Kaze took the time to sip on his drink before replying indifferently, “I didn’t train under anyone.” He would not tell Jude that his combat experience was built over the war and dead bodies.“Oh, so you’re self-taught?” Jude looked at Kaze skeptically. Since Kaze did not look like he was lying, Jude chuckled. “You must be a genius to dominate Bronze Sparrow through your own efforts.“I guess you can even put Hannah, the most promising fighter of the Viper’s Den West State Branch, to shame.” Jude brought up Hannah. He could be sounding Kaze out or igniting a spark in Kaze to defeat Hannah. Instead of giving his two cents, Kaze simply smiled and took another sip of his drink. Jude put his hands together and grinned. “It’s refreshing that you’re able to hold your ground despite your young age. I heard from my daughter that you carried yourself well among Luis and other socialites at Bronze Sparrow last night. “It takes some type of talent to fight good, but you have qualit
After making his presumptions about Kaze, Jude raised both hands and clapped. A member bearing the Viper’s Den emblem approached with a case. Jude waved his arm. The member carried the case to Kaze and opened it. There were stacks of cash inside. “What’s the meaning of this, Mr. Gwake?” Kaze asked without emotions while sipping his drink. Jude picked up a wad of cash and flipped through with his thumb before uttering with a smile, “There are 10 million Uleania dollars here. Consider it your reward.” “Reward?” Kaze remained unfazed. Jude nodded and adopted a less respectful form of address for Kaze. “You started a fight at Drake Gym and pushed Luis into killing my best fighter, Joel.“This incident has triggered a ripple effect, kid. I can say that this changed things for myself and a few others at the Viper’s Den. Joel was supposed to have a fight with Hannah and Collier in a ring. “I can choose to move past this.“But on one condition. You need to get in the ring
“Kaze, have you ever thought about that? If it works out, even the Lee family who once abandoned you will beg you to go back to them. “Of course, for all that to happen, you must first listen to me and I will have absolute control over you. I tell you to stand, you cannot sit.” Jude looked at Kaze with a strong, determined look. He believed even if Kaze could reject 10 million Uleania dollars, he could not resist the other temptations, especially power. Kaze originally wanted to leave. He did not want to waste time listening to Jude’s unrealistic stories which could only deceive a three-year-old. However, the determined look on Jude’s face gave Kaze a second thought and he sat back down. He wanted to know what gave Jude the confidence. “Mr. Gwake, you don’t look like the deputy chief of the Viper’s Den at all. You look more like a smart businessman who has huge plans for your business.” Kaze no longer took Jude seriously and simply teased him frivolously. “Hmph.” Se
However, Kaze was no ordinary man and there was no way he would fall for Jude’s temptations. “Mr. Gwake, I am not a child. You don’t have to tell me all that.” Kaze stretched his back and lifted the teapot to pour himself a cup of tea. “Firstly, you want me to enter the ring for you. It’s not because you see my potential, but after Joel died, you have no good candidates left. “I simply taught Luis a few moves and he killed Joel. After weighing the circumstances, I am the perfect candidate to replace Joel to enter the ring. “Even if I die, it won’t hurt you at all. I come from Lilyrose and I don’t have any strong background here in Riverbank. I’m at most an abandoned son of the Lee family, so my death doesn’t affect anyone at all. “In fact, you can even use my death as an explanation for Josephine and Abraham Wonfield so that you can still maintain a good relationship with them.” Jude’s expression remained the same when he heard Kaze but his eyes turned cold. Kaze did no
Jude stared at Kaze coldly for a while. His ashen expression then turned into a warm smile. He went back to his seat and sat down. “Kaze, that's just your own assumption, somewhat malicious I must say. But I understand. “This is your first meeting with me and you still don’t know me well, so there might be a little misunderstanding. I’ll forgive you this time, but this time only. Be careful with your words next time. “I regard you highly and I don’t mind what you said, but when your words reach other people, it might cause unwanted misunderstanding toward our relationship.” Jude then picked up the teapot and filled Kaze’s already empty cup with tea. “Do you know why I think so highly of you? It’s because I noticed Buffy’s feelings for you. You have to know that my daughter is a woman with dignity, a lady. She had never been in a scandal with another man for as long as she lived. “Casius might be chasing her aggressively but she kept him at a distance. If I am just trying
Serene and the other Viper’s Den agents looked at Kaze coldly. The Viper’s Den had thirty-six main branches and even more sub-branches under each of them. There were more than a million agents of the organization across the country. No one knew better than them how difficult it was to stand out from so many people. Not only did Kaze reject the olive branch from Jude, but he even despised it. To them, his actions were ungrateful and disrespectful. His repeated disregard for Jude in front of them was also a provocative act that would put his life in danger. Kaze put the teacup down and smiled. “Mr. Gwake, why would I need confidence and nerve to reject your offer? Isn’t that a little bit unreasonable? “Since you mentioned it, for your daughter’s sake, I don’t mind explaining.” Kaze put a finger up. “Firstly, I am the first one who struck Joel but that’s because he insulted Rose, my cousin-in-law. “Luis then beat up Joel and I did give him a tip or two, but it’s also b
“Hold it right there!” “The chief didn’t say you can go!” Agents of the Viper’s Den stepped up and prevented Kaze from leaving. Kaze smiled but he did not even spare a glance at them. “It seems like you don’t cherish the chance that I just gave you, Mr. Gwake.” He turned around to Jude with a grin. Jude grunted coldly and said, “Who do you think you are, giving me a chance? Look in the mirror.” “Are you the branch leader of the Viper’s Den West State Branch or the governor of the South River State?” “Not even Kent Synder, the mayor of Riverbank, has the nerve to speak to him like that! What makes you?” “You’re giving the chief a chance? Are you kidding?” The agents continued to mock him. They saw Kaze as nothing more than a clown. Kaze smiled. “One of them got it right. I am really the branch leader of the Viper’s Den West State Branch.” “What?! You are the branch leader?!” Everyone was surprised before they laughed out loud. Kaze was the branch leader of th
“Kaze, since I lost a bet to you last night, my father and I will let you go this time. After this, we are even. “But you disrespected my father and as a daughter, I cannot forgive you. I don’t want to see you anymore. You better disappear from my face before I change my mind! Don’t let me see you at Drake Gym, or I will not hold back!” Buffy pointed at the exit and bellowed coldly. Kaze had a good look at her. It was surprising that she would defend him in front of her father. She might be shouting at him, demanding him to leave, but she was trying to send him away before her father got to him. In an instant, the ill feelings she had left him with during their first meeting vanished. Kaze smiled and simply said, “Deputy Chief Gwake, you should thank yourself for having a good daughter. “I’ve decided. If you insist on fighting the match and lose to Hannah in the end, I will spare your life so that you can live it out to the fullest.” He then walked toward the exit. “D
“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