“I want payback!” Patrick sprung from his bed and dropped to his knees on the floor. With his bones already fractured, the sudden movement sent a jolt of pain through him, leaving him drenched in cold sweat.“The Weathers turned their backs on me, so I want to make them pay!“The Ryokanians ruined me, and I want payback! “But I know I’m defenseless against them. “I can only turn to you for help, Kaze. I know you’re strong. You killed Casius, didn’t you? “You simply choose to remain discreet. That’s why everybody thinks you’re a loser. I used to be one of those idiots. “I can’t give you much. All I can offer is the confidential files about Bronze Sparrow and clues to Casius’ secret assets and overseas accounts,” Patrick said pleadingly, his gaze intense on Kaze. Kaze narrowed his eyes at Patrick for a moment. He did not account for Patrick’s behavior. Patrick was just a show-off, an airhead, and a bully. After the last incident, Patrick would do everything to get b
“Aaron is leagues above Aiden. He became the South River Strategic Department’s chief commander in his early thirties. Still, Aiden holds up on his own among his peers in Westeros.“The Westeros heirs answer to Aiden. He’s one of the leaders of the community. “Aiden must come to some sort of use so that Reiko would be subservient to him.” She, as a woman, felt a natural disgust toward such matters.Snow was resentful of the fact that Reiko plotted to murder her and Kaze. Hence, Snow assumed the worst of Reiko and Aiden’s relationship. By coincidence, Snow was not far off the mark. Kaze read the file and learned more about Aiden. “It appears Aiden is not just an airheaded heir. “He’s not going to stop now if you’re the reason he’s here.“The Ryokanians are using him to get rid of me, but he’s manipulating them to do his bidding too.“The man in the tree is just the appetizer. The Ryokanians are trying to sound us out. Poor thing. He thought he was special. “I think we
Snow was aware of the beef between Kaze and the Tiger’s Cave. Among the four special institutions, only the Viper’s Den thrived in Riverbank. The Tiger’s Cave was not pleased with the situation. Hence, the organization sent Genesis of the Weathers to cover the piece of territory in hopes that her family’s influence would expand the Tiger’s Cave’s connections into the city. All they needed was a big case to solve. To make her mark, Genesis returned to Riverbank and set her sights on Kaze. It was bad enough that the case was a bust, but Genesis got herself killed by Southern Tiger for shooting at two of the Eight Tigers. Consequently, the Tiger’s Cave’s presence could only mean trouble. Sensing Kaze and Snow’s gazes, the young man beamed. “I should introduce myself. I am Reuben Swan, the new commissioner of the Tiger’s Cave South River State Branch.” Despite the modesty in his introduction, the arrogance reflected on his face was for all to see. “Reuben Swan?“The West
“Beep.” Kaze then hung up. “Tsk!” With Kaze ending the call, the people behind Reuben snickered and looked at Kaze in disdain. Kaze sure would not let up on putting up a tough front. The Tiger’s Cave was unlike the local police. Kaze would not be able to shake the Tiger’s Cave off so easily. Snow met Reuben’s gaze and asked, “What is this big case you’re talking about?” Reuben smiled offhandedly at Kaze before putting on a straight face. “Kaze Lee! Snow Frost!” Reuben waved his arm to his people to have the pair surrounded. He narrowed his eyes at the pair and said solemnly, “We received a tip-off that you murdered Hiro Kita while on your way back to the city from Emerald Bull Palace. “Mr. Kita is a newly hired trainer at Refined Blade. The gym has put in a statement with the relevant department. “According to Refined Blade, they will make the matter public to the press if the case isn’t handled fairly. “Your behavior has resulted in a grave situation and has s
Despite talking about an arrest, Reuben appeared to have named them the killers. Snow understood that Reuben was quick to take action against them, likely due to Aiden and Reiko. God knew what would happen once Snow and Kaze were taken away. Reuben smiled at Snow. “But since you’re a member of the Frosts, I can give you proof. “Take him here.” Reuben waved his arm. Patrick, still in a hospital gown, was carried in by the neck. A Tiger’s Cave member dumped him on the floor. With the impact ripping his wounds, Patrick let out a harrowing cry. He quickly looked humiliated. First, the Weathers sold him out, and the Ryokanians tortured him. Now, the Tiger’s Cave members insulted him. It dawned on Patrick that without power and influence, he was left without dignity. Reuben pointed at Patrick. “You must know him. He’s Patrick Weather. He pocketed Refined Blade’s two-billion-dollar shares. Mr. Kita was one of the few who went after Patrick.“Patrick is with you, and M
Even though Kaze was enraged that Snow was hurt, Snow held Kaze from fighting back. Kaze stopped and looked at Reuben grimacingly before uttering icily, “You will soon know what you’re in for.” “What? Are you planning to get even with me?” Reuben took a step ahead with a smirk and looked at Kaze in defiance. His intention could not be clearer. Reuben was trying to rile Kaze up, giving himself a reason to order a hit on Kaze. He could then avenge Genesis. “Come on. I’m standing here. Don’t you want to hurt me?” Reuben took another step forward and gave Snow another slap. As a trained fighter, he was incredibly quick. Snow was just a fragile woman. She did not know what hit her. With a smack, Snow had another mark on her other cheek. Withdrawing his arm, Reuben put his hand close to his nose for a sniff. He then pointed his gun at Kaze and said with a pretentious smile, “What? Too scared to fight back? “If only your hands were as tough as your mouth.“You’re just a c
As Buffy, now the president of Gwake Corporation, carried herself with authority, Reuben had a sinking feeling. “We were once friends, Buffy. Your family and mine go way back, but you have no right to tell me how to do my job.” Reuben was aware of the changes Buffy had gone through. Buffy was not just the president of Gwake Corporation, but she was also the head of the Riverbank Gwakes. The Riverbank Gwakes were extended family to the Westeros Gwakes. Now that Buffy wore the pants in the family, she gained massive support from the main branch. Considering Buffy’s position now, Reuben did not feel superior as the Swan heir and the Tiger’s Cave’s commissioner. Sure, the Swans were highly influential within the Tiger’s Cave.However, Buffy’s family was equally powerful within the Viper’s Den. Jude was not the only member with authority in the Viper’s Den. Though it was not clear why the Westeros Gwakes did not support Jude in the power struggle within the South River Stat
“You have no right to dictate how I and the Tiger’s Cave run things. “Besides, your family may be powerful within the Viper’s Den, but you might find yourself in hot water by interfering in the Tiger’s Cave’s affairs. “Seeing that we were friends before, I won’t pursue you for obstructing justice.“Now, get out of my way!” Reuben waved his arm and said sternly to his subordinates in the back without looking back, “Kaze Lee and Snow Frost aren’t going to be cuffed themselves.” “Click!” The subordinates raised their guns at Kaze and Snow. Another pulled out cuffs. Buffy grimaced and said curtly, “Reuben, are you really going to push this so far without giving me any respect?” Reuben scoffed. “I would need to give you respect when Casius was around, Buffy.“But your man is dead. Why should I give you any now? “If you continue to get in my way, I’ll have you arrested too.“You should know that once you’re taken into the Tiger’s Cave’s custody, you can forget about ever
It was as though the man did not expect Kaze to remain calm under the pressure of so many guns pointed at him. The man frowned and then raised his hand, saying, “Move the car and let them go.” “You guys go ahead,” Kaze said to Conan and Darcy. Conan nodded. He quickly turned the car away and left the encirclement. “Which car am I getting into?” Kaze asked as he scanned over the cars. He pointed at the one the middle-aged man was sitting and said, “Can I take this? It seems more comfortable.” The annoyance on the man’s face grew distinctive but he remained silent and nodded. Kaze went over to the shiny new car and got into the back. Armed officers got into the car as well, occupying the other side of the rear seat and the passenger’s seat. Kaze smiled and did not mind the extra security. “Whrrrrr.” The siren went blaring as the motorcade brought Kaze away. Back at Rivername’s residential area, both Villa No.11 and Villa No.9 were sealed by police lines and there
Kaze pretended to be unfazed. Despite his dislike and disgust for Mika, Kaze was sad about the loss of her life. That was all there was to it. He had no idea how Mika’s death was linked to him. Since the police were on his case, something must have been going on. Aiden’s revenge, despite the reckless elements, was carefully laid out. The middle-aged man scoffed and replied, “We have learned that Ms. Suka has been seen in Villa No. 9 on the night of the Yemens’ house party. “Ms. Suka left in tears and a handprint on her face. “Her social media account was canceled, and her talent agency dropped her. She had to pay an exorbitant price due to the breach of contract. “Ms. Suka had been under a lot of stress these few couple of days and attempted suicide several times. She must harbor a lot of resentment toward you. “You, on the other hand, are a shareholder of TikTok and the son-in-law of the Ridgesouth Quints. You command power in Riverbank. She’s just a girl without a
Conan nodded and started the car to head to Villa No. 9. Out of nowhere, three police cars sped over, their blaring sirens shattering the peace in the area. With one in the front and two in the back, the police cars surrounded Kaze’s ride. “Thud!” The doors opened, and armed police officers jumped out of their vehicles. The officers spread out and took their positions, aiming their weapons at Kaze’s car. Several officers in plain clothes emerged from the sedan in the back. The middle-aged leader looked inside Kaze’s car before gesturing to two armed officers. Two armed officers yanked the back door open and yelled at Kaze, “Get out now! “Keep your hands in the air.” Kaze got out of the car and looked at the middle-aged man. He asked in a daze, “Officer, we have a property in Rivername. We are law-abiding citizens. What’s the meaning of this?” Ignoring Kaze, the middle-aged man sized him up and asked without looking, “Is it him?” “Yes, he’s Kaze Lee,” another pol
“See those police cars?” Kaze looked at the police vehicles outside Villa No. 13. “These cars aren’t from the local police department. They are with the state police.“Who would send the state police after me since I’m connected to the local police department?” Darcy quickly realized that judging by the cars and uniforms, the police presence was sent by the state. “Is there no justice in the world?” Darcy furrowed her brows. “I didn’t think Aiden would have the power to mobilize the state police to set you up. “If word gets out, the police will get a bad name.” Kaze grinned and replied, “That’s the reason why I got on Aiden’s nerves. “He let his emotions do the thinking for him. “Aiden lost ten billion dollars because of us, and all he got were a useless gem and humiliation.“The Krads and the Ryokanians will give him hell after what happened today.“He must be eager to get rid of me. He won’t be able to sleep at night until he does.“So he picks on me. Everybody kn
Kaze only said to make Darcy believe and put her at ease. He knew that there was no going back between him and the Ryokanians. Reiko’s apology was only a temporary truce. “Oh, a villa?” Darcy furrowed her brows. “It explains why I’ve been hearing rumors about a villa where you keep your other women. I guess it’s true.” “Who said that?” Kaze said in resignation, “Where I keep other women? You know how things are between me and Snow. I let her stay there for her safety. I have assigned a bodyguard to her too. “Besides, Snow ran Perfect World Group back in Lilyrose. It’s only right that I give her a villa.” Darcy scoffed, but the tension along her facial features eased. Still, she said, “You’re off the hook for now, but you should give me a tour of the villa. I’m the boss’ wife. It makes sense for me to care about the employees.” Darcy’s penetrating gaze forced Kaze to nod along. “Alright. We can check the place out now.” Conan, behind the wheel, turned the car aroun
Coming from another city, Sky Ocean Corporation could finally establish its footing in Riverbank. Unbelievably, Sky Ocean Corporation did not spend a dime to make headway in Riverbank. Aiden footed the bill. Heaving a sigh, Darcy eased her emotions and said worriedly, “Kaze, Boris is right. You should’ve quit while you were ahead.“Why did you have to upset Aiden once we acquired the land? We have made an enemy out of him now.” Darcy might have trouble keeping the land. Aiden’s words had gotten to Darcy. Darcy understood that it was the last she had seen of him. Kaze’s aggression only made things worse. Sitting next to Darcy, Kaze said carefreely, “Well, you know that this is far from over. “I needed to defend my wife’s honor anyway.“He should be the one to pay because he played dirty and caused Sky Ocean Corporation some major loss.“Besides…” Kaze paused, his tone icy. “He's been on my hit list from the moment he colluded with the Ryokanians.“Since things ar
The crowd fell silent as Kaze’s criticism and blows echoed through the room. Kaze pummeled Aiden’s face at least a dozen times. He only stopped when Aiden’s face swelled up. Tension lingered in the air. Everybody stared in disbelief as Aiden struggled violently against Kaze’s attack. The crowd assumed the roles would have been reversed. By right, Aiden should be the aggressor while Kaze would suffer in silence. Come to think of it, logic did not exist when Kaze was around. Aiden narrowed his eyes at Kaze as humiliation and anger washed over him. He gritted his teeth, his lips quivering, but no words escaped his mouth. Aiden understood that adaptation was crucial for survival. He would only be getting slapped on the face by talking back. Kaze looked at his bloody palm and wiped his hand on Aiden’s suit. The insulting gesture saw the crowd shivering and Aiden shaking with rage. Aiden clenched his fists. Nevertheless, Aiden held himself together. He had come
Sensing no threat, Kaze said with a pretentious smile, “Didn’t you lecture me about being understanding? “You should lead by example. I wanted to see if you could become the bigger person. “As you can see, you want to kill me for hitting you.“You’re one to talk about grace.” Kaze’s sarcastic remark painted Boris’ face red. Boris uttered exasperatedly, “You’re not on my level, kid.” “Oh, I guess your grace and tolerance are only reserved for those higher in the social hierarchy.”Kaze put on a stern look. “I have no idea what level I’m on, but I know you’re just a lapdog to the Krads. “Do you think we were blind to your little setup with Aiden? “You’re one of Riverbank underworld kingpins. It’s embarrassing for someone your age to put on that silly show.” Kaze took a step forward, his eyes fixating on Boris. “Tell me. What level are you on?” “Woah!” The crowd broke out in an uproar. Many on scene were oblivious to Boris’ little show with Aiden. While the secret
Kaze waved his arm like a total badass. Aiden and the others wished they could rip Kaze apart. It was annoying. Kaze got under everybody’s skin. Darcy and Kaze acquired Crown Tower and its surrounding land without spending a dime. More accurately, Aiden paid the price. Darcy was speechless, to say the least. She had no idea that Kaze could be so manipulative. If she were in Aiden’s shoes, she would probably be livid. “Thank you, Mr. Krad. You’re one of the good guys.” Kaze burst out laughing while thanking Aiden. The smug look on Kaze’s face was infuriating, but Aiden could only stand there, seething. “That’s enough, young man.” An old but commanding voice boomed. The crowd was taken aback as Boris, one of the Riverbank underworld kingpins approached. “Don’t push it, young man. You have won, and I suggest you should leave it at that,” Boris said indifferently. Despite his flat tone, Boris was critical of Kaze. “Boris is right. Kaze, you got lucky this