Spy-x-War Showdown
Chapter 596 - 604: Yielding

Chapter 596: Chapter 604: Yielding

The underground world could be said to be the place where the law of the jungle is most thoroughly manifested.

If it were a regular company, even with internal competition, two high-level executives wouldn’t engage in such blatant face-slapping actions; it’s too low-level. Even if they fought each other to death behind the scenes, they would still put on a facade in public, at the very least for the sake of appearances.

But for arms dealers, showing strength means being blatant about it.

So, Ferdinand found Jethro bothersome and wanted to call him over to embarrass him in front of everyone, to let everyone know that he was the one calling the shots here. Why hide anything? Was there really any need to?

Since it was a survival of the fittest world underground, it was essential that everyone knew who the strong ones were.

To Ferdinand, this matter was very important. Otherwise, if he were to have a disagreement and clash with Jethro, whose orders would the outside fighters from the Fearless Mercenary Corps follow?

Therefore, Ferdinand’s way of showing off was very low-grade, but it wasn’t that arms dealers lacked cunning; they didn’t use methods that were discreet yet clear in attitude. Instead, the way to show off in the underground world had to be straightforward, direct, and intended to have just that effect.

No sooner had Jethro landed than Ferdinand summoned him, first testing his authority by telling Jethro to get lost. Ferdinand had achieved his goal, and for Jethro, who had worked for Deyo for many years, facing such a humiliating treatment, it was up to him what to do next.

In fact, it wasn’t nearly humiliating; it was humiliation.

If Jethro had forcefully talked back, it would mean that it was still uncertain who was higher or lower in status between him and Ferdinand. If he chose to accept it humiliatingly, then he would obediently follow Ferdinand’s orders from then on. It wasn’t that Ferdinand couldn’t tolerate him, but no matter what, Jethro couldn’t go complaining to Deyo.

As an arms dealer, suffering grievances and being slapped in the face and still having to complain to the boss about it, what use would Deyo have for such a weak-willed person?

So, how Jethro would respond was critical.

Yet Jethro said nothing, as if he hadn’t heard Ferdinand at all.

But it was Boyata who spoke up.

"Did you invite us here just to say these things?"

With a tone of utter disdain, Boyata asked a rhetorical question, then casually continued, "Didn’t your boss teach you how to conduct yourself? When you were with Mr. Berna, didn’t he teach you to have manners?"

Jethro just smiled, while Francois, the head of the Fearless Mercenary Corps, acted as if he hadn’t heard anything.

Yang Yi, listening from the side, understood all too well.

Although he hadn’t heard of the names that Boyata mentioned, Boyata was referencing the boss Ferdinand used to work for, as he could only play the seniority card on behalf of Jethro. Otherwise, he really had nothing to say since he had no resources at hand.

Jethro’s silence was because he wanted to maintain his dignity, leaving it to his subordinate Boyata to step forward, attempting to place himself at the same level as Ferdinand’s former boss.

In truth, Jethro was rather helpless because apart from flaunting his seniority, he genuinely had no resources to hold up.

Ferdinand didn’t respond to Boyata’s comment. It was as if he hadn’t heard Boyata, but someone standing behind him immediately said, "What did you say? Are you looking for death?"

Ferdinand’s silence was due to his maintaining his status. Why would a boss stoop to quarrel with someone else’s subordinate? That was too degrading; of course, he would send a subordinate to stand up instead.

Yang Yi felt that today’s situation might turn ugly.

Ferdinand’s subordinate, full of aggression, was about to push Boyata, but at that moment, Rodriguez stepped forward.

Positioning himself in front of Boyata, Rodriguez clapped his hands on his chest, then opened his arms wide, standing protectively in front of Boyata, fiercely saying, "Hey, bro, got a problem?"

Raising his arms, Rodriguez took two steps forward, waved his arms around, spread his hands wide, cocked his head, and shouted loudly, "Come, come, do you have a problem? Talk to me."

Rodriguez advanced another two steps, his posture one of defiance, as if to say, "Shoot me in the head if you dare, or talk to me if you’ve got something to say."

The typical style of a Hispanic street gangster from the American streets.

Yang Yi was dumbstruck; was Rodriguez negotiating like some small-time thug on the American streets?

Yang Yi was stunned, and so was everyone else.

If Ferdinand had been involved in South America or the United States, he might have understood Rodriguez’s body language, which was "Shoot me in the head if you’re man enough, otherwise quit your yapping." But Ferdinand didn’t run with the South American crowd. Whether in Africa or Europe, things weren’t done like this.

The problem was, this was the behavior of a street thug. Although South American gangs do the same, arms dealers surely don’t act this way.

Rodriguez kept advancing, waving his arms again and then holding up his hands, saying, "COME, brother, why the silence? You got nothing to say, you mute or what?"

Ferdinand’s men looked back at him.

Should they fight?

To fight would mean internal conflict, a power struggle between Ferdinand and Jethro, but not fighting seemed like an unbearable loss of face.

Ferdinand was cornered.

Ferdinand’s face grew cold.

Having fought for his status, Ferdinand quickly made a decision. Since Jethro was so aggressive, then so be it.

If Ferdinand were to respond to Rodriguez’s provocation, it would surely not be by sending someone to bump chests; rather, it would be by drawing a gun and shooting on the spot. This was not a fistfight between hoodlums; it was how weapons dealers established their hierarchy.

But just as Ferdinand gave a determined look, Jethro suddenly shouted, "Rod, what are you doing? Get back here."

Rodriguez immediately dropped his arms but still wore a challenging expression, though his feet stopped moving and he walked back to stand beside Boyata.

Without a change in expression, Jethro said, "Let’s go."

Jethro turned and left.

After giving Ferdinand another provocative glance, Rodriguez shrugged his shoulders, brought his arms together with his middle finger and index finger extended, while the ring finger and pinky curled up, and his thumb spread wide. He gave a shake over the top of his head, then turned with a look of disdain and followed Jethro away.

That shake was of course symbolic of firing a gun, but not at his own head, which would be suicide. So, Rodriguez’s gesture was more of a warning, "Be careful, I’ll shoot you dead."

Yang Yi was not the boss, so although he was worried that Rodriguez might actually get shot, he couldn’t call him back. If he did, that would undermine Jethro.

All Yang Yi could do was prepare to shoot first if the other side made a move.

Fortunately, Jethro also knew when to quit. Not losing face, he quickly retreated, calling Rodriguez back.

However, in the end, Jethro still conceded that Ferdinand was the boss. By walking away, he was signaling that he wasn’t challenging Ferdinand’s authority anymore. Rodriguez had saved face for him, and that was enough for Jethro.