AHumanMadeMOFO
patreon
Chapter 51: The Second Dimensional Beacon
🕑 Added 2024-11-28 15:26:39 +0000 UTC"Mr. Josh, your previously ordered oil removal service has been completed. Have a good day!"
Half an hour later, in a mansion in West Palm Beach, only about 100 kilometers from Miami, Josh listened to the voice on the phone and smiled with satisfaction.
After hanging up, Josh happily opened a bottle of champagne, poured two glasses, and walked out into the backyard.
In the outdoor pool in the backyard, a mermaid was swimming gracefully and happily.
"What happened? You look so happy," Margaret asked curiously, swimming to the edge of the pool and emerging halfway out of the water to see Josh holding two glasses of wine.
Although the U.S. had passed laws prohibiting the sale of alcohol to minors as early as 1933, when Prohibition was repealed, there were no laws prohibiting minors from drinking alcohol themselves.
As a result, underage drinking was still quite common in that era.
But Margaret knew that Josh didn't like to drink. He only indulged in champagne or red wine on special occasions, and never actively sought to drink.
Yet here he was, opening a bottle of champagne of his own volition - clearly something worth celebrating had happened.
"Nothing much, just completed an investment. Though there won't be an immediate return and I've invested a considerable amount of money, the future is promising!" Josh smiled as he handed one of the champagne glasses to the beautiful woman, clinking the glasses lightly.
When celebrating something joyous, how could one do without wine and a beautiful companion?
"So that means you're done with your work now, right?" Margaret subtly avoided asking about the investment and instead finished her glass next to Josh before speaking.
"Yes, why do you ask?" Josh nodded.
"In that case, get down here!" Margaret grinned mischievously, grabbed Josh and pulled him into the pool. She quickly swam away, treading water at a distance and laughing heartily at the now drenched Josh.
"Very well, my lady, you have successfully captured my attention. Are you ready for the coming revenge?" Josh said, feigning a deep voice as he emerged from the water and fixed his gaze on Margaret.
"Revenge? Little sir, can you even catch me?" Margaret teased with mock disdain.
How could any man hold back?
"Don't run away! If I catch you, you'll see if I'm short or not!" Josh "roared" in mock anger and swam quickly toward Margaret.
Soon the backyard was filled with playful splashing, laughter, and cries for mercy. Soon the mood changed to harmonious melodies of bliss.
Compared to the cold of Chicago, Florida's warm climate was so pleasant that Josh and Margaret found it hard to leave.
They decided to settle in Palm Beach for the long haul and bought a piece of land to build their own vacation home, as opposed to their current rental villa.
From then on, they could escape to this haven every autumn and winter.
It wasn't just a luxury, it was a sound investment.
For in the future, Palm Beach would become a haven for billionaires.
Although land prices in Palm Beach weren't cheap at the time, they weren't exorbitant either. Building a mansion was not a significant financial burden for Josh and Margaret.
Moreover, with the Jewish gang no longer a hindrance, Josh's tobacco business flourished uninterrupted, bringing in massive daily profits.
However, since the primary tobacco production and sales were based in the northern cities, with a newly established base in New York, Josh often found himself shuttling between Chicago, New York, and Miami, acting as a frequent flyer to replenish supplies and collect payments.
The reason for not setting up a factory in the South was simple: while it wasn't impossible to sell tobacco in the South, the profit margins were much lower. Several southern states grew tobacco, and nearby countries like Cuba were major tobacco producers, making it difficult to command high prices.
To optimize operations, Josh even made good on a promise he'd made earlier, spending nearly $30,000 on a customized DC-3 aircraft for personal trips.
Meanwhile, under the leadership of Dix and Lyndon Schneider, the Blackwater gang's influence was rapidly expanding, fueled by the booming illegal tobacco and sugar businesses.
Unlike traditional gangs that sought territorial control, the Blackwater gang's strategy of leaving room for profit made them popular with Irish gangs across the country.
Through these lucrative ventures, Dix gained a vast network and significant influence within the Irish mob, emerging as a leader among them.
This rise naturally alarmed the Italian Mafia, who began to feel threatened as the Irish gained momentum.
At first, the Mafia suspected foreign interference behind the downfall of the Jewish gang, but soon realized it was likely the work of the mysterious Blackwater gang.
Attempts to counterattack proved futile, as the Blackwater gang members were well trained, making assassination attempts ineffective. Retaliation against the Mafia was swift and devastating, with entire families wiped out.
In Chicago, the Italian Mafia's influence was completely eradicated and their territories divided among Irish gangs.
With official backing and support from the Irish and German-American communities, the Blackwater gang solidified its control.
As 1943 turned into 1944, the power dynamics of the underworld had completely shifted.
It was then that Josh finally received the long-awaited second dimensional beacon from System, a year in the making.
