The trustor Honey referred to was Kaze. Sirius glanced at Kaze and scoffed. “Don’t worry about that. It’s just five billion. The Glitters still can afford it. It’s just a matter of cash flow. The money I used today will come back ten folds or even a hundred folds!” His gaze turned fierce. He thought he had won the bid for the Nether Viper Sword. No matter how resourceful or wealthy the other three organizations were, they would never spend a hefty five billion to purchase the Nether Viper Sword. They attended the auction and raised the price because they wanted to make the Viper’s Den look like a fool. They were not here for the sword because it would put them in the opposite position against the entire Viper’s Den. Therefore, the Glitters spending five billion for the Nether Viper Sword was considered a decent deal. They were not losing anything. Sirius wanted to kill Kaze with the sword and seized his and his wife’s assets. The combined value of the companies and as
Even though Sirius could claim ten billion from Kaze and his assets, he could not fork out that much money to get the Nether Viper Sword. Frustrated, he sat down and stared at the woman, saying, “Ten billion? Fine, the sword is yours. But do you even have that much money?” The woman did not care about Sirius’ sarcastic remark. She shot a frosty glance at him and said, “Shut up. Don’t speak if you are poor, you useless trash! The Nether Viper Sword is the sacred weapon of the Viper’s Den. Is ten billion really that much?” The moment Sol, Ruth, and the others heard the woman, they almost burst out in laughter. Sirius flushed, drowning in his own embarrassment and frustration. As a member of the Glitters, he was called useless trash by a nameless woman in public! Kaze did not laugh at him. He focused on the woman instead as thoughts ran through his mind. “Ten billion once.” “Ten billion twice.” “Sold! To the lady in the back!” Following the smack of the mallet, the Net
“My master said he will meet with you in person when you are done with your matters.” The woman then took the sword and left. “‘Hold it right there!” Before the woman could leave, two of Sirius’ men went up to her and blocked her exit. “You pretentious hag, hand over the sword!” One of them tried to snatch the sword away. Upon seeing the situation, many disdainful glances were shot at Sirius. He failed to reclaim the sword through the auction, so he decided to reclaim it through force. How shameless! Sirius stared at the exit nonchalantly as if he was not a part of it. The Dallas Black Card surprised him for a moment but he was not sure if it was still part of Kaze’s plan with Dallas Moneylender to trick him. After all, bringing someone with the Dallas Black Card into the fray might scare the Viper’s Den and Kaze could escape the punishments. Therefore, Sirius wanted to test if the woman was the real deal. The woman frowned. “Move,” she said. “Know your pl
The woman put the Nether Viper Sword away and said, “Fool. A gun is not the most lethal within a short distance. Your gun is meaningless in front of a true expert.” After berating Sirius, the woman shot a meaningful glance at Kaze before she left. Sirius stared at the exit blankly, speechless. Kaze curled his lips into a meaningful grin. It was an interesting exchange. The woman was not mocking Sirius. It would seem more appropriate that she was lecturing him. Kaze had an extra glance at Sirius, whose face was gloomy. He wondered if the fool could grasp the wisdom. After the woman left, all the guests in the auction hall regained their senses. What happened in that brief moment overwhelmed them. Sirius also slowly regained his composure and his mind cleared up. He wiped the blood off his forehead and then looked at Kaze coldly. “Mr. Lee, I don’t care what master she serves, you are going to die today!” The mysterious woman might have shocked everyone at the auct
Albert frowned. Suddenly, a frosty chuckle came from the entrance. The chuckle was not loud but it sounded like thunder, clapping right beside everyone’s ear. Many of the guests were frightened. Everyone turned to the entrance once again. A middle-aged man with a wrinkled face appeared at the entrance. He exuded an aura of authority without even speaking. His bearing, hands clasped behind his back, conveyed a sense of towering grandeur and deep unshakable presence, characteristics of someone in a position of power. No one dared to take him lightly. He scanned across the hall and ultimately landed his frosty gaze on Albert. “Chief Commander Hiden of the State Strategic Department. You have quite the nerve to act like a gangster without your uniform. You beat someone up in front of a crowd. “You said you are not in uniform and you are here as your own entity. Does it mean the Viper’s Den can arrest you?” “Hahaha! Branch Leader, you are just in time! Arrest Chief Com
“Chief Commander Hiden, without the uniform, you are just a common citizen. I, as the branch leader of Viper’s Den, do not need a warrant to arrest suspects or criminals. “You hit someone in the open and you question my authority to arrest you?” Albert scoffed. “Even without my uniform, or my title, you and your little den can’t arrest me!” “Young man, don’t speak too soon.” Magnus clasped his hand behind his back and shook his head. He said with a smile, “I know you come from a reputable noble family, the Harrowdale Hidens, whose history dates back a thousand years. “You are what they call a noble. Young masters from other wealthy families are like kids to you. Common authorities might not have the nerve to arrest you because of your privileged background.“But have you heard? Even the king must be punished according to the law when he commits a crime. Others might not dare to arrest you, but not the Viper’s Den!” The king would be punished according to the law when he co
Upon finding out Master Agar was from the Hiden family of Harrowdale, the guests quieted down. Many of the guests continued to scrutinize Master Agar subtly but dared not look him in the eye. Lilyrose was a small city. The local families could not even rival those in Sunrise City, let alone a noble family in Harrowdale. To Lilyroseans, a noble family was something from fairytales. If not for Albert or Master Agar, no one would have the chance to encounter a noble throughout their entire life. They were all human beings living on the same planet, breathing the same air, but the difference in status was huge. Due to the disconnection between social status, the commoners and the nobles would never cross paths. Master Agar might be from the Hidens, but he was only a martial artist serving the noble family. Technically he was not part of the family by blood, but people still revered him. Ruth, Sol, and Vigar might not be as surprised as the commoners but they too dared not t
Albert’s eyes burned with rage. “Trivial?” To him, protecting Kaze was not just his duty, it was his priority. If not for Kaze, his instructor who guided him on the battlefield and allowed him to seize all the war achievements, his family’s resources alone would not have been enough to make him the chief commander at such a young age. Yet Master Agar made it sound like something unimportant. Though he knew Master Agar served the madam, which also meant his words reflected the madam’s will. “Is it not?” Master Agar asked righteously. Losing his patience, Albert stepped forward and bellowed, “Go back and tell her…” “Albert!” Finally, Kaze intervened by calling Albert, stopping him. “You can leave now. Go back to the strategic department.” Kaze could tell that the madam that Master Agar referred to had absolute power in the Hiden family. Kaze did not want Albert to oppose the madam because of him, and he did not want Albert’s family to punish him either. “But I…”
As the air crackled with deadly intent, Draig’s heart pounded with dread. He was horrified that the Viper’s Den members were just as strong, if not stronger than him. Draig had no idea that these members were Viper’s Den South River State Branch’s key players. They were the elites of the elites in the South River State. “Easy there, gentlemen. Mr. Tenby is from abroad. He doesn’t know the rules of Arcadia. Please cut him some slack.” With Draig caught in a spot, Cyan came to the rescue. Since Cyan was nice about it, the leader of the pack scoffed and waved his arm. His companions quickly put away their weapons. “I don’t care where you came from, but you need to keep to the Arcadian rules since you’re here. You don’t get special favors here.” The leader stared at Draig and said icily, “This should not happen again. Now, get lost!” Draig burned with rage. The people, except for Kaze, had been bending over backward for Draig since his arrival in Arcadia. To think he
The Viper’s Den members yelled at Draig while pulling out their weapons. The air was thick with tension. Draig knew that it was not wise of him to fight during Hannah’s celebration. The Viper’s Den members would not stand by and let the commotion stew. Draig was caught between a rock and a hard place. By throwing the punch, he would be at odds with the Viper’s Den, but he could not turn the other cheek on the matter. “Just forget it, Mr. Tenby. Don’t get into it with a dropped loser. You’re only insulting yourself.” Cyan gave Draig an out. Draig retrieved his arm and scoffed. “Consider yourself lucky, Kaze.” A shadow of regret fleeted across Kaze’s eyes. If Draig were to start a fight, Kaze would have reason to finish him off and get rid of the annoyance. It was a shame that the Viper’s Den members stopped anything from happening. Cyan criticized, “Mr. Tenby is only looking out for you, Kaze. Yet, you stomped on his car key. You went too far. Hurry up and apologiz
“Nevermind. Why are we wasting our time with the likes of him? We don’t belong in the same world anyway.” Draig waved his arm. “Come on. Let’s get inside.” Dumping his car on the side of the road, Draig led Cyan and her friends into Bronze Sparrow. “Huh? How did Kaze get in? Can he get in?” one influencer exclaimed. The crowd watched in shock as Kaze stepped through the door. “Branch Leader!” The members of the Viper’s Den South River State Branch perked up when Kaze showed up. They, Hannah’s trusted aides, knew who Kaze was. Kaze acknowledged the greeting. “Is everybody here?” The head of the pack said in respect, “Many guests have arrived. Ms. Delmore and Mr. Ettinger will be here once they are done with work. Should I inform them to keep you company, sir?” “No, I’ll sit and wait.” Kaze waved his arm and made his way inside. “Hold it right there, Kaze!” Cyan’s angry voice came from behind. “Are you aware of the event at Bronze Sparrow? Do you know who the
“Kaze, I heard that your wife dumped your ass. Are you pinching pennies now? “You had a fancy car and a beautiful lady by your side just a couple of days ago, and now, you’re riding a bike.“I guess you want to do more than just a valet service.” Draig pulled out more cash to give to Kaze. “You can get my car washed too.“I’ll give you another twenty bucks. The money should be enough for you to get fried chicken or something for lunch.”“Hahaha!”Cyan and her friends laughed out loud. Twenty bucks for a fried chicken. That kind of life seemed far away for these people. Cyan suddenly scowled. “I’m warning you, Kaze. My family will not take pity on you just because your wife kicked you out.“Don’t try to leech off my family.” Cyan thought Kaze was so alpha at Emerald Bull Palace two days ago. The mayor was Kaze’s backing, and Juan was his apprentice. Yet now, Kaze was divorced and kicked out. It meant one thing. If Kaze was indeed badass, Darcy, who knew and love
Sucking up to Cyan, the influencers offered her words of comfort. Though Cyan did not have an invitation, she was close with Draig. The influencers could attend the event through Draig with Cyan’s help. Despite having other thoughts, the influencers knew better than to put Cyan down. A Mercedes G-wagon pulled up by the road. The car door opened, and Draig jumped out. He took off his sunglasses and said with a smile, “Why aren’t you going in, Cyan?” Cyan replied with a grin, “We don’t have an invite, Mr. Tenby. We’re waiting for you to take us in.“Oh, where’s your invite, Mr. Tenby?” She was confused as Draig did not seem to be holding anything. “An invite? It’s just a party for Hannah. You don’t need an invitation card.” Draig smiled confidently. “My name is basically our pass into the place. You can just say that you’re with me.” “Wow! You’re the man, Mr. Tenby.” “Mr. Tenby is so badass. You are total boyfriend material.” The influencers drooled over Draig, a
The influencers dropped their jaws in shock and looked at Cyan enviously. “Oh, my gawd! Marrying the branch leader is your gateway to super fame.” “Is it true, Cyan? Really?” The influencers hounded Cyan. Cyan rolled her eyes at Sweetpea. “Don’t take it from Sweetpea. “The VIPs from the South River State Branch did make a subtle mention. “I’m not sure whether Sponge is the branch leader since I’ve never met him before. “Just keep this between yourselves. Don’t spread the word. I’d be embarrassed if the whole thing was all a misunderstanding. “The branch leader keeps a low profile, and no one has met him in person before. “I doubt he likes to be put in the spotlight, so I’m playing it discreetly too.” Cyan spoke and acted reservedly. However, her smug look revealed her true thoughts. “Haha. Wouldn’t you meet the branch leader today?” “I see why you are so sure to take us to the celebration. We’d never get into a place like this on our own.” The influencers l
It never occurred to Kaze that Cyan and her influencer friends would attend Hannah’s celebration too. Before Cyan said anything, one influencer put her hand over her lips and said with a smile, “Get with the times, Anna. Cyan’s family isn’t just close with the senior members of the Viper’s Den. She’s going to be part of the organization soon.” “Huh?” Stunned, the other influencers asked, “What’s going on? Just tell us, Sweetpea!” Sweetpea was the influencer who just spilled the beans. She was Cyan’s closest friend and biggest ass-kisser. Taking Cyan by the shoulder, Sweetpea said, “Remember Cyan’s number one fan?” “Yeah!”“Sponge has been a fan of Cyan even before she signed with Golden Scale Corporation. Sponge tipped her tens of millions.”“That was how Cyan caught the eye of Golden Scale Corporation, and she became a hit.” The influencers chattered among themselves, all familiar with Sponge. They came from nothing and clawed their way up online.Their beginnings
The next afternoon, Kaze arrived at the parking lot outside Bronze Sparrow. It was packed with fancy cars. Needless to say, the underground garage must be filled with cars too. Hannah’s celebration was held in Bronze Sparrow. Just a few days ago, Siberian infiltrated Bronze Sparrow and abducted Anzu. The incident caused quite a stir in the upper crust of Riverbank. At the same time, the underground powerhouses were eager to get involved. As Miru, the up-and-coming underworld boss, seemed to be all bark and no bite, they wanted to see what she was made of. Bronze Sparrow, a place where troublemakers once ceased to exist, had to deal with incidents daily. Despite Miru getting tough on these troublemakers, business at Bronze Sparrow took a nosedive anyway. Miru was frustrated with the situation. Siberian had been a threat to the Viper’s Den for many years. It was no surprise that Miru’s crew could not defeat him. This time, Siberian’s death at the hands of the Viper’s
Kaze was taken aback. “How did you know?” “How?” June’s lips curled. “It’s all over town by now. Darcy is the chairwoman of Sky Ocean Corporation. Have you any idea how many eyes are on a rich and beautiful girl like her? “Her divorce has caught the attention of men, and they are going to try their luck with her.” It did not take Kaze much to know that the Quint family members had nothing better to do. Agnes had been hoping to marry her daughter up. However, Darcy had the power, money, and connections to be playing with the big leagues herself. Agnes’ expectations for her future son-in-law would only go higher. Despite her lack of brain cells, Agnes would not do something degrading like circulating the news of her daughter’s divorce. “Hey! Why do you seem indifferent about this?” June elbowed Kaze. “How do you think I should react?” Kaze found June baffling. June looked disappointed. “You don’t seem upset that you were dumped.” “Get a life.” Kaze did not hav