Delighted as if he saw the beacon of hope, Newell said, “Thank you, Chief Delegate…” Thump! Before he could finish, Kaze flung the broken sword at him, stabbing into his chest and pinning him against the door of the courtyard. “Ugh…” Newell groaned in pain. He looked at Kaze in disbelief. “H-How dare you attack me!” He never expected Kaze to attack him without a second of hesitation in Scarlet’s presence. “I said, from the moment you set this all up to kill me, you should have expected me to retaliate and eventually take your life. Not even Autumn, the Viper Queen, can save you today.” Kaze walked closer. “No! Chief Delegate, please save me!” Newell begged for mercy as he continued to bleed, but his plea did not work at all. Kaze flicked the hilt of the sword, sending a powerful vibration into Newell’s body. Buzz! The broken blade vibrated violently, ripping the remaining life force away from Newell’s body. Everyone in the Ettinger family was shocked by the un
“Kaze Lee, you!” The other elite agents of the Viper’s Den were infuriated but scared as well. They did not expect Kaze to strike one of them. Even Newell would have to be humble and respectful to them when he was alive. However, Kaze slapped one of them without any solid reason, treating them similarly to the Ettingers. His arrogance was intolerable to some of the elite agents. “Chief Delegate, please do something!” “He’s going out of control! He must be punished!” Everyone looked at Scarlet, hoping that she would intervene. “That’s enough.” Scarlet, who had been quiet since the rampage started, suddenly bellowed, “Bunch of useless fools. You think you are the elite agents from headquarters and that gives you the right to be arrogant? “I shall let Branch Leader Lee teach you guys a lesson so that you know your place.” The elite agents of Viper’s Den flushed with emotions but none of them dared to argue. They looked at Kaze with utmost resentment. To them, K
Kaze’s tone grew colder as he asked. When he finally voiced his questions, the other Viper’s Den agents were shocked and looked at him with disbelief. Who exactly was Kaze Lee? How dare he call the Viper Queen by her name and demand an explanation? “Branch Leader Lee, you said the Ettingers colluded with ninjas from Ryokan. Are you sure about that?” Scarlet asked. Kaze said indifferently, “Last night, a ninja from Ryokan tried to assassinate me at Lilyrose Funeral Home. I managed to seize the ninja’s body from Newell’s son.” Scarlet frowned. A moment of silence later, she said, “Branch Leader Lee, if your words are true, then as an agent of the Viper’s Den colluding with foreign forces, Newell Ettinger must be punished. “I will investigate this matter. If it’s true, I will arrest the entire Ettinger family and let you decide their fate. What do you say about that?” She did not simply believe Kaze’s words because it was a serious crime to collude with foreign forces. S
“Take care, Branch Leader Lee.” Scarlet got up and sent Kaze off at the door. “Huh? Kaze Lee came out already?” “The chief delegate didn’t punish him?” The Ettingers finally got up on their feet and saw Kaze strolling out, fine and healthy. They were in shock. Then, the Viper’s Den elite agents from the headquarters rushed out and surrounded the Ettingers. “By the order of the chief delegate, no one is allowed to leave Mountain Dew Estate. All of you are hereby under investigation and will be sanctioned accordingly.” …Back in Lilyrose, Newell’s death did not make the headlines. First, the Viper’s Den wanted to investigate the matter thoroughly, so releasing the news would startle the enemy. Second, Newell was the South River Branch Leader and his death was not a glorified one, so the organization wanted to keep it under wraps. The news did not get out and it was both good and bad for Kaze. The good thing was that he could still keep a low profile because if he
The trip to Riverbank City had moved up the schedule. Kaze also planned to relocate some businesses of Perfect World Group to that city for the sake of convenience in conducting his affairs there. After all, he had to cleanse the Viper’s Den from within and he needed all the manpower and resources he could get, especially his trusty assistant, Snow. Snow was able to arrange everything to perfection and he never needed to worry about her. He got so attached to the convenience that he did not want to leave her behind. He called Snow and unlike the usual where she picked up almost instantly, it took her a while before the call got through. “Chairman Lee, anything I can help you with?” Unlike her usual frosty and confident voice, she sounded slightly weak. Kaze frowned. “You sound terrible. Are you okay?” “I’m feeling unwell. I’m resting at home.” Then, Snow switched to a more energetic voice and explained, “What can I do for you, Chairman Lee? I’ll arrange for my men t
Kaze ignored the men and went over to the opened door. “What happened?” A man came out from the door after hearing the commotion. When he saw Kaze, he frowned and asked, “Who are you?” “I’m here to visit Snow. Who are you?” Kaze scrutinized the young man and spotted hostility in his tone. He, too, replied without any courtesy. The young man in his early 30s wore a custom-made suit, had neatly combed hair, and wore a pair of golden-framed glasses—all signs of a successful businessman. His handsome looks surely promised him the attention of many women. “Mr. Lee, you’re here? Please come in!” Snow, who looked pale, appeared behind the young man. Kaze sharply noticed the look of relief on her face when she spotted him. “Oh? So you are Snow’s friend? I see. Please come in.” The young man had another glance at Kaze before he stepped aside. A hint of viciousness flashed in his eyes. The man was Snow’s distant cousin, Vance Presley. He always had thoughts about his co
“Yeah, Snow. What do you feel like eating? Vance can go out and get something for you.” Miranda spoke up to support her son, waving her chubby hand adored with an emerald as she did so. Kaze found it amusing. Judging from Miranda’s dazzling outlook, if one did not know better, one might assume she would give Snow cars or houses. At the same time, Kaze also felt puzzled. Snow came from a decent family. He might not have a deep understanding but based on Conan’s explanation, Snow’s family was powerful enough to rival the Butterworth Queens. However, her relatives looked like a bunch of nouveau riche and tried to act cool in front of Snow, who drove a supercar. “Yeah, Snow. Just tell me what you want to eat. I’ll get it for you.” Vance stood up and rolled his sleeve up, seemingly trying to flaunt his expensive watch. He already noticed that Kaze did not have any expensive watch on his wrist, in fact not even a smartwatch. If he did not know better, he might assume Kaze
Miranda found out Snow was working in Lilyrose and assumed Snow got into an argument with her own family. The Presleys were a big family in Riverbank and because of that, Miranda did not take a small company in Lilyrose seriously. Even if Kaze was the chairman, she had little to no respect for him. Vance noticed his mother’s assistance, so he said confidently, “Snow, which company do you want to work for? I have a strong connection in Riverbank City. “The Perfect World Group that you are working for now might sound big but in this tiny city, there’s a limit to how far it can go. There’s no reason for you to stay…” Vance did not hold back in belittling Kaze and even expressed provocatively at the end. “You…” Anger was obvious on Snow’s face. She wanted to ask them to go out. Right before she could speak, Kaze indifferently said, “Snow, they are right. You have to eat something to replenish your energy and you shouldn’t hurt your body just because you don’t have an appeti
With a darkened expression, Ruby commanded Lance, “Don’t you have a lot of wealthy friends? Just get two hundred thousand from them. Call them and ask them for help!” Lance gradually lost his patience. “They are not the friends who would lend me money. I should be grateful that they don’t come to me for money, and you are asking me to go to them for help? “It’s just a dress. Why are we buying it today? Let’s just do a rain check. When my father unfreezes my credit card, I’ll buy you something more expensive!” He wanted to take Ruby away but the woman was being stubborn. Anger rushed to her head as she shook Lance’s hand off. She shouted, “You useless piece of shit, you can’t even afford a two-hundred-grand dress? Don’t touch me! Get out of my face!” Lance got mad too. “If you have the fucking money, buy it yourself! I’m not your husband! You are begging me to buy it but you’re raising your voice?!” “You?!” Ruby wanted to slap some sense into Lance but the other customers
Ruby was confident in her body. Her physique allowed her to wear all kinds of beautiful dresses flawlessly, so she knew she would fit in the gown without even trying. However, the gown had a pure and innocent vibe, which did not fit her demeanor and temperament. The different style did not bother her because she was carried away by the price tag; the more expensive it was, the more it satisfied her vanity. “Miss, this is the most expensive gown in our store. It was created by a famous designer overseas. It cost two hundred thousand,” said the storekeeper. “Two hundred thousand for a gown?! Even the celebrities aren’t wearing something this expensive!” “Yeah. Maybe the top celebrities can afford it but a small one could never!” “Forget about it. We won’t be able to afford it, but it’s nice to have a look.” “I can’t afford it either. Different people, different lives.” When the price was revealed, the other customers gasped in astonishment, followed by regret and jealousy
Ruby thought that after mocking Sasha and Kaze, they would leave the store with a sour look, yet the two of them went to another section to continue shopping. Sasha’s timid figure was a pain in her eyes. In the other section, Kaze asked the storekeeper to do the same as the previous store. “Pick a gown for my sister here. She’s going to wear it to emcee at a party.” To their surprise, Ruby and Lance came after them. “You two poor bastards, get out of the way! Can you even afford the clothes here? Hmph! “You, I want you to pick something for me that is fitting!” The female storekeeper looked troubled. “Miss, this…” “Cut the crap and get on with it!” The storekeeper was instantly defeated by Ruby’s aggressive demeanor. She quickly sized up Ruby’s body and physique and selected a red gown with a deep frontal cutting for her. “Miss, this one might look nice on you.” “Let me have a look.” Ruby took the gown and looked at the price tag. She then tossed it on the floor
“Your little sister? I have not heard of Sasha having a brother. Are you the sugar daddy who’s been feeding her?” Ruby scrutinized Kaze and noticed nothing branded on him, which fueled her contempt for him. “But you don’t look like a rich one, more like a poor loser! What are you two doing here in a luxury store?” Kaze coldly said, “We don’t have to inform you where we are going.” “You don’t have to, but if you are just here window shopping, I would suggest you leave right away. People just don’t seem to know their limits.” Ruby then looked at Sasha, who was afraid, and mocked her, “Some people are just an ugly duckling, not a swan. You can’t just change who you naturally are, not like you can put on a dress and look great. Am I right, Lance?” She curled her arms around Lance’s and spoke in a sweet and flattering tone. Lance was one of the wealthy young men on campus who had been asking her out. Initially, she saw Lance as just another one of her test subjects she could
“Lance,” Sasha said with a nod. She instinctively took another step back, which made the man named Lance frown. Ruby was displeased by how Lance reacted to Sasha, her face ashened. She scrutinized Sasha and said sarcastically, “Sasha, look at you. You’re Cinderella today. I thought you were still that Ugly Duckling back at school. Don’t tell me you’ve found a sugar daddy.”Misunderstood as someone clinging onto a rich man, Sasha’s face instantly blushed. She waved her hands anxiously and said, “No, it’s not like that! It’s nothing like that! My boss from Herbal Spring wants me to get some new clothes for work, so that I’d look better.” Ruby scoffed, “Are you kidding me? The brand that you are wearing might not be to my taste but it costs thousands. There’s no boss who is this kind, spending money on the employee’s outfit. Besides, you are just a part-timer, not a full-time employee. And you are telling me you don’t have a sugar daddy?” Her words fueled Sasha’s anxiety, making
“Kaze, I really don’t need it…” Buying ten thousand bucks worth of clothes was already overwhelming for Sasha. She dared not even spare a glance at the expensive gowns and dresses. “The boss is paying. Come on, let’s go get you something nice.” Kaze already spotted another store specializing in gowns and dresses. He dragged the girl inside without giving her the chance to escape. The store was filled with various designs of dresses and gowns, so fancy that it made the girl’s jaw drop. Even though she looked reluctant due to the price, her eyes showed a hint of delight. Kaze saw the delight in her and simply smiled. No woman could resist wearing beautiful dresses. He knew all women, including Sasha, would be instantly captivated by the beautiful dresses. He brought Sasha shopping for luxury dresses so that she could get used to the extravagant experience. He knew that a girl like Sasha could never conceal her charms under her shyness. Men would flock over to her like
Sasha’s lips moved once more, but Kaze’s gaze remained fierce, so she wisely zipped her mouth. “Not a problem, sir.” The storekeeper knew Kaze was a generous customer, so she nodded happily. Being a storekeeper for a luxurious brand required experience and taste. In less than ten minutes, the storekeeper selected three sets of outfits for Sasha, from top to bottom and outer to inner. “Miss, you try these.” Kaze swiped his card before Sasha had the time to regret or stop him. If the size did not fit, she could change it on the spot. Sasha looked at Kaze helplessly and then reluctantly followed the storekeeper to the changing room. A while later, Sasha came out in a new dress and with a blush on her face. Kaze was slightly surprised, looking at the brand new Sasha in a pure white dress. He had to praise the storekeeper for her sharp sense. The white dress emphasized the girl’s innocence and gentleness. “Miss, you are the first customer in our store to present su
Sasha looked troubled. She said, “The owner is paying? It’s okay! I’m wearing the clothes anyway; I should pay for them. The owner and the others took good care of me while at work, I don’t want to take advantage of them.” Kaze was left speechless. How could a little girl be as stubborn as a mule?“How are you taking advantage of them? I said, the owner wants you to wear beautiful clothes and get more business for them, so that they can earn more money. “You know the other employees actually have an allowance for shopping? Each of them has twenty thousand to buy clothes, but since you are just part-time, and you are new, you only have ten thousand.” Kaze continued to coax the girl. “Ten thousand?!” Sasha was shocked by the number. She shook her head and hands, “No! I don’t need that much! A few hundred is enough!” Ten thousand was enough for her to cover her daily expenses for two years or more. How could she spend all of them on clothes? Kaze chuckled. “Ten thousand i
Twenty minutes later, Sasha came out in fresh clothes. She wore a white T-shirt coupled with a pair of jeans, but the patches on them indicated that they were old clothes. She was holding her phone with a slight embarrassment on her face. “Sasha? What’s the matter?” Kaze asked. “Uh, it’s nothing. I-I have to call my school to inform my teacher.” Sasha then went to the corner to make the phone call. “Sasha, you should really try to be the emcee of the evening party. I always have high hopes for you but you are too shy. You blush whenever you talk to strangers. How are you going to adapt when you go out to work in the future? You should train yourself to speak up more. Try to go on stage.” The voice of a middle-aged woman came from the phone once it was connected. Sasha said shyly, “Ms. Cornell, thank you for your kindness, but I cannot afford to buy a gown. I won’t be joining the party.” “My dear, you should learn to be more open-minded. I said I would prepare the gown