“Then do you have a way to cure the condition?” Jude asked, his body leaned forward and his eyes showed a sense of hope. “I am a man of my word. If I said I can cure your wife, then I can cure your wife.” Kaze confidently said, “It’s not a difficult issue, and it won’t take long, probably around half an hour. Then, all her health issues can be cured.” Even Hannah, who was completely crippled after her first meeting with Kaze, was cured and recovered to her prime. Faith’s condition was incurable to most of the doctors but to Kaze, it was nothing serious. Pft! Alfonso could not help but chuckle. He found Kaze’s confidence amusing. His tone was frivolous, which felt unconvincing. Jude was skeptical as well. “Half an hour? You’re that confident? I believe you only saw my wife for a very brief time. How are you planning to do that?” “Since this is a condition caused by the old martial arts, of course, I’ll use the ways of the old martial arts. That’s all I can tell you for
Kaze then realized what he said sounded wrong. He laughed and then explained, “What were you thinking? I mean I believe in your capabilities and if you use the money to run a business, you’ll be able to make a hundred times more. You just have to pay me a dividend and I don’t need to worry anymore.” Buffy simply grunted and then kept quiet. Watching Kaze tease and flirt with her daughter right in front of his face, Jude felt disgusted and repulsive. “If you don’t want money, what do you want?” he asked, his expression darkened. Kaze explained, “If you want to know how much I charge for saving Faith, then let me tell you not even all the money in the world. “As for what I want, I have already made it clear the other day. You owed Buffy and her mother an explanation. “As for Faith, she offended me and now I have to save her? Does she even deserve it?” Kaze did not show any courtesy as he explained. Buffy looked at him with a sense of warmth and emotion. Jude felt that h
“And the Krads... I don’t like people knocking at my door with trouble but if they insist on waking up the dragon, I don’t mind burning them all alive, since the dragon is simply slumbering. “As for the deputy chief, branch chief of the South River Branch, I am not interested. To be honest, I think even the position of West State Branch Leader is a burden. “Besides, you are just the deputy chief and you have not even been selected yet. Isn’t it a little too early to jump to conclusions? “Most importantly, you made me these offers because you want me to temporarily choose sides. Given your personality, it’s no big deal that you walk away from the promise. “Can I say that once I treated Faith and at the next second, you two will come after me, trying to slice me into a thousand pieces? Am I right? “So don’t simply make empty offers. I am not interested and I found them funny.” Kaze looked and sounded frivolous. Jude’s expression darkened as he asked gravely, “If you already
“You! How dare you!” Jude slammed the table and bellowed, “Just because you are slightly capable, you think you can disrespect me and treat me like a fool? You’re asking for it!” His eyes were burning with anger, his teeth clenched, and he looked like a vicious beast trying to devour Kaze. As he bellowed, Serene and the agents pulled their guns out, and pointed them at Kaze as they stared at him coldly. One word from Jude and they would rain bullets on him. The atmosphere in the restaurant became tense and heavy. Buffy’s face paled. She looked at Kaze, worried. Despite being surrounded by guns and Jude’s ferocious glare, Kaze remained unfazed. He remained seated, unfazed. “Splash!” Suddenly, Kaze splashed a cup of tea at Jude’s face. He said, “Jude, stop playing mind games with me. Your little gang might scare others but not me. “No one begs people like you do. If you want to ask for a favor, try to show some humility.” Jude’s face was wet, and several pieces of
Kaze scrutinized Alfonso to the point that the man felt uncomfortable. He then turned to Jude and mocked. “Jude, have you started some live streaming business lately? Where did you get this influencer? He’s good at cosplaying.” The mockery left Jude speechless, his lips twitched helplessly. When Alfonso arrived, Buffy called him “uncle” and showed utmost respect for his arrival. Yet Kaze pretended that he did not know. “You bastard!” Alfonso was visibly enraged by Kaze's disrespectful comments. His teeth gritted as if he wanted to strangle Kaze on the spot. “You little brat, you haven’t heard of me? Do you know it depends on my mood whether you can walk out of this restaurant or not?“Even if you never heard of me, what about Dayton? He’s my disciple and I am the one who sent him to protect Buffy and also take care of you so that you don’t die! “Haven’t you considered the consequences of spewing such disrespectful words in my face?” Alfonso peered down at Kaze angrily.
“That’s for sure!” Alfonso explained, “People from our generation forged friendships through hardship and bitterness, it’s not something a boy like you can understand.” “That’s what I don’t understand,” Kaze suddenly said, his tone icy. “Buffy’s mother is in a coma and even if Faith isn’t directly involved, she has to bear some responsibility. “I am demanding justice for Buffy and her mother. If you are close with her mother, why are you standing in my way? “To be honest, I suspect that you harbor ulterior motives. You are doing this not because of your friendship with Buffy’s mother, but maybe Jude promised you something that you cannot reject.” Hearing Kaze’s question, Buffy looked at Alfonso, her eyes clear as the day as she waited for an explanation. “Young Man, my friendship with Buffy’s mother and my care for Buffy are not something you have the right to question!” Alfonso's expression darkened, his tone frosty as he continued, “I watch Buffy grow up, of course, I
“As for Buffy, forget about the CEO. The company belongs to her father, so it belongs to her. She should leave the company and go back to Butterworth with Dayton so that they can prepare for their wedding in a month.” Alfonso looked at Jude. “Jude, as her uncle, I believe I have the right to make the decision on her behalf?” “Of course. You are her senior, of course you have the right to decide,” Jude said with a strong nod. To be honest, he wanted his son-in-law to be Casius but now it seemed like Buffy would rather follow a nameless, married man instead of marrying Casius. Since it would be meaningless to force her against her will, Jude might as well let her marry Dayton. After all, Casius suffered a significant loss when Kaze killed a dozen of his men. His influence should have been weakened, and his value likely diminished. If Buffy married Dayton, Jude could borrow Alfonso’s influence and power. Alfonso was the ex-branch chief of Butterworth Branch and he had a repu
“What’s the matter? Is there anything else you want to say, ex-Branch Chief Alfonso Longwind?” Kaze asked frivolously as he paused. The nonchalance in Kaze’s tone made Alfonso angry. With gritted teeth, he said, “You bastard! Believe me if I say I will call Dayton back right away. Without him protecting you, you won’t last till morning!” Even now, Alfonso still strongly believed that Kaze was bluffing and bragging, and as long as he used Dayton’s protection against him, Kaze would be forced to comply. “Hmph. Whatever.” Kaze scoffed and then walked out with Buffy. “You little bastard!” Alfonso shouted, his eyes burning with anger and murderous intent. His figure moved swiftly, appearing behind Kaze in a flash. “Flush!” He swung his hand at Kaze, causing his sleeves to flutter sharply with the motion, creating a loud, slicing sound through the air. Since Faith needed Kaze’s treatment to stay alive, Alfonso could not kill him but he was ready to teach Kaze a lesson that
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