pot for now. Plus, buying a new batch of alcohol wasn't cheap. Even last time, when they only required a third of the payment upfront, it was still a considerable sum.

Predictably, Wood's eyes twitched. He pulled out his checkbook, glaring at Colt with a look that showed just how much he detested him. Colt, however, grinned shamelessly. "Fifteen thousand!"

"Fifteen thousand? How could it possibly add up to that?" Wood asked, frowning as a drop of ink fell onto the checkbook. He'd heard that the bottles sold for around ten or so each, so how could it possibly add up to fifteen thousand?