Everyone heard the voice, and they turned around to look in the same direction. It was Kaze who spoke, looking calm and expressionless. “They are with you?!” Zoro narrowed his eyes, overflowing with murderous intent. The moment he asked, he already knew it was a waste of time. If Kaze was able to command them, then he must have called them here. Zoro’s heart skipped a beat when he realized the situation. He already felt pressure facing Kaze alone. Now with two more of Kaze’s men in the fray, who were able to get through the defenses of Bronze Sparrow without alarming him and were mysteriously powerful, things looked dire for Zoro. Would this be the end for him? For a moment there, Zoro felt scared. However, he started with nothing and rose to become a kingpin of the underworld, so his fortitude was far stronger than ordinary men. He discarded the thought and bellowed coldly, “Kill those two! I’ll pay 10 million for each of their heads!” “Kill them!” As soon
Zoro shouted. He lifted the broadsword one of his men had left behind with his foot and jumped forward like a leopard, darting toward Kaze. While he was still in mid-air, he raised his arm high and swung the sword down at Kaze’s face with a formidable force. “Kaze Lee, have a taste of my strongest slash!” Zoro peered down at Kaze condescendingly in mid-air as he bellowed with power and confidence. His anger fueled him to make the most powerful slash he had ever made. Even though there was no audience to witness his strongest attack, he believed even Kaze with his monstrous capabilities could not take the slash. Swoosh! The blade glared and swung down like a silver meteor, attempting to crush Kaze and consume him. Kaze stood expressionlessly. The moment Zoro jumped at him with the sword, he also lifted another sword off the floor with his foot. With a twist of his wrist, he performed an upper slash to counter the downward slash. Clank! When the blades clashed, spar
Clank! Zoro’s blade broke in front of his eyes, while Kaze’s remained intact. The two swords were simply picked from the weapon rack. The materials or methods of forging were exactly the same. Yet only the one Zoro wielded broke. In other words, Kaze could turn the simplest weapon into a godly killing device. The thought only lasted for a moment in Zoro’s mind because he was distracted by what happened next. After Kaze’s sword cut through Zoro’s, it continued downward with the same momentum. “NO!” Zoro screamed at the top of his lungs. He had never felt so pressured before, so pressured that he started crying blood. The last thought he had in mind was to beg for mercy. The sword slashed downward without delay, drawing a perfectly straight line in between Zoro’s brows. Kaze turned around while sheathing his sword. A few steps later, Zoro’s body split in half and fell on the floor. A few more twitches later, both parts of the body started to bleed from the perfe
Hamlin nodded. Up until this point, he had realized Kaze’s background and identity were more than met the eye. He was not the live-in husband who got kicked out of his wife’s family in Lilyrose and came to Riverbank to seek refuge. “Mr. Lee, what are your thoughts on Bronze Sparrow after this?” Hamlin asked again to learn of Kaze’s opinion. “Zoro is just the general manager, the boss on the front. The real boss is Casius Weather and this place can provide him a massive profit annually.” He was trying to warn Kaze of Casius’ retaliation. What Hamlin did not know was that this whole conflict with Bronze Sparrow was actually orchestrated by Casius to get rid of Kaze. “Since the boss of Bronze Sparrow is dead, then this place is mine.” Kaze smiled as he took his phone out for a call. “Kaze?” Miru’s voice came from the phone. She sounded slightly baffled. She had arrived in Riverbank for some time now and had been concentrating on the turf war of the underworld. She
The police were in a difficult spot because the Viper’s Den was a pain in the neck. Miru came forward and lifted the cloth, revealing Luis’ body under. “This is Joel’s killer!” “Woah!”The Viper’s Den members were bewildered by the sudden loss of Luis. They had seen a photo of Luis before, so they could identify the body as his. In the crowd, Jude’s confidante grimaced and said angrily, “Who are you? Do you think we will buy your story just because you put the blame on Luis? “I thought someone else killed Joel. Luis was just hypnotized.” Miru glanced at the speaker with a raised brow. “Oh? Says who?” Jude’s confidante said curtly, “Zoro, the GM of Bronze Sparrow said so. We gave him a day to catch the killer, or we would attack his establishment. “He’s a well-known underground kingpin of Riverbank. He won’t lie to us.” The agent stirred up trouble. He knew that Jude’s intention was for Bronze Sparrow to make Kaze the scapegoat. That way, Jude could get back at
“I need your guidance on the ring fight against Jude three days later. “Should I refuse or fight Jude?” Hannah asked Kaze for his opinion. Kaze replied indifferently, “Since Jude wants to make a comeback through the ring, just give him what he wishes for. He can get over it soon enough. “Don’t sit back and do nothing in the days leading up to the fight, though. He might try something.“You and Collier should clip Jude’s wings and take away his assets and territories. Leave him with nothing. “Even better, drive him to desperation.”Kaze’s voice was icy. Zoro abducted Rose, forcing Kaze to kill him at Bronze Sparrow. There was no doubt Jude played a part in the kidnapping. Kaze was not going to drop the matter. “Got it.” Hannah nodded and said, “Our biggest problem for our plans with the Viper’s Den is not Jude, but Casius. “He has been active in the West State, befriending the senior members there to dip his fingers in the South River State Branch. To get what he w
“Your man?” Nelson and Agatha were taken aback as Buffy came down the stairs. The beautiful, graceful woman turned up in Kaze’s residence. Snapping out of her trance, Agatha tore into Kaze. “Well, well, well. You were mooching off Agnes when you were living in Lilyrose. “I can’t believe you would hit on another woman behind Darcy’s back. “Darcy is pretty, rich, and gives you the world. The skank has nothing on her.” Agatha’s remark upset Buffy. Skank? In what way was Kaze’s wife better than her? Buffy believed she was far superior. “Mom!” Rose pulled her mother back and explained, “You got the wrong idea. Kaze did not betray Darcy. “Ms. Gwake’s father is Jude Gwake, the deputy chief of the Viper’s Den South River State Branch.” “I don’t care who she is. She’s a sl—” Agatha could not care less. Nelson grimaced. “Shut up!” Nelson cried before turning to Buffy. “I’m sorry, Ms. Gwake. My wife was just acting out of ignorance. She is mistaken. Please pardon
Kaze figured out what was going on the moment he walked out of the villa. Coming from power and money, Buffy did not need to use Kaze as a cover against other socialites. From the few encounters Kaze had with Buffy, he observed her to be a proud woman. When she needed Kaze’s help in getting Jude treated, she wanted to do so by winning a gamble. Alas, Buffy did not have the best of luck, and things did not go as planned. “It must be Casius who pressured you into using me as a shield.” Kaze pulled his arm out of Buffy’s grip. The touch of her girls grazed his arm, stirring something deep within him even with his strong will. Without hesitation, Buffy stood firm and gave him a defiant look. “What? Scared? “Didn’t you cause a scene at Bronze Sparrow? Now, Zoro is dead, and Bronze Sparrow is under new management.“Even if you aren’t the cause, Casius will still make you pay for starting it. “Casius may look like the most charitable gentleman, but he’s the pettiest guy I k
“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