Can someone explain to me about the gang dynamics at the start of cannon?

E88 feels like they should be way more influencial. The ABB only has 2 capes. Coil only fields unpowered mercenaries. And even then the empire was there when both the teeth and marquis got driven out, and when the Asian gangs got decimated by lung.

But they didn't take the city. And I don't remember people being seriously concerned of the empire taking the city.

Is the status quo the goal of the empire? And the crime they do is just for show/ to maintain the status quo?

I read worm around 7 years ago, but I just recently got into worm fanfics. And most fanfics don't seem to note how strong the empire is and it's bugging me out. I don't find corrections in the comment, and re-skimming some the earlier arcs don't provide any clarification either.