Chapter 72: Damain’s Faustian Bargain

“Damian speaks highly of you and believes you are destined for something greater…” Faceless said calmly while twirling the whiskey in his glass.

Twenty could only stare at him, half afraid and half exhilarated. It had taken him a while to gather himself and return to his seat, yet it was still difficult to hold a conversation with a white man wearing a black face, especially when the face was his own.

It was not just his face. He also had his voice.

Seeing the man he was trying to discuss business with frozen like this, Damian let out a quiet sigh. All he had wanted was to frighten this man into obedience, yet it seemed he had frightened him so thoroughly that he had broken him.

Letting out a heavier sigh, Damian released the cup from his hand. It fell to the ground and shattered into a thousand pieces. Twenty flinched at the sharp sound, blinking as his trance was broken by the violent crack of glass.

“The Black Apostles… I can make you the new Kingpin.” Damian adjusted his seating position.

His words dropped like a bomb, though it was the kind of explosion that left the room in absolute silence. The lost and intimidated Twenty suddenly turned stern, his eyes narrowing slowly.

For the past month, Damian had done his homework on Twenty, and he knew this man was a member of the Black Apostle cartel, an all black organization known for controlling the southern part of the state.

Racketeering, extortion, robbery, murder for hire, drugs, political thuggery. The Black Apostle cartel had its hands in every ungodly business imaginable.

Twenty was a Capo, and Damian suspected the argument that had led to Lil Vex’s death was likely related to drug distribution within his territory. For most men, that position would have been enough to satisfy a lifetime of ambition.

But not Twenty.

Twenty was not just a Capo. He was one of the hottest rappers in Chicago and had already gained global popularity with over twenty million monthly streamers. He was different, and that was exactly why Damian knew he was the perfect target. Even now Damian could practically smell the man’s hunger for more.

“But I will not stop at making you Kingpin. I will make you the man who wiped out the competition and took control of the entire Chicago.”

Damian leaned forward as he spoke, his eyes burning brighter than ever. His grin widened slowly until the expression twisted his face into something disturbingly unnatural.

Twenty’s carefully maintained poker face shattered. The mere thought of controlling drug distribution across all of Chicago sent a surge of pleasure through his body so intense it felt almost obscene. The money they were already making from drugs alone dwarfed the profits from his music career, and they controlled only one third of the city.

Tripling that profit while placing himself at the very top of the cartel would secure his position as a rising billionaire in Chicago.

Without even realizing it, Twenty had already risen to his feet and begun pacing back and forth across the room, lost in thought.

Taking over was not so simple. Even if the Kingpin died, the underboss would still remain. And even if the underboss died as well, there were other Capos. Many of them would never accept his leadership after such a bloody takeover.

Yet Twenty had developed a profound impression of this strange being sitting before him. After witnessing the miracle he had performed with his court case, Twenty was desperate to discover the true limits of this man’s power. If he truly possessed the abilities he claimed to have, then making him Kingpin of the Black Apostle cartel might not be impossible.

Difficult.

But not impossible.

Twenty finally stopped pacing and turned to face Faceless.

“What do you want in return for this?”

Twenty was no fool. Having lived his entire life in the darker corners of the world, he understood better than most that nothing came without a price. Especially not from someone who looked far more like a demon than an angel.

Unbeknownst to him, he was fortunate that Damian still wore his mask. Had he seen the expression on the other side of it, the terror gripping his heart would have doubled.

[Faustian Bargain Initiated By You]

Snap!

With a snap of his fingers, purple flames erupted around his hand and a scroll burst into existence. With a flick of his wrist, Damian sent the scroll floating through the air toward Twenty. Though reluctant, Twenty ultimately reached out and caught the hovering parchment.

As he unfolded it, glowing letters began burning themselves into the surface of the scroll while Damian spoke.

“Before December 31st of next year, I will make you the Kingpin of the Black Apostles. Within the span of five years I will fulfill my promise to make you the sole cartel in control of all of Chicago. Finally, I will stand as your guardian. Call upon me and I will do your bidding.”

Damian began with the benefits, and as expected Twenty’s greed swelled with every word. The presence of definite dates made the promises even more seductive. They transformed fantasy into something that felt almost achievable.

“In exchange I demand three things of equal value…” Damian continued in a calm, measured tone.

“Upon making you Kingpin, Damian Hill will hold the position of Consigliere and will be added to your will as your successor in the event of your passing…”

“Damian…” Twenty frowned slightly.

The relationship between this strange being and the lawyer seemed deeper than he had assumed. As for the first condition, however, Twenty had no objections.

He had already sworn that his family would be raised far away from the vicious world he inhabited. He would never allow them to become directly involved in the cartel. Succession was therefore irrelevant to him. If Faceless had already guaranteed his safety, then it was safe to assume he would eventually die peacefully of old age. By that time his family would already be secure, with a thriving legal business for his children to inherit. Whatever happened to the cartel after his death would be the least of his concerns.

“Upon delivering all of Chicago into your hands, I will demand one human sacrifice every year to sustain this agreement. Should you fail to deliver on this promise, you will watch the Black Apostles lose their grip on Chicago faster than they gained it.”

Damian’s voice grew sharp and cold as he delivered the second condition.

“Human sacrifice?” Twenty shivered.

“Is there a problem?” Damian hissed, his tone suddenly threatening.

Twenty shuddered and immediately shook his head. He had taken several lives in his lifetime, so the idea that one person would die every year did not disturb him as much as it should have. What unsettled him was the word sacrifice itself. The term conjured images of demonic rituals and grotesque ceremonies that would horrify any ordinary person.

Nothing is free, he reminded himself, forcing his trembling heart to settle.

“Good… Now my final demand. For every time I am called upon, I reserve the right to make a demand of my own after my services have been rendered.”

“Be warned. Whoever fails to keep their part of this bargain will pay a price worse than death.”

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