Chapter 129

"No matter if it's our small team or the folks at the old steel mill, Frank's actions are driven by our shared struggles and his rivalry with Alan. Maybe he knows deep down that Laura's feelings for Alan aren't romantic, but there's something missing in his heart that money can't fill," Bob said.

So, there was another layer to Alan and Frank's relationship. They were friends and brothers in times of hardship. At the same time, Frank might have seen Alan as a lifelong rival, even though he had far surpassed Alan in societal terms.

Alan was just a low-level clerk at the Silverlight City Forestry Bureau, while Frank had achieved financial freedom over the past decade. Frank couldn't move on, not just to surpass Alan, because of an inner void that wealth and status couldn't fill.

For people like them, life must have been long and torturous. Lally, Bob, and Mike chose to jump ship and start over, while Frank, like a lonely captain, carried his hatred and mission, watching his crew leave one by one, crashing into the reefs of fate.

"I've been thinking about something," I suddenly remembered and asked, "This Entertainment Club is located in the city center, which is also the site of the old steel mill. I've always suspected that the land rights for the old steel mill and the Entertainment Club are owned by the same person. The club hasn't been open for many years, and given the current situation in Silverlight City, it's unrealistic to buy a piece of land in the city center with such convenient transportation, almost as if the roads were built specifically for the club."

Bob looked at me with a hint of surprise in his eyes. "Why do you ask?"

"The owner of the Entertainment Club is Douglas, and Ronald is behind him. But why does Ronald always set up a stall at the club's entrance and never go inside? What is he afraid of? This should be his territory."

"You don't know?" Bob was taken aback.

"What do you mean? What should I know?" I asked.

Bob replied, "You don't know? The owner of the Entertainment Club is Douglas, but the major shareholder behind it is Frank."

What! Frank was the real boss behind the Entertainment Club?

Bob saw my shocked expression and nodded, continuing, "This happened in the past two years. I thought you knew. Douglas was running the club, dealing drugs, and engaging in prostitution, making a lot of money but also causing a lot of trouble. Ronald cleaned up many of those messes. Eventually, Ronald couldn't stand it anymore and had Frank take over."

Bob sneered and said, "Frank would rather see him dead than deal with this mess, but he couldn't go against Ronald's orders. So, he bought the club's shares under the guise of an investment. Officially, it's his, but Douglas still manages the day-to-day operations."

"Duke is using drugs, and I saw many young girls coming out of the club around one in the afternoon. The drug dealing and prostitution haven't stopped; they've become even more rampant," I responded.

"Exactly, you noticed too," Bob nodded and continued, "Frank doesn't care. He even encourages Douglas to be bolder, hoping Douglas will self-destruct."

"I see. My guess was right. The real target that day at the Entertainment Club wasn't Douglas; it was Ronald. Frank's desire to kill Ronald was something the other side had long known. The only way to force Ronald inside was through coercion."

I looked at Bob and said calmly, "Do you remember now?"

Bob frowned, thought seriously, and shook his head. "No, but I can guess. The only way to force Ronald inside is through coercion. Using Douglas to coerce Ronald into coming in. The real purpose of the arson and murder at True Love Entertainment Club was Ronald, but Ronald didn't come in. Frank was too naive in this step."

I looked at Bob's determined yet confused expression. The events he had experienced were split into another person's memory due to his dual personality, like a bystander observing and thinking. This pathological detachment from oneself was a form of sorrow and pain.

If he recalled everything, the combination of memories would be like two puzzle pieces fitting together. One side was the extremely self-assured Bob, and the other was the extremely negative and despondent Bob. As he saw his friends, who had shared hardships, fall apart, he wondered how deep this self-split would go.

"Nancy, what's wrong? Why did you stop halfway?" Bob asked with concern, his voice low. "Have you been too tired these days? Maybe you should rest early. A lot has happened today."

I shook my head, sighed, and looked at Zoey, who hadn't spoken for a while. She was clearly exhausted. Zoey had been the most tired after a day of running around, and the emotional blow she had suffered made it remarkable that she had held on this long. After all, she was still an intern in her senior year, not yet graduated, and wouldn't officially graduate until July 2025.

"Sit down, we've all had a long day," I said.

Zoey yawned quietly and obediently sat next to me. Bob hesitated, then squatted in the corner, away from the light, as if the darkness brought him some comfort.

I frowned. Bob didn't seem quite right.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"Nothing, just tired. I don't want to sit. Squatting like this is more comfortable. Before college, in Shadow City, I often squatted in the corner, daydreaming. Let's continue. Your analysis makes sense. Ronald is stationed at the Entertainment Club because he's afraid. He's afraid that once he goes in, he won't come out."

Bob focused and analyzed carefully, then looked at me and muttered, "Would Ronald be afraid of Frank?"

I shook my head and instinctively glanced at Bob. "Of course not. Although it sounds inappropriate, Ronald practically raised you. He knows you inside out and is confident he can control you. From my brief interactions with Ronald, he's arrogant, ambitious and highly controlling. But he's missing one thing."

"What?" Bob's eyes lit up.

"A rival," I said seriously.