After Honey’s introductory speech, the auction staff brought the Nether Viper Sword on stage. The auction also arranged for some experts to demonstrate the sharpness of the sword by performing a few moves on stage, cutting wooden planks, iron rods, and whatnot. The crowd was in awe of the sword’s sharpness. As expected of the sacred weapon of the Viper’s Den. Despite it being a replica, it possessed unparalleled sharpness and power. However, only the amateurs were impressed by the demonstrations. People like Ruth, Sol, and the others were calm and quiet, simply waiting for the auction to start. They knew how strong the Nether Viper Sword was. In fact, each organization had their own sacred weapon. They would not attend the auction if they were solely after the sword’s sharpness and power. After the demonstration, Honey officially started the bidding. She said, “Now let us start today’s auction. Allow me to state the rules first. “The starting price for the Nether
Honey looked at Sirius and his men with a gentle smile, speaking in the softest tone. Her words sounded weightless. Sirius glanced at her and nonchalantly said, “An underground organization stepping into the light and auctioning the sacred weapon of the Viper’s Den. Aren’t Dallas Moneylender afraid of being eliminated?” He was overflowing with murderous intent. He disregarded Honey’s words and Dallas Moneylender entirely. Honey remained smiling and said nothing. Then, a large number of Dallas Moneylender’s staff swarmed out from the corner and went straight for Sirius and his men, surrounding them. They were so quick that Sirius and his men were unable to respond in time. Bang! Following another heavy thump, the agent who attacked the staff earlier was kicked out of the hall with blood spewing from his mouth. “You!” Sirius’ men were furious. They glared at the staff members and took a cautious stance. Sirius reacted grimly. Even after he revealed his identity, the
Right after Sirius’ words subsided, everyone looked at Kaze. They heard it was Kaze who cut off Sirius’ arm with the Nether Viper Sword. Now that the rumor had been validated, it explained Sirius’ resentment toward Kaze. He was willing to spend a fortune to bid for the Nether Viper Sword just so he could use it to kill Kaze for revenge. The brief confrontation pressured even Conan, yet Kaze remained nonchalant. He smiled at Sirius and said, “Then it’s going to be costly. You are spending a few billions just to kill me.” Sirius scoffed and said, “I can get it back when I take you and your wife’s company. Their combined assets would be enough to buy a few Nether Viper Swords.” The meaning of his words was self-explanatory. After killing Kaze, Sirius planned to take Kaze and Darcy’s companies to cover the cost of the sword. “We’ll see if you can win the sword,” Kaze said with a hint of fierceness in his eyes. Sirius sat down and then said, “Auctioneer, you may continue
The trustor Honey referred to was Kaze. Sirius glanced at Kaze and scoffed. “Don’t worry about that. It’s just five billion. The Glitters still can afford it. It’s just a matter of cash flow. The money I used today will come back ten folds or even a hundred folds!” His gaze turned fierce. He thought he had won the bid for the Nether Viper Sword. No matter how resourceful or wealthy the other three organizations were, they would never spend a hefty five billion to purchase the Nether Viper Sword. They attended the auction and raised the price because they wanted to make the Viper’s Den look like a fool. They were not here for the sword because it would put them in the opposite position against the entire Viper’s Den. Therefore, the Glitters spending five billion for the Nether Viper Sword was considered a decent deal. They were not losing anything. Sirius wanted to kill Kaze with the sword and seized his and his wife’s assets. The combined value of the companies and as
Even though Sirius could claim ten billion from Kaze and his assets, he could not fork out that much money to get the Nether Viper Sword. Frustrated, he sat down and stared at the woman, saying, “Ten billion? Fine, the sword is yours. But do you even have that much money?” The woman did not care about Sirius’ sarcastic remark. She shot a frosty glance at him and said, “Shut up. Don’t speak if you are poor, you useless trash! The Nether Viper Sword is the sacred weapon of the Viper’s Den. Is ten billion really that much?” The moment Sol, Ruth, and the others heard the woman, they almost burst out in laughter. Sirius flushed, drowning in his own embarrassment and frustration. As a member of the Glitters, he was called useless trash by a nameless woman in public! Kaze did not laugh at him. He focused on the woman instead as thoughts ran through his mind. “Ten billion once.” “Ten billion twice.” “Sold! To the lady in the back!” Following the smack of the mallet, the Net
“My master said he will meet with you in person when you are done with your matters.” The woman then took the sword and left. “‘Hold it right there!” Before the woman could leave, two of Sirius’ men went up to her and blocked her exit. “You pretentious hag, hand over the sword!” One of them tried to snatch the sword away. Upon seeing the situation, many disdainful glances were shot at Sirius. He failed to reclaim the sword through the auction, so he decided to reclaim it through force. How shameless! Sirius stared at the exit nonchalantly as if he was not a part of it. The Dallas Black Card surprised him for a moment but he was not sure if it was still part of Kaze’s plan with Dallas Moneylender to trick him. After all, bringing someone with the Dallas Black Card into the fray might scare the Viper’s Den and Kaze could escape the punishments. Therefore, Sirius wanted to test if the woman was the real deal. The woman frowned. “Move,” she said. “Know your pl
The woman put the Nether Viper Sword away and said, “Fool. A gun is not the most lethal within a short distance. Your gun is meaningless in front of a true expert.” After berating Sirius, the woman shot a meaningful glance at Kaze before she left. Sirius stared at the exit blankly, speechless. Kaze curled his lips into a meaningful grin. It was an interesting exchange. The woman was not mocking Sirius. It would seem more appropriate that she was lecturing him. Kaze had an extra glance at Sirius, whose face was gloomy. He wondered if the fool could grasp the wisdom. After the woman left, all the guests in the auction hall regained their senses. What happened in that brief moment overwhelmed them. Sirius also slowly regained his composure and his mind cleared up. He wiped the blood off his forehead and then looked at Kaze coldly. “Mr. Lee, I don’t care what master she serves, you are going to die today!” The mysterious woman might have shocked everyone at the auct
Albert frowned. Suddenly, a frosty chuckle came from the entrance. The chuckle was not loud but it sounded like thunder, clapping right beside everyone’s ear. Many of the guests were frightened. Everyone turned to the entrance once again. A middle-aged man with a wrinkled face appeared at the entrance. He exuded an aura of authority without even speaking. His bearing, hands clasped behind his back, conveyed a sense of towering grandeur and deep unshakable presence, characteristics of someone in a position of power. No one dared to take him lightly. He scanned across the hall and ultimately landed his frosty gaze on Albert. “Chief Commander Hiden of the State Strategic Department. You have quite the nerve to act like a gangster without your uniform. You beat someone up in front of a crowd. “You said you are not in uniform and you are here as your own entity. Does it mean the Viper’s Den can arrest you?” “Hahaha! Branch Leader, you are just in time! Arrest Chief Com
“Kaze can pull the punches for sure. I mean, he has the Butterworth branch chief’s trust for a reason. “There has to be something for him to win the branch chief’s approval.” Edmund doubted there was depth to Kaze. After all, Edmund decided whether to take on a person based on their abilities. It made no sense to pay attention to losers, as he would hold them in contempt. Edmund had been impressed with Herman, who excelled in strategies and management. That was why Edmund bumped Herman up and made sure he stayed on top. “Got it.” Herman nodded and had one foot out the door. “Don’t be in a hurry to leave. There’s one more thing.” Edmund pointed at the table. Herman approached and stood on bent knees. Pleased with Herman’s submission, Edmund passed him a wine glass. Herman took the drink humbly before looking carefully at Edmund, awaiting his orders. “The wine was just airlifted from abroad. I can vouch for the taste. If you’re looking to sip on the finest, yo
Time went by, and a towering man in a suit showed up outside the door. Picking up on the noise inside the room, he knocked on the door. It was hard to tell whether the person inside could hear the knocking, so the man waited outside. The door was opened, and a woman, her face flawless with makeup, popped her head out and saw him. She cocked her head back at Edmund. “You have a guest, Mr. Witterson.” “Let him in,” Edmund instructed. He then leaned in to take the drink from the girl next to him with his mouth. The other girls cheered him on. The group was lost in their fun. The man, who entered the room, stood by the sofa respectfully. He kept his head down, his gaze staying low at the bottles of alcohol spread across the table. It was a bit of a wait before the man approached at Edmund’s order. “Tell me about Dwight.”While listening to the girls’ singing, Edmund turned to Herman. Herman rushed over as soon as Edmund called. He won a lot of money at poker toda
In this particular circumstance, Morris had to play it safe so that things would not get out of hand. The last thing he wanted was to be dragged into the mess. At least, he finally saw the Wittersons’ true colors. Morris’ friendly advice was met with disrespect and insult. However, the Wittersons were a force of nature, and Morris was not about to take them head-on. Despite his frustration, Morris had to walk away. Well, Edmund would soon face his downfall at the height of his power, and Morris would be there to enjoy the ride. Still, it did not sit well with Morris to have a young fella walk all over him. It had crossed his mind to keep the Wittersons in check, but there was only so much he could do. Morris had to be the one to back away as the Wittersons grew haughty. Morris believed there was more to Kaze’s visit to Westeros. Nothing major happened in Westeros recently. At least, there was nothing worth the other branch’s attention. However, a representative of the
Morris suggested entertaining Kaze well. Things would not be good for the branch if Kaze got dirt on them. That was where Edmund disagreed with Morris. His idea was to send someone to sound Kaze out. Edmund was smug because Morris’ decision was wrong. “You shouldn’t do that. Kaze is here on behalf of the Butterworth branch. You don’t want tension between both branches.” Morris looked at things from a wider perspective. Edmund believed Kaze was just a doormat of little importance. “You just overthink things, and it’s not good for your age. You’re getting senile.” Edmund did not take Morris’ advice seriously. He believed he was right. “You’re not getting it. Kaze is from Butterworth. Even if he doesn’t hold a high position there, we were in the wrong. We did not keep our tracks clean either. “Now that he’s back, I’m worried that he’ll cause us harm.” Morris was only giving a heads-up because the whole branch was at stake. Edmund was young. Due to his lack of judgmen
“We should be generous to our guest from Butterworth. You can arrange as you see fit. Please don’t house him in a messy home. Hire cleaners to tidy up the place. “You can report back to me if you need more money, but it’s not a reason for you to misuse the funds.” Herman wanted to hang up. The money was now in Dwight’s bank account, so he was washing his hands off the matter. The plan was to keep Kaze happy. He was just an insignificant member of the Butterworth branch anyway. The whole thing would blow over soon enough, so long as Kaze kept to himself without taking things too far. Herman would figure out a way to get him out quickly anyway. Maybe Herman and his friends did not have to do anything to get rid of Kaze. “Got it. I’ll be a good host, Herman. I won’t let you down. I’ll keep you in the loop.” Dwight was over the moon to get the notification about the money transfer. “Just play by ear and arrange what you see best.” Herman hung up and continued playing pok
“It’s becoming a hassle now. Are you going to inform the Viper’s Den about the change of accommodation?” After much hesitation, Kaze nodded to take up the offer. Dwight was thrilled. It only hit Dwight that he had to communicate with the Viper’s Den. Kaze was booked for a hotel stay, and Dwight’s job was to take him to the destination. Yet now, Dwight took him to his home. “I’ll tell my superior and see what he has to say.” Dwight was not sure whether the change was appropriate. Nevertheless, he did not want to pass up on a great opportunity. He simply grabbed the bull by the horn. If Kaze stayed at his place, the Viper’s Den members had to respect Kaze’s request even if they had a problem with it. “But when they ask, you can say that you’re getting along well with me. Living together just makes work more convenient.” Feeling unsettled, Dwight tried to get their stories straight with Kaze. Hopefully, the Viper’s Den would not come after them. “Aren’t we friends? I k
Dwight gave some suggestions. “But I’m worried about being a nuisance to your family.” Kaze remained hesitant, torn between decisions. “No, you won’t. I usually live alone. They stay somewhere else. They barely visit. I’ll just let them know not to visit for now,” Dwight replied. Dwight figured out what was in it for him. He could not let Kaze leave. “I don’t want to put your family in an awkward position.”Kaze was still considering the matter. “Relax. They don’t live with me anyway. The room I have for you is tidy. No one has stayed there before.“I’ll hire some help to freshen up the place. I can guarantee you an experience no less than at the hotel.” Dwight spoke with great confidence. “We should finish our food and doggie-bag the rest. I’ll take you to my place.” Dwight was ready to get things going. Kaze took the offer and nodded. “I’ll be in your care then.” Kaze was glad that his plan went through. Dwight had no idea that he got played. Nevertheless,
“I’m new to the place, so I don’t know much. Can you show me around when you’re available?” “No problem, but I usually have some stuff to take care of. I can’t be there 24/7. “Why don’t you propose to the branch that you want me to be your guide and attendant?” Dwight suggested. There was no telling whether Kaze would accept his proposal, but it was an opportunity to prove himself. He was never involved in the core operation. Often enough, he was the branch members’ punching bag. Though Dwight was aware that he was not good enough for the big stuff, he still wanted to succeed. Kaze was the trusted aide of the Butterworth Branch chief. He was in Westeros for a reason. By joining Kaze, Dwight would come across the major players. Kaze saw through Dwight’s plans. “Sure. I’ll do that.” Kaze did not mind the request. “Great. I’ll let them know on your behalf. I’ll be responsible for your needs while in the city.” Dwight was overjoyed at the opportunity. “So you live
“You must be rich. I often see rich people picking tabs for everybody. Talk about extravagance.” The tension in the air was lifted when Kaze offered to pay for everything. “I’m not. Consider it an apology,” Kaze explained, not wanting to cause unnecessary misunderstandings. He did not see the point of continuing the conversation. Dwight’s angry screams came from outside. “What the hell is this? I only ordered a bunch of stuff. Why am I being charged an exorbitant amount?“What do you mean my friend is paying for everybody? That’s throwing money away,” Dwight said while storming his way over. “I know you have money, but you shouldn’t do this, Mr. Lee.” Dwight did not approve of this type of generosity. “You rubbed them the wrong way. It was only right to apologize. Besides, it’s not a lot of money.” Kaze looked at the bill and handed a bank card to Dwight. “It’s my treat.” The consumption was barely a dent in Kaze’s savings. The meal did not cost more than his us