The carrot came after the stick. Snow rose to her feet and approached Ebi, looking at her from high. “Don’t worry. If you hand over the evidence, we can guarantee that the Ryokanians wouldn’t suspect you of treason. “I can also transfer 100 million dollars into a Uleanian bank account. The Ryokanians can’t touch your money in Uleania. “You can remove yourself from the Ryokanians’ control with the money and sort yourself out for the rest of your life. “Don’t you want to have it all?“You have a minute to think it through. The choice is yours.” The tables turned. Snow was in control now. Ebi’s mind spun. In the end, she squeezed a smile. There was desperation in her smile. “Please give me a moment, Ms. Frost.” Ebi got up and kicked everybody out of the villa before returning to her mourning hall. As Snow watched on in surprise, Ebi picked up her daughter’s urn and smashed it to the ground. “Bam!” The urn broke to pieces. Snow backed away and covered her nose, n
The secretary brought the items to Wallace. Wallace said with a frown, “What are these?” “This is evidence relevant to the case. Please have a look,” Morgan said. “Oh?” Raising a brow, Wallace put on his glasses and took the letter for a look. His expression turned somber. He looked through the medical reports. Wallace’s expression grew grim. Reading Wallace’s face, Morgan said, “As you can see, Mika was in the late stages of AIDS. She didn’t have much time left. “To protect her mother’s livelihood, she colluded with someone else to set Kaze up. “One of her plans was to get Kaze to contract AIDS. She showed up at the Yemens’ party and got into a fight with Kaze to apologize later at his villa. “But when Kaze rejected her advances, her plan became a bust. She initiated the next phase and took Kaze down using her death. “Mika’s suicide note and the other proof we have gathered show that Kaze is framed. “He needs to be released. We owe him an apology, and it’s our
Morgan nodded, taking Wallace’s orders. However, he furrowed his brows at Wallace’s last instruction. The police had to look into the culprits who set Kaze up too. It was clear the Ryokanians were behind it. Morgan doubted he could arrest Ryokanians. Still, Morgan said nothing of the matter. “Alright, Deputy Governor Frost. If there’s nothing else, I should get going.” He saluted Wallace and excused himself. “Hang on.” Wallace waved his arm and looked up at Morgan for a moment. He asked callously, “Did Snow collect these files from the deceased’s mother?” Aware of Wallace’s relationship with Snow, Morgan held his silence for a bit before nodding. “That’s right. Ms. Frost and Mr. Lee’s wife—” Wallace cut him off with a scoff. “Just go.” Wallace waved his arm with a scowl and sighed. He was not pleased that Snow put in a lot of effort to save Kaze. However, it was not his place to say anything. Wallace was not Snow’s immediate family anyway. Snow wanted to b
“Most importantly, Ebi was greedy. “She wanted to make a scene to gain more, and Ms. Quint saw through her. “Before Ebi could succeed, Ms. Quint asked Miru to get her people in on the plan. They hired the elderly group. “Ebi doesn’t have the resources and connections in Riverbank to pull off the stunt.” Kaze was shocked. He had heard about Ebi’s little drama. Thank goodness Snow was on it. Otherwise, the commotion would have put the state police and himself in the spot. Though Kaze did not care what other people thought, the situation could be detrimental to Sky Ocean Corporation and the people around him. Kaze had witnessed too many cases of cyberbullying. As it turned out, Darcy orchestrated the whole thing to stop Ebi’s plan from going forward. Darcy’s intention was to gain leverage over Ebi. The plan was not necessary, but it did stop Ebi’s plan and shut her up. At least, Kaze did not have to spend another minute in detainment. Either way, Darcy and Snow
“The Krads and the Ryokanians aren’t really getting along, and this can be our opportunity.” Kaze said in contemplation, “The Krads sent Aiden to work together with the Ryokanians in expanding their power in Riverbank, and most importantly, to sort out the Frosts. “I didn’t quite get why the Krads were so confident in eliminating a killer who threatened the very existence of the Frosts. “Well, I have a bit of an idea now. Maybe the Frosts are on the hit list of an assassin organization linked to the Ryokanians. “Heck, the Krads and the Ryokanians probably reached a partnership because of this.” Snow scowled. Through this experience, Snow learned firsthand just how dangerous the Ryokanians were. They had the power to change the economy, extensive networks, and scheming tactics. If the Ryokanians were involved in the Frosts’ troubles, the family would be in deep water. “You mean…” Snow’s head was spinning. It was unusual for Snow to be stumped. However, the situatio
South was wary when the Ryokanians were involved. The Steelclaw Guild was a fearless bunch, but the Stormborns were a prestigious family in Riverbank. South would think twice before stepping on the Ryokanians’ toes. “Alright. I got it. I owe you one. If I ever wipe out the Steelclaw Guild, I can promise that you will live.” Kaze hung up. On the other end, South held his phone in a daze. Kaze made such a bold statement. He talked about wiping out the Steelclaw Guild. Who did he think he was? For some reason, South felt that Kaze was not kidding. Kaze had the confidence to carry out his promise. Oblivious to South’s mental agony, Kaze ended the call and asked Snow, “Is Albert here?” “He’s following me by car.” The solemn look on Kaze’s face was infectious as Snow’s expression turned grim. “What’s the matter, Chairman Lee?” “Siber’s killer is on his way. I don’t know when to expect them.” Kaze pointed at the curb. “Stop the car and take Albert’s. Go with him. L
“Wee-oo!” The police siren’s haunting wail cut through the heavy rain.Someone must have called the emergency line. The pair in the Maserati did not let their guard down, though. Kaze quickly analyzed the impact point of the second bullet on the truck. He pinpointed the sniper’s likely location.Putting Snow behind the wheel, Kaze looked up at a commercial building not too far away. Skyscrapers made excellent places for shooting. “Sir, I spotted the sniper on the third floor of that building at five o’clock. He seemed to have cut a hole in the window and is aiming his weapon right at us.”Albert’s voice came on Snow’s phone. He had been trailing Snow’s car a short distance away. Albert always kept a pair of binoculars handy. Kaze was right to determine that the sniper was on the top floor of the building. The sniper was cunning, not putting himself at risk by being in an open space or rooftop. Instead, he cut a hole in the glass window on a lower floor.The snipe
Then came a loud bang. A bullet, charged with rage, pierced the Maserati’s fuel tank.The white Maserati exploded in a fiery blaze. The explosion cast a dark shadow over the area.Lying on the ground, Snow breathed ruggedly with a pale face. She gritted her teeth to stop herself from screaming. If Kaze had not told her to get out of the car and rolled to the greenery, she would have been caught in the explosion. Overwhelmed with gratitude, Snow stayed low and restrained herself from running away. Kaze told her to keep still no matter what happened. “Aiden! Siber!” Kaze, crouching down while running through the hedges, let out a growl. When the Maserati exploded, Kaze was at least sixty feet away. He was unharmed. Kaze looked back at Snow, lying sixty feet away, and sighed in relief. Snow should be safe now. Albert should get her out of here when the time was right. Kaze could focus on handling the sniper instead of worrying about anyone else. It was true that
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