As he spoke, Blackie went up closer and grabbed a bottle of beer from the table. Usually, the beer bottle looked huge in a normal person’s hand but in his hand, it felt like a little torchlight. “Flick!” With a flick of his thumb, the cap was flung out. “If you finish every bottle of beer here, down to the last drop, you can walk,” Blackie said coldly as he shoved the bottle of beer forward. Rose gasped in shock. She glanced at the long table in front of the booth and saw the row of beer, whiskey, and all kinds of other alcoholic beverages. There were fifty bottles of beer. She knew how good of a drinker Kaze was. He was a lot stronger than the ordinary, but if he had to drink every bottle to the last drop, he might suffer from alcohol poisoning. Patrick, Maxine, and the others were initially disappointed when they thought Blackie was not going to teach Kaze a lesson. Now, they gloated at Kaze happily. If Kaze drank all the beers, he would certainly end up in the
“Hmph!” Blackie was slightly taken aback. As his gaze turned colder, he scoffed. “Interesting. I did not expect defiance in Buckridge Lounge. It seems like you Otters are not afraid of death.” His lips curled into a dangerous grin as he glanced at Maxine, his expression frosty and ruthless. Maxine shivered instantly. Her face paled as she shouted, “Kaze Lee! Blackie is ordering you to drink! Drink them or you will die! “You are the one who disrespects Mr. Techman! You started this! Shouldn’t you deal with the matter? Mr. Techman is merciful enough not to teach you a lesson himself, or else you will be beaten to death, if not crippled for life, before being thrown out of this place!” She was furious as she shouted, eagerly pressuring Kaze to apologize. She was afraid that Blackie might hold her family responsible. Technically speaking, Kaze was part of the Otters despite not being well-received internally, but others might not share the same opinion. “You guys talk it out
“Kaze?!” Surprised, Rose turned around and realized it was Kaze who snatched her bottle. “Don’t you even try. I don’t need a little girl to drink on my behalf just so we can walk out,” Kaze said, and then he tossed the bottle away. “Crash!” The bottle shattered and the beer splashed onto Blackie’s pants. His expression turned dark. Meeting Blackie’s frosty gaze, Kaze said, “I said, I am not drinking and no one can make me. “Blackie, was it? A piece of advice, don’t fall for the distorted facts and pressure someone you don’t even know. It will get you into trouble, and it might even drag your boss into this mess. “And, I said I didn’t know Everett Techman, not because I don’t respect him, it’s because before today, I didn't even know his name at all. “Don’t tell me everyone in Riverbank must know his name. Your boss is from the underworld and if he’s doing illegal stuff, then keep a low profile. You can't expect to profit from illegal dealings and still demand respect an
“Which asshole threw the bottle?!” Blackie scanned around the place to look for the culprit. His anger erupted as he bellowed, “Get the hell out here and kneel before me! Don’t let me find you, or else you won’t even know how you’ll meet your end!” His shouts echoed across the lobby. “Who was it?!” “How dare you do this in front of Blackie?! I am Patrick Weather and this is my party! You’re dead when I catch you!” Patrick and the others were also looking for the culprit. Patrick was infuriated. He booked the place for his party and he saw himself as the master of the event, yet someone threw a bottle at them, splashing beer all over him and his friends. “Hmph. Patrick Weather? Are you from the Weathers? The same family with Casius Weather? Bunch of losers! No wonder you have the balls to tease the woman I brought in.” Just as the atmosphere grew tense, a calm and lazy voice came from behind. Then, a group of men and women, dressed in hip-hop style, swaggered over. A f
“If you don’t give me an explanation, this won’t end well for you! “What’s the matter? Playing dumb?” The young man with the long hair grinned. “You did it but you don’t have the balls to stand up for it? “Who was it?” He glanced at the woman covering her face. The woman stepped up and pointed at Max standing in the crowd. Her expression darkened as she said, “It’s him! He teased me and slapped me twice in the face!” Everyone looked at Max with a strange look. He teased the woman and then slapped her twice? What a jerk! Maxine and Patrick’s expressions turned ashen as embarrassment rose. Max was family, so all they could do was stare at him. “Nonsense! She slapped me first!” Max flushed with emotions. He knew it was embarrassing but he did it already, so his plan was to shift the blame. “You pretended to be drunk and teased her, you should be slapped.” The young man with the long hair looked at Blackie. “So you’re Blackie, Everett Techman’s man and also th
“Smash!” The beer bottle smashed into Blackie’s jaw. With a resounding crack, his jaw split open and he let out an agonizing scream. “You fuck!” Blackie shook his head strongly to keep himself conscious. As rage took over, he extended his arms to seize the long-haired young man once more. An ordinary man would be smashed unconscious by the bottle but Blackie was still standing strong and was able to retaliate. His body was as strong as a beast. However, his towering physique did not overwhelm the long-haired young man. The long-haired young man, who looked rather scrawny, did not move or dodge. Instead, he threw punches forward to counter Blackie’s grab. “Crack!” Another loud crack sounded. Surprisingly, it was Blackie’s hand that was broken. He cried in pain once more. The long-haired young man did not even flinch. He went along with the momentum to grab Blackie’s wrist and then twisted it. “Crack!” Both Blackie’s arms were snapped just like that. The lon
“You piece of shit! How dare you tease the woman I brought here!” Smash! The long-haired young man smashed Max in the head again with another beer bottle. Max collapsed on the floor, twitching uncontrollably as life exited his body. “Patrick, save Max! That guy is beating him to death!” Maxine tugged Patrick’s arm as her face turned pale. She noticed his face was also pale and he did not respond at all. Anxious, she turned to the long-haired young man and shouted, “Stop it! My boyfriend is from the Weather family! One of the Riverbank Seven, Casius Weather, is his cousin! “Even if you are not afraid of Casius, my boyfriend’s other cousin is in charge of Tiger’s Cave office here in Riverbank! Her name is Genesis Weather! “Judging from your looks, I know you are from the upper circle too. Aren’t you afraid of the Tiger’s Cave? And, my boyfriend’s cousin is on her way here now!” She got carried away by the anxiety and spilled the beans, revealing that Genesis was on her
“So what if I want to push it? You think I won’t slap you because of the Weather family, because of Casius Weather, and because of Genesis Weather? “I’m telling you, now and here! I won’t let this go so easily! Not you, not Genesis, not anyone can tell me otherwise! “I am in charge here!” The long-haired young man slapped Patrick in the face again and again, landing red slap marks on both cheeks. Patrick was pushed back by the force and his face quickly swelled up. He covered his face but could not cover his anger. He bellowed, “Hey, my cousin is almost here! Show some respect!” Slap! The long-haired young man slapped him once more, sending him to the floor. “Respect? Fine. I’ll wait for your cousin and see what respect she can get.” Spat! The long-haired young man spat on Patrick before he wiped his hands with a wet towel. “Where’s Kaze Lee?! Get the hell out here!” Suddenly, a woman’s sharp voice sounded from outside the establishment. A ferocious-looking wo
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