New Gods of North America.

Chapter 687 Progress
For several days in a row, the agents had to patrol at night to maintain order, and they also had other things to do during the day, such as having some of them accompany Seth and his team on their running errands. Everyone was basically working non-stop at full capacity.

Although the detective agency arranges for them to take turns resting, and the detectives are in good physical condition, so they can keep going for a while, it's still pretty much like they're operating at full capacity.

This state isn't too much of a problem dealing with gangsters, but if you add in a high-level extraordinary individual who could appear at any time, and a big white-masked guy who looks more like a ghost than a human, ...

That would seem somewhat unreliable.

The situation is similar for partners. Although they have slightly more time to slack off, there are still quite a few issues to consider.

After dark, the three partners met briefly before the meeting, and Wayne felt that a lot of things at the detective agency were not progressing much.

Inessa temporarily focused her attention on the white-masked man. Judging from his known achievements in the past two days, he had killed nearly twenty members of the Sailors Gang, both full-time and those on the fringes. Even when they were caught having a meal together, he treated them all equally and wiped them out in one fell swoop.
Today, she led her men, along with monks in civilian clothes, to search and suppress information throughout the dock area. They encountered quite a few "timid little dwarfs," but hadn't found anyone yet.

Lina, who often wandered around during the day, didn't bring back any useful new information either:

"It's strange. You mentioned 'hearings,' 'the Secretary of State,' and 'Schwartz' to me before. I specifically had a few ladies secretly inquire with their elders, but even Miss Harley couldn't find out anything. The intelligence team's informants haven't made any progress on this matter either. Could you have heard some false information back then?"

As for Wayne himself, he was visited again this afternoon by Luke Matthew, who had been working tirelessly for the Fisk family recently. Matthew brought several empty cans as samples from the Brooke factory.
This is both a way for Wayne to make the selection and a way to expedite the process—the factory has been secured, the canned goods samples are available, and mass production can begin soon. Orders and initial investments are also ready, so when will your production line start?
Even Mr. Russell, the usually laid-back patron, surprisingly took the initiative to send a message through his butler and lawyer.

The lawyer comes to the detective agency every month to reconcile the accounts. Since the amount of the security contract is basically fixed with little room for fluctuation, everyone just follows the procedures. When there's nothing going on, Inessa, who manages the money, is in charge of checking the accounts. However, today it just so happens that Wayne is the one receiving them.
The butler came specifically to deliver a message: "Mr. Russell said that the shareholders are very satisfied with the work of your detective agency. However, the operation of one of the company's steam train routes has recently caused some concern among the shareholders. Could your detective agency include that route in its security coverage as soon as possible?"

We can't spare anyone right now; we can't exactly send the head chef or a little girl over...

At the earliest, we'll have to wait until the cannery is in its early stages and the people and things at the cathedral are withdrawn before a new batch of agents who have basically adapted to their work can be assigned to the various offices.

Moreover, mass production of canned goods also requires raw materials. The twenty cows that the mayor had sent over are still being raised at the slaughterhouse and haven't been slaughtered yet.
But the restaurant can't be cut off from supplies, and large-scale production definitely requires cost-saving measures. Wayne has already sent a message to the mayor to send another batch of beef cattle, live pigs, and even cheese as soon as possible, with pigeons flying directly to the first office and then having someone send them on horseback.

Anyway, it will take at least another ten days to two weeks. If the Fisk family has a cargo ship passing by that route that's in a hurry, then they'll be slightly at a disadvantage with the first batch of goods and will start production by sourcing fresh meat locally.
Besides luncheon meat and recycled cheese canned goods, we also make some canned broth and canned beans from the leftovers, just to make up the numbers and test the waters.

At the small meeting before heading out on night patrol, Brother Merlin, who was essentially the cathedral's envoy, brought some new news that was relatively less bothersome compared to other matters:

“We have confirmed Jason Wohrz’s situation. He has escaped from the monastery, and the Extraordinary you encountered last night, Wayne, should be him.”

“His Holiness has already arranged for Warren Leitcher to conduct a security assessment and internal investigation of the monastery. But for us, what’s more important right now is that he’s now on the wanted list as well. In addition to that unidentified high-level extraordinary individual who may still be hiding in the dock area, we have another target.”

That's not too surprising.

If the statement "an extraordinary individual has successfully escaped from the church's prison" might evoke some感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a feeling of mixed emotions, including awe and wonder), then...
So, it would seem reasonable for an extraordinary being who can reach level 7 on paper to destroy a church or chapel in some place.

The core agents present wouldn't even doubt the reliability of the church's guards because of this.

They glanced silently at Inessa, then furtively at Lina, seemingly convinced the problem didn't lie with the church or monastery. Thus, the night patrol was now staffed with a group of monks in everyday robes or church guards who, in fact, didn't concern themselves with gangster matters.
After reaching a consensus, they set off as a group, each with their own focus.

……

Banker Schwartz is really hot today.

The news of the witness being silenced did not surprise him. Mr. Schwartz disliked the man either, and after much effort, he had managed to get him to the hearing, only to have him refuse to say what he was supposed to say and instead try to bring up scandals involving politicians deliberately deceiving Parliament.
He had no motive to protect the man, and even somewhat welcomed the witness's death, hoping that Secretary of State Pryle would leave the matter at that point.

We're all civilized people. Even if we're enemies, it's still a matter of playing our cards and exchanging chips.

Openly flipping the table is too unsightly and uncontrollable, clearly going too far, and does not conform to the generally respected understanding and decorum.

However, the one who has now gone too far is Mr. Pryor.
The Sailors' Gang lost so many men in just two days, and the assassins didn't take any valuables from the warehouse or the scene. It's obvious that someone is retaliating.

Mr. Schwarz knew that quite a few people secretly resented him, and anyone who received a loan from him could potentially become his enemy.
But he never believed in coincidences, only in rigorous assessments and calculations.

“Go back and tell them that whoever can gather more men and take over more of the Ellan Gang’s territory, I will support them to become the new leader of the Sailors’ Gang.”

"The bloodstained goods in the warehouse are theirs. Let them figure out how to turn them into manpower and weapons. This time, I don't want money; I just want to see blood."

“Those guys from the Airland gang haven’t been released by the police yet. I’m sure I’m not the only one in Richmond who’s unhappy with them. Everyone’s on the same page about this: let them do what they want.”

After the visitors from the dock area left, the butler tactfully served Mr. Schwarz hot tea to calm his anger.

Then, he quickly changed the subject to divert Mr. Schwartz's attention, lest his employer nitpick his work for no reason: "I have contacted several witnesses willing to expose the Secretary of State's insider trading. Mr. Pryor was also involved in a scandalous affair with Victor Beaton; perhaps we could try contacting the Beaton family?"

As a result, the butler was still scolded by Mr. Schwartz, who was still furious: "What's the point of gossip?! Can it bring down a sitting politician? Big families value profit. They could easily take a portion of the expenses for hosting a ball and have all the dancers in the dock area take off their skirts and fawn over them!"

"That lady is actually quite different..."

The butler had barely finished speaking when Mr. Schwartz glared at him, so he quickly added the key point: "That lady was once a social star in New York City. She inherited her family's and her husband's fortune. Although she no longer attends various balls in a high-profile manner, she is still a VIP at Richmond Commercial Bank and is quite well-known in a small circle."

Since money is involved, things are definitely different; it might even be true love.

Mr. Schwartz's anger subsided slightly. "Go and find out the details, see if there's any opportunity for us. If all else fails, try to win over a major client. A VIP client of Richmond Commercial Bank is valued at least ten thousand gold pounds, which, in terms of 'extra income,' is enough to make any bachelor in any family envious."

(End of this chapter)