Kaze was not lying. Jude was naïve to think that the Nether Viper Sword would make him the branch chief or branch leader right away. The sword alone could do nothing. Without the right competence, possession of the sword would only bring more harm than good. The holder of the sword would risk theft and even their life. Things would not go Jude’s way if he tried to use the sword to demand subservience from Hannah and Collier or to make a deal with a senior member of the West State Branch. This was why Kaze had no qualms about selling the sword off. Kaze had the power to get it back anyway. “Thank you, Kaze.” Wiping away her tears, Buffy said with a smile, “I find it hard to accept what my dad has done, but I’m happy to have a thoughtful friend like you.“I’m not your woman. Heck, I’ve only known you for a few days. Still, you gave up the sword for me. That’s something I won’t forget. “I will do everything I can to seek justice for my mother. “You’ve done enough fo
Jude began plotting ways to maximize his gain through the Nether Viper Sword the moment he walked out of Scarlet Creek. “Kaze sold it to you?” Faith was dumbfounded, her face somber as she asked, “How much was it?” The way she saw it, it was only right for Kaze to present the sword to make up for slapping Jude, causing a scene at the Gwakes’ residence, hurting Faith, and upsetting Casius by hitting on Buffy. Yet, Jude paid good money to acquire the sword. It was absurd. “Two billion dollars.” Jude tugged at his beard, his heart aching for the money. “What? Two billion dollars?” Faith slammed her glass onto the drink hold and said frustratedly, “Have you lost your mind, Jude? It’s bad enough that Lee demanded a fortune, but I can’t believe you’d go through with it too.“He should have presented the sword to you, no questions asked.“We’re talking about two billion dollars, not twenty thousand dollars.” Faith was in great pain of losing two billion dollars. It was a
“Hannah and Collier released the news ahead of us through Golden Scale Corporation, Mr. Gwake.” Serene said with a sour face, “They claimed the Viper Queen sent a branch leader to reach them, saying that the Nether Viper Sword was lost in Riverbank. “They are offering a billion-dollar reward on behalf of the South River State Branch. Anyone can collect their reward at Golden Scale Corporation when the sword is located. “Anyone, including members of the organization, found stashing the sword away will face annihilation.” Silence befell inside the car. “Bam!” Jude crushed the glass in his hand, the shards cut into his skin and drew blood. His face was ashen. “Bastard! “Jerk!” Faith and Serene soon snapped out of their trance. Hannah beat them to the news release. Either way, the Nether Viper Sword was no use to Jude anymore. That was not the only thing. The Nether Viper Sword was more of a nuisance than a treasure. By not turning in the sword, Jude would be su
Color drained from Faith’s face, and she said menacingly, “Justice? Dream on! “They don’t deserve my time even for 20 billion dollars.” She was not saying that out of spite. Faith was a proud woman, and she would rather die than admit her mistake. “That was why I chose to pay.” Jude scoffed. “Do you think I don’t want to kill Lee?“You see what’s going on. Hannah and Collier are out to get me, and they are pushing hard.“I don't know how they manage to get in the new branch leader’s good graces. “It’s not uncertain whether the branch leader is real or not. “Either way, now isn’t the time to take anything lightly. “If I panic and get sidetracked with dealing with Kaze, I won’t just potentially lose my life. You will lose a life of luxuries. “I’ll be in power once I become the branch leader. Kaze won’t be a threat then. “Get that through your head now.” As Faith was not willing to let things go, Jude had to talk some sense into her. He needed to hold Faith stead
Faith lost control of her continence. Losing her last shred of dignity, Faith wailed miserably. “Turn around and get to Eddington Hospital now. Make sure Holfman shows up too. “Make it quick! I’ll hold you accountable if anything happens to Faith,” Jude yelled menacingly even though his hands were soiled. Without hesitating a minute more, the driver turned the car around in a fluster. The Rolls Royce zipped away. Jude did not even open the car windows because Faith could not shake off the cold. He turned the heat on to the highest temperature. Putting up with the stench, Serene took out her phone to call Holfman. Before the call connected, Serene shuddered at a sudden thought. She had been with Jude the whole thing, so she doubted the sudden onset of Faith’s illness was a coincidence. Serene was sure that Kaze had done something. It was just her gut feeling, though. She had no evidence to back it up. … Kaze and Buffy walked out of Scarlet Creek. Jude’s fleet o
Since Kaze was great behind the wheel, Buffy left the driving to him. Buffy paused and shook her head. “You got two billion dollars from selling the Nether Viper Sword. I can’t accept it. I have done nothing to deserve the money from you.“My dad said one thing right. You can use the money to start a business or build yourself up. At least the public won’t remember you as a moocher.” Considering Kaze a friend, Buffy spoke out of concern for him. She knew that Kaze probably had no use for the money since Kent, the mayor, gave him Villa No. 1 as a thank-you.Still, Kaze would have to take Kent’s feelings into account before selling the asset, though. With the two billion dollars, Kaze could set up his own business. Even though Buffy was aware of Kaze’s competence, the public had no idea. The public viewed Kaze as a moocher. He leeched on his wife’s family, got kicked out of the family, and now had to seek help from his mentor in Riverbank. “Thank you for your suggestion,
“Who is it?” Since the ringing would not leave him alone, Kaze took the call peevishly. “Well, someone has a temper this morning.” Cyan’s annoyed and peevish voice came on the other line. “You sure sleep a lot.“You’re getting cocky over a tiny achievement. “Can’t you strive for higher and better? “I doubt you’ll ever meet my standards even if I give you a head start.” Cyan tore into Kaze, leaving him speechless. Kaze interrupted her. “What’s the matter, Cyan? Does Mr. Yemen want to meet me for lunch?” “Is that all you think about? Food?” Cyan said angrily, “Get out of bed and get yourself cleaned up. “Consider yourself lucky, Kaze. Dad said you somehow became the sales manager of Golden Scale Corporation. He’s taking you out to get a house.“Ha! Aren’t you amazing, Kaze? You are getting yourself a place just less than two weeks since you arrived in Riverbank,” Cyan said sarcastically, her opinion apparent on the matter.It made sense why she was upset, though.
Ryna had always thought little of Kaze, even when the latter became the manager at Golden Scale Corporation. Cyan glanced at her phone and nodded. “I told him, so he should be here by now. We all know that he doesn’t have money. He may be the manager now, but his wages are due next month. For all we know, he’s taking the subway. “But Mom, why did you drag Dad here? The properties in this area are in a higher range. “Dad doesn’t have to get Kaze an expensive one.” Cyan was frustrated. It was Ryna who suggested looking at the properties in Rivername. Ryna scoffed. “Your dad has to get one anyway. “I only brought your dad here to show Kaze the property prices. This sales office sells premium accommodation. “I want the boy to take a hike. That way, we won’t have to spend a penny. “He’s always talking about how good Lock is to him. If he had any decency, he wouldn’t drain us financially.” So that was Ryna’s plan. Cyan stuck her tongue out. “I think you’ll be shooting y
“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