Kaze had sorted out the Hansers before. Instead of being grateful to Kaze, Deborah hated his guts. Their feud went way back. Deborah was glad that Kaze was moments away from his death. She said gloatingly, “Once you’re gone, Darcy won’t take long to forget you and remarry someone else, Kaze. “Remember Kiev? He was here yesterday. “He is better-looking, wealthier, and comes from a better family than you. Darcy will have a beautiful marriage with him while you have no shoulders to cry on. I mean, you won’t have shoulders as a ghost anyway.” “Hahahaha!” The Quints burst out laughing. Kaze had no time for the group. Nevertheless, he narrowed his eyes dangerously at Deborah’s harsh words. He took strides over. “What are you trying to do, Kaze?” Samus’ eyes bulged. Kaze said with a smile, “Since I’m about to die, why don’t you and Deborah grant my wish?” “What’s the wish?” The siblings were dumbfounded. Smack! Smack! Kaze raised his hand without hesitation
There was a long line outside River Watcher Inn. They were there to offer their last respects to Alan. Many of them were criminal bosses from various places. Kaze stood in line and followed the crowd into River Watcher Inn. Alan’s funeral service was held in the lobby of the first floor. Many offered their condolences as a mournful song played in the background. Dressed in a black suit, Leo tended to those who came to mourn Alan’s death. He played the part of the grieving godson right because people believed him. His behavior since Alan’s death had won the loyalty of many members of Lefteria Gang. “Kaze is here, Leo.” A subordinate drew close and whispered to Leo. Leo was speaking to a guest when he looked up. He spotted Kaze in the line, and his gaze turned icy. After excusing himself from the guest, Leo walked over. “The nerve of you to show your face here when you were an accessory to my godfather’s murder, Kaze.” Leo raised his voice. His voice stood out
Leo could not kill Kaze with his hands. That would give the police a reason to cuff him. Nevertheless, the police would have nothing on him if Kaze committed suicide. “If you don’t want your wife’s family to live in hell, you better do as I tell you, Kaze,” Leo said with a smirk. He would not take no for an answer. He believed Kaze had no other choice than to end himself. Kaze glanced at the knife by his feet. He bent over to pick it up, rubbing his thumb along the sharp edge of the knife. “Alright, I’ll let you redeem yourself with the knife.” Leo was shocked. His gaze turned menacing as he scowled. Leo did not think Kaze would remain stubborn. “You don’t want to do this the hard way, Kaze.” Gritting his teeth, Leo added, “Fine. So you’re not going to kneel, huh? I’ll make you then!”He called out to his men, “Do it!” Lefteria Gang’s best fighters approached with aggression. They were about to lay their hands on Kaze. “These men aren’t like the group’s useless
Jeremiah’s words triggered an even bigger commotion. He was intimidating for slaughtering Gabriel and scaring Cronus to skip town. Hence, his words carried greater weight than Miru’s. “Don’t be fooled by Miru, Uncle Jeremiah.” Leo said menacingly, “My father is Bando Lionel. You and my father helped establish Lefteria Gang with my godfather. I can say that all of you raised me.“But this woman…” He pointed at Miru and said, “She’s only been with the group for a few years, and we don’t know much about her history. “Whose story is legit? I believe you can be the judge.” The key members of Lefteria Gang nodded incessantly. They trusted Leo more than Miru. “Are you doubting me?” Jeremiah snapped a chilling look at Leo. The icy gaze sent chills down Leo’s spine. Leo knew Jeremiah’s mind was made up about the true killer. He would not be able to convince Jeremiah otherwise. “I’ll give you a chance to redeem yourself because you’re Bando’s son, Leo.“The clock is tick
Miru’s words drew the attention of many to Leo. Leo pulled himself together from the excitement by then. He sneered. “What’s your motive for pinning this accusation on me, Miru?“We all saw that you were the first to rush over to Jeremiah. Here’s a question for you. Why were you in a hurry to get to him? Were you trying to cover something up?” Gazes bearing doubt fell on Miru. The crowd was filled with confusion. They felt like they were playing a game of Mafia, except the murder was real. There was no telling who was telling the truth or lies. Amid the mayhem, Leo’s trusted chauffeur approached him and whispered in his ear, “We have eyes on Angel and his people, Leo. They are here in the lobby.” “Perfect timing. Miru and Angel will die today.” Leo smirked coldly and shouted, “Quiet!” His yelling silenced the room. Leo suddenly pointed at Angel who was among the crowd, but his eyes fixed on Miru. “Miru, I can’t believe you would sneak Cronus’ men to the funeral to ki
Rock was the Blade Enthusiast. Jeremiah was the Sword Fanatic. Together, they were a dynamic duo, famed for the skill of their crafts. Twenty years ago, Rock and Jeremiah were the two biggest menaces of the South River State underworld. Jeremiah was the No. 1 killer. Rock was the No. 1 gladiator. The pair had withdrawn from the public eye in the last twenty years. However, their glory and legend lived on in the criminal world. When a founding member of Lefteria Group recognized Rock, a commotion erupted.All eyes fell on the man with a blank face. The man stood tall like a gladiator with his burly build and face of beard. It was clear now that the badminton racket bag did not carry badminton rackets. Instead, a broad and heavy blade was in it. Jeremiah owned a sword with a broken tip. Rock’s choice of weapon was a heavy blade. He was never seen without his trusty companion. Not just anybody could carry a blade weighing dozens of pounds everywhere. It was said
“What is the idiot son-in-law of the Quints doing?” “The moron must be delusional again. He probably thinks Master Cummingham will come back to life to save him.” Kaze’s behavior was unexpected and drew mockery instead. They thought Kaze had gone mad to pin his hope on a dead man. It was old news that the son-in-law of the Quints got out of a mental institution. Everybody was not surprised by his psychotic behavior. “What has gotten into you, Kaze?” Miru scowled at Kaze’s disrespect toward Alan. “Save your breath, Kaze. Alan is dead.” Angel ridiculed. There was no way Alan could survive Cronus’ Shadowbane Essence. Kaze paid them no heed and simply grabbed one of Lefteria Group’s fighters who surrounded him. “What are you doing?” The furious fighter soon realized he could not overpower Kaze. Kaze grabbed the knife out of the fighter’s belt and threw it. Swoosh. The knife scythed through the air, narrowly missing the crowd. Finally, the knife’s tip wedged in t
“Godfather?” Miru was the first to run up to the coffin and pulled Alan out of there with the help of a few founding members. “I’ll tell you later.” Alan nodded at Kaze. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to hide in the coffin. The cover was sealed shut, and my people hadn’t opened it.” “Now that you’re out, you can sort out your own mess. All I want is an answer.” Miru and the others looked at Kaze suspiciously. They had many questions. Nevertheless, they got one thing straight. Kaze was not trying to destroy the coffin earlier. He was merely trying to release Alan. “Alan, you…” Angel pointed at Alan, looking like he had just seen a ghost. Alan said indifferently, “You must find it strange that I am back from the dead even though I was poisoned with Shadowbane Essence.” Angel fell silent, his expression telling. He could not figure it out. “Where are you, Mr. Anemo?” Alan suddenly shouted. An old man in a lab coat walked out of the crowd. “He’s the No. 1 doctor of t
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