“You! How dare you!” Jude slammed the table and bellowed, “Just because you are slightly capable, you think you can disrespect me and treat me like a fool? You’re asking for it!” His eyes were burning with anger, his teeth clenched, and he looked like a vicious beast trying to devour Kaze. As he bellowed, Serene and the agents pulled their guns out, and pointed them at Kaze as they stared at him coldly. One word from Jude and they would rain bullets on him. The atmosphere in the restaurant became tense and heavy. Buffy’s face paled. She looked at Kaze, worried. Despite being surrounded by guns and Jude’s ferocious glare, Kaze remained unfazed. He remained seated, unfazed. “Splash!” Suddenly, Kaze splashed a cup of tea at Jude’s face. He said, “Jude, stop playing mind games with me. Your little gang might scare others but not me. “No one begs people like you do. If you want to ask for a favor, try to show some humility.” Jude’s face was wet, and several pieces of
Kaze scrutinized Alfonso to the point that the man felt uncomfortable. He then turned to Jude and mocked. “Jude, have you started some live streaming business lately? Where did you get this influencer? He’s good at cosplaying.” The mockery left Jude speechless, his lips twitched helplessly. When Alfonso arrived, Buffy called him “uncle” and showed utmost respect for his arrival. Yet Kaze pretended that he did not know. “You bastard!” Alfonso was visibly enraged by Kaze's disrespectful comments. His teeth gritted as if he wanted to strangle Kaze on the spot. “You little brat, you haven’t heard of me? Do you know it depends on my mood whether you can walk out of this restaurant or not?“Even if you never heard of me, what about Dayton? He’s my disciple and I am the one who sent him to protect Buffy and also take care of you so that you don’t die! “Haven’t you considered the consequences of spewing such disrespectful words in my face?” Alfonso peered down at Kaze angrily.
“That’s for sure!” Alfonso explained, “People from our generation forged friendships through hardship and bitterness, it’s not something a boy like you can understand.” “That’s what I don’t understand,” Kaze suddenly said, his tone icy. “Buffy’s mother is in a coma and even if Faith isn’t directly involved, she has to bear some responsibility. “I am demanding justice for Buffy and her mother. If you are close with her mother, why are you standing in my way? “To be honest, I suspect that you harbor ulterior motives. You are doing this not because of your friendship with Buffy’s mother, but maybe Jude promised you something that you cannot reject.” Hearing Kaze’s question, Buffy looked at Alfonso, her eyes clear as the day as she waited for an explanation. “Young Man, my friendship with Buffy’s mother and my care for Buffy are not something you have the right to question!” Alfonso's expression darkened, his tone frosty as he continued, “I watch Buffy grow up, of course, I
“As for Buffy, forget about the CEO. The company belongs to her father, so it belongs to her. She should leave the company and go back to Butterworth with Dayton so that they can prepare for their wedding in a month.” Alfonso looked at Jude. “Jude, as her uncle, I believe I have the right to make the decision on her behalf?” “Of course. You are her senior, of course you have the right to decide,” Jude said with a strong nod. To be honest, he wanted his son-in-law to be Casius but now it seemed like Buffy would rather follow a nameless, married man instead of marrying Casius. Since it would be meaningless to force her against her will, Jude might as well let her marry Dayton. After all, Casius suffered a significant loss when Kaze killed a dozen of his men. His influence should have been weakened, and his value likely diminished. If Buffy married Dayton, Jude could borrow Alfonso’s influence and power. Alfonso was the ex-branch chief of Butterworth Branch and he had a repu
“What’s the matter? Is there anything else you want to say, ex-Branch Chief Alfonso Longwind?” Kaze asked frivolously as he paused. The nonchalance in Kaze’s tone made Alfonso angry. With gritted teeth, he said, “You bastard! Believe me if I say I will call Dayton back right away. Without him protecting you, you won’t last till morning!” Even now, Alfonso still strongly believed that Kaze was bluffing and bragging, and as long as he used Dayton’s protection against him, Kaze would be forced to comply. “Hmph. Whatever.” Kaze scoffed and then walked out with Buffy. “You little bastard!” Alfonso shouted, his eyes burning with anger and murderous intent. His figure moved swiftly, appearing behind Kaze in a flash. “Flush!” He swung his hand at Kaze, causing his sleeves to flutter sharply with the motion, creating a loud, slicing sound through the air. Since Faith needed Kaze’s treatment to stay alive, Alfonso could not kill him but he was ready to teach Kaze a lesson that
“But I am sure that’s definitely stronger than Hannah Delmore. Hannah is considered one of the prodigies within the West State Viper’s Den. “Back when she visited Butterworth for official business, I had a spar with her before and it ended up as a draw, but I believe she was holding back. “That means, Kaze is a monster who is stronger than Hannah. It seems like I have underestimated the younger generations…” Alfonso sighed in disappointment. He was the one who learned a lesson from Kaze and it woke him up from his old-fashioned fantasy. “Gasp!” Jude, Serene, and the other agents gasped in shock at his words. There were only a handful of people in the country that Alfonso regarded so highly. If word got out, then Kaze’s name would be well-known across the entire Riverbank. Alfonso pulled his phone out. “I should call Dayton and tell him not to mess with Kaze.” Little did he knew, Dayton was already defeated by Kaze and became his humble follower. …After leaving t
Kaze looked at Dayton with a strange look and then nodded. “You’re right. The South River Branch is split into two factions now. One is led by Jude and the other one is the alliance between Hannah and Collier. “Hannah is extremely capable and Collier has the support and resources of the Ettingers. Probably the dream team. “Jude’s tactics and schemes to become the branch chief might not be enough. In the end, absolute power is necessary. “In addition, the promised date is around the corner, so Jude will certainly be more prepared than ever, calling more powerful people to his support.” Kaze sounded calm and relaxed as if he was chatting with a friend. It was also the reason why he was in no rush to deal with Jude or settle the score in the South River Branch. Now that the South River Branch was divided into two factions, it would act as bait to lure out the players from the dark. It would be a great clue for him to follow if he wanted to cleanse the entire West State Viper’s
Being a witness to the scene, Buffy looked at Kaze with a brazen sense of admiration. When she recalled the little argument back at the restaurant, she quickly spoke up and tried to dissuade Kaze. “Kaze, my father is cold-blooded. He can sacrifice me without a second thought for his own personal gain. You don’t need to do this for me, sacrificing your own benefits or whatnot, just do what you want. “If you feel the offer he made you is acceptable, just take it. Don’t feel pressured. Besides, he’s right. Even if you disregarded him, Faith still has the Krads as her support. “Kaze, I know you are kind to me and I appreciate it. You really don’t need to offend a big family because of me. “You have enough enemies already, like Casius, the Lees, and so on. All of them are fierce players and they have connections with many other powerful forces. “If it’s too rigid, it breaks easily, and I believe you know the meaning of it. Please, don’t make any more enemies because of me, or el
Dwight approached with a smile. He looked at Edmund earnestly. “I am Dwight McCorney. I have heard good things about you. I finally got to meet the man of the hour. “It’s an honor to meet you, Mr. Witterson.” Dwight was starstruck. Edmund was embarrassed by Dwight’s behavior. He could not believe that Dwight was a member of the Viper’s Den. Nevertheless, Dwight seemed genuine in expressing his thrill. Edmund became curious about him. He turned around to look at Kaze, who was the polar opposite of Dwight. Kaze stood there, holding his ground. He stood up to greet Edmund and nothing else. He appeared to be refined, unlike Dwight, who was brash. Dwight had no idea that his behavior had upset Edmund. Edmund looked at Dwight in disdain. However, Dwight was a member of the Viper’s Den. It was best for Edmund to keep his comments to himself. Without a word, Edmund stared at the pair. Ryan stepped in to smooth things over. “What are you doing? We have a guest here.
Since Kaze would not change these people’s minds, he was better off doing what he wanted to do. “This vase must be valuable. I got to give it to Mr. Witterson. A display in the living room is worth so much.” Dwight had never seen so much luxury in one room. He had been to the museum, but the displays were nothing like he had ever seen before. The rich had the means to splurge. “Do you think this is pure gold?” Dwight turned to a gold statue. The design was to die for. The purity of color made it hard to doubt its authenticity. “I’m not too sure, but I guess most of the ornaments here are real.”Kaze watched as Dwight gasped in awe. Nevertheless, his behavior would clear any suspicion on Kaze. It could be a good thing. “I knew Mr. Witterson was rich. His businesses are doing well. “But I didn’t expect this sort of lifestyle. The gold must be worth a million dollars. “If I were this wealthy, I would not spend it on decoration.” Dwight rambled on, his eyes stuck t
“I’m not familiar with the area. We’ll have to look around,” Dwight said behind the wheel. He looked for restaurants while driving. It was early, and many restaurants were not open for business. They circled the block and finally uncovered a small breakfast bar. They ordered some food, filled their bellies, and got back into the car. “Mr. Witterson said that he wouldn’t meet you. Why does he want to see you now?” Dwight was curious. Something must have happened last night. Otherwise, Edmund would not suddenly grant an audience to Kaze. “I don’t know. I had some drinks last night, and now he probably made time.” Kaze felt better after breakfast. He did not think much of the situation. Things would carry on as planned regardless of what the Wittersons or the Siegfrieds had to say.This was exactly what Kaze hoped for. Dwight remained in the dark. He drove to the city’s most exclusive area for the rich. It was all greenery in this part of town. The road was wider, an
After a brief hesitation, Kaze followed Rosie. The room turned out to be Rosie’s. Though not a big room, it was crammed with all kinds of junk. The place looked cluttered. Rosie approached the vanity table and grabbed the comb to comb her hair. She turned to look at Kaze. “You said a lot of stuff last night. Do you remember any of it?” Rosie spoke like they had been friends for years. It was just small talk. “What did I say? I don’t really remember. You made a lovely drink, but man, it really kicked in.” Kaze put a cigarette to his lips, but he did not light it. Instead, he spotted a chair to sit down on. “Well, it’s pointless to talk about it if you can’t remember.” Rosie was pleased to hear that. At least, Kaze had no idea that she had gotten him drunk. “Don’t leave me hanging.” Kaze looked peeved. “Are you off the clock?” Kaze asked. “Yes. I work odd hours. It’s time for me to sleep now.” Rosie stared at Kaze. “I shouldn’t keep you from resting.”
“Can you give me something for the pain?” Clemont had a low tolerance for pain. Standing on the stairway, Morris heard his voice and sighed. Clemont could do no good in his eyes. “Keep an eye on him. He’s not allowed to leave the house for the time being.” Morris believed the incident was more than meets the eye. Yet, Clemont was tricked into going to Absolute Zero and starting shit. There was no telling whether the Wittersons or someone else was behind it. Morris let out a sigh and returned to the study. He sent the butler to the storage room to fetch a few valuable antiques. These items were collected years ago, and they cost a fortune. Morris’ intention was to be on good terms with the Wittersons. There was no need to be at war with them. He had to do it for the interest of the Viper’s Den and his family. Morris was all about looking at the bigger picture. Otherwise, he would not have put up with all the bullshit before. Edmund would not let him off the ho
“Are you trying to kill your son?” Clara intervened. “You’re ruining him by spoiling him. If you want things to continue as they were, you can kiss him goodbye forever,” Morris said. Clara was lost for words. She knew better, but she just could not stop herself. Clemont had her heart. Clara could not stand to see him hurt. She was distressed. However, she knew that Morris would not get over the matter without beating Clemont up. She had to step in. “Hit him!” Morris was too old to do anything laborious. However, the kid would not go anywhere in life without a good beating. Despite starting trouble, he sure was arrogant to admit that he was wrong. “I see the errors of my ways.” Clemont apologized in time to avoid the punishment. He managed to escape all repercussions by doing so. Plus, his mother would plead on his behalf. The whole thing would usually get brushed aside. Though it was more serious in this instance, Clemont still believed that Morris would not hur
Morris was in his study, wiping a plaque of commandments that was covered in dust. Due to his commitment to the Viper’s Den, he had neglected his family for years and left his son in his wife’s care. Morris regretted doing so. Unaware of the impending danger, Clemont enjoyed drinks with his friends. They were having fun, playing drinking games. Losing the game, Clemont downed a glass of liquor. Things could get far and exciting in a game. It was then that the door swung open. Clemont’s driver entered the room. “Young Master Siegfried, the master is waiting for you at home,” the driver said, noting the complexity of the situation. The only thing on his mind was to take Clemont away. Tipsy from the drinks, Clemont waved his arm. “Let him wait. What’s the rush to get home?” Clemont’s friends were shocked. Nothing scared Clemont like his father. However, Clemont toughened up for once. “Young Master Siegfried, why don’t you call it a night?” “Yeah. I’m sur
“What’s that supposed to mean? When have I ever made a mistake?” Morris heard nothing of that sort. It could only mean that his people had done nothing wrong. However, Edmund could not possibly get aggressive on the phone. Something must have happened, and he simply had no idea. Morris felt unsettled like something big was about to happen. “You seem to be lax when managing your people. You don’t seem to know what goes on around your house.“Is your age getting to you? Is that why you can’t handle most of the work? If you can’t get your own house in order, how will you ever manage the Viper’s Den Westeros Branch?” Edmund called to say his piece. It was his way to make Morris step down. Though it was likely that Morris would resign, Edmund could at least make things unpleasant for him. “What’s that supposed to mean?” Morris was completely in the dark, but Edmund must hold some secret to act so cocky. Despite his troubled feelings, Morris kept his cool and calmly aske
Since it was a rare opportunity, Edmund had to settle the score with them properly. He knew opportunities like this were hard to come by so he had to seize them well. “I understand. I will take care of the guest,” Rosie said. She was glad that her information was useful to her boss. After Edmund hung up the phone, Rosie then looked at the unconscious Kaze. “You are indeed more useful than I thought. Hardly anyone has ever managed to impress Edmund.” She did not feel sorry for Kaze, believing that everything happened as it was meant to. She knew that to climb higher, she had to please her superior. With the Wittersons on the rise, now was the perfect time for her to pledge her loyalty to Edmund. When the Wittersons truly took over the Westeros Branch, she would become one of the most powerful people in the city, second only to them. She was looking forward to that day. Since Kaze was fast asleep and no arrangements could be made, Rosie went out to call her men and