Jill obviously did not believe Kaze had a way to get a blessed artifact by Pastor Angelo. She simply assumed Hamlin was a paid actor that Kaze hired just to make him look good. The bracelet in the box must be some gift from a tourist trap spot. Everything made sense. It was easy to get a souvenir gift from a tourist spot as there were at least ten to twenty stores around. Violet shook her head and laughed. She lectured, “Kaze, as my uncle’s student, not only are you useless and unambitious, but how can you do this just to save face? This is a fraud, do you understand? “My uncle wouldn’t want his student to lie to him. You have to be humble and honest. You might be poor now but you lied just to fulfill your vanity, it will destroy your whole life.” She sounded like she felt bad for Kaze and cared about his future. The two ladies continued to lecture Kaze about what they saw. Standing on the moral high ground made them feel superior. “Why are you guys still talking to
Violet held Kane’s arm and said anxiously, “Kane, what are you doing? Is this some kind of mistake? He’s not whatever chief, he’s just a paid actor hired by Kaze.” Slap! Kane got anxious and slapped Violet in the face, silencing her. “What the hell are you talking about? This is Mayor Synder’s driver, Chief Hamlin!” With just a brief interaction with Hamlin, Kane already knew what was going on. He might not know about the relationship between Kaze and Hamlin but he was certain that Hamlin got the blessed artifact by Pastor Angelo from St. John Church and came all the way here just to deliver it. Then, his stupid girlfriend and her friend mistook Hamlin for a paid actor and mocked him. Thinking about the stupid things his girlfriend and her friend said to Hamlin while he was away, he really wanted to slap their mouths off their faces. “What? Mayor Synder’s driver?” Violet covered her face and stared at Hamlin blankly; Jill did the same with a pale look. The mayor of Ri
“I…” Kane flushed with embarrassment, his eyes burning with fury. He served as a government personnel at the city council and was considered one of the better-known figures in Riverbank. Yet he had to kneel and apologize to someone he looked down on before. His grievance piled up. Thump! Just as he was contemplating, Kaze kicked him in the stomach. The heavy thud caused Kane to fall to his knees. Slap! Kaze smacked him on the face, causing one cheek to swell up instantly. “If you can’t do it, then don’t even talk about it,” Kaze said as he held the bracelet in his hand to feel the carvings. Had Kane not mocked him earlier, he would not have slapped the man. Kane practically asked for it. Looking at Kane’s aggrieved look and eyes with vengeful intent, Hamlin said indifferently, “Kane Jango, I will inform the mayor about what you have done here.” “No!” Kane was horrified. If Hamlin reported this to the mayor, his future would be ruined. He quickly prostrat
Kaze said with a smile, “Mayor Synder is quite rich and generous I see.” Hamlin smiled back. “Mr. Lee, please don’t take it the wrong way. The Synders are a family with a long history here in Riverbank and the annual dividend for the mayor alone is a large sum of money. He doesn’t need to commit illegal acts just to get some allowance.” “I see. I guess I have misunderstood Kent.” Kaze picked up and looked at the document before taking the keycard too. “Please thank Kent for me.” He never intended for Kent to repay him but he did save the man’s life back at the train station. Therefore, be it the blessed artifact by Pastor Angelo or the mansion, Kaze believed he earned it. If Kent were not lucky enough to meet him, Riverbank would have lost its mayor. Kaze was confident only a handful of people in Arcadia could save Kent at that instant. Seeing that Kaze accepted the mansion, Hamlin stood up with a satisfied smile. “The mayor is waiting for me. I’ll leave you to your din
“This mayor's residence used to be the embassy of Ryokan. After the Ryokanians moved out, in order to save money, the city council used what they had left behind, that’s why it feels like that,” Hamlin introduced the place to Kaze. Upon hearing the introduction, a thought came to Kaze’s mind. Kent was cursed by the Ryokanians and it almost got him killed. The mayor’s residence that he was living in used to be the embassy of Ryokan. Could Myra’s condition be related to the place? Kaze subtly asked, “If I may ask, did Myra’s condition begin after they moved in here, or did it already exist before?” Hamlin was slightly surprised but he quickly understood the question. “Ms. Myra’s condition started shortly after Mr. Synder became the mayor. Ms. Myra was still a college student, so she moved in with her parents. “Mr. Lee, are you saying that Ms. Myra’s condition is related to this place? Is it because she moved into this place?” Hamlin asked with a grim look. He was Kent’s
Standing at the top of the stairs, Cole looked down at Kaze with contempt. He returned to his arrogant and hostile self, like when he first met Kaze. The respect he had for Kaze after Kaze saved Kent had faded. There was another group of people behind him, men and women with some locals and some foreigners. Two of them captured Kaze’s attention. The first one would be a young and beautiful woman who exuded a powerful aura. Her professional business attire and black heels made her look stern and fierce. People would easily notice her at first glance. The other one would be a man with blonde hair and blue eyes. The glasses he wore gave him an academic demeanor and composed presentation. “Cole, Mr. Lee saved Mr. Synder back at the train station. You saw it with your own eyes as well. Mr. Synder told me to take good care of Mr. Lee and I was with him when I received the call about Ms. Myra. That’s why he is with me. “Mr. Synder also agreed to let him come along. You can’t j
“How unfortunate.” The man named Professor Wilson scrutinized Kaze and shrugged. As the target of ridicule, Kaze barely felt anything. He simply smiled at Hamlin. Hamlin awkwardly bowed at Kaze. “I’m sorry, Mr. Lee. For Mr. Synder’s safety…” Back on the train, after Kaze left, Hamlin had run all kinds of background checks to find out about Kaze’s true identity. It was to protect Kent, especially after multiple assassination attempts. It was his duty to investigate every person who approached the mayor. Now that Cole exposed it in front of everyone, especially in front of Kaze, Hamlin felt a little awkward. Kaze would never tolerate Cole’s arrogant attitude. “It’s okay. You are just doing your job,” Kaze said to Hamlin. He then looked at Cole and said, “Cole, I prefer the humble and respectful you back on the train. You were arrogant and disrespectful at first but you learned quickly and started to show some respect after I saved Kent.” Cole’s face turned bitter wh
Kent had a frosty glare at Cole. Myra’s condition was kept a secret, and only a handful of people knew about it. Now that Buffy learned about the condition, she must have learned it from Cole. Cole’s heart skipped a beat. He quickly introduced Professor Wilson to Kent. “Uncle Kent, Myra’s condition is not getting any better, so I took the liberty to tell Buffy about it. I just hope that I can help. “Look, Uncle Kent. Professor Wilson is a psychologist from Kalifornia University of Uleania. He’s well-known in the field. “He came to Arcadia for a symposium and since Buffy knew him, she was able to invite him over to have a look at Myra’s condition. We also paid a hefty price to have him here.” Kalifornia University was a world-renowned institute. Kent was delighted and his grim look softened. He said with gratitude, “Ms. Gwake, thank you for your concern about my daughter. I can’t thank you enough.” No matter what Buffy was after, if she could get a world-renowned psych
“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