Chapter 266 - 31: A Letter from a Strange Man

There’s madness, and then there’s madness.

Some people are truly mad. Something’s missing in their heads. They see something and just want to kick it, not caring if they get beaten up afterward.

Morals and ethics are just bullshit to them. When the mood strikes, even their own comrades might end up eating a bullet.

These are the true lunatics.

Then there are those who fake their madness, just putting on a reckless, death-defying act to hide their true goals.

Duan Fei highly suspected the Clown Gang and the Madhouse were just a bunch of fake lunatics, but he currently lacked any substantial evidence.

But when Duan Fei returned to the Foreigners to continue gathering intelligence, they received some news.

The kitchen had been blown up.

The kitchen’s location was a secret known to only a few people. The bombing was completely unexpected.

Fortunately, Johnson was counting his money in his room at the time, so the basement explosion didn’t reach him. However, it exposed the existence of the underground kitchen, which would slow down future shipment efficiency.

Chairman Lin’s mansion had been destroyed, Bystander A’s men had been taken out, and now the kitchen had been bombed. Feeling threatened, the Foreigners and the Gentlemen’s Association held a brief meeting. They decided to invite the Clown Gang to discuss the matter and demand an explanation.

The Clown Gang might be the city’s largest gang, but that didn’t mean they could do whatever they wanted.

This was especially true when everyone was gearing up to make money, with bright prospects ahead. The Clown Gang’s actions were tantamount to cutting off everyone’s income, taking the food from their mouths.

The swift and decisive Chairman Lin and Godfather quickly sent an invitation to the Clown Gang. They also invited the city’s mayor to act as a witness.

Then they got blown up again.

When the three factions met at the designated location, hundreds of balloons suddenly appeared. A smaller balloon was suspended beneath each one, and they exploded the moment they touched the walls.

Three of the attendees were seriously injured and thirteen were lightly wounded. The two major gangs lost all face, their security systems reduced to a laughingstock.

The Godfather, whose forehead had been injured in the explosion, flew into a rage. His recent focus immediately shifted from promoting Black Mashed Potatoes to waging all-out war against the Clown Gang.

Thanks to the sales of Black Mashed Potatoes, the Foreigners had acquired a large amount of capital. They bought a batch of military-grade weapons, hired a group of desperados, and began a frenzied hunt for the Clown Gang.

For them, annihilating the Clown Gang was now the top priority. The sale of Black Mashed Potatoes could be postponed.

But for Duan Fei and his group, they couldn’t afford to wait.

The factory trial was a long instance, but it only lasted for eight days.

As things stood, a ceasefire seemed nowhere in sight. Their mission was to increase their food market share to 50%, which currently seemed like an utterly impossible task.

Gathered in a room, Duan Fei shared the latest intel with everyone. He then tapped on a blackboard and said, "I think I’ve figured it out. The Clown Gang and the Madhouse have no intention of letting us win. They’re just here to screw with us."

"Now I get what it feels like to step in shit," Flora said, annoyed. "To think there are players this disgusting."

"The malice of players can exceed your wildest imagination," Bystander A said, chewing on some Black Mashed Potatoes. "Especially the Madhouse. Their ’Hidden Dragon and Phoenix Chick’ make you marvel at the diversity of the human race. Duan Someone, what are you planning to do next?"

"I’m still trying to figure out if they’re really crazy or just pretending," Duan Fei replied.

"Does it matter?"

"It matters a lot. If they’re truly crazy, they’ll be hard to deal with. If they’re just faking it, then we still have a chance."

Sensing that Duan Fei seemed to have a plan, Bystander A asked curiously, "You’ve got an idea?"

"Yeah. But we have to wait for now. Today is the fourth day. Let’s wait until tonight. If we don’t hear anything from them, we’ll assume they’re real lunatics and make our move."

Bystander A looked at Duan Fei, then nodded in agreement. "I get it."

Cuihua thought for a moment, then nodded. "Mm..."

Flora also thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "Understood."

Only the Maid looked at the others in confusion. She asked quizzically, "What did you all get? Miss, can you explain it to me?"

Seeing that her Maid didn’t understand, Flora broke into an arrogant grin. She said with a wicked smile, "So there are things the almighty Maid doesn’t know, huh? Well, why don’t you beg me? If you beg, I’ll tell you."

Picking up the teapot with one hand and grabbing Flora’s throat with the other, the Maid said coldly, "Miss, what temperature of water do you think a person can withstand?"

"Let go! I’ll talk!"

After finally getting the Maid to release her, Flora rubbed her neck and coughed. "Jeez, do you have any restraint at all?"

"When dealing with a Female Little Demon, I am always very serious," the Maid stated calmly.

After catching her breath, Flora said, "It’s actually simple. If the Clown Gang and the Madhouse send us a message, it means their previous madness was just a ploy to gain more leverage for negotiations. After all, our Black Mashed Potatoes are too effective, and the Clown Gang has nothing that can compete."

Rummaging in her clothes, Flora pulled out a lollipop. "This is a Clown Gang product. It’s not bad. Sugar provides a huge dopamine hit. For residents who haven’t tasted good food in over half a year, this candy is like a dance party on their pituitary glands. But this stuff has a few fatal flaws. One is that it’s difficult to produce, making the price too high."

"In contrast, the Black Mashed Potatoes are cheap and come in large quantities. Plus, the Godfather has government connections and can pass the Black Mashed Potatoes off as normal food, so its circulation is much better. Comparing the two, the Black Mashed Potatoes are a clear winner."

At this, the Maid understood. She nodded and said, "I see. No wonder you were waiting for a message. It was to confirm this, right?"

"Yes. Different personalities require different responses. Now, we just have to wait."

They waited until evening, when a message from the Madhouse finally arrived.

A balloon with a creepy smiling face drawn on it flew to the window. Then, controlled by some Mysterious Power, it twisted and deformed, squeezing through a crack in the window and floating into the room.

The balloon then seemed to take on a life of its own, searching among the people present before slowly drifting toward Duan Fei and exploding in his face.

A shower of colorful streamers burst out, along with a dove that seemed impossible to have fit inside and the sound of canned laughter. This balloon was definitely worth the price.

Then, a greeting from the Madhouse rang out from the balloon: "Duan Someone, your member Little Fatty is here with me. Interested in coming over for a chat? One of your admirers, from the Madhouse, the Magician."