America 1919

The death of TT and his crew quickly spread through the North District.

The outcome sent shockwaves through the entire North District; ever since LeBron James took the position of North District boss, no one had challenged his reputation there.

But now...

First, LeBron's distillery was bombed, and he was injured in the explosion, yet LeBron James didn't even have the courage to strike back. Now, his own men had been killed!

LeBron James could clearly feel his reputation in the North District plummeting at a visible rate.

Today, as LeBron James and his wife went to dine at the only high-end restaurant in the North District, they were informed that his usual seat had been taken by someone else.

"James, I'm terribly sorry, Mr. Pierce arrived early and there was nothing we could do!"

The black waiter at the restaurant's entrance said to LeBron James with an awkward expression.

Standing at the entrance of the restaurant, LeBron James could clearly see Pierce and his group sitting in his usual spot, drinking and laughing, even noticing that Pierce had actually seen him but still hadn't done anything else.

This situation made LeBron James feel both angry and helpless.

Everyone in the North District knew that seat was his own and to some extent, it represented his reputation in the North District.

Now, his reputation was being challenged.

"Darling, let's go back,"

LeBron's wife tugged at LeBron James's arm and whispered.

LeBron James didn't leave; he couldn't leave because he knew that if he backed down now, it wouldn't take a day for the news to spread all over the North District, and then everyone would know that he was afraid of Pierce and his group.

If this news reached other parts of Atlantic City, especially the ears of Nucky and the Colonel, it would mean that he had lost control of the entire North District.

If things reached this point, LeBron James could already anticipate his own fate.

Nucky and the Colonel, who had already been dissatisfied with him, would definitely not hesitate to finish him off.

So LeBron James, with his wife, pushed past the waiter in front of him and walked up to Pierce and his group.

"This seat belongs to me!"

Pierce looked up, pretending to have just seen LeBron James, "How come I didn't know this restaurant belonged to you, LeBron?"

LeBron James still stood there, looking down at Pierce, and said, "The restaurant isn't mine, but this seat is mine. Leave now with your people, and I can pretend nothing happened."

"Ha!" Pierce laughed smugly, "And if I don't leave, will respected Mr. James send TT and his guys with guns to my house tonight?"

LeBron James's face was as still as water as he looked at the people beside Pierce and began to name them, "Snow, did you forget who it was that gave you money for your mother's hospital bills when she couldn't afford them?"

"Gordon, who sent a turkey and coal to your family on Christmas Eve?"

"Parker, who paid for your son's expensive school fees?"

....

Each person LeBron James named showed a hint of shame, which made Pierce, who was just recently unbridled, suddenly start laughing again and stand up.

"LeBron, we were just having a bit of fun with you, why take it so seriously? Anyway, we've had our fill and will now leave, giving you back your seat."

After saying this, Pierce signaled for the others to get up and then they left the restaurant.

At that moment, the waiters hurried over to clean up the leftovers on the table.

Seeing her husband quickly dispel the challengers with a few words, LeBron's wife thought his reputation in the North District was as strong as ever, and a proud smile appeared on her face.

"Today you'll take the children and leave Atlantic City, go to the countryside to stay at your grandmother's house. If I don't come to pick you up personally, don't come back!"

But while LeBron's wife was still feeling proud, LeBron James was already speaking to her in the most serious of tones.

"What?" exclaimed LeBron's wife in surprise.

"Sit down!" LeBron James said coldly, "Do you want everyone in Atlantic City to know?"

"But you clearly just intimidated them!" LeBron's wife sat down anxiously and asked in fear.

"Such intimidation is only temporary. If we can't restore our strength soon, these people will eventually tear us apart!"

LeBron James whispered, then instructed, "Now, let's finish this dinner with our usual elegance!"

.

"Boss, the situation in North District has already gotten out of control, LeBron James is losing his grip on the whole North District!"

Louis had just informed Nucky about the events transpiring in North District.

Nucky's expression was grave, the affairs of North District were complicated. Those black folks seemed very united on regular days, but as soon as their alpha wolf showed signs of not being able to intimidate them, they would immediately band together to attack, tearing their opponent apart completely.

The previous boss of North District, Ewing, was thrown into the Atlantic by LeBron James under such circumstances.

"Louis, I'm really getting a headache!"

Nucky said, rubbing his temples, sounding weary.

Louis knew that Nucky's headache wasn't a physical one, but a mental one.

Because now Atlantic City had a feeling of slipping out of Nucky's control.

"LeBron James, such a foolish man. How could I ever have let him be the boss of North District?" Nucky said, looking at Louis.

"I've already told him that he needs to lie low for a while. First and foremost, his most important task is to reestablish his own brewery. What was he thinking, trying to rob Donnie Block's goods? Anyone with half a brain should know that Donnie would be taking extremely good care of his merchandise during this time!"

Louis answered, "He was the first to come over to your side after Ewing gradually lost control of North District. As for that other issue, I can't answer that, because in my view, such behavior is indeed very foolish!"

At this time, both Nucky and Louis were reminded of the incident when they sent men to provoke Elwood Village.

"So what should I do now? Should I continue to support LeBron James in regaining control of North District, or should I prop up someone new?"

Although Nucky was asking Louis for advice, at this point, he wasn't really open to anyone's opinion because Nucky was Nucky, the one who only believed in himself!

So when Louis replied, "I think you should continue to support LeBron James, boss. Even though he's been wavering between you and the brigadier, it's an election year, and North District can't be in chaos, at least not this year."

Nucky coldly responded, "LeBron knows my concerns, which is why he's become even more reckless, increasingly disobeying my orders."

This time, Louis didn't answer Nucky because he could feel Nucky's anger and sheer disdain for LeBron James in his response.

"That's right, North District can't be in chaos right now, and LeBron James can't fall, but I can't let him continue acting so recklessly!"

Without needing Louis's response, Nucky had already given the answer himself!

.

"Mr. James, Mr. Nucky has sent us to help you, from now on we're your men. Just give us your orders!"

Just as LeBron James was pondering how to recruit more henchmen, a two-meter-tall black man, with four underlings, showed up at LeBron James's doorstep.

LeBron James recognized the black man; his name was Joel Embiid, a very famous boxer from North District before. LeBron had tried to recruit him several times, but he had never agreed to work for him.

But now, unexpectedly, Embiid had come to join LeBron with his brothers!

However, LeBron James couldn't feel happy about this development, for these men were sent by Nucky. He had always known that Nucky was covertly supporting others in North District. But back then, he was unrivaled in North District and thus had not been too worried.

Now, the situation was different. Were these men here to pledge allegiance to him?

Not at all. These men had been sent to monitor and control him by Nucky.

With the words that followed from Embiid, LeBron James's suspicions were further confirmed.

"Mr. Nucky has instructed me to tell you that North District can't fall into chaos now, so he hopes you can have a heart as vast as the sea for the people of North District. Also, Mr. Nucky said that, from now on, Pierce won't provoke you anymore!"

"I got it. Tell Nucky that I will manage North District well. I promise that within a week, the lost brewery will be restored, and the votes of North District will always belong to Nucky!"

"I will relay your message to Mr. Nucky exactly!"

Embiid nodded expressionlessly.

.

That night, LeBron James paced back and forth in his living room. His wife and children had already left Atlantic City that afternoon, but it still didn't afford LeBron James any sense of security.

He had never felt the winter of Atlantic City to be so bitterly cold.

Finally, when the clock on the wall showed 11 PM, LeBron James took off his three-piece suit and put on the most common brown overcoat seen in Atlantic City, braving the cold night air as he left his home and made his way to the back alley of Block Tavern.

When he met Donnie there, the first thing he said was,

"I've decided to bring my business to Block Tavern!"