Brooklyn's Vitriol Restaurant.
This up-and-coming restaurant, featured in a gourmet magazine, is known for its unique structure, fresh ingredients, and a special secret sauce.
The restaurant doesn't have a traditional front door. It's cleverly hidden within the wall.
Once inside, patrons must follow the staff down a dimly lit staircase to reach the main hall.
The hall, all in white, looks like a museum.
Yes, this is an underground restaurant.
Clearly, this restaurant doesn't aim for high volume or rely on word of mouth to attract customers. Its concept ensures that the dishes won't come with a wallet-friendly price.
Today, Vitriol, which typically serves fewer than ten guests at a time, is fully booked by one person. The restaurant owner is feeling conflicted—half pleased, half terrified.
The one who booked it is Mr. Fisk, known by another name: Kingpin.
Fisk doesn't actually like this nickname, though it's a badge of honor given to him by other gangs.
Kingpin.
It means "King of the Underworld."
In a way, this nickname reflects more submission and fear than respect.
But Fisk's dream is to build an unparalleled crime syndicate, one where subservience isn't necessary.
...
Today is a significant day because Fisk is inviting a woman on a date.
Ever since the day he tossed his father piece by piece into the river, his emotions had died. Fortunately, fate gave him another chance.
That's when he met her.
Even more fortunate, she accepted his invitation.
At Fisk's polite request, the restaurant removed all tables except for one small table in the center of the hall, just for the two of them.
The agreed time arrives, and with a group of sharp-dressed men in black suits surrounding them, Fisk, dressed in a navy blue custom suit, and his equally well-dressed female companion sit down promptly.
In the kitchen, the restaurant owner looks at the guests and swallows nervously. He regrets taking this reservation.
Even worse, he never had the right to refuse.
Swallowing again, the owner barks at his staff, "Stay sharp! If anyone messes up tonight, we'll all have the same death anniversary, got it?"
Appetizers, soup, side dishes… the two are having a delightful conversation, and the owner, who serves the dishes himself, finally breathes a sigh of relief.
As the main course is being served, the locked restaurant door opens, and someone steps in.
Wesley is Fisk's most capable subordinate—without a doubt.
As Fisk's subordinate, friend, and even partner, Wesley has done much for Fisk's dream of a criminal empire. He is also the one Fisk trusts the most. Wesley handles most of the gang's affairs.
That's why he can enter this restaurant at such a moment.
Though Wesley has urgent matters to discuss with Fisk, he knows his friend and boss well.
Interrupting him during a meal, especially on a date, would be unwise. Even Wesley wouldn't be spared from Fisk's wrath.
So, he quietly closes the door, raises an eyebrow, and gives them a polite, slightly teasing smile, as if he were a regular guy walking in on his buddy's date. Holding his files, he stands there silently, waiting.
Polite, humble, approachable.
The woman raises her glass and smiles back.
"You have a great subordinate."
Fisk is in a good mood.
"He's more than just my subordinate; he's my best friend."
"You seem to have a good eye for choosing friends."
"Obviously, my best talent isn't just picking friends."
"Oh!"
The woman raises her eyebrows in surprise, clinks her glass with Fisk's. "To your good judgment!"
"Hahaha, I hope I'm not being too forward."
...
After dinner, Fisk escorts the woman home and then gets into Wesley's car. "Thank you, Wesley."
"Wilson," Wesley is the only one who addresses him this way.
"I shouldn't have interrupted, sorry."
Fisk shakes his head, "No, I know something must've happened. Something important, for you to come and find me."
Leaning back in his seat, relaxing, Fisk feels more drained from tonight's dinner than from his usual ten-person training bouts.
"That's why I'm thanking you, Wesley."
"You're welcome, you two seemed like a great match."
After a few moments of rest, Fisk opens his eyes again, reverting back to the Kingpin of the underworld. His voice deep and menacing.
"Tell me, Wesley."
"What happened?"
...
Leon was delighted. First of all, he bought a pot.
As it turns out, if you're willing to spend enough money, you can make your wishes come true. If you can't, it means you haven't spent enough.
Under the power of cash, the landlord agreed to let Leon renovate the kitchen and even helped with it.
The pot and matching cookware were bought by the landlord.
"Money really can make the world go round!" Leon couldn't help but sigh.
This only deepened Leon's desire to make more money.
What a good person! Helping out in a time of need!
Even from a simple poker game at the factory, he managed to win over two thousand dollars.
Are gang benefits this good nowadays?
This is heaven.
Gangs back home always caused trouble, flipping tables, and wouldn't even let you eat!
One star!
Aside from more freedom over meals, the most important thing was the system.
The system's experience was much harder to gain than Leon's personal experience. The former required significantly more. There was only a small white progress bar, slowly filling up.
It was like downloading something that never reaches 100%.
Now Leon knew—it's about three times his personal experience.
Yes.
The system upgraded after Leon's third skill point allocation.
Special thanks to Mr. Fisk for gathering his men together.
In just a few days, Leon spent every night doing this, using "friendly" communication (i.e., beating them up) and sincere requests (i.e., beating them up), to get the address of another gang leader from the enthusiastic Mr. Newman.
After taking down two detergent factories, Leon's character experience shot up to level four, and the system completed its final 1% progress after the last character upgrade.
After several skill points, Leon's physical stats had improved dramatically compared to when he first started.
**[God Among Men System]**
Host: Leon Collins
Attributes:
Strength: 17
Agility: 20
Endurance: 17
Intelligence: 15
Health: 170
...
Aside from one point in Endurance that Leon trained himself, all other increases were from system points.
It's worth noting that Leon's agility reached the system's normal human limit, which rewarded him with a special draw. Leon got this skill from it:
**[Rapid Dash]**
Effect: Dash forward a short distance.
Level: 1
Note: A signature move of the Turtle Master, passed down from the Brazilian Turtle School for hundreds of years.
...
After the system upgrade, there wasn't much change, to be precise, just one change.
**[Reward Pool]**
You can draw equipment, skills, pets, special items, consumables, and non-ranked items.
(70% white, 20% green, 10% blue.)
Each draw costs 200 purification points.
He could now draw blue items!!
Leon checked his purification points: 2,210.
"Hehehehehe…"
(End of Chapter)