Old Gods, Rapid-Fire Guns, and Prohibition

Chapter 171 [Two New Jokes]

Ethan's guest is Marvin.

Ethan was not surprised that Marvin would come to visit him.

He even prepared a nice glass of wine for Marvin.

When Marvin stepped into the living room, Ethan was reading the latest Winston Morning Post.

Newspapers are still reporting on the follow-up of the public trial, especially the discussion of public power and criticism of the abuse of public power.

In fact, Ethan spent money to let the newspapers guide public opinion and turn it back to land reclamation.

But that's how public opinion is. Once the heat has passed, it will be difficult to create a new trend.

Especially since the public trial is still in the spotlight, it is even more difficult to turn the gun around.

This made Ethan even more convinced that his investment in Helosh was the right thing to do, and that he needed to have his own media outlet to get things done.

However, at the moment, even if there is no land reclamation, it seems that it does not matter. As long as all the evidence of Osvaldo's corruption, embezzlement of public funds, and money laundering is collected, he will definitely not be able to stay in Winster.

"Here you are, Marvin. Come sit down. I don't know if you like it, but I've prepared a bottle of 93 wine for you. Would you like to try it?"

Ethan put down the newspaper in his hand, first glanced at Marvin, and then looked at the glass of cherry-red wine.

Marvin was also looking at the glass of wine.

He didn't say anything, picked up the glass of wine, shook it gently, put it to his nose and took a deep sniff.

"What a good wine... How much of this good wine do you have?"

"Why, do you still want to arrest me?"

Marvin nodded, then said, "I will never give up on catching you, and I will never forget that it was you who killed Aberlin."

"Oh?"

"But before that, I know I have to move up. I have to have more power and a higher status. Otherwise, I will never be able to catch you in this life."

"Yes, if you were the Minister of Public Security now, you could arrest me however you wanted."

Marvin nodded again, then drank the glass of wine in his hand.

His expression was not painful, and he even looked a little bit enjoyable, as if what he drank was not the devil's poison, but the wine of eternal life.

“It’s really good wine.”

He seemed to be still unsatisfied, so he picked up the bottle of wine next to him and poured himself a glass.

"Tell me what you want me to do. Give me your orders, Lord Ethan. From now on, I will be your loyal dog."

"Don't say that, Marvin. We're partners, it's a win-win situation. It's good for you, and it's good for me too."

Marvin drank a whole bottle of wine and left Ethan's reception room a little drunk.

When he reached the door, he happened to meet Joseph who came to listen to the joke.

Joseph was obviously a little surprised by Marvin's appearance here, especially because he smelled a strong smell of alcohol on Marvin.

"Why, Major Marvin, do you have drinking privileges in the Prohibition Bureau? Drinking on the job?"

Marvin didn't answer immediately. He stared at him for a while before he started laughing and said, "Lieutenant Colonel Joseph, I suddenly remembered a joke. Do you want to hear it?"

"What joke?"

"There's a story about a man who, in public, is trying to judge another person for money laundering. That person presents a ton of evidence, fully confident he's winning. But at the last moment, it's discovered that all that evidence was fabricated. Hahahahahahaha, isn't that funny?"

Marvin was smiling, but his expression suddenly turned cold.

Joseph was not laughing. He also had a sullen face and said, "Major Marvin, you seem to be a little confused about your position."

"You are the one who can't tell your own position, Joseph. Didn't you see that I was here first? Don't embarrass yourself." After saying that, Marvin left.

When he walked out the door, he felt very happy, happier than ever before, so he burst into laughter in the garden.

I almost laughed to tears.

When Joseph walked into Ethan's reception room, Ethan asked Joseph, "What's wrong? Did you tell Marvin a joke in advance? Why did he laugh like that? Then you have to tell me again, what joke is so funny?"

"Is it funny?"

Joseph sat across from Ethan.

"Isn't it funny?" Ethan stared into his eyes.

silence.

After a while, Joseph finally managed a smile.

"It seems a little funny."

"Just a little?"

Ethan slowly leaned back on the sofa, revealing the family emblem on his left ring finger. The thing being nurtured on the emblem was becoming more and more obvious.

It is a flower bud waiting to bloom.

Joseph didn't bring his crutch today. He put his hands on his legs and seemed a little restrained.

"It seems more than a little."

"Then why don't you keep laughing?"

After hearing this, Joseph could only force out a bigger smile and even laughed.

"Hahaha."

I laughed for a full five minutes.

His face was really frozen from smiling.

Finally he stopped.

"That's enough, Ethan."

"What if I say it's not enough?" Ethan still had a cold face, and then, the next moment, he suddenly laughed out loud.

"I'm joking, Joseph, don't you understand? This is a joke too. You love to tell jokes so much, I thought you had a good sense of humor."

"Yeah, I always thought I had a pretty good sense of humor, but it seems it's still a little behind yours."

"Let's get back to the point." Ethan suddenly leaned forward and said quickly, "You lost to me, Joseph. Losers should be humiliated, right? But, like you said, I'm actually a soft-hearted person, so I don't want you to be embarrassed. I'm willing to give you a chance."

"what chance?"

"I've heard your dismissal order is on the way, right? I heard your family is also giving up on you. Tsk, tsk, tsk, what a shame! A young talent like you, it would be a waste if you spent the rest of your life rotting in the brothels of the royal capital."

Ethan moved closer.

"Look, what if, I mean, at this critical moment, you assisted the Winston Court, assisted our Chief Judge Ned, and solved a bigger, more sensational case, and apprehended a more important figure, would you be able to redeem yourself from your crimes and gain merit? At least, you wouldn't have to return to the capital in disgrace."

"Is there such an opportunity?"

"Of course I did. What I just said was not a joke, Joseph. You really should re-cultivate your sense of humor. How come you can't tell what's a joke and what's not?"

Ethan grabbed his face and forced an ugly smile.

"But it's right to laugh more, because...laughing brings success, oh my god."

(End of this chapter)