North American riot police: Start by arresting P. Diddy!

Chapter 234 The Bloody Love Story of the Irish Brothers
Compton, Los Angeles.

As the most racially diverse and immigrant-concentrated metropolitan area in the United States, Los Angeles has always had a worrying safety situation.

For the past fifteen years, this city has consistently ranked among the top in the United States in terms of murder rate, violent crime rate, and shooting rate.

Even Chicago, known as the "Sin City," and New York, the Big Apple, cannot compare to it and can only look up to it.

Compton, the area with the highest concentration of Black people and undocumented immigrants in Los Angeles, is like an upgraded version of Queens in New York and the South Side of Chicago.

Streetwalkers, heavily made up and dressed in tight-fitting miniskirts, fishnet stockings, and high heels, are a common sight on both sides of the street. Meanwhile, there are men who should be on campus, hands in their pockets, vigilantly scanning passersby and vehicles, searching for opportunities to trade drugs.

Here, chaos is the eternal theme, and gang forces are deeply entrenched.

Ten o'clock at night is the time when evil begins to stir.

Inside a 24-hour fast food restaurant, Murphy sat alone in a corner, intently reading "The Old Man and the Sea".

Keep in mind that this is Compton, the area with the highest crime rate and the highest illiteracy rate in Los Angeles, where books are a rare commodity.

This man not only read books late at night in a fast food restaurant, but also wore sunglasses in a pretentious manner, standing out like a lighthouse in the dark.

Strangely, neither the shop assistants nor other customers seemed to have gotten used to this eccentric guy, and no one went up to bother him.

Did he catch that fish?

Suddenly, a hoarse female voice rang in my ears.

Murphy looked up and saw a petite girl who had developed too early.

She still had a childlike innocence in her eyes and brows, but her clothing and appearance were more revealing and daring than those of streetwalkers, making her identity self-evident.

However, Murphy did not show the slightest disgust on his face. He smiled slightly and said, "They've only just taken the bait."

"So slow."

The girl sat down next to him and listlessly stirred her coffee.

“This is a big fish.” Murphy turned the pages gently. “He will need to do everything in his power to catch it.”

"That's terrible. A fisherman who can't catch any fish might starve to death in real life." The girl rested her chin on the table, her eyes staring blankly at her coffee cup.

Murphy gave a meaningful smile: "Perhaps he needs more patience. One day, the fish will come ashore, and life will change."

"I don't believe in any of that. Patience is the most useless thing."

The girl pouted, about to continue complaining, when she suddenly caught sight of the SUV parked at the door.

The man in the suit in the passenger seat was waving at her impatiently.

Her expression changed abruptly, her languidness vanished, and she hurriedly packed her small bag before leaving.

As she reached the door, Murphy suddenly called out to her, "Terry."

He hesitated for a moment, then finally said only, "Be careful."

Terry turned around and looked at his serious expression, and couldn't help but chuckle: "You'd better mind your own business, you Irish weirdo."

Murphy watched the girl get into the car and disappear into the night, and after a long silence, he reopened his book.

At the same time on the second night, Murphy was still sitting in the same spot.

But this time, Terry had a bruise near her eye. She tried to cover it up with her long hair, but it was still faintly visible.

Murphy frowned slightly, unsure how to begin.

"Did he catch him?" Terry repeated the question from yesterday.

"What?" Murphy was taken aback.

“That fish,” Terry said, pointing to the book in his hand.

Murphy immediately understood and closed the book: "Yes, he caught it. He caught the fish."

Terry smiled, a rare sight for him: "So it's a happy ending?"

Murphy shrugged: "Not entirely. The old man tied the fish to the side of the boat, but the fish blood attracted sharks, and in the end, only the skeleton was left."

"So it's a tragedy?" Terry slumped his shoulders in disappointment.

“It depends on how you look at it,” Murphy said seriously. “When an old man encounters a true adversary in his twilight years, he sees himself in the fish. The more the fish struggles, the more he respects it.”

"Then why bring the fish bones back?"

Terry tilted his head in confusion, waiting for an answer.

Murphy frowned in thought.

Perhaps it was to prove something, or perhaps it was out of unwillingness to admit defeat?

Even he himself couldn't find a definite answer.

Seeing this, Terry stopped asking questions and continued stirring the already cold coffee in front of him, seemingly bored.

A moment of silence fell between them. Murphy suddenly took a deep breath, mustered her courage, and earnestly invited, "I've heard that Creek Park is beautiful at night. I've been in Los Angeles for so long but haven't had a chance to go see it. Would you like to walk with me sometime?"

Terry was clearly taken aback by what he heard.

Just when Murphy thought he was going to be rejected, the girl suddenly smiled and said, "Of course, I have plenty of time tonight."

Half an hour later, the moonlight poured down like water on the park's roads.

The girl seemed very curious about Murphy, bombarding him with a series of personal questions.

Especially when they hear that the other person has an older brother, their gossip spirit burns even brighter.

"Is your brother as weird as you?" Terry winked mischievously. "Like you, watching 'The Old Man and the Sea' in a fast food restaurant late at night, are you trying to act eccentric and attract girls' attention?"

Murphy scratched his head sheepishly. "I was just so bored. As for my brother..."

He sighed helplessly, "They're probably in a strip club two blocks away right now, squandering the hard-earned money we used to work so hard for."

Terry's eyes widened dramatically: "So your brother is a playboy?"

"No, he has a girlfriend he's been dating for a year; she's a stripper."

".All right."

The two strolled side by side until, after walking quite a distance, Murphy hesitated before asking, "What happened to the injury on your face?"

Terry subconsciously touched the bruise, and instead of answering directly, he asked softly, "Does it look ugly?"

"No, no." Murphy quickly shook his head.

Terry chuckled self-deprecatingly, then suddenly stopped.

Just as Murphy was wondering what was going on, the girl reached out and took off his sunglasses, putting them on her own face, which conveniently covered the bruises around her eyes.

"Strange, you're quite handsome, why do you wear this all the time?" Terry tilted his head and looked him up and down.

Murphy said, half-jokingly, "Maybe it's because I'm a bad guy, a wanted criminal, and I don't want others to see my true colors."

Terry chuckled: "A wanted criminal trying to act profound in a fast-food restaurant, using 'The Old Man and the Sea' to pick up girls? Pfft~"

"Hahaha"

Murphy laughed heartily.

The atmosphere between the two became increasingly harmonious and warm, but it soon came to an abrupt end.

The SUV that would arrive at the fast-food restaurant every night to pick up Terry suddenly blocked their way.

Two burly men got out of the car and, without a word, pulled Terry into the vehicle. Upon seeing them, Terry offered no resistance, only weakly forcing a smile at Murphy: "See you tomorrow night."

She quickly shoved the sunglasses back into Murphy's hands.

Murphy instinctively took a step forward, but the man in the suit in the passenger seat had already blocked his way.

This guy casually opened his suit jacket, revealing his holster and the Glock pistol at his waist.

He looked Murphy up and down, then handed him a business card with a forced smile: "Sorry, bro, Terry has work tonight. But we have some hotter, younger girls here. Call this number anytime."

The SUV roared away and disappeared into the dimly lit street corner in the blink of an eye.

Murphy held the gold-embossed business card in one hand and tightly gripped the sunglasses Terry had worn in the other. The frames still carried a faint scent of perfume, just like her fleeting warmth.

After a long silence, Murphy suddenly slammed his fist on the lamppost:
"Fake!!!"

He clutched his head in anguish—

Because he was horrified to discover that he, like that idiot Connor, had hopelessly fallen in love with a prostitute!
--------

For the next three days.

Murphy sat in his usual spot at the fast-food restaurant, still holding the copy of "The Old Man and the Sea" in his hands.

But to his dismay, Terry vanished as if he had disappeared into thin air and never reappeared.

Seeing that he seemed distracted, the fast-food restaurant waitress brought him a cup of hot coffee and couldn't help but kindly remind him, "If you're waiting for Terry, you'll probably have to wait a long time."

"Why?" Murphy looked up abruptly.

"She's in the hospital, and she's badly injured," the waiter said in a low voice.

Murphy jumped up: "Who did this?!" The waiter shrugged helplessly: "It could be ticket buyers, but it's more likely the Russian gang that controls them. These Russians have been running rampant in this area for years, even the local black gangs give them a wide berth. I advise you not to meddle; this isn't something an outsider like you can interfere with."

Murphy's eyes were gloomy. He gently closed the book and said in a low voice, "Thank you for your concern. But please tell me, which hospital is Terry in?"

Seeing that his persuasion was ineffective, the waiter hesitated for a moment before finally revealing the hospital's address.

Murphy left a generous tip and rushed out of the restaurant to the hospital.

Through the ward window, he saw Terry lying weakly, his body wrapped in bandages, his right arm in a cast.

The lively spirit of the past is gone, leaving only painful numbness.

Murphy stood outside the window for a long time without going in to disturb him.

Because there was a brightly dressed "colleague" taking care of Terry in the ward.

Murphy stopped her only after she left the ward.

The woman recoiled in fright, but her eyes widened when she saw Murphy's short blond hair, cross pendant, and sunglasses.

"Are you Murphy?"

"you know me?"

“Terry often mentions you.”

Murphy looked towards the ward and asked in a low voice, "Who beat her up like this?"

The woman looked around and then lowered her voice: "A few days ago, after she went back home, she refused to take any customers. After being beaten, she stubbornly resisted, which enraged the boss, so he sent thugs."

She shook her head. "Terry used to have a bad temper, but at least he would take customers. This time he's like a different person. He not only refuses to take customers, but he also wants to run away and is no longer obedient."

After saying this, the woman gave the silent Murphy a meaningful look, sighed, and left the corridor.

Murphy took a deep breath and gently pushed open the ward door.

Lying in the hospital bed, Terry, without makeup, looked like a student who had just graduated from school, with his face still showing traces of baby fat, a stark contrast to his usual heavily made-up appearance.

Murphy quietly sat down on the edge of the bed and gazed at her pale sleeping face.

When he saw the shocking bruises on the girl's forehead and neck, he couldn't help but carefully touch the marks with his fingers.

Perhaps it was the pain from the touch that woke Terry; the girl struggled to open her swollen eyelids:
"Murphy."

Her voice was so hoarse that it was almost inaudible.

"I'm sorry, I only found out now." Murphy's voice was strained.

Terry didn't respond, but just stared blankly at the strange man, and weakly asked, "Did he pull the fish ashore?"

Murphy was startled.

I never imagined that even with such serious injuries, she would still be thinking about that story.

He paused for a moment, then answered honestly, "Not yet."

Terry moved his lips with difficulty: "Why... do you insist on bringing the fish bones back?"

Murphy's eyes welled up with tears, and this time he didn't brush it off like before.

He held the girl's bandaged hand and whispered, "If you give up that fish, you've lost to the past. If you can't overcome the past, there's no future to look forward to. What you brought back wasn't just fish bones, but also the backbone of an old man."

Murphy gently stroked the girl's messy blonde hair, his voice soft yet firm: "Life is still terrible, but he...never gave up."

"The fish meat that was devoured represented everything he had lost in life, while the fish bones that remained represented his courage, which had been repeatedly forged!"

The girl's eyes suddenly reddened, and tears streamed down her face.

Like a lost child finally finding her way home, she burst into tears, as if she wanted to cry out all her grievances.

--------

late at night.

Murphy returned home.

Over the past six months, the two brothers traveled from Chicago to Montana, Texas, and New Mexico. Only after the news of their arrest in Chicago subsided did they finally arrive in Los Angeles, California, which they had always dreamed of.

With the millions of dollars he took from his father's estate, he lived a very comfortable life, even though he was constantly on the run, and never lacked cigarettes, alcohol, or women.

Pushing open the door, I saw Connor nestled on the living room sofa, snuggling up with a blonde woman.

This woman was none other than the stripper who had tipped off Rorschach about his father's estate in New York.

Surprisingly, she followed Connor all the way south from New York, eventually ending up in California.

Although this girl is head over heels in love, her life skills are really worrying; she's practically useless except for stripping.

Only someone as carefree as Connor could tolerate his girlfriend continuing to work at the club. If it were Murphy, he probably would have kicked her out long ago.

"You're back?" Connor asked casually without turning his head, his arm still around his girlfriend's slender waist.

But this time, Murphy didn't go straight back to his room as usual.

He walked to the sofa, his expression serious: "I have something to discuss with you."

Connor exchanged a glance with his girlfriend and said casually, "Just say what you want to say."

“I want to take $100,000 from our savings.” Murphy took a deep breath. “I’ve fallen in love with a prostitute and I’m going to her agency to buy her out.”

"."

Connor froze instantly, his brain shutting down on the spot.

His mouth hung open, and for a moment he didn't even know which part of him to be shocked about first—

He found a prostitute as his girlfriend?

Do I need to pay to buy my freedom?
They want a hundred thousand US dollars?!
What the f*ck?!
Connor first glared at his younger brother, then made up an excuse to send his girlfriend back to her room.

Once only the two brothers were left in the living room, he shoved Murphy hard: "Are you fucking crazy?! Dating a prostitute?! Holy crap, have you gone mad from reading too much?!"

Murphy staggered back two steps, retorting defiantly, "What right do you have to talk to me like that? Shit, your own girlfriend is a stripper, so why can't I date a prostitute?"

"Just because I found someone like this first, you can't find someone like that!"

Connor said matter-of-factly, "You should go find a female college student to date and pass on our family's good genes. Look at the one in my house, that bitch has never earned a living with her head held high. I was just playing around with her, how could you take it so seriously!"

"."

Murphy was silent for a moment, then said decisively, "I don't care what you say, I've made up my mind about Terry."

He shoved Connor aside, grabbed his purse from the sofa, and headed for his room, determined to redeem Terry right now and take her away from that hell.

Watching his brother's resolute back, Connor couldn't help but raise his eyebrows, his eyes filled with a complex and unreadable expression.

After one hour.

Murphy found a nightclub by following the address given to him by the man in the suit.

After stating their purpose, they were escorted to the top-floor office amidst the mocking gazes of a group of armed thugs.

Unexpectedly, when he offered to pay $100,000 to redeem Terry, the boss, who had a heavy Russian accent, not only refused but also flew into a rage.

"One hundred thousand is indeed a lot; Terry might never earn that much for me in his entire life. But..."

The guy slammed his fist on the table and stood up abruptly, yelling, "Who do you think you are?!"

He flew into a rage: "You think you can just swagger in here and demand people from me, breaking the rules?!"

As expected, Murphy was surrounded by dozens of gunmen and forced to retreat.

Even the bag of cash was confiscated by the Russian mafia.

Outside the headquarters.

Murphy walked out dejectedly, when suddenly a heavy gun holster slammed down at his feet.

Connor, cigarette dangling from his lips, looked at him with utter exasperation: "Listen, buddy, I wouldn't fucking care if you wanted to sleep with a prostitute. But paying the mob to ransom someone? Are you out of your mind?"

He deftly cocked his Desert Eagle, his eyes fierce: "Have you fucking forgotten who we are?! Forgotten all the earth-shattering things we've done with Rorschach?! A few Russian thugs and you're scared?!"

Connor kicked open the trunk, spat out his cigarette butt, and said, "Now, grab your guns and come with me. We've killed plenty of blacks and white trash, but we've never killed a Russian before!"

Murphy stared at the bag full of weapons, remained silent for a moment, then rubbed his temples. "Maybe you're right. But then what? Dodging the cops while being hunted by gangsters?"

"Then let's go to New York!"

Connor shouted, "I'm sick and tired of this hedonistic lifestyle! Let's go find Rorschach!"

"."

Murphy suddenly laughed. He grabbed an MP5 from his holster, expertly inspected the bolt, and his eyes turned dangerous.

"Let's do it then."

"Hahaha, this is my brother!"

(End of this chapter)