Kaze did not say a word and looked at Buffy. Buffy said, “It’s okay, Dayton. I don’t want to have a feast. Since Kaze brought food for me, I’ll just eat at home.” Dayton’s expression darkened. He turned around and glanced at his friends, signaling them to do something. One of the women, Linda, went over to the table and swept the food to the floor. Splatter! The food fell off the table and splattered all over the floor. Kaze’s gaze turned cold. Buffy was shocked. Annoyed, she looked at Dayton. “Dayton, what is this?” “Buffy, calm down.” Linda said with a smile, “Don’t you understand? Since Dayton is responsible for your daily needs now, then he has to consider whether it is safe to consume food brought by an outsider. He’s just concerned about you.” “Kaze is my friend! If he’s trying to hurt me, I would have been dead a long time ago!” Buffy argued. The anger on her face was brazen. She knew Dayton was trying to give Kaze a hard time. “Buffy, calm down. I’m no
“Is it funny?” Kaze asked with a soft grin. “Of course it is.” Linda scoffed. “Kaze, I’m trying to make things clear for you. I am looking down on you just because you have no money. You are poor! If you can fork out ten million, then you will have the right to talk to me. “If you have a hundred million, I’ll apologize; if you don’t have the money, then shut the hell up.” Kaze laughed. “One hundred million and you’ll apologize? Does it mean if I take out all my money, I make you kneel and clean the mess up like a dog?” His words made Dayton, Linda, and the others exchange glances before bursting into laughter. “Hahaha! You?” “You are full of yourself!” “If you are that rich, you wouldn’t buy roadside food in the first place!” They cackled loudly, looking at Kaze as if he was a clown. “Everyone can brag but do you have what it takes?” “Kaze, it’s not that we want to look down on you, and I’m not asking you to take out that much money.” Linda went up closer and sm
“Then let him explain what the hell is going on!” Dayton’s expression darkened and sounded cold. “Or else, don’t blame me for being rude.” If Kaze could not provide a satisfying answer, he would attack and break all his limbs. Kaze stood still and said casually, “Nothing in particular. I just don’t like her.” “Aaaaah! Dayton! Beat him! I want him dead! Kill him!” Linda cried like a mad woman, especially with her hair covered with gravy and rice. Kaze’s words agitated her even more. Dayton looked gloomy. He rolled his sleeves up. “Buffy, you heard him. Don’t blame me for not showing any respect!” Buffy got even more anxious. She turned around and said to Kaze, “Kaze, hurry up and apologize! I ask Dayton to be here not just to protect me but also to protect you! “Casius is influential, powerful, and has a lot of men. Leron is just one of them! “Leron failed to hurt you the other day and he will come back. No matter how strong you are, you are alone and you can’t possi
“Dayton, beat him up! This clown sucker slapped me! Let him have a taste of true power!” Dayton’s friends cheered on him at the side. To them, Kaze was able to slap Linda because it was an ambush, or else there was no way she would fall to the floor. They might not be as powerful as Dayton but they were considered some of the strongest among their peers. Kaze ignored the noise and focused on moving nimbly to dodge the attacks. Although his movements were subtle, he was able to dodge every slap with the slightest movement. Then, he countered with a slap. Slap! The loud slap silenced the air. Kaze swung his hand casually as he stood still on the spot. Dayton was sent staggering backward, leaving several footprints on his trail before he regained his balance. He managed to stand still on his feet but his face had a clear slap mark. “W-What?! What the hell happened?!” Dayton’s friends were shocked. Dayton had always been unbeatable, at least to them. However, no
“I know Casius Weather. He’s one of the Riverbank Seven and he’s also a well-known figure in Butterworth. “He’s ambitious. He has been using Bronze Sparrow as a base to gather people with different talents, mostly criminals. “His man, Leron, also known as Hydro Dragon, roamed the waters freely. All shipping companies were forced to pay him to get their goods to their destination. “He’s also known as the Sharpshooter, possessing unmatched accuracy when wielding a gun. No one knows where he will show up next. “Kaze, you might be good but you are no match for Leron.” Dayton looked at Kaze as if he was already shot in the head. To him, Kaze was just all brawn and no brains. He wanted to be the hero to save the damsel in distress but going up against Casius and his men was suicidal. He could be the hero but he had to know his place and limitations. Dayton viewed Kaze as a dumb moron who was overconfident. Kaze was unfazed and simply ignored what Dayton said about Leron.
Kaze frowned. “Viper’s Den’s ship was hijacked? Given how they do things, shouldn’t Leron be a dead man by the next day? If your master is that powerful, why did he allow Leron to live?” He crossed paths with the Viper’s Den many times and knew how ruthless and vicious they could be. Hijacking the organization’s ship was a blatant challenge to Viper’s Den's power and authority. There was no way they would allow Leron to live for another day. Therefore, Kaze believed Dayton altered some details or did not spill the entire truth. “You know jackshit!” Dayton grunted and continued, “My master is a kind and compassionate person. He always seeks to act in goodwill and hold back whenever he can. “Leron must have been terrified by Viper’s Den back then and begged my master to spare his life. Is that so hard to understand?” He looked at Kaze as if he was an idiot. His friends also laughed at Kaze scornfully. “If you say so.” Kaze simply smiled it off without commenting or arg
“Buffy, look at your friend. Is this how he should talk to me if he needs my protection?” Dayton did not know how to argue with Kaze anymore, so he turned to Buffy, putting pressure on her. “With his attitude, why should I use my master’s name to protect or save him? People like him are not worthy of being saved! He’s ungrateful! “My task is to protect you but if you want me to protect him too, I would have to decline! You can find someone else!” He got up from the couch and pretended to leave. Kaze scoffed at Dayton’s pretentious act. “Buffy, just let him go. I can deal with Leron myself.” Buffy got anxious and stomped her foot. “Kaze, just keep quiet!” She then went straight up to Dayton and begged him to stay. “Dayton, wait! Please, for me, help us this one time! Please, I’ll repay you after this is over!” She had no idea that Kaze had already encountered Leron at Wyomspring’s entrance, so she simply assumed Kaze underestimated Leron because he did not understand how
Dayton’s master, Alfonso Longwind, was just the ex-branch chief of Viper’s Den Butterworth Branch. If Kaze revealed his identity, the man would have to kneel before him in fear, let alone the arrogant Dayton. It was clear what he was trying to say. He did not care about Dayton or Alfonso, neither of them was worth his time. “What did you say?” Dayton expected Kaze to get down on his knees, but the words he heard made him question if he had heard correctly. Although the idea of making Kaze an agent of the Butterworth Branch was primarily meant to insult him and to elevate Dayton's status over his—thereby discouraging any competition for Buffy—it still presented Kaze with a great opportunity to improve himself. Dayton’s master, Alfonso, was a respected and prominent figure. His name was well-known across the country. Many young men from powerful families sought to train under him as his disciple, but Kaze did not value the opportunity. “Kaze Lee! How dare you disrespect
Aloysius looked at the business venture at hand with a mix of emotions. Jet was supposed to make a comeback with the project, but the defeat was a huge slap to his face. “Can I ask whether Kaze was behind this?” Aloysius braced himself to ask the question. Even though Aloysius had an inkling, he feared receiving confirmation of his suspicion. “Chairman Lee helped me. If Jet hadn’t hurt my mother, I wouldn’t have rushed back to take his place. “He did this to himself,” Snow said blatantly. “How did you know about the island project? We have been discreet about it.” Aloysius was eager to find out. The question would burn on his mind unless he got some answers. “You can’t keep anything from the Viper’s Den, but this is the end of the matter. If you’re interested in the project, I can put you in charge of it.” Snow could not be bothered to explain herself. Aloysius played it smart. He had been carrying out Snow’s orders without a hitch. Snow was happy to honor her prom
“Tell them that the company is expecting funding, and all the projects will be launched in a few days. Everything will be back on track. It’s a good thing that the higher management is gone. We will be opening the positions for internal employees to apply.” Snow got the right solution to handle the situation. She had to give these employees hope to gain their dedication in return. Aloysius was surprised. “Who would pour money in when our finances are in a mess?” Having worked with Jet, Aloysius had a good understanding of the company’s ins and outs. Several business ventures were up in the air, and the company was bleeding money. Even with a relaunch, these projects would not bring in much of a profit. Most importantly, the relaunch had to be backed up by some funding. The business got a loan from the Viper’s Den. If payment was not made in time, the company’s shares would be used to make up for the loss. The whole thing spelled trouble. Snow just joined the company.
“This is the financial report you submitted today. Any intern can do a better job than you.” Snow mocked Jack. She was disappointed in his performance. A finance director who could not even get his basics right should not be working in finance in the first place. “Who do you think you are, doing this to us?” The others are only out to save their own asses. They did not sympathize with Jack. “I’m sure you are well aware of what you have done.” “You’re on your phone all day at work. You put your daily expenses on the company card, and we’re talking about tens of thousands of dollars a month. You only bought stuff for your personal use. “Let’s not forget about you. Your so-called business trips are to take your mistress out for expensive hotel stays and vacations.” Snow looked at each one of them while detailing their deeds. She shamed them in public, utterly humiliating them. “Why were these allowed before? Why are you stopping these practices now? If you can change
“No, Ms. Frost. I can do it,” Aloysius said right away. He did not want to miss out on a good opportunity. “I gave you a chance. It’s up to you to seize it.” Snow looked at them with a smile. “I’ll get right to it, Ms. Frost.” The HR manager nodded and took off. He had to prepare the paperwork. Those in upper management were on a higher pay grade with a cut of the shares. Following a termination, the HR manager had to calculate the final pay. There had to be a valid reason for the discharge from duties too. Though things were a little complicated, the HR manager was experienced in this aspect. The only issue was that the staff involved were not the low-ranking employees. They held high positions. Despite his unrest, Aloysius did not wear his heart on his sleeve. He had a good read of the situation. Snow was impartial in carrying out business. Those who contributed to the company would stay while the ones who bled the business dry would be sacked. Anyone would p
Sure enough, the mean would gather around the individual at their fall from grace. It was sad to grasp this reality. “I promise you to have everything in order. Don’t worry. You will get a nice promotion.” Snow knew when to give her employee encouragement. Only then would Aloysius feel motivated to work. Aloysius departed in dejection, but Snow did not mind it at all. He served the wrong person. Snow took on the leadership role the same day Jet left. Since she assumed the responsibilities without much experience, the employees did not take her seriously. The people doing the grunt work felt nothing toward the change of leadership. The upper management may experience shifts, but they were still obliged to finish their usual tasks. The only thing they hoped for was to be paid more for their overtime. Following the change of leadership, some leaders may receive a promotion or be transferred out. The employees at the bottom of the pyramid wondered if they could compet
Despite her unease, Snow trusted that Jet would not have the chance to hurt her. Hence, she put the matter aside. The dynamic shift within the Frosts caught the eye of elite families across the business world. They kicked Jet while he was down. Some even tried to get a piece of the pie. However, most of them stayed on the sidelines, observing. A fallen giant was still a giant. Even if these families were greedy, they had to assess the situation before moving in. These businesspeople were skeptical about Snow taking Jet’s place. They did not know what Snow was made of. Consequently, they tried to approach her. Snow had been kept busy in the office, dealing with the problems left behind by Jet. She worked late into the night every day. While being buried deep in paperwork, Snow refused to meet anyone. She had lived in Butterworth before, so she had peers from school and friends around. Snow’s sudden return caught many off guard. Everyone wanted to get close to he
If Jet had detected the problems early on, he could have prevented things from escalating. Yet now, everything was too late. Jet did not regret his actions, though. “Just sign this, Jet. At this rate, the shares will drop beyond the point of redemption,” Talon said. The Frosts were terrified at the stock market’s dropping numbers. They did not have time to lose. “I will sign the papers. I lost.” Jet did not want to give in just yet. However, he had to comply with the family elders’ pleas. Snow was relieved. The contract was quickly drawn up, and Jet signed the papers to give up the proprietorship. “Relax. I won’t do you wrong.” Snow made a promise. At least, Jet would still have a home to go back to. “Don’t get too cocky. I didn’t lose to you. I lost to Kaze.” Jet knew that he would face much resistance if his rival were Snow. It was a shame that he was up against Kaze, a strong and mysterious man. “Just sign the papers. I will take over the family empire, and
“Don’t project your filth on everyone else.” Snow was angry, but she knew that she had to keep her head cool. By jumping straight to defense mode, Snow would give others the wrong idea. She had been there before. Kaze sat still without a word. He furrowed his brows in annoyance when Jet painted his relationship with Snow dirty. “I’m not here for the drama.” Kaze looked at Talon. The senior members of the Frosts should back down before Kaze did something about it. “Who do you think you are? This is a family meeting. Why are you getting involved?“If you are unrelated to Snow, you shouldn’t be here in the first place.” Jet took out his anger on Kaze. Kaze was not part of the family anyway, so Jet did not have to consider his feelings. “Watch yourself, Jet. He’s a visitor.” Talon was smart enough to read the room. Despite the air of mystery shrouding Kaze, he managed to screw with most of Jet’s business ventures. The Frosts stood to lose more by crossing Kaze. Ta
Following Snow’s lead, Kaze entered a big conference room. The centerpiece of the conference room was a long, solid wood table, drawing out an air of solemnity. Various notable and valuable paintings hung on the wall. The expansive floor-to-ceiling window brought light into the room. Sunlight bounced off the window that displayed a picturesque view outside. “There you are.” Jet had been waiting. With the pair slowly making their way in, Jet could not hide the rage in his eyes. “Long time no see, Jet,” Snow greeted him and pulled a chair for Kaze. “It’ll take a bit of time, Chairman Lee. The senior members of my family are on their way.” Snow contacted the family elders while getting to the venue. Jet had not produced much results lately, and the Frosts were utterly humiliated. Since Jet would soon be replaced, the senior members of the family wanted to be kept in the loop. These family members had their own ideas. However, they would be happy to appoint the lea