PART 12

Wesley was not convinced: "The crime rate of Hell's Kitchen under Kingpin's rule is lower than ever before. Doesn't that prove something?"

Jason stood up and strongly argued, "What is the cost that New York has paid for the data you mentioned? Black market firearms, drug dealing, casinos, and human trafficking are rampant. Legal businesses have to pay a protection fee to Kingpin and his associates. and his business rivals end up dead and dumped in the New York Harbor. The blood on Kingpin's hands can never be washed away. Do you want me to go on?"

Wesley was left speechless and couldn't defend Kingpin's actions, so he reluctantly said, "At least, those innocent lives have been saved."

Jason sneered, "You can't justify it that easily. Wake up, Wesley. We are all criminals, and Kingpin is just committing atrocities in the name of change. I see it clearly, but you are blinded by Kingpin's rhetoric."

"Shut up!" Wesley snapped.

Wesley blushed and became increasingly anxious, "I don't want to discuss these topics with you anymore, and I don't have the answers you're looking for. Please leave my house."

Jason leaned back in his chair and teased, "Then please provide an answer, or I'll just stay here indefinitely and you'll have to cook for me."

Wesley was at a loss, "Jason, why are you so fixated on me? You know a lot of people."

"Because you're Kingpin's gang's manager, and the person most likely to have information on the matter."

"And with a 3 million dollar bounty on my head, I'm sure my old associates are eagerly awaiting my arrival to turn me in for the reward."

Wesley let out a tired sigh and sat down on the stairs. He knew that Jason was counting on him to provide some information, but he didn't want to talk about the topic anymore. However, after a few moments of silence, Wesley's expression suddenly changed, as if he had just realized something important.

Wesley sat on the stairs looking tired, but suddenly lifted his head with a look of realization.

Wesley sat on the stairs, feeling tired and defeated. Jason was relying on him and wouldn't leave until he got the answers he wanted.

After a few minutes of silence, Wesley's head lifted up, and he looked like he knew something important.

"There is a situation," he said.

"Say," replied Jason.

"Since you betrayed Kingpin, he ordered an internal purge. Your territory was fully recovered, all your associates were executed, and even your former subordinates were reassigned to sites outside New York," Wesley explained.

Jason remained calm and unsurprised, but then Wesley dropped a bombshell.

"But... there is one exception."

"Who?" Jason demanded.

"Paul!" Wesley revealed.

Jason was stunned and then angry. "You better make sure what you say is true, otherwise..."

"I know the consequences, so I dare not lie," Wesley assured him.

Jason glared at him, but Wesley's expression remained firm.

"Shit!" Jason cursed and slammed his fist on the bar.

Paul, his most trusted confidant. How could he betray him like this?

After sitting in silence for a while, Jason stood up and prepared to leave.

"Don't change your phone number, I will continue to contact you," he told Wesley.

"FUCK YOU Jason! I swear this is the last time I will help you," Wesley replied angrily.

But Jason had one last card up his sleeve. He showed Wesley a video of his wife, the adulterer whose palm was interrupted, and their conversation just now.

"There is a video of your wife, the recording of our conversation, and the adulterer whose palm I broke. If you don't want to be troubled by the NYPD or Kingpin, you know what to do," Jason threatened.

Wesley's anger boiled over, and he wanted to draw his gun and shoot Jason. But he knew that would be a death sentence.

Instead, he sat there in defeat, realizing that he had no choice but to do as Jason said.

Wesley looked at Jason angrily and stretched out his finger, "I'll help you three times, but you must delete all the video and audio files. No copies are allowed."

Jason shook his phone and said with a sarcastic smile, "I'll eat off you for the rest of my life."

After speaking, he pushed open the door and left.

Wesley stared blankly at Jason's back and stumbled to the ground

Leaving Wesley's villa, Jason made his way towards an apartment building five blocks away where Paul resided. Although the apartments there were not as luxurious as Jason's high-rise Manhattan apartment or Wesley's lawn villa, they were still desirable and unaffordable for most people.

Jason was deeply concerned and his pace quickened as he walked. After more than half an hour, he arrived at a ten-story apartment building, with Paul's residence on the fifth floor.

Standing outside the building, Jason looked up at the pitch-black window on the fifth floor and hurried inside.

He knocked on Paul's door, several times in a row, and an angry voice came from inside the room.

"What the hell!"

Jason lowered his voice and said, "It's me."

"Oh, shit!"

The sound of panic was audible from inside the room.

Finally, after a moment, the door squeaked open.

A young black man in his early twenties, wearing shorts and a T-shirt, peeked his head out.

"Boss."

"Hey, Paul."

The two men stared at each other for a few seconds in the hallway, then Paul moved aside and gestured for Jason to enter.

Once inside the apartment, Paul quickly checked the hallway before closing the door behind him to ensure there were no unwanted visitors.

After entering the room, Paul looked outside the door and closed it immediately after confirming that there was nothing abnormal.

The apartment was not big, but it was kept clean and tidy, obviously not something a single man could do.

"Boss, why are you here?"

Paul came over and asked, looking a little nervous.

Jason sighed and slumped weakly on the sofa, "I had a falling out with Kingpin. He's now chasing me all over the city, almost killing me. I have nowhere else to go, so I came here to hide for a while."

Hearing this, Paul's expression relaxed a lot, and he patted his chest, "Boss, you can stay here with peace of mind. Kingpin never thought you would hide here."

"Thank you, Paul."

Jason raised his head and asked, "Are Lisa and the children asleep?"

At the mention of his family, a happy smile appeared on Paul's face, "I was just woken up. Lisa is breastfeeding. After they finish, they'll fall asleep soon."

Jason quickly apologized, "I'm sorry to bother you."

Paul waved his hand gently and said indifferently, "Don't say that. If you hadn't rescued me from Hell's Kitchen, I might have died there long ago."

"You took me in, taught me how to fight, taught me how to shoot, and taught me how to survive in this world. Even the mortgage for this apartment was paid off by you. You are my benefactor for the rest of my life. This kindness..."

"Okay, okay, don't get too sentimental. You know I don't like that."

"Right, I mean, as long as you want, you can stay here forever."

Jason nodded and asked, "Let's talk about that later. Is there any food in the house? I'm starving."

Paul smiled and said, "There's pizza in the kitchen. Wait a moment, Boss, I'll heat it up."

After saying that, Paul went to the kitchen, took out the pizza from the fridge, and put it in the oven to heat it up.

Once done, he stuck his head out and glanced at the living room, then took out his mobile phone and quickly typed a message.

"Jason is at my place. Come quickly!"