“Do you want to die?” Kaze asked indifferently, a gun in hand. The bodyguard put his hands in the air and shook his head while looking at Kaze pleadingly. “Stuff the box of medicine into Ted’s mouth.” Kaze kicked the box of blue pills to the bodyguard. The pills were clearly potent. “D-Don’t!” Ted, whimpering with his hand over his mouth, was thrown into a panic. The box of drugs would be the bane of him. With a gun pointed at them, the bodyguard hesitated for a few seconds before starting to value his life. He drew close, poured the pills into his hand, and pried open Ted’s jaw to stuff them in his mouth. “Give them some too.” Kaze pointed at Nadia and the others. Nadia and her friends, who were playing dead, did not get Kaze’s intention, but they quickly caught on. “No! Ah! You’re a bastard!” Amid the women’s screams and crying, the bodyguard stuffed the pills into their mouths. The drug took effect almost immediately. The sounds of heavy breathing fille
“Don’t cry, Emiko. I was just asking. I suspected that Sasha was tattooed against her consent. She might not even know it.” Kaze ended the call. Sasha’s fever disappeared quickly, and she started to suffer chills. It was disheartening to see her curled up into a ball, her lips quivering. Emiko mentioned that Sasha had been to many hospitals, but no diagnosis was given. With her savings gone, Sasha had to scrimp and save. Given Sasha’s peculiar situation, Kaze did not take her back to the hospital. Instead, he grabbed his phone and dialed a number. “I didn’t think you’d contact me, Kaze. What is it?” Holfman’s cheerful voice came on the call. After Kaze defeated June at the Otters’ residence, Holfman saw Kaze as an equal. They even exchanged contact numbers on that day. Kaze went straight to the point. “I have a girl exhibiting strange symptoms. I thought you could examine her.” “It must be a difficult case since you’re stumped.” Intrigued, Holfman said, “Take the
No one expected June to honor her bet out loud. She hissed through clenched teeth, “Happy now, Lee?” “You could’ve just said it once and the rest another time. I mean, it’s not a chance I get every day.” Kaze shook his head in regret. June was arrogant and short-tempered, but she was quite outspoken. She would hold up her end of the bet in front of an audience. The crowd gave them funny looks. It was bad enough that June admitted that Kaze owned her ass. June was about Kaze’s age. After what had happened, the public began to gossip about the nature of their relationship. “Young people today are so open-minded.” “Shh! She’s Dr. Wright’s student.” Faced with multiple voices, June turned red. She wanted to sink into the ground. She realized that she had been reckless. June scoffed and took Sasha from Kaze before walking into Herbal Spring. The study of medicine was physically demanding. It was not surprising that June could carry Sasha without breaking a sweat. “
“A Bishop with a privileged upbringing? Is she from Edenbrook?” Kaze was surprised that June, a young member of the upper crust, would work tirelessly to study medicine with Holfman. This was more than a hobby. It would take decades to find success in this career path. With a talent such as hers, June might be able to shorten the time length to make a splash in the medical community. Holfman smiled without a word. His answer hid in his silence. He got up and retrieved a few ingredients from the pharmacy before putting together a pale-yellowish liquid. “All done, Dr. Wright,” June came out of the room and said. Holfman, with the newly made medicine in hand, followed June into a consultation room in the back. Kaze stayed close behind Holfman, but June quickly came in the way and blocked him from entering the room. “What are you doing? “Dr. Wright went in to help the girl. “But you’re just being a creep.” While changing Sasha’s clothes, June was equipped with enoug
“Take it easy, young lady. It’s just a physical examination. I’ll be applying this medicine on your back.” Ignoring the squabble between Kaze and June, Holfman carried the medicine and dabbed some onto the cotton swab before applying it to Sasha. Sasha shivered nervously, her head hanging low. She murmured, “K-Kaze, can you help me instead?” “I’ll do it, Sasha,” June said. Sasha was hesitant and reluctant, but she was not the type to refuse. It took everything in Sasha just to ask for Kaze’s help in front of Holfman. Furrowing his brows, Kaze said indifferently, “I’ll do it. She’s timid, and after the earlier fright, she gets nervous with strangers.” June scoffed without another word. Judging by the handprint on Sasha’s face, June could piece together what might have happened. June was not pleased that Sasha trusted Kaze more than her. Heck, June even helped Sasha with a change of clothes. “Thank you, Kaze.” Sasha was relieved. “Here you go, Kaze.” Not takin
Legend had it that consuming all nine seeds of Nine Phantom Lotus would allow the person to attain nirvana. Of course, it was just a nonsensical tale. June had read ancient texts on medicine. While Nine Phantom Lotus possessed life-extending properties, it was not capable of resurrecting the dead. Still, its healing potential was undeniable. The seeds of Nine Phantom Lotus were not suitable for all to consume, though. Recklessly consuming the lotus seeds could lead to organ failure and a gruesome death.“How can Nine Phantom Lous grow on Sasha?” June found it unbelievable. Having been raised in a noble family and having devoted herself to the study of medicine, she considered herself knowledgeable about all medical texts. Yet, what she saw defied everything she knew. Kaze frowned. He initially suspected that Sasha was targeted since she lived near Akasha Village. Kaze figured someone had secretly tattooed her as part of some kind of cult ritual. However, the situatio
“How will the lotus be retrieved? Would it put Sasha in danger?” June asked nervously. Despite her hot temper, June was kind-hearted. Holfman scowled. “What do you think? The lotus seed is embedded in Ms. Spoon’s heart, becoming one with her.“I believe even the best surgeon can’t remove the lotus without risking Ms. Spoon’s life.” The answer could not be any more obvious. Sasha would die once the lotus was removed. Even God could not save her. Sasha could not keep up with what Holfman was saying before. However, she understood what would become of her. Her eyes welled up in despair. Sasha, a young woman in her prime, was robbed of a chance to experience life. Feeling bad, Kaze asked grimly, “Is there any hope for her at all, Holfman?”“Even God can’t save her.” Everybody’s hearts sank at Holfman’s response. It was the truth, though. As the lotus took over a decade to grow in a human body, the plant and Sasha were one by now. It would be impossible to remove
As Kaze spoke the specific terms as if he was reciting off a restaurant menu, both Holfman and June were shocked. “T-Those are the thirteen mnemonics for the Ghastly Thirteen Needles! Based on the difference in acupuncture needles, there are thousands of combinations for this set of techniques. “I only know a few of them. How did you know all thirteen of them?” Holfman’s lips were shaking as he asked in excitement. He was not a specialist in acupuncture but when he heard Kaze recited the mnemonics of the long-lost technique, Ghastly Thirteen Needles, he could barely stay calm. He did not doubt Kaze at all because he knew a few of them, which matched the sequence that Kaze just recited. June looked at Kaze as if he was a ghost. “H-How did you know the Ghastly Thirteen Needles?!” She no longer doubted Kaze but found it difficult to believe. “When I was on the foreign battlefield, I led an exploration team to excavate the ruins of the Ghastly Doctors,” Kaze explained. “Y
Darcy frowned and said, “Grandaunt, we don’t need to be afraid of Aiden Krad’s dirty tricks. As a matter of fact, I dealt with the banks and their repayments last night. “Sky Ocean Corporation is fully prepared for the upcoming auction. All our funds are being diverted and we will receive them today…” “Shut up!” Phoenix shouted to cut Darcy off. Her eyes were sharp and fierce as she said, “You are more ignorant than I thought. The bank repayments are nothing! “I heard that the auction committee raised the deposit to ten billion. You can’t even afford to qualify for that, yet you dream of opposing the Krad family? You are delusional! “I don’t want to repeat myself. Call Aiden Krad right now and drop out of the auction!” The deposit alone was ten billion?!” Agnes and Hector, who were hiding behind the crowd, were shocked by the astronomical amount. “Darcy, what are you doing standing there? Make the call!” Noticing Darcy’s silence, Agnes finally lost her patience and de
“Hmph! You’re trying to hide it? How long do you think you can keep this up?” Joan crossed her arms and scoffed. “Everyone in Riverbank knows that you’ve offended the Krads and are being sanctioned right now. “The bank cut off your loans and the suppliers refused to work with you. Sky Ocean Corporation is in a huge financial crisis and might be facing bankruptcy!” Darcy frowned. “Joan, Sky Ocean Corporation’s financial status is none of your business.” “Yeah, but it’s Madam Quint’s business!” Joan scoffed. “Darcy, don’t you forget that you are the branch head of the Quints and your duty is to make money for the family. “Madam Quint came all the way here to Riverbank from Ridgesouth because she is representing the family to inspect your work! Yet look what you've done! Why don’t you look in the mirror and see who you are? How dare you offend Aiden Krad and oppose the Krads? You’re ignorant! “One word from them and Sky Ocean Corporation is facing bankruptcy! Don’t forget th
“Thank you, Ms. Quint!” Tess and the others were overjoyed. Darcy was the main reason why they did not resign or lash out at the old lady when they were slapped. Darcy treated the employees like family and even after Aiden’s intentional sabotage, only a few resigned from the company. “Where are they?” Darcy asked Pamela. “The main meeting room.” Darcy nodded and went straight to the meeting room. Kaze, on the other hand, pondered. He glanced at Tess and the others who went behind the counter to retrieve their phones and then said to Darcy, “You go ahead, I’ll be right there.” Darcy hummed a reply and went off with Pamela. When they arrived at the entrance, they saw Phoenix and the others from the Quints, sitting around the table like they owned the place. The executives of Sky Ocean Corporation were serving water to them like they were waiters. The other branch heads of the family ordered the executives around, giving them a hard time. “A small company with no man
“Aiden Krad? Why is a man like you threatening a woman? You call that capable?” Kaze took the phone and said, “Tomorrow at the auction, I will make you kneel and beg in front of me.” “Kaze Lee?” Aiden was taken aback for a moment before he realized he was speaking to Kaze. “How dare you speak to me like that? You must have a death wish.” “Fuck off.” Kaze hung up the phone immediately. “Don’t worry about that.” As he handed the phone to Darcy, he tapped her shoulder and said, “Tomorrow, Aiden Krad won’t even have the tears to shed.” Darcy might or might not have listened to Kaze. Her brows remained furrowed along the way back. She got a few calls during the journey but she did not answer them all. Kaze’s phone rang a few times as well. One was from Agnes, but since he did not know what his mother-in-law was up to, he refused to answer. When they almost reached Sky Ocean Corporation, Darcy slowly regained her composure and senses. “Ring!” Darcy’s phone rang
Aiden’s words carried obvious threats. His tone sounded like a bloodthirsty monster warning its prey. The arrogance and confidence that originated from his family were on full display during the conversation. It was as though Darcy must step away and let him take the land or else it would defy the laws of nature. “I don’t fucking care if your family is pissed.” Darcy spat out a rare vulgar word, showing neither respect nor courtesy to the man. “We’ll see what happens at the auction tomorrow.” “Ms. Quint, it seems like you are determined to oppose me and the Krads.” Aiden’s voice turned cold as he added, “If you continue down this path, you will only be my enemy. What I have done until now is nothing but child’s play. If you really become an enemy of my family, then…” A quick pause later, his voice turned sinister, and said, “Believe me, you will regret it.” “You’re threatening me?” Darcy scoffed in disdain. Aiden explained, “I am merely stating a fact. I know you are
“It’s like a fish in water, a tiger in the woods. To the Steelclaw Guild, at least in Riverbank, no one can stop them if they want to leave.” Kaze nodded, agreeing to Leron’s explanation. He quickly put the thought of pursuit aside. The Steelclaw Guild had been around for many years and its existence and strong influence became answers to many questions. “Let’s go back to Riverbank,” Kaze said to Darcy. Darcy looked hesitant. She carefully looked around and asked, “We’re just going back like that? Should we call the bodyguards or something?” She was terrified about what just happened and she still had not completely calmed down. She became aware of her surroundings and cautious of the people who appeared before her, assuming that they were people with malicious intentions. Kaze knew that she was under high pressure and anxiety for the past two days, especially after what happened. Siberian’s assassination attempt only made her condition worse. It all started with Aiden’
Leron said, “The Eight Tigers named themselves that just to look good. As a matter of fact, the four who died a while ago were just recruited to fill in the numbers. “As for the top four tigers such as Siberian, each of them has their own characteristics and traits. Siberian is responsible for the assassination and is one of the strongest and fastest members of the organization. “I believed Mr. Lee just experienced it first-hand.” Kaze narrowed his eyes. “So Siberian is after me?” He then pulled his phone out to dial a number. “Kaze, my brother, what can I do for you?” A while later, South’s voice came from the phone. Rumors about Casius dying at Kaze’s hands had been circulating around these days, but most of the common citizens did not believe it. No one believed a useless live-in husband could do something that atrocious. However, South believed otherwise because he saw what Kaze could do with his own eyes. It explained why he kept his arrogance and confidence of
It was the familiar sound of a handgun equipped with a silencer. Kaze breathed a sigh of relief. Leron had arrived! He had been tailing them, secretly protecting them from the shadows. Right after the first shot, two more shots sounded. It was Leron’s signature triangle shot, used to block a target from escaping. The old killer initially charged at Kaze from the left but he quickly did a side flip, twisting his body in a freaky manner, and escaped from the trajectory of the triangle shot. All three shots missed—two shots hit the wall, and one hit the ground. The impact chipped off a small part of the wall and ground, leaving behind deep holes. “Huh? Interesting.” Even Kaze was surprised by the old killer’s response. The killer was not just good at assassination, but his body was also agile and extraordinarily nimble. Leron had been following Kaze for a while now and participated in multiple fights. Other than Kaze himself, he had never seen anyone who could do
“Whoosh!” The swift swing of the dagger left a huge cut on Kaze’s shirt at the abdomen. The old man had switched his stance to kneeling on one knee. The pain in his eyes had been replaced by frosty murderous intent, with a hint of shock and resentment as if he did not expect Kaze to dodge the lethal blow. “Old man, you’re a wicked one.” Kaze was also shocked. He looked down at his collar T-shirt and the wide opening at his stomach. The chilling wind on his skin sent chills down his spine. A split second later he would be gutted on the spot. “Swoosh!” After missing the ambush, the old man jumped like a nimble fox for a follow-up attack. This time, he switched his target from Kaze to Darcy. The dagger in his hand glared coldly as it thrusted toward Kaze’s chest. He was shocked that Kaze was able to dodge his lethal blow. He also realized Kaze was a tough opponent, so he switched to an easier one—Darcy. He acted like a gambler who had lost everything. With nothing