Kaze looked at Casius regrettably. His tone was filled with disappointment. Casius was upset. It felt as if Kaze was the parent while Casius was the defiant child. Casius fixated on Kaze, his gaze void of any emotions. At first, he had assumed that Kaze was bluffing. Now that he thought about it, Kaze had a point. Leron was an egoistic man. Despite Casius’ attempts to recruit him, Leron would not look his way. Later, Leron’s family faced constant danger, and Leron was too busy dodging his enemies’ attacks to keep them safe. Out of desperation, Leron turned to the Weathers for protection. Leron was supposed to kill Kaze. Yet, days later, he pledged his allegiance to Kaze and worked for him, even to the extent of turning against Casius. If Kaze was a hick with no connections and a son-in-law who leeched off his wife’s family, Leron had no reason to seek refuge with him. Kaze’s impressive strength could not possibly be the cause.With that in mind, Casius was horr
“Hannah!” Despite bracing himself, Casius blurted out. The others were equally horrified. They had no idea when Hannah showed up. She just crept up on them. Hank grimaced. He was Casius’ bodyguard in the shadows, and his expertise was sweeping for threats. Yet, Hank did not sense Hannah at all. It appeared that Hannah might be stronger than him. However, Hank understood when he recalled who he was. The most promising member of the Viper’s Den West State Branch was once bestowed the Nether Viper Sword by the Viper Queen, and Hannah lived up to the name. It would not take outside forces to take Hannah out. Due to her talent, rivalry began within the organization. Many other young, promising members jumped out to bring her down. Besides, the recent events happening in the Viper’s Den South River State Branch were for all to see. Previously, there had been rumors that Hannah had been crippled and relegated to the South River State Branch to be a deputy chief by name
Casius was eager to disassociate herself from Madison. He was afraid that Hannah would use Madison’s assassination attempt against him. It was no secret that Hannah was strong. However, the extent of her strength caught him off guard. Hannah detected Madison’s little stunt and killed her with the throw of her sword. Madison had a gun in her hand but no time to pull the trigger.Hannah was terrifying. Casius was at a loss. First came Leron. Then came Hannah. All Casius wanted was to kill Kaze. Yet, it had proved a difficult feat. It was not a coincidence that Hannah showed up at the Gwakes’. Any fool could tell that she was on Kaze’s side. Casius was in distress. Yet, his tone was pressing. “But Ms. Delmore, your fight with Mr. Gwake is around the corner. “I doubt it’s appropriate for you to barge into Mr. Gwake’s home while he isn’t around.” The fight to become the leader of the South River State Branch had caused quite a stir in Riverbank. The fair and open
Hannah was powerful. However, Casius was not without resources. He was backed by the Weathers and the Ryokanians. Unless necessary, Casius did not want to expose his ties with the Ryokanians. “Back him up?” Taken aback at first, Hannah quickly burst into laughter. “You are highly mistaken, Mr. Weather. I’m not here to back Kaze up. I doubt I’m qualified.” “What do you mean?” Casius was shocked. Hank and the others were confused. They would rejoice over the fact Hannah did not come to support Kaze. However, she claimed that she did not deserve to back Kaze up. The most promising member of the Viper’s Den West State Branch, also the deputy chief of the South River State Branch, was not qualified to stand her ground for Kaze. “If I have to answer your question…” Hannah said indifferently, “Kaze is my backer. He’s the one to back me up.” What? Casius and the others widened their eyes skeptically. Hannah frowned and approached Kaze. She got down on one knee a
Casius’ eyes were filled with fear. He understood the meaning behind Kaze’s words. Kaze only took the time to humor Casius while waiting for the confirmation of Buffy’s safety. Now that Buffy was fine, Kaze could proceed to put an end between him and Casius. Buffy was now safe with Kaze, and Kaze was revealed to be the branch leader of the Viper’s Den West State Branch. So was Kaze planning to kill Casius now? Casius, being who he was, could not accept the notion of surrender even though he and his family could not possibly stand against Kaze. He took a deep breath and said, “Kaze, I mean, Mr. Lee. I was blind. It’s all my fault.“But I don’t see a reason why we can’t work our differences. “You have attacked me today, and boy, you went hard on me. “I crossed my boundaries with Buffy today, but I haven’t caused her any harm. “You have made your point across now. “Why are you harping on this? “You and I have reputations to live up to. “As people of our standing
Kaze narrowed his eyes. “Are you threatening me, Mr. Weather?” “No. I’m just stating a fact.” Casius shook his head and said with a smile, “So this is the reason why you have been secretive about who you are. “Power isn’t something you can claim just by having a title. It’s something you have to seize through your own efforts. Otherwise, the little title there will be nothing but trouble.“I think you are trying to gain this power by controlling the South River State Branch from behind the scenes. “By doing so, you will get an edge to compete with your rivals of the Viper’s Den West State Branch and become the real branch leader. “You still have a long way to go, though.” Casius spoke confidently, thinking that he had it all figured out. With that in mind, the tightness in his chest lifted. Kaze had bigger problems to worry about. He was just a branch leader by name. He had many eyes on him. There were a lot of people eager to take his place. Casius felt light
“I’ll cut to the chase then.” Casius asked, “Between Ms. Delmore and Mr. Gwake, who do you think has a higher chance of winning?” “Are you trying to say that Jude has a better chance of becoming the next branch chief?” Kaze replied nonchalantly. Casius nodded. “That’s right. Mr. Gwake’s chances are better because I’m helping him.” With Kaze keeping to himself, Casius said with a smile, “You might think I’m bluffing, but I’m not the type to say things I’m unsure of. “Like you, I am more than meets the eye. “I’m not just backed by the Weathers. I’m friends with a powerful force that can alter the fate of Riverbank. “With this entity’s help, I have the confidence to make this promise. “My support will decide who gets the win.” Casius spoke with a swagger, “I wonder if you know much about this entity that I’m talking about.” Kaze looked at Casius in contemplation. “Are you talking about Sanwell Finances?” The city council and most elite families would not be able to h
“Haha, that’s ridiculous, Mr. Lee. You’re the branch leader. You represent the Viper’s Den. With the Viper Queen around, no one will hurt you.” Casius brushed the whole thing off and said, “Like I said, we’re just working together. No one is anybody’s accessory. “It’s a win-win. There’s no need to fight. “Am I right?” Kaze smiled offhandedly. “Even if you have a point, I have a question to ask you.” “Hit me. I will tell you everything I know.” Casius waved his arm generously. Kaze said indifferently, “I ran into Mayor Synder and saved his life on my way to Riverbank. “I’ve gotten to know that the multiple assassinations on the mayor as well as the hex on him and his daughter are closely linked to Ryokan.“Since you represent Sanwell Finances, here’s my question to you.” Kaze looked Casius in the eye and asked aloofly, “Were you aware of these events?” Casius grimaced. Kaze just threw him a fatal question. Casius forced a smile. “You’re paranoid, Mr. Lee. I’m no
Reiko spoke those words with a smile on her face, yet her expression remained frosty. Even when she opened her mouth, her teeth glared coldly. Aiden said, “The Krad family doesn’t care, and neither do they want to care, what the Refined Blade Clan wants to do. I came to Riverbank just to deal with Kaze Lee. “How dare a live-in son-in-law lay his hands on the woman my brother fancies? He’s already dead! Even though Snow and my brother are not yet married, for the sake of my family, he must die! Only then can the true strength of the Krad family be demonstrated.” His tone was calm but the murderous intent was obvious. To the Krad family, killing Kaze was like squashing an ant. Reiko smiled and nodded. Her hand moved upward, subtly unbuttoned Aiden’s shirt, and then reached into his shirt to stroke his chest. “Your goal is aligned with ours. There’s a saying in your country that we should always pick on the weakest. We also have to crush Kaze Lee first, so we can flush out his
“That’s right.” Reiko nodded and added, “More precisely, we are after the ones behind Kaze Lee, like Hannah Delmore, the chief of the Viper’s Den South River Branch, and Kent Synder, the mayor of Riverbank. “We tried helping Casius to get control of the South River Branch and then slowly infiltrate the West State Viper’s Den.” Her words put a frosty smirk on Aiden but it faded quickly. Reiko did not notice the unusual expression. She continued, “Too bad our actions fell short. We’ve been planning for so long and spent countless efforts, but Hannah recovered even after she was completely stripped of her powers. She made a comeback and became stronger than before. “Yesterday, Casius was decapitated and Jude Gwake, the deputy chief of the South River Branch, was defeated. We lost big time…” “Wait!” Aiden interrupted her and asked, “Casius really died at Kaze Lee’s hands? If that’s true, then this guy is more than meets the eye. The so-called Riverbank Seven is a joke to the
The killers from Hell might not be the strongest but they could easily overwhelm the target with numbers. Not all organizations had the power to withstand their relentless attacks. It was also the reason that the Frost family lived in fear once they found out Midas King was after them. The fact that the Frost family members were not frightened by the news was a testament to their strong mental fortitude. Snow nodded and said coldly, “That’s why the Frost family hired the Krads and sent Aiden…” …In the car tailing Kaze and Snow sat Aiden, dressed in a white suit. He leaned back with legs crossed and a cigar smoldering between his fingers. He expressionlessly stared at the car in front, his gaze icy. Beside him was a woman in a traditional Ryokanian outfit. Her black traditional outfit had golden linings around the edges and an open chest design, showing off her large bosoms wrapped in bandages and her shoulder with a tattoo in red and green. The woman’s hair was tied i
The Frost family wanted to unite with the Krads by marrying Snow to Aaron. Therefore, when Kaze mentioned the Krad family, Snow turned to him and asked softly, “Mr. Chairman, did you know which organization of assassins was after the Frost family?” “Which one?” Kaze had no idea. When May visited Lilyrose, he overheard a mention of the Frost family’s enemies returning for revenge, with the leader being Midas King. Snow said, “The organization has many names. At first, they were known as Hellsearch, but people eventually just called them Hell. “I heard they don’t take normal payments to take lives. It’s either gold bars or a debt.” Kaze narrowed his eyes and said, “So once they had their eyes on a target, they would do whatever it takes and send them to hell?” There were meanings behind their name. The first would be that the killers of Hellsearch were difficult to find, or in a more direct iteration, as hard as hell to search. Secondly, once Hell received an assignment
Draig’s expression might have darkened but he was able to hold his emotions back. He knew Snow was trying to make him mad. As for Kaze, if even Cyan had no respect for him, he believed Snow would never lower herself to such standards. Draig was confident that he could move Snow with his actions and eventually, he could get under her pants. “What’s the matter with Draig?” Kaze asked Snow after they got into the car. Snow lifted her chin slightly and said, “We were at St. Mary Hospital for a while back then. This guy wanted to protect me 24/7, and on the first day, he tried to hold my hands and said it was love at first sight. “The second day, he tried to get into my room. After I scolded him, he said he grew up in Uleania and people there are open-minded. “I kicked him out, but then he got to Cyan and used her to bring me here. He’s just a shameless guy. I hate people like him.” After going through thick and thin with Kaze, Snow started to show her more vulnerable and fe
Kaze’s frivolous tone left Jude speechless, his eyelids even twitched helplessly. He did not argue and simply nodded without hesitation. “I will transfer my remaining shares to Buffy.” He knew Kaze was not trying to negotiate with him. If it was a suggestion from Kaze, then there would be no space for resistance or negotiations. Kaze nodded and hummed a reply. He did not show any mercy to Jude, the old fox. Jude was on the weaker side at the moment and he was doing everything he could to earn favors. Therefore, Kaze wanted to use the chance to secure some benefits for Buffy. Otherwise, once he was no longer in “power”, Jude would turn on him faster than a bolt of lightning. Kaze continued eating and lecturing Jude and Alfonso. The two old men nodded repeatedly and were as obedient as loyal dogs. After the meal, Kaze rejected Juan’s offer to relax at a hot spring and then went back to Cyan’s gathering. “Oh, Kaze! You’re back. You haven’t eaten anything right?”
Kaze had a wonderful meal at Emerald Bull Palace. The dishes prepared by the chef were amazing. “Branch Leader, with this cup of tea, I propose a toast.” Jude got up with a cup of tea in his hand and proposed a toast. Kaze did not drink alcohol, so the others dared not consume it either. He picked up the cup for a sip and then continued eating while waiting for Jude to speak his true intention. He knew Jude had something in his mind. Jude then bowed and said, “Branch Leader, Alfonso and I are here today at Emerald Bull Palace to discuss how we should apologize to you. “As for other ulterior motives, after yesterday, I have gotten rid of them. From today onward, I will serve you wholeheartedly. “As for Buffy, I have also apologized to her. I used my connection to transfer her mother to the best rehabilitation center in Westeros. Also, from today onward, Buffy will be the head of the Gwakes. She will have the power to decide every affair in the household. “Both my fat
“Branch Leader?!” Juan was also shocked, but he quickly regained his composure and said, “Master! Master Lee is not just my savior, he’s the benefactor of my entire lineage! He practically gave me a second life! He’s like my parents reincarnated!” He looked proud when he described Kaze as if calling a young man master was the proudest thing he could do. Little did others know, Kaze did help Juan expand The Oracle’s Codex of the 16 Cosmic Keys to 32 keys. Juan had been working on deciphering the keys for some time now. The more he studied, the more he realized his knowledge of The Oracle was ridiculous and a bunch of bullshit. Yet even with the bullshit, his lineage was extended for multiple generations. He was excited the more he learned because he knew that the new keys that he got from Kaze would only make his lineage stronger in the future. Alfonso barely reacted to Juan’s words but Jude was shocked and jealous. Something must have happened between Kaze and Juan be
As Kaze expected, Alfonso was indeed afraid of being abandoned after he served his purpose of cleansing the Butterworth Branch. He was afraid that once he completed his task, Kaze would kick him away to calm the raging agents down. If Kaze had such intention, given Alfonso’s current situation, he could not do anything but accept it. Fortunately, Kaze did not have such plans. “Fine. Let’s go to Juan.” Kaze nodded and gestured at them to lead the way. “This way, Branch Leader!” Jude and Alfonso bowed respectfully, then adopted a gesture of invitation before leading the way forward. It was then that Natalie, Cyan’s assistant, who was sent to fetch wine from the car, stepped out and saw the shocking scene, leaving her speechless. Jude and Alfonso were frightened by Draig but the two of them remained prominent figures. Yet she saw them bowing and nodding in front of Kaze, acting like they were his loyal followers. Natalie was arrogant but not stupid. Connecting the s