96: Chapter 96 In the Name of the Law

The next morning was bright and sunny, but for the Gambino Family, it was absolutely the darkest day in a decade.

Located on 83rd Avenue in Queens, "Uncle Tony's Pizzeria" served as the Gambino Family's command center in this area.

On ordinary days, the place was always packed with burly men wearing leather jackets and puffing on cigars, the air thick with the smell of tomato sauce and gunpowder.

But today, it was occupied by a group of people in uniform.

"I am a senior inspector from the City Department of Health," said a middle-aged man standing at the door. He wore rimless glasses, his hair combed meticulously, and held a folder in his hand that was enough to give any restaurant owner a heart attack.

"We are conducting a routine health inspection of this restaurant. Someone reported seeing rats in your kitchen."

"Rats? How the hell could there be rats!" The manager was an Italian built like an oil drum, the flesh on his face trembling. "This is slander! I want to call my lawyer!"

"You can call your lawyer, but right now, please step aside," the inspector said, waving his hand coldly.

Behind him, four fully equipped health inspectors rushed inside carrying sampling cases.

Meanwhile, two police cars with "NYPD" printed on them parked sideways across the intersection, blocking all vehicles trying to approach.

Chen Mo leaned against the hood of a police car, an unlit cigarette dangling from his mouth, casually spinning the badge in his hand that made him look more like a rogue than an officer.

"Hey, Officer!" Seeing the police, the fat manager ran over, scrambling as if he had spotted a savior.

"This isn't right. You can't shut down my shop. I donate to the police union every year."

"Donations? That's truly touching." Chen Mo stuffed his badge back into his pocket, looking at him with a half-smile.

"But this is Queens, and I'm from Brooklyn. Besides, I'm just here to maintain order and make sure no one violently resists the law. You see, those gentlemen from the Department of Health don't have very good tempers."

Before he could finish, an exclamation came from inside the shop: "Oh my God! Look at this freezer! The meat inside is spoiled, and there are cockroaches!"

"Take photos, gather evidence, and shut it down immediately!" the inspector's booming voice rang out from inside.

The fat manager's face instantly turned the color of pig's liver.

He of course knew there was a problem with the meat. It had just been unloaded from a smuggling ship last night and hadn't been processed yet.

He stared intently at Chen Mo. "It's you... you're behind this?"

Chen Mo shrugged. "I'm just a passing police officer. Oh, by the way, I heard your family also owns a construction company? You'd better pray their accountants are more reliable than your chef."

Meanwhile, three kilometers away at the headquarters of Gambino Construction Company.

Over a dozen black Chevrolet Suburbans surrounded the building, blocking it completely.

The doors opened, and dozens of agents wearing dark blue trench coats filed out. The three yellow letters "IRS" on their backs gleamed glaringly in the sunlight.

The leading agent wasted no words, immediately flashing a search warrant signed by a federal court.

"Everyone step away from your workstations! Hands off the keyboards! We suspect this company of massive tax fraud and money laundering.

Any attempt to touch documents or computers will be deemed obstruction of justice, and I have the authority to make arrests on the spot!"

The young girl at the front desk was so terrified that she burst into tears on the spot.

Upstairs in the penthouse office, the Gambino Family's second-in-command, Paul "Hammer" Gambino, was roaring into the phone, "Lawyers! Get those damn lawyers over here! How dare they audit my books?"

No one could answer him.

Because just five minutes ago, the Fire Department had shut down two of their nightclubs in Manhattan due to "severe fire hazards."

Even several of their laundromats in Brooklyn had been sealed by the Environmental Protection Agency on grounds of "illegal discharge of chemical waste."

In the span of a single morning, the Gambino Family's entire legitimate business empire was subjected to carpet bombing.

Chen Mo stood outside the pizzeria, watching the Department of Health staff carry out boxes of rancid meat, surrounded by reporters taking photos and curious residents looking on.

His phone vibrated.

It was a text from Ava: [Done. The Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Health loved that "gift," and the IRS only needed an anonymous tip. Your little friend Richie should be very safe now.]

Chen Mo replied with a smiley face emoji and then dialed Richie's number.

"Boss..." Richie's voice sounded as if he had just been fished out of water.

"I saw the news. Those people in uniform are harsher than bandits. They even dismantled the pizzeria's ovens."

"These are the rules, Richie," Chen Mo said, his gaze cold as he watched the fat manager being loaded into the police car.

"Killing is the lowest form of retaliation. You must learn to use the law as a weapon. Remember, as long as you stand in the light, the shadow will eat people for you."

"So... is the Gambino Family finished?"

"It's not that easy." Chen Mo snapped the cigarette and threw it into the trash can.

"This is just to make them hurt. When an old gangster gets slapped in the face, he'll definitely go crazy. Be careful these next few days, and don't go out."

"Go crazy?"

"Yes." Chen Mo turned around, looking toward the black sedan that had been parked in the shadows at the end of the street.

The car windows were tinted with dark explosion-proof film, but he could feel a pair of eyes filled with murderous intent staring at him.

"A cornered dog will jump over a wall, and a desperate person will bite. Especially those old guys who feel they've lost face."

The black sedan started slowly and disappeared into the traffic.

Chen Mo touched the gun at his waist, a cruel smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.

He liked mad dogs, because although they were fierce, they usually had no brains.

And brainless enemies were the best experience packs.