Darcy and her family were seated at the corner, which upset Agnes. “Why?! Even Agatha and her family are seated in front. Why must we sit at the back here? Darcy is the head of the Quint family branch. Other than the few military personnel, who else here is stronger than you?” Hector sighed. “Agatha and her family are in front because Nelson is the right-hand man of Vanik Clifford of South River Strategic Department. Your brother needs him to entertain the people from the military, so they are in front. “Besides, Kaze said something wrong just now but your mother didn’t lash out at him. She has shown us enough grace already. Just bear with it. It’s just a meal, no big deal.” Ever since Darcy became the head of the Quint family branch, Agnes’ arrogance skyrocketed and she refused to be treated unfairly. However, the Otter family was her birth family after all and she could not just lash out at them. She turned to Kaze with a glare. “It’s all because of you!” “Mom, stop it.
“Yeah, we are prepared for this. You’ll know what’s inside the boxes later.” Maxine gave Darcy a sly and meaningful wink. After Maxine and Patrick counted the gifts one last time, the emcee said, “Maxine and Patrick have prepared a number of gifts. “A painting from a famous painter in the 1890s valued at two million! “A hundred-year-old wild herbal ginseng, and a blessed bracelet from St. John Church, brought back by Patrick himself. Together, these gifts are intended to wish Master and Madam Otter good health and longevity.” The crowd applauded after the master of ceremony ended the announcement. Maxine and Patrick prepared three gifts for the elders. Each present easily surpassed the values of the gifts that came before them. The hundred-year-old wild ginseng and the blessed bracelet from St. John Church were meaningful gifts as their worth was not monetary but also their benefits. It represented Maxine and Patrick’s sincere respect and goodwill, something the others
Maxine and Patrick planned this ahead to make Agnes and her family look bad. It explained why they jumped the queue when Agnes and Darcy started lining up. If Agnes and Darcy managed to present the gifts before Maxine and Patrick, they would not have been in such a difficult position. As soon as Darcy’s voice subsided, the emcee said loudly, “Next would be Agnes and her family, presenting gifts to… Huh?” The emcee had a look at the card and was surprised. He thought he got the wrong card. “Uh… Agnes and family have a painting valued at three hundred thousand, fifty-year-old ginseng, and a bracelet from St. Aeris Church.” The entire hall fell into an awkward silence. In order to dissolve the awkwardness, the emcee chuckled and said, “It’s not too bad. The gifts are the same as Maxine and Patrick’s but it’s the thought that matters, right?” His words made the air feel even more awkward. Countless pairs of eyes looked at Darcy and her family, mocking and making fun of th
The main issue was that Darcy's family held a weak position within the Otter family, making it inevitable for others to look down on them. Madam Otter could help once or twice but could not help them forever. “Yes, Mother…” Agnes and her family timidly stepped down and went back to their seats. She had the strongest urge to ram herself into the wall to put an end to the embarrassment. She was not only embarrassed, but also felt so ashamed and lost her dignity in front of her family, and she blamed it on Kaze. If Kaze were as capable as Patrick, her family would never be looked down upon. If Kaze was rich, they could just appear and people would swarm to them like bees to flowers. Agnes chose to blame Kaze instead of Maxine and Patrick, who obviously set a trap for them. “Kaze, it’s all because of you! You are a jinx! If not because of what you said out there, Maxine and Patrick won’t come after us like this!” She glared at Kaze with gritted teeth. Darcy frowned. “
People started to laugh, mocking Kaze and flattering Patrick at the same time. As Patrick’s girlfriend, she was happy and proud they were singing Patrick’s praises.By belittling Darcy and her family, she finally got back at Kaze for the slap.Patrick looked delighted as well but he humbly said, “Guys, come on. I believe Kaze has his own difficulties. “But it seems like I misunderstood him. There’s no last gift or whatever…” “No! You did not misunderstand anything, there is a last gift! A big one!” A voice came from a figure standing at the door, surprising everyone. Everyone looked at the door and saw Kaze, who they thought had left, standing there with black plastic bags in his hand. A lit cigarette was hanging in his mouth. His smug look might lead people to think that he was the one who got accepted into Flying Dragons, not Hanses. His frivolous appearance made Master and Madam Otter, who were usually meticulous about manners and politeness, frown. The plastic bag
Maxine scoffed, “You? If there’s something good that Grandmother likes in that stupid bag of yours, I’ll slap myself in front of everyone!” Hanses, the eldest grandson, also said, “Kaze, it’s enough. Let’s just sit down. The feast is starting and everyone is waiting.” He was also displeased by Kaze’s untimely interruption. Everyone was waiting for the feast to start yet Kaze barged in, insisting to present a “big gift”. Suddenly, Aegon said, “Madam Otter, why don’t we have a look at what Mr. Lee got there?” “Yeah. Maybe you will like it?” “I agree.” To everyone’s surprise, the quiet and strict Aruto and Brent suddenly spoke up and suggested checking the gift Kaze prepared. Everyone was taken aback, shocked that they chose to defend Kaze. What happened? Why would the three of them help Kaze? Could it be that they got upset about Kaze delaying the feast by making a scene and decided to let him make a fool of himself? Even Madam Otter was baffled, but she suppresse
“Grandmother, Kaze is a horrible person! He must be doing this because of what you said just now and he hated you for that! That’s why he’s trying to use these cheap cigarettes and wine to fool you! Just throw them away!” “Yeah, just throw them away!” Max and Maxine urged their grandmother to throw the gifts away. Then, Max tried to grab and throw them. “Wait!” Madam Otter bellowed. She then picked up the cigarettes and wine to have a better look. As she carefully examined the packaging and traced the black dragon insignia with her fingers, her expression grew serious. She turned to Aruto and Brent to ask, “General Wake, General Highland, you two are high-ranking military generals. Can you have a look at the cigarettes and wine and tell me where they are from? “As far as I know, the cigarettes and wine are only for soldiers serving in the military but I don’t recognize the black dragon marking.” Madam Otter was an old timer and had seen a fair share of strange and amu
“What?! The cigarettes and wine are from the Battle Dragon Troops?!” Everyone was shocked by Madam Otter’s revelation. She happily said, “General Wake and General Highland literally just confirmed it, how could they be fake? These cigarettes and wine are unlike other military offerings. They rarely leave the military compound and even if you have the money or the connections, you might not get it. “Who would have thought that I could get to taste them today? This is great!” She could barely keep herself together as she was overwhelmed by joy. Everyone else looked at Kaze in disbelief. The son-in-law that even Agnes looked down on got his hands on some special offerings exclusive to the Battle Dragon Troops. Where did he get them? Max and Maxine were flabbergasted. They mocked Kaze earlier and did not hold back at all. Patrick was also in disbelief. He looked at Kaze, his gaze suspicious, wondering how Kaze did it. Madam Otter looked at Kaze properly for the first
“The head honcho made a wise choice.” South talked as if the plan benefited them all. The Steelclaw Guild did not consider the risk of sending Anzu after Kaze and his loved ones. Kaze survived the assassination and proved to the Steelclaw Guild that he was worth the risk. However, what if he had died? The Steelclaw Guild would let Phoenix know that she owed them one. Either way, the Steelclaw Guild would not be losing out on anything. The Steelclaw Guild had a collaboration with Kaze, but they were not in on it together. Kaze shook his head. The Steelclaw Guild was an assassination organization for a reason. They only worked for themselves and were not worth Kaze’s trust. He said curtly, “Tell your head honcho that I don’t owe your people anything anymore. “But you owe me one.” No one else but Kaze would demand something from the Steelclaw Guild. Anyone else in Kaze’s place would swallow the bitter pill and move on. Not Kaze, though. He was not scared of the
With Anzu dead, Kaze got rid of one major problem. Since the police would tie up loose ends at the funeral parlor, Kaze and Darcy’s family were free to leave under the escort of police officers. Other Quint family members in the South River State departed alongside Kaze and Darcy’s family. These people feared for their lives. It dawned on them that they were safe with Darcy’s family, especially since the police were determined to keep Darcy’s family safe and sound before. They followed Darcy’s family, not leaving them out of their sight. Dozens of members swarmed into Villa No. 1, leaving the residence rather cramped. “It’s such a waste of space for a small family to live in a big, luxurious place.” “I guess there are perks to kissing up to the mayor.” The Quint family members, making themselves too at home, occupied the space and made snide remarks. Darcy did not possess power or influence after losing Sky Ocean Corporation. They did not care what Darcy’s family t
Like Joan, Phoenix never would have imagined that she would die in such a humiliating way. Kaze did not even move his hands. He simply said a few words and Anzu killed her. Phoenix died with her eyes wide open, but the light quickly faded. The last image reflected upon her eyes was Kaze grinning brightly with his teeth gleaming under the light. “Bastard…” That was Phoenix’s last word. In just the blink of an eye, the respected elder of the Quint family had turned into a lifeless corpse. Every other family member at the scene gasped in shock. “Die, Kaze Lee!” Anzu’s killing spree did not stop with just two deaths. She shouted at Kaze but she dashed toward Darcy. Swoosh! Kaze had anticipated this. With a swift movement, he shifted sideways to position himself in front of Anzu, blocking her. Anzu swung her arms forward, launching multiple poisoned shurikens at him. Darcy was right behind him, so Kaze dared not dodge the shurikens. It was either him or Darcy. Howe
Joan shouted, “Stop talking nonsense and kneel! She wants you to kneel and Grandaunt Phoenix can be freed!” “That’s right,” Anzu affirmed with a nod. Kaze looked at Joan and bellowed, “I can kneel but you have to release Joan first, at least show some sincerity. How do I know you are not trying to trick me?” Since when did Kaze become such a kind-hearted person? Crack! While Joan was baffled by the question, Anzu stepped on her knee without even blinking. Crack! “Aaaargh!” Joan wailed as her body convulsed violently, her piercing screams grating on everyone’s ears. Phoenix finally caught a breath and shouted, “Kaze, one more word and I will kill you and your family! You must have done it on purpose! You must be! “Get over here and kneel, or else I will strangle you myself!” Joan cried with utmost resentment. She was already bound to a wheelchair and now her knee was broken. The one she hated the most was not Anzu but Kaze because he got her into this situation.
“Kaze, you little bastard! Are you trying to get me killed?!” Phoenix tried to force Kaze into submission. If her gaze could materialize, it would be the sharpest knife at Kaze's neck. “Anzu, do you know what you’re doing? That’s the elder of the Quint family, the respectable Grandaunt Phoenix Quint! Lay a finger on her, and I assure you that even if you run back to Ryokan, hell will come after you.” Huh? Phoenix was suddenly stunned. Was Kaze not the most defiant and disrespectful? Why would he flatter her in front of the hitman now? She had hired the Steelclaw Guild to kill him and his family, and only now he started to realize the gravity of the situation? Was it a little too late? Crack! At the next moment, Phoenix felt an immense pain in her hand. Anzu had actually broken one of her fingers without even saying anything. “Aaaargh!” Phoenix cried in agony as the pain tormented her. Anzu looked at Kaze coldly and said, “I’ve broken one of her fingers. What are y
“Let go of Grandaunt!” “Release Joan!” “Release them and you can leave in one piece!” Some of the Quint family members, plus the bodyguards, pressed forward carefully, shooting at Anzu to pressure her. Judging from their nervous looks, Anzu knew she was right. The two hostages she held right now were the two most powerful people in the room. No wonder Kaze’s in-laws knelt before the two of them earlier. From the looks of it, the two hostages were someone powerful; not even Kaze’s family could afford to offend them. Anzu’s initial plan was to seize Kaze’s in-laws but she was glad she changed her target after she entered. She knew that with her strength alone, her odds of killing Kaze were slim. When she was captured by Kaze and tortured by Collier, her body suffered terrible trauma and had yet to recover, weakening her. The only way she could get her revenge was to capture Kaze’s closest people and use them against him. The thought put a grim smile on her face. She
“You…” The fear of death suppressed and replaced the anger in Phoenix. Her wrinkled face paled, making her look like a living corpse. “Madam!” Two of Phoenix’s followers from Ridgesouth tried to jump on Anzu to rescue their employer. However, Anzu swung her katana in a swift, deadly arc, slitting their throats instantly and splattering blood across the ground. “Kaze Lee, get over here! Or else I will kill this old hag!” Anzu roared, her tone resentful. “She killed them!” “Grandaunt is being taken hostage!” “Call the police!” The morgue fell into chaos following the death of the two followers. All the members of the other family branches screamed in panic. Some scrambled to escape, while others stood still in shock. A few were paralyzed by sheer terror, unable to process what was happening before their eyes. As chaos broke out, Kaze quickly dashed forward to pull the horrified Hector and Agnes away, dragging them back to Darcy and Sky. “Stay here and don’t move.
“Get down and kneel to Joan, or else I will haunt you even after I die!” Kaze twisted his wrist, subtly revealing a thin silver needle in his palm. He then looked at Joan and said, “Fire if you can.” If Joan got so much as close to the trigger, he would use the silver needle to kill her on the spot. His words put disappointment in Darcy’s eyes. Kaze was physically strong but the family was surrounded by guns. Under such intense circumstances, Kaze could really be more tolerant and endure the insult for their sake. Darcy was deeply disappointed in Kaze. Phoenix was so enraged by Kaze’s threats toward Joan that she laughed in exasperation. “Joan, show that you mean business!” “Kaze Lee, you made me do this!” Joan said with a grin. She slowly raised the gun at Kaze. Bang! Suddenly, the door was kicked open from the outside, and a woman in a funeral home uniform with a mask appeared. Strangely, she wielded a Ryokan katana and was searching for someone among the cr
There were police officers outside of the funeral home, and since the hitmen from the Steelclaw Guild would come after Hector and his family, Phoenix did not need to kill them in the open. Though she did not mind scaring them and making them kneel before her, begging for mercy—it would be quite satisfying. Thump! Hector and Agnes knelt immediately. Agnes was shuddering as she said, “Grandaunt, we never meant to disrespect you! It was all Kaze! Him! He was the one who opposed you and challenged your authority! “He was the one who broke your cane and beat up Joan. He was the one who called the stop on the projects! We had nothing to do with it!” She then turned to her son and daughter. “Sky, Darcy, what are you two doing standing? Get down! Madam Dark’s death is already painful enough for Grandaunt. Stop upsetting her!” “Yeah, kneel! Grandaunt is an elder, it’s not embarrassing kneeling to her!” Hector said to his children, the anxiety on his face was obvious too. He did