Webnovel

Chapter 1: The New Mafia Boss

"Want something done right? Do it yourself." My father ingrained that principle into me, a creed I intend to live by. Today, I'm not just going through the motions—I'm systematically taking charge, checking off every item on a list that no one else here seems capable of handling. It's become painfully clear that if anything is going to be done right, it will be by my hand.

I don't know why they bother showing up anymore.

I don't even understand why my father left me the damn family to run.

I don't know why I'm not getting rid of them.

Today started with everyone related to me being summoned for a family meeting. Mother showed up along with my brother and sister, and the crew from my old man followed them. I was suspicious when the head of the family didn't show, but then they dropped some news. "The Boss is dead, we're here to deliver his will," my father's right-hand man stated. I could hear his heartache; I genuinely felt sorry for him. He always looked up to my father.

And like that, I was entrusted with the family as their next head, inheriting everything my father owned. But the problem with this—and how he left everything to me—was... I wanted nothing to do with these fuckwits, the filth who share the same blood as me.

I have two screwball older siblings who instantly threw a fit. An ignorant mother who only thought about the wealth she was slowly sapping away from my father now being all mine. And then some power-hungry half-sibling vultures who'll be watching my every move now.

As soon as everyone started playing entitlement, the meeting was adjourned. I couldn't wait to hear what they had to say about their inherent rights, but I have more pressing things to ponder while capping off Shangri-la than the tolerance to listen to a bunch of monkeys.

News I already knew came to me as I decided to leave, and my ever-so-shit-brained loving siblings caused some inconveniences with a neighboring family. Now, with a new target on our family, I'm going to have to fix this mess. Oh, what wonderful news. I need coffee.

Going straight to business, "Call everyone for a meeting," I ordered, scheduling another meeting for today. This time, worth my time, I handled business accordingly.

Trying to explain our plan was a total failure. They refused to listen, dismissing my suggestion to protect the family from casualties as cowardly—too soft for their taste. Well, screw them. It's obvious they're testing my patience, but who says I actually needed those decoys anyway? I suppose I'll just make this more entertaining for myself.

I had to take a taxi to the next city over and casually pop rocks on the back of the driver's seat. I didn't know he carried paintballs—though, the blo-. . .Paint almost got on me. He should have just invited me for a game rather than come to my home for his "family's" game.

"Reese's, huh? I'm heading there anyway," I muttered to myself as I was stringing something fun into the taxi's fuel tank before leaving with his clothes. He's taking a little break, so I'm just helping him with a few soon-to-be-missing deliveries. "I'm going to punish them for getting me involved in this quarrel." I need to think of a way to punish those two idiotic monkeys.

But that'll have to wait a little too, "I'm not done yet."

Doing as my father taught me when handling business, I needed to be witty, but taking what I observed from my mother, I found myself in a bar, not of my own, hands blistered and grimey with orange-stained dirt. I blended in as a construction worker and waited with four shots of water and one whiskey in front of me. I was merely waiting for a friend to show.

Found him, had to help—I killed him in the alleyway, that's all to it. Following that, I saw a beautiful woman, certainly drunk but wanting to chat. After a few more drinks, I ended up going back to her place. This wasn't ideal; I would have enjoyed her sober to remember this. But that's fine with me.

Back at hers, and furiously making love outside before her desire to take me in, I followed behind as she opened the door, holding me by an extra leg. But as we walked in, we were caught. Her father stood in the way, surprised by his innocent baby's actions with me.

Upon seeing me, his surprise turned into rage, but as his daughter went to get in between us—Bang! Shock spread through the room, and all eyes were on her as a gun was on her shoulder and aimed at her father's broken heart. Or should I say punctured?

I was expecting to run into him in the morning after being caught with his daughter. Oh well, "Goodbye Reese," I said before turning away and looking over at her, grinning, "Chou love."

Yeah, so that's how my day ended.

Killed a few old men and a family head.

When coming back home after a long night, I came back to my brother and sister grinning, "Yo, little bro," asking how my first day was, tiring my patience with every other sentence. So leaving them be without a word, I merely walked past the both of them.

But as I walked past them, I saw their grins turn into daggers, and then my sister as I felt something press against the back of my head, "Where do you think you're going?" a barrel.

And then the devil's voice rang behind me, "So sorry, little bro, we're just not liking the new management here, so we're going to be taking action against management~" she ridiculed.

"Then say it already, I'm a busy man," I told her, making them laugh and tap my head. All I did was move my hand to my chest, waiting for her response as they became entertained.

"You were always good at telling jokes, so here's this~" Talking the tallest, tale my elder brother came around. Glancing at him, my hand sailed into my shirt and I ducked. Bang! Hearing the sound of a shot, she missed me by milliseconds, and I'll take every one of those specs.

Flicking out a pocket knife and darting up, I stabbed my brother in the throat, letting go and twisting my body like string as I shifted towards her and rearmed myself with the knife, tearing it out of Ryan's throat and splattering his blood. I aimed my next attack at her.

But grabbing the knife and twisting my body as I went to slay her, the world around me became an endless ashen void. Upon stabbing her, she wasn't there. Instead, I speared an old man, lodging my knife into his side. But as it sunk into his flesh, everything turned black.

* * * * *

After everything that's happened today, this is how I died? That's disappointing, and kind of ironic. My father died not too long ago too. I guess they'll probably bury me next to him if they don't decide to make it seem like I ran away.

Hm? Why can't I feel my body? I'm dead and yet thinking?

It'll be fuck'd up if I'm in limbo.

Hell sounds more apparent.

Floating in that endless black sea, I heard it again, cutting through the silence—"Marcus… Marcus!... MARCUS!!!" The voice echoed, sending ripples through the void, crashing against me like waves. The sound pounded in my skull, louder and louder, until I couldn't take it anymore. My eyes shot open.

The darkness faded, replaced by light. I was slouched over, my head pressed against something hard, with drool trickling from the corner of my mouth. Blinking away the haze, I lifted my head and found myself sitting at a desk. What the hell?

I wiped my chin, glancing up. An old woman stood in front of me, arms crossed, glaring down with pure rage in her eyes. She clutched a long wooden ruler in her hand, and it looked like she was about two seconds away from breaking it over my head.

She scowled. "YOU DARE SLEEP IN MY CLASS AND NOW THIS? GET OUT, MARCUS! GET OUT NOW!!!"

Her voice was grating, like nails on a chalkboard, but I just stared at her. The whole class was watching, silent, waiting to see what I'd do. I could feel their eyes on me, but I didn't flinch. Instead, I rose slowly, stretching like I had all the time in the world. Then I looked her dead in the eyes, calm but sharp.

"Lady," I said, my voice low, dripping with cold indifference. "You're lucky I'm feeling patient today."

Her face twitched, but she didn't back down. The class held its breath. I stepped forward, closing the gap between us, locking eyes with her. "Now, I don't care who you think you are," I continued, 'but you don't talk to me like that.'

I leaned in closer, my tone softening but laced with menace. "You ever scream in my face again, and I'll make sure you never have to worry about raising your voice. Ever."

Her eyes widened, and the room went still, the tension thick enough to cut. No one dared to move.

Then, as quickly as I'd leaned in, I straightened up, adjusting my collar like nothing happened. I shot a glance around the room—students frozen in place, fear plastered across their faces. I flashed a smile, shameless, like I didn't just threaten their teacher in front of them.

"What?" I shrugged, throwing up my hands. "It's just a little advice."

The class stayed silent, their eyes following my every move. Finally, I turned back to the old lady, who was still standing there, stunned. I stepped past her without a second glance, heading for the door. Before I left, I paused, turning back to the room.

"By the way," I added, smirking slightly. "Where the hell am I?"