Kaze nodded frivolously. “Duncan here has gotten what he deserved. If Mr. Techman is okay with it and promised not to come after my friends, then I can just forget it.” Miru came to his aid as soon as she heard something happened, so he had to show her some respect. “Just forget it?” Everett found Kaze’s words amusing. He scoffed. “You broke my son’s leg in front of me and you want me to just forget it?” “What do you propose, Mr. Techman?” Miru frowned. If Everett insisted on holding Kaze responsible, then she, too, did not mind being rough with the old man. “There’s no such thing as who’s older and who’s younger. You can disrespect me all you want, I never took you as a young one either. “I have to admit. You killing Zoro and taking over Bronze Sparrow does give you the power to rival me, but…” Then, Everett’s tone shifted, saying, “If you think you alone can overpower me, forcing me to give up on my son’s revenge, then you are terribly wrong.” He exuded a powerful a
Soon, several men in suits with badges that represented the Riverbank City Council’s inspection department escorted two crestfallen individuals inside with their heads hanging low. The men and women were Simona and Zach, who had left earlier. “Mr. Mayor, Zach Oxborn, police chief of the Aries District Police Department. Simona Lombard, chief of Aries Trade and Industry Department,” said one of the suited men. The scene shocked everyone. Zach and Simona who came to Herbal Spring earlier with a temper were arrested and investigated. How long had it been since they left the establishment? The mayor’s power was indeed not to be underestimated! He was the most powerful man in Riverbank! Kent looked at Everett blankly. “Mr. Techman, I believe you know these two. Based on what I know, these two parasites were called here by your son and tried to give Kaze a hard time. “How dare they? How dare they hurt the special consultant of the Riverbank City Council? This is unacceptable!
On the other hand, Simona was not that bright. Panicked, the woman cried and looked at Everett, begging, “Mr. Techman, please save me. I helped you a lot…” “Bump!” Suddenly, Zach broke free from the suited men behind him and headbutted Simona in the chin. Simona cried in agony as Zach landed on her. The man and woman twisted and twirled on the floor, looking absolutely miserable. “Ouch! It hurts! It hurts!” Zach also cried in pain as he hugged his head. Everett, whose gaze turned sharp when Simona spoke, returned to normal after Zach interrupted her. Kent’s expression darkened. He knew Zach was simply acting but he could not do anything. He raised his hand and said, “Embarrassing fools. Take them away!” Zach and Simona were taken away by the suited men. Their absence ended the little interlude. “Mr. Techman, you are a man of many solutions. I bet it’s because you’ve been here in Riverbank long enough,” Kent said with a darkened expression. Even as the mayor, he
Everett’s grudging eyes fixated on Kent. He never thought Kaze was that important to Kent, to the point that Kent would go to such an extent to protect him. He initially thought of pressuring Kent, hoping that it could scare him off. Yet he was forced to admit that he once again underestimated Kaze and his value to Kent. His expression shifted multiple times and ultimately gave in to the thought. He nodded at Kent and said, “Mr. Mayor, you are just and fair, why would I question your methods? “If you said Kaze Lee is innocent, then he is. Well then, I guess luck is not on my side today. As for my son, I will take him back and give him a proper lecture so that he won’t be a terrible bully and a menace to society in the future.” Upon hearing Everett’s words, most of the people in Herbal Spring breathed a sigh of relief. One of them was a gangster boss who reigned the underworld for decades; the other was the mayor who governed over the city. The confrontation between the
As he regained his composure, Kent spoke with Albert normally. He already saw Ryken, the commander of the Flying Dragons standing up for Kaze before, so Albert was not much of a surprise this time. As for Kaze’s true identity, he had a lot of guesses lately and he just did not want to make it verbal. “Kaze, Everett Techman is more than meets the eye.” Kent looked at Kaze and said, “When I became mayor, I tried to go after the gangster bosses and kingpins of the underworld to prove myself, so I did some research on that man before. “However, among all the gangster bosses and kingpins that I’ve researched, Everett Techman is the only one I cannot figure out. “I know you are focusing on dealing with the affairs of the Viper’s Den, so I don’t want the conflict to escalate between you and him, at least not now and not directly.” His expression looked serious. As the mayor of Riverbank, he must at least have an idea about the power distribution of the underworld. Kent had h
“I’ll go.” When Albert saw Kaze’s eyes, he quickly volunteered himself. “I haven’t been in action for a while now and I’m actually here in Riverbank for some excitement.” Judging from his frivolous reaction, Kaze knew the young man did not take tonight’s match, or rather the opponent, seriously. Kaze said, “If you are volunteering, then I have to remind you that you shouldn’t underestimate your opponent. Jude Gwake has a lot of hidden tricks under his sleeve. Don’t be careless, or else your reputation will go kaput.” “Got it.” Albert trusted Kaze unconditionally. It was Kaze’s advice that made him take the matter seriously. Miru saw the little interaction between them and it surprised her. She knew how proud her cousin could be. He was deployed to the foreign battlefield when he was young and achieved many great deeds. He was promoted to chief commander of the South River Strategic Department in his early thirties. Such achievement was something to boast about for lif
Kaze followed the guide to the boxing ring, where the match was held. The boxing ring was huge, located in a spacious room that resembled an indoor stadium. The audience seats were almost full already. Hundreds of supporters from both sides took up the audience seats, adding up to over a thousand. The atmosphere was loud and noisy as they cursed and shouted at each other. Both sides hoped that the opposite would just surrender or drop dead. The tension in the air built up rapidly, turning the indoor stadium into a powder keg. People who were not used to loud noises might be overwhelmed by the sheer volume. The fiery tension could pull one’s nerve, bringing out all the negative emotions in one. The floor of the boxing ring was covered with blood already. The match started at 7.30 P.M. and a few rounds had already gone by. Two men were fighting each other in the ring at the moment. One of them only had a brass knuckle equipped on his fist, while the other wielded a sw
The mysterious fighter named Al in the right, albeit already winning a few rounds and boosting the morale of Hannah’s supporters, did not frighten Jude at all. Jude knew this was but the start of a long battle. He still had a powerful trump card waiting to be revealed. As for his opponent, Hannah and Collier, only Hannah was worth his time to take her seriously. Collier might be the son of the late chief, Newell Ettinger, and also a powerful one, but he was not a threat. Now that Hannah was hurt and could no longer fight, the match was as good as over! Suddenly, something happened in the ring. Albert, who had been fooling around for the past few rounds, dashed forward and appeared behind his opponent. He threw a punch with the brass knuckle at the man’s back, landing a powerful blow. The man spat blood when the punch landed. Seeing the scene, the audience erupted once again with curses and shouts. The female agents on both sides were deeply infatuated with Albert af
As they arrived, they saw a dozen expensive cars parked outside. The customer base was relatively stable as the establishment was targeted at the upper class. The people lining up at the club were young men and women of ordinary background. All were allowed inside Absolute Zero with an entrance fee. Since this would be a chance for ordinary people to meet and interact with the upper-class elites, they cherished it and tried their best to look good. Even movie producers and scriptwriters came to the club, seeking investments or a role in movie production. It was a shortcut to reach out to the upper crust after all. Yet they were just a bunch of fresh graduates with no resources and connections, so the club was their only chance at achieving something great. Dwight would never understand how rare the opportunity was, as he was narrow-sighted. He had never experienced power and wealth before, so he lacked the understanding of how things worked in society. “I never thought
With that in mind, Dwight checked his outfit. His black leather jacket brought out his height and wild side. He then observed Kaze. The latter was dressed casually. Dwight was worried that they would not be allowed into Absolute Zero because of their attire. Nevertheless, he could not let slip that he had never been to Absolute Zero. Without a word, Dwight led Kaze down the apartment building. Kaze could pick up on Dwight’s nerves. While in the elevator, Dwight could not stop straightening out his clothes. It was clear that he was nervous. Even so, Kaze said nothing and pretended not to notice. They got into the car and drove to an alley. The area was not huge, but there were stands selling street food. “The food is great here. Since it’s early, we can grab a bite.” Dwight was not being tight with money. As their destination was a bar, there was no need to get a proper meal. “I’ll get a skewer then.” Kaze did not have much of an appetite anyway. “Okay. I’ll or
“You’re the guest. I should be hosting you, but I don’t seem to be doing a good job.” Dwight knew he had to do better. “It’s okay. I don’t have much to do. It’s just a delivery anyway.” Kaze bought a lot of stuff online. All they had to do was wait for the delivery. Once the items arrived, they could head out. Dwight talked about taking him to a bar under the Viper’s Den’s umbrella. It was a great opportunity for Kaze to check out the scene. He had heard that the Wittersons were tied to all the Viper’s Den’s business operations.Kaze would not meet Edmund and Morris in person, but he would grasp all information related to them. Then, Kaze would stir things up between them and sit back while reaping the benefits. Kaze had it all planned out. He simply had to take his time in playing the long game. Nevertheless, it was important for him to remain discreet. At the very least, he should not show them what he was made of. It was easy to execute his plan when everybody
Kaze rose to his feet and took something out of his bag. Putting on his jacket, he was on his way out. Dwight was out of his room, too. He left his room for a glass of water and waited for Kaze to get out of the room after his nap. Dwight had a drink in the kitchen. He took an apple and chomped on it. Looking at the fruit on the table, Dwight grabbed a plate to arrange it neatly.He took out his phone to pass the time while waiting for Kaze. Kaze emerged from the room and saw Dwight. “You’re up at last. You’ve slept half the day away. Are you still tired? I can wait if you need to catch some sleep.” Dwight kept Herman’s memo to look after Kaze. “A little. I didn’t get any sleep last night. I was waiting to get on the plane.” Kaze took the red-eye flight yesterday. Dwight allowed time for Kaze to rest, knowing his travel schedule. “I know. Did you manage to get some good sleep? If you haven’t, you can go back to bed. I can grab some food for you.” Dwight’s plan
“Your main responsibility is to entertain Kaze. You will be rewarded for good work,” Herman said. Dwight nodded incessantly. “Thank you for thinking of me, Herman. I won’t forget this.” “I’d be grateful so long as you stay out of trouble. “Just focus on what you should do and take good care of Kaze.” Herman worried that Dwight might get ahead of himself and forget his primary duties. Dwight’s priority was Kaze’s well-being. The whole thing would be over if Dwight kept to himself and served Kaze until he was gone. There would be a problem if something were to happen. Without Edmund’s instructions, Herman would never have assigned a job to Dwight. It could be a good thing, though. At least, a job might keep him on the straight and narrow. “Relax. You can count on me,” Dwight said with glee.That was a nice surprise. Dwight did not see it coming. It was just incredible. Herman still could not shake off his worry. However, he had said his piece. It was pointless t
Herman’s smile vanished. His red, irritated skin was playing up. Due to alcohol in his system, Herman could not see straight. He had to grit his teeth to hold back the urge to retch. Herman was not one to drink. Yet, he would have to go through Edmund’s loyalty test every time, and he was reaching a boiling point. However, he understood that he needed to suck it up to gain Edmund’s trust. “You must be Herman. Mr. Witterson. Should I take the things to your car, or should I deliver them to your home?” asked a uniformed server who approached. “Put them in the car and get me a designated driver,” Herman replied. He headed to the lobby while propping himself against the wall. “Okay. There will be a driver out front, ready for your service.” The server tried to help Herman up, but was declined. Herman saw the cartons of alcohol and cigarettes in the lobby. Edmund had always been generous in giving out stuff like this. “These are from Mr. Witterson. You’re lucky to work for
“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