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
“But if the inspection fails, Sky Ocean Corporation’s early investments will be wasted. Without recouping those initial funds, their financial chain could become strained.”Andrew smiled hintingly. Cosmo got the message. Andrew wanted to manipulate the inspection to hinder Sky Ocean Corporation. Cosmo asked, “But the Butterworth Queens hold shares in Sky Ocean Corporation too. They won’t allow this to happen.” “That’s why it will take two of us to make it happen.” Andrew cut to the chase. “We are in the South River State, and the Butterworth Queens are from out of state. Are they worth the concern, Mr. Lee?” Cosmo shook his head. “But my family has assets in Butterworth. The Queens could just turn on us, so my family will lose out anyway.” He was not a fool. While the Queens and the Lees battled it out, Blossoms Corporation would swoop in and benefit from it all. Andrew said, “How about this? Blossoms Corporation will take the front stage while your family works behind
It took a lot of effort for Agnes to break her daughter up with Kaze. There was no way she would allow Kaze to have a second shot with Darcy. The way Agnes saw it, her daughter was the head of the Quints in the South River State and the chairwoman of Sky Ocean Corporation. Darcy was beautiful and a great catch. Kaze did not mean squat. While Agnes danced with joy, several vehicles turned up outside the villa. These cars belonged to two different parties. The first group was in fancy cars while the other group was much more discreet. Still, nobody would dismiss government vehicles. Though surprised, Darcy quickly went up to greet the people. “Chief Yaphet, Mr. Jayne, what brings you here?” The alphas of both groups were not some big VIP to Darcy’s family. However, they had control over Sky Ocean Corporation’s future. More accurately, the entities that these people worked for held the fate of Sky Ocean Corporation in their hands. Welson, a middle-ranking official in the
“No way! Madam Quint had no reason to kill Madam Dark.” There was a bustle at Villa No. 1. Despite the statement coming from the police, the crowd was skeptical that Phoenix would kill anyone. Agnes and Darcy found the truth hard to swallow. If Phoenix were behind the evil assassination, they would be wrong about Kaze. The police officer said, “We learned that the dump truck driver received 1.2 million dollars before the accident. We tracked the money to one of Phoenix’s people in Ridgesouth. “We looked into Phoenix’s phone records and discovered that she contacted the Steelclaw Guild through the dark web. “She had no idea that we have eyes on the dark web. Though we don’t know the specifics of her deal with the Steelclaw Guild, she would only have one reason to contact an assassination organization.“The Steelclaw Guild’s killer then showed up at the funeral parlor.“We are linking these two incidents, and our prime suspect is Phoenix, who is now deceased.“We didn’t de
“Kaze, do you know how unfamiliar and frightened you’re making me feel right now?“Why was the Steelclaw Guild’s killer after you? If today didn’t happen, I wouldn’t know that you had gotten yourself in deep trouble. “I don’t know what else you are hiding from me. I even wonder if you were behind Madam Dark’s car accident. “My feelings toward you have been true, but family is equally important to me. “I’m afraid that one day, you will get my parents and brother killed.” Darcy let everything out. The storm in Kaze’s eyes quelled.He grabbed a pen and signed his name before taking his copy. Kaze placed the other copy on the table before walking away. As the people in the villa watched on in shock, Agnes dropped her jaw in joy. Agnes thought that it would take a lot of talking and crying to push Darcy in the right direction. To her surprise, Darcy filed for divorce right away. Nevertheless, she was quick to complain. “You are silly, Darcy. You should have asked for V
“Oh, don’t give me that!” Agnes said without a care, “All I know is that you stood by and got Madam Quint killed. “Why can’t you think before you act, Kaze? What are you going to do when the Quints hold you responsible?“Do you think this is the end of the matter? With Madam Quint dead, the Quints would demand answers.“Here you are, saying that you weren’t trying to get us killed. “You should set my daughter free now! I demand a divorce.” Agnes clamored. “I can’t sleep well at night, thinking I have to spend another day with a snake. “The ball is in your court, Darcy. Either he stays, or I go.” Agnes was determined to force her daughter into dumping Kaze’s sorry ass. Kaze turned to Darcy. “Let’s move out, babe. We can buy another house to live in.” He looked weary for once. Kaze felt drained. There was never a moment of peace whenever he was at home. Agnes would push Darcy into getting a divorce every time Kaze showed his face. Kaze had tried addressing the iss
Kaze said indifferently, “I don’t want to talk to you about this. Just carry on living in their own world.” “What? You have nothing to say for yourself, so you shut up?” Agnes was on full steam ahead. “Why didn’t you kneel when we were on our knees? Don’t you care whether we die?“Are you wishing we were dead?” Despite the grilling, Kaze remained indifferent. Agnes took things far and pressed on. “Were you trying to egg the killer into killing Madam Quint and Joan?“You were afraid of Madam Quint’s retaliation once the word about Madam Dark and Shadow’s accident got out, so you wanted to silence her.” Sky could not stand by anymore. “That’s extreme, Mom. K-Kaze—” “Was what?” Agnes glared at him. “The killer broke Madam Quint’s fingers, fractured her leg, and killed her and Joan. It’s clear that she was triggered by Kaze. “Once or twice might be a coincidence, but we’re talking about this happening multiple times. Isn’t it a deliberate act?” Agnes was witty to make
It had only been an hour since Phoenix met her demise. Yet the Ridgesouth Quints had already come to a decision. Even Kaze had to admit that the Ridgesouth Quints were highly efficient. The Quints’ approach was simple but highly effective. With Phoenix dead, the Quint family members in the South River State were without a leader. As the situation remained unclear and loomed with potential threats, it was best to put Darcy in charge of picking up the pieces. One thing stood out when the Quints handled business. It showed the Quints prioritized their own interest above all else. The Quints were not in a rush to investigate Phoenix’s death, avenge her, or question Hector’s family. Their aim was to cut their losses and reassure the family. The Ridgesouth Quints did not even mention Phoenix’s funeral. Different from Hector’s family’s joy, the other family members were horrified. “I’m sorry to upset you before, Darcy. Please forgive us.” “We were wrong. We are terribly so
“The head honcho made a wise choice.” South talked as if the plan benefited them all. The Steelclaw Guild did not consider the risk of sending Anzu after Kaze and his loved ones. Kaze survived the assassination and proved to the Steelclaw Guild that he was worth the risk. However, what if he had died? The Steelclaw Guild would let Phoenix know that she owed them one. Either way, the Steelclaw Guild would not be losing out on anything. The Steelclaw Guild had a collaboration with Kaze, but they were not in on it together. Kaze shook his head. The Steelclaw Guild was an assassination organization for a reason. They only worked for themselves and were not worth Kaze’s trust. He said curtly, “Tell your head honcho that I don’t owe your people anything anymore. “But you owe me one.” No one else but Kaze would demand something from the Steelclaw Guild. Anyone else in Kaze’s place would swallow the bitter pill and move on. Not Kaze, though. He was not scared of the
With Anzu dead, Kaze got rid of one major problem. Since the police would tie up loose ends at the funeral parlor, Kaze and Darcy’s family were free to leave under the escort of police officers. Other Quint family members in the South River State departed alongside Kaze and Darcy’s family. These people feared for their lives. It dawned on them that they were safe with Darcy’s family, especially since the police were determined to keep Darcy’s family safe and sound before. They followed Darcy’s family, not leaving them out of their sight. Dozens of members swarmed into Villa No. 1, leaving the residence rather cramped. “It’s such a waste of space for a small family to live in a big, luxurious place.” “I guess there are perks to kissing up to the mayor.” The Quint family members, making themselves too at home, occupied the space and made snide remarks. Darcy did not possess power or influence after losing Sky Ocean Corporation. They did not care what Darcy’s family t
Like Joan, Phoenix never would have imagined that she would die in such a humiliating way. Kaze did not even move his hands. He simply said a few words and Anzu killed her. Phoenix died with her eyes wide open, but the light quickly faded. The last image reflected upon her eyes was Kaze grinning brightly with his teeth gleaming under the light. “Bastard…” That was Phoenix’s last word. In just the blink of an eye, the respected elder of the Quint family had turned into a lifeless corpse. Every other family member at the scene gasped in shock. “Die, Kaze Lee!” Anzu’s killing spree did not stop with just two deaths. She shouted at Kaze but she dashed toward Darcy. Swoosh! Kaze had anticipated this. With a swift movement, he shifted sideways to position himself in front of Anzu, blocking her. Anzu swung her arms forward, launching multiple poisoned shurikens at him. Darcy was right behind him, so Kaze dared not dodge the shurikens. It was either him or Darcy. Howe