Kaze sniffed out Jem’s trickery a mile away. No threat there.Kaze’s confidence was all the assurance Sophie needed. She asked, “Mr. Chairman, what do we do now? Do you need me to do anything?” The whole thing started with her, and she felt she had let Kaze down. As guilt consumed her, she wanted to do something to make it up to Kaze. Kaze said indifferently, “We need to find Theo and Lennon to retrieve the 10 million dollars. My money isn’t up for grabs.” “But Mr. Chairman, I believe they have skipped town since they fled through the night,” Sophie said worriedly. “Even if we call the cops, it will be hard to track them down.” Kaze shook his head. “That’s not for certain. They might still be in Lilyrose.” Jem was confident that Kaze would be reluctant to get the cops involved so as not to blow the matter out of proportion. In that case, Jem would not see the need to ask Lennon and Theo to flee out of the city. “Try and contact these individuals, Sophie,” Kaze said
“Alright, Mr. Chairman.” Snow immediately contacted Dan and Gold Tooth. Dan and Gold Tooth were still in the hospital after a near escape from Chrysant Twin Ghost. They still held significant influence in the Lilyrose underworld. Siding with Kaze had only boosted their power further, especially after ousting Hudson.Upon receipt of Kaze’s order, Dan and Gold Tooth got right down to business. Even if they had to turn the city upside down, they would sniff out Lennon and Theo. …Meanwhile, Leslie entered Jem’s office and reported, “Lennon texted that Sophie called and tried to get an address out of them, Mr. Tart.” “Hmph! I guess Mr. Lee won’t give up.” Jem scoffed in disdain, not surprised that Kaze would pull that stunt. Jem was not flustered at all. Leslie asked, “Should I tell them to leave Lilyrose and get into hiding, Mr. Tart?” Jem frowned. As Lilyrose was Kaze’s territory, Jem trusted Kaze would fold eventually. However, complications could arise. Amid his
Jem drafted the investment contract. Danny would be happy to sign the contract once Kaze yielded to him. Jem would get a cut when the funds were fired to Danny. It would be his cue to leave then. Danny’s eyes grew fervent as he was closer to getting 10 billion dollars. He laughed and said, “Good job, Jem. Here’s to a spectacle of someone’s pathetic begging!”He was smug. After the call with Jem, Danny dialed another number. A fighting gym stood near the street of consular offices in Sunrise City.It was rare to find Arcadians there. Most of the gym members were diplomatic staff from various countries. Baring his toned chest, Jason wrestled with several assistant instructors. Though outnumbered, Jason still ripped through his opponents’ offense.Wham! Thud! Bang!The assistant instructors crashed to the ground in agony. Danny’s call came in. Jason took the call and quickly made an unhappy face. “I can’t believe you want me to attack an Arcadian, Danny.” He add
After making up her mind, Sophie contacted Lennon and Theo. “Raylight Hotel, suite No. 918. Remember, come alone.” Lennon sounded stern on the phone. Sophie took a cab and went to Raylight Hotel. When she was at suite No. 918, she called Lennon again. A while later, Lennon and Theo came down the stairs. Lennon smiled and said, “Ms. Song, pretty wise for coming alone.” The two of them were cautious as they did not want to be caught. They observed Sophie from the stairs to see if she brought anyone else. If they spotted any uninvited guests, they would leave immediately. “Come on in, Ms. Song. We wouldn’t want to talk outside here.” Theo opened the door with the key card. Sophie clenched her teeth as she walked in. She stood in front of the door and said, “Let’s talk with the door opened. This level is quiet. I don’t think anyone will be listening to our conversation.” Bang! Lennon slammed the door shut, which frightened Sophie. She bellowed, “What is the me
Upon hearing Mr. Statham’s shout, his followers from the capital barged in as well. They were coaches and students of the Mixed Martial Arts Club who were close with Mr. Statham. They came here to watch Mr. Statham challenge the martial arts experts of Lilyrose. Sophie breathed a sigh of relief. She disregarded her miserable state and asked for help. “Help me! They are trying to rape me!” “Beautiful girl, these two monkeys are not worthy of you,” Mr. Statham said. Just when Sophie thought she was saved, Mr. Statham said something that pushed her into the abyss of despair. “These monkeys of Arcadia aren’t good enough for you. Us Paladians are better lovers in bed. Am I right, guys?” His followers laughed and started to scrutinize Sophie with a perverted gaze. Sophie escaped the wolves but jumped right into the tiger’s den. Her face turned pale when she felt the perverted gazes on her. “Enough! This is no time for this!” Mr. Statham frowned and bellowed. He pointe
Tensor Martial Arts School was one of the most famous martial arts schools in Lilyrose. The front gate was designed like a palace and there was a massive square in front of the main building. The square was a venue for the school to host martial arts competitions for the students. Several cars drove into the square, ignoring the signs of “no entry”, and stopped right in front of the entrance. Mr. Statham came down from the car and looked at the entrance. Beside the entrance was a sign stone, spelling “Tensor Martial Arts School.” Then, he went over to the sign stone, raised his fist, and punched it. Bang! The stone sign was destroyed like it was glass. It broke into smithereens upon impact. The chunks of stone fell on the ground and alarmed the people inside. “Who are you? What are you doing?!” The guards rushed out with angry and surprised looks. Unlike normal security guards, they were tasked to maintain order in the martial arts school and subdue students and
Niel said fiercely, “We’ll see if you are worthy if you can take three hits from me.” Mr. Statham looked at him and nodded. “Sure.” As his voice subsided, he leaned forward and swung a kick at Niel’s face. “Good one!” Niel laughed. He countered with his own kick instead of dodging. “I’ll teach you a lesson… Aaargh!” Before he could finish, he cried in pain. He was then sent flying with blood gushing from his mouth. He crashed on the ground with several broken bones, causing him to groan in pain. “What the…” The students and the coaches of the school were all silenced. Niel was one of the strongest martial artists in the school, second only to the principal and a few of his peers, yet he was defeated with just one kick. Mr. Statham did not even move! All he did was kick! The devastating outcome silenced everyone. Mr. Statham’s followers laughed and continued to tease the students and coaches. Dwight’s expression shifted. He calmed himself down and said, “Si
Mr. Statham’s provocative words angered the students and coaches. “Principal, no!” “You cannot agree to this!” They were afraid that Dwight might agree to Mr. Statham’s request. “Hahaha, your principal is under Mr. Statham’s foot now. There’s no space for negotiation anymore!” “Stop struggling and just give up!” Mr. Statham’s men continued to provoke and tease them. The students and coaches were furious but since the principal was under the enemy’s foot and his life was at risk, they dared not act recklessly. Dwight felt intense pressure on his chest. His flushed face started to turn purple due to the anger and pressure. He clenched his teeth and mustered enough strength and courage to say, “No can do!” “Stubborn old man!” Mr. Statham curled his lips into a grin and increased the strength of his step, breaking two ribs on Dwight’s chest. “Ugh…” Dwight groaned painfully. Mr. Statham savored the painful look on Dwight’s face before he said with a smile, “Look
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