After the carriage carrying Richard and his wife had driven away, Brendan returned to his study alone, picked up the cigar he had put down, took another puff, and began to think quietly.
After a while, he rang the bell to summon his butler, Elent.
"Tomorrow morning, take 300 us dollars to visit Liam of the Security Maintenance Association. If Henry and his group go out in the next two days, find a reason to detain them, preferably involving serious injury or loss of life."
"As long as he can detain Henry and cooperate with our subsequent arrangements, there will be another 700 us dollars afterward, and I will also support him to become the president of the Security Maintenance Association three months later."
"Yes, master."
Elent took the order and exited the study, but soon he hurried back in.
"Master, the scout just reported that a large-scale intense gunfight occurred at the Black Market, along with huge explosions. The main building of the Black Market was almost completely destroyed, and the entire building was nearly burned down. Over a hundred bodies were left at the scene, all of them Black Market personnel."
"Doesn't that mean the Denver Black Market is basically wiped out?"
"It seems so."
"Does it affect us much?"
"Mainly the 3,000 us dollar deposit for Henry's bounty, and approximately 2,000 us dollar deposit for two mercenary missions involving over 100 people."
"Pay close attention. The forces behind the Black Market are not that simple. Keep the receipts safe; someone will come forward to give us an explanation."
"Yes, master." Elent exited the study again.
'Which major force attacked the Black Market?
How could such a powerful military force suddenly appear in Denver?
Could it be the State National Guard?
However, the work done by the Black Market easily incurs hatred, offending too many people, so it's hard to guess.
It's a pity that the bounty mission for Henry should be temporarily unexecuted.
But fortunately, he came to Denver.'
Brendan pondered alone in his study, his desire to capture Henry growing more urgent.
After finishing his meal, Henry took out the safe he had just acquired and examined it carefully, realizing that with his Level 4 lock-picking skill, he could open it, but it would take some time.
He put the safe into his spatial storage, planning to study it and the map of Arizona when he had free time later.
Henry took out TNT and electric detonators, preparing 10 packs of 50 pounds each, half with a 20-second delay and half with a 15-second delay.
Next, Henry prepared two packs of Dana black powder explosives, each weighing 500 pounds, one with a one-minute delay and one with a half-minute delay.
With everything ready, the time was already close to 9:30 PM.
Henry went downstairs to check out, retrieved his Quarter Horse from the stable, and began heading towards McKinley Manor, southwest of the city.
By this time, it was completely dark, but a gas street lamp every hundred meters on Colfax Avenue illuminated the entire road.
Henry galloped all the way. Although he hadn't done any reconnaissance beforehand, the McKinley Family's intelligence included a basic description of the manor.
Moreover, it was still early; there were nearly eight hours until dawn.
In the main building of the Black Market Center, Kilian, the sheriff of Danfu City, had a gloomy expression.
With the collapse of this Black Market, he would lose a large sum of extra income.
F*ck! It's almost the end of the month. Couldn't this have happened after I got this month's money?
Kilian spat a thick gob of phlegm onto the ground in anger.
"Sheriff, there are a total of 226 bodies, many of which are unidentifiable. It seems Daysler wasn't found. How should these bodies be handled? The morgue can only hold 36 bodies," Deputy Sheriff Keane asked.
Kilian had a headache. Not only was the money gone, but it was also incredibly troublesome. How could he explain such a massive explosion and gunfight in the city center to the committee?
After a moment of contemplation, Kilian said, "Have the Security Maintenance Association take the bodies to an empty warehouse for the night. Carefully check for any wanted criminals among them, and try to ascertain their identities. At the same time, post a body claim notice at the police station entrance. If no one claims them, send them for burial in the next two days."
"Alright, should I have Liam bring people over?" Keane asked.
Kilian glanced at Keane and nodded silently.
Keane immediately turned to quietly instruct an officer.
'Sigh! Fortunately, those who died should all be Black Market personnel. After so much fighting and killing, retribution has finally arrived.
However, over 200 coffins will also cost a lot of money. We'll have to find a way with the church and the committee.
And there was no intelligence received about a large number of armed personnel entering Danfu City. How could such a serious conflict suddenly erupt?'
Kilian sighed heavily in his heart.
Bowie, the head of the Denver Pinkerton Detective Agency branch, also had a grave expression after hearing his agents' report.
He knew that the Black Market and their Detective Agency had intricate connections.
The two, one operating in the shadows and one in the light, cooperated extensively.
'Which powerful individual did the Black Market offend?
How is it that I don't know anything? Does our Detective Agency's work have such a huge flaw?
In any case, I'll send a telegram to headquarters tomorrow morning to report it.
Also, these next few days, I need to focus the Detective Agency's patrol teams, slow down on accepting new assignments, and first figure out the truth behind the Black Market's destruction.'
Bowie lit a rolled cigarette, took a deep puff, and continued to ponder.
When Richard and his wife returned from McKinley Manor, they passed near the Hamlet Bar and found many people gathered there, noisy and boisterous.
They didn't pry, returning directly to their own manor, where they found several Fresco Town police officers on alert at various positions, and Henry had already gone out.
Edith replied to their questions, "Henry went out shortly after you left. Linda doesn't know where he went either."
Talking about this made Edith feel a wave of frustration, as she had wasted nearly an hour getting herself ready.
Richard and the other person stopped asking questions.
Ten minutes later, Henry arrived at the fork in the exclusive uphill road to McKinley Manor.
The manor was built on the mountainside of a five to six-hundred-meter-high peak, through which the South Platte River flowed, nestled by the mountains and water.
The uphill road could accommodate a four-horse carriage, and the information stated that it was about a mile's walk to reach the manor.
In this regard, it was somewhat similar to Dwyer Manor.
This manor had over 100 private guards year-round.
Henry, in any case, had no intention of sneaking in quietly tonight. For him, luring enemies into pursuit was far easier than launching an assault himself. Therefore, he rode his horse boldly and directly along the mountain path.
However, he re-attached those two sideburns and the handlebar mustache.
Rounding the first bend, about 300 meters long, a cheval de frise with spikes blocked the middle of the road ahead. Three to four meters behind the cheval de frise, to the left, was a granite guard post with a gas lamp hanging on it, and a horse tied to a nearby tree.
Hearing the sound of hooves, three guards emerged from the guard post, pointed their rifles at Henry, and loudly demanded, "Who goes there?"
Henry slowly rode closer, with his hands raised high, and said, "I am a messenger sent by Commissioner Barak of Fresco Town."
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