Chapter 377 Confirming the Female Corpse’s Identity: A Formerly Famous New York Model

Inside the conference room of the New York Police Department.

Everyone was already carrying out the follow-up investigation in an orderly manner.

By piecing together the clues from the ruins of Queen’s Casino, more and more breakthroughs were emerging. These might lead to identifying members of the Poker Organization.

Based on the current information, if they could uncover just one member of the Poker Organization, they could likely follow the trail and bring down the entire group in one sweep.

Since Chief Walker had gone to expedite DNA testing on the three faceless corpses to determine their identities, Liu Yang didn’t continue chatting with him. Instead, he teamed up with Lan Jing, who had studied in the United States, to gather information on New York City’s underground gangs.

Once they compiled all the data, Liu Yang planned to put his greatest strength—conversation and persuasion—to use. He would personally head into New York’s most chaotic neighborhoods to search for potential leads.

Half an hour later.

After wrapping up discussions with several NYPD officers, Liu Yang held a freshly printed list in his hand. With a look of amazement on his face, he turned to Su Ming in the distance and called out.

“Team Leader Su.”

“This list is pretty long.”

“I just spoke with Chief Walker. He introduced me to a Black officer named Vito. Apparently, if we want to understand the underground gang scene in New York, it’s best to go through someone on the inside.”

“Turns out, this Officer Vito has a friend who’s a small-time leader in the New York Blood Gang. It seems Vito himself used to be involved in the underground scene.”

“To be honest, the quality of police officers in the United States really varies. Someone with a background in gang activity can actually turn around and become a cop.”

In response to Liu Yang’s surprise and commentary, Lan Jing, sitting nearby, adjusted his glasses and replied seriously.

“I studied in the United States for a few years.”

“Through various channels, I’ve heard quite a bit about the underground gangs.”

“First off, most members of these gangs come from poor backgrounds—places like the slums and old neighborhoods—and are predominantly Black. Because of that, they’re extremely exclusive.”

“White people, Jews, even elite Black individuals are basically barred from joining. In fact, forget joining—just walking into their territory could get you robbed or targeted.”

“When I was studying abroad, many seniors specifically warned me: never go into those slums alone, and avoid passing through downtown at night.”

“Because the moment you step into those areas, your backpack might already be marked by gang members.”

“Also, these gangs often identify themselves through specific colors. For example, members of the Blood Gang usually wear red clothing or a red triangular scarf.”

“Their rival gang, the Crip Gang, whose territory borders that of the Bloods, typically wears blue. They control the other half of New York’s slum districts.”

“So if you wear blue into Blood Gang territory, it’s seen as a provocation. You’ll most likely be thrown out by their members.”

“Of course, one of the main reasons these gangs have endured for so many years is that quite a few well-known figures came from them. For example, some NBA stars and rappers continue to support these gangs in various ways.”

“Even Officer Vito, who just helped us, still maintains ties with the Blood Gang despite having made a name for himself after leaving that world.”

“He uses his financial resources and authority to provide support to the gang.”

“So right now, with so many members in New York’s underground scene, questioning all of them to find out if they know anything about the Poker Organization would be a massive undertaking.”

“I’m worried that even with several days, we might not be able to get a clear picture.”

Hearing this, Su Ming narrowed his eyes slightly, then rubbed his chin and said thoughtfully.

“I know… the underground gangs in the United States are notoriously complex and hard to manage. Just going around asking questions probably won’t get us the answers we need.”

“By the time we do get something, the Poker Organization might have already destroyed the evidence.”

“But maybe we should approach this from a different angle. If the Poker Organization is connected to these gangs, in what ways might they be linked?”

“I don’t think turf wars or smash-and-grab thefts would appeal to members of the Poker Organization.”

“Based on what we know so far, the Poker Organization operates on a much higher level than these street gangs, both in terms of structure and resources.”

“So if there is a connection, the gangs must offer something of particular value.”

He paused for a couple of seconds, thinking carefully, then continued in a low voice.

“I think… we might be able to start by looking into drugs, intelligence, sex work, and manpower.”

“The underground gangs are a mixed crowd. Drug use and dealing are practically how they make friends.”

“In the New York area, the Poker Organization likely has other members involved in the high-purity drug trade.”

“Otherwise, K wouldn’t have been able to get his hands on so much high-purity product and ship it through New York Harbor to Dragon Country so easily.”

“Intelligence is another specialty of these gangs. Sometimes, their information can be faster and more accurate than official sources.”

“Sex work and manpower are more subtle aspects…”

Before Su Ming could finish, Chief Walker—his swollen face now mostly healed—came running into the conference room with a burst of energy, shouting excitedly.

“Detective Su Ming, we found it! We found it!”

“I’ve confirmed the identities of those three corpses through DNA testing. That one female corpse… she used to be a rather famous model in New York!”