“What?! General Santigo of the Flying Dragons?!” Master and Madam Otter bolted up from their chairs in shock, and so did the others. Even Aegon and some other government officials, who were close with the family, got up and wore a serious look. Ryken Santigo was not just any general, he was the man who commanded the Flying Dragons, the elite battalion under the Battle Dragon Troops! Even a chief or a captain of the Flying Dragons would be worthy of their utmost attention, let alone the man himself. A quick pause later, excitement took over and everyone had a bright smile on their faces. Max nudged Hanses and asked with a wide smile, “Hanses, you’re freaking awesome! Even the commander of the Flying Dragons is here for you!? “You were acting just now right when you called your captain. His scolding you on the phone was just an act to fool us. Am I right? “You are preparing a big surprise for our grandparents, right?” The other family members looked at Hanses with utmos
The Flying Dragons had just returned from the battlefield and the elite battalion was temporarily assigned under the South River Strategic Department. Each member of the Flying Dragons was a hero, and their arrival made the entire Otter family proud. Hanses stood among his family, reluctant to step up to greet Ryken, the commander, and instead stood behind the crowd as his heart pounded wildly. He had never met Ryken or the other war generals before, and they were his future superiors, so he felt nervous meeting them for the first time. “Hanses, come over here! Why are you standing behind?” Madam Otter waved at Hanses, calling him over. She smiled and said, “General Santigo, this is my grandson, Hanses. He passed the first selection of the Flying Dragons and he was one round shy from becoming an official member. “I would like to know what you think of him. Is there anything that he could improve on?” She might sound like she was asking Ryken to pick on Hanses but she was
Everyone looked at Hanses with jealousy. The family was proud of him. The VIP that Ryken mentioned was someone more powerful than Draco Lang, the chief commander of the Lilyrose Strategic Department. If it was mandatory for Hanses to attend the inspection event, then it would definitely be an advantage for him. Once he joined the Flying Dragons, his future would be bright. The family saw Ryken and the other war generals off and then went back inside the house to start their feast. Hanses became the focus of attention throughout the feast. Agnes and her family moved up a little bit but they lost the limelight again. Kaze did not care about any of those. He had been waiting for the feast to start as his stomach was growling. He gobbled whatever food he could get and did not bother striking up a conversation with others. People saw how fast and messy he ate and assumed he had not been eating well lately. On the other hand, Aegon, Aruto, and Brent were rather quiet becaus
“A car of them? You think the cigarettes and wine from the Battle Dragon Troops are bought from the supermarket?” Hanses sneered, looking at Kaze as if he was a clown. He did not want to waste time on Kaze anymore. He could easily find out the truth when he became an official member of the Flying Dragons. Ryken saw him in person already and came to the Otter family with congratulatory messages, so Hanses should be able to get the answer he wanted. When he was to discover the truth, he would certainly come back for Kaze and humiliate him. “Oh, you said you invited Ryken here?” Kaze asked all of a sudden. Hanses did not expect the random question and was taken aback. On second thought, not even Ryken exposed him, so there was nothing to be afraid of. He confidently smiled and said, “Of course! Everyone saw it, what else could it be?” “Really?” Kaze smirked. For some reason, Hanses felt guilty and nervous when he saw Kaze’s smirk. “Of course! I don’t want to waste my
Hanses was stunned.Kaze’s words about making Ryken send another carload of cigarettes and wine to the Otters still echoed in his ears. Now, the Flying Dragons loaded up a car and delivered it to the Otters? Was this a coincidence, or could Kaze really command Ryken like that?A chill ran through Hanses as his mind raced. His body began to tremble.“What are you standing around for? Move it! The commander’s welcome ceremony is about to start!”A Flying Dragons soldier gave Hanses a swift kick to the backside, snapping him out of his daze.Hanses did not mind. This was just the way superiors and subordinates interacted in the Flying Dragons. Their camaraderie was as strong as ever.Following the Flying Dragons’ soldier, Hanses nervously stepped onto the training grounds at Flying Dragons’ main camp. Hundreds of soldiers had already assembled and stood in formation at the center.Yes, the legendary Flying Dragons only numbered a few hundred. They might consider themselves
Meanwhile, accompanied by Ryken, Kaze strode directly to the command platform.Below the platform, every Flying Dragons soldier stood at attention. Their posture was as sharp as their steel rifles. Their gazes burned with admiration as they fixed on the figure standing on the platform.However, the rookies in Hanses’ formation were either confused or curious. Not everyone knew the identity of the visiting commander today.Seeing Ryken standing respectfully behind that figure, they were dying to know who could command such deference from the Flying Dragons’ leader.Just then, Ryken’s deputy, Elliot, jogged to the front of the platform. Snapping to attention, he saluted crisply and declared, “Reporting to the God of War! All Flying Dragons officers and soldiers who passed the preliminary selection have assembled. Awaiting your orders!”What?God of War?The Flying Dragons would only address that one person as the God of War.It was as if someone had dropped a bomb into the rookie
As Hanses simmered in anxiety and despair, the inspection finally ended.“Goodbye, sir!”“See you soon, sir!”Both the Flying Dragons’ soldiers and the hundred rookies fervently watched as Kaze departed. With Ryken and others, Kaze walked toward the office building. After recovering from her initial shock, Rose bounced happily beside Kaze.Though she had always suspected her brother-in-law was exceptional, she never imagined that he was her idol, the God of War.Back in Lilyrose, everyone had mocked him, accusing him of being a habitual impersonator of the God of War.Who could have guessed? He had not been impersonating anyone. He was the real deal.Meanwhile, Hanses felt as if he had just endured a severe illness, his body utterly drained.“Hanses, the commander wants to see you!” Jonas said, approaching Hanses.Hanses’ body jolted. The color that had just returned to his face drained once again.Ryken wanted to see him?That clearly meant Kaze wanted a word with him.R
In short, with Kaze revealed as the God of War, everything about him suddenly became a strength in Hanses’ eyes.What once seemed like cowardice now appeared to be composure and broad-mindedness. At this moment, Hanses felt immense gratitude toward Kaze.He had assumed this would be his final visit to the Flying Dragons’ base. He expected them to expel him in disgrace. To his surprise, Kaze chose to let bygones be bygones.He even complimented his mental fortitude, acknowledging his potential to join the Flying Dragons.Judging by how Ryken stood motionless at attention nearby, it was clear that even if Kaze decided to promote Hanses to the Flying Dragons’ deputy commander, Ryken would not even dare to object.Kaze sipped his tea leisurely before speaking in a composed tone, “Don’t get ahead of yourself. Mental toughness is just one part of the final assessment for joining the Flying Dragons.“Even though you’re related to my mother-in-law, you won’t receive any special treat
“Just tell me what you need, Arthur. You wouldn’t be calling unless you have received orders.” Philip was surprised to get a call from Arthur. Though they were acquainted, they had only communicated because of work. “We have just left Rising Sun. Don’t approve the films for now.” Arthur was blunt. “I can do that, but can I ask why?” Philip was caught in a dilemma because he had just promised Jet to release the films. Philip needed to know if the orders to delay came from a high power who could cover his ass. “Since you got a call from me, you should know that there are eyes on Jet. “You should know what you can and cannot say. Otherwise, you never know when you’re going to lose your job.” Arthur threatened. Philip was reluctant. He accepted Jet’s payment, and now he had to go back on his word. Nevertheless, Arthur was part of the Viper’s Den, and his status was rather unique. Arthur provided services to confidential individuals. These individuals were elites among t
A balanced, profitable dynamic had been developed among the ports in Butterworth. Jet spotted his chance in the lucrative port business. He covertly took out some money to invest in a dying port. The port was situated in a more remote area. Some businesspeople favored more accessible ports. This drove shippers away from the dying port. Jet snagged the steal and improved the logistics and facilities around the area. The port was up and running again. Business at the port was decent enough. As the Frosts would run their business through the port, the local economy took off too. It was a good thing. However, Jet set his sights on several residential buildings around the area. He needed space to accommodate containers. The land was required to make business at the port more profitable. This triggered a whole new thing. Jet could spend some money to buy the residents out of their homes. However, the residents preferred to stay put in their long-time homes. No a
“I’ll keep the bank cards for now. I’ll talk to our superiors and give you a decision. Since the man said that the cards are meant for us, they won’t be going anywhere.” Knox had no idea who Kaze was, but he knew Arthur was with the Viper’s Den. Arthur must be someone from high places. Eli soon put the little incident behind him. He got a call from Aloysius yesterday and was made aware of Jet’s plans. The films had been put on hold for far too long, and the people above Eli were anxious to get things moving. Though Eli was surprised by the review board’s visit, everything was still in his control. Eli left the matter at that without reporting the incident to the higher-ups. The flashy, red car sped along the road. Arthur kept looking back at Kaze, eager to find out about the next plan. Arthur brought Kaze out today to witness how Eli and his team operated. As it happened, Eli adopted such a shallow ploy. Arthur was not surprised, though. Eli’s methods were common.
Eli dined offhandedly as if he had taken hold of the group. His words were layered with threat. “What? Are you trying to replace us?” Knox asked in disbelief. “I don’t have that power, but the investor does. I heard that he enjoyed dinner with your superiors. I’m sure the project will get the green light in no time. “Even if you didn’t approach me today, my team and I would have invited you out for a get-together.” Eli knew when to back down, easing the tension in the air. It was another type of reconciliation. Eli needed to go through the review board to get the rights to air the films. The carrot-and-stick approach was the best way forward. Kaze was surprised by the sophistication of Eli’s tactics. Still, he believed he had come to the right place. Sure enough, Jet would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. Surely, he was bound to leave loose ends. Nevertheless, he probably did not care. Arthur cocked his head back to look at Kaze. Kaze grinned, unbothered
The purpose of the visit was to inform Rising Sun that the films did not make the cut. Since Rising Sun would not make the necessary amendments, the project would come to a halt. “Please, don’t. Since we are all here, we should talk it out.” It took Eli quite some effort to get the group to the hotel. Eli had plans to please the crowd, so he could not let them leave just yet. This went beyond getting the green light for the films. Eli needed to make the group happy. “There is nothing more to talk about. We can’t proceed unless you make the changes.” There was no way around it. Since Rising Sun refused to make the right amendments, and Knox had orders about putting a hold on Rising Sun’s films, that was one less problem for Knox to deal with. Eli could not let the group walk out on him. Hence, he quickly sent people in. Several thinly clad women entered, each holding a small bag. Despite the weightlessness, the bag appeared to be carrying something of substance. “You
For that reason, Rising Sun’s film productions were not cleared to be aired. “I told you the reason. The investor supplied us with the scripts, and we were told to base our productions on the scripts. Our hands are tied.”Eli would have made the amendments if he could. He knew where the problem lay. However, the company had to take the investor’s perspective into consideration. In the end, the films were yet to be approved for release. “I guess you won’t get the permission to air them then.” Knox was surprised that Rising Sun would not budge on the matter. Nevertheless, Knox and his team were not there to give the all-clear or talk some sense into Rising Sun. Knox and his team could care less about what Eli had to say. “We’re serious about getting the approval. “I’m sorry that we aren’t a better host for your visit today. Why don’t we move to the nearby hotel for a talk?” With the review board making an appearance, Eli knew there was still hope. If Eli did not grab
Arthur chuckled, his smile carrying a touch of sleaziness. “Oh, I see.” A realization dawned on Kaze. “Are you with quality control?” Several individuals in dark blue suits approached. The men and women carried files and documents. Kaze nodded without a word. “We are just here to announce the results. We shouldn’t be long.” Arthur came forward to engage with them. The group was likely given the heads-up as they had the right number of people. They swaggered into Rising Sun’s building. The general manager straightened up his tie in a fluster and walked out. None of the film productions made the cut yet, and the delay was costing the company money by the day. At this rate, the project would go down under. Eli, the general manager, rushed to the entrance upon learning the news. The review team was there to do one final check. The films would get the green light if the board found that everything was up to par. The head office would stop putting pressure on
Given Kaze’s status, Alfonso knew better than to have him waiting under the hot sun. Of course, he would send his people to be on standby for Kaze’s arrival. Peter only came to the rescue when Kaze was pestered by some street gang. Alfonso’s omission of Kaze’s identity led to this hiccup. Kaze did not care one bit about the incident. Heck, he did not even bring it up. Arthur straightened his back nervously, becoming even more cautious behind the wheel. “You knew, but why didn’t you say anything, Mr. Lee? You didn’t even tell on us.” Arthur could not understand why. However, he had more respect for the man. “I didn’t see a point. You’ll learn what happens when you displease me, so I won’t bother telling you now.” Kaze was mild-mannered as ever. He spoke softly without a hint of anger. All the more Arthur revered him. “Mr. Lee, we didn’t do our jobs right. We didn’t know who you were.“But my duty is to protect you in the dark. “We saw you getting out of the train
“Rising Sun is a media company. Several of their films are about to be released. They are trying to get them approved to air due to some censorship issues.” Arthur took out a document. “Are there any issues with the films? Why aren’t they approved yet?” Kaze asked curiously. Kaze had no idea. “There are some issues. They aren’t fit to be aired. “Typically, there aren’t a lot of restrictions for film productions so long as the themes aren’t sensitive topics. “But these films featured altered history. The company has been asked multiple times to make revisions, but the films still don’t make the cut.” The Viper’s Den’s members were not privy to the information. The Frosts were insignificant. Kaze was after the Frosts. Otherwise, the Viper’s Den would not waste its resources on a mere film production company. Jet’s investment of nearly ten million bucks in Rising Sun caught the Viper’s Den’s attention. The delayed approval of the films would be catastrophic to the in