“Punching bag? Everyone here can have one slap?” Kaze narrowed his eyes on Luis. “You said it?” “Yeah, I fucking said it!” Luis went up to Kaze with his cigar hanging in his mouth. He spat a cloud of smoke at his face and grinned. “Kaze Lee, you think Bronze Sparrow is a place for a little shit like you? I’m telling you, you don’t even have the right to breathe in the same room as us! “Your existence here contaminated our air and it is a grave mistake! Now it’s time for your punishment. You better kneel and straighten your back! Get it?” Luis raised his hand impatiently. “If you understand me, get down now! I don’t want to repeat myself! “Who else wants to slap this little shit?” Kaze looked at the young men and women around him. “Me!” “Luis is right! You little shit is not qualified to be with us here! I don’t like you!” “You even acted like you were some big shot! Who gave you the balls?” “You should be honored that we let you be our punching bag!” … More
“You said you wanted a slap?” Kaze threw a reverse slap at another young woman beside him, slapping her makeup off. “And you.” The young woman was stunned as she never thought Kaze had the nerve to slap her. “Aaaaagh! You slapped me? You slapped a woman? You are a piece of shit! I will kill you and your family…” Slap! Kaze slapped her once more, sending her to the floor. “Seems like I held back.” He shook his head and then moved on to the next without looking at his victims. Slap! “Punching bag?” Slap! “One slap each?” Slap! “Everyone can slap?” Kaze shuttled around the crowd and slapped everyone who said they wanted to slap him earlier. “That fucker slapped us!” “He’s out of his mind!” “Call the police and shoot him!” “Shoot him a hundred times!” …The entire fifth floor was filled with agonizing cries and screams for a while. Zenika, Wesley, and those who did not get slaps were stunned on the spot, petrified as they watched Kaze slap everyon
“Kaze…” Rose called out to him with a sobbing tone, her face pale. Even she was surprised that Kaze offended so many people including Luis, and it seemed like a reckless move. With all the young masters and missus teamed up, they could probably move half the city. Rose plunged into endless regret and self-blame. She should not have brought Kaze over to protect her. “Don’t worry.” Kaze came over and tapped the girl’s shoulder. “They are just a bunch of useless youngsters. In fact, they won’t be able to make me lose even a strand of hair, let alone crush me.” The hall fell silent again before endless shouts and curses could be heard. “He is arrogant! He is too arrogant! Someone get him!” “He must be killed, or else I can’t rest for the rest of my life!” “Who does he think he is, looking down on us!” The youngsters were furious. Being looked down upon by a bumpkin from a small city felt even more terrible than killing them. “Quiet! If I, Luis Presley, don’t crush
“Ms. Gwake, I heard something happened at Golden Scale Corporation. Is everything okay?” “Yeah. If you are busy, go ahead. Don’t worry about us. Business is business.” As Buffy entered the hall, the guests went up to her ingratiatingly. Buffy smiled and casually said, “Don’t worry. It’s just a little problem. If it’s serious, I won’t be here talking to everyone either.” Judging from her confident reply, the guests believed the operation at Golden Scale Corporation was nothing to Buffy. “Yeah. I knew it. After Collier’s father died, he became a clown. How can he challenge the Gwake family?” “Yeah. Ms. Gwake doesn’t need to be worried at all. Her men can deal with it easily.” The guests continued to flatter her. Buffy smiled but when she had a better look at all the guests, she saw something strange on their faces that made her raise her brows. She saw slap marks on everyone’s faces that did not seem to come from a game or a prank. Judging from the grievance in their
Buffy’s background was much more powerful. Besides, the rumor about her being fancied by one of the Riverbank Seven, Casius Weather, was enough to scare people away. After all, only the top seven young men, possessing extraordinary power and wealth in Riverbank could earn the title of Riverbank Seven. Their connections, power, and resources were not something ordinary people could compare with. If Buffy was the woman Casius had eyes on, then who else had the nerve to mess with her?” “I met him once somewhere else,” Buffy said calmly after glancing at Kaze. When everyone including Luis saw Buffy’s indifferent attitude toward Kaze and showed no importance, they felt relieved. She knew Kaze but did not take him seriously, otherwise with her power and understanding, she would have resolved the matter already. “Ms. Gwake, you have to do us justice! This guy came into our event and slapped us, embarrassing us!” “He has the nerve to disrespect people and conduct violence at
Rose then pointed at the other guests. “These people too. Kaze doesn't even know them but they insulted him, mocked him, and agreed with Luis to slap him. “So, what’s wrong with Kaze slapping them back? He should slap them more to teach them some manners. At least it’s better than insulting others, who might beat them up, or kill them!” The entire hall was quiet. The men and women were lectured by a girl in front of Buffy. They were all humiliated, including Luis. Luis’ eyes were burning with rage. He started to blame Rose for what happened. “You little bitch, what did you say?” “If you didn’t try to seduce Luis, this wouldn’t happen at all!” “You must be sleeping with your cousin! Why are you so protective of him? Are you his wife or his cousin-in-law?” The young men and women who got lectured by Rose scolded back, calling her names. They spewed whatever vulgarities they could think of at her. Rose instantly flushed with emotions. “Kaze Lee, what are you doin
If Buffy were scared of Kaze, then she would not have shown that attitude back at Kent’s place. Kaze slapped her guests after all, so making him apologize and ensuring the others would never go after him for tonight was probably the ideal outcome for the situation. Buffy confidently believed it was the best solution that she came up with. Luis and the others were slightly displeased when Buffy simply wanted Kaze to apologize verbally. Kaze slapped them to the floor yet he just had to apologize verbally? He got off the hook too easily! However, because of Buffy, no one dared to disagree with her. Everyone had decided to go after Kaze after this. If they could not use this encounter as an excuse, then they could always come up with another. In fact, what excuse would they need to beat up a guy from a small city? Luis said coldly, “Kaze Lee, you have to be careful. Riverbank is a big city and not everyone is as merciful as us.” His tone sounded threatening. Buffy f
Listening to Luis’ provocation, Buffy’s expression turned ashen. She looked at Kaze coldly. “Kaze Lee, are you sure you don’t want to apologize?” “The ones who would be apologizing are Luis and the others.” Kaze pointed at them frivolously and then at Buffy. “And you, for looking down on me.” “Huh? He must have lost his mind.” “I have never seen such a pretentious person before!” Kaze’s words attracted even more unfriendly sneers. Buffy’s expression turned cloudy. Just when she was thinking of a way to teach Kaze a lesson, one of her men came up to her from the back. “Madam, Professor Wilson is here!” Buffy looked surprised. The gloominess on her face faded. After she composed herself, she said, “Invite the professor here. No, wait, I’ll go welcome him myself!” Looking at Buffy’s response, the guests were curious who Professor Wilson was. “Professor Wilson is a lecturer serving tenure at Kalifornia University, a titan in the field of psychology. He is here in
“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