"Lanster, these photos are very valuable. You are responsible for investigating the identities of the people in the photos, as well as their resumes, family situations, etc. I think they will be useful in the future." Hardy ordered.
Lanster naturally understood what Hardy meant and put the photo away with a smile.
"Don't worry, I will investigate the situation of these people thoroughly."
At this time, Bill came in, glanced at the money on the table, didn't care at all, walked to Hardy and said excitedly: "Boss, do you have time to inspect your industry?"
During this time, Hardy let Bill take the lead in conquering the Spanish gang. He was the second boss, and these things were supposed to be done by him.
Unexpectedly, Bill's family grew so fast and did so well. They were able to handle all kinds of things with ease, and Hardy didn't have to worry about anything.
"Let's go and take a look."
They first drove to Jiyuan, a three-story red brick building. They did not go in, but just parked the car on the side of the road.
"This small building has 46 rooms. The first and second floors are for ordinary guests, and the third floor is for VIP rooms. It also has a bar, dance hall, and game room. There are more than a hundred girls working here now, and the business is the best in the area."
"Simon said this place can bring the gang around $100,000 in pure profit every year."
Bill looked at Hardy and asked, "Would you like to come in and sit down?"
"Forget it, let's go to the next place." Hardy shook his head.
The driver drove them to the underground boxing ring, which was only open at night. It was now empty and the facilities were very simple. There was a boxing ring in the middle, and you could still see patches of black and brown marks on it.
"Originally this was a factory, but it was later converted into an underground boxing ring. There are three to five matches every night. Simon said that the underground boxing ring can earn the gang 100,000 to 150,000 in pure profit every year," Bill explained.
Underground black boxing has always been very popular in the United States, and even in the 21st century, black boxing still has a large market.
There are two major characteristics of underground black boxing:
No rules, high bonuses.
Black boxing is a true "no-holds-barred fighting" where, except for not being able to use weapons, contestants can strike their opponents in any way they want.
Getting injured is normal, but being beaten to death is also common.
It is precisely because of the cruelty and excitement of this kind of competition that makes people's adrenaline surge that some people are willing to spend money to watch the competition and place bets.
Most boxers fight underground for money, but some do it to hone their skills.
The two most famous people who have ever fought in underground boxing are Tyson and Pacquiao. Tyson started fighting in underground boxing rings at the age of 14, and Pacquiao started fighting in underground boxing rings at the age of 12.
After leaving the underground boxing ring, we drove to the Spanish Gang Casino.
Hardy is all too familiar here.
This is where they made their first big purchase. The last time they came here, it was brightly lit and the parking lot was full of luxury cars, but now it is deserted.
However, the surrounding grass and trees are neatly trimmed, and the fountain is still cheerful, which shows that someone often takes care of it.
A few people walked in, walked around the lobby and bar, and then went through the corridor to the underground. Previously, there were two tall wooden doors here, which were blown up by Neil during the robbery. Now they have been renovated and replaced with two golden metal doors, which are much stronger than before.
"The front door has been replaced and the interior has been redecorated, so it can open for business whenever the time is right," Bill said.
The two walked into the casino.
The casino is very spacious. The entire hall is about five to six hundred square meters, with dozens of gaming tables and rows of slot machines on the open space on both sides.
It is similar to the casinos in Las Vegas in later generations.
Another place that has changed is the hut where the chips were exchanged. It used to be inside the casino, but now it has been replaced with a hole in the wall. The money and chips are all placed behind it. There is a metal barrier that can be dropped at any time, so even if someone rushes into the casino, they cannot rob it.
It seems that Dani learned a lesson from the last robbery and deliberately arranged it this way.
Bill smiled and said, "Simon told me that the casino used to make more than $200,000 in pure profit every year, which was the most profitable business in Spain besides drugs."
"Boss, when are you going to open?" Bill asked.
"Don't worry, wait a few more days." Hardy said.
The situation has not yet stabilized, especially since official matters in Los Angeles have not been sorted out, so the casino is not in a hurry to open.
Bill looked at Hardy, seeming to be hesitant to speak.
"What's wrong?"
Hardy knew the guy well enough to know what he had to say.
"Boss, I want to talk to you about Simon. Can you keep Simon?"
"During this time, he has been working very hard, especially the loan shark company, which he managed very well. The loan shark company has more than 200,000 US dollars in debt and needs to report the accounts and calculate the interest. No one can do better than him. If he is killed, it will be difficult to find a helper as suitable as him."
"Simon is not a die-hard fan of Dani. When he first joined the Spanish gang, he just wanted to find a job. Since then, he has been doing economic management work. He manages the gang's accounts very well. I think he is a rare talent."
Hardy looked at Bill seriously.
"Bill, to employ a person, the first thing to consider is whether you can see through him, and the second is whether you can accept his betrayal."
"If you think Simon is useful and can bear the possibility of his betrayal one day, then keep him. Hiring people is a big deal. You have to distinguish what some people are suitable for and what some are not suitable for."
Bill felt that Hardy's words were profound.
There are some parts that I don't understand.
But he could tell that Simon let him decide whether to go or stay.
Bill took a breath.
"Boss, I want to keep Simon. If he really betrays me in the future, I am willing to bear the consequences."
Hadi smiled.
"Then stay."
After leaving the casino and driving onto the avenue, Bill pointed outside and said:
"There are three nightclubs and 32 bars in the entire Spanish gang territory. The drinks in these nightclubs and bars were previously supplied by the Spanish gang."
"The Spanish gang used to buy alcohol from the market and then sell it to bars and nightclubs at a higher price, which was a disguised form of protection money. This was different from the Jewish gang, which smuggled alcohol in, so they could sell it to bars at a reasonable price."
"Simon says the profit is about $100,000 a year."
"In the past half month, I have changed to buying goods at low prices from the Jewish Gang's bootleg warehouse and selling them to them at the Spanish Gang's prices. My profit has more than doubled. However, I plan to discuss with you to gradually lower the price to match the Jewish Gang's price."
"Although the unit price has dropped, I think business will definitely be better than before. Our income may not be less, and we can better control these bars and nightclubs."
Hardy found Bill's thinking very clear.
"It's a good idea. Let's do it as you wish." Hardy agreed with Bill's suggestion.
"Boss, Simon also told me that the Spanish gang has another source of income. The lower-level thugs will go to restaurants, barber shops, grocery stores, and small shops to collect protection fees. Most of this money is pocketed by the thugs. The money collected by the gang every year is very small, probably only 10,000 or 20,000 US dollars."
"I think we should stop paying protection fees altogether. The income is very low and the public dislikes it."
Hardy thought about it and suddenly thought of something.
"Bill, I have an idea. We don't need to charge protection fees, but these stores are useful. We can use them to make another fortune."
"What money?" Bill asked curiously.
"If they put two slot machines or pinball machines in their stores, many people will come to their stores every day. These people cannot easily walk into a casino, but they are willing to play one or two games in these places. Over time, this can also be a considerable income."
"We sell slot machines and pinball machines. We only need to put the machines in their stores. Not only will we be exempt from the maintenance fee, but we will also share the profits, giving them 20% of the profits as maintenance fees."
Bill was stunned.
“Can this business make money?”