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
“Sir, Aaron has gone too far.”Ryken continued with a trace of frustration in his tone, “As the chief commander of the South River Strategic Department, whatever he does in his territory is his business. But now he's trying to meddle with the Flying Dragons’ affairs.“My men have reported multiple times that Aaron is secretly attempting to win them over using various underhanded methods. “He’s trying to extend his influence into the Flying Dragons. How can I tolerate that?”Upon hearing that, Kaze’s brows furrowed slightly. “When did this happen? Is the situation bad?”“Just within the past few days.”Ryken added, “But the guys in the Flying Dragons are unwavering in their loyalty. They’ve stood shoulder to shoulder with me on the battlefield. There’s no need to question their loyalty.“Everyone will always stand by you, sir. They’ll remain loyal only to the God of War Palace.“If Aaron thinks he can sway them with a few petty favors, he's seriously overestimating himself.“B
“I have pointed you in a direction. If you still can’t trust your team, you can go to the Viper’s Den.“There’s one thing, though. Don’t rely too heavily on the Viper’s Den, or your company will be left without secrets.” Kaze’s suggestion gave Snow assurance. She considered tapping into the Viper’s Den’s resources. However, Kaze warned her against excessive dependence. “Why did you say that, Chairman Lee? Will the Viper’s Den stab me in the back?” Surely, the Viper’s Den took orders from Kaze. The Viper’s Den would always be an ally so long as Kaze was the branch leader. “I just don’t want you to put too much faith in others. You find loyalty by developing your own team. Those who revere me will never trust you completely.” Kaze analyzed the situation. Snow ate her supper and looked at Kaze in confusion. “You can only count on the people you win over. You can’t trust anyone else, and that includes me.” Kaze would never hurt Snow. However, he hoped that she would fin
“As you said, all is in the past. What’s the point of dwelling on it?” Leah perked up. Such was life, but it took her too long to understand the harsh reality. She guessed things were just not meant to be. “I’ll think about what to get Kaze. Rest well. We’ll visit him in a few days.” Taking the matter seriously, Katie wanted to get gifts ready ahead of time to thank Kaze. “Alright. I’ll see what I can do too. I want to be in touch with the outside world. I don’t care what they have to say. This is not my fault. I won’t blame myself.” Leah wanted her phone back to contact her former friends. Ultimately, she needed to move forward instead of backward. She had to face and fight back the rumors with courage. It was the crucial step to kick trauma in the face. The abduction was kept hush-hush for the most part, but Katie’s frantic search for her daughter at the cocktail party did not go unnoticed. Hearing about the incident, the influential people were keen to find out
“When did Kaze start setting it all up? I get the feeling that everybody played into his hands right from the start, and he had controlled every step of the way.” Leah realized that Kaze was an amazing man. Nothing could go past his eyes. “I don’t know.” Katie feared someone like Kaze. She would not be caught dead near him. Even when grasping the situation, Katie dared not look into Kaze for fear she would be targeted. Katie was careful not to show her face around Kaze. For all she knew, Kaze might get back at her. “But he came to Butterworth alone. We met at the train station, and he helped me out of a bad situation.” Leah felt warm and cozy inside just remembering the events. They did not know each other then. Kaze was kind to help a stranger out. From then on, Kaze could do no wrong in Leah’s eyes. Leah befriended him and found him nice. Her interest in him grew. They also got along well. Her memories of Kaze were sweet. Anyone could hurt her in the world, but
Even though Katie was the CEO of the Northborn Group, many eyed her position. There were too many vying to replace her. Without dedicating herself to her work, Katie risked falling from grace. Katie had been too eager to find success to give her daughter the best life. Leah could not understand the pain Katie had to go through. “I understand it now. I explained the nature of my relationship with Kaze to you, but you just wouldn’t get it.” Leah stubbornly expressed herself in hopes her mother would understand. “I just couldn’t get it through my head that you have grown up. You make an easy target since you just graduated and have not stepped into the real world.” Katie would not always be there for Leah. Hence, Katie did her best to get rid of potential danger. Her overprotectiveness triggered Leah’s defiance. It was Katie’s fault for not realizing it sooner. “I’m not angry with you. I didn’t understand a mother’s good intentions, but I understand now. I will listen to
Leah’s face beamed, but her mother’s words threw her into a daze. In the end, she tried to squeeze a smile to assure her mother. However, Leah could not muster a smile. Those days lingered with her like a recurring bad dream. Whenever she recalled the incident, she felt trapped in that nightmare again. Leah wanted to let those memories fade away, but she just could not do it. She would get startled awake late at night and trace the scars across her skin. During moments like this, she resented Perry. Leah was rather cheerful during the day as if the past was behind her. However, it was simply a way for her to escape the pain. By the way Leah was behaving, Katie instantly regretted the question. She should not have probed. Even if they avoided the elephant in the room, they could pretend like nothing ever happened. Nevertheless, the act of asking brought up unsettling times for Leah. “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have asked.” Katie gently held Leah, hoping to cast
When the ambulance door closed shut, Leah wailed once more. The reality of her rescue finally sank in, and she grasped that it was not just a dream. It was a pity that she did not have much time with Kaze. She longed to spend more time with him. “Don’t cry, young lady. You’ll get better soon enough. Don’t worry about the scars on your face. I can administer medicine to help you,” the doctor said while wiping her tears. “Thank you. I’m finally out of the hell hole.” Leah’s worst nightmare would be to be trapped in there forever. Kaze watched as the ambulance disappeared into the night. He then turned to face the villa. “Apprehend everybody in there. Perry should be punished for his crimes.” Kaze had not intended to go after the Duncans, but the family had crossed the line this time. Leah was an adorable and vulnerable woman. She was abused beyond recognition. It never occurred to Kaze that the Duncans could be so cruel. “Perry has passed out in there. Where should
With the secret out in the open, the housekeeper dropped his attitude. He pointed at the basement not too far away. “My employer is in there.” The housekeeper grimaced and kept his head down. Kaze laughed. Unaware of his impending doom, Perry was still living it up. It was absurd. Perry was playing with fire by hurting Leah. “About time you wise up.” Arthur smiled and patted the housekeeper’s face. He opened the door to the basement. Kaze walked to the bar counter and picked up the best bottle of champagne there. He fiddled with the bottle before carrying it to the basement. The other Viper’s Den members followed him. Kaze took a stride down the steps, to the basement. The noisy music was blasting before they reached the entry. Kaze was filled with a mix of emotions. Nevertheless, he said nothing. He opened the door and walked in. The light in the basement was bright, making everything perfectly clear. However, the people inside were not bothered by the
“You know him. It’s Perry Duncan, Leah’s ex-boyfriend.” Snow did not see the point of hiding the truth, so she laid everything out. “Leah must be feeling foul because she was unaware that she was being stalked. By the time she realized what was going on, she was taken into a vehicle. “We spotted the vehicle they departed in from the surveillance footage. They headed to the mountain up north.” Snow had a general idea of the location. “I got Arthur on the job. He’s putting up a team from the Viper’s Den.” Snow was uncertain of Kaze’s stance toward Leah, but now that she was made aware of the situation, the least she could do was help. Katie belonged to the Viper’s Den, so Snow was lending a hand to a friend in business. “Thank you. Please save my daughter.” Katie was nervous. The Viper’s Den was the people she could count on. “Arthur is good, but he’s slow. I’ll do it,” Kaze said. The whole thing was unrelated to him. Kaze was well within his right to stand on the si
Even so, Elsie was out to get Leah. Elsie could pick up on Perry’s delight when she took a swing at Leah. Poor Elsie was just trying to survive by catering to others. People like her learned to pick up social cues and read body language to please customers for money in return. Their income would double if their customers were happy. Leah was the obstacle. If the women could not get rid of her, they would lose their profit. They had no hard feelings for Leah, but they stood on opposing ends. “You should be fawning over Mr. Duncan, not begging me,” Elsie said while grabbing Leah’s hair to pull her up. Leah snatched Elsie’s wrist to try and break free. “Let me go. I never did anything to you.” Leah was no doormat. She did not want to cross these people or get involved with them. She still hoped that by waiting here, her prince would arrive to save her. However, all she got was a cruel beating, and she had enough. “This isn’t my fault. Blame Mr. Duncan for your cir