Chapter 315 Filing a Complaint - First Half
?Daniel was unaware that he wore a particularly menacing expression. His cold, murderous intent seeped through, unsettling both Gluttony and Pride.
"Uh oh... Someone's going to die today," Gluttony remarked, earning a light slap on her shoulder from Pride as a warning not to provoke Daniel.
"Hey! What was that for?" Gluttony protested.
"Gluttony, lend me your phone for a moment, will you? I want to personally speak with them and express my dissatisfaction with their services," Daniel said, as if he were about to complain about a rude delivery service to their company. However, his smile carried an undertone of murderous intent.
— Syndicate Union - Naha State Branch —
In the dimly lit and opulently furnished office of the Syndicate Union Naha State Branch Manager, the air exuded an atmosphere of sophistication and power. The walls adorned with rich mahogany panels added an element of elegance to the setting. A large, polished wooden desk dominated the center of the room, behind which the manager sat in a high-backed leather chair.
Expansive windows allowed the warm glow of neon streetlights to filter in, casting a subdued ambiance on the plush carpeting. Heavy velvet curtains framed the windows, adding a touch of grandeur while offering a glimpse of the city below.
The manager stood by the window, observing the people bustling through the streets below as if they were mere ants. The view fascinated him, instilling a sense of power.
At that moment, the phone on his desk rang. There were two phones on his desk; the first one was used for internal branch communication, such as with accounting, reception, or the cleanup team. The second phone, however, was dedicated to external calls.
Those with enough privilege to contact him through this line wielded power and influence capable of overshadowing even the mighty manager of the Syndicate Union branch like him. In this realm, he acknowledged that he was at best a rabbit compared to a predator, and at worst, an ant compared to a human.
**Ring— Ring— Ring— Ring—**
The manager slowly walked toward the ringing phone with a heavy heart. Who could it be this time? To be honest, he would rather not let this phone ring at all. Even though it was rare, if anything were to go wrong, there would be dire consequences.
"Yes? I'm Murata Takahashi, the Syndicate Union branch manager of Naha State. How may I help you?" The manager introduced himself to the other side of the phone.
"Bring all the chips this gold coin can trade," he demanded.
The staff at the counter, upon seeing the coin's engraving and image, paled and hesitated. They scrutinized the dock worker's face once more.
"What are you looking at!? Quick! Bring me the chips!" he yelled impatiently.
"Certainly, sir! Please wait a moment; I need to verify this coin's authenticity," the staff explained, bowing before making an excuse to check the gold coin in the back room.
However, instead of authenticating the gold coin, the staff went to a particular machine resembling a coin slot. Placing the gold coin on it, the machine displayed Daniel's face along with confidential information identifying it as a top-secret Syndicate Union item.
A small chat box appeared on the screen, bearing instructions from the Syndicate Union Naha State branch manager.
'Detain the individual presenting this coin to you. Do not concern yourself with their identity, even if it is a Shogun. Use force if necessary.' After reading the directive, the staff hurriedly made their way to the security room.
In less than a minute, the staff returned to the dock worker with a sincere smile. Why not? This man had brought him luck, and he even received a generous bonus and a paid vacation from the 'manager' himself!
"I'm sorry to keep you waiting, sir." As the staff spoke, a group of muscular, menacing men in black suits surrounded the dock worker.
One of the muscular men addressed him, "Sir, please follow our instructions and join our security team in the waiting room."
The language used by the muscular men conveyed minimal respect for the customer, lacking any sign of a service-oriented mindset. The use of 'please' in their sentence was not a request; it was a command.
Suddenly, the casino's electricity was cut, plunging the establishment into darkness. All music, lights, and amenities ceased to function, leaving only the red emergency lights guiding the guests toward the casino entrance. Murmurs arose among the crowd, who then turned their attention to the group of menacing men.
The dock worker shuddered at the sight of the muscular men. Initially thinking of calling for help, he noticed one of them turning to address the guests and explain the situation.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I apologize for interrupting your enjoyable evening, but the casino is now closed due to an issue with our electricity system. We will compensate you with $20,000 in chips for each of you the next time you visit. Please remember to take the special coupon our staff will provide at the entrance. Also, don't forget to claim your money from the staff; we will refund you based on the chips you have plus any losses incurred due to our electricity problem."
Despite recognizing the security's explanation as a blatant lie, the casino guests didn't seem to mind. Content with the compensation, they saw no reason to dwell on the casino's issues.
As the guests began to exit the now-silent casino, its main electricity cut off, the dock worker's heart quickened, realizing that somehow he had f*cked up. He knew there was something off with that damn gold coin, but he hadn't anticipated it would lead to this level of trouble!