New Gods of North America.

Chapter 598 "Slingshot"

The same "communication" was repeated three more times.
Wayne then visited almost every gang that had territorial overlap with the Sailors.

In fact, according to Lina's investigation, there are actually more than just these few gangs in this area that are fighting each other for territory.

However, the changes in the distribution of power in the dock area are actually somewhat "step-like". When things are stable, they are relatively stable, but when there are changes, it is easy for "local collapses" to occur. After a period of turmoil, new stability will be restored.

Therefore, Wayne will temporarily skip over some smaller gangs that are a bit too far away or not big enough to affect the surrounding situation, and wait and see when it will be their turn.

Currently, loading and unloading at the docks is still primarily done by manpower, with animal power only playing a supporting role. Although some handling equipment has begun to be used, it is still not efficient enough. For any large vessel, loading and unloading can take at least a day and a half.
Therefore, in order to improve freight efficiency, the only option was to win by volume and adopt a "multi-threaded parallel" model. The riverside of the dock area was built like a cactus, and almost all the flat areas that could be used were developed. Docks were built into the St. James River like thorns on a cactus.

Besides the "dock" in the narrow sense, the dock area also includes supporting warehousing and logistics areas, as well as "service areas" for ships and sailors, living quarters for laborers and employees, and so on.

Only by enclosing all these areas can we define Richmond's complete "dock area"—the government and military also have their own dedicated dock facilities, but these are generally not included in the calculation.

The sailors' territory was part of the cactus's "skin," occupying several docks and a portion of the surrounding "service area."
In terms of area, it is about one-tenth of the "surface" along the coast. If placed in the entire dock area, the proportion should be divided by at least two.

However, this method of division is actually quite crude. For example, a "territory" might house hundreds of people, but the gang members might only number a dozen or so at most. Their distribution density in different territories often varies.

Most people are busy making a living, and the "rule" of gangs is not a very solid thing. Outsiders can only get a general idea of ​​territory, while people in the gangs have a more detailed understanding.

Having initially secured several "channels" to keep them on the sidelines regarding the Sailors' Gang's affairs, and declaring that it wouldn't affect the detective agency's luncheon meat sales, Wayne took the opportunity to check on the salesmen's work.
When I arrived at the scene, a table that had been hastily made the night before had been smashed. The salesmen were still trying to sell their wares to passersby near the stalls. They were enthusiastic but had few customers, and some people even walked around them.

The leader of these new members is called "Slingshot," and his abilities largely match his nickname. He can launch small objects from his hand; while not as powerful as a pistol, his accuracy within a certain range is quite good.
It's a pity he was born in the wrong era, otherwise he would have been a martial arts master at the very least—if he touched the enemy directly, the effect would be equivalent to "hitting him with a hammer," which would feel like he had already entered the stage of "having internal strength."

Upon seeing Wayne, "Slingshot" was a little embarrassed: "Boss, we've been here for almost a day, and we've only sold less than a quarter of the luncheon meat so far."

“That’s normal. You’ve only been here for one day, and this place is close to the docks. Even if the workers are interested, they’ll wait until they finish work, get paid, and go home before buying anything. It’s still early.”

After Wayne finished speaking, he gestured with his chin toward the broken table next to him. "Someone's causing trouble?"

"Slingshot" nodded: "A few sailors came and asked us to pay for the space to set up a stall. We followed your instructions, boss, and waited until they made a move before we chased them away. We even slapped them in the face."

Then, "Slingshot" was a little unhappy, "Unfortunately, there haven't been many people around here since then. Some who seemed interested didn't dare to get closer. I think they were the ones who influenced us from behind."

Wayne tried to encourage him: "If I had to guess, the Sailors will probably come looking for you again, and there will probably be even more next time. But if you can keep your stall up and running, business will definitely pick up."

"Slingshot" seemed quite enthusiastic about this, asking, "Can we take the initiative to find the Sailors' Gang?"

"It's best not to. Willie and his group already have quite a few lawsuits to fight, and I may have to appear in court soon. Let's try to keep the situation under control to the point where the police will handle it on the spot, and at least not make you defendants as well."

Wayne patted "Slingshot" on the shoulder as he spoke, "Remember the little trick I told you. Try to show the customers that you'll provide them with a certain level of protection. Sales will be good afterward." "Yes, sir!"

After "Slingshot" finished answering, Wayne thought for a moment and added, "The buying and selling is voluntary. You need to have confidence in our product, lest the detective agency turn into the new Sailors' Gang."

"We understand."

"Go for it!" Wayne clenched his fist to cheer them on.

Several salesmen nearby chimed in, and then "Slingshot" continued, "Boss, what should we do with the luncheon meat that didn't sell today?"

"You don't need to take the rest back. Just say that the stall has just opened and the workshop is doing a promotional event, so you're cutting it into small pieces and giving it to shops or passersby in the dock area."

"Ok."

"By the way, try not to make the scene too bloody in front of others. If you encounter a situation that seems difficult to handle, such as too many people coming or if they take out firearms, you can choose to retreat immediately. The items at the stall are not as expensive as medical expenses, and the detective agency will provide you with support later."

"Yes!"

……

The sailors planted the seeds here, and all that was left was to wait for them to sprout.
Wayne made a point of showing his face so that the Sailors could better understand the situation, lest they, with too many enemies and poor information, fail to realize that Wayne was deliberately targeting them.

If the Sailors' Gang continues to escalate the situation, the Detective Agency will respond in kind, gradually reducing their numbers.

If they back down, they'll resort to the "extortion" tactic, continuously increasing the detective agency's presence in their territory, at least making the dockworkers in this area realize that the detective agency is an organization whose capabilities are no less than those of the sailors' gang.

Ultimately, we need to wait until the situation is more or less settled before trying to cut off their protection money collection and eliminate the sailors' gang's source of income.

As for whether the members of their gang will "fight it out" or "go their separate ways," it doesn't really matter. Since the Sailors Gang set up a trap against them, they'll definitely have to take down this sign.

Wayne's strategy wasn't very complicated; he simply wanted to start with the Sailors' Gang, discreetly dividing and conquering the other gangs one by one, while also reducing the detective agency's manpower requirements.
Fortunately, this approach seems to be quite applicable. If it works, we can repeat it several times in the dock area until the remaining gangsters realize something is wrong and then we can change it.

Having assessed the situation, Wayne, who had been out all day, boarded the carriage and began his return journey.
Before the carriage had even left the dock area, he spotted a familiar figure by the roadside.

Huh?
Isn't this the same dirty kid who used to smash other people's windows with a mini slingshot and help the "female ghost" scare people?

Lina said he lived in a dark alley in the business district. Now the sun is almost setting, and he's still walking all the way to the dock area. Whose house is haunted tonight?
(End of this chapter)