No other influencers or streamers had fame and celebrity status quite like Lil Dee. Lil Dee was a leading figure in the live-streaming community.“Sorry, I was a little late today, dear fam. I just learned of an infuriating incident.” Sitting in front of the camera, Lil Dee cut to the chase with an indignant look. Curious, the viewers were drawn to the story. Lil Dee was a national-level influencer. They were keen to know what could irk him. Not keeping the viewers in long suspense, Lil Dee pulled Kingston over. “This is my friend, Mr. Hacks, fam. He’s the vice COO of the Arcadian branch of Paladia Moose. “Do you see the bruise on his face, fam? “Kaze, the mafia, ordered an attack on him. That’s right, he’s the same mafia who beat me up.” The viewers blew up with rage when they saw Kingston’s bruised face. Kingston was a senior officer of Paladia Moose’s Arcadian region too, so he was a man of power and wealth. Still, Kaze hit him. Kingston started sadfishing.
Lil Dee’s accusation against Rove only worsened the already dire financial situation of the business.Not only was Rove’s online shop boycotted, but its stores were deserted too. While the new storefront in Golden Edge was under a facelift, a group suddenly barged in. “Rove is shit! You didn’t even donate a thing during the city’s disaster. You sure are eager to take the store from Paladia Moose though!” “Go to hell!” “I will never buy anything from your store!” The crowd outside the storefront grew amid the tirade of abuse. The new security captain of Golden Edge led his men to restore order to the place. “Golden Edge and Rove deserve each other!” “Come on. We are never shopping here again.” The emotional crowd walked away. It did not take long for the normally bustling Golden Edge to become empty and deserted. Inside Rove’s store, Hart stared blankly at the trashed entrance. The crowd had been gone for a while, but he was still locked in a trance. “The distri
Jennifer’s nonchalant tone bore a hint of mockery. With the online community tearing into Kaze in the last few days, Hudson Investment Firm also felt the wrath of the public. Jennifer held it against Kaze, and with an opportunity presenting itself, she taunted him. Brushing her sarcastic remark off, Kaze said with a smile, “You sure are eager, Ms. Barwise. I will soon meet your needs.” “You! You’re such a perv, Lee!” On the other end of the line, Jennifer turned red, thinking that Kaze hit on her. “Go to hell!” Jennifer hung up in embarrassment and anger. “This woman is all about the drama.” Kaze shook his head, knowing that Jennifer took things the wrong way. Nevertheless, he did not have time to waste on her. Kaze got into the car and gave Faye a call. “K-Kaze…” Faye’s trembling voice came on the line. Kaze said aloofly, “Do you have everything?” “Yes,” Faye responded right away. “Take the documents and meet me at Desmond’s studio.” Kaze then ended t
Desmond shuddered when Kaze’s piercing gaze fell on him. His several experiences with Kaze had been rather traumatic. Nevertheless, Desmond quickly pulled himself together and sneered. “Do you really think I’m scared of you, Kaze? I dare you to hit me.” He gave Kaze a dirty look before turning to his agent, Emma. “Show the loser what I can do.” Emma nodded and waved at a staff member. Soon, a group of journalists with microphones swarmed into the hall. “You agreed to an interview, at last, Lil Dee. What are your thoughts on donating one billion dollars after the heavy storm hit the city?” “I heard many major labels are looking to make you their spokesperson. Can you share any details with us?” Desmond was popular. The press circled Desmond like sharks. As his agent handled crowd control, Desmond said out loud with a smile, “I might not be a local, but my studio is here. I donated one billion dollars to rebuild the city. “Some local businessmen or chairmen do not e
“Are you alright, Dad?” Hart’s sudden blood spill threw the Lyfes into a panic. Furrowing his brows, Kaze went up to check on him and said, “His anger got the best of him. He coughed up blood, but his chest appeared clear now. It’s probably a good idea to take him to the hospital.“Take your dad there now, Daphne.” “Alright.” Daphne wiped her tears and helped Hart to the hospital with assistance from Rove’s staff.The commotion caught the press’ attention. “Huh? Is that Mr. Hart Lyfe from Rove? Why did he spit out blood?” The cameras clicked away. It was huge news. Standing afar, Kingston scoffed and taunted. “He’s just sadfishing. Where was he when Rove set Paladia Moose up and stole our store? What’s the point of pretending to be sick now? “This is a nice story to report on. The chairman of Rove coughed out blood to gain sympathy. Hahaha.” Desmond laughed maniacally. The Lyfes were furious. “Stop with the accusations, Hacks. When did Rove ever steal your stor
Kaze pulled out his phone and called Conan to come over with backup. Kingston scoffed in disdain. “Who are you bluffing? Conan doesn’t scare me even if he arrives with his dad.” With Desmond backing him up, Kingston was not afraid of anybody. Nevertheless, Kaze’s attitude did not sit well with Kingston. “Look, Lil Dee. Lee still doesn’t take you seriously.” Kingston cocked his head back and stirred things up. Pulling a long face, Desmond said chillingly, “You’re knee-deep in trouble, but you are still clueless, Kaze. Get in your head why you are here today. You are here to save yourself and your wife’s family. “You better get on your knees now if you don’t want to die.” It had been two days since Kaze attacked him, and Desmond turned the Internet against Kaze. Even Lilyrose Commerce Guild, an institution his wife worked at, and Rove were involved. Desmond heard that the members of Lilyrose Commerce Guild caused a scene at the guild, leaving Darcy rather overwhelmed
Kaze’s words echoed across the hall. A heavy silence hung in the air, broken only by his voice. The press was stunned, their gazes fervent. That was quite an expose from Kaze. They looked at Kaze, like a dog to a bone. Some even wondered if they should contact Kaze in private to get the inside scoop. That piece of news could earn them a top spot in the media circle.Many journalists would not come across this sort of headliner in a lifetime. Desmond’s staff grimaced. Their livelihood depended on him. Desmond was very generous to his employees. If Kaze ruined Desmond, the employees might not find another generous employer like Desmond again. “Shut up, Kaze!” “It’s bold of you to say that Lil Dee made a fraudulent donation, loser. Do you have proof?” “Trust us when we say we’ll sue you for slander. I hope life sucks for you behind bars.” “Don’t listen to the loser. It’s true influencers always claim to make donations when they don’t, but not Desmond. The loser
Desmond’s staff was relieved. They started hitting Kaze with a tirade of abuse. Kingston watched the drama and mocked, “Is that all you got, Lee?“You’re a loser. Bluffing is the only thing you have up your sleeve.“Do you think you can contact the Red Foundation to send you proof? Who do you think you are? “I know Mr. Nanas of the Red Foundation. Should I call him over to hit you?” Kingston held Kaze in contempt. The Red Foundation was a nationally recognized charity. While Kaze held sway in Lilyrose, he could not possibly stand against the Red Foundation. Kaze looked askance at Kingston and said with a pretentious smile, “You probably can’t even get Greg here. You can keep asking for it. I don’t mind sending you to prison with him.” News of Greg’s arrest had not been spread yet. Kingston and Desmond had no idea that Greg was finished. “What are you saying, Lee?” Kingston was visibly upset. “Ms. Holan from the Red Foundation’s Lilyrose branch is here, Lil Dee.”
“You…” The fear of death suppressed and replaced the anger in Phoenix. Her wrinkled face paled, making her look like a living corpse. “Madam!” Two of Phoenix’s followers from Ridgesouth tried to jump on Anzu to rescue their employer. However, Anzu swung her katana in a swift, deadly arc, slitting their throats instantly and splattering blood across the ground. “Kaze Lee, get over here! Or else I will kill this old hag!” Anzu roared, her tone resentful. “She killed them!” “Grandaunt is being taken hostage!” “Call the police!” The morgue fell into chaos following the death of the two followers. All the members of the other family branches screamed in panic. Some scrambled to escape, while others stood still in shock. A few were paralyzed by sheer terror, unable to process what was happening before their eyes. As chaos broke out, Kaze quickly dashed forward to pull the horrified Hector and Agnes away, dragging them back to Darcy and Sky. “Stay here and don’t move.
“Get down and kneel to Joan, or else I will haunt you even after I die!” Kaze twisted his wrist, subtly revealing a thin silver needle in his palm. He then looked at Joan and said, “Fire if you can.” If Joan got so much as close to the trigger, he would use the silver needle to kill her on the spot. His words put disappointment in Darcy’s eyes. Kaze was physically strong but the family was surrounded by guns. Under such intense circumstances, Kaze could really be more tolerant and endure the insult for their sake. Darcy was deeply disappointed in Kaze. Phoenix was so enraged by Kaze’s threats toward Joan that she laughed in exasperation. “Joan, show that you mean business!” “Kaze Lee, you made me do this!” Joan said with a grin. She slowly raised the gun at Kaze. Bang! Suddenly, the door was kicked open from the outside, and a woman in a funeral home uniform with a mask appeared. Strangely, she wielded a Ryokan katana and was searching for someone among the cr
There were police officers outside of the funeral home, and since the hitmen from the Steelclaw Guild would come after Hector and his family, Phoenix did not need to kill them in the open. Though she did not mind scaring them and making them kneel before her, begging for mercy—it would be quite satisfying. Thump! Hector and Agnes knelt immediately. Agnes was shuddering as she said, “Grandaunt, we never meant to disrespect you! It was all Kaze! Him! He was the one who opposed you and challenged your authority! “He was the one who broke your cane and beat up Joan. He was the one who called the stop on the projects! We had nothing to do with it!” She then turned to her son and daughter. “Sky, Darcy, what are you two doing standing? Get down! Madam Dark’s death is already painful enough for Grandaunt. Stop upsetting her!” “Yeah, kneel! Grandaunt is an elder, it’s not embarrassing kneeling to her!” Hector said to his children, the anxiety on his face was obvious too. He did
“The day I arrived, you broke my walking cane of three million dollars and you hurt Joan. You even got her fiance’s family killed. Don’t even get me started about Mayor Synder stopping the company’s project. Now, you are opposing me directly?! “The other branches of the Quint family are doing just fine but why are you and your family such a pain in the ass? Now I realize the reason—it is you! You are the one who caused all this mess! “Hector, your family is useless! That’s why even a live-in son-in-law can misbehave like this! Do you even deserve to carry the Quint’s name?” Phoenix bellowed. Hector lowered his head and dared not argue with Phoenix. Kaze did not care at all. He sternly said, “Phoenix, you know better than anyone why I broke your walking cane, why I hit Joan, and why I ceased the project. “If you want to distort the truth, I won’t bother to explain it either, but all I want to say is don’t overly rely on your position and your seniority. Respect is earned, not
“She was elderly; how could someone beat her up physically? More importantly, aside from breaking Madam Dark’s arm, this particular someone staged a car accident and killed her, leaving her with barely a corpse. “It’s inhumane! It’s outrageous! Is he even human?” Joan cried as she expressed her grievance. Each word she muttered felt heavy like mountains. Following her claims, everyone turned around and looked at Darcy and her family at the back of the line—including Kaze, who was beside them. “Have Hector and his family arrived yet?” Phoenix stomped her walking cane on the floor and bellowed, “Tell them to get over here right now!” Seeing Phoenix as if she was ready to devour someone alive, Hector and Agnes shuddered as they quickly went up. “Grandaunt, we are here. We’ve arrived for some time now.” Agnes quickly shifted the blame to Kaze, saying, “Grandaunt, it was not us who broke Madam Dark’s arm. We did not arrange for the truck to ram into her car either. It was Ka
Besides, several Viper’s Den agents in casual attire had also blended into the scene. Hannah was hurt, or else Kaze would bring her along as well. Although he had already devised a plan with the Steelclaw Guild, he was not sure if the guild would take the act too far and make it real. On top of that, the Steelclaw Guild was a mysterious organization rooted deeply in this city. No one could guarantee if they would not deploy all their hitmen on this mission. It was why Kaze arranged as many men as possible to be on the scene to ensure the safety of Darcy and her family. Under the staff’s guidance, Kaze, Darcy, and the family arrived at the morgue. They saw a crowd inside. All the branch families and their respective heads arrived. Phoenix, leaning on her walking cane, and Joan, seated in her wheelchair, were also there. Madam Dark and her family had served the Quint family for generations and she grew up with Phoenix. She took care of Phoenix, protected her, and they
South said with a sigh, “Kaze, you might not know First Tiger in person but he’s a man with a great mind and tactics. “He said the Steelclaw Guild would remain in the shadows while the Quint family roamed openly. If the Quint family wants revenge against us, then their family members will be our targets. “You, however, are not the same. He can’t see through you and he’s willing to sign a peace treaty with you instead of going to war against you without any solid reason.” Kaze smiled and said, “He’s a wise man indeed. I’m more curious about First Tiger than before. Tell him that I will play along with his plan. I owe him one.” After the call with South, the chief of the South River Police Department, Morgan Bale, called. “Mr. Lee, the servants of Phoenix Quint and the elder of the Quint family from Ridgesouth were killed in a car crash. All six of them died on the spot. I believe you’ve received the news.” As soon as the call got through, Morgan’s serious voice came through.
Agnes bellowed, “So what if Darcy suspects you? You did it, yet you won’t let people talk about you? My daughter is a chairwoman, she’s smart! She’s not like Sky who trusts you unconditionally. She has solid reasons to suspect you!” “I have to take this call.” Kaze did not want to argue with Agnes. The buzzing phone saved him in the nick of time and he went out after seeing South’s name on the screen. As though Agnes clutched on the very evidence that could prove Kaze did it, she jumped excitedly and shouted, “Look! He knew he couldn’t keep it up anymore! He’s going out to talk with the killer! “I’m telling you guys! Don’t trust people like him! He’s mad and he could do anything to you! He’s beyond saving…” While Agnes was being relentless with her groundless accusations, Kaze answered the phone. “Kaze, Phoenix Quint just contacted us and said you and your family would be at the funeral house. She even said if we wanted revenge, we could send people over there now and they
“Other than Kaze, who else has the motive to kill Madam Dark and her daughter? Didn’t you hear him when he shoved them out earlier? He said he would kill them! “I think he was afraid back then, but he didn’t want them coming after him, so he took the chance once they left! “Kaze, you’re horrible! How could you kill them?!” Agnes took a few steps away from Kaze and stared at him. “You’ve gotten bolder than ever. I really don’t know what else you don’t dare to do! Do you know what the consequences of your actions are? You can’t keep it hidden forever! People will eventually find out! “You think you can get away with it? Look again! The crash just happened, and the driver is already under investigation. A gambler in debts took the risk for money and pretended to be DUI. Do you think people are idiots? “Can’t you see it’s obvious? Now you’ve become a prime suspect! You better take responsibility and not get us involved, or I will make you regret it!” She scolded Kaze as her f