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Chapter 573 The Five Great Families

At an altitude of 10,000 meters in the stratosphere, the night sky casts a bright, clear light through the windows of the private jet into the cabin.

The hand-stitched genuine leather seats gleam with a warm luster, the Persian carpet absorbs all unnecessary noise, and the air is filled with the aroma of fine wood.

Reggie sat in the seat near the rear, lacking the excitement of his first private jet experience; his muscles were tense, as if he were wearing ill-fitting armor.

It wasn't that he felt constrained; what truly made him feel uneasy was a deep-seated sense of alienation.

At this moment, the front half of the cabin was occupied by a group of men in bespoke suits. They were clinking glasses and chatting casually, but every word they uttered sounded like encrypted code, leaving Reggie completely bewildered.

On their side, although the burly men were also dressed in suits and ties, the tattoos on their necks, arms, and hands, and especially their bandit-like aura, made it seem like a raccoon was still a raccoon, and even if he wore a dragon robe, he couldn't become a prince.

That was the murderous aura that settled from years of fighting and killing in the streets and alleys, living on the edge of a knife, and never seeing the sunlight. It was as if it were their fate, something they could not change.

The only one who seemed normal was Greg, who was holding a glass of red wine and sipping it.

Even the leaders of that group of elites would ask for his opinion when facing him.

Reggie knew that this was not something Craig had fought for, but rather something bestowed upon him by that important figure.

Reggie stared at Craig for a long time, a lie to say he wasn't envious. Glancing at the so-called successful people who were already quite drunk, Reggie leaned closer to Craig, his voice trembling slightly, but his eyes gleaming with barely suppressed anticipation, and whispered, "So, does this mean I've been recruited?"

Don't think this is a bad thing. If Reggie can really be recruited by Ernst, it would be a windfall for him. Just thinking about it makes his heart race.

For a gang leader like him struggling in New York's underworld, being able to attach himself to a big shot like Ernst was like a carp leaping over the dragon gate, a tremendous stroke of luck that could change the fate of his entire family.

Upon hearing this, Craig slowly turned his head, a mocking smile playing on his lips. He scoffed without hesitation and bluntly uttered three words: "Dream on."

These three words were like a bucket of cold water, instantly extinguishing the raging fire in Reggie's heart.

The expectation on his face quickly faded, replaced by an undisguised disappointment. His shoulders slumped involuntarily, and his fingers unconsciously gripped the armrests of the seat, his heart filled with frustration.

Just as Reggie was feeling dejected, Craig, with a hint of amusement, suddenly said, "But if you perform well, who can guarantee that the Bianchi family won't become the sixth most powerful family in New York?"

In an instant, Reggie and his younger brother, who looked somewhat like him and had just been released from the police station less than two hours earlier, suddenly raised their heads, their eyes wide open, staring at Craig in disbelief, their breathing becoming rapid, their chests heaving violently with excitement.

"Really?" Reggie's voice trembled noticeably, even more so than when he had asked about being recruited.

The title of New York's sixth largest family seems to possess a magical allure, holding a fatal attraction for any Italian-American gang member.

New York's underworld has always been known for its rampant activities, and Reggie's Hammer Gang is a well-known figure in the New York underworld, with hundreds of henchmen under his command, making it one of the largest gangs in New York.

But Reggie knew in his heart that this was just an outward appearance. In front of the big shots who truly controlled the New York underworld, these so-called big gangs were nothing more than children playing house, utterly insignificant.

In the world of New York's underworld, there are five legendary names that have long been associated with the city, like five insurmountable mountains that rule the city's underground.

The five families are the Gambino family, the Lucchese family, the Bonanno family, the Genovese family, and the Colombo family.

Unlike Reggie and his family, who live a life of constant danger, these five families have undergone decades or even centuries of development and transformation, and have long since become legendary figures.

Although they moved beyond low-level gang warfare and established a large and stable business system, their influence on the underworld has remained constant.

Countless gangs in New York are colluded with them, have intricate connections with them, and willingly become their pawns and subordinate forces.

Because they have deep roots in this industry, they have connections with the government, the military, and brokers.

They can send people to the U.S. military for training to improve the gang's fighting capabilities.

They can easily get members out of prison; this is the network of connections they've built up over generations.

They could engage in heated discussions with brokers, lobby government policies, and even purchase various firearms and ammunition.

They rarely run gang businesses anymore, but their businesses still control the gangs.

The gangs need them to send people to military training, to bail out criminals, or to ensure their brothers live comfortably in prison. Their weapons are controlled by these five families, and even the most violent drug trade requires them to pay management fees to these families.

Only in this way can your goods be more easily sourced and sold.

Otherwise, American police officers are not incompetent; it's just that due to the complex web of interests behind them, they are well-off and often have no choice but to turn a blind eye.

"There's no such thing as true or false." Craig put down his wine glass, looked at Reggie seriously, and said earnestly, "How high a person can climb depends on their own value."

"I think you know very well what kind of world this is, and capitalists have always only cared about profit and value." Craig's voice was not loud, but it carried a kind of power.

"Now, he's given you an opportunity, a chance to prove your worth. Whether you seize it or not is entirely up to you."

"Seize the opportunity, let people see your value, become the sixth largest family in New York, why not?"

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Reggie and One-Punch Man Dominic, before continuing, "Are all the top families in America truly clean and honest?"

"This world is inherently full of filth and darkness. Even those rule-makers who are high above sometimes need to use some shady means to achieve their goals."

"For them, gangsters are simply a necessary tool. As long as you can become a useful tool, you will naturally be promoted to a higher position."

Reggie's Adam's apple bobbed, and looking into Craig's eyes, he instinctively asked, "Like the Colombo family?"

Upon hearing this, Craig rolled his eyes in annoyance, sat up straighter, and said with a hint of disdain, "I think you watch too many movies." The Colombo family?

Among the five major families, they were merely the weakest.

The five major New York families may appear to be on par, but in reality, there is a huge gap in their power.

The Gambino family controls most of the port transportation business in New York and New Jersey, and even influences the global shipping system.

The U.S. Nationality Seafarers' Commission, which has 6.5 seafarers, was established and controlled by the Gambino family.

Li Ka-shing of Hong Kong has acquired so many ports, but he is only the owner of these ports. The real core control may not necessarily be in his hands.

If the Gambino family wanted, they could put the workers on the docks they controlled on strike, and the dock would be paralyzed immediately.

Fire them? Replace them?

Don't even think about it.

This is a labor union, and those officials won't grant your request. Do you still want the vote?

The Genovese family, whose early gang members all transitioned into the seafood and gambling businesses.

The Fulton Fish Market, North America's largest wholesale fish market, is controlled by this family. The illegal gambling islands off the East Coast are also operated by members of this family.

The Bonanno family controls half of New York's cheese supply and funeral industry. Don't underestimate these two industries; cheese is an indispensable food in the daily lives of Italian Americans, and most of the cheese supplied to restaurants and supermarkets in New York City comes from channels controlled by the Bonanno family.

The funeral industry is an extremely profitable business with a strong monopoly, allowing for long-term and stable profits.

The Lucchese family focuses on the construction industry, and many construction projects in New York City bear the mark of their work, employing thousands of construction workers.

Compared to these people, the Copolon family is nothing but a show-off.

The family's businesses are mainly in the entertainment and sports industries, such as investing in music labels and acquiring stakes in small sports clubs.

Those rappers with gang ties, sports stars with gang connections—anyone in New York—are all related to this family.

The most famous one is Carmelo Anthony, whose lineage can be traced back to the Copolann family.

In terms of wealth and status, the Copolon family has declined and is no match for the other four families.

However, in terms of fame, this family is undoubtedly number one.

The Godfather was based on Joseph Colombo of the Colombo family. When Paramount was making The Godfather, the Colombo family was extremely opposed to it. They threatened the actors and crew, organized people to cause trouble on set, even stole the crew's filming equipment, and issued a hit order against Paramount's vice president.

Paramount eventually reached an agreement with the Colombo family: firstly, the word "Mafia" would not appear in the film; secondly, the Colombo family would be allowed to revise and audit the script. Thus, a film that glorified the Mafia as a glorious entity was born.

The Colombo family's fame skyrocketed because of this movie.

To become the kind of character that all gangsters fantasize about, including Reggie.

Craig looked at him with amusement and said meaningfully, "When you reach that level one day, you'll find that the world is incredibly fascinating, and it can't be represented by just one Colombo family."

"As I said before, the key is whether you can seize this opportunity and prove your worth."

After a pause, Craig offered a piece of advice: "He's a very generous tycoon, loyal and subservient."

"Having achieved these two things, what does it matter if we trample the five major families under our feet?"