Chapter 41: The Burden of Wealth
The next morning in New York.
The Continental Hotel. This was no ordinary establishment. Instead, it catered specifically to a unique, clandestine clientele, namely assassins and those within the international underworld. Within its secure walls, professional killers could enjoy comfortable rooms, delicious meals, and secure storage, allowing them to rest peacefully without fear for their lives. Because it gathered so many operatives, the Continental Hotel had also, by necessity, become an information exchange center. Assassins could acquire intelligence here, trade resources, and secure contracts. To put it simply, it was a high-class version of an adventurer's guild, strictly limited to the world's most dangerous people.
Tommy Vercetti came here today not for a new mission, but for a vital personal matter. Last night, he'd received a message from his employer, stating that his substantial payment was stored in a specific suite at the Continental Hotel. That's why Tommy walked into the lobby, heading directly to the front desk, ready to pick up what belonged to him.
He originally assumed the employer left behind simple items: car keys, vehicle information, and perhaps a small, easily managed bank transfer. But what he didn't expect was that after the hotel front desk checked the information, the answer given was completely different.
"Your room is 404, and here is your key, sir."
At this point, Tommy already felt a profound sense of foreboding. When he arrived outside the room and used the key, he finally understood the true nature of the problem.
Before his eyes were stacks and stacks of suitcases. Opening one at random, he confirmed his suspicions: it was absolutely stuffed with fifty-dollar banknotes.
"So that's how it is," Tommy muttered, his good mood dissolving instantly. He had been puzzled. Why would a client be so generous, offering five million dollars plus a supercar right off the bat for a simple hit? It turned out the initial payment was completely unprocessed cash—a haul he couldn't possibly spend legitimately.
What kind of situation was Tommy Vercetti now facing? The money was there, but he couldn't spend it. If he dared to use this much cash to buy luxury homes, yachts, or sports cars, the IRS would inevitably come knocking, looking for trouble. It was well known in the MCU's New York underworld that among the enforcement systems in America, the IRS was absolutely the most difficult entity to mess with. Even Kingpin, the undisputed overlord of New York's criminal underground, still needed to fulfill his duties as a meticulous taxpayer.
"It seems the idea of opening a fast-food restaurant must be implemented as soon as possible."
Such a large sum of money could not be deposited in a bank; that would be akin to holding a loudspeaker and shouting to the world that he was operating outside the law. Tommy Vercetti's only viable solution was to establish a legitimate catering business to resolve his current predicament through money laundering.
However, his original idea was to quickly seize the market with simple, delicious, and affordable offerings, continuously expanding branches. But now, his plan had to fundamentally change. The reason was starkly clear: all the banknotes in the suitcases were fifty-dollar bills. And in America, hardly anyone used such a large denomination for everyday purchases. What fast-food restaurant only accepts fifty-dollar bills? The transaction would be highly suspicious.
So, if Tommy wanted to spend this money and clean the bulk of it quickly, he would have to upgrade his affordable fast-food venture to a high-end, exclusive business dining establishment. He needed to be dealing with large receipts, not small burger sales.
"This doesn't seem impossible..." Tommy stroked his chin, lost in thought.
In this regard, some of his experiences from his previous life seemed to come in handy. High-end decor, strategic celebrity endorsements, and various aggressive marketing promotions. While there were many historical failures on this path, the core methods weren't entirely wrong. He also possessed the secret recipe for the delicious, top-tier signature dish he called the Crab Burger—a guaranteed showstopper that meant he didn't need to worry about the quality of the product at all.
Of course, the initial advertising and construction costs would be much higher than originally planned. But this also had its advantages: he could cycle those five million dollars through the business as quickly as possible. The sooner the money was cleaned, the sooner he would be completely at ease.
"This is the pain of starting from scratch," he sighed quietly.
When he was still back in Italy, Tommy didn't have to worry about such tedious logistics. Because Gianna, and the Camorra Family behind her, could handle all the necessary cleanup and legal maneuvering, leaving no future troubles. But upon arriving in New York, Tommy Vercetti no longer enjoyed those conveniences. He could only do it himself, painstakingly building the legitimate foundation bit by bit. Overall, there was a benefit for every drawback; while he gained freedom and no restrictions, he naturally couldn't enjoy the same level of convenience.
Picking up the phone in the room, Tommy called the front desk and asked for a few service staff to help him carry all the heavy suitcases downstairs.
Outside the Continental Hotel, Jin was waiting by the roadside. Upon seeing the huge pile of luggage, a look of profound surprise appeared on her face. "Boss, is all of this your luggage?" When he had called her, Tommy only told her that the luggage he checked in yesterday had arrived and asked her to drive over to pick it up. She never expected Tommy Vercetti's "luggage" to be so extensive.
"No, Boss, it's too full. We won't fit it all," she stated, looking at the small sedan.
The two spent a frustrating amount of time forcefully stuffing several suitcases into the car. But even so, there was still one smallest one left, so Tommy had to hold it himself and sit in the front seat to barely bring everything home. Upon arriving at Jin's apartment building, the two were busy again for quite a while, carrying the heavy bags inside.
It must be said that at that moment, Tommy felt an indescribable, weary sensation. It turned out that having an excessive amount of cash could also be this painful.
"Still no one to use around me."
After finishing everything, Tommy sat heavily on the sofa, turned on the TV, casually tuned to a news channel, and listened to the background noise while thinking about other things. Jin was talented and capable, but she was still in her probationary period, so Tommy couldn't fully trust her. Therefore, when it came to some critical matters, Tommy Vercetti could only handle them himself to avoid showing any dangerous flaws.
But this kind of life couldn't continue. He couldn't always solve every issue on his own. However, recruiting suitable personnel was not easy. This was the real world, not a movie or a game. Raising an arm and having thousands of loyal followers flock to him was simply impossible here. To make subordinates loyal and dedicated, he first needed to give them enough money, and then let them clearly understand the profitable future of following him.
"Looking at it this way, maybe I should also open a security company," Tommy thought, "so I can have enough of a legitimate reputation to recruit enforcers and muscle."
He felt he would definitely need Jin's help in this area. He was very adept at fighting and killing, but when it came to specialized fields like finance and law, he was not nearly as capable as Jin, a high-achieving university student studying at the New York University School of Law.
The business plan was settled. Now it was time to address personal grievances. Being set up and manipulated like that, Tommy Vercetti was profoundly displeased. He had already called Ken and obtained the employer's relevant information. Once this immediate storm of money laundering passed, he would send that guy, and that guy's entire family, straight to hell.
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