America gains both fame and fortune

Chapter 37: Under the Trolls
After get off work in the evening, Bruce continued to hitchhike with Martin.

He thought about what Martin said and said, "Hart and the guys from the Men's Group believe that you can bring in more revenue, so they are willing to go with you to protest against the Methodist Association."

Martin certainly knew this: "Don't worry, I will let them continue to call me dad."

Bruce asked, "Reward for news informants? I guess we're all on the blacklist."

"That's easy. You can ask Monica to make the call, and Hart and the others can ask their wives or friends to make the call." Martin turned the car closer to the Baka community: "The boss agreed to give subsidies based on the hourly wage."

He thought for a moment and then said, "I'll go to the Liberty Club on Monday to see if I can get some sponsorship. Old Bull, this may not work, so don't tell me yet."

Ford stopped at the intersection and Bruce got out: "Don't worry, I'm not an idiot like you."

The car door closed, Martin stepped on the accelerator and drove away, leaving Bruce smoking there.

Bruce was angry: "I hope you get robbed by Blackie when you go back!"

Martin stretched his left arm out of the car window and gave him a middle finger.

The car drove to the intersection turning towards the Clayton community. Under one of the few street lights that were still on, two white men stood up, holding white plastic bags in their hands and gesturing towards Martin.

Martin had encountered this vendor selling seaweed and flour before.

He didn't slow down and kept going.

Only a few dozen meters away, a sharp brake sound was heard from behind.

Martin subconsciously looked at the rearview mirror and saw a pickup truck rushing to the intersection. The two white men turned around and ran. After they ran a few steps, flames flashed from the open passenger and rear doors of the pickup truck.

boom--

All are equal under the trolls.

The two white men fell to the ground.

Martin drove very fast all the way into the backyard. He felt the gun inside his clothes and felt a little safer.

"Fuck him!" Seeing the scenery with his own eyes, Martin burst out with the curse deep in his heart: "Troll!"

Although there are drug dealers around the community, Clayton is not the most chaotic community and is much better than the black and Latino communities.

It was the first time Martin saw a shooting since he came over.

He washed his face, calmed himself down, closed the doors and windows, and waited for a while. The community was still quiet, so he went to bed.

In the early hours of the morning, Martin was awakened from his sleep by gunshots that sounded not far away.

Martin picked up his pistol and cell phone and stood guard behind the brick and stone load-bearing wall at the door.

The roar of car and motorcycle engines was heard, and gunshots were heard intermittently.

He called Elena, and when the call was connected, he said, “Close the doors and windows, don’t come out!”

Elena said, "I know, idiot, you shouldn't go out either! Your crappy pistol isn't even useful for shooting birds!"

Martin hung up the phone and called 911.

I guess many people in the community called the police.

The sirens didn't sound.

There are no human rights in poor communities.

When the gunshots died down and the roar of the motor faded away, the sound of sirens finally came from a distance.

After dawn, Martin and Elena went to the crime scene to take a look.

The wooden walls of the house, less than 150 meters away from Carter's home, were riddled with bullet holes like a hornet's nest, and the blood on the dirt had dried up and turned dark black.

The police set up a cordon.

Martin saw Mr. Wood and asked, "What happened?"

Wood arrived early and learned some things: "I heard that the black gangs from the south came to rob goods and markets, and had a fight with Jackson and his gang. Four people died. Our broken community is going to be in chaos in the future."

The middle-aged man next to him asked, "I'm going to buy a gun, are you guys coming?"

Elena replied: "Oh my god! Whoever dares to break into my house, I will beat his pig head!"

Martin went back to drive and called Bruce at the same time, asking Bruce and Monica to go to the gun store together.

Bruce said, “Last night, a trafficker also died in the Baka community.”

Martin was thankful: "If we go this way, we will end up the same way." The atmosphere in the car was a bit heavy. The four of them were all from low-income families and had not received a good education. Only Bruce was better off because he had served in the army.

Martin parked his car in front of the gun store and said, "Everyone, let me say something unpleasant. Don't fall into the quagmire in the future. No one will lend a hand to help poor people like us."

Bruce seemed to understand: "So, you have always been working part-time."

Martin opened the car door: "I am just a part-time hourly wage earner, I don't know anything else."

Elena and Monica were puzzled: "What are these two idiots talking about?"

The four people got out of the car and went to the gun store to choose guns.

Martin had a pistol, but after what happened last night, his fear of insufficient firepower set in.

He wants to buy a rifle.

Elena also wants to buy a rifle.

According to Georgia law, there are no restrictions on purchasing long guns and no license is required.

The two followed the advice of Bruce, a professional, and chose a shotgun that suited them.

Bruce bought an AR.

When the community environment deteriorates to a certain extent, they have no choice but to take up arms.

After practicing shooting for a whole morning, Martin reminded Elena when he returned: "Keep the gun safe and don't let the idiot Hall get it. I suspect he will blow his head off."

Elena snorted: “He’s not as stupid as you.”

That evening, another shooting occurred in the north of the Clayton community.

The war between the gangs continues.

After get off work, Martin simply slept in the living room of Carter's house with a shotgun.

At breakfast in the morning, Hall complained, "We should take the initiative and blow those bastards' heads off."

Lily sneered: "Your head will be blown up first."

Elena, who was always optimistic and cheerful, looked at her younger brother and sister and was so heavy that she was speechless.

Harris felt inexplicable pressure and suddenly raised his head: "I...I will find a way to make money and move you to a better community."

"This is the only way." Martin couldn't think of any other way. It was rare to see patrol police in this shabby place, and even the police who were called were unwilling to come.

He asked Harris, “How are you going to make money?”

Elena took over: “I’m going to stick to buying lottery tickets!”

Martin could only say that she was worthy of being Elena.

But she went on to say: “I wrote down all the cocktail recipes you gave me and have been practicing them.”

Martin asked Lily for paper and pen and wrote down some recipes for Elena.

After breakfast, Martin sent Elena to the Methodist Church. He remembered something and asked, "Is the Methodist Church going to hold a large-scale training recently?"

Elena said, "Targeting the stupid believers and their idiot children, at the Methodist training center where you took over my place last time." She reacted very quickly, "Are you going to cause trouble again?"

Martin thought for a moment and said, "Go if you have time, and help me keep an eye out for Milton."

"I know him," Elena said, "He stinks of something like the inherent sinfulness of people like me."

She was very interested: "Do you want me to follow him secretly? This way I can help you more..."

Martin interrupted her: "Just attend the training peacefully and pay attention to when Milton comes over. Don't do anything else. You can't do complicated things."

Elena was so angry that her chest hurt: "My IQ crushes you, idiot!"

Martin glanced at her rapidly rising and falling chest and said, "Okay, I admit, I can crush her."

The Ford stopped in front of the lottery shop, Elena got out to buy lottery tickets, and asked, "Are you free at noon?"

Martin shook his head: "Probably not. I'm going to consult a patent lawyer and then go to the Liberty Association."

Elena was surprised: "Patent lawyer?" She remembered: "The handicraft you told Lily about?"

Martin said, "Almost. I'll go ask first."

(End of this chapter)