The silence was deafening in the compartment. Kaze’s earlier composure was an indication of his incoming attack. The mean-looking skinhead was like a ragdoll in Kaze’s hands. With a blank face, Kaze dragged Butch to the door and turned him around. “Take this money and get lost.” After using Butch’s words on him, Kaze kicked him in the butt. “Bang!” The skinhead fell into carriage number three, causing quite a stir. The passengers in Kaze’s compartment, be they impressed or fearful, calmly returned to their seats. “Please step aside.” The beautiful woman stared blankly at Kaze. Startled by Kaze’s voice, she exclaimed, “Ah, bastard! How dare you hit my man! I’m going to kill you!” While shrieking, the woman clawed Kaze with her long fingernails. By the looks of her, she was tempted to scar Kaze’s face. “Smack!” Kaze whipped his hand across her face. The burning sensation on her cheek snapped the woman back to reality. “You’re more foolish than your man,” K
“But your little assistant seems to run into a little problem. Do you need my help?” Cole smiled at Butch. Raph cocked his head back and asked with a frown, “What’s going on?” Butch held his face and pointed wickedly at Kaze who was minding his own business on his seat. “I paid to switch seats with the guy, but he attacked me and my girlfriend, Raph. “Look what he did to us.” He showed Raph the handprint on his and his girlfriend’s faces. Raph’s face fell, and he scoffed. “Who hit my assistant?” He looked over at Kaze. As Kaze’s head was down, Raph yelled with a scowl, “What? Can’t own up to your mistake? Pick your head up!” “I hit your assistant. What are you going to do about it?” Kaze looked away from his phone and replied indifferently. Raph pulled a dirty look. “Hmph! What’s with the attitude when you are the attacker? Uh? You?” Suddenly, Raph froze and stared at Kaze, wide-eyed. He did not expect to see Kaze here. Reminded by the incident at Snow’s pl
“In that case, I’ll call the transport police.” Cole grinned and looked at the train conductor who came to investigate. Pointing his finger, Cole said coldly, “Get your chief steward and transport police here.” All train conductors had been briefed in advance about a group of VIPs reserving the business-class compartment for the train bound for Riverbank. Recognizing Cole as the VIP in the business-class compartment, the train conductor felt his heart skip a beat. The train conductor hunched over. “A moment, please, sir.” He pressed on the walkie-talkie on his chest to call the chief steward and transport police.Soon, a chief steward and a transport police officer arrived on the scene. The chief steward approached Cole with respect, his head kept down. “Hello, Mr. Libra. What can I do for you?” Cole pointed at Kaze and said indifferently, “The violent man attacked my friend in public. Apprehend him and hand him to the Riverbank police later.” The chief steward was m
Kaze furrowed his brows. The incident during his train ride was rather baffling. However, he had an appointment with Lock, and the latter sent a car for him to meet at the train station. Kaze did not want any delays. He glanced at Cole, knowing that the issue lay with him. Kaze pulled out his phone and texted Conan while saying indifferently, “So you accuse me on false grounds and make me apologize because he’s some VIP? “You butter him up in hopes you might get some perks. Heck, you might get a promotion that will launch your career ahead of time. “Anyhow, you don’t want to upset the VIP. At the very least, you want him to enjoy your service on the train. “I get where you are coming from. You live cautiously, afraid of upsetting those you can’t mess with. You don’t want to bring trouble to yourself and your family. “However, there is one person you can’t upset too.” Kaze pointed at Cole, then himself. He asked with a straight face, “Are you sure you can take me on?”
“Who do you think you are, boy? Watch your tone with Mr. Libra.” “Do you know who Mr. Libra is?” Butch and his girlfriend taunted. Raph smirked and egged on. “The boy doesn’t respect you, Mr. Libra. If you don’t show him who the boss is, he won’t know what’s good for him when he reaches Riverbank City. “Besides, you’ll be doing your uncle a favor.” Kaze raised his brow and glanced at Cole in contemplation. Cole nodded and looked at Kaze grimacingly. “You’re cocky, boy. I don’t care who you called, but I’ve got the chief steward’s back. “No one can fire him.” Cole beamed with confidence. “You’re the best, Mr. Libra.“I’m honored that you have my back.” The chief steward buttered Cole up before turning to Kaze, his gaze malicious. He said curtly, “You asked for it, boy.“Apprehend him, George!” He gave the transport police officer a look, and the latter pulled out his baton and approached Kaze. “Stop!” Just when the transport police officer was about to arrest
“After you.” Cole smiled pretentiously at Kaze. Without looking at Cole, Kaze stepped into the business-class carriage. The carriage was nearly empty, occupied only by a few middle-aged men and women in simple attire. Their reserved demeanor suggested a certain level of authority.With a brief observation, Kaze concluded that they were likely mid-to-high-ranking government officials.In the end, Kaze’s gaze fell on one of the middle-aged men. The latter looked at him with a composed smile. The middle-aged man was clearly the leader of the group. The individual who spoke earlier must be him. Meeting Kaze’s gaze, the middle-aged man rose to his feet and smiled. “My nephew always has his way at home. His parents spoiled him rotten. I’ve been telling him to quit with the attitude. “I want to apologize on his behalf for his rude behavior.” Kaze gave a nod as a response. The middle-aged man must rank high in Riverbank’s council. Nevertheless, even the former governor of
“I can’t agree more, Dr. Tyson. You’re a model of virtue and integrity.” Kent chuckled, seeing that Raph agreed with him. However, Raph shook his head. “Don’t be quick to call me that. I’m not done, Mayor Synder.” “Oh?” Furrowing his brows, Kent said, “Do tell, Dr. Tyson. I’m all ears.” Raph glanced at Kaze and said coldly, “The Riverbank Presleys requested that I examine a lady in Lilyrose. “The boy called me a scammer and got me locked up in the police station there. I suffered a few days behind bars. “If Mr. Libra hadn’t pulled some strings to get me out of there to provide your daughter with medical treatment, I would still be there. “I’ve seen my share of hardship, but that was on another level. “The worst part is my reputation. I was nearly ruined. “I can’t get over it just because you told me so.” Raph broke out of character. However, everyone could understand where he was coming from. Anyone in Raph’s shoes would lose it after going through the same tr
“What are you saying, young man?” Kent scowled. He sought help from many renowned doctors, but none of them could help with his daughter’s case. Raph, found by Cole, was one of his very last hopes. Kaze checked Kent out before uttering indifferently, “This so-called miracle doctor is a scammer. He can’t even tell that you’re dying.” The carriage fell into a deafening silence. Even Kent was shocked. He looked up at Kaze, his gaze carrying wariness. A suited group barged out from another door in the business-class carriage and surrounded Kent. Some of them blocked Kaze’s exit. They reached their hands to their hips. That was where their guns were holstered. These individuals had been stationed between carriages to ensure Kent’s safety. Once a threat against Kent’s safety had been identified, the group made themselves known. Sure enough, Kaze had been determined a threat to Kent. Anything Kaze said could be seen as a reason to kill him. The mayor of Riverbank C
As they arrived, they saw a dozen expensive cars parked outside. The customer base was relatively stable as the establishment was targeted at the upper class. The people lining up at the club were young men and women of ordinary background. All were allowed inside Absolute Zero with an entrance fee. Since this would be a chance for ordinary people to meet and interact with the upper-class elites, they cherished it and tried their best to look good. Even movie producers and scriptwriters came to the club, seeking investments or a role in movie production. It was a shortcut to reach out to the upper crust after all. Yet they were just a bunch of fresh graduates with no resources and connections, so the club was their only chance at achieving something great. Dwight would never understand how rare the opportunity was, as he was narrow-sighted. He had never experienced power and wealth before, so he lacked the understanding of how things worked in society. “I never thought
With that in mind, Dwight checked his outfit. His black leather jacket brought out his height and wild side. He then observed Kaze. The latter was dressed casually. Dwight was worried that they would not be allowed into Absolute Zero because of their attire. Nevertheless, he could not let slip that he had never been to Absolute Zero. Without a word, Dwight led Kaze down the apartment building. Kaze could pick up on Dwight’s nerves. While in the elevator, Dwight could not stop straightening out his clothes. It was clear that he was nervous. Even so, Kaze said nothing and pretended not to notice. They got into the car and drove to an alley. The area was not huge, but there were stands selling street food. “The food is great here. Since it’s early, we can grab a bite.” Dwight was not being tight with money. As their destination was a bar, there was no need to get a proper meal. “I’ll get a skewer then.” Kaze did not have much of an appetite anyway. “Okay. I’ll or
“You’re the guest. I should be hosting you, but I don’t seem to be doing a good job.” Dwight knew he had to do better. “It’s okay. I don’t have much to do. It’s just a delivery anyway.” Kaze bought a lot of stuff online. All they had to do was wait for the delivery. Once the items arrived, they could head out. Dwight talked about taking him to a bar under the Viper’s Den’s umbrella. It was a great opportunity for Kaze to check out the scene. He had heard that the Wittersons were tied to all the Viper’s Den’s business operations.Kaze would not meet Edmund and Morris in person, but he would grasp all information related to them. Then, Kaze would stir things up between them and sit back while reaping the benefits. Kaze had it all planned out. He simply had to take his time in playing the long game. Nevertheless, it was important for him to remain discreet. At the very least, he should not show them what he was made of. It was easy to execute his plan when everybody
Kaze rose to his feet and took something out of his bag. Putting on his jacket, he was on his way out. Dwight was out of his room, too. He left his room for a glass of water and waited for Kaze to get out of the room after his nap. Dwight had a drink in the kitchen. He took an apple and chomped on it. Looking at the fruit on the table, Dwight grabbed a plate to arrange it neatly.He took out his phone to pass the time while waiting for Kaze. Kaze emerged from the room and saw Dwight. “You’re up at last. You’ve slept half the day away. Are you still tired? I can wait if you need to catch some sleep.” Dwight kept Herman’s memo to look after Kaze. “A little. I didn’t get any sleep last night. I was waiting to get on the plane.” Kaze took the red-eye flight yesterday. Dwight allowed time for Kaze to rest, knowing his travel schedule. “I know. Did you manage to get some good sleep? If you haven’t, you can go back to bed. I can grab some food for you.” Dwight’s plan
“Your main responsibility is to entertain Kaze. You will be rewarded for good work,” Herman said. Dwight nodded incessantly. “Thank you for thinking of me, Herman. I won’t forget this.” “I’d be grateful so long as you stay out of trouble. “Just focus on what you should do and take good care of Kaze.” Herman worried that Dwight might get ahead of himself and forget his primary duties. Dwight’s priority was Kaze’s well-being. The whole thing would be over if Dwight kept to himself and served Kaze until he was gone. There would be a problem if something were to happen. Without Edmund’s instructions, Herman would never have assigned a job to Dwight. It could be a good thing, though. At least, a job might keep him on the straight and narrow. “Relax. You can count on me,” Dwight said with glee.That was a nice surprise. Dwight did not see it coming. It was just incredible. Herman still could not shake off his worry. However, he had said his piece. It was pointless t
Herman’s smile vanished. His red, irritated skin was playing up. Due to alcohol in his system, Herman could not see straight. He had to grit his teeth to hold back the urge to retch. Herman was not one to drink. Yet, he would have to go through Edmund’s loyalty test every time, and he was reaching a boiling point. However, he understood that he needed to suck it up to gain Edmund’s trust. “You must be Herman. Mr. Witterson. Should I take the things to your car, or should I deliver them to your home?” asked a uniformed server who approached. “Put them in the car and get me a designated driver,” Herman replied. He headed to the lobby while propping himself against the wall. “Okay. There will be a driver out front, ready for your service.” The server tried to help Herman up, but was declined. Herman saw the cartons of alcohol and cigarettes in the lobby. Edmund had always been generous in giving out stuff like this. “These are from Mr. Witterson. You’re lucky to work for
“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