Kaze lifted his head and glared at Hades suddenly. An intense killer intent drowned Hades. Hades’ expression shifted as he quickly took a few steps back. He recalled Kaze’s monstrous strength. Back then at the casino, Kaze broke his men’s bones with just a kick. “What are you going to do here? Kill us? Do you know what this place is?” Hunter bellowed at him ferociously. He then added, “I think Hades’ suggestion is great. I’ll take care of your wife as well! What do you say, Hades?” He turned around to Hades with a mischievous grin. Hades cackled. “Of course, but first come first served…” Bang! A loud bang stopped Hades’ words abruptly. Hunter was sent flying to the wall and crashed on it like a pie. He slid off the wall like a pile of lifeless meat. The other suspects and criminals went over to help Hunter. Hunter was bleeding profusely and his eyes went blank. His face rapidly turned pale. One of the criminals put his finger under Hunter’s nose and was shocke
“Hmph! You’re not the only one who has the guts to kill.” Samwell said menacingly, “Don’t worry. I will make it seem like you stole a gun and fled after I killed you. Besides, you are a felon who has taken two lives. I’ll get commendation for ending you and a cash reward from Hades’ backer.” Here was yet another idiot, playing with fire. Kaze looked at him sympathetically. “Open fire then.” “Don’t you challenge me!” Livid, Samwell pulled the trigger without hesitation. Bang! Following the gunshot, Samwell fell to the ground with a scream. His right palm was a pulp mess and charred around the edges.The gun in his hand–a deformed metal scrap by now–dropped to the ground. The barrel blew up. “I told you that you’ll regret firing that shot.” Kaze was indifferent to Samwell’s heart-shattering cries. Samwell initially thought the barrel’s explosion was an unlucky coincidence, but he soon realized what Kaze meant. Enduring the pain, he asked, “H-How did you do that?”
“Yes, my king.” Heeding Cronus’ order, Gabriel was ready to carry out the job. “My king, our sources in River Watcher Inn reported that Jeremiah has been sent to the detention center to kill Kaze to avenge Alan. “Jeremiah was Alan’s bodyguard twenty years ago and the top killer in South River state. I doubt anyone in Lilyrose is a worthy opponent to him. “Gabriel and he could cross paths and end up fighting instead of focusing on Kaze,” Angel said. Gabriel cocked his head back and said curtly, “Jeremiah will be my first kill if I run into him.” Priding himself as the top man of the Lilyrose underworld, Gabriel did not see Jeremiah, who had retired for two decades, as a threat. He had been longing to meet Jeremiah. Furrowing his brows, Cronus nodded and replied, “Angel is right, Gabriel. Bring a few shooters with you just in case. Jeremiah is not called the top killer of the South River state for nothing.” It had crossed Cronus’ mind to send Gabriel after Jeremiah.
“Get out of the way,” Jeremiah said indifferently without stopping. He headed straight to the control zone. “Hmph. Aren’t you even going to ask me for my name?” Gabriel narrowed his eyes dangerously. Jeremiah’s contemptuous attitude ticked him off. “I don’t need to know a dead man’s name.” Jeremiah was ten steps away from Gabriel. Lifting his sword, Gabriel let his bloodthirst known. “Before you die, Reaper, I’ll give you a chance to ask my name—” Gabriel did not even have a chance to finish talking. Jeremiah somehow cut the distance between them and was right in front of his face. “Slash!” The sword with the broken tip was swung. “You—” Gabriel’s eyes bulged in disbelief. Yet again, he did not have time to finish his sentence. His beheaded head tumbled across the grass. Gabriel’s headless body stood still on its own for two seconds. Blood spilled from his neck as his body collapsed. The leader of the shooters on the left side of the wall was stunned.
“You can’t kill me.” Kaze had his hands behind his back. Jeremiah’s words did not scare him. Jeremiah scoffed. “Many have said the same to me, but they are all dead now.” Kaze suddenly glanced at the left and right sides of the walls with a frown. Jeremiah reacted the same way as Kaze did. Turning his head back, Kaze said emotionlessly, “There are ten on each side. Why don’t we have a competition to see who finishes them off the fastest? If you lose, you can leave.” He had no intent to murder Jeremiah. The capable man must be Alan’s trusted subordinate. Since Kaze did not kill Alan, he had no reason to kill his men either. Of course, all of it boiled down to Jeremiah taking the hint and leaving on his own accord. Otherwise, Kaze would not hesitate to kill him. “I have not met such a cocky young man in a while.” Jeremiah scoffed and added, “I’ll give you a head start.” Rip! Kaze tore a piece of his clothing and put it over his eyes, fastening it with a secure kno
“Are you referring to Cronus or the mole in Lefteria Group?” Kaze asked without looking back. The response dumbfounded Jeremiah. He said in surprise, “Are you saying that there’s a mole in Lefteria Group?” “I had a drink with Alan yesterday and warned him that he has been poisoned.” Kaze added indifferently, “It’s an ancient poison called Shadowbane Essence. The poison needs a trigger for the toxins to take full effect. The poison can remain dormant in the poisoned’s nervous system for six months to three years while weakening its victim’s immunity. The poisoned won’t feel much except a gradual health decline.“Once the toxins meet its trigger, the poisoned will drop dead.” It remained unknown when Alan was poisoned with Shadowbane Essence. The poison user would decide when the poisoned would die. “Only Alan’s trusted people could be around him around the time he died. It has to be a mole in Lefteria Group who triggered the toxins.” Jeremiah’s eyes reflected bloodthirs
“Mr. Lee, Cronus is all bark and no bite now that his best fighter is dead.“Should Dan and I take Jackal and his team to vanquish the guy?” Gold Tooth stood ingratiatingly before Kaze and asked shyly. Standing in a corner, Dan looked rather excited. A major shift of power rocked the Lilyrose underworld within 24 hours.Alan was dead. Cronus lost his right-hand man. Gold Tooth and Dan realized that this was their golden opportunity. It was their time to become the new kingpins of the underworld. Before that could happen, they needed Kaze’s support. Without his support, they could not stand a chance against any enemy. It was a good thing Cronus crossed Kaze, and his fate was now sealed. Kaze knew what was on their name and said without a care, “Take Jackal and his team to Azure Estate.“If Cronus behaves, you can spare his life. If he doesn’t, you can decide what you want to do with him.” “Of course, Mr. Lee.” Overjoyed, Gold Tooth and Dan took Gabriel’s body along
Jeremiah’s presence at Azure Estate scared the hell out of Cronus. Cronus knew that Jeremiah was not easy to deal with like Gold Tooth and Dan. He ditched his men and fled out of the estate with Angel. His whereabouts were unknown. Gold Tooth and Dan were glad to be alive. They scrambled out of Azure Estate and reported back to Kaze that instance. Kaze was calm as the duo gave details of what happened. Upon hearing that Cronus admitted to poisoning Alan, Kaze raised his brow in surprise. “So, Cronus recreated Shadowbane Essence himself?” It took great skills to synthesize Shadowbane Essence. Not many knew about the ancient poison. For centuries, the knowledge of crafting Shadowbane Essence resided solely with the families of medicine, inheriting through word-of-mouth. Only a handful could recreate the poison. Kaze learned about Shadowbane Essence from the old fool who raised him. There must be more to Cronus since he could craft the poison. Gold Tooth and Dan co
Dwight approached with a smile. He looked at Edmund earnestly. “I am Dwight McCorney. I have heard good things about you. I finally got to meet the man of the hour. “It’s an honor to meet you, Mr. Witterson.” Dwight was starstruck. Edmund was embarrassed by Dwight’s behavior. He could not believe that Dwight was a member of the Viper’s Den. Nevertheless, Dwight seemed genuine in expressing his thrill. Edmund became curious about him. He turned around to look at Kaze, who was the polar opposite of Dwight. Kaze stood there, holding his ground. He stood up to greet Edmund and nothing else. He appeared to be refined, unlike Dwight, who was brash. Dwight had no idea that his behavior had upset Edmund. Edmund looked at Dwight in disdain. However, Dwight was a member of the Viper’s Den. It was best for Edmund to keep his comments to himself. Without a word, Edmund stared at the pair. Ryan stepped in to smooth things over. “What are you doing? We have a guest here.
Since Kaze would not change these people’s minds, he was better off doing what he wanted to do. “This vase must be valuable. I got to give it to Mr. Witterson. A display in the living room is worth so much.” Dwight had never seen so much luxury in one room. He had been to the museum, but the displays were nothing like he had ever seen before. The rich had the means to splurge. “Do you think this is pure gold?” Dwight turned to a gold statue. The design was to die for. The purity of color made it hard to doubt its authenticity. “I’m not too sure, but I guess most of the ornaments here are real.”Kaze watched as Dwight gasped in awe. Nevertheless, his behavior would clear any suspicion on Kaze. It could be a good thing. “I knew Mr. Witterson was rich. His businesses are doing well. “But I didn’t expect this sort of lifestyle. The gold must be worth a million dollars. “If I were this wealthy, I would not spend it on decoration.” Dwight rambled on, his eyes stuck t
“I’m not familiar with the area. We’ll have to look around,” Dwight said behind the wheel. He looked for restaurants while driving. It was early, and many restaurants were not open for business. They circled the block and finally uncovered a small breakfast bar. They ordered some food, filled their bellies, and got back into the car. “Mr. Witterson said that he wouldn’t meet you. Why does he want to see you now?” Dwight was curious. Something must have happened last night. Otherwise, Edmund would not suddenly grant an audience to Kaze. “I don’t know. I had some drinks last night, and now he probably made time.” Kaze felt better after breakfast. He did not think much of the situation. Things would carry on as planned regardless of what the Wittersons or the Siegfrieds had to say.This was exactly what Kaze hoped for. Dwight remained in the dark. He drove to the city’s most exclusive area for the rich. It was all greenery in this part of town. The road was wider, an
After a brief hesitation, Kaze followed Rosie. The room turned out to be Rosie’s. Though not a big room, it was crammed with all kinds of junk. The place looked cluttered. Rosie approached the vanity table and grabbed the comb to comb her hair. She turned to look at Kaze. “You said a lot of stuff last night. Do you remember any of it?” Rosie spoke like they had been friends for years. It was just small talk. “What did I say? I don’t really remember. You made a lovely drink, but man, it really kicked in.” Kaze put a cigarette to his lips, but he did not light it. Instead, he spotted a chair to sit down on. “Well, it’s pointless to talk about it if you can’t remember.” Rosie was pleased to hear that. At least, Kaze had no idea that she had gotten him drunk. “Don’t leave me hanging.” Kaze looked peeved. “Are you off the clock?” Kaze asked. “Yes. I work odd hours. It’s time for me to sleep now.” Rosie stared at Kaze. “I shouldn’t keep you from resting.”
“Can you give me something for the pain?” Clemont had a low tolerance for pain. Standing on the stairway, Morris heard his voice and sighed. Clemont could do no good in his eyes. “Keep an eye on him. He’s not allowed to leave the house for the time being.” Morris believed the incident was more than meets the eye. Yet, Clemont was tricked into going to Absolute Zero and starting shit. There was no telling whether the Wittersons or someone else was behind it. Morris let out a sigh and returned to the study. He sent the butler to the storage room to fetch a few valuable antiques. These items were collected years ago, and they cost a fortune. Morris’ intention was to be on good terms with the Wittersons. There was no need to be at war with them. He had to do it for the interest of the Viper’s Den and his family. Morris was all about looking at the bigger picture. Otherwise, he would not have put up with all the bullshit before. Edmund would not let him off the ho
“Are you trying to kill your son?” Clara intervened. “You’re ruining him by spoiling him. If you want things to continue as they were, you can kiss him goodbye forever,” Morris said. Clara was lost for words. She knew better, but she just could not stop herself. Clemont had her heart. Clara could not stand to see him hurt. She was distressed. However, she knew that Morris would not get over the matter without beating Clemont up. She had to step in. “Hit him!” Morris was too old to do anything laborious. However, the kid would not go anywhere in life without a good beating. Despite starting trouble, he sure was arrogant to admit that he was wrong. “I see the errors of my ways.” Clemont apologized in time to avoid the punishment. He managed to escape all repercussions by doing so. Plus, his mother would plead on his behalf. The whole thing would usually get brushed aside. Though it was more serious in this instance, Clemont still believed that Morris would not hur
Morris was in his study, wiping a plaque of commandments that was covered in dust. Due to his commitment to the Viper’s Den, he had neglected his family for years and left his son in his wife’s care. Morris regretted doing so. Unaware of the impending danger, Clemont enjoyed drinks with his friends. They were having fun, playing drinking games. Losing the game, Clemont downed a glass of liquor. Things could get far and exciting in a game. It was then that the door swung open. Clemont’s driver entered the room. “Young Master Siegfried, the master is waiting for you at home,” the driver said, noting the complexity of the situation. The only thing on his mind was to take Clemont away. Tipsy from the drinks, Clemont waved his arm. “Let him wait. What’s the rush to get home?” Clemont’s friends were shocked. Nothing scared Clemont like his father. However, Clemont toughened up for once. “Young Master Siegfried, why don’t you call it a night?” “Yeah. I’m sur
“What’s that supposed to mean? When have I ever made a mistake?” Morris heard nothing of that sort. It could only mean that his people had done nothing wrong. However, Edmund could not possibly get aggressive on the phone. Something must have happened, and he simply had no idea. Morris felt unsettled like something big was about to happen. “You seem to be lax when managing your people. You don’t seem to know what goes on around your house.“Is your age getting to you? Is that why you can’t handle most of the work? If you can’t get your own house in order, how will you ever manage the Viper’s Den Westeros Branch?” Edmund called to say his piece. It was his way to make Morris step down. Though it was likely that Morris would resign, Edmund could at least make things unpleasant for him. “What’s that supposed to mean?” Morris was completely in the dark, but Edmund must hold some secret to act so cocky. Despite his troubled feelings, Morris kept his cool and calmly aske
Since it was a rare opportunity, Edmund had to settle the score with them properly. He knew opportunities like this were hard to come by so he had to seize them well. “I understand. I will take care of the guest,” Rosie said. She was glad that her information was useful to her boss. After Edmund hung up the phone, Rosie then looked at the unconscious Kaze. “You are indeed more useful than I thought. Hardly anyone has ever managed to impress Edmund.” She did not feel sorry for Kaze, believing that everything happened as it was meant to. She knew that to climb higher, she had to please her superior. With the Wittersons on the rise, now was the perfect time for her to pledge her loyalty to Edmund. When the Wittersons truly took over the Westeros Branch, she would become one of the most powerful people in the city, second only to them. She was looking forward to that day. Since Kaze was fast asleep and no arrangements could be made, Rosie went out to call her men and