Christian did find his assumption ridiculous because it was not something Kaze was capable of. However, he was left with the most absurd possibility after eliminating all likelihoods. “I must get headquarters to dispatch an expert soon before I die here.” Christian got in touch with Zion headquarters and relayed the recent incident. Without hesitation, he named Kaze as the killer. He wanted to light a fire under headquarters’ ass to send backup. If Christian could not be sure about the killer, Zion would waste time evaluating the enemy for the sake of precaution. “The company has decided to send the chief instructor to Arcadia, Christian.” Soon, an executive of Zion came to Christian, bearing news. “What? The chief instructor is coming?” Christian jumped off the couch in shock and joy. “Thank God. The chief instructor will sort Kaze out.” “Christian, who is the chief instructor?” Christian’s reaction piqued Cosmo’s interest. Once Christian was off the phone, Co
The Powells’ wealth topped 10 billion Gyros. If the Powells only had money, they would be no different than the other rich Arcadians. They would not be able to mingle with the local elites. The Powells’ break to be part of the elite circle came when one of them became a chief instructor in the military and rose to prominence. Since then, the Powells were not just wealthy, but they also climbed the social ladder and became part of the exclusive upper class. The individual who gave the Powells glory was Gunter. Gunter had always been obsessed with Arcadian martial arts. He returned to Arcadia at the age of eighteen and spent years refining and perfecting his art. He and Gareth got to know each other at the time, and they trained under the same teacher. Upon earning success in his craft, Gunter did not stay in Arcadia. Instead, he went back to Glowmoss and joined the army for foreign nationals. Glowmoss possessed extensive overseas colonies.The legion had previously enga
Niko kept to his humped position while waiting. The wait was an hour. Anybody else would not have lasted long with their back hunched over. Though drenched in sweat, Niko remained still. He was indeed remarkable in mindset and determination. The door to the castle finally opened. A young man with emotionless and sharp facial features walked out. The young man looked to be younger than Niko by two years. Niko put a straight face on and greeted courteously, “Sonny.” Sonny was Gunter’s student. Compared to other members of the Powell family, Sonny was favored by Gunter. Even though Niko was one of the heirs of the Powells, he dared not show Sonny any disrespect. “Mr. Powell wants to see you, Mr. Niko. Come with me.” Sonny callously uttered before walking into the castle. Niko knew he was halfway there now that Gunter granted him an audience. Thrilled, Niko entered the castle and met Gunter sitting in meditation. “Uncle Gunter.” Niko went up excitedly, got
Niko did not wait long for an answer. A brief moment later, Gunter opened his eyes. “Gareth saved my life in Arcadia. “I’ll deal with this. “Lee must die.” Gunter kept a stoic face, his voice reflecting an icy chill. The fall of the Viper’s Den did not bother Gunter. Niko and Sonny knew that Gunter was strong enough to be unfazed by an organization’s defeat. With that, Niko said, “I’m happy to go with you to Arcadia and serve you.” Gunter nodded callously. Niko was overjoyed. Given Gunter’s combat skills and power, no one could stop him in Arcadia. Kaze had nothing on Gunter. If Niko tended to Gunter well, his position as the family successor would be guaranteed. Besides, Niko would have no trouble expanding the family business to Arcadia. Sonny let out a smile. It had been mundane and boring staying in the castle with Gunter. Power and women were all Sonny ever wanted. He could not wait to get to Arcadia and show what he was made of. Sonny was Gun
Several minutes later, another person emerged out of the aircraft door. The group watched in anticipation, knowing that the person was Gunter. A hale and hearty middle-aged man with a straight face appeared. He steadily took the steps down. He had an entourage behind him. “That must be Gunter Powell.” The group here for the airport pick-up was blown away. The middle-aged man clearly ranked the highest among them. He was Gunter Powell. However, they had a different impression of Gunter. They were expecting to see Gunter radiating wisdom and detached from worldly concerns. It never occurred to the group that Gunter would look younger than most of them. He did not look a day past his fifties. However, everybody knew that Gunter was pushing sixty. Gunter’s towering figure and rugged physique gave off a presence of power. In general, Gunter carried himself differently than Gareth. Gareth would look like Gunter’s teacher if they stood together. “Welcome, Mr.
The three top mercenaries once belonged to Glowmoss’ legion for foreign nationals. Training under Gunter, the trio became the top decorated soldiers in the legion. The trio later retired from the army with Gunter and joined Zion Mercenaries. They were now Zion Mercenaries’ aces. Gunter took them along to Arcadia. Just as everybody bowed to Gunter, several cars pulled up outside the crowd. The car doors opened, and another group got out. The representatives of different entities were surprised to see the woman leading the new group. Gunter’s men worked fast, quickly encircling the unwelcome guests. The female leader looked at Gunter fearlessly and said, “I am Hannah Delmore, the chief of the serious crime unit of the Viper’s Den’s branch in Westeros. I need a word with you.” The woman was Hannah, who was defeated by Kaze. “Oh, she represents the Arcadian government. Let them through,” with his hands behind his back, Gunter said indifferently. Once Zion Mercenarie
Gunter was the definition of aggression and cockiness. He killed Christian right in front of the Viper’s Den while asking the chief whether it was an issue. Hannah was brewing in anger. While Gunter expressed it was only an act of housecleaning, everybody knew that he did not take Hannah seriously. The Viper’s Den’s branch in Westeros meant squat. Fighting back the anger, Hannah took a deep breath and said, “Christian entered the country illegally. We were going to arrest him and deport him. “So no, I don’t have a problem, Mr. Powell.” Hannah was filled with despair and helplessness. Ever since Magnus died in Lilyrose, the Vipers’ Den’s branch in Westeros became a joke. Their pride was trampled on. No one would dismiss the organization before. Gunter chuckled and turned to Hannah. “I heard that you rushed to Lilyrose to avenge him when you learned of his death.” Hannah was Gareth’s goddaughter, and Gunter trained under the same teacher as Gareth. They were som
“Come on. We’re heading back to Lilyrose.” Beaming with excitement, Cosmo was eager to get back to Lilyrose and assert his authority. “Sorry to bother you, but are you Cosmo Lee?” A voice, laced with a foreign accent, came from behind. A group of foreigners in smart suits approached. The leader was a handsome man in his thirties. By the looks of the man’s bearing and entourage, Cosmo knew he must be important. Cosmo asked courteously, “And you are?” The man replied politely, “I am Andrew Baux from Paladia.” “Sir Baux once had the honor of an audience with the Queen and even received a knighthood. He’s in charge of Blossoms Corporation. Oh, you know the company better known as Tulip Corporation in Arcadia,” the follower behind Andrew said. Tulip Corporation was formally known as Blossoms Corporation. The company was widely referred to as Tulip Corporation, reflecting the prestige of its founder, the renowned Tulip family of Paladia.“Oh, Sir Baux. I’ve heard so muc
Aiden broke out in a cold sweat when he remembered losing Crown Tower at the auction. He said solemnly, “I’m sorry, Ms. Hara. The fault lies in me.”“I love a strong and powerful man who can handle me, Mr. Krad. I don’t need a rash man who can’t think straight.” Reiko grabbed a towel and wiped every inch of Aiden’s body. Her fingers coasted along Aiden’s Adam’s apple, and she said indifferently, “You better ask us before you make the next move. Otherwise, you might lose the chance to work with us again.” Aiden gritted his teeth and said nothing. Dropping the attitude, Aiden was as meek as a kitten in front of Reiko.He was usually the one getting handsy with Reiko. By the time Reiko withdrew her arm, Aiden’s expression had hardened. He read between the lines. Reiko talked about dropping him, not the Krads. In other words, Reiko could go to another member of the Krads to collaborate. Aiden’s competition was within his family. He aimed to be the top of his family.
Aiden’s words trailed off. The Ryokanians were never out to get Kaze. They were trying to bring Kent down through Kaze. The only conflict between Kaze and the Ryokanians was business rivalry, and there was no reason to escalate negotiable deals to a personal level. Kent was a different story. He was the mayor of Riverbank. He passed the bills for policies. One policy could decide the fate of a business. Kent’s policies could eliminate the Ryokanian presence in Riverbank. Kent must die. The Ryokanians could get Kaze out of the picture. If necessary, they could call it a truce with him too. That was what the Ryokanians thought. There was a fundamental difference between the Ryokanians’ attitude toward Kaze and Kent. The only thing on Aiden’s mind was to get rid of Kaze. Aiden simply took hits at Kent because the latter was Kaze’s supporter. He and the Ryokanians were after different things. Due to the lack of transparency in their communication, the plan had gon
Aiden chuckled in delight and grabbed Reiko’s hand to pull her close. He sniffed her hand and said with a manic laugh, “Don’t worry, Ms. Hara. I will get you Crown Tower before killing him. “Hahaha! He’s just a loser. What does he have to compete with me?” Aiden gripped Reiko’s hand and threw his head back to guffaw. “Splash!” Reiko raised her hand and poured her drink on Aiden. Aiden choked on the drink, interrupting his laughter.“Cough, cough.” It took Aiden a while to get over it. He shot an angry look at Reiko and shouted, “Have you lost it, Reiko?” Aiden was surprised to see Reiko looking rather aloof. Reiko had always clung to him, catering to all his needs since they met. She made him feel like a king. Yet now, Reiko caught him off guard by turning on him. Aiden had no idea what was going on. “You have some explaining to do, bitch,” Aiden grabbed a towel to wipe his face while uttering furiously. Unfazed by Aiden’s temper, Reiko said with a blank face,
“Despite your training, you were defenseless at the hands of Kaze. It appears the disowned member of the Lees is more powerful than we thought.” A woman’s voice, bearing a heavy Ryokanian accent, boomed. Reiko, dressed in a black and gold dress, brewed tea on her knees. Her delicate hands moved with grace and allure. There was a temptation to hold her hands forever. Aiden’s gaze turned cold. Shifting his eyes from Darcy and Snow, Aiden looked at Kaze’s photo in the center of the board. Embracing his urge to kill, Aiden threw his sword. “Swoosh!” The sword sank into Kaze’s face, piercing through the board. Aiden took a seat across from Reiko and smiled ruthlessly at her. “Well, he can’t fight weapons with bare hands. I can assure you that Kaze will not get away this time. “I want him to give up Crown Tower. Once I squeeze every little thing out of him, he can die.” “Oh?” Reiko poured a drink and passed it to Aiden. She said with a smile, “We can do our best, bu
“Don’t feel discouraged. Just pursue in the direction I’ve told you. I can guarantee that you’ll be fine,” Kaze said while patting Morgan’s shoulder. Wallace could not possibly restrain Morgan, the state police chief, from doing his job. Surely, Morgan had people he could trust. Kaze gave Morgan the go-ahead to investigate and to direct any needs to Snow. Despite the presence of the police force and Wallace’s eyes on site, Kaze had no qualms about letting his intentions known. It was baffling that Kaze acted like he was Morgan’s superior. The police looked at Kaze in reverence. Kaze challenged the deputy governor’s authority and talked down to the state police chief in public. There was something mysterious about Kaze. Now, they knew that the case was more than just a murder. It was part of a larger power struggle. They were just insignificant in the grand scheme of things. The state police force dropped the arrogance while questioning Kaze. They would only be c
The Frosts were prominent in the South River State. Wallace was a man of power and wealth. Plus, he was an established deputy governor. He did not have to give a damn about anybody else. He could care less about Kaze. No one could change Wallace’s mind, not even if Kent were there. With that in mind, Wallace walked past Morgan and said curtly to the police force, “I expect you to be on this case.“You will report to me on every little progress. “I’m not asking for much. I expect you to respect the law, deliver justice, protect the good…” Wallace glanced at Kaze and stressed. “And punish the bad.” He carried himself with aggression and authority. Though nothing was said outright, Wallace basically stripped Morgan’s power and disregarded his opinion. Morgan grimaced hard. There was clearly no trust between them, and Wallace believed Morgan played favorites. Besides, Wallace ordered Morgan’s subordinates around, clearly bypassing his authority. Wallace’s behavior
Wallace looked fierce and sounded firm. A live-in husband who got into his current position through nepotism, despite having made a name for himself and getting the support of the mayor of Riverbank, he was still involved in a murder and showed no remorse for what happened. Instead, he tried to go around the system to free himself. Wallace looked down on people like Kaze from the bottom of his heart. Kaze suddenly laughed after hearing the man, which fueled his agitation. He bellowed, “What are you laughing at?” “I am laughing at you for being a busybody, Deputy Governor Frost.” Under Wallace’s fierce gaze, Kaze chuckled and said, “Deputy Governor Frost, I don’t care what you think of me, but I have two things to say. “First, I am not a suspect and I have nothing to do with this case. Second, my relationship with Snow is also none of your business.” “Hey! Watch your mouth!” “Mind your choice of words, Kaze Lee!” “What gave you the right to talk to the deputy gover
Kaze looked at the entrance. The man was probably in his 50s, tall and upright, striding and exuding a sense of commanding presence. His expression looked stern, his eyes fierce, expressing his authority and superiority. Morgan was slightly surprised before he went over to the man. He bowed and said respectfully, “Mr. Frost! You’re here?” Upon hearing Morgan call the man, Kaze knew the man’s identity. Wallace Frost, like Mitchell, was one of the two deputy governors. Unlike Neegan and Michell, who were not locals and were simply transferred to their positions, Wallace had been serving South River State for many years and earned himself a high reputation. More importantly, as his name suggested, he was from the Frost family. However, his family was from a distant branch and had rooted themselves in Riverbank rather than Butterworth, though he was still in contact with the main family in Butterworth. In other words, if Snow was around, she would have to call the man unc
Donovan bit his lips, his expression clearly showed his internal struggles. Kaze did not waste time and referred to Morgan. “Chief Bale, based on the recording, I think it’s enough to relieve them of their duties.” “Of course. The wrong interrogation method is against our rules. They would not only be relieved of their duties but also be investigated. They had nothing against you but they took the risk to cross the line. I believe they must have received bribes from whoever is behind them. “Once the investigation is complete, it will be a criminal offense.” Thump! After the last word came out of Morgan’s lips, Donovan fell on his knees immediately. He spoke with a righteous voice earlier, accusing Kaze of committing an atrocious crime. Now, he became the one who would be punished and charged. “Mr. Lee, it’s Aiden! Aiden Krad! He gave us ten million and told us to make you call the mayor. He wanted to use his power to get you out of here…” Donovan then spilled everything