Kaze’s tone grew colder as he asked. When he finally voiced his questions, the other Viper’s Den agents were shocked and looked at him with disbelief. Who exactly was Kaze Lee? How dare he call the Viper Queen by her name and demand an explanation? “Branch Leader Lee, you said the Ettingers colluded with ninjas from Ryokan. Are you sure about that?” Scarlet asked. Kaze said indifferently, “Last night, a ninja from Ryokan tried to assassinate me at Lilyrose Funeral Home. I managed to seize the ninja’s body from Newell’s son.” Scarlet frowned. A moment of silence later, she said, “Branch Leader Lee, if your words are true, then as an agent of the Viper’s Den colluding with foreign forces, Newell Ettinger must be punished. “I will investigate this matter. If it’s true, I will arrest the entire Ettinger family and let you decide their fate. What do you say about that?” She did not simply believe Kaze’s words because it was a serious crime to collude with foreign forces. S
“Take care, Branch Leader Lee.” Scarlet got up and sent Kaze off at the door. “Huh? Kaze Lee came out already?” “The chief delegate didn’t punish him?” The Ettingers finally got up on their feet and saw Kaze strolling out, fine and healthy. They were in shock. Then, the Viper’s Den elite agents from the headquarters rushed out and surrounded the Ettingers. “By the order of the chief delegate, no one is allowed to leave Mountain Dew Estate. All of you are hereby under investigation and will be sanctioned accordingly.” …Back in Lilyrose, Newell’s death did not make the headlines. First, the Viper’s Den wanted to investigate the matter thoroughly, so releasing the news would startle the enemy. Second, Newell was the South River Branch Leader and his death was not a glorified one, so the organization wanted to keep it under wraps. The news did not get out and it was both good and bad for Kaze. The good thing was that he could still keep a low profile because if he
The trip to Riverbank City had moved up the schedule. Kaze also planned to relocate some businesses of Perfect World Group to that city for the sake of convenience in conducting his affairs there. After all, he had to cleanse the Viper’s Den from within and he needed all the manpower and resources he could get, especially his trusty assistant, Snow. Snow was able to arrange everything to perfection and he never needed to worry about her. He got so attached to the convenience that he did not want to leave her behind. He called Snow and unlike the usual where she picked up almost instantly, it took her a while before the call got through. “Chairman Lee, anything I can help you with?” Unlike her usual frosty and confident voice, she sounded slightly weak. Kaze frowned. “You sound terrible. Are you okay?” “I’m feeling unwell. I’m resting at home.” Then, Snow switched to a more energetic voice and explained, “What can I do for you, Chairman Lee? I’ll arrange for my men t
Kaze ignored the men and went over to the opened door. “What happened?” A man came out from the door after hearing the commotion. When he saw Kaze, he frowned and asked, “Who are you?” “I’m here to visit Snow. Who are you?” Kaze scrutinized the young man and spotted hostility in his tone. He, too, replied without any courtesy. The young man in his early 30s wore a custom-made suit, had neatly combed hair, and wore a pair of golden-framed glasses—all signs of a successful businessman. His handsome looks surely promised him the attention of many women. “Mr. Lee, you’re here? Please come in!” Snow, who looked pale, appeared behind the young man. Kaze sharply noticed the look of relief on her face when she spotted him. “Oh? So you are Snow’s friend? I see. Please come in.” The young man had another glance at Kaze before he stepped aside. A hint of viciousness flashed in his eyes. The man was Snow’s distant cousin, Vance Presley. He always had thoughts about his co
“Yeah, Snow. What do you feel like eating? Vance can go out and get something for you.” Miranda spoke up to support her son, waving her chubby hand adored with an emerald as she did so. Kaze found it amusing. Judging from Miranda’s dazzling outlook, if one did not know better, one might assume she would give Snow cars or houses. At the same time, Kaze also felt puzzled. Snow came from a decent family. He might not have a deep understanding but based on Conan’s explanation, Snow’s family was powerful enough to rival the Butterworth Queens. However, her relatives looked like a bunch of nouveau riche and tried to act cool in front of Snow, who drove a supercar. “Yeah, Snow. Just tell me what you want to eat. I’ll get it for you.” Vance stood up and rolled his sleeve up, seemingly trying to flaunt his expensive watch. He already noticed that Kaze did not have any expensive watch on his wrist, in fact not even a smartwatch. If he did not know better, he might assume Kaze
Miranda found out Snow was working in Lilyrose and assumed Snow got into an argument with her own family. The Presleys were a big family in Riverbank and because of that, Miranda did not take a small company in Lilyrose seriously. Even if Kaze was the chairman, she had little to no respect for him. Vance noticed his mother’s assistance, so he said confidently, “Snow, which company do you want to work for? I have a strong connection in Riverbank City. “The Perfect World Group that you are working for now might sound big but in this tiny city, there’s a limit to how far it can go. There’s no reason for you to stay…” Vance did not hold back in belittling Kaze and even expressed provocatively at the end. “You…” Anger was obvious on Snow’s face. She wanted to ask them to go out. Right before she could speak, Kaze indifferently said, “Snow, they are right. You have to eat something to replenish your energy and you shouldn’t hurt your body just because you don’t have an appeti
“Other than the rich and powerful, the ordinary folks have to book two weeks in advance and they might not even get a spot. “I am able to order from there because I already have a booking and I’m using it for Snow. You said you could ask Bourbon to prepare a bird’s nest soup for Snow? You talk big.” Rare things were highly valued. The chefs in Bourbon were renowned for their ability to prepare home-cooked food with a high-end twist. As a result, they only accepted ten bookings per day, and their schedules were filled a month in advance. Kaze said he had ordered food from Bourbon before he arrived. Others might be impressed if he had told them this, but to Vance, who knew Bourbon’s booking system, Kaze’s words felt like a joke. “Vance, don’t waste your time with him. He’s just bluffing.” Miranda teared up from all the laughing. She elegantly wiped her tears with a handkerchief and said scornfully, “You even asked Bourbon to deliver the food? Who do you think you are? “
“You? If you were the one who made Bourbon deliver the takeout, I’d eat my shoe!” The bodyguard grunted and shot a scornful gaze at Kaze before going back outside. Had he not experienced the power of Kaze’s slap earlier, he and his colleague would have beaten up Kaze. Moments later, a middle-aged woman wearing a Bourbon uniform came in with two waiters pushing the carts. “Ms. Frost, good evening. I am the manager of Bourbon, Laura. Mr. Lee had requested us to prepare dinner for you. “The bird’s nest soup is prepared specially with Mr. Lee’s high-grade blood bird’s nest. I heard it’s priced over a million and I had ordered our head chef to prepare it for you. “I just have to oversee the delivery and ensure everything is safely delivered. I wish you a speedy recovery.” Snow’s pale face blushed immediately. She looked at Kaze with a happy smile and said, “Thank you, Mr. Chairman.” The expensive bird’s nest was nothing to Kaze. She was happy because Kaze thought of her
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
Kaze observed as the jeep took off further off course, past the towering buildings to a run-down neighborhood. “This is where I usually reside. My home is not too far away, but I think you might have trouble adapting to this place.” Dwight did not forget to book Kaze a hotel. Kaze could not possibly stay with him. The hotel was around the area anyway. “Didn’t you say that you haven’t tried the local cuisine? I’ll take you out for a bite. “The barbecue ribs here are to die for. We’ve got the dry-rubbed and saucy kind.” Dwight parked the car and hopped out right away. Opposite the parking lot was not the cleanest food joint. Looking in from the outside, Kaze realized that the place was packed. Kaze understood that the restaurant must be known for some kind of dish. The customers were from all walks of life, so the food must be great. “There’s not much to see here, but the food is tasty. If you don’t mind, we can order something inside.” Kaze was not particularly con
Dwight was surprised and curious as to who Kaze really was. From what he gathered, Kaze was a confidante of the Butterworth Branch chief. The purpose of Kaze’s visit was to learn and share. Dwight worked on the fringes, so his access to information was limited. Nevertheless, he got the feeling that Kaze was just an ordinary guy just like him. The only difference was that Kaze was lucky to rub shoulders with important people. Dwight did not get chances like that. “Who are the most influential people in the Viper’s Den Westeros Branch?” Kaze asked in the car. Dwight was taken aback by the question. Still, he had an answer to that. “So you don’t know much about the situation?” Dwight suddenly felt important. “Well, I’m new to the city. I will be running into them soon, so I need to make sure I get my facts right,” Kaze said humbly. This was Dwight’s shot, and he needed to present his best. “Relax, Kaze. I’ll tell you everything I know.” Dwight would reveal some info
Kaze glanced at the flowers. There was a card for well-wishes too.Curious, Kaze reached out to read the card. It was written, “To my eternal lover and sweetheart.” Dwight grabbed Kaze’s bag. Since the sign in his hand was getting in the way, Dwight tossed the placard in the trash can. As Dwight turned his head back, he saw Kaze reading the card that came with the flowers. He tried to stop Kaze, but it was too late. Dwight had not attended to a guest of high importance before. The task was assigned to him at the last minute. In the past, Dwight was usually on the sidelines, never getting close to major matters. He would always get the small, insignificant jobs. Dwight often bought drinks for his superiors to build connections. However, he had always been kept out of the loop. Now that an opportunity had fallen onto his lap, Dwight was not about to let it slip. He wanted to show what he could do. When Dwight arrived at the airport for the pick-up, most people car
The incident did not sit well with Kaze, so he left them out to dry. After much searching, Kaze came across a café. Kaze bought a cup of coffee. Cupping the drink between his hands, Kaze sipped slowly. Many passengers swarmed the arrival hall in the airport, dragging along their luggage or pulling out their phones to get a pick-up. They all had a destination, a place they had to be in a rush. Intrigued, Kaze followed the crowd out. Kaze turned on his phone, and a text message from his airport pick-up came in. He glanced at the message, curious about who the person was. Nevertheless, Kaze trusted that the Westeros Branch members would not set him up out in the open. At most, they would pull little stunts to mess with him. Kaze was not the type to sweat the small stuff. However, he would not tolerate any extreme behavior. He had been keeping a low profile back in Butterworth, keeping the limelight off him. The purpose was to handle Jet without unnecessary complicati
“Alright. I will work hard to be the manager of the Northborn Group. You need to show me the ropes and teach me about management.” Leah looked at Katie with a smile. She believed Katie had not lost her mind. Katie simply had her memory mixed up. “You need to keep your people in line and reward those who deserve it. It all boils down to profits. “You need to work toward managing your people and working with rivals. You’ve got to keep the balance, and nobody loses out. “You need to build your own system when it comes to working together. Don’t be led around by the nose.” Hearing that Leah would start work soon, Katie imparted her knowledge. “Don’t worry too much about things. Joey is nice. You can go to her for help,” Katie said earnestly. Katie seemed to be herself at the moment. Leah wondered if Katie faked her insanity to escape the punishment. “What have become of you? Did they do something to you? “Did you really betray Kaze?” Leah whispered while leaning close
Leah kept working on her knowledge until late into the night. Just as she was about to hit the sack, she got a message from Snow. Learning was a hard enough process. The text message came out of the blue. Leah did not expect Snow to contact her at night. The message was strange as well. Leah could not understand why Snow would give her the address of a nursing home. Leah was determined to turn things around. She strived to become stronger instead of being a burden. She was grateful for Kaze’s help. At least, she had a job now. However, her gratitude was not extended to Snow. She believed Snow had gone too far. Snow left her feeling powerless. Leah did not think much about the message. She assumed that the text was not meant for her. Since Leah did not respond to the text, Snow put the matter aside and went to bed. Leah called Snow the next day. “Why did you send me an address?” Leah went straight to the question. She had been equipping herself with knowledge before