Kaze smirked. “You would’ve cut off my finger if you had found the supposed diamond on me.” “You’re being unreasonable, Mr. Lee.” Eunice argued, “I said I needed to investigate just to be sure. Even cops need time to get on a case.” “That’s not what you said earlier.” Kaze said indifferently, “Didn’t you say that Bronze Sparrow’s rules were the law? “You didn’t need time to investigate when you and your men barged in and demanded that I handed over the diamond. “You were sure that I stole the diamond. I thought you were a detective with some amazing skills. “Since you have no ground to stand on, you start talking to me about the law and evidence.“You sure have double standards when it comes to serving guests.” Eunice replied curtly, “I know what you mean, but not all guests are equal. Mr. Presley is a man of great standing and privilege. It’s hard to believe that he’d engage in such an act—” “Smack!” Kaze raised his hand and whipped her across the face. He belie
Kaze was aware of one thing. Given Bronze Sparrow’s long-standing presence in Riverbank City, the establishment surely had a more robust security system than the dozens of untrained security officers. Eunice took out a walkie-talkie in a daze and shouted hysterically, “Get here, Scarface! Some out-of-town bastard just smashed my head with a bottle. He claimed he was going to tear down Bronze Sparrow.“Bring backup! “Kill him! You got to kill him!” Eunice went limp and passed out soon after. Two minutes later, the door to the venue burst open with a kick. A dozen men in suits barged into the place. These men were not particularly strong or muscular. Heck, they paled in comparison to the dozens of burly security officers they replaced. Still, Kaze could tell that they were trained fighters from the bulging veins along their temples. The emergence of this new group gave Kaze insights into why Bronze Sparrow was able to stand tall in Riverbank City for years. With a sk
“They say he committed a massacre, killing a family of 36 in one night. He fled overseas and became an international fugitive, landing him on Arcadia’s most wanted list.“I didn’t think he’d be hiding out in Bronze Sparrow and living the high life right under the police’s nose.”Even those who did not know Gillian before turned pale. The massacre years ago was well known in Riverbank. Gillian’s name struck terror in the hearts of the people of Riverbank City and even the most elite. Instead of taking cover overseas, the ruthless killer unexpectedly remained in Bronze Sparrow. Even Buffy grimaced. While she was not naïve enough to believe Bronze Sparrow was squeaky clean, she did not expect it to be so brazen as to harbor a fugitive.It was the Viper’s Den’s job to arrest a fugitive like Gillian. As far as Buffy knew, Gillian was high up on the most-wanted list. “It’s been years. I didn’t expect anyone to remember me.” Gillian nodded at the crowd and turned to Kaze wi
“Tell you what…” Gillian took large strides ahead and flipped over a long table. The wine bottles on the table slammed onto the floor and broke into pieces. The stench of alcohol filled the air. The glass shards on the ground were a terrifying sight. Gillian narrowed his eyes at Kaze and said with a fake smile, “Get down on your knees and crawl across these shards to me. I’ll call it a day when you bow to me. “I can forget you ever claimed to tear down Bronze Sparrow.“How about it?” Gasps echoed across the room. Kaze was expected to crawl across the floor of broken glass. The thought sent shivers down everybody’s spines. Without looking at the shards, Kaze shook his head and replied, “Not for me.” “So you won’t do it?” Gillian scowled and said menacingly, “Help the guy out and make him crawl here, boys.” “Yes, sir!” The dozen trained fighters behind Gillian pounced on Kaze. The light had been dimmed to find the diamond just now, so no one could get a goo
“Ugh!”The short man grunted in agony. He held his chest and looked down in panic. The broken blade penetrated his skin, leaving barely half an inch sticking out.The jagged weapon nearly tore through his flesh completely. “Wham!”Kaze drew close and kicked the short man away. “A fugitive on the most-wanted list and a Ryokanian. Bronze Sparrow sure operates in the shadows.” The short man slammed onto the ground and whimpered. He spoke in his language before lying stiff on the floor, his hand over his chest. His eyes stuck to Kaze wickedly. Kaze did not even look at him. He was confident in his attack. The blade should hit close to the heart arteries. The attack would not kill the Ryokanian, but a tiny bump while on the road in an ambulance could end his life. The short man was aware of that fact. The only thing he could do was lie still and wait for the paramedics. Though the short man refused to admit defeat, there was nothing he could do about the situation.
Gillian looked up in a struggle, his eyes fixating on Kaze and his menacing scar grimacing. His dozen trained fighters and the Ryokanian were a powerful force in the Riverbank underworld. Barely anyone stood a chance as competition.Yet, his ace team fell apart quickly in the face of Kaze. Kaze carried dominance that ended Gillian’s will to call for backup. With that in mind, Gillian said with a rugged breath, “I admit defeat.” Kaze retracted his foot and said callously, “You should know what to do.” Gritting his teeth, Gillian staggered to his feet and summoned his henchmen. “Trash the place now!” “Scarface, the owner…” A subordinate was hesitant. “Wham!” Gillian sent the subordinate flying with a kick and narrowed his eyes at the remaining men. “Trash the place now!” “Thud! Wham! Bang!” Gillian led his crew to destroy the five-story venue in three minutes right before everybody’s eyes. He picked up a dropped knife from the floor and cut each of Eunice, Luis,
Kaze was a bastard. He talked about rights as if Buffy was some tool. Buffy saw red. However, she calmed herself down and grinned while tucking a wisp of hair behind her ear. “Yes. I was going to remind you. I always keep to my promises.“How about it? Why don’t I get us a room, and we can talk?” Kaze was taken aback. Buffy was supposed to blow up. Instead, she suggested taking their conversation somewhere private. There was nothing much to talk about when a man and a woman were alone in a room. Kaze took a good look at Buffy until her cheeks turned rosy. She snapped. “What are you looking at? Are you in or not?” She had never been so bold to put herself out to the opposite gender. Buffy was not as composed as she let out to be. She did not intend to take things further with Kaze, though. Buffy needed him around to talk about her father’s treatment. Kaze shook his head. “Forget about it.” “Forget about it?” Buffy was surprised by Kaze’s rejection. She asked, “W
Rose looked up at Kaze pitifully, her concern for him showing. She had encountered trouble with Kaze before, but nothing of this magnitude. Smashing heads with beer bottles was bad enough. However, Rose was scared stiff by the finger cutting and the Ryokanian’s near-fatal encounter. Instead of celebrating Kaze’s fighting prowess, Rose was worried about his safety. Those people Kaze was up against tonight came from powerful families. Kaze tapped his finger on Rose’s head. “Don’t say that.” “I’m just concerned about you.” Rose pouted her lips. Kaze grinned. “Don’t worry. I will avoid trouble from now on, but sometimes, I have no choice but to fight back when people are out to get me.”Rose realized that Kaze had a point. Luis and his friends pushed the envelope tonight, leading to Kaze’s retaliation. It was quite a mental strain for Rose after such a dramatic night. She quickly dozed off against Kaze. Kaze pulled a throw over her and told Conan, who was behind
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