Loyalty In the Dark
Chapter 1
Victor Alaric (Ml)
Role: The powerful, calculating leader of a notorious mafia syndicate.
Personality: Reserved, strategic, calculating, but with glimpses of tenderness that he rarely shows.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
Role: The new assistant to ML, thrown into the dangerous world of the mafia.
Personality: Determined, thoughtful, resourceful, and occasionally unsure of himself in high-stress situations. He grows emotionally throughout the story, especially in his relationship with ML.
Kai (Ml Right-Hand Man)
Role: ML’s trusted right-hand man, often tasked with enforcing the boss’s will.Personality: Stoic, straightforward, a bit gruff but with a sense of duty. He often acts as a voice of reason for ML.
Elena (Underworld Broker)
Role: A shrewd and seductive information broker who knows everyone and everything in the underworld
Personality: Playful, cunning, with a mischievous sense of humor. She thrives on chaos but remains fiercely loyal to ML.
Marco (Rival Gang Leader)
Role: A charismatic and ambitious leader of a rival gang who frequently clashes with ML.
Personality: Smooth-talking, calculating, with a cold edge to him when crossed. He’s driven by power and control, often playing mind games with those around him.
Sophia (ML’s Younger Sister)
Role: ML’s sweet and innocent younger sister, unaware of the full extent of the mafia world her brother controls. Personality: Gentle, caring, a bit naïve but very intelligent. She’s close to MC, often confiding in him about her worries for her brother’s safety.
Detective Jian (Law Enforcement)
Role: A morally complex detective who walks the line between chasing ML and working with him for mutual interests.
Personality: Calculating, cold, and professional, but with a deep understanding of the world he’s trying to change. He’s not above using his connections for his own gain.
Liang (The Traitor)
Role: A trusted member of ML’s inner circle who ultimately betrays him.
Personality: Quiet, reserved, and always calculating. His betrayal is slow, subtle, and devastating when it finally happens.
Yue (MC’s Childhood Friend)
Role: A civilian who serves as a reminder of MC’s past life.
Personality: Warm, supportive, but sometimes naïve. He’s a good friend to MC, and their conversations often highlight MC’s inner conflict about his choices.
Chapter 2
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(thinking)
I’m either incredibly brave or stupid for taking this job. Probably both.
Receptionist
(barely looking up) Name?
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(clears throat) I’m here for Mr. Liang. First day.
Receptionist
(presses a button) Kai will meet you in the lobby. Don’t touch anything.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(thinking) Friendly place.
Kai (Ml Right-Hand Man)
(approaching, cold and imposing) You’re late.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(straightening nervously) I—there was a checkpoint—
Kai (Ml Right-Hand Man)
(cuts him off) Excuses don’t fly here. Let’s go.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(following quietly)
Kai (Ml Right-Hand Man)
(glances back) You’re dressed too clean for this world. You sure you belong here?
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(firmly) I’ll prove I do.
Kai (Ml Right-Hand Man)
(smirks) We’ll see.
Elena (Underworld Broker)
(sitting on the couch, her legs crossed) Kai, you’re late.
Kai (Ml Right-Hand Man)
(gruffly) Not me.
It's Him.
Elena (Underworld Broker)
(looks at MC with amusement) Oh, the new assistant. Cute. You don’t look like you’ve ever been in a fight.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(awkwardly) I’m here to assist, not fight.
Elena (Underworld Broker)
(laughs) Oh, sweetie, you’re in the wrong business if you think you can avoid it.
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(speaking without looking up) Enough, Elena.
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(turns toward the desk, where ML sits like a king on a throne)
Victor Alaric (Ml)
You’re late.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(swallowing) I apologize, sir. It won’t happen again.
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(studying MC carefully) It better not.
Kai (Ml Right-Hand Man)
(leans against the wall, arms crossed) Should we test him now? Or are we wasting our time?
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(thinking) Test?
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(ignoring Kai, slides a document across the desk) Read it.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(picks it up, scanning the contents) Logistics, smuggling routes… why am I being asked to read this?
Elena (Underworld Broker)
(grinning) Better read it right, newbie. Boss has high standards.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(starts reading aloud, his voice steady despite the tension)
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(watches him silently, leaning back in his chair)
Kai (Ml Right-Hand Man)
(muttering) He’s holding up better than I thought.
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(nods slightly) Passable. For now.
suddenly there was a gunshot
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(startled, dropping the document) What was that?!
Kai (Ml Right-Hand Man)
(already moving) Intruder.
Elena (Underworld Broker)
(grinning, drawing a knife from her boot) Finally, some action.
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(calmly standing) Handle it.
Kai (Ml Right-Hand Man)
(hesitates) And leave you alone with him?
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(blurting out) I can stay.
Kai (Ml Right-Hand Man)
(turns to him, skeptical) You? Stay?
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(steadying his voice) I was hired to assist. That’s what I’ll do.
Elena (Underworld Broker)
(laughing) Oh, I like him. He’s either brave or really stupid.
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(smirks faintly) Fine. Stay. Don’t get in my way.
Kai (Ml Right-Hand Man)
(to Elena) Let’s move. They leave swiftly.
Tense Waiting in the Office
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(watching Victor casually pour a drink) Aren’t you… worried?
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(takes a sip) Panic solves nothing.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
This man is impossible.
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(leans against the desk, studying MC) Why are you really here?
Jamie Reid(Mc)
…I needed a new start.
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(smirks) That’s what they all say.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(hesitant) And you? Why do you do this?
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(chuckling softly) Bold question. Maybe you’ll earn the answer someday.
Kai (Ml Right-Hand Man)
(returning, wiping blood from his knuckles) It was Marco’s men.
Elena (Underworld Broker)
(twirling her knife) Too easy. No fun at all.
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(sits back down, unfazed) Of course. Marco likes to test his limits.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(thinking) Marco? Another boss?
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(turns to MC) You did fine today. Don’t let it go to your head.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(bows slightly) Thank you, sir.
Sophia (ML’s Younger Sister)
(entering with tea) Is everything okay? I heard a loud noise—
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(softens slightly) Go back to your room, Sophia.
Sophia (ML’s Younger Sister)
(pouting) I’m not a child, you know.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
Wait… she’s his sister?
Kai (Ml Right-Hand Man)
(grumbling) The kid still here?
Elena (Underworld Broker)
(grinning) He’ll stick. I’ve got a good feeling about this one.
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(smirks faintly) Time will tell.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(thinking as he leaves) I might have survived day one, but something tells me this is just the beginning.
Chapter 3
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(thinking) First day survived, barely. Let’s hope today doesn’t involve gunshots.
Sophia (ML’s Younger Sister)
(popping up in the kitchen) Good morning! You look less pale than yesterday.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(startled) Oh, good morning. Um… thanks?
Sophia (ML’s Younger Sister)
(laughs) Relax! You’re too stiff. How was your first day?
Sophia (ML’s Younger Sister)
😏 You’ll get used to it. Everyone does… eventually.
Kai (Ml Right-Hand Man)
(walking in, his voice sharp) You’re up early.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
I figured I should be prepared.
Kai (Ml Right-Hand Man)
Good. Boss hates slackers. Turns to Sophia. Shouldn’t you be somewhere else?
Sophia (ML’s Younger Sister)
(🙎🏻♀️) Always so grumpy.
Kai (Ml Right-Hand Man)
(ignores her, looking at MC) The boss wants to see you. Now.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(entering nervously) You called for me, sir?
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(sitting at his desk, glancing at his watch) On time today. Improvement.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
I won’t make the same mistake twice.
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(smirking faintly) We’ll see. I have a task for you.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
Of course, sir. What do you need?
Victor Alaric (Ml)
You’ll accompany Elena to a meeting downtown. Observe and report back.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(thinking) A meeting? Already?
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(leaning back) Consider it your first test.
Elena (Underworld Broker)
(appearing at the door) Babysitting duty? How cute.
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(ignoring her sarcasm) Don’t disappoint me.
Elena (Underworld Broker)
(driving, smirking) So, how’s it feel being thrown into the deep end?
Jamie Reid(Mc)
I’m here to learn.
Elena (Underworld Broker)
(laughs) Oh, you’re one of those. Eager to please.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(frowning) I’m here to do my job.
Elena (Underworld Broker)
Relax, kid. I like you. But fair warning—this world isn’t kind to rookies.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(thinking) Why does everyone keep saying that?
Elena (Underworld Broker)
(grinning) Don’t worry. Stick with me, and you might survive.
The Meeting at a Warehouse
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(whispering) Why are we meeting in a place like this?
Elena (Underworld Broker)
(smirking) Deals don’t happen in fancy offices, sweetheart. Welcome to reality.
Marco (Rival Gang Leader)
(stepping out of the shadows) Elena. On time as always.
Elena (Underworld Broker)
(leaning against a crate) Let’s skip the pleasantries, Vincent. Do you have the shipment or not?
Vincent
(eyeing MC) Who’s the new guy?
Elena (Underworld Broker)
(casually) None of your business. Focus.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(thinking)
( Why is he staring at me like that?)
Vincent
(smirking) Brave, bringing a rookie here. Sure he won’t faint?
Jamie Reid(Mc)
I can handle myself.
Vincent
(laughs) We’ll see.
Elena (Underworld Broker)
(cutting in) Enough games. Where’s the shipment?
Vincent
(gestures to a truck) See for yourself.
Elena (Underworld Broker)
(opens the truck, frowning) This isn’t what we agreed on.
Vincent
(shrugs) Supply chain issues. Take it or leave it.
Elena (Underworld Broker)
(coldly) You think you can short us and walk away?
Vincent
(grinning) Think you can stop me?
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(thinking)
(Why is everyone so calm? This is clearly about to escalate.)
Vincent's Men
(step forward, armed)
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(nervously) Elena…
Elena (Underworld Broker)
(draws her knife) Stay behind me.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(thinking)
(This is bad. Really bad).
Vincent
(mocking) Brave, but stupid.
Elena (Underworld Broker)
(smirking, holding her smoking gun) Oops. My finger slipped.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(stunned) …
Vincent
(growling) You’ll regret that.
Elena (Underworld Broker)
(grinning) Try me.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(thinking)
( I survived. Somehow.)
Kai (Ml Right-Hand Man)
(gruffly) How’d it go?
Elena (Underworld Broker)
(sauntering in) Oh, the kid did fine. Didn’t even faint.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(defensive) I handled myself.
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(appearing at the top of the stairs) Did you now?
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(straightens) Yes, sir.
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(descends slowly, his eyes sharp) And what did you learn?
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(thinking carefully) That trust is rare, and danger is everywhere.
Victor Alaric (Ml)
(smirks faintly) Good answer.
Elena (Underworld Broker)
(laughing) I think he likes you.
Jamie Reid(Mc)
(thinking)
(Why does that sound more like a threat than a compliment?)
Download MangaToon APP on App Store and Google Play
