Free Web NovelThe clash between the Sinaloa Cartel and Los Zetas had begun, and most people predicted a Sinaloa victory.
Los Zetas were technically a subsidiary of the Gulf Cartel, while Sinaloa was the largest cartel in Mexico in terms of manpower.
But the battle unfolded completely differently from expectations.
Los Zetas turned Nuevo Laredo—its own backyard—into a full-scale guerrilla battlefield.
Sinaloa searched desperately for the Zetas’ leader, yet even after three days of fighting, they hadn’t found so much as a strand of his hair.
In that time, Nuevo Laredo had become hell.
Gunfights broke out across the city, and civilians were killed or injured.
“At this rate, the Mexican government will step in. They’ll send in the federal police to contain the situation.”
“And that’ll be enough?”
“Even cartels don’t want an all-out war with the ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) state. Not unless they’ve lost their minds. Skirmishes are one thing, but total war is completely different.”
“Really?”
Ramos’s prediction made me pause.
“Then why hasn’t the Mexican government launched an all-out war already?”
“If the cartels declared war on the government in earnest, everything outside Mexico City would turn into hell.”
So they were avoiding kicking a hornet’s nest.
I’d heard as much before. President Fox preferred arrest operations over eradication campaigns.
He had used federal police multiple times to capture cartel leaders, but once a leader was arrested, he would withdraw immediately without pushing further.
An all-out war carried too much political risk—even for him.
The cartels, in turn, feared becoming outright enemies of the state, so they never did anything as insane as storming Mexico City to rescue a boss.
After Fox took office, the Tijuana Cartel’s leaders Benjamín and Ramón were captured or killed, and the Gulf Cartel’s boss was arrested.
“Doesn’t Los Zetas still answer to the Gulf Cartel? I heard they’re still technically under them.”
“Yes. But after Osiel Cárdenas Guillén was arrested, we believe they’ve effectively become independent.”
“And the Gulf Cartel just lets that happen?”
Ramos shrugged.
“They’re afraid of fighting them. Los Zetas used to be their enforcement arm—mostly former soldiers or special forces. If the Gulf Cartel fights them, they’ll suffer heavy losses.”
“What are the chances the Gulf Cartel joins this war?”
“Low. They have no reason to. Their internal situation is a mess as well.”
That matched the intelligence I had.
The Gulf Cartel would likely stay out of this.
“If the Mexican government sends in federal police, will the fighting stop?”
“Most likely.”
“Then let’s wait. If El Chapo withdraws, we’ll strike him from behind.”
“You’re planning to kill El Chapo?”
“Yes. Even if he’s captured, he’ll just escape again—or get smuggled out.”
“Headquarters will love that.”
I smirked. So he still hadn’t made up his mind.
“Doing their dirty work for them. Still... there’s no better example than that.”
I turned to Chief Ma.
“The mercenaries should be near the city by now, right?”
“Yes. They arrived earlier and are on standby.”
“Tell them not to move closer. Just secure the perimeter.”
The Black Bear mercenaries I brought were equipped on par with—if not better than—the Mexican regular army.
Some of them even had helicopter support.
“Boss... are you planning to go there yourself?”
“I haven’t decided. If the war ends and Sinaloa pulls out, there’s no reason for me to go.”
“I’d prefer you stay away from the front.”
His voice was filled with concern.
I nodded lightly.
“If it ends, I won’t go. Don’t worry.”
That night, President Fox addressed the nation and announced the deployment of federal police to Nuevo Laredo.
But even after heavily armed police entered the city, the fighting didn’t stop.
Sinaloa disappeared into hiding once the federal forces arrived.
But Los Zetas hunted them down inside the city, killing them brutally and displaying their bodies in public.
[No se te olvide que soy tu mero padre.]
I frowned as I read the message they left with the corpses.
“Don’t forget—I’m your real father.”
It was effectively a declaration that Nuevo Laredo belonged to Los Zetas.
Mexican media covered the conflict in detail.
They even published uncensored images of the bodies.
“Brutal... seriously brutal.”
Even I, who wasn’t easily shaken, felt a chill at the cruelty of Los Zetas.
They even began fighting the federal police.
The police stood no chance.
For every Zeta member killed or captured, ten officers were dead or wounded.
As days passed, public opinion in Mexico City began to shift rapidly.
The federal police were someone’s family.
As casualties mounted, criticism toward President Fox and the government intensified.
Then, to make matters worse, cartel threats forced the entire Nuevo Laredo police force—including the chief—to resign and flee the city.
No one volunteered to replace them.
Without local police support, the federal forces could no longer continue the fight.
In the end, Fox had no choice but to withdraw the federal police.
“...That didn’t go as expected.”
“I didn’t realize Los Zetas were this insane.”
I turned off the news and looked at Ramos.
“They’re basically a military force. The federal police can’t even compete.”
“I didn’t expect this either. The federal police are specially trained...”
He trailed off, clearly stunned.
“They’re former special forces with years of real combat experience. I expected them to be strong—but this isn’t just a criminal organization. This is something else entirely.”
“The government might deploy the army.”
“Will they?”
I shook my head.
“I don’t think so.”
Knowing Fox, he wouldn’t take that kind of risk.
Sure, the military could crush the cartels—but the chaos that followed would be uncontrollable.
With elections coming next year, he wouldn’t go that far.
“What? Are you saying they’ll just abandon Nuevo Laredo?”
“There’s another option.”
I smiled slightly.
Ramos stared at me—then his eyes widened.
“Another option... Ah. Black Bear.”
If Los Zetas were killers, then Black Bear mercenaries were monsters obsessed with combat.
Black Bear deployed fighters to conflict zones around the world.
Even during downtime, their training was harsher than most special forces.
They were paid accordingly—and their skill reflected it.
There was even a joke that whoever hired Black Bear always won.
And right now, I was in Mexico.
There was no way they’d send me anything less than their best.
“Let’s wait and see,” I said. “Who makes the first call.”
* * *
President Vicente Fox and his officials gathered in the presidential palace.
“Mr. President, deploy the army.”
“No. The moment we do that, it becomes a real war with the cartels. We’ll lose the election for sure. We can deal with it after the election.”
The room was split.
One side demanded military action. The other urged restraint.
Fox sighed.
“I’ve made a fool of myself.”
“Mr. President...”
“This is the result of tolerating the cartels. Now they don’t even fear the government.”
“Your decisions were correct.”
“What matters now is how we fix this.”
Ignoring the reassurances, Fox muttered bitterly.
“No matter what I choose—send the army or retreat—it won’t help the election. If the Institutional Revolutionary Party returns to power, Mexico will become a cartel state.”
Some of the people in that very room had taken cartel money.
Not as deeply tied as the old regime—but still compromised.
Their soft stance had led to this.
“The people expected us to be different... and yet...” freēwēbnovel.com
No one could respond.
At that moment, the office doors opened.
A man walked in unannounced.
All eyes turned.
“Carlos Slim... what are you doing here?”
“I came to help you, Mr. President.”
“Help me?”
“At this rate, the next president will be from the old party.”
Fox said nothing.
Slim continued calmly.
“I’ll handle it.”
“You? How?”
“Have you forgotten who’s currently in Mexico?”
Fox frowned, not understanding.
“The owner of Black Bear—and his mercenaries.”
Only then did realization hit.
“I’ll hire them,” Slim said. “And have them wipe out both cartels that started this war. No matter the cost.”
Fox narrowed his eyes.
“What do you want in return?”
Slim smiled faintly.
“Stop backing Santiago Creel behind the scenes.”
“What?! That’s—”
The room erupted, but Slim cut them off coldly.
“I’m not interfering. I’m asking for a fair primary. And... did you just raise your voice at me?”
His tone toward the officials was nothing like the respect he showed the president.
“Funny how power changes people. You took my money happily before—now you shout at me?”
“Enough!”
Fox slammed the table.
Silence fell.
“...Is that all you want?” he asked.
“Yes. Fairness. In return, I solve this. What matters isn’t the primary—it’s the general election. And that depends on how we handle this crisis.”
Fox hesitated—then nodded.
“...Fine. But I want results. At minimum, I want the heads of El Chapo and Heriberto Lazcano.”
“Of course.”
Slim smiled like a man who had already won.
“I’ll arrange it immediately.”
As soon as he left the palace, he picked up his phone—
—and called Kim Muhyuk.
