Chapter 452
Under Nolan’s orders, men collecting protection fees began to appear in Hill City. They roamed the streets, demanding money from shopkeepers. They would not say much if the shopkeepers refused, but at night, they would come back to vandalize the stores.
The next day, the shopkeepers almost broke down to see their stores wrecked and the losses they incurred. Even when they reported the incidents, the response was always, ‘Just wait‘.
Nolan had permitted the incidents, so even if the shopkeepers waited forever, they would never see justice.
That night, the people collecting protection money came again and further vandalized the stores.
When the shopkeepers came back and saw their smashed doors, they burst into tears. This time, most of them obediently paid up when asked for protection fees.
There were some who stubbornly refused, but the thugs had power backing them and could afford to play along with the shopkeepers. What awaited the shopkeepers were only two options: pay, or get out.
Even if they posted about it online, the posts would be quickly deleted, and someone would soon pay them a visit. Those people were all specially trained by Nolan to manage such resistant shopkeepers.
Many shopkeepers were disappointed in Hill City, and some were forced to close down their businesses.
Due to the high protection fees, no new shopkeepers were willing to take over. In just a week, the once–bustling streets became much quieter.
Meanwhile, repairs started on the newly constructed highway, severely impacting traffic.
Some towns and villages faced longer transportation times for their fruits and crops, and it was harder for vehicles from outside to get them. The villagers had to either watch their fruits rot in the fields or pay extra to have the produce transported out through alternative routes.
Combined with the inadequate compensation from last time, they had lost all hope. They would rather go to other cities for work than continue growing their orchards here.
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Chapter 452
The town and village chiefs tried to persuade them to stay, but the villagers already made up their minds.
“This land can no longer support us.”
They felt exhausted. They toiled day in and out and had to drive away wild animals without harming them, but they barely made any money. Many people felt that they were worth less than wild animals.
The town and village chiefs were helpless and could only watch as the villagers found work elsewhere.
With the number of villagers decreasing, people dealing with contraband moved into the villages to conduct their dealings. Since many villages were remote, no one noticed their transactions. Even if they were discovered, they could simply hide in the mountains where no one could find them.
During this period, the number of illegal transactions surged.
Adding up the road repair funds, bribes, protection fees, and profits from contraband, Nolan made 3 billion in just one week! He could not stop grinning.
“Three years!” he muttered to himself excitedly. “It’s been three whole years since I made this much money, and I’m making money much faster than I did before! It won’t take long for the Spencers to rise again.”
Before encountering Ethan, they earned a lot of money every day, but their decline started after Ethan arrived.
Now that Ethan was out of the picture, their chance to return had arrived. They might even surpass themselves in the past!
“Given how high the trading volume is right now, I should bring in more goods.”
Nolan decided to procure more contraband to sell in Hill City. He took out his phone and called his subordinate, instructing him to increase their stock.
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Chapter 453
