Thug and Idol: 10X Rewards Second Identity System

Confidence, a charismatic smile, a knowing glint in the eye and a compelling voice—would that be enough to sway the opinion of the Sea Devil?

Until this moment, Damien thought they wouldn't. He never even BELIEVED in charisma before—in real-life stories of politics and cult leaders who convinced people to do the craziest things just with the force of their personality.

Damien's men followed him because there was power and money behind him, and because Damien mostly won his gambles.

Tristan Hayes… from Damien's sources, he certainly had the skills and the moxie to be a leader.

And that charisma.

And that moxie again.

Damien stared down at the offered hand and chuckled.

"Any of my men and myself could have shot you ten times over already."

Tristan kept smiling.

"You keep saying these words, Damien, but nobody even pulled out a gun yet. Is changing your mind really worse for you than hesitation?"

"No, of course not. People who don't change their minds when new threats appear end up dead. People who don't hesitate stay alive. But you know all this, or you wouldn't have put it this way, Hayes."

Quick like lightning, Damien slapped Tristan's hand like a horizontal high-five.

"Friends! Now do tell me, what's your plan, Hayes? With that big head of yours, you already must have one!"

Tristan nodded. He didn't relax yet, but his smile became more genuine—although it made no visual difference.

He knew that despite Damien's agreement for now; the man wasn't really trusting him, or being friends with him. He was just intrigued enough to investigate peacefully.

"With the gangs united, we can improve the logistics of traded goods over the ground immensely—and with King Lion Gang's resources, we can start selling our own things back. I will gladly tell you more—but somewhere more convenient, perhaps?"

***

After an hour of Tristan sharing his plans and ideas about getting more money from Los Angeles, he and Damien established a solid rapport. Despite his appearances, Damien was quite cautious—but not in a way that made him pass on good opportunities. Instead, his cautiousness made him to be almost intuitively aware of dangers.

With Damien and Vargas on Tristan's side, convincing other local gangsters to join his cause was much easier. Two were a pair, but three were a collective, and it was clear who had the power here.

In a week, Tristan made two more small gang bosses into his "friends": a gaunt "Skull" James who ruled over "James' Boys" and Victor of the "First Day Army".

James and his boys were a bunch of junkies who survived thanks to their leader's animal instincts—trash, but somewhat trainable.

The First Day Army thought they had an ideology, but it could be summarized that "might makes right". Tristan just needed to punch Victor in the face in front of his people to give him no other choice but to fight back (with his fists!) or follow, because his people would follow the stronger man.

Victor tried to fight back, but Tristan hit him until he realized he had no chances.

Tristan also shot one particularly unreasonable gang boss—unreasonably believing in his invulnerability—dead. Which sent its own message.

The remains of the dead man's gang quickly split apart.

By the end of the week, Tristan had enough people and resources on his side to make even Leon Clavon think twice if he wanted to fight them.

The gangs Tristan united, when put together, were as big as the part of Cuatro Angulos which the King Lion Gang kicked out of the city.

Even if the alliances were still tentative, and most of these people weren't loyal to him specifically yet (they just followed their leaders, who followed Tristan's generous promises), Tristan had enough for a show of force.

But very little time remaining. To smoothen his relations with these people, and to prove that he had more than words, Tristan had to pay money. Which weren't infinite.

And soon, he would have to leave Los Angeles.

But before that, he planned to make his move.

***

The living room of the apartment Tristan rented for himself was barely big enough to fit all the people present here today.

He gathered all his important allies here, in secret, for the next step of his plan.

Martinez—still in dad's-wear—was sitting in a corner of a couch, frowning at Vargas, who took a place next to him.

On the other side of Vargas sat Victor with chin raised toward the ceiling.

James huddled on the windowsill, staring at the others and chewing on his nails.

Damien perched on a dresser standing near a wall, which allowed him to look down on everyone.

Tristan himself sat in the only chair, and Sam leaned on a wall behind him. Today, he wasn't a bodyguard, but represented Tristan's men in the city.

"So what you brought us here for, 'friend'?" Damien asked. "Something grandiose, I hope?"

"Yes. It's time to act. Until now, I didn't tell you the full extent of the situation, but you have some of it. As you know, I'm in control of a quarter of the King Lion Gang, and that's where the money I invested in you already came from. Now—let me introduce Mr. Hugo Martinez, who until recently controlled another quarter."

Tristan gestured at Martinez, who nodded gruffly.

"I still do! What I had is still rightfully mine, and it will be returned. With Mr. Hayes' help…"

"Yes. And two quarters make a half. Then, if you have a slightly bigger half… it's almost the same as having the full piece." Tristan smiled. "In simpler words—who should we all be content with a quarter when we can have it all? I know how to take over the King Lion Gang to everybody's profit, and all YOU will need to do is to stand at my side."

A wave of reactions went through the room. Martinez's eyes widened at Tristan's boldness (audacity!), but he stayed silent. Vargas frowned in thought.

"A great idea—but it will actually work better with fewer people," Victor said, pointing at James. "Get rid of this trash, and I'm in!"