Sonny did not break eye contact with Kaze, his face grimacing. A student of Gunter, Sonny knew best what these two legati were made of. Though they were a lot weaker than Mosiah, not many in Glowmoss could defeat them.Yet, they were crushed. Niko found it the hardest to accept reality. He was convinced that the Three Great Legati would make Kaze grovel at his feet and submit to him. Reality told a different story. The weight of the situation came crashing down on Niko. “That’s impossible. No way.“Uncle Gunter took the legati under his wing. They couldn’t possibly be killed easily. I bet he played dirty,” Niko yelled menacingly. He seemed to be at breaking point. “Played dirty? Ha.” Kaze scoffed and drew close to slap Niko in the face. Wham!Niko crashed to the ground, his jaw dropped as blood gushed out. Kaze did not hold back his strength, nearly whipping the life out of Niko. Unable to take it anymore, Sonny stepped forward and said grimly, “Niko belongs to
Sonny’s death struck fear in Niko and Cosmo. They did not expect Kaze to get blood on his hands. Sonny was Gunter’s most cherished student. Yet, Kaze killed him without hesitation. Even though Niko and Cosmo were no saints, they would never hurt Sonny. Fear finally sunk in for Niko and Cosmo. Thump! They fell to their knees. “Don’t kill me, Kaze. Please don’t kill me.“Just name your price.” They crouched low, laying their heads down before Kaze in a plea for forgiveness. “I can spare your lives, but you can’t escape a punishment.” Kaze, aloof as a god delivering final judgment, said, “You prey on the weak, and for that, I’ll strip off your manhood.” “Thank you.” Niko and Cosmo were overjoyed by Kaze’s show of mercy, but the punishment threw them for a loop. “No! Please, Kaze. Don’t do this.” They begged desperately. Niko and Cosmo would rather die than live without being men. “The punishment fits the crime.” Kaze shook his head and left those words
After driving the Hornbergs out, Gunter occupied the Hornberg Manor in Sunrise City. Gunter was having his usual tea. Mosiah, the top Great Legatus, stood quietly by the wall, his presence still. It would be hard to notice a person standing there. Gunter took a sip and tilted his head at Mosiah before sighing. “It’s a shame. Looks like you might not be put to use on this Arcadian trip.” Niko and Sonny took the two of the Great Legati to Lilyrose. Gunter kept track of Niko and Sonny’s every move in Lilyrose. He had utmost trust in Sonny’s competence too. Niko stood out among his peers in the Powell family. Gunter believed Sonny and Niko would have no problems with their journey to Lilyrose. “Not much is worth my time in Arcadia.” Mosiah was a man of few words. After a brief silence, he gave such a response and ended the conversation there. He only responded because it was Gunter. Mosiah would ignore anyone else, and that included Antovan and Gustav. Knowing t
Gunter stood there, staring blankly at the three coffins without a word. He would grimace at times, a clear sign that he was not as composed as he seemed. Even without opening the coffins, Gunter realized the inevitable and mentally prepared himself for the outcome. “My condolences, Mr. Powell,” George, the head of the Lees, approached with his men and uttered. The Lees escorted the three coffins from Lilyrose. George received the tragic news that revolved around his son, Cosmo, who had turned out to incite Sonny to wreak havoc in Lilyrose.To prevent Gunter from getting the wrong idea and resenting the Lees, George swallowed his grief and fetched the coffins back to Hornberg Manor. Brushing George off, Gunter took a deep breath after a long, stifling silence and spoke, “Open them.” Mosiah went up without a word and whacked his palm on the covers of three coffins, slamming the lids off the caskets. Gunter drew close and scanned each coffin emotionlessly. They were
“So the boy from the Butterworth Queens is involved too?“I heard the Queens were the biggest shareholders of Sky Ocean Corporation, and Kaze’s wife was merely working for them. It seems to me that the Queens are highly supportive of Kaze. “It explains why the bastard was able to reach power in Lilyrose so quickly.” Gunter sneered, reflecting his indifference toward the Butterworth Queens in his words. The Lees might dread old money like the Queens because both families established themselves in Arcadia. The Queens had businesses in South River State while the Lees built an empire in Butterworth. Both families would risk retaliation if they engaged in open conflict.The clashes between powerful and wealthy families were often kept under the table as the consequences could be damaging. Conflict, in fact, would present vulnerabilities that outside entities can exploit.However, the Powells made their mark overseas. Gunter could attack the Queens without any reservations
“Kaze is hosting a send-off party at the mayor’s office to formally step down from his position, Mr. Powell. “All the important people in Lilyrose have received an invitation.” George relayed the latest news with a smile. There they were, racking their brains to remove Kaze from office and kill him without repercussions from the Arcadian government. To their surprise, Kaze turned around and resigned from his position. The news could not have come at a better time. Gunter raised a brow. “Why is the bastard stepping down out of the blue?” By right, Kaze should not give up on a huge political achievement and on gaining resources and connections in return following the launch of the Lilyrose New City project.Anyone with a sane mind would cling to the leadership role in Lilyrose. Something did not seem right. George said with a smile, “The governor appoints the mayor. Perhaps someone is doing you a favor and making things easier for you. “Maybe someone else is looking
Everybody, including George, had a hair-raising moment. The whole thing just blew up. They could already imagine the outcome. Kaze’s send-off would only be attended by the employees at the mayor’s office and no one else. Meanwhile, Sonny would have a grand funeral. This was not just Gunter’s revenge. It was also a flex in preparation for the Glowmoss Powells’ expansion into the Arcadian market. “Find a nice spot for Sonny’s burial in Lilyrose.” Gunter waved his arm. “Yes, sir.” Luis wiped away his cold sweat and responded with his head down. … The communities in the South River State were huge. Yet, Gunter’s message spread across the state in less than an hour. A small city like Lilyrose became the focus of the state. Parties from either side of the law were taken aback by the news. The Glowmoss Powells were painted like royalty due to their success overseas. Yet, the family was ready to pull all the stops to attack a guy who took his wife’s last name in
Heeding Gunter’s call, the Powells and Zion Mercenaries swarmed to Lilyrose, and the numbers rose to tens of thousands. The South River State felt the tremors of impending conflict. Lilyrose, where everything would come together, became the center of attention. All eyes were on that piece of land. Chatter and rumors flared. It was said that the Powells and Zion Mercenaries contacted their friends in high places to put pressure on the South River State’s governor against bailing Kaze out. Based on past incidents, Kaze seemed close to Loid. At least, Kaze likely became the mayor because of Loid’s approval. … A conversation went on in the mayor’s office of Lilyrose. “Are you really stepping down, Mr. Lee? Lilyrose is developing fast, and the city needs you more than ever.” Caleb, Lou, and the others stood before Kaze, reluctant to say goodbye. They were not putting on a show. The feelings were genuine. Kaze was not a mayor for long, but he had achieved many great
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