My American magical life
Chapter 251 - 251 107 Gru's Moment of Crisis Is Jax Human or Ghost

251: Chapter 107: Gru’s Moment of Crisis, Is Jax Human or Ghost?

251: Chapter 107: Gru’s Moment of Crisis, Is Jax Human or Ghost?

By climbing to the top through the death of your leaders is in fact a legitimate yet wicked path.

It’s considered legitimate because it actually works; once those above you are dead, it’s naturally your turn to take their place.

But calling it wicked is due to the messy entanglements of real-world interests—not like those in novels—where everyone is woven into a large web, with each person strategically placed in a suitable position.

Anyone who steps out of line is seen as an outcast by everyone else.

Gru undoubtedly stepped out of line, but no one could catch him with concrete evidence, and Cheng Daqi had evidence but would not report it.

Now, it seems like Gru is somewhat being secretly cornered by others.

Here, being cornered doesn’t mean to kill or eliminate him, but rather to strip him of power and force him out of this game.

For those in power, the pain of losing power is far greater than any physical pain.

“The current sheriff doesn’t seem to have anyone backing him.

He’s a member of a police family, with four generations in the LAPD, so I don’t have to worry about being misunderstood as trying to attack someone,”

Gru calmly analyzed with Cheng Daqi.

In his view, Cheng Daqi, like himself, was no good—a man who climbed up the ladder using women, what good could he be?

Besides, Cheng Daqi helped him identify the problem, so he dared to cooperate with Cheng Daqi and was also willing to discuss these matters with him.

“Who exactly pushed Jax to the top?

Are you sure it was you who placed him in the position of precinct chief?”

Without dwelling much on Gru’s political naivety, Cheng Daqi asked a question he considered more crucial: what was the true nature of Jax’s character.

He couldn’t possibly expose Gru, as he was quite comfortable collaborating with him.

Yes, even if Gru was such a beast, even if he kept threatening him, he still felt that the cooperation was actually quite comfortable, for he had found the rhythm of dealing with Gru.

Gru’s abilities, position, and strength were very critical; they enabled Cheng Daqi to borrow a formidable force locally in California.

With Gru’s power, Cheng Daqi could easily do a lot of things.

So, under the current circumstances, for Cheng Daqi, protecting Gru was protecting his own interests.

And here lies a critical point—if Jax clearly enjoyed more of Gru’s trust than Thor, and if Jax secretly betrayed Gru, then the collaboration between Cheng Daqi and Gru would be jeopardized, and Jax might reveal Cheng Daqi’s existence to the people behind the scenes.

By then, the initiative to testify would no longer be in Cheng Daqi’s hands.

Gru was an exceedingly smart man!

Once he realized the severity of the issue, he understood what Cheng Daqi was saying!

This top corrupt cop was very earnest as he said,

“Chan, we’re friends.

Do you remember?

The first time I met you, I told you we were old friends.

But I have some flaws; sometimes I can be arrogant and presumptuous, and I hope you can forgive the offense I’ve caused you these past days.”

The corrupt cop was standing at the edge of a cliff, realizing now that Cheng Daqi held a rope in his hands—a rope that decided life or death, and Cheng Daqi had the strength to walk away and isolate himself from danger.

Yes, he once trusted Jax, but he trusted more that interests could change a person’s heart.

He knew he and Jax were as close as brothers, but he also knew that interests could drive a person’s heart to be consumed by the devil.

Gru dared not gamble!

Moreover, the very reason he impulsively struck out to test Cheng Daqi today was precisely because Jax had discovered Cheng Daqi’s secret.

It was Jax who discovered Cheng Daqi’s secret and then told him.

Was it a coincidence, or did Jax do it on purpose?

Up to this moment, realizing that his closest subordinate might sell him out for profit, Gru truly panicked.

Cheng Daqi had played tug-of-war with him several times, but today was the only time Gru truly panicked.

He realized his arrogance was real; it drove him to underestimate a key element regarding Cheng Daqi and to overlook the huge risks hidden behind significant gains.

If Jax lost control, if he did it intentionally, then his life and death would indeed depend on Cheng Daqi’s whim, for Cheng Daqi held the most critical evidence and was the most important witness.

The sudden change in corrupt cop Gru’s demeanor left Cheng Daqi somewhat speechless.

Gru, oh Gru, your resolve is indeed lacking.

Is it just because you’ve been played?

Compared to Chief Qi, you’re lacking by far; if only you had half the audacity of ‘defying the heavens,’ you wouldn’t express such a defeatist sentiment.

“Mr.

Gru, I still admire your unyielding demeanor.

Please, take a moment to recover,”

Cheng Daqi’s relaxed attitude made Gru feel as though he was being kicked while down, but he immediately realized that, no matter how much Cheng Daqi mocked him, he had to cling to Cheng Daqi, to stabilize Cheng Daqi.

The evidence in Cheng Daqi’s hands was the only key.

“Chan, if there really is a problem with Jax, what do you think would happen if I get rid of Thor?

No, I mean, send him abroad.

Do you think that could work?”

Gru blurted out, then realizing his slip, quickly added,

“He did point a gun at you and your girlfriend; that was indeed going too far.”

Getting rid of Thor was the most cost-effective and beneficial insurance tactic available to Gru.

Moreover, this choice would yield a triple benefit.

The first layer was what he explicitly said, to appease Cheng Daqi and demonstrate his own sincerity.

The second layer, Thor was the true participant in the Red Street kidnapping case.

With Thor dead, even if someone investigated in the future, it would be difficult to trace the fire back to Gru.

The third layer, Thor was the key witness Cheng Daqi had against Gru.

Due to his fear of Temir, who was backing Cheng Daqi, Gru did not dare make a direct move against Cheng Daqi.

If Thor disappeared, the threat of Cheng Daqi’s testimony would plummet.

It was precisely because of these advantages that poor Thor became the man in Gru’s mouth who had to leave the country.

Even with his extensive experience in the underworld, Cheng Daqi was still terrified by Gru’s dreadful logic and terrifying soul.

“If Jax really has a problem, how do you think it would look if I get rid of Thor?”

Is there anything in the world more illogical, more beastly, or more shameless than this statement?

He was your subordinate, tirelessly running errands for you, braving storms for you, risking his life in hellish conditions for you.

Yet according to you, he deserved to die.

Gru, it’s no wonder people can’t stand you, wanting to take you down secretly.

I get goosebumps just thinking about you.

“What you need to do now is not to act rashly; the less you do, the fewer mistakes you’ll make.

Someone is working against you in the shadows, and you don’t know who it is.

If you slip up because of something you do, they will emerge and bite you in the neck hard.

The situation hasn’t become that dangerous yet, as they haven’t made a direct move against you.

So there’s no need to panic, Mr.

Gru.”

Unnecessary actions bring unnecessary risks.

The risk Gru faces today is entirely because he became interested in Cheng Daqi after learning about him through Thor.

Due to his arrogance, he smugly took Thor to the hospital to meet Cheng Daqi, only to end up getting bitten in the neck by Cheng Daqi.

“I’m not sure if Jax has betrayed me because he truly is my best brother.

He’s family, and we’ve known each other for many years.

But he initiated the incident concerning you today, and judging by the consequences of his actions, it’s possible he wanted to create conflict between you and me.”

The top-level corrupt cop said gently, unable to trust even his family completely.

Only by stepping into hell and discarding many of the emotions and shackles normal people have could he climb from the bottom to where he was today.

And because he stepped into hell, the abyss also affected him, robbing him of the ability to feel the intimate emotions that normal people have.

Just like now, he could no longer trust a brother who had been by his side for decades.

“Mr.

Gru, if we disregard the possibility of Jax betraying you, who do you think could be making moves against you?”

Being targeted by underhanded tactics is the most unsolvable situation, only by identifying the enemy can you find a leverage point to design a counter-strategy.

Gru is a very useful person, Cheng Daqi couldn’t just watch him being kicked out of the center of power.

The question was difficult to answer; the top cop had many enemies.

After a long silence, he finally spoke.

“There are three possibilities: one is the Governor, with Tonks being his man.

Another is the current Chief of Police.

Although he doesn’t have much background, he’s experienced and crafty, with plenty of loyalists under his command.

The third might be the chairman of the West Coast Shipping Association, Bill Jonathan, with whom I have some business disputes.”

Gru’s words were brief, but they were packed with information.

He admitted that he had killed Tonks!

“I can understand the first two, but I’m curious about the third reason,”

In Cheng Daqi’s view, Gru was just a cop; how could he be involved with the Shipping Association?

He was unaware that Gru was one of the top smugglers and drug dealers in Saint Rodu, operating in the shadows.

The path to the pinnacle of this top corrupt cop was paved with heaps of dirty US dollars.

“Chan, the reason isn’t important, but who do you think could be the one targeting me?”

Gru wasn’t one to seek a remedy for his illness recklessly; Cheng Daqi was truly clever.

The high-stakes games in America compared to those in Hua Country were child’s play.

In his previous life, although he hadn’t truly been part of that circle, Cheng Daqi had survived in that environment for many years and had risen to prominence.

Cheng Daqi suspected Niu Sen, but if it were really Niu Sen, Gru would have no room to maneuver.

With a mere gesture from the California king, Gru could die like an insignificant ant.

The gap between him and Niu Sen was like comparing different magnitudes.

“Figuring out who’s behind this could make your response a bit more composed, but if you can’t find out, don’t guess wildly.

Just focus on doing what you can first.

Do you have any way to test whether Jax has betrayed you?”

Meet the soldiers with tactics, counter the waters with soil.

The priority was to clarify whether Jax intentionally stirred up trouble between Cheng Daqi and Gru or had accidentally uncovered a secret of Cheng Daqi’s.

If it was accidental, then Gru hadn’t lost the ability to fight back yet.

If it was intentional…