Hannah hadn’t forgotten about the seafood either. She had stead large crabs, plump shrimp, and other fresh seafood that Vietnam is known for, placing it all in front of Hera.
As Hera surveyed the spread, she felt a pang of hunger, but also a sense of being overwheld. The al in front of her seed to be enough for four or more people.
It dawned on her that perhaps Hannah had prepared such a generous feast because she’d anticipated Leo, Luke, Dave, Zhane, and Rafael joining them for the al as they often did. It has beco a habit, one that had led Hannah to prepare far more food than needed.
Realizing that the n who had always been by her side, never leaving her alone, were now all consud with work and too busy to even step away from their offices for a al, Hera couldn’t help but feel a slight dip in her mood.
However, she quickly reminded herself that they truly couldn’t help it. They were all genuinely swamped with responsibilities, working long hours and even sleeping in their offices, often with their assistants by their sides.
Dave was deeply involved in the war on drugs, working closely with the governnt departnt responsible for tackling the issue.
They had been raiding location after location, relentlessly cracking down on various drug operations.
Dave personally oversaw every operation, ensuring that no crucial information was overlooked and that his n remained focused. He couldn’t afford any lapses in discipline that might delay their efforts.
Dave also used this opportunity to root out corruption within the governnt, targeting spies and officials who had been protecting the cartels in exchange for bribes.
The issue quickly gained attention from the public, with netizens closely following the developnts and celebrating every ti Dave brought in results.
His image soared on the national level, and many saw him as a strong leader who was committed to the country’s well-being. However, neighboring countries had a different perspective.
They criticized Dave for bypassing the judicial process, labeling him a brute. This only added more pressure to his already heavy workload.
His response? "What’s more important: the innocent lives of the victims or the lives of the criminals? While both are lives, we must be clear about who we’re protecting. We can’t act like saints trying to save everyone—it’s just not possible in these tis."
This response effectively silenced much of the criticism from other countries, but not entirely.
While Luke focused on reviewing investnts for the next quarter, he made sure Alice wouldn’t get a part of the film he was investing in. Simultaneously, he was supporting Dave’s war on drugs, leveraging his underworld connections as informants.
Dave kept their collaboration under tight wraps, ensuring the information was protected and no trace could be linked back to Luke.
Luke also kept a close watch on Black Puma’s movents, uncertain whether a clash was inevitable or if there was potential for cooperation. Both Black Puma and the Northern Faction had beco increasingly secretive in their actions.
anwhile, Luke quietly expanded his own territory, absorbing rival factions. By day, he ran operations from his office doing investnts, but by night, he led his n in territorial skirmishes.
Those who surrendered were monitored to see if they could be recruited into his faction; those who resisted were swiftly eliminated.
The reason Luke was juggling all these operations while Dave focused on his war on drugs was strategic—he intended to use Dave’s efforts as a convenient scapegoat if things went awry.
For instance, if Luke had to wipe out an entire gang during a territorial dispute, he could easily spin it in the dia. Since mafia wars were ant to stay in the shadows, Luke could cover his tracks by tying the incident to Dave’s operations.
The casualties on Luke’s side could be frad as casualties involved with the drug cartels, thereby relieving Luke of direct responsibility and shifting the burden onto Dave’s war on drugs.
Following Luke’s actions, Zhane was also heavily involved in the statewide war on drugs alongside Dave.
Zhane’s role was crucial: he was responsible for analyzing the substances in the perfu-based drug circulating among the public, which was causing harm to everyday citizens and damaging properties.
By studying the chemical makeup of the drug, Zhane was able to report back to Dave with detailed information on its ingredients. Even if the cartels attempted to smuggle in the ingredients separately to avoid detection, Zhane’s precise analysis ensured that Dave could still track down the sources.
No matter how the cartels tried to outmaneuver the authorities, Zhane’s expertise in identifying the aphrodisiac compounds gave Dave the upper hand, allowing them to pinpoint and raid the facilities where the ingredients were being sourced.
On the other hand, Rafael played a crucial role in manipulating the dia, controlling what could and couldn’t be reported.
Whenever sothing significant happened, he was always quick to devise a solution, ensuring that Dave and Luke’s actions were never portrayed negatively.
By managing the narrative, he made sure only positive stories about their efforts reached the public, preventing any backlash. Their enemies were the cartels, drug dealers, and all those involved in the illicit activities, but if the dia turned against them, even their most justified actions could be twisted.
Dave’s efforts could be misrepresented as murder, and the clean-up operation could be spun as a cover for dark deeds, making everything look like an abuse of power.
In a ti like this, controlling the dia wasn’t just about reputation; it was about survival. If the governnt’s reputation faltered in the public eye, it would lose the people’s trust.
Those with ulterior motives could seize this opportunity to sow discord, turning public opinion against the governnt.
The country could crumble from within, leaving it vulnerable to manipulation by other nations, who would offer themselves as saviors, only to install officials who would serve their own interests. Slowly but surely, the country could be colonized without the people even realizing it.
Dave ensured that Rafael was actively involved in managing the dia, allowing him to preempt any negative publicity before it could reach the public. Rafael skillfully guided public opinion, ensuring that the people recognized the efforts of Dave and his team in the war on drugs.
As a result, the public began to view Dave and his allies as heroes, dedicated to protecting the masses and securing a safer future for the next generation, especially the children. This shift in perception made the public feel more secure, knowing that their safety was being prioritized.
The authorities working with Dave found imnse fulfillnt in knowing their actions were appreciated, receiving heartfelt thanks from the public. This recognition beca a powerful motivator, fueling their resolve to keep going.
After all, constant criticism can drain any official’s morale and lead to disillusionnt, even tempting so to defect to the other side. Although not all public officials thought this way, Dave had noticed that many who had turned against the cause shared this mindset.
To prevent that, he asked Rafael to help guide the narrative, ensuring they remained united in their mission to protect the people and, above all, Hera. With this collective sense of purpose, they all felt stronger together, working toward a common goal.
But Leo? He had vanished again, as if he had entered another world entirely, one they couldn’t see. All they knew was that he was incredibly busy—so much so that he barely had ti to check in.
The only ssages he was sending to Hera was a brief, ti-checked reminders like, "Good morning," "Don’t forget to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner," or the occasional, "I miss you," and "Wait for , wifey. I’ll be back soon."
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