Charlie raised his hand to dismiss the concern. “It’s fine. Don’t worry. I have some personal affairs to take care of, and I’ll be back when I’m done.”Isaac asked, “Is it in Osaka? Do you want me to arrange a convoy for you?”“It’s not necessary.” Charlie didn’t say exactly where he was going, and he didn’t intend to.For some unknown reason, he kept thinking about Nanako. It was perhaps out of sympathy, or admiration, or other indescribable emotions. He couldn’t figure it out, nor did he want to think about it.Right now, all he wanted to do was to go to Kyoto to visit Nanako personally and look at her injuries.No matter what, he could only return in peace after healing her.Seeing that Charlie did not want to share his whereabouts, Isaac did not insist but advised him to drive carefully. And if the snow got too heavy, to wait until it stopped before continuing to drive.Charlie agreed and then set off on his own.Osaka was very close to Kyoto; it was only about an hour’s dr
Just as Nanako looked up into the sky and thought about Charlie in her heart, Charlie, who was hiding on top of a wall, saw the beautiful silhouette in the courtyard below.He bypassed the Ito residence’s security and circled the residence halfway around its perimeter before seeing Nanako, whom he had been missing in his heart.Seeing Nanako wearing a kimono with a classic bun, he couldn’t help but sigh. “No wonder Nanako is the perfect role model of Yamato Nadeshiko. It is not an exaggeration at all. She is definitely the most beautiful and perfect Japanese woman I have ever seen.”However, the sight of Nanako sitting in a wheelchair was such an eye-sore that made him feel somewhat sorrowful.She could have sat out of the final match with Aurora, or admitted defeat early in the match, and withdraw herself from the competition, but she persevered to the end, which caused her to suffer great trauma.At this moment, Charlie wished he could just leap from the wall to meet her, but th
Eikichi had a luxurious private suite that was explicitly reserved for him in the lavish nightclub that he frequented. It was lavishly furnished with the highest standard of privacy and seclusion. This was where he slept with many actresses.A convoy of three Rolls-Royces escorted Eikichi to Shibuya. Inside the car, Eikichi was extremely excited and looking forward to an erotic lovemaking evening with his current lover.As the convoy crossed an underpass, a truck that was traveling at a constant speed suddenly braked and swerved, blocking the entire road. Several black commercial vehicles immediately came from behind them and blocked Eikichi’s convoy.Realizing the dangerous situation, the bodyguards in the first and last cars pulled out their guns, ready to protect Eikichi.Suddenly, a large group of men in black with automatic weapons emerged from the black vehicles in the back! Their firearms consisted of automatic rifles and mini submachine guns, which were much more powerful t
The next five minutes were the most painful, torturous, and devastating five minutes of Machi’s life.He didn’t dare to end the call because he knew that this might be the last chance he could hear his son’s voice ever again.It was also clear to him that the killers wanted to torture his son to death and make him suffer great pain before his life came to an end.Even as his father, he could only listen to his son’s agonizing screams but could not do anything about it.Immediately afterward, the attackers poured gasoline into the Rolls Royce in which Eikichi was riding and let him scream hysterically in the car.After the gasoline was poured in, the leader took out a pack of cigarettes and a box of matches, coolly lit a cigarette, took a puff, and threw the burning matchstick through the broken window!The luxurious Rolls Royce was instantly turned into an incinerator, with the blast even spewing wildly outward.The screams of Eikichi, his assistant, and the driver resonated dev
Charlie could sense that it was an invasion of sorts, and they certainly bore a bad intention. He immediately concealed his breath and observed them in secret. Sure enough, these people climbed over the wall at a breakneck speed and approached Nanako from many directions!Although Nanako was seriously injured, she was still a martial artist with high sensitivity and alertness, so she was already aware of the six people before they approached.She wanted to shout for help, but before she could do so, she abruptly shut her mouth and gave up the idea.From these people’s advancement toward her and their sheer speed, she could sense that they were none other than ninjas! The Ito family had their own team of ninjas too, but they were all in Tokyo, not Kyoto.These ninjas were exceptionally strong and had greater combat abilities than ordinary martial artists. Even if she was not injured, she was no match for even one ninja, let alone six! Besides, it looked as if they were at least mid-
In fact, just as the man raised his sword, the other five took two steps backward because they didn’t want the blood splattering on their bodies when it spurted out of Nanako’s body.Their gazes were locked on Nanako, waiting for the bloody scene to unfold, and Nanako herself was ready to meet her death.However, the mental image they had prepared for came to a screeching halt at this very moment!The ninja sword, raised high in the air, had been hovering there for a moment, and the others wondered why he was taking so long to behead her.When they marched forward to look, they realized that the executioner who had wielded the sword was now dead!A few centimeters of a short blade was stuck on his forehead, and because the cut wound was so clean, only a very small amount of blood seeped out of the wound and dripped onto the thick white snow, painting it red!While these people were dumbfounded and could not figure out what was going on, they realized that the shuriken that pierce
The smiling man who was standing right in front of Nanako was indeed Charlie, the man whom she had been missing and fallen in love with for a long time!At this moment, a lot of questions sprang up inside her mind at once.‘It’s him?!’‘How could it be?’‘Why is he here?’‘Am I dreaming?’‘Am I dead and this is just an illusion after all?’‘Just a moment ago, I thought that I would have no regrets if I could see Charlie even once more before I died, but never in my wildest dream did I expect that he would suddenly come to save me like an angel from heaven!’Numerous thoughts converged in her mind with mixed emotions of surprise, hesitation, anxiety, and excitement. She shuddered to the point of speechlessness.At this moment, it was Charlie who broke the silence. He looked at Nanako with a smile and asked, “Ito-san, it’s been a while. How have you been?”Hearing Charlie’s voice, Nanako was finally certain that it was not an illusion!Charlie, whom she had been infatuated wit
The four ninjas of the Fujibayashi family were certain that they could kill Charlie with one attack.As for Nanako, her heart was in her mouth as she watched the scene, fearing that something might happen to Charlie. She would rather be the one to die than see Charlie suffer a single injury.Right at this moment, Charlie suddenly retreated a few meters at extreme speed, so fast that the four ninjas were dumbfounded!They were the first to strike, and they were faster than Charlie in initiating their attacks. Moreover, they all had ninja swords that were nearly a meter long, which undoubtedly further strengthened their attack distance, allowing them to gain the upper hand and be one step ahead of the attack.Based on their calculation, it was almost impossible for anyone to escape their attacks in an instant. After all, a normal person couldn’t dodge a bullet that was about to hit him!However, Charlie did it!As he was retreating, he pocketed the Thunder Order. Then, he pulled ou
Ares LLP was the biggest law firm in the States, and only the best of the best were recruited as associates.If Jimmy got to pick ten of their partners, he was basically taking a huge chunk out of their human resources.Moreover, the partners' salaries would be very expensive. With Jimmy included, eleven of them meant over a hundred million US dollars at minimum. Ares would definitely be maimed if they had to pay that much money while losing ten of their elites! Naturally, Jimmy didn't feel confident about achieving that, and he asked Charlie, "Mr. Wade… Don't you think it's too much? Would Nate even agree to that?"Charlie shrugged. "Of course he won't agree if you're the one asking, but he would definitely say yes if it were Julien."Julien almost rolled his eyes.The man was truly ruthless, ready to inflict so much damage at the drop of a hat.Worst of all, he was going to play the villain for Charlie.Still, he said confidently, "Don't worry, Mr. Wade! I will pressure him
However, Jimmy realized something important even as he sighed in relief. "Wait, Mr. Wade… I know I should settle things in the family Stateside, but won't I be arrested upon arrival?""That's Julien's department," Charlie chuckled and turned toward the man. "Tell your butler not to send the evidence to the feds. If it has reached them already, ask to have it back and tell the feds they saw nothing."Julien promptly nodded. "I'll text him right now. You have nothing to worry about, Mr. Wade."Jimmy remained worried. "But sir, I think Nate's not going to let this slide. The man is cunning—he deliberately dug a pit so we'd fall into it, and he gathered all the dirt he could on us to be used as leverage when necessary."Charlie shook his head. "That's no big deal. Julien can make sure that you're fine even if the feds get the evidence."Julien nodded nearby. "Don't worry, Mr. Wade. The decision remains in your hands, either way. Just say the word, and it's 25 to life… otherwise, not e
The fact that Jimmy was a partner in Ares LLP already meant he had skill, while Matilda had herself been retired for years and definitely had lost her touch a little. So, having someone like Jimmy who had stayed on the frontlines all this while would definitely be no issue.And in turn, it was a good thing for Jimmy as it was better than the kennels either way.Charlie then asked Jimmy pointedly, "You say you're interested, but are you sincere about it?"Jimmy nodded without hesitation. "Yes, absolutely!""No regrets? We're talking about ten years here.""None, absolutely none!""Do you know what to say if anyone asks?""Yes, of course! I chose to further my career here in Oskia, and it was absolutely voluntary! That's what I'd say even if my family asked!"Charlie nodded. "Good. Then, you will have two weeks. Go home and set your affairs in order and report in for work afterward.""No problem!" Jimmy nodded repeatedly, actually surprised and grateful that Charlie would let hi
And yet, Julien was suddenly clapping his hands, and exclaiming excitedly, "Yes, right! We should get his wife and son over too for a happy reunion!"He then paused and quickly corrected himself, "Wait, no! I mean, they should each be caged with one empty cage separating each of their cages. They can see each other and talk, but there will be no touching. How dare he flex on me—I gotta teach him a lesson to remember!"Jimmy dropped limply on his rump, and Matilda beckoned for Paul to help him up while turning toward Julien as she pursed her lips. "Please, Mr. Rothschild… Even if you don't accept his apology, don't bring his family into this. It's against Oskian tradition—you'd insult your family's name!"Julien shrugged, not hesitating to retort, "What do your traditions have to do with me? If I mean to hurt him, forget his family—I'll drag his dogs over too!"Seeing that Julien was so furious, Charlie decided to stop him, or he might actually go through with it."That's enough, J
Holding up a thumb at Charlie, Julien exclaimed in approval, "You're right, my friend! That's far more exciting than having him jailed!"Just hearing that he would be sent to a kennel, Jimmy knew nothing would come of it—even if he didn't know the details, it was so obvious that Julien was thrilled by the very idea!Turning nervously toward Charlie, he was sobbing as he asked, "Mr. Wade…? What's this about a kennel…?"Julien chuckled coolly even before Charlie said a word. "A kennel is where you keep dogs, of course. Though there are literal dogs and metaphorical dogs, and you are the latter."Oh, don't worry. It's a really nice place where you get your own cage, and you'll be fed every day. You don't even have to work, so just sit tight and keep eating until the day you die."Jimmy's soul left his body in that instant.He was going to be locked in a cage?! That was way worse than being locked up and sent to jail! Where was the humanity around here?!Even as the thought struck h
Matilda was actually caught off guard by Jimmy's pleas, and even Paul found it hard to watch.Turning to Charlie, he said, "Please, Mr. Wade—my uncle can be a little despicable, but he is my father's brother. Please, let him have a chance to turn over a new leaf, seeing that he's earnestly repenting."While Paul spoke with Charlie, Jimmy was still confused and wondered why Paul would plead his case with Charlie instead of Julien. If there was anyone Paul should ask, it was Yolden since he was Julien's friend. So, why would he ask some young man instead of Yolden?That was when Charlie asked in curiosity, "You want to let him off? After he tried to take away your parents' legacy?"Paul smiled awkwardly. "I mean, I know the guy. He made sure to travel all this way to make a scene because he had nothing legal that could help him claim Smith Group Corporate Law from us. Otherwise, he'd have already filed the lawsuit in the States. Sure, it's a dirty move, but that's basically a des
As Julien finished, he realized something was wrong and turned toward Charlie before he knew it.Charlie held his gaze in turn, his expression quizzical and amused.Julien cleared his throat right then. "See, there are people who can order me around, but they have my utmost respect. However, a third-rate lawyer like you? Who do you think you are?"That was when Julien's butler called, and he reported respectfully as soon as the call was answered, "Sir, I've spoken with Nate Ellis, the owner of Ares LLC. He has since agreed to fire Jimmy Smith right away as well as disbar him nationwide."Julien asked, "Good. Anything else?""Well, Mr. Ellis also delivered some documents that can be used as evidence against Jimmy Smith, which he claims is enough for a lifetime sentence. If you deem it necessary, we can have it sent to the FBI.""Yes, let's go with that!" Julien replied, his tone satisfied. "And ask the director to handle it personally—I want this prick to never set foot stateside
Jimmy was sweating profusely in fear, but he argued back before he knew it, "That's impossible! Everything you say is bullshit! Gaiman simply thought he had a fair chance of winning and didn't want to pay Ares that much, and I have no idea who he partnered with, and I'm certainly not involved. Don't you try to slander me!"Nate chuckled. "Come on, Jimmy. We're all adults here, so there are things we shouldn't have to be so direct about. Mills Gaiman and your old classmate met in private many times, not to mention the private conferences you three had in secret, discussing your overall strategy and decisive points. Just so you know, Gaiman recorded every conversation, and I have the tapes with me."Jimmy's heart was left pounding as he blurted, "B-Bullshit! That's impossible!""Grow up, Jimmy," Mr.Goodman chuckled. "Every partner in every law firm always strives to rise higher, so I'm going to need as much leverage as I can. Otherwise, I'm not about to let them advance any further, e
Although the ringtone and vibration frequency were the ones Jimmy always used, this call somehow felt more urgent, leaving him exceedingly uneasy.When it abruptly stopped and left a missed call on his log, Nate Ellis soon sent a text: [Answer your damn phone this instant!]Just seeing the text left Jimmy feeling like his throat had gone dry, and as he gulped, it felt like his throat was being ripped, leaving him hurting.Still, he couldn't care less as his boss called again.Having seen the text, Jimmy didn't hesitate this time and promptly answered, watching Julien's smug face as he started tentatively, "Y-Yes, boss...?"Nate immediately yelled at him hysterically, "What the hell did you do?! Why did the Rothschilds call to complain about you?! And the complaint was from their heir apparent, at that! I worked hard for them and always toed the line for years, and I still haven't gotten a chance to meet the man, so how the fuck did you upset him?!"Jimmy's heart sank to rock bott