“No! “My dad is Birch! We represent Arcadia in Uleania. You can’t kill me!” With Aiden having thoughts about silencing him, Draig was horrified. Draig was young. He had a lot to live for. For once, he felt fear. Aiden looked malicious. “Idiot! We are only killing you because your father is Birch, and your family holds influence in Uleania. “Mr. Tenby, you can be with your loved one in the afterlife. “Heck, you get your wish to spend eternity with her.” Aiden crackled, delighted by the control over another’s life. Over the past couple of days, he went from acting superior to groveling at Reiko’s feet. The rollercoaster-like shift in his mental state got him twisted. Waving his arm in annoyance, Aiden said to Ali, “Do it and get out of here. Don’t wait until Kaze gets here.”Ali pulled the sword out of Draig’s leg. She cleaned her blade with a silk cloth while gesturing toward Aiden with a smile. She said, “Please indulge as you wish, Mr. Krad. We will ensure you
What was going on? The Ryokanians executed their plan covertly with Reiko planning every detail. According to their plan, they would leak the information to Kaze. However, their business in Emerald Bull Palace would be over before Kaze could get there. Kaze would only come across Snow’s body. However, Snow was not dead yet, and the Ryokanians had not evacuated. Yet, Kaze had arrived. Even the best-laid plans could go awry. Reiko accounted for everything but one thing. Snow was absolutely loyal to Kaze. Even though she decided to come alone to Emerald Bull Palace and was told not to tell anyone, she left a note. The note saved her life. It seemed like fate had a hand in this. Ali looked Kaze dead in the eye and snickered. “Kaze, huh? Do you think you have everything under control? “We are only bait for Ms. Hara. The intention is to get you here. “I’m guessing that the security isn’t very tight at Bronze Sparrow right now. “It’s a shame that the signal is ja
“You bunch of idiots have some nerve to run amok here in my place. “Die!” Juan flicked his stick, and steel wires spread out, striking the four women between the eyes. They breathed their last. “Spare me, sir!” The young practitioner, who brought Snow to the place, peed his pants as Juan ditched his kind heart to be a mass murderer. Dropping to his knees, the young practitioner begged for mercy. “You deserve to die for colluding with the enemy.” Juan shot another round of steel wires. The wires snagged around the young practitioner’s neck and strangled him to death. The public watched in disbelief as Juan walked ahead to shield Kaze. No one expected the usually friendly owner of Emerald Bull Palace to be so horrifying. His decorative stick turned out to be a weapon. Ali, Aiden, and Draig were dumbstruck. “Not bad.” Kaze nodded in approval. Due to his decision to go to Juan upon arrival in Emerald Bull Palace, Kaze was able to find the remote courtyard in ti
Ali wanted to put the incident behind her, but Aiden wanted more. Aiden tried to solicit Juan to kill Kaze. Kaze smiled and said indifferently, “Is my life worth that much, Juan?” Lying on the floor, Draig shouted, “No, Mr. Kawasky! I am Draig Tenby. My father is Birch, a famous martial artist in Uleania. You’ve met me before.“Kill the Ryokanian woman and Aiden Krad. I’ll make it worth your while!” Draig was not dumb. Though he did not like Kaze, he was certain he and Kaze were allies. If Kaze was dead, Snow would die too. To cover up the truth, Aiden and the others would silence Draig. “Hahaha.” Juan looked at Aiden and Ali before uttering indignantly, “Do you think you can bribe me? “I hate morons like you. “Just because you belong to the Krads, you think you have the right to kill in Emerald Bull Palace. “Do I look like I need money? “I’m committed to the law, the righteous justice of the world. “I should start with you.” Juan waved his stick righte
The Refined Blade Slash was never about grace. The attack came on fast and strong. Even Kaze had to admit that Ali was impressive. She could execute the cut with precision. The speed was to die for. Still, she could not beat Albert, who had been through war and back. Before Ali’s sword could reach Albert’s throat, he stepped aside, and Ali missed. Albert struck back, and then came a clang. The blade cut through the air. It was quite a stunt. Ali was in disbelief. She could not dodge the attack. “Gash!” Blood shot out of her throat. Ali’s head rolled off her body. Her head was covered in dust and blood. It was an immediate elimination. That was all there was to the Haras’ servant and highly skilled practitioner of the Refined Blade. “Eek!” Gasps filled the quiet air. Aiden, blood staining his face, was dumbfounded. One minute ago, Ali was alive and well. Now, she was a headless corpse. It was quite a blow to Aiden. He started trembling. “A
Aiden could feel as if his guts were spilling out while retching. Juan and Albert watched in silence. Draig played dead. While feeling vindicated, he felt a mix of emotions. Kaze sure was daring to attack anybody. It took a moment for Aiden to catch his breath. He picked his head up with a struggle and hissed through clenched teeth, “You have gone too far, Kaze! I have done nothing. What do you want from me?” “You have done nothing?” Kaze came closer to him and said chillingly, “I came because you have done nothing. “Do you think I have no idea what you intended to do to Snow?” Aiden said angrily, “It was just an intention. I have done nothing, haven’t I? Even the cops have to work based on evidence.” “The cops?” Kaze grinned. “Fine. I can drop that for now. Let’s talk about what you have done to me in the past few days. We can get it all out today.” Aiden grimaced without a peep. He was fully aware of his behavior. “Why aren’t you saying anything now?” Ka
It was true that Ali died at the hands of Albert. Still, Draig was only injured because Ali snuck up on him. Draig did not think Albert was strong. The only reason Kaze and Albert could turn the situation in their favor was due to Juan’s timely help. Furrowing his brows, Albert approached Draig and kicked him in the face. Draig passed out right away.“Make him leave.” Albert waved at Juan. While others may not know Albert, Juan, the chairman of the Riverbank Feng Shui Society, had been a fixture in the city’s high society for years. Juan knew who Albert was. After nodding at Albert, Juan grabbed Draig and took off. “I’ll leave everything to you, my mentor. I’ll be back to clean the place up,” Juan told Kaze with a smile before leaving.“You’re a mentor to Juan?” Despite the pain, Aiden was stunned.Kaze constantly surprised Aiden. Here Aiden had another newfound understanding of him. “Bam!” Wasting no breath, Kaze walked to the steps and knocked Aiden against a
Gritting his teeth, Aiden said, “Stop your demands, Kaze. You scammed me out of ten billion dollars at the auction. I’m still trying to recover some money. I can’t give you more than I have offered.” “Hm… Now that you mentioned…” Kaze said with a smile, “You bought the Golden Toad for ten billion dollars, so you believe the gem is worth that much. “I think ten billion dollars is a good price for your life.” Taken aback, Aiden said, “What are you trying to say?” “It’s simple, really.” Kaze said with an amused look, “I want the Golden Toad, and you keep your life in return. How does that sound?” “No! Dream on!” Aiden shouted in rage. He would never give up the Golden Toad to Kaze. If the Krads were to find that Aiden spent ten billion dollars to acquire the Golden Toad, only for Kaze to reclaim it, Sean would kill him. Aiden would never live it down. The Golden Toad was linked to his future within the family and his career. Aiden could not possibly hand the Golden T
“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